August 2007

Justice for Cris Anthony Mendez

cris_mendez.jpg
([tag]Cris Anthony Mendez[/tag] via his friendster account)

For the past days, my rollercoaster emotions got caught up with my own Justice for my son crusade. I will write about this soon. The news on the Hazing eyed in death of graduating UP student outraged and saddened me because it was a senseless death. (more news in here, here and Cris Mendez Dead, Justice for the Boy When?).

I knew the name of the fraternity even before the mainstream media picked it up. How? My husband is a frat man at the same campus and text messages circulated freely that Sigma Rho is suspected to be the fraternity behind the hazing. I asked my husband how could fraternities use this type of violent method to determine their qualified brods. Why can’t they just have non-physical initiation rites like implementing worthwhile projects? . My 2 girls overheard my suggestion and laughed “mom, this is a frat. It is not a macho thing to start projects”. What baffles me , how come, in this day and age, fraternities still find it necessary? It is barbaric.

Justice might have to wait as the Quezon City Police District Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (QCPD-CIDU) claimed that Dr. Francisco Cruz who reportedly brought Cris Mendez to the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) had gone into hiding.

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Lessons Learned From Malu Fernandez

malu fernandez
(Via Annalyn.net)
Tonight at 6:00 PM, Benj with other bloggers and journalists and possibly [tag]Malu Fernandez[/tag] will appear in Media In Focus at the ABS-CBN News Channel Studios. (Media in Focus replays: 11 PM tonight, SAT 6 AM and 5 PM ) I talked to Anton de Leon , a fellow blogger based in Dubai and he admits that:

The reactions from people from all over the globe have been going strong. To this day, i have had reactions come from bloggers and readers who speak vehemently of Miss Malu and the acerbic wit she has pushed. It really has become an angry mob, but who is to blame here. Aside from Malu, i think part of it should be shifted to the people who allowed the commentary to be published. This is why, in this circle of work that i revolve in. we have these things called editors. Editors are supposed to make the call and check for content.

Over 2000 angry comments expressed to date! I can understand their feelings. Feelings are just feelings; there is no morality in the feeling, only in our behavior. We can feel angry without hurting or abusing others or ourselves. The thing is not a lot of people can express their anger appropriately. I too have been guilty in the past of name-calling but I have learned. Anger is an emotion we’re all prone to experience. Yes, it’s okay to feel angry , I agree. It points to a problem. In this case, it signals a problem that needs to be solved. Sometimes , it points to boundaries we need to set. Sometimes , it’s the final burst of energy before letting go, or acceptance settles in.

I would like to believe that this anger should now have a positive resolution. A few bloggers point out the lessons learned from the Malu Fernandez article:

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Lauren meets Loren

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Senator Loren, this is Lauren, the first Pinoy blogger, Mike Abundo pulls the reluctant Lauren towards Senator Loren Legarda.

Finally my Lauren meets the Loren, that people often mispell her name for. Lauren gets really annoyed whenever the Starbucks’ barista label her coffee cup as LOREN! Lauren being Lauren spells it out to these baristas. It just shows how popular Loren Legarda’s name is, huh?

I had no idea why I was invited to an event in Manila Peninsula . All I knew was that Mike Abundo was going to be inducted as Vice President of something which Lauren couldn’t recall. The little I know of Mike Abundo is that he is often in cosplay , gaming or anime thing.

Upon reaching the Manila Peninsula banquet hall, I was surprised to see a signage of the Philippine Internet Commerce Society ([tag]PICS07[/tag]) plastered by the door. What a relief that it wasn’t some cosplay event. To add to my pleasant surprise, Aileen Apolo, the birthday girl , Juned, Jayvee were also there to give support to Mike. Aww…

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Twittering Malu Fernandez

Though MAHADERANG MATAPOBRE SA OFWS is one of the first blogs (now with over 1,400 comments) to post on Malu Fernandez last August 8, it was Nick’s blog that called for action. I read Nick’s entry on Malu Fernandez at around 10:00 p.m. of August 16. I commented “I will see what I can do.”

It seemed like a formidable task. Should I blog about it? I hemmed and hawed. It doesn’t seem to belong to my niche. While thinking of a strategy, I thought of the Twitter. I sent this Twitter message because I knew around 100 followers would read it right away.

Jeric and Benj were one of the first to comment on Nick’s call to action against the Malu Fernandez article.

Ederic soon posted:

Pero ngayong gabi, muntik na yata akong ma-highblood. Kasi naman, si Noemi, nag-twit ng ““Boycott Manila Standard. [tag]Malu Fernandez[/tag] reminds me of someone.” Na-curious tuloy ako kaya pinuntahan ko ang link na kasama ng twit niya.

Napadpad ako sa Tingog.com, naintindihan ko ang twit ni Noemi, bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko at medyo nanikip ang dibdib ko.

I showed Cathy and Lorna my blog entry and without hesitation contacted their journalist friends.

And who knows what happened next?

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13 Bonding Moments at the Taste Asia Bloggers Party

A list of 13 bonding moments seems more interesting to read and at the same time serves as my contribution to the 107th Edition of Thursday Thirteen Meme. (I know, I know, it’s a bit late for Thursday Thirteen but I fell asleep. ) Thanks to SM Hypermarket and Aileen Apolo, the bloggers party brought about this wonderful opportunity to get to know the bloggers we only read in our Google Reader or during blog-hopping.

Here are a few of the bonding moments:

1. Lauren showing off an all original and gorgeous WordPress- Tshirt and myself.
lauren

2. Chats, Cookie. Julie, Annmanila, Rowena and I finally meet and having photos taken in a clique booth
cliquebooth1.jpg

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Sommelier Selection, Mrs. Fields, WikiPilipinas

Do you want to know the top 5 reasons why I attend New Media Events?

Someone mentioned that the easiest way to a blogger’s heart is through their stomach. What a condescending remark! It’s not even the freebies. I can very well afford to buy the products or services, thank you. Not the TV appearances. Been there even before I became a blogger. Not the photo ops either. The primary reason I attend new media events is to get fresh new content for my Shopping Finds, Pinoy Food Blog and my other techie blogs. Being one of the first to post this breaking news on my blogs give me an edge. Isn’t that part of publishing too? Aside from content, here are a few of my silly reasons.

1. It’s an excuse to have a date with my husband. Hehe, actually I just need him to drive me home from the Mrs. Fields Cookie Cafe Press Launch since it was held at the Manila Pavilion.
Mrs Fields
View Photos or read Mrs. Fields Cookie Cafe Launch (August 21, 2007)

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A Father’s Grief in Grief Share

father's grief
It’s my husband’s turn to be featured on TV . For many years after my son’s death, my husband was inconsolable often in a depressed mode. In our “modern day” society it is especially difficult for fathers to grieve openly, caught in a catch 22 of how to express the deep pain they are experiencing. Men don’t cry, men do not emote, men do not hug (maybe at the funeral) men don’t go to support groups, men don’t call in sick because they are screaming inside, They are the man of the family. Fathers are the fix it guys, the protector, the strength and the rock the family needs for support. More often than not, people will ask a bereaved father “how is your wife doing? This must be extremely hard for her”.

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A Cozy New Look

newdesign.jpgHow is the wide wide world of the blogosphere today? Good to hear that we all agree to disagree . While everyone was busy with a new soap opera in the blogosphere, I chose to putter around and fix my blog’s theme. Introducing my blog’s spanking new layout designed by Juan Karlo Licudine of pinoyblogero.com (of course I hired his services). My angel must have guided Karlo’s hands because the header design is awesome. My instructions for the drawing were “we’re a family . I am using my macbook and Luijoe is hovering nearby”. The header depicted the way I wanted it to be and even more. I love this Karlo! He made me virtually sexy. He even captured my husband’s white hair Haha.

I’m really happy with my blog’s cozy new look.

So yes, I’ve just been through a morass of feelings. I bet you did too. The good news is good feelings are here again. Actually good feelings can become a habitual part of our lives. I don’t have to allow others to make myself miserable and I dont have to make myself miserable. A good day does not have to be calm before the storm

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