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203 victims of abduction; 1,010 victims of torture; 1,017 victims of extrajudicial killings; 201 victims of enforced disappearances. 
 
These are the reported numbers of souls who suffered from the hands of the Philippine Military who should have been protecting our divine rights of freedom and liberty enshrined not only on our constitution but also in the basic humanity of each and everyone of us.  These are the number of souls who had seen the glimpse of hell with most of them not able to see another daylight with their loved ones.  And many more souls are still searching and crying out for the elusive justice to be rendered on perpetrators of such brutal display of arrogance and power.
 

This Is Not Something New
 
Fil-Am Melissa Roxas recounted yesterday during a press conference in Los Angeles how she was abducted and tortured of what she believed to be military agents in Tarlac on May 19.  She was constantly being interrogated, beaten, asked to sign some documents and tried to suffocate her by pulling plastic bags over her head.  When one of her tormentors told her that they are just mere “instruments of God” for rebels to return into the fold of law, she said that “that my God does not torture people”.
 
Roxas’ experience of walking into the valley of death is not something new at all; it is but just once again an affirmation of the lingering ill of a grave cancer in our country.  The tumor that has once been sporadic instances of human rights abuses on remote barrios and villages has grown into a full-blown ferocious beast that devours our country and challenges our harmonious living under the banner of freedom and democracy as a nation. 
 
Until today, those faceless people who were tortured and simply vanished in the middle of the night during the time of the dictator are still crying out for justice.  Hundreds and thousands of them perished with hands on their backs and wounds of their hearts. 
 
In 2007, UN Special Rapporteur for Extra Judicial Killings Phillip Alston reported that the Philippines government is to be blamed for all these human rights abuses and atrocities.
 

A Government in Denial
 
With this latest issue of human rights abuse capturing the attention of all nations, the military has once again dismissed these allegations saying, “Nothing of that sort happened. We already asked all units in the area and we found that they have nothing to do with that.”  Wow, this is like my classic version of lying in exchange of a fake gold ring.  And other operatives of the government are calling Roxas’ story as “stage-managed.”
 
Remembered what the former Secretary of Justice Raul Gonzales said on the Alston Report?  He lambasted it with his usual gift of sarcasm and senselessness unheard of from a government official, calling it baseless, written with much bias against the government and full of unsubstantiated facts that tries to intervene on the sovereignty of our nation.  He even called Phillip Alston nothing but a “muchacho” of the United Nations, so why believe him anyway.  A rare virus from the jungles of Africa has surely gotten of the sanity of this old man.  I am just so thankful that he is already out of the helm of raping Lady Justice with his sarcasm.
 
I am getting tired of this usual gobbledygook that all the spokespersons of this inutile government has to say to appease the clamor for accountability.  I have so much already with the usual twisting of the arms of justice and a new sex scandal (Hayden Kho and Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago, wahahaha!) to divert our attention to constantly tune in to YouTube. The usual path of justice has to be taken to the next level and torturers, murderers and all their demi-gods should be thrown into the burning pit of damnation.   
 

An Eye For An Eye, A Tooth For A Tooth!
 
Melissa Roxas through her US-based lawyer Atty. Arnedo Valera is going to file a case in the US Federal Court and seek damages against the Philippine government.  They are also set to file a complaint in the US State Department and the United Nations.  “I want the world to know what happened because the Philippine government and military should not get away with what they did to me,” she said.
 
If this case therefore progresses in the United States and gives Roxas the justices she is asking from the court, it will send a chilling effect on the present administration and the judicial system of our country.  First, being an affirmation and condemnation of the obvious rampant human rights abuses that this government is primarily sponsoring; and in effect harboring fugitives and murderers on its fold and paycheck.  When the federal court and the US State Department finds the Philippine government guilty over this particular human rights abuse, it will also drive a stronger US and international pressure to the government to act against human rights abuse. And second, this case could render our justice system and law enforcement agencies as nothing but kangaroo courts and rubber stamps.  Then our government will have a dose of its medicine.
 
Roxas’ battle here could only affirm that our very own government could never protect its own people rather, even have all the means and chance to hurt the freedom and rights of its citizens.  I am pretty sure that this is not the kind of nation that our founding Fathers and our martyrs died for and this is not the kind of nation that our heroes sacrificed their liberty for, unless you are reading a DepEd funded history book.  I think that they sacrificed their lives for more people to live, and they offered their own liberty for the rights and freedom of the next generations to flourish; and of course for more bloggers to write without fear or hesitation and tweet to their hearts’ content.
 
Well, if these torturers and murderers think that they are “instruments of God”, then maybe they should check first who really the God on that side of the fence is.

Do you think that filing a case against the Philippine government in the US Federal Court, US State Department and the United Nations could solve the problem of human rights abuses in our country? Any suggested remedies to make all these torturers, murderers and demi-gods hold accountable?

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This is a guest post by blogging buddy Doc Z of zorlone. Here he shares his observations, commentaries and frustrations on his daily travel on the streets of the congested Metro Manila.


Question: What are the things I hate to see on the road on my way to work?

Answer:

1. While backing up, motorcycles and jeepneys would rush behind me.
2. Pedestrians cross without looking left or right.
3. A jeepney would stop in a U – turn slot and let a passenger off the island!
4. The vehicle on my left lane would swerve in front of me to go to the right lane.
5. Smoke belchers.
6. Tricycle drivers giving me the evil eye after they try to steal my lane.
7. Too many one-way streets!
8. Jay walking.
9. Flashing headlights to signal that the car behind me wants to overtake.
10.Drivers rubbernecking!


Sundays and holidays are the best days to drive around Metro Manila. You’d be surprised to reach Makati from Malabon in less than forty minutes. Don’t ask me if it’s doable because it is. I didn’t say that just to brag. Of course, it’s a totally different story on a weekday. Oh, you get the idea.


Going to work with a smile

Yep, you read that right. I usually plug in my ipod earphones and turn the volume up while driving (#1 cause my car stereo doesn’t work and #2 the honking of horns is muffled on top of a loud alternative rock music).

The faces of the pedestrians all seem the same to me: Rushing to work, anxious, and dreadful to be late.

I wouldn’t want to be in their way or I’ll pointlessly get hit like a punching bag.

Driving seems so relaxing with music playing even if you snake your way through traffic. Ah… may the bravest driver take the lead! But, don’t force yourself when you are neck to neck with a jeepney, they are the bravest of them all, taxi drivers are just second (by my standards).


Beauty vs. Brawn

A carefully guarded secret in driving is that beauty trumps brawn. I learned this from a good “friend” of mine one traffic jammed night a long… long time ago.

We were going back to the hospital (where I parked my car, she was driving) when we had to cross a busy intersection. It was nighttime and her car had a really dark tint. A jeepney driver tried to cut her from the left. The light was green on our lane so, technically we had the right of way. This driver was adamant and made an attempt to get closer. She simply rolled down her window, showed her lovely beautiful goddess of a face, then the jeepney backed up. I saw this driver’s jaw fell embarrassingly open. (Let’s say, a swarm of flies would have been able to get in.) Then my friend stepped on the gas and headed our way.


Donorcycle

I was chatting with Jan Geronimo and Holly one time when we talked about “donorcyles.”

Apparently, Jan rides his motorcycle to work. It was Holly who coined the term donorcycle for us. Of course, a responsible driver like Jan only drives up to 20kph. I realized how right Holly was, knowing that there were a lot of comatosed patients from accidents that involve motorcycles from my emergency room rotation.

I just can’t help but think that these people had too much adrenaline pumping through their veins that they would ignore the danger of getting pinned while trying to overtake bigger vehicles on the wrong side of the road.


New York Taxi Driver

I had mixed reactions when I drove my US based Aunt one night from the airport when she visited years ago.

We were both hungry, tired, and sleepy (my trade mark) that night on EDSA when there was a seemingly endless stretch of traffic along Guadalupe up to Shaw Boulevard! I applied all the tricks I learned from my Aunt, then, twelve years of driving skills when she finally said, “Lor, if doctoring doesn’t work out for you - you can still be a cab driver in New York,” jokingly. We both laughed as we compared how different drivers here and in the US were. At least I didn’t fall asleep following the tail of some slow moving truck in front of me.


Peaceful disputes

Even with a lot of cutting lanes, swerving and power tripping, whatever you may call them, there were still a lot of disputes that didn’t end up into a full blown violent encounter among drivers. Hey, that was just me saying the obvious and quite happily, some foreigner agreed. Unfortunately, there are still some accidents out there, but it is still relatively safe to drive around the Metro. With or without these driving skills, people don’t get out of their cars and start shooting each other.


Question: What I would really want to see on the road while on my way to work?

Answer: A clear stretch of asphalt road to drive on.

What are the things that you hate to see on the road while driving? Have you also experienced troubles and disputes on the road? What would you really want to see on the road while you are on your way to work?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Doc Z is the uber blogger and poet behind zorlone.blogspot.com. He is a medical doctor by profession and juggles between his time on his clinic attending patients are his fondness of playing badminton and blogging. His blog is also one of those widely nominated blogs on Ms. Janette Torral’s writing project, Top Ten Emerging Influential Blog of 2009. Check out his blog and if you are not yet done with your list, Zorlone could be the blog you are missing.

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5:45 PM.

15 minutes before calling it a day at the office. And of course, 15 minutes before relaxing at the couch having the monopoly of the TV’s remote control.

But as we were preparing yesterday our things to head for the exit door and painted on our face are nothing but smiles after the Con-Ass forum, the Director of another office on the same building suddenly opened the door and told us the news.

“All classes are suspended. Classes will resume on June 29. One confirmed case of A(N1H1) in campus.”

Before we could even react, the bearer of this news already disappeared, I don’t because of fear or by sheer excitement to go home and take a vacation.

Then came the breakdown.



“Wow. Long vacation just after the opening of classes?! Superb!”

“How about our scheduled workshop on Thursday for the new module that we are to make for our students’ formation program?”

“Oh, we are scheduled to prepare all the stuffs for the institutional forum early next month. How about that one?”

“And how about the visit of our accreditors and guest next week?”

“How about our foreign visitors? Our preparations?”

Sigh.

It could have been fun having affording a long vacation, but we were confronted by the fact that we have so much things to do and lots of projects already scheduled. What to do with all these stuffs? Put them to the back seat for now I guess.


The A(N1H1) Tornado

One woman who works in the House of Representatives is the first Filipino victim to die of this disease. And the number of victims multiplies day by day, hitting the 500-mark today with the DOH expecting it to even hit the 7-digit number before the fury of virus slowly die down. When will it be? No one yet could tell.

Because of this, employees of the House or Representatives were sent home. No work. One branch of government is on a stand still.

A minor community outbreak is also already declared in Metro Manila, primarily concentrated on schools and universities. With cases sprouting here and there on different campus, classes are suspended, students sent home and workers ending up having an added vacation. Other schools even have to suspend their classes for another week even before starting it!


The Trouble With These Class Suspensions

Though I may be speaking for myself but I think I could also be echoing the sentiments of some teachers, some of our students and workers regarding these class suspensions.

Despite the suggestion of the Department of Health and the Commission on Higher Education not to suspend classes, they could still not stop the managements of schools to impose such preventive measure.

The problem.

Class suspensions disrupt classes, scheduled activities, plans, and projects and workers ‘and students’ mindset. On the part of our school, we already moved for another week the start of our classes, from June 8 to June 15 because of A(N1H1) and now, another 3 days of now classes.

Though I am also quite fearful being infected by this disease and by the fact that you don’t know who is infected by the virus, I am also pissed off that with just one confirmed case in our school, everything would halt and stop.

As the economist Benjamin Diokno said, with all the class suspensions and some business closing shops, and of course the fear that this virus brings to the people, the economy will certainly feel the pinch. Money will not circulate, services will not be demanded and the economy will shrink.

Maybe, we are just panicking too much?

I guess I will just have to take this long vacation. Enjoy it? Hmmm…Shrug off the fear for this disease. And blog. Sounds better. Now, I am feeling much better.

What do you think guys? Will you also be pissed off with all these class suspensions in effect disrupting everything in your working calendar? Are we having so much unfounded fear against this virus?


Did you enjoy my post? You can actively participate in the discussion by commenting. And to keep updated by the latest news, commentaries and discussions, you can also subscribe through your email.


Related Posts You May Want Also to Read:

Graduates of Recession
Bloggers' Journey Into Blogging
The Windmill of Philippine Educational System
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I was quite a brave boy back in my teeny-weeny years. When my mom would ask me to buy something in the nearest sari-sari store, I could summon all rationalizations at the palm of my hand and not return some of the change just to buy myself some candies or peanut snacks with its infamous extra fake gold ring. I would then reason out to mother with an angelic smile and innocent eyes (minus of course the halo) that I lost some of the change on the tall grasses on the side of the street after being chased by our neighbor’s carnivorous pitbull (and sometimes say that I got too scared to look for those coins on the tall grasses because many said that anacondas hide on them ready to swallow lying kids…ooppps!); or I saw a poor boy along the way and, being the generous boy I was taught to become, gave him some of the coins to buy himself some food; or that I put the coins on my pocket without noticing that there was a vacuum in it.


And then my mother would give me that tiger look and searched for my pockets and take look at my hands. Pockets were OK! But lo’ and behold, there was that fake gold ring right on my middle finger! Ooops, Mom, the poor boy gave this to me. No, the pitbull placed this on my finger! No? Ah, the heavens opened up and the fairy-god-mother appeared to me like an apparition and placed this on my finger for being honest? Nah, nah, nah! On your back!

Kapoow! Kaplak! Spoosh! And the spanking session starts.

My mother taught me not to lie and really made it a point to vandal my butt with her lessons if I dare use my very fertile imagination to reason out on very obvious bare-faced lies. She will never really pass a single moment not to correct any bad attitude on my part especially being the eldest. And as far as my experience is concerned, the hardest hits I got were when I lied to her.

Children are taught to always be true and honest; never lie even if it is what you call white lies, if there is really such thing. We are so angry when people lie to us, for it is not only a matter of bending or breaking the facts of the case that seemingly makes us inutile but more than that is the insult it brings to a given trust. I could still always here ringing in my ears my mother admonishing me that telling the truth is always a truth and a lie will always be a lie; it is not complicated at all, the truth is non-negotiable.


General Garcia, Off the Hook Again on 3rd Perjury Case? And Other Liars.D
on’t look at me that way, I am in no way related to him. This is not a paid-post or a PR campaign for Gen. Croc Garcia.

But this fomer AFP Comptroller who is alleged to have amassed a total of P330 million in total fortunes has once again escaped from the very short arms of justice being acquitted from his third perjury case. He defended himself saying that his non-declaration of his assets in his SALN which are worth P1.5 million were done “in good faith” and that he did not know that he has also to declare the two other cars bought by his wife. Damn!

I could have yawned on this one but acquitting a big time robber for the third time for lying (minus yet the crime of graft and corruption) is not only a big blow to the justice system but renders all the people as nothing but inutile spectators on an orchestrated show. The truth will set you free so they say, but in this case, a lie has set free a plunderer and liar.

All those guys in the government know how things work; or how to make a bare-faced lie without being punished? Of course, those robbers and plunderers are not going to place all those stolen fortunes on their names, dimwit! Remembered all those Marcos cronies and dummy corporations? Or all those Swiss accounts of the man-with-multiple-personality Jose Pidal? How about Imelda’s own loot of expensive jewelries? And that of Erap’s numerous mansions?

They have to place their loots on cronies, dummy corporations, dubious Swiss accounts with phony names and of course on their wives, sons, daughters, mistresses and relatives. And all they have to say is” “Hey, I am not the owner of that, is it under my name? See, my dog Blackie owns it? Go get yourself a lawyer and I will file a P10 million libel case against you.” Kaboom!

If my mother could only be the lady justice, she could have served all these liars and plunderers and many others unmentioned with a sizzling bamboo stick for them to learn their lessons the hard and painful way. She could have tattooed all their butts and even include their faces with her sermons of always holding on to the truth.

Sad fact is: many obvious lies, but with their celebrity lawyers and tons of cash, they could circumvent the law and make a very simple thing complicated to their own advantage.


Stop Telling Your Children Not to Lie?

It makes therefore the efforts of most parents end with futility or even the practice of discipline to our children more challenging than ever, for in the real world, in the media, our children could only see crooked lines being made straight and lies transformed into dogmas for everyone to easily embrace.

Most often than not, the culture of corruption not only confined in the cubicles of government service but also in the private sector seeps through the cracks of our family. Taking the abovementioned instances, I am also being confronted by students about cheating as for them but natural so long as one should not get caught. While some of them even challenges me on why should I impose a no cheating-policy when everyone especially those who are getting rich are doing it anyway? He dropped the bomb right on my face!

I guess I would always go back to the way how my mother disciplined me: the truth will always be the truth, a lie is a lie, it is not complicated at all, and the truth is non-negotiable. One should never get tired or cynic just because everyone is doing and going the opposite.

Off now, my mom is calling me to go to the sari-sari store.

What is your reaction to my post and commentary guys? Do you think that there is really a changing landscape of honesty today? How were you disciplined by your parents as regards to the value of honesty? Be honest….LOL!


Did you enjoy my post? You can actively participate in the discussion by commenting. And to keep updated by the latest news, commentaries and discussions, you can also subscribe through your email.


Related Posts You May Want Also to Read:

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I don’t know what to write today. And it sucks! Truly.

Browsed over my favourite blogs on my overcrowded reader reading a post about a scandalous photoshoped picture of Miley Cyrus blowing a big candle (sorry I am not going to give you the link to save you from damnation LOL!); opened news sites crying of Imelda’s poverty and her non-sense appeal to emotion; ate pichi-pichi, dinuguan and puto; turned on my radio; and twitted; unfortunately got no inspiration still. No idea for a post today. I think I got so drained making all those reports and pretending to be one hell of a statistician of our office.



I browsed once again on some sites and found something. Quite a relief but not yet a total blogging satisfaction.

One thing that makes our politicians be voted to office or thrown out of the political radar; remembered as great people or condemned by history as flops; is primarily by the way they communicate to us, the people they serve and should only be serving. As I said on my previous post, a great part of leadership is the way they influence the people.

So I saw some of the infamous lines from the former US President George W. Bush that make him most remembered about by the people and most especially by David Letterman, Stephen Colbert and Jay Leno. I actually haven’t given him yet my farewell message, so this is it. Braced yourselves, take a deep breath. Bombs away!

"One of the very difficult parts of the decision I made on the financial crisis was to use hardworking people's money to help prevent there to be a crisis." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Jan. 12, 2009 (Wow! Thank then Mr. President for we are actually now in a crisis with our own money on it?!)

"I'm telling you there's an enemy that would like to attack America, Americans, again. There just is. That's the reality of the world. And I wish him all the very best." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Jan. 12, 2009 (Imaginary enemies? And all the best to terrorists? For heaven’s sake, this is too much cordiality. Pati sa terorista, pacute pa rin eh.)
"I guess it's OK to call the secretary of education here 'buddy.' That means friend." --George W. Bush, Philadelphia, Jan. 8, 2009 (Proooot! Lakas ng tama ah! Gin bilog ba?)

"So I analyzed that and decided I didn't want to be the president during a depression greater than the Great Depression, or the beginning of a depression greater than the Great Depression." --George W. Bush, Washington D.C., Dec. 18, 2008 (I think you should better use these signs Mr. President < , > ).

"You know, I'm the President during this period of time, but I think when the history of this period is written, people will realize a lot of the decisions that were made on Wall Street took place over a decade or so, before I arrived in President, during I arrived in President." --George W. Bush, ABC News interview, Dec. 1, 2008 (Ano raw un? Nakakalbo na ko sa kakaisip what he really means!)

"I've been in the Bible every day since I've been the president." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Nov. 12, 2008 (So, that means eight years with the bible? Ayos, kapag nagging president ka pala eh napapabasa ka ng bible. Heard that GMA?)

"I want to share with you an interesting program -- for two reasons, one, it's interesting, and two, my wife thought of it -- or has actually been involved with it; she didn't think of it. But she thought of it for this speech." --George W. Bush, discussing a company that improves access to clean water in Africa, Washington D.C., Oct. 21, 2008 (Ano na naman raw? Adik talaga eh!)

"I didn't grow up in the ocean -- as a matter of fact -- near the ocean -- I grew up in the desert. Therefore, it was a pleasant contrast to see the ocean. And I particularly like it when I'm fishing." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Sept. 26, 2008 (Bangag lang yung nakakita ng ocean sa desyerto noh! Punta kang Manila Ocean Park)

"Wait a minute. What did you just say? You're predicting $4-a-gallon gas? ... That's interesting. I hadn't heard that." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Feb. 28, 2008 (Ano ba ang alam mo kasi!?)

"I want to tell you how proud I am to be the President of a nation that -- in which there's a lot of Philippine-Americans. They love America and they love their heritage. And I reminded the President that I am reminded of the great talent of the -- of our Philippine-Americans when I eat dinner at the White House." --George W. Bush, referring to White House chef Cristeta Comerford while meeting with Filipino President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Washington, D.C., June 24, 2008 (Chef Cristeta, lagyan mo nga racumin pagkain nyan ng magkakilanlan kayo!)

Darn!

I hope making you read over those lines has kept your sanity intact inside your skull lest you sue me and make me pay your medical bills and psychological tests. Georgie is only one of the so many politicians who got caught from their very own words. But hey, I really don’t know if dear George is always drunk or have some speech problems or his thoughts does not coincide with his words or he is simply that stupid. And I would rather believe on the last one. How about you?

Going local, who would ever forget Gov. Joey Salceda’s remarks on GMA’s luck being a bitch, but one lucky bitch. It is no wonder that GMA loves generals. Kaboom!!! Kaboom!!! LOL!

I think I’m gonna post here next time all those dardnest lines from our very own politicians.

On to you now. Which among those lines of former US President George W. Bush you liked so much? Do you think that he should make a copyright out of his infamous lines to earn some more cash? Why do you think that politicians say the darndest things?


Related Posts You May Want Also to Read:

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I think I could claim that I made one of the craziest lists of nominees for Mam Janette Toral’s Emerging Influential Bloggers of 2009 with nominees ranging from those who could make you a one sharp-fanged rabid commenter to a blogger fuelled with caffeine on maintaining his 13 damn outstanding blogs with vigor; from one blogger who can shut the daylight out of the career Angel Locsin for being such a beauty, to a mom blogger that I once called “bro” after her tear-jerking comment here. *blushing* And that list undeniably made me one crazy blogger after luring all bloggers from all sides of the earth to suggest two more blogs that I could include on my list of eight while actually I only listed seven and skipped a number, proving that I was always enjoying my time at the fourth row during my math subjects. I confess that it was not totally part of the trick but an honest mistake. Therefore, my list leaves me three more vacant spaces for superb and emerging influential bloggers to occupy.



Though this may came a little bit late but I would like to share some thoughts on the current buzz on the Pinoy Blogosphere about the Influential Blogger and maybe guide also those who are not yet done with their precious lists.


But who is the Influential Blogger?

Mam Janette succinctly described the emerging influential blogger by sharing some excerpts that we could use as guides on our selection from the king of leadership himself, John Maxwell who said “Leadership is influence. No more, no less.”

Here are some other points on leadership and influence:
• Everyone influences someone.
• We never know who or how much we influence
• The best investment in the future is a proper influence today.
• Influence is a skill that can be developed.


But how could we know that a blogger is influential?

Though you send me a basket of “balut” or freshly-baked gourmet pizza, but that does not assure you of my vote and love unless you are one hell of an influential blogger in your niche.

Let me share an incident.

There is this one very aggressive blogger who emailed me quite a number of times. First time, asking me how am I doing on my blogging and asked me to check out his blog. Poof! Second time, asked me if I have my list already and maybe could consider his blog to be included on my powerhouse list. Poof! I did not reply to his emails being true to my word that the one who deserves will get his due.

And the hullabaloo happened. There was this heated exchange of comments on another blog with the same guy who emailed me against one hot hunk blogger, whether a new blog with almost no posts on it be included on the nomination with the sheer reasoning that the owner of the blog has done tremendous things on doing SEO works on his other blogs. Darn, it was like Fernando Poe Jr. versus his arch nemesis Paquito Diaz! Bang, bang! Kaboom! Pow!

The owner of the blog refereed, and guess what, the SEO guy placed his blog on the top of his list of nominees!

I think, one important point is that the blogger in general could not be separated from his blog; he is his blog! This is where he expresses his ideas and connects to the world, and where the world connects to him. Without his blog, he is nothing but a solitary ordinary man confined on his own life space. His blog speaks for him and listens for him (hopefully he does know how to listen) to whatever other people say.

Therefore, one’s blogging influence is measured by his communicating power to his audience. You communicate with people and they recognize you and this is where influence comes in. Power here is not the strength to put down others or force readers and visitors to confine themselves on fear and guilt for speaking out their minds or worse excommunicate them from the blogosphere . Either, recognition is not about praises on our blogging prowess but is basically all about honesty. Readers, friends and strangers, interacts with you on your blog; they may most of the time agree but are not also afraid to disagree with your ideas for they know that being influential means being open-minded to the wider world and to other voices. This blogger may not be the highest authority or the man solely holding the bastion of truth on his niche but his voice could be recognized as a valuable point-of-view worthy to be listened to. And if I further may add, he basically influences your own blogging in some ways. That is the influential blogger.


Vote, Vote Vote!

There are those who got scandalized with bloggers who placed their blogs on their own nominations. Or those who are irritated by the nomination-spree of bloggers of their own friends to their list that makes them top the canvassing week by week.

I have nothing against this one, but if I could only use the same measure stick that I use on my own nomination on other bloggers, my sole criterion is “meritocracy”. For heaven’s sake, if you think you truly deserve and take note you feel your readers, friends and blog visitors attest to that, then go on! One who deserves his due should not be robbed by this great opportunity. Vote your friends, nominate them and even yourself maybe; if and only if they truly and you truly deserve to be on that list side by side other Pinoy uber bloggers. I saw many bloggers who did not nominate themselves though they are really pretty much qualified technically and in the strictest sense of the word influential. But in the end, our votes will therefore speak of ourselves.


My Final List of Even Crazier Emerging Influential Bloggers!

In the coming days, I will be posting my own “complete list” of even crazier emerging influential bloggers, minus my moronic way of counting from 1-10, promise. So brace for yourselves.

Three slots are still open and they will be occupied in just a couple of days. My congratulations in advance.

What is your own “distinct” definition or criterion of an emerging influential blogger as basis for your list of nominees? Who is the Influential Blogger for you?


Related Posts You May Want Also to Read:

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A Bald Joke and Some Hayden Cameras, Sex Scandals!!!

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Yehey! Independence Day! It is a holiday and many of us surely will celebrate our moments of liberation from work and academics with a short vacation over the weekend or flock the nearest malls to cool off ourselves and enjoy a whole day of window shopping happy meals.

I know, I know, let us revere this day. Hear me guys? Therefore, when you go to the mall to spend your independence day, take out from McDonald’s a burger and large fries for your dear friend Elmot. Now, that is one holy act of charity. :D



But fact is: the sacrifices of our revered heroes are now mostly left on their own hardened monuments scattered all over the parks and busy lanes of our cities coated with dust and disregard. Their cries for a better nation for the next generation devoid of corruption, poverty and illiteracy are still as elusive as capturing Osama bin Laden or “Garci”. These are realities that could make us bite our lips and languish in silence. I am still praying so hard though that I would not see a “statuette” honouring our most beloved Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo anywhere, even beside the “statuettes” of the 7 dwarves in children’s parks. For heaven’s sake, let us not make a great disservice to Snow White and let us not insult those hardworking dwarves! Poof!

But I will not choose to dampen my spirit having a litany of all the ills in our nation for I am still on seventh heaven after receiving a wonderful and unique gift from a friend that tries to prophesy my fate in the blogging world.


Jaypeeonline Dot Net You Rock!

As a birthday gift for myself (for all those who haven’t sent their gifts yet, they are still very welcome until I celebrate my next birthday), I won 1st on Jaypeeonline’s Top Commentator for March with the whole of cosmos conniving for me to take home $15 in Paypal, a wordpress Wordcamp shirt and wordpress schwags. And I can say that Jaypee and blogging buddy Jan unleashed the commenting prowess in me and sharpened my fangs. Meow!

And a few days ago, I received these wonderful stuffs with the king of pinoy blogging Jehzeel Laurente himself arranging the delivery of the items. I opened the package with my heart pounding so fast in excitement and kaboom!, I am now the proud owner of the unique WordCamp Las Vegas shirt and schwags! Wearing the shirt gave me the feel of being at the WordCamp, Las Vegas! Wow! I can say that Jaypee really knows how to make his readers feel so special. I can only sing hallelujah to him.

Thanks Jaypee! Visit his blog for a bigger upcoming event and he will make you feel real special.


A Blogging Omen?

On one of my previous posts I shared my plan of packing my stuffs and move out from blogger to a self-hosted blog under wordpress. With so many considerations to weigh like financing this new venture and knowing the fact that I came from the village of idiots when it comes to tweaking web stuffs, I asked for a sign from heaven (darn, so cheesy!!!). And though I was like a hopeless romantic waiting for the falling star to make a wish, but asking for a sign never failed me this time. The heaven-sent sign? Those wordpress stuffs that Jaypee sent me! Tells me to move to WP.

And for an update: I do now have a web host for my eventual moving out from blogger, but I am still contemplating on what domain name to choose.

I have been trying to summon some divine inspiration on choosing a domain name and all I came up after asking for a help from a friend who does not want to be named here lest lose his dignified stature are these stuffs: niluluhurangblogger.com, (courtesy of reyna's previous comment on one of my posts) elmotlumot.com, quickieblogger.com (no comment), thesuperveryfamousblogger.com (half-truth), thesuperveryhandsomeblogger.com (truth), gumigilingnablogger.com (lie). Now, that is what you call divine inspiration eh! LOL!

So save me guys, from further degeneration and on tickling my silly imagination and be censored by the MTRCB. On to you now, suggest a domain name for me here. Tips: not a so dead serious name; something that reflects my personality and this blog; and exciting. Price for the winner: I will include you in my constant imagining, and give a hot domain name for your blog, LOL!


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Don't worry, my title post is actually right. "Don't vote on 2010...", but if i may continue, all those f**king congressmen who railroaded the amendment of the constitution by filing a bill to convene a constitutional assembly without recognizing the Senate as a separate voting entity, while everyone was still fixed on their computers watching Katrina and Hayden's sex scandals.

Now I am angry!


Don't Vote for all these Con-Ass Holes for God's Sake!

So guys, while others would be rallying tomorrow converging at Makati City to protest in one loud voice the blatant act of our congressmen of not recognizing the voice of those people, maybe let us all also do our part too... I personally make an appeal to all friends and strangers.

Mark the faces of all the traitors and come 2010, never ever put these con-ass holes on your list of officials to be voted for the next couple of years. Now, this no more a civic duty of putting away friends from getting addicted to making sex scandals as I appealed to all of you on my list of influential bloggers, but this is one divine duty that would make its mark today and on many generations to come.

Here is the list of all the Judases on the congress who voted for the convening of the constituent assembly while we were all asleep. Memorize their faces, and maybe, one of them is your beloved congressman.

For sure, some of them will jump off ship in the coming days because of the strong clamor of the public of throwing all these weeds to the burning pit of hell. But guys, let me also remind you...when they jump off ship and become somewhat like an angel; withdrawing their names and sponsorship of the Con-Ass bill, appearing on interviews crusading against the same bill that has fattened their pocket; and becoming maybe an opposition or a silent dissedent; let me remind you: DON'T TRUST THEM! They are still wolves under their as white as snow sheep skin. If they had betrayed us once (impeachment complaints against GMA, where they received bribes from the palace on paper bags) and twice (by passing the bill calling for the Con-Ass while we were all busy watching the sex scandal), they can betray us many more times in our lifetime. Let us all kick their hairy ass come May 2010!

Remember: DON'T VOTE FOR THEM, come May 2010 elections. Tell all your family members, relatives, friends. Let us make them see you the real boss is!


An Appeal to Everyone, No To Con-Ass! Silence No More!

On to you now guys. So on the list of the congressmen who voted for the Con-Ass just by the mere shouting of Aye and Nay, is your own included on the list? What is your take on the issue of the lower congress passing a bill calling for a Constituent Assembly not recognizing the Senate as a separate chamber? What are we to do to all these congressmen, would you still vote for them come May 2010 elections? Be heard!

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A(N1H1) virus is slowly creeping all throughout the nations of the world like a deadly plague. Though information about this deadly virus has already been well-disseminated in many institutions with so many brochures and posters hanging from one post to another, there are still I must say some vague areas about this virus that leaves many to be still very much puzzled and live with speculations or even wild imaginations.


Yesterday, the Department of Health has already officially recorded two cases of this virus at De La Salle University – Manila. This news sent jitters to different educational institutions while others pushed their panic buttons of the sheer fact that they are not indeed really prepared yet. Here in our campus, I must say that we are not that really 100% prepared yet, though we are already taking different steps in order to prevent the occurrence and spread of this virus on our academic community.

I was thinking then that one will certainly never know if his teacher has the virus while he is trying to protect himself from the heavy rainfall on the first row as the teacher actively discusses the lesson; or his hot seatmate is silently incubating the virus on her popping boobs; or the one that serves his favorite meal at the canteen is stricken with deadly disease. One will not really know unless he wears some thermal shades.

But one amazing thing about this virus is that a number of my friends have different perspectives on the nature of this issue after we discussed it while playing strip tease poker.

One.

A friend of mine opined that this A(N1H1) virus is a political tool and not really basically only a pure global health concern as we are all being oriented by the media and the happenings all over. She said that because of the global economic crisis that emanated from the U.S. sweeping the economies of all nations into dust, the U.S. government tries to put the people’s attention into a different serious issue. This is like one corruption scandal, then poof! a sex scandal of two old congressmen comes into the picture; we are then instantly focusing on something else: frequently visiting You Tube and regularly taking aspirin. And the yummy part is, therefore, she thinks that the U.S. has something to do with the virus. Poof!

Second.

Another friend told me on our discussion about this virus that just like number One, the U.S. has something to do with this. And because of the economic crisis, they will use this virus as a means to uplift the U.S. economy once again. How? Make a vaccine for A(N1H1) and certainly, it will easily sell like a box of popcorn plus a soda on a Harry Potter movie premiere. By then, tons of cash is once again on the bank vaults of Merrill Lynch and Bear Sterns. Ingenious eh?

Third.

Forgive me but I have lots of friends down here. A third friend simply put it that the Republicans are behind this virus. They lost the election miserably and are now on the backseat without any power or leverage; being investigated for their excesses and abuses. They made the virus at the ranch of George Bush. Her reason: because they need to have leverage and an upper hand on the Democrats. Geesh~

Fourth

And one friend who is like a showbiz mole told me this. That this virus actually came from the outer space! Whoah! While aliens carrying the virus on their flying saucers landed on Hollywood, some of the aliens dated Britney Spears (Remember Britney shaving her head? The virus was incubating already into her brain.) and Paris Hilton (transfer of the virus happened while she was imprisoned). Ooops, I totally forgot Lindsay Lohan! Ok, let us just forget about her anyway. That’s why it was first called a swine flu. But now it is quite scientific and more accurate A(N1H1). That is, Aliens Napped with Hollywood.


Of course, these are only opinions and we can easily spot all the flaws in the arguments here that sounded like some Tom Clancy novel and even maybe laugh at some of the half-truths and pure lies. However, if one thing that I can succinctly point out on these four reasoning is that, many are still somewhat walking in the dark when it comes to knowing this virus, how fatal this can be and how prepared we really are. We can therefore see that these four of my great friends are simply feeling the urgency of a more concrete way in handling and treating this virus. They certainly feel that this virus is as fatal as for Britney to lip-synch and do her dance moves without practice in a live awards night. And maybe they are also asking the question, why do we have this kind of virus anyway in the modern world? Maybe because we still have Britney and Paris and Linday?

Do also feel that this virus is fatal? Are you also doing measures in order to not be infected by this virus? Do also believe that Britney, Paris and Lindsay infected humanity with this virus?


Did you enjoy my post? You can actively participate in the discussion by commenting. And to keep updated by the latest news, commentaries and discussions, you can also subscribe through your email.


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I am back! Once again (coz I have yelled this on my blog so many other times…ooooppsss). Let me therefore correct those reports that were circulating the web that spiked the most searched news on google trends. No, I was not assassinated by those people I nominated and spoofed on my Craziest List of Nominees. I am very all well, alive, kicking and blogging! And I must admit though that since then, I started to wear a bullet-proof vest. LOL!


No more excuses lest I will get some hard spanking from LJ (once again….ooopppsss). I have to make a post today after leaving all the throngs of my screaming die-hard fans camped out on my blog waiting every second of their breathing life for any word from me. And now, I can once again hear them screaming? Ows, thank you, thank you. I thought I would be seeing a jungle of moss took over my blog after more than a week of absence. Thank God it has been kept alive by uber blogger friends. Balut for you guys.

I actually took a one week vacation leave from work which ironically was not really an exhilarating escapade on the Amazon with piranhas nor staying-at-home-watching-TV-24/7 bonanza style that I planned. My wife’s grandfather died and after a couple days came their family reunion. A week of grieving (tears in the morning and of course tong-its in the evening till the next daylight), and three days of get-together with all the pancit and screaming of oldies to a village of children running to and fro without their underwear.

To make the long story short; I haven’t posted for more than a week and got myself so darn tired instead of sipping a fruit shake with my skimpy swimming trunks under the summer sun (peeepeeww…hey, don’t try to imagine how I look like on this outfit, though it would be close to that Jude Law) on the beach as I planned.

Well, need to get over it; rearm and be back to work, blogging and studies with the same fire and (over)confidence that I had when I posted my Crazy List of Emerging Influential Bloggers.


Back to My Desk

Yesterday was actually the first day of our official reporting to work. But we as an office spent it on a recollection in Tagaytay to help us focus and maybe start our job on the right path without the emotional baggage and unnecessary spiritual burdens. And I think the activity did really me out on putting myself back on a work mode without a heavy heart.

And to think, that one of my most crucial job for this school year is being one who is in-charged of Vocation Promotion for the De La Salle Brothers in our university. You are reading it right guys, I am not high on drugs or on the smoke of burning flip flops. Wooohhh! Can you imagine that? Now I am thinking of consulting my own spiritual director Roy, ehehe! Hope I could send more young males inside the formation house for more vocations that pull their legs out to the real world.


Thesis Writing ASAP!

I will also be enrolling on my thesis writing 01 in a couple of days to finish my master’s degree in guidance and counseling. This is already my 5th year on the graduate school of education and so the director has always been screaming at me to finish my studies lest I will have to take refresher courses for exceeding the 5-year residency. Wow, such a lazy man I was! Now, I am scrounging for topics for my thesis, from parental discipline to OFWs, from househusbands to stupid teaching strategies. Maybe I should write about blogging? Darn! My head aches! All my brain cells are still on vacation mode…And one more thing. Finishing my Masters will increase my salary quite big time, ehehehe! This part is what is exciting.


Blogging SY 09-10

I am actually contemplating one important thing regarding my blogging. I am actually planning of having my own self-hosted blog, transferring the contents of this blog to a wordpress. I think having my own self-hosted blog could make my blogging more regular and easier for me to do. I could also my millions of avid fans a better place to stay in; warm, nice and cozy. I am still researching for a good webhost (if not free webhosting) and one good domain name; doing all my mathematics.

I hope to follow suit with LJ’s metamorphosed blog and Doc Zayden’s eventual jumping to WP ship. And it will be one hell of a happy blogging family here.


Ahhh…no, it is not part of the Hayden videos. Well, I just hope that I could juggle all these three important things and tasks that I will have to do this new school year. Best of luck then to Elmot!

Any topics that you could suggest for my thesis, if it is not too much of a burden for you guys? LOL! Do you think that it is wise for me to transfer this very famous blog to a self-hosted WP blog? Will I become one heck of a good vocation promoter? LOL!


Related Posts You May Want Also to Read:

Blog Convergence, Conversation, Conversion
The Father That I Have Come to Love
Manny Pacquiao's Irritating Antics
Be Careful With What You Tweet

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