The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is celebrated every year on October 17 throughout the world. It was officially recognized by the United Nations in 1992, but the first commemoration of the event took place in Paris, France, in 1987 when 100,000 people gathered on the Human Rights and Liberties Plaza at the Trocadéro to honour victims of poverty, hunger, violence and fear.
The figures are staggering. One in five people in the world live on less than a dollar a day. Imagine how skewed and imbalanced the so-called "distribution" of the world's wealth and resources has remained over the years. Continue reading →
I am only one blog. I am only one voice. But today, I will pull words out of thin air. I will raise my voice until I am heard. And I will do the best that I can to let the world know that climate change is real.
It's not a hoax. It's not a conspiracy theory. It's not an illusion.
A recent article about FTC issuing rules for bloggers regarding endorsements shared on Facebook andTwitter by Cocoy is a matter of significance for all bloggers right now. While it hasn't reached our shores yet, I can bet that considering how vibrant blogging is in this country, it's only a matter of time before we begin treading on egg shells. Still, if you ask me what prompted me to write this now, please blame Paul. He started it. :)
Now, this blog is obviously confusing to many. A Day In The Life Of RJ sounds like some person's online journal of everyday adventures. Why should that involve FTC?
According to the wonderful world of Wikipedia, as of 2007, Technorati was tracking around 112 million blogs, most of those categorized as personal blogs. Folks, that was two years ago. Imagine that. And these days, "online journalers" (personal bloggers) don't just write about their crushes or their impossible dreams. They don't just share what a terrible day they had in school or at work.
Personal blogs have become a mixed bag of rants (product or service dissatisfaction), raves (product or service endorsements), frustrations against the system, society, the government (political opinions) and tips on anything and everything from how they got this and that working on their gadgets to how they got to this unexplored destination (how to's, instructional content).
There is power in numbers. To underestimate the blogosphere is a mistake that is sure to cost the "doubting Thomas" an arm and a leg (figuratively, of course).
In this new FTC ruling, by December of this year, it will be compulsory to disclose whether you get anything in exchange for "reviews" on your blog -- a disclosure policy. Whether it's a free ticket to a concert or the item itself you are reviewing (gadgets, books, etc.), you would now be required by the law (at least in the US, for now) to disclose "payments" in whatever form.
But how about political bloggers? Now that is a big question. I do not see anything there that states explicitly how it approaches political blogging.
what’s the FTC’s statutory authority for instituting this regulation? This looks like a free press issue to me and i worry about a slippery slope about other issues beyond “product endorsements” by bloggers. Would a political activist have to disclose if they received campaign materials from a campaign they were endorsing like t-shirts or bumperstickers that could be considered compensation? Will individual bloggers have to start applying an “equal time” rule like the networks used to have for political campaigns? What are the rules for professionals who are salaried employees of an organization who in their private time endorse, promote and defend the activities of that organization on a website? What about anonymous political speech about issues affecting commerce?
This whole thing strikes me as something that somebody didn’t think through before it got out of the building.
That mentioned and considered, let us pretend for a while that I have the right to discuss political blogging ethos. Nah, forget it. Let me just say what I want to say.
A Day In The Life Of RJ is first and foremost a personal blog. It has become a political blog, not by choice but by accident when a frustrated search for lack of information about the then hotly-debated Bangsamoro Juridical Entity prompted me to do a thorough research and add my thoughts about it. I ended up writing a series -- 20 or so posts all about BJE, and the rest as they say, is history.
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On this blog being political
Regarding this blog being political, it is something I am neither proud nor ashamed of. It is just what it is. It has no intention of soliciting attention, or disgust or fame or whatever it is people think they get from blogging.
I have been in denial for the longest time yet the prominence of political tags and the mere fact that the political articles here have long outnumbered the personal, I have come to accept the fact that this blog has indeed steered itself to an unexpected direction and have taken a life of its own. Although it is not surprising to me, considering how highly opinionated I am of many things, politics taking the top spot, it never occurred to me that I would end up blogging politics -- hence the tag line "The accidental political blog of RJ Marmol. Try-hard punditry for non-pundits."
And for a while there, I thought writing opinions about social and political issues isn't such a big deal. After all, I can just pretend that this is still a personal blog that just happens to have a lot of political rants -- personal bloggers write politics too, albeit occasionally, so what the heck, I thought to myself.
Apparently, political blogging is a lot more ruthless than readers know and see. You get branded all sorts of stuff, you get called lots of things, simply because you dare dip your finger in a supposedly intellectually dishonest and corrupted territory -- not intended for mere mortals.
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I wonder why it seems natural for people to accuse political bloggers of being sell outs. After all, in politics, there's money to be had, more than enough to go around for everybody, right? They think it is utterly impossible for ploggers (political bloggers -- derived from from the word "plog" -- a contraction of the term "political blog")to be objective in "plogging".
When you get invited to coffee with politicians, everyone assumes that you get paid for it and are therefore bound to make a "positive" article -- and endorsement, if you will, about that politician. It is annoying to be accused of this, because I for one, know that I don't get paid to attend such meetings -- much less, to write compelling or adulating articles just because of a free meal or coffee.
I mean, come on, an article for a cup of coffee? Are you kidding me? They don't even pay for my fare from Calamba City to the urban jungle that is Metro Manila. I brave the overcrowded MRT station, the rain, the heat, the derision of non-believer family and friends just so I can write and scrutinize a politician personally. Heck, I don't even have adsense on my blog ! Your visit don't translate to bucks for me. Some people don't even realize that I even pay good money just to put my thoughts out there -- I pay webhosting fees, domain fees, etc.
So to the very few who think I get paid to write politics, please. Do you even have the slightest hint who I am and what my credentials are (if any)? Who would pay me to write propaganda? I am no Conrado de Quiroz ( not that I insinuate that he gets paid to write for politicos, just stressing a point that I am a nobody).
I am no "influencer" or "oppositionist writer", heck, I don't even have a job. I am no different from any other person you might bump into at a grocery aisle, except maybe for the fact that I write and I write a lot -- and that I write a lot of rants about the government. But that doesn't instantly make me an "oppositionist writer". That accusation is a flattery at best and a lie at worst.
Besides, who in his or her right mind would choose to write politics over movie and food reviews or gadgets and whatnots if not for the fact that it is his or her passion?
Argument #1: Politics is crap. I guess we can all agree on that. The thing stinks miles away. Anyone who dare pass by where it is, is doomed to catch its stench one way or another.And boy oh boy, that stays with you long after you've gone to the shower countless times. Are we on the same boat here? Great. Now that we got that out of the way. Let's go to...
Argument #2: Nothing is filthier than getting money for writing about politics.
Yes, I am talking about real money here darling -- the kind of money that you and I know (as if there is any other). If you think politics stinks, wait until you see paid articles written about it. But these days, can you really tell?
It's frustrating, or maybe I'm just too ideal for this writing thing. After all, my entire life, I thought writers were "hungry idealists". Maybe my concept is outdated. Please pinch poke me (there you go Facebook, look what you've done to me).
But must we go to great lengths, to the point of jailing or "fining" someone who "gets paid for writing crap"? -- which brings me to..
Argument #3: Who cares if someone gets paid for writing crap?
When this or that person writes something "crappy" -- in the truest sense of the word, does that take away anything from the value or your own writings? Does that, even for a minute, rob you of your creativity and "brilliance"? Go ahead, you can pause from reading this and ponder for a few seconds, I'll wait... Done? Great. So, what do you think? Can I get a "hell, no!"?
I told you. It doesn't, my dear. People can write all the crap they can think of, get paid and buy themselves vacations to Malibu and a one way ticket to the universe's black hole for all we care. So instead of wasting time trying to figure out who gets paid or not, what he or she gets or how much exactly, why don't we do ourselves a favor by just improving on ourselves and how we write? Brilliant idea, you say? Oh well, what can you expect, you are on a non-brilliant blog currently engaged in two monologues -- mine and yours. Unfortunately though, two monologues don't make a dialogue.
Argument #4: If you can't really do anything about it, live with it.
This one goes out for the ones who get paid for writing political propagandas, for the idealist and purist bloggers who stick to the unwritten ethos of blogging, for those who accuse all bloggers of being sell outs, for the apathetic many and the undecided few.
But hey, that's a good idea!
On second thought, wouldn't it be great if political writers and bloggers do disclose what they get in exchange for an article (if any), specially if it's an article that's suddenly so "out of character"? That would separate the greats from the rest. If you think about it, that FTC ruling would be the purist blogger's dream come true.
Hmmm, it would be grand if I get paid for blogging politics. But sorry to disappoint you, I don't. But don't you all worry -- the moment I do get paid for writing crappy new media political propagandas, I will let you know -- with or without enforced rules. Until then, I'm just your regular purist blogger that won't even pass up for a "hungry writer".
I'm posting this heartwrenching video on "Ondoy's Trail of Fury" shared through Facebook by Ding Gagelonia and originally uploaded on Vimeo and YouTube by Glen Omanio. I suppose he also owns the rights to this video and he was kind enough to express on his Facebook link that it's okay to share and spread it as means of informing everyone and gathering support and donations for our kababayans devastated by Typhoon "Ondoy" (international code name "Ketsana").
The video is so good because it captures in snapshots and music the tragedy that befell us while at the same time urging us to move into action, to do something and to trust that help is at hand because although we may be ill-equipped, short of supplies and other resources, we rest in the comfort that we have each other. You and me.
This video deserves a wider audience outside of Facebook.
I hope it reaches the far corners of the world wide web and touches the hearts of those who can help either in rescue/retrieval operations, delivery of supplies, lending of equipment and tools, gathering, donation of, repacking and distribution of relief goods to isolated areas and evacuation centers. Don't ever think that there isn't much you can do. We need each other's help here. Every little bit counts. As of last report, relief centers are running out of goods. Our brothers and sisters need us.
To share and/or embed the video on your own blogs and social networks, please click on either or both Vimeo and YouTube link above.
On Sept. 26, the Philippine capital Manila and its neighboring provinces suffered one of nature's worst beating. Typhoon Ondoy, international code name Ketsana, poured more than a month's worth of rain in six hours, submerging most parts of... the bustling metropolis, drowning at least a hundred people as of press time. My prayers to the victims, and may we emerge victorious and live by the lessons of this tragedy. Donate now via PayPal at is.gd/3IOATthrough consumer group TXTPower, txtpower.org. All proceeds go to the Philippine National Red Cross. (Photos by Reuters. Music by Ennio Morricone, "Love Theme" from "Cinema Paradiso").
Wherever you are in the world, you can help by donating online:
If you know of anyone who needs help/rescuing, click here (fill out form, please be as specific as you can) and our heroic IT/Google maps proficient kababayans will update the map for you. It will be of great help to rescuers in identifying which specific areas to go to.
That is the theme of this year'sPhilippine Blog Awards that will now be held nationwide on separate dates of the same month -- in October.
For Luzon, 9 October 2009, PETA Theater, Quezon City
For Visayas, 18 October 2009, Ayala City Sports, Cebu Business Park, Cebu City
For Mindanao, 24 October 2009, Pearlmont Hotel, Limketkai Drive, Cagayan de Oro City
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The Philippine blogosphere, although relatively new, is growing at immense speeds we've never imagined. It is breeding a culture of connectivity through real-time data exchange and the propagation of huge amounts of information that used to sit mainly in our heads, unheard of and unused.
The information revolution has now made it possible to exchange information at the speed of thought. Advices, answers, tips, recommendations and opinions are but a keystroke away.
It is unbridled power. It is the kind of power that if harnessed efficiently and responsibly can do wonders if not miracles.
All of a sudden, everyone knows what's going on -- from "up to the second" news reports to something as mundane as what "you are chewing on" for lunch.
This made possible convergence of audio, video, text -- multimedia, to be more relevant because it powers the very lives we now live. Take it all away in just one day and you'll see how it it can cripple us all. We have grown very dependent on it.
Blogging is evolving. It is not dead as others are claiming. It is simply morphing into something else better, without exactly losing its very essence. Evolve or die, so they say.
The challenge now to those of us who have been immersed online for so very long (internet time is so much different from offline time), is to bring in the "unconnected" community on board, to show them the way, to educate, to enlighten, to help and sustain.
Blogging is not about influencing. It is about using resources at your disposal to contribute to a bigger cause, bigger than "you the blogger", bigger than "us the online community", bigger than "us the country". Let us all contribute to the bigger cause that is the protection, support and continuous development of humanity.
You do not need to blog for Red Cross or the Salvation Army. You only need to blog responsibly and meaningfully. You do not need to blog "heart-wrenching" poetry. You only need to bring value back to the blogosphere and the internet as a whole by making sure what you write attempts to "help" in whatever little way you can.
Help people find vacation spots, dear backpacking blogger. Help people find good eats, dear foodie blogger. Help us laugh away our worries, dear entertainment blogger. Help us see "meaning" in the confounded world of politics, dear political blogger.
Help. Contribute. Blog.
We are bloggers. That is our mantra. (Or at least that's what I hope.. :)
Hail to the best of the best of the Philippine blogosphere! You are all winners in your own rights. It is our pleasure to have read you and it is our hope that you make us read more. :)
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Presenting the 2009 Philippine Blog Awards finalists of the nationwide categories…
This site is offsetting all electricity use with wind-generated Renewable Energy Certificates which prevent the release of 2,660 metric tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere each year.That’s equivalent to planting nearly 2,390 acres of trees, or removing 510 cars from the road. Reinforcing my commitment to combating climate change.
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