Serious Matter

Another acid attack occurred in Hong Kong last Saturday night at around 10 in the evening. It is the fifth case since December last year, causing 5 women and a man to be injured. The incident happened not in Mongkok, where the previous acid attacks took place, but in Causeway Bay.

Causeway Bay happens to be the location of Rai's flat currently. (He's been in Hong Kong since last week thus the lack of posts from him). It was a blessing that was in Mongkok that time the attack transpired.

I hope there won't be any more incidents that would happen in the next 3 days. Or should I say, ever again? :c

Read more...

2016 Olympics Host Country Finally Announced

The long wait is over.

The decision on the Olympic Venue for 2016 has been made.

Which city do you think won? Chicago, Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro, or Madrid?

Find out after the skip.

The votes are in. After Chicago being voted off first and Tokyo the next. It was down to Rio de Janeiro and Madrid.

The 2016 Olympics host city is... Rio de Janeiro!

Read more...

Series of Calamities Hit SouthEast Asia and South Pacific

It's not really my habit to check the television or the internet for news when I get home late. But ironically, I can find time to check my Facebook and Twitter homepages. Imagine my surprise when I read these four specific tweets just now.

It was just last weekend when we were hit by one of the most destructive storms in years (death toll is around 300+). Now, we learn that a massive tsunami (caused by a powerful earthquake) slammed Samoa. As if that's not enough, Indonesia was rocked by a high-magnitude earthquake as well.

We know it is and will never be easy to go through disasters like these. Directly affected people will only know of two emotions: trauma and grief. But for us indirectly affected people, we can only sympathize, offer our prayers, and try our darn best to help out in our own ways. I know there are those that can be considered apathetic and opportunists during these troubling times, but I would want to believe they are but a small number.

One thing can really be said though, this is a cause for alarm. There's got to be something we could do, if not to prevent these calamities from happening, at least be prepared when they occur. Hopefully, we'll all get lessons even if we (always) learn them the hard way.

Let's all do our part and not wait for it may be too late. Save our environment, save the earth... Register and vote for a better Philippines... The rest, I'm sure you know the drill.

*Thank you to tricia gosingtian, maxene magalona, chico garcia, and debz. I wouldn't have bothered going to the news sites had I not read your updates.

Read more...

Jacque Bermejo Causes A Stir

We all know that the last thing we need is an insensitive remark about the recent calamity that tropical storm Ondoy brought to the Philippines.

"buti n lng am hir in dubai! maybe so many sinners bak der! so yeah deserving wat hapend!"

*click to enlarge

Jacque Bermejo is a Filipina, working for a media company in Dubai. What made her infamous was her Facebook status that caught the attention and spite of most Filipinos who saw it. In a matter of minutes (or was it just seconds?), people have already spread the word in Facebook, Twitter and Multiply. A Facebook group had been created with this name: Jacque Bermejo be gone,we "sinners" don't want you here!!!. Her multiply account has been bombarded by an endless stream of hate comments. One would have a hard time trying to read them because the comments come in every second. Don't look now, but a wikepedia entry has already been created as well. Yes, that's how much rage she was able to acquire over a short period of time.

Now, we wonder what made her put that up for everyone to see. Was that supposed to be a joke or did she mean each and every single word of it? Whatever her reason maybe, the damage has been done. It wasn't the right thing to do, plain and simple.

We can't do much if people would want to retort back and put her in her rightful place. Most would say she deserves what she's getting. Then again, a person like this shouldn't be given the time of the day anymore. What we can do is to save our energy for something more important. There's so much to be done, why not take action instead?

On that note, here's a helpful site on how and where to donate and/or volunteer.

Read more...

Typhoon Ondoy on A Saturday

I'm in the comfort of our home as I type this. But then all I hear is bad news: people being on their rooftops because water level is already too high, people drowning, people stranded somewhere and can't get to their homes. This, according to PAGASA, has been the worst flooding case in history since 1967. Online, there's SOS tweets everywhere plus friends' own experiences brought about by this typhoon (i.e. traffic being horrible, cars being swept by flood, MRT/LRT commuting woes). I know there are more horror stories out there and I can only imagine and sympathize. T_T State of Calamity is declared in some parts of Metro Manila and this is just signal #1 here.

So far, there's still electricity in our place. Internet connection doing fine. But people are advised to prepare for possible power shutdown.

Also, you should know better people, stay at home. It will be safer that way.

[Edited]
For Ondoy related posts and photos aftermath, here's a tumblr site. For emergency hotlines and ways to help, see this.

Read more...