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Year: 2010

A wish from one who nearly died – a Halloween reflection

Published by Ellen on October 30, 2010

This article is by Armand Nocum, former reporter of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Peace library
I could very well be writing you from the grave this time. No, this is not a Halloween joke.

I nearly died of heart attack two months ago; instead I lived perhaps to complete some unfinished work.

Last August 18, I was diagnosed to have five of my heart veins up to 99 percent blocked. Foreseeing an impending heart-attack or fatal stroke, doctors at the Saint Luke’s Medical Center immediately performed angioplasty on me and inserted six stents to open up my blocked veins.

The operation was successful and thanks to the miracles of high-tech medical science, I am recovering fast physically. However, the experience has left me greatly shaken. All thoughts of power, invincibility and longevity had vanished. Today I am living from day to day, thankful for each sunrise and sunset.

Continue readingA wish from one who nearly died – a Halloween reflection

Five things John Silva learned about dying from Abby Tan

Published by Ellen on October 28, 2010

On All Soul’s day, writer and historian John Silva will have one more candle to light. It’s for his friend, Abby Tan, Singaporean journalist who covered the Philippines since the martial law years under President Marcos.

Abby passed away last Sept. 18. John was one of the two persons (the other was arts and culture advocate Maan Hontiveros) who was with Abby all throughout her four years of intense battle with cancer.

In remembering Abby, John chose to write about the five things he learned from her about dying.

Following are excerpts from the article he posted in his blog “John’s Thoughts and Deeds.”

Thoreau once remarked after seeing autumn leaves falling , “I watch these brilliant colored leaves for they teach me how to die gracefully.”

I wanted to learn how to be of solace to a dying friend. But more importantly, when my time is up, I want to replicate the grace, spunk, and love Abby demonstrated till the end. Here’s what I learned.

Continue readingFive things John Silva learned about dying from Abby Tan

Pulutan

Published by Ellen on October 27, 2010

Breaking news: Makati RTC postpones promulgation of Magdalo coupd’etat case.

Sa mga nagpasabi sa may-akda na sana may tagalog na bersyun ang “Pulutan” na cookbook ng dalawang Magdalo na opisyal, wish granted na. Nagpalabas na ang Anvil Publishing ng “Pulutan-Mula sa kusina ng mga sundalo.”

Pwede nang bilhin sa lahat na sangay ng National Book Stores.

Tuwang-tuwa sina dating Ensign Elmer Cruz at Emerson Rosales sa pagtangkilik sa English na bersyon ng kanilang cookbook na inilabas noong Hulyo 2007 nang sila ay nakakulong pa sa Fort San Felipe sa Cavite.

Apat na taon ding nakulong sina Elmer at Emerson dahil sa kanilang partisipasyon sa tinatawag na Oakwood mutiny kung saan nanindigan sila laban sa korapsyun at panloloko ni Gloria Arroyo noong Hulyo 26, 2003.

Continue readingPulutan

Further Mistakes of MS Word or more Plagiarism from Justice Del Castillo?

Published by Ellen on October 26, 2010

Holding the UP Law Faculty in Contempt Would Be a Grave Mistake

by Evan Criddle and Evan Fox-Decent

We are writing to lend support to the University of Philippine’s College of Law, which now faces a very serious charge of contempt from the Philippine Supreme Court (PSC). If the members of the College are held in contempt, they face the loss of their bar licenses and with that the loss of their ability to teach and practice law.
Criddle is one of those whose work was plagiarized by del Castillo.

Read the whole article here Opinio Juris

by Harry Roque

In the earlier case of Ang Ladlad, (GR No. 190582, April 8, 2010) Justice Del Castillo appeared to have committed plagiarism as well. Our study is only preliminary but the exigencies of the situation have compelled us to make this public.

In the Ang Ladlad decision allowed a gay rights group to run in the party-list elections, and was released 20 days earlier than the Vinuya decision. The ponente here is also Justice Del Castillo.

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The relevant passages are as follows:

Continue readingFurther Mistakes of MS Word or more Plagiarism from Justice Del Castillo?

Ang pangu-ngopya ay pagnanakaw

Published by Ellen on October 24, 2010

Del Castillo with his benefactor
Ito ngayon ang kumakalat na joke: “Binawi ng Post Office ang pinakahuling labas nila na mga stamp. Kasi mga litrato pala ng Supreme Court justices. At ang dinuduraan ay mga litrato ng mga justices.”

Ito ay galing sa Facebook ni Ferrum Mann.

Ganyan na ngayon ang tingin ng taumbayan sa mga justices ng Supreme Court lalo na sa kanilang desisyon na idismis ang isyu tungkol sa pangungupya ng isa nilang kasamahan si Associate Justice Mariano C. del Castillo sa ibang desisyon ng mga banyagang abogado at ipinasa niyang kanya. Ang krimen ay tinatawag na “plagiarism.”

Ang plagiarism ay pagnanakaw. Kinukuha mo ang ideya ng ibang tao at inaangkin mong iyo. Di ba klarong pagnanakaw?

Continue readingAng pangu-ngopya ay pagnanakaw

SC vs UP law and those who believe cheating is wrong

Published by Ellen on October 23, 2010

I have been away for vacation in a place where internet access was difficult. I have not dwelt on this important issue which has been discussed lengthily in this blog but under the topic of Morong 45!. I’m writing about the subject for my column tomorrow but meanwhile I’m opening a thread on this with the searing dissenting opinion of Justice Lourdes Sereno and the UP Law school faculty who are facing sanction by the Supreme Court for not criticizing plagiarism in the High Court.

Justice Sereno’s dissenting opinion:

What is black can be called “white” but it cannot turn white by the mere calling. The unfortunate ruling of the majority Decision that no plagiarism was committed stems from its failure to distinguish between the determination of the objective, factual existence of plagiarism in the Vinuya decision[1] and the determination of the liability that results from a finding of plagiarism. Specifically, it made “malicious intent”, which heretofore had not been relevant to a finding of plagiarism, an essential element.

The majority Decision will thus stand against the overwhelming conventions on what constitutes plagiarism. In doing so, the Decision has created unimaginable problems for Philippine academia, which will from now on have to find a disciplinary response to plagiarism committed by students and researchers on the justification of the majority Decision.

Continue readingSC vs UP law and those who believe cheating is wrong

Bagong imbestigasyon ang hinihingi ni Lacson

Published by Ellen on October 23, 2010

Hindi humihingi ang mga abogado ni Sen. Panfilo Lacson ng special treatment sa kanilang kliyente sa kanilang gustong magkaroon ng panibagong imbestigasyon sa kasong pagpatay sa public relations man na si Bubby Dacer at ang kanyang driver na si Emmanuel Corbito.

Ang hinihingi lang ni Lacson ay maayos na pagpatupad ng batas. Hindi naman lingid sa lahat kung paano at kung bakit gusto talaga ni Gloria Arroyo at ng kanyang asawang si Mike si Lacson. Sa lahat naman kasi na kritiko ni Arroyo si Lacson ang pinakadelikado dahil matinik magkahalungkat ng baho ng mag-asawang naglapastangan ng bansa ng siyam
na taon.

Siyempre hindi mapatawad ni Mike Arroyo si Lacson sa pagbulgar na alias Jose Pidal pala siya. Nabulgar na rin tuloy ang tungkol kay Vicky Toh.

Continue readingBagong imbestigasyon ang hinihingi ni Lacson

Discovering Antique’s beautiful heritage

Published by Ellen on October 21, 2010

There is never a lack of something to discover in Antique, my province.

I arrived in San Jose, the capital town, yesterday for the Binirayan
conference on culture and heritage organized by the Datu Lubay Center at the Pinnacle Suites.

Checking in at Pinnacle Suites was a pleasant surprise. It’s a boutique hotel, clean, tastefully furnished with rooms more spacious than other San Jose hotels. And surprise, it has wifi!

It is owned by the Liao family who also owns Susana Marketing that sells construction and housing materials.

Continue readingDiscovering Antique’s beautiful heritage