GMA’s SONA announcement on lower text rates was just telcos’ promo

On July 28, 2008, in her State of the Nation Address, Arroyo said: Texting is a way of life. I asked the telecoms to cut the cost of messages between networks. They responded. It is now down to 50 centavos.

What makes it news?

We define a news story by its elements: it must be relevant, timely, and unique. News is usually defined as something NEW — information that hasn’t come out before, and which the people need to know now. But that can be misleading.

GMA’s SONA — It’s not my fault

Arroyo’s almost one-hour long State of the Nation Address (SONA) squarely put the blame on whatever is wrong with the country on everybody and everything — except her.

Poverty and crime

Despondent man kills 3-mo-old son — INQ.net
This is not the first time that parents have killed their children out of poverty. Several years ago a man poisoned his children and his wife, then tried to kill himself as well, but survived. There have been stories of mothers who kill their children, or fathers who go [...]

Old woman in the rain

I saw her shivering in the rain, crouched under her umbrella. I have stopped smoking but I bought all the Philip Morris cigarettes she had, hoping that would comfort her and make the time she spent in the rain worthwhile.
My clothes are wet, she said, and she couldn’t change because the one supposed to mind [...]

Qantas July 27 ‘08 briefing

The focus of the current investigation on what caused the hole in the Qantas plane focuses more on safety, not security, said Nivelle Blyth, senior transport safety investigator of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. Blyth held a briefing at the NAIA Terminal I Sunday afternoon.
Here are notes taken during that briefing.

GMA and Marcos

Quick notes on today’s SONA (State of the Nation Address), because I don’t have time to write a longer one.

‘The talks collapsed’ – MILF

“The talks collapsed,” said MILF peace negotiator Mohagher Iqbal in a text message sent to Jiji Press.

Updates on GRP-MILF peace talks

The peace talks between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Government of the Philippines (GRP) are again on hold.

GRP-MILF peace talks suspended

Reuters reports that the GRP-MILF peace talks have been suspended, but it’s not yet clear why. Something to do with the elections. Surprising, considering that just this afternoon peace adviser Hermogenes Esperon sounded optimistic when he briefed the diplomatic corps at the Department of Foreign Affairs. More details later.