WritingThirty v5.0

Copyediting for the moderate prescriptivist

2011-01-17T00:03:00.007+08:00

The Pro Pinoy Project's Niña Terol-Zialcita asked me last night to give a Top 5 list of the best sites for writing, copyediting, and grammar tips.

I found the request a bit challenging, as I have a list of more than 10 websites I refer to when I am in doubt over the correct usage of words and phrases, as well as grammar and syntax norms recommended by moderate linguistic prescriptivists.

Here's a list of sites I highly recommend:

Style Guides

The Economist Style Guide

The Guardian Style Guide

Chicago Manual of Style Online Q&A

AP Stylebook FAQ

Resources

Copyediting.com

Journalists' Toolbox

American Copy Editors' Society

Copyeditors' Knowledge Base

Columbia Journalism Review's Language Corner

Testy Copy Editors

Editors' Blogs

John McIntyre

Editor Mark

The Subversive Copyeditor

What are your own favorite copyediting and journalism resources websites and blogs?

Got Tumblr?

2010-08-01T01:20:00.002+08:00

Meet The Copy Editor. His digital scrapbook, to be exact. He doesn't usually speak in third person.

A Call For Films

2010-06-13T21:31:00.008+08:00

pelikula@titusbrandsma is looking for short films, short documentaries, full-length of any genre to show in our 6th Pinoy Indies, anniversary presentation and monthly film dialogue sessions.

Deadline of submission for 6th Pinoy Indies: July 18, 2010

Submit a copy in DVD/VCD format to:

Titus Brandsma Center Media Program

3/F Theresa of Avila Bldg.

28 Acacia St. Barangay Mariana,

New Manila, Quezon City

Look for Ms. Joy Kialkial

Tel No. : (02) 723-0449 or 09184048502

Please enclose a sheet of paper that contains the following information:

Title

Director's Name

Running Time

Synopsis

Cast and Crew

Additional info: (Awards, Nominations, Festival screened)

Selection and programming of films will be decided by the pelikula@titusbrandsma core group.

Selected works will be a part of the TBCMP film library. Unselected works are to be returned to the filmmakers.

You can also submit your work and other requirements during our monthly film dialogue session at TBC.

If your film is selected and scheduled for showing, you are required to be present on the day it will be shown for the Q & A. (Metro Manila entries only)

If you're from the province, you may or may not be present during the showing provided that you submit a written article about your work covering all the aspects especially the content. For non-Tagalog films, please submit a copy with English subtitles.

Ancestral

2010-04-21T03:10:00.003+08:00

Dan Dizon, a UP classmate of Bencab, has immortalized the Malig clan's Bacolor ancestral home built in the 1750s. The old stone house still stands today in Cabambangan, a memory of past Iberian days.

From Toto Gonzalez's Remembrance of Things Awry:

Further down was the 1750s Malig mansion, certainly the oldest and the most atmospheric of the Old Bacolor residences.
The quaint, archaic architecture of the Malig mansion was not the splendid, classical 1850s “bahay na bato” of the great landowning families of Bacolor, Guagua, San Fernando, and Mexico towns. It was the affluent house of an earlier era, perhaps of the mid 18th century [ 1750s ]…
One entered an arched adobe portal to a small courtyard paved with “piedra china” granite slabs and hung with bougainvilleae before proceeding to a handsome, pedimented front door which was actually located at the “mirador” tower and not in the house proper [ the "mirador" tower was most probably a remnant of the days when the "Moros" would raid Pampanga towns --- notably Lubao, Guagua, and Bacolor --- and capture their inhabitants for slaves and for ransom, occurrences which lasted until the early 1800s ]. The dim entrance hall was laid with brilliantly colored Spanish “azulejos” tiles. To the left was parked the old piercework giltwood ”andas” / “carroza” processional carriage of the Malig Family’s ”Mater Dolorosa,” a very old image venerated by Bacolorenos during the traditional Good Friday Procession. One proceeded to the right, up a staircase with a small flight of steps to the house proper, to the ”caida” living area. There was, rather incongruously, a 19th century matrimonial bed with a beautiful, Chinese-inflected headboard of birds [ cranes / pheasants ], hung with a sheer mosquito net, in the center of the room. Hanging from the walls were the famous 1860s colored lithographs of Reina Isabel II and her consort, Principe Francisco de Borbon in equally old giltwood frames. If one observed the distressed walls closely, there were still the vestiges of geometric handpainted decoration, perhaps from the 1850s. Beside the staircase, to the right, was a smaller staircase that led up to the “mirador” tower.
So old was the Malig mansion, so atmospheric, with so incredible a “Stimmung,” that it was used convincingly as the house of the “Alferez” and his abusive wife Dona Consolacion in the 1961 movie version of ”Noli Me Tangere” by the national hero Jose Rizal directed by master filmmaker Gerry de Leon.

Rizal himself was apparently a guest at the family ancestral home:

In Bacolor, a sumptuous lunch was prepared for Dr. Rizal at the Malig family ancestral home near the San Guillermo Church where our hero must have met with Don Ceferino Joven, Don Francisco Joven, Dr. Francisco Liongson, and Don Valentin Ventura among others. This sudden Pampanga visit of Dr. Rizal created quite a stir among the populace in the province, especially among the enlightened illustrados, their relatives and their peasant farmers. [DOT]

Pamamahayag At Pangingibang-bayan: Isang Balik-Tanaw

2010-04-21T02:56:00.003+08:00

Noong 2005, nailimbag at nailabas ang aklat na "PHILIPPINE MIGRATION JOURNALISM: A Practical Handbook" sa pangangasiwa ng OFW Journalism Consortium [OFWJC], isang pribadong lipon ng mga mamamahayag na nakatuon ang pangunahing pansin sa migranteng lakas-paggawa.

Mula sa isang panukalang media advocacy ng Institute on Church and Social Issues na pinamumunuan ng mga paring Hesuwita, ang OFW Journalism Consortium ay naging isa samahang tumutulong sa migranteng maggagawang Pilipino tumugon sa mga napapanahong usapin sa pamamagitan ng malayang pamamahayag.

Naging katuwang ako sa OFWJC sa una nitong naging discussion workshop-exhibit sa University of Sto. Tomas noong Disyembre 2002. Sa nasabing pagpupulong ay naatasan akong talakayin ang usapin ng pamamahayag pangkomunidad at paglikas ng lakas-paggawa.

Ang aking sanaysay ay nakalimbag na sa aklat kasama ng anim pang paksang tinalakay ng ilang batikang mamamahayag mula sa telebisyon, radyo, dyaryo, Internet, at sa hanay ng mga naiwang pamilya ng migranteng manggagawa at mga pribadong organisasyon na tumutulong at umuugnay sa mga Pilipinong manggagawang nangingibang-bansa.

PHILIPPINE MIGRATION JOURNALISM: A Practical Handbook

This 200-paged book compiles articles on the history of overseas employment of Filipinos, the issues and the players in this industry, Philippine media’s coverage of the issues, and a list of government, non-government, private organizations, and other groups that work for or against these issues.

Media practitioners, overseas Filipino workers, and development workers will find this handbook useful as well as a light read on the international labor migration that Filipinos form part of.

The book costs P250 each in the Philippines, US$16 in North America, and 15 euros in the European Union. Prices include standard postage as well as handling of between 11 to 20 days.

Monograph One
Monograph One, on Migration Journalism in the Philippines, contains seven papers on how issues in migration are seen from several vantage points: from that of a daughter of an overseas Filipino worker in a community of OFW families in Batangas to the editor-in-chief of a daily newspaper; from a senior business reporter covering the money that flows from OFWs to a former media liaison officer of a migrant nongovernment group; from the chief executive of a booming Internet-based newspaper to the director of a radio program beaming news on OFWs and the Philippines via shortwave. These papers outlined the work of the OFW Journalism Consortium for the past three years when their authors presented their respective opus at the pontifical University of Santo Tomas on December 7, 2002.

Contents :

1. “Ano nga ba ang meron sa Italya?: Kuwento ng isang migranteng pamilya ni Aileen Peñas
2. Issues and Concerns on Labor Migration in the Philippines: Inputs for Media Reportage by Dennis D. Estopace
3. Economic Reportage of International Labor Migration: A Reportorial Perspective by Arnold S. Tenorio
4. Community Journalism and Human Capital Flight by Jojo Pasion Malig
5. Online Journalism and OFWs: The Inq7.net Experience By Javier Vicente d. Rufino
6. The Treatment and Packaging of OFW Stories by a Daily Newspaper: An Editorial Perspective By Lourdes Molina-Fernandez
7. The Reportage of OFW Issues on Radio By Tanny V. Rodriguez

Font You

2010-04-20T15:17:00.006+08:00

[ via julianhansen.com]

Looking For Writers

2010-04-16T19:55:00.005+08:00

Newswriters/Editors Wanted
Location: Makati City

Requirements:
• Degree in Mass Communication, Journalism, or other relevant course
• Excellent English communication and grammar skills
• High analytical and comprehension skills
• Top-notch news writing, editing, and proofreading skills
• PC and typing skills and ability to thrive amid deadline pressures
• Creativity, inquisitiveness, and willingness to go the extra mile to create an outstanding story
• Sports writing skill is an advantage. Knowledge of global geopolitical realities is a must.

E-mail introduction letter and resumé, including expected salary range, to:

Lito Dailisan
Editorial Coordinator
NewsLink Crewnews (Phils) Inc.
6th Floor State Condominium I
186 Salcedo St., Legaspi Village, Makati City

Email: j.dailisan@newslinkservices.com
newslinkservices.net | faceofshipping.com

Highlight for insider tip: The company pays way better than mainstream Philippine dailies and media firms. However, don't set your initial salary bar too high as the job openings are for entry-level positions.

Do It Now

2010-03-27T16:31:00.005+08:00

[via lifehacker]

Turning Back Time

2010-03-25T17:27:00.003+08:00

Post-birthday ruminations, courtesy of quantum physics. A decision made in the present can apparently influence the past. [Science, 2007]

Don't even start.

Writing 35

2010-03-22T16:08:00.004+08:00

A copy of Malcolm Gladwell's "Outliers" lies unread on my office desk alongside Strunk and White's "The Elements of Style." Pens blue, red, and black. A Korean language book. A Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf notebook. A motorcycle magazine. Coffee sachets. Folders. An uneaten chocolate lollipop. An alarm clock turned off. A calendar filled with Xs and check marks. Income tax documents saying I gave around PHP 50,000 to the crooks in government last year.

I turned 35 on Friday, with the day spent in Quiapo buying a new set of eyeglasses and having my teeth fixed. It's a cliche. Your eyes and your teeth are the first ones to go as you get older.

I got a new set of specs for PHP 500. The teeth set me back PHP 1,500. With extra cash on hand, I also found a spanking new set of motorcycle knee protectors for PHP 700.

Quiapo. Divisoria. Baclaran. Port Area.

These places are better than malls if want to do bargain-hunting. A lot of goods and services inside malls cost less than half in Quiapo.

But I digress.

Some people meet their birthdays with either joy or melancholy. I had neither. I was rather indifferent to turning a year older - just regretful of some of the really brash decisions I made when I was younger.

Live and let live. Men are like wine. We get better as we get older. I'm just hoping that Gabriel - who's going to have a brother/sister by August - will be wiser and less impulsive than his dad.

Here's to 30-odd more years, then.

Cinemaloco

2009-10-04T11:45:00.005+08:00

Instituto Cervantes de Manila, the usual suspect behind the Spanish poems that adorn LRT coaches, is hosting a month-long festival of Spanish movies in various venues across the country.

"Locos Por El Cine" (Adik sa Pelikula) features 41 films to be shown in three venues.

Greenbelt 3 cinemas are screening Spanish contemporary and award-winning films. Spanish and Filipino documentaries are being shown at the CCP, while eight classical Spanish movies and a selection of Latin-American indie productions are being shown at the College of Saint Benilde.

Here's today's sked over at Greenbelt 3:

2:00 pm: El sueño de una noche de San Juan

4:30 pm: Casual Day

7:00 pm: El nido vacío

9:30 pm: El truco del manco

Visit pelicula for the full schedule.

Lapdance

2009-09-02T10:40:00.003+08:00

Here's the newest member of my household.

Asus K50IN

Intel Core 2 Duo T6500 (2.1GHz) CPU

15.6" HD TFT (1366x768 Widescreen)

NVIDIA GeForce G102M (with 512MB dedicated graphics memory)

320GB (5400rpm)

4GB DDR2 800mhz RAM

Windows Vista Home Premium

DVD Super Multi Dual Layer optical drive

6-cell lithium ion battery

2 years global warranty

6 lbs.

Eiga Sai '09

2009-06-24T12:03:00.000+08:00

In celebration of Philippines-Japan Friendship Month, the Japan Foundation, Manila, in cooperation with the Japanese embassy, the Shangri-La Plaza Mall, and the UP Film Institute proudly presents a Japanese Contemporary Film Festival, titled "Eigasai '09" (which literally means 'film festival' in Japanese) that will serve as its kick-off activity on July 2, 2009 at Shang Cineplex Cinema 3 for the month-long celebration.

Here's the full sked >>>>>

Pay For Play

2009-06-24T11:58:00.006+08:00

U.S. radio stations are screwed. A proposed House bill, the Performance Rights Act, will turn payola on its head.

It will require radio stations to pay artists to play their music, instead of artists and labels paying off station managers to have their singles placed on playlists.

Music industry expert Celia Hirschman says:

For decades, the laws have favored a free license to play artists’ music on radio, This free pass no longer makes any sense, especially for commercial radio. A reasonable compulsory license fee for all radio, with lower rates to non-commercial is an equitable solution for artists and labels. Commercial radio stations earn their income by selling advertising because of their programming content. It’s only fair that the content providers are compensated.

Better grab some popcorn while watching the fireworks fly.

Removing The Clutter

2009-05-27T16:55:00.003+08:00

I was supposed to babysit a couple of trainees last Saturday - the single day of the working week when I serve as the senior editor at the office. In anticipation, I prepared instructional materials for the newbies. However, the training session did not push through because the two young ladies who passed the initial employment exams had cold feet.

In any case, the training materials I prepared did not entirely go to waste as I could use them in future sessions with other trainees. I also e-mailed copies to the junior editors who sometimes try to impress their audience with their verbosity. Here's one discussion material I wish to share here:

How readable is your copy?

Readability is defined as reading ease, especially as it results from a writing style. Extensive research has shown that easy-reading text improves comprehension, retention, reading speed, and reading persistence.

Since the 1930s, national literacy surveys have shown that the average adult in the U.S. reads at the 8th-grade level. Many students read "below grade level."

Nearly all of today's blockbuster writers write at the 7th-grade level, including John Grisham, Stephen King, J. K. Rowling, and Dan Brown. Experts today recommend writing legal and health information at the 7th-grade level. Laws often require writing medical and safety information at the 5th-grade level.

High readability newspaper articles can be understood by a greater range of people with varying intellect. Shorter words, concise sentences that contain words with few syllables are generally easier to comprehend.

The readability of the newspaper does determine who reads the paper, broadsheets are probably read by people who can easily understand low readability articles, and tabloids are often read by people who find it difficult to read articles with a low readability and read high readability articles found in tabloid newspapers.

Keeping It Tight And Simple
To the unskilled reader, all of the physical elements of the written message are important. Words, sentences, and paragraphs should all work together to make reading easier, enjoyable, and more easily comprehended. Your goal is to keep the "story" or message moving so it does not get boring.

Try to keep sentences short. Use simple sentences, active voice.

Short sentences averaging 8-10 words are ideal. Longer ones tend to contain multiple ideas. They probably should be made into two sentences. To keep sentences short avoid unnecessary words, descriptive phrases and clauses, and parenthetical expressions (clarifying or explanatory remarks put in parenthesis).

Write generally in the active voice. Active sentences place "doers" before "action," clearly showing the "doer" doing the action. Active sentences present concise, logical, and more direct information to the readers, making a stronger statement than passive sentences.

Passive sentences have a form of the verb "to be" (am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been) plus a main verb ending in "en" or "ed". Often passive sentences are wordy and roundabout.

Passive sentences have a form of the verb "to be" (am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been) plus a main verb ending in "en" or "ed". Passive sentences are often wordy and roundabout.

Use short, simple, familiar words

Choose and use your words carefully. That does not necessarily mean using fewer words to explain an idea. Unskilled readers can become frustrated and disinterested in the material if they do not understand or relate to the words on a page.

Use short, non-technical words with two syllables or less. Avoid polysyllabic words.

Use live, active verbs and strong, concrete nouns to add strength and emphasis to sentences. Avoid adjectives and adverbs.

Avoid symbolic language (metaphors), jargon, complicated words. Make sure you are writing from your user’s point of view. Use their terminology instead of your own.

Tell readers only what they need to know. Excess information can be confusing and distracting.

Use correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

When In Rome

2009-05-24T13:30:00.002+08:00

Quando Quando Quannon

2009-05-24T13:16:00.005+08:00

Back in January, I browsed through Kymco's global web site to search for new bike models that could be released in the Philippines this year.

The Quannon 125 immediately caught my eye. I later sent an e-mail to Kymco's Philippine office, expressing my interest to buy a unit. There were also rumors that models not released locally can be ordered directly from the company's main Taiwan office.

However, a response from Kymco Philippines was not encouraging. The company, it seems, does not have immediate plans to sell it in the country and is instead focusing on its scooter models, particularly the Super 8.

My SYM Radar X 125 is still in tip-top shape but I am planning to get another ride soon. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the Quannon will be released in the country eventually.

An Invite

2009-02-13T21:51:00.006+08:00

I received this invitation from my org in the United States, the Committee of Concerned Journalists. It may be of interest to colleagues and organizations in the Philippine and Asian media who wish to broaden their horizons.

Committee of Concerned Journalists International Journalists-in-Residence Program (JIR)

The Committee of Concerned Journalists (CCJ) is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing journalists with the tools, research and inspiration they need to create journalism of the highest quality. CCJ has recently established an International Journalists-in-Residence program (JIR). The purpose of this program is to provide journalists from overseas with an opportunity to conduct on-the- ground reporting from the United States and gain a perspective on American politics, business, culture and media that cannot be fully examined or understood from abroad.

This newly launched initiative is designed for print, broadcast and online journalists from around the globe. Participants will have the opportunity to spend up to three months in Washington, D.C. gathering information and producing stories for their home media organization. Launch of this program coincides with the inauguration of President Barack Obama and his administration's efforts to tackle the global economic crisis and the many international conflicts across the globe. The JIR program will allow journalists from overseas to examine the impact of these policies on their home countries – by gathering information and insight on the ground in Washington, D.C. that they could not expect to gain otherwise.

As a journalist-in-residence, each participant will be provided with office space, telephone, computer and high-speed internet access in CCJ's Washington D.C. headquarters in the National Press Building. Located in the heart of the nation's capital, CCJ's office is two blocks from the White House and is convenient to the U.S. Capitol and most major government agencies. The National Press Building is home to the Foreign Press Center which assists foreign correspondents visiting the United States. The Committee of Concerned Journalists staff has an extensive network of media professionals, academics and government officials and is well-positioned to assist with arranging appointments and interviews, and scheduling visits to peer newsrooms and academic institutions. CCJ has a network of 150 newspapers and television stations nationwide, where members of the JIR program can reach out to get valuable insight into American opinion beyond Washington D.C.

Journalists-in-Residence will have access to the National Press Club (NPC) which hosts more than 70 luncheons and roundtable discussions each year and provides a national forum for Presidents, Prime Ministers, business and cultural leaders, members of the Cabinet and Congress. In addition, NPC has a state-of-the-art Broadcast Operations Center that includes studio space for audio and video projects as well post-production, editing, duplication and transmission facilities.

Since its founding in 1997 by Bill Kovach, one of the leading journalists in the United States, CCJ has conducted training programs for nearly 10,000 journalists. Serving as the core of its training is the book “The Elements of Journalism: What Newspeople Should Know and the Public Should Expect.” This highly-regarded resource researched and written by Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel, is printed in 38 languages and is used by journalists worldwide. A crucial component of the International Journalists-In-Residence Program will be seminars conducted by CCJ staff focusing on issues including “best practices” in American journalism, successful investigative reporting techniques, and how to create high-impact reporting across multiple platforms. CCJ staff will customize seminars to meet the unique needs of participants.

The cost of the program begins at $750 per week for a single reporter and $1,200 per week for two or more journalists from a single organization. The JIR is designed to meet the needs of journalism outlets seeking a base from which to conduct reporting or research projects. It is, in short, a flexible Washington D.C. bureau. All interested persons must be working journalists and be proficient in written and spoken English. Housing is not provided, but CCJ will assist in finding appropriate accommodations.

Journalist in Residence Program: Summary of Benefits
• Washington, D.C. office suite and state-of-the-art communications infrastructure;
• Access to a broad network of CCJ contacts in Washington, D.C. at a critical juncture in U.S. - International relations;
• Customized training, seminars and exposure to “best practices” in American journalism;
• Hands-on assistance creating new media applications;
• “Concierge” level service for facilitating reporting in Washington D.C.; and,
• Access to CCJ's network of 150 quality journalism organizations around the United States.

For additional information please contact Wally Dean at the Committee of Concerned Journalists by email at wdean@concernedjournalists.org and on 202.662.7157.

Quick Lessons In Procrastination

2009-02-13T13:08:00.011+08:00

After months of delay, I finally overhauled the blog's template. The old template, which I used for ages, was not being read well by blogger's new xml-based system. There are still a few dead links here, which I hope to correct in a few days if I have the time.

Meanwhile, we've also moved to a new office just a few blocks away from the old one at Valero. Somebody apparently threw a monkey wrench into the system and I find myself having to write and edit editions via an i-cafe as compared to the relative luxury of my workstation. The big bosses hope to solve the problem in a few days' time.

While you're here, why don't you visit the website of Escola Brasileira de Capoeira Philippines? As far as I know, they're the only school offering Brazilian capoeira lessons in the country.

I wanted to sign up for classes last December as a Christmas gift for myself but had to postpone it because of possible schedule conflicts at work. I hope to finally do so in March, as a birthday gift for myself.

You can head straight to any of the following training venues to sign up for regular lessons.

Manila Polo Club
Dojo Gym (The Dojo Gym is on the 2nd floor of the Family Activity Center across the Sports Lounge)
McKinley Road, Forbes Park, Makati City

Xavier School
#64 Xavier St., Greenhills, San Juan
Table Tennis / Aikido area of the Rafael Cortina SJ Sports Center

De La Salle University Manila
10th Floor, Enrique M. Razon Sports Center
2401 Taft Avenue, Manila

Ateneo de Manila University
College Covered Courts
Katipunan Avenue, Loyola Heights, Quezon City

Ateneo de Manila High School
MST Building Lobby
Katipunan Avenue, Loyola Heights, Quezon City

On Health

2008-11-27T16:55:00.000+08:00

The United States may have the best emergency care system in the world, but it is still in the Dark Ages in healthcare.

In fact, it is is the only industrialized nation that does not provide universal healthcare.

Medicare, Medicaid, SCHIP, and TRICARE directly covers only 27.8% of the entire U.S. population.

Compare this to full coverage in Germany, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Panama, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela, Brunei, China, Hong Kong, India, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom - to name a few. [OECD Health Data 2008]

Anti-universal healthcare advocates in the U.S. argue that health care is not a right - ergo, the government is not responsible for the well-being of its citizens.

They also cite other reasons, including the claim that people will have a better choice in paying for individual health insurance offered by private companies.

Free markets and the Austrian school of economics rule - anything else will be filthy socialism.

"Freedom is just one generation away from extinction. We don't pass it to our children in the bloodstream; we have to fight for it and protect it, and then hand it to them so that they shall do the same, or we're going to find ourselves spending our sunset years telling our children, and our children's' children, about a time in America, back in the day, when men and women were free," the the late U.S. President Ronald Reagan explained in his opposition to Medicare.

Socialism, Liberalism, and Obama

2008-11-03T22:10:00.001+08:00

Members of the U.S. Republican Party need to return to school.

Their claim: Liberals (the Democratic Party and Obama) represent socialism.

Appropriate riposte: Modern American liberals are democratic capitalists, the late Steve Kangas explains. They believe that private capitalist individuals should own and control the means of production, as long as they operate within the democratic law. By contrast, socialists believe that everyone should own and control the means of production. Dictatorships are not socialist, because workers do not own or control anything when a ruling elite is telling them what to do. Thus, the former Soviet Union and North Korea are socialist countries. They represent a dictatorship over workers.

Liberals are neither communists, because communism calls for all property to be turned over to the government. There is also no such thing as a communist country, as such would have had no government at all, if we strictly adhere to communism's definition under Marxism.

Is socialism "evil?"

If it were, then we should balk at social security, which is designed to protect us against poverty, old age, disability, and unemployment.

If the Republican school of thought is correct, Americans should likewise raise hell over the Medicare program, which aims to provide health insurance coverage to people who are aged 65 and over.

A planned economy is not yet socialism, Albert Einstein explained on why he prefers socialism to unbridled capitalism.

As for taxes, which the libertarian right is trying to use to scare off votes for Obama, Republicans should realize that they are part of the unwritten social contractthat they have with the government to avail of its goods and services.

If they refuse to pay taxes to the government, they should therefore live without having to use government-built roads, resort to barter trade without using the dollar bills that the Fed prints out, refuse police and military protection, reject the criminal justice system, refuse to avail of fire and paramedic protection, and avoid availing of various government services provided by agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control, the Cooperative Extension Service, National Biological Service, and National Weather Service.

Otherwise, they could leave the country altogether and head for tax havens, such as Andorra, which does not impose personal income tax on citizens.

Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, Jesus himself succintly explained. He is the same Jesus, the community organizer, who supported the redistribution of wealth:

"If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven." (Matthew 19:21.)

"All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need." (Acts 2:44-45).

"All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had… There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need." (Acts 4:32,34,35)

"Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourself in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you." (James 5:1-6)

Surely, Jesus was not an evil socialist?

The Crash Of 2008 Meets John Forbes Nash

2008-10-23T13:46:00.006+08:00

I was reviewing the OpenCourseWare advisory that the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) sends to me regularly when I came upon MIT course 24.222, "Decisions, Games, and Rational Choice." The course (with a link where to download reading materials provided), discusses the the foundations and philosophical applications of decision theory, game theory, and theory of collective choice.

Insert serendipity here.

Since stock market crashes are driven by crowd behavior, it would be interesting for both a social psychologist and a stock market analyst to review game theory, particularly the Nash equilibrium (of the "A Beautiful Mind" fame) to assess the ongoing free-fall in the bourses around the world.

A play on Nash's equilibrium, replacing prisoners with stock market players.

The situation: A trader has two clients. He offers them the same deal. If one dumps all of his shares into the market and the other does not, the cxlient will not incur losses while the other loses 90% of all the value of his shares. If they both refuse to sell, they will each incur a 25% loss on the value of their respective shares. However, If both sell their shares, each will incur a 50% loss in the value of their shares.

If we assume that each player prefers to avoid incurring losses, the duo will both sell their shares.

That, I believe is what could be happening in stock markets around the world, amid the panic and the lack of confidence in the credit sector.

As for market regulations imposed by the government, they are actually beneficial - under the game theory - as they shape the options available to players so that the options they will likely choose lead to better outcomes.

The Scooter Diaries

2008-09-25T12:29:00.010+08:00

Three months ago, with spare cash to spend from a salary raise at work, I finally convinced my wife that I should buy a motorcycle to cut down on my travel expenses. The daily ten-kilometer commute to and from work in Makati had saw me taking the jeepney and bus, with taxis as an option if I were running late. With taxis also the safe mode of transport if had to come home late at night, my weekly travel expenses were quite steep.

I think it was in fact the wife who told me that I should get a motorcycle - no, a scooter - after she heard for the nth time the reason why I came home late.

Armed with a specific budget to work around with, I visited several motorcycle dealerships and surfed the Web to find an ideal ride.

Yamaha's Nuovo Z and Mio Soul seemed perfect, until I thought of the amount that I will have to pay for a less-than-ideal installment plan. The Kymco Super 8 had great reviews, until I gave up on trying to find a dealership that sold the scoot. I was never much into classic Italian scooters. The last Vespa I saw was being wrestled across Manila's traffic by a pizza delivery boy.

I was tempted to get an underbone-type ride, but the wife was adamant that she wanted a scooter. Heck, I will be the one who will use the bike, but like any other obedient husband who knows better than pushing his luck, I quietly told myself that the Suzuki Shogun will never really live up to its hype.

Two weeks after weighing the best value for money, I finally brought home a red SYM Radar X. Like any other 33-year-old scooter virgin, I looked silly grinning from ear-to-ear while cruising the entire length of F.B. Harrison.

The 125cc scoot - which is called SYM Cleo 125 in Italy, France, and the rest of Europe - was factory-fresh, had an insanely reliable and powerful GY6 engine that could go up to 110 kilometers per hour across Manila's streets, and was only setting me back by around PHP3,7000 every month for two years.

In between days, I made a few tweaks to personalize the scoot. The factory stickers were the first ones to go, replaced by decals that were more pleasing to the eye. The oversized stock side mirrors that I nearly clipped an SUV with were replaced by aftermarket mirrors that reduced the bike's overall width. The stock horn that sounded like a chipmunk on helium gave way to a relay-powered type that will most likely save my ass someday. Twin red neon lights were installed on the bike's underside near the rear wheel, making my ride more visible, particularly at night.

Here's to looking back at two months of owning Magilas.
I'm still waiting for the dealership to hand over my plate. I am told that the waiting period sometimes lasts for three months because of government red tape. The "For Registration" tag sticking out like a sore thumb on the scoot's posterior end has seen me hailed down thrice by police checkpoints. Only through the gentle art of feigning ignorance and persuasion - and a certification letter from SYM saying that the bike's papers are still being processed by the Land Transportation Office - did I escape traffic tickets and fines.

I have had two flat tires, no thanks to Metro Manila road potholes. I nearly rammed into a passenger jeepney that cut me off. I have waded twice through floods along Buendia.

On the other hand, I can't see myself returning to commuting.

Despite the soaring prices of fuel, I saw my travel expenses reduced to PHP 100 a week - with the gas mileage on a 4.5-liter full tank enough for two weeks' use.

The usual 45-minute ride from home to the office went down to just a little over 15 minutes, thanks to sidestreets and filtering Magilas through bumper-to-bumper traffic.

The wind carvorting across my cheeks as I rev through on a near-empty highway every Sunday morning reminds me of a 2,000km journey across North Luzon not too long ago. Someday, again, one day soon.

Do remind me to nag the dealership about my scooter's plate.

Ayala-speak

2008-04-28T18:12:00.003+08:00

Jollijeep (noun).

1. a mobile food kiosk usually located on sidewalks or parking spaces in Makati City, Philippines - named after Jollibee, a popular food chain store in the Philippines.

Invest in a Jollijeep - then find a place where there are a lot of office workers looking for cheap but home cooked food.

My Little Squirt

2008-03-10T21:50:00.006+08:00

Gabriel Justin at three months. More here and here.