Piercing Pens

STATEMENT
November 11, 2006

Arrest attempt on Gonzales shows utter disregard for press freedom and the working journalist

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) is extremely alarmed at the attempt by policemen to serve an arrest warrant on Malacañang reporter Mia Gonzales right in the Press Working Area of the Malacañang Press Corps, of which she is vice president for print.

Gonzales, who now writes for Business Mirror, is one of the 43 journalists facing libel suits filed by the president’s husband Joe Miguel “Mike” Arroyo. The suit against Gonzales stemmed from an article on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo published in Newsbreak magazine on June 7, 2004 titled, “Will She Now Change?”. (more…)

After the Democrats gained control of the US Congress in the November 7 elections, US President Bush said in a press conference:

“The message yesterday was clear: The American people want their leaders in Washington to set aside partisan differences, conduct ourselves in an ethical manner, and work together to address the challenges facing our nation.”

Bush was right. The message was clear: the Americans are fed up with him!

An alliance of artists advocating human rights announced today that it will be holding a series of art exhibits on the political killings, starting this mid-November.

Based on data from the human rights group Karapatan, there have been 779 victims of extra-judicial killings under the Arroyo regime from January 2001 to Nov. 5, 2006. Of this number, 338 are with known political affiliations.

Dubbed Perspektiba, the series of exhibits by Tutok Karapatan (TutoK) will open on Nov. 21 at the Beato Angelico Gallery, University of Santo Tomas (UST) with live installation by Jeho Bitancor. (more…)

If your brother goes to death row without committing a crime, would you sacrifice your freedom and get locked in too so you could help him escape? Many of us would probably say no.

Michael Scofield is different. An intelligent structural engineer, he creates a very detailed escape plan, then robs a bank and asks the judge that he be incarcerated in the prison where his brother is jailed. Tattoos play an important part in his plan. The map of the prison–as well as other details needed in the escape–is tattooed in his upper body. When he gets into prison, his Prison Break adventures start.

Micheal is a TV character, by the way. He is played by actor Wentworth Miller in the hit TV series Prison Break, which is now in its second season in the United States.

There’s a new puppy at Oriah’s house. There used to be two, but the other one died. The puppy who lived used to have a different name, but when his brother died, his name was changed to Chocnut. (Chocnut is a popular, locally made milk chocolate that sells for around one peso per piece.)

Chocnut lives in a bayong, and goes out only when he is called, and he expects to be fed when he is disturbed. Because he is an askal, I believe Chocnut does not need formal dog obedience training like other puppies.