Pinoy Blog Machine (Beta)

It’s the travel peak season once again! For those who will travel which requires you to pass at an airport, it may feel almost like a miracle if you will have a hassle-free time at major local and international airports. Delays in the aviation industry are now getting more the attention in the news whether caused by extreme weather disturbances, national security concerns, mechanical/technical problems or just a simple (but getting habitual) late arrival of turnaround aircraft. The news are everywhere claiming that delays have gotten worse year-by-year.

Even the Philippines’ leading budget carrier Cebu Pacific advertised a few years back that their flights are leaving/arriving on-time 9 out of 10 times and even has a 90% on-time flights logo in their electronic tickets. But now I can’t see that logo anymore everytime I receive my e-ticket, guess what? So it is very safe to assume that their flights are now leaving and arriving late more than 10% of the time. YES they are!!! What happened? Why the delays continue day-by-day even they are now operating a much reliable brand new Airbus airplanes compared with aging DC-9’s and considering that their fleet were drastically increased?

You can blame the worsening ground and air traffic condition or how airlines operate their business but the point is the delays are sometime becoming unbearable for the passengers. We don’t pay airlines for us to stay long in a cramped airport with pathetic facilities which even does not include a functioning drinking fountain (if there’s even one).

So much for my ranting… As passengers, we can follow certain guidelines to help us prepare for that uneventful delay.

* The best time to fly is during the morning. Delays normally worsen throughout the day so if you are traveling early in the morning the chances of delays are greatly reduced.

* When booked with a connecting flight always leave enough time if you have to change airlines or go through long lines of airport security again. Budget airlines only offers point-to-point service, in other words they will not be in any reason be liable if you miss your connecting flight/s even if you are traveling with the same airlines.

* It always pays to read the “terms and conditions” section at the back of your paper ticket or at the airlines’ official website. It is the passenger’s duty to be familiar with the airline’s rule for baggage limitations, identification requirements and check-in procedures.

* The most important tip I can share to you is to “BE EARLY.” It is our responsibility as passengers to arrive at the airport with plenty of time to check-in and pass through security.

If you view these tips as inconveniences there’s a way to circumvent all the hassles that a passenger might endure… buy a Business Class ticket in that way there will be a shorter queue at the check-in counters as they have a dedicated counter for you plus you can enjoy the lounge facilities before boarding your on-time/delayed flight.

Research demonstrates time and again that Applied Behavior Analysis is an extremely effective method of significantly improving the lives of children on the autism spectrum. ABA consistently has been proven to be a successful method of teaching communicative, social, academic and daily living skills while decreasing inappropriate, harmful and problematic behaviors.

But how much benefit will a child receive if the intervention offered is not really an ABA model? Despite the overwhelming number of programs purporting to deliver such services, the reality is that currently there are no regulations requiring special education therapists and teachers who work with children on the spectrum to be certified or even trained in Applied Behavior Analysis. This comprehensive lecture series is designed to familiarize parents, therapists and educators with the fundamental principles and everyday application of ABA and how to incorporate those principles across home, school and community environments.

Module 1 (May 1) – The Principles of ABA: Understand the science of ABA and become familiar with how the principles work and their effectiveness with all ages and developmental levels. Topics to be covered include the A-B-C contingency, reinforcement and pairing, punishment and extinction, and motivation.

Module 2 (May – Natural Environment Teaching: How to use the child’s motivation to teach new skills and encourage generalization of existing skills. Emphasis will be on communication, play, motor and daily living skills, teaching to independence using prompt and fade techniques, how to collect data, and ways to include siblings and peers during natural environment teaching.

Module 3 (May 15) – Discrete Trial Teaching: Creating an effective “table session” using errorless teaching procedures to teach communication, visual performance and academic skills. Learn how to collect and graph data, and effective ways to transition skills learned during discrete trial teaching into the natural environment.

Module 4 (May 22) – ABA Progressions: How to identify long-term goals, solidify foundational prerequisites and advance through more complex communication, academic, daily living and social skills. Learn why our children do not “outgrow” ABA.

Module 5 (May 29) – Applying the Principles: Review and discussion of individual goals and implementation techniques. Participants who attended all five modules will create a specifically tailored plan addressing a targeted goal, and learn how to use that plan as a blue-print for additional and future intervention goals.

Presenters: To Be Announced
7 – 9 pm at the Greenville Community Church
270 Ardsley Road, Scarsdale, NY, USA

Registration Fees
Members – Free
Non-Members – $25 per Module or $100 for all 5 Modules
Need based scholarships available

This event is limited to 25 Participants only so early reservation is encouraged. Download the registration form here.

Source: Navigating the Spectrum

I’m to depressed and sad to go to work, or go out for that matter. But I miss the beach, the sound of the waves crashing, the way it throws me off the shore, the majestic view, the heat of the sun, holding hands while listening to reggae music and sipping mango shake, or drinking ice cold beer. I might go this weekend and the next and the one after that, but i’ve got no one to hold hands with. =( I just want to be alone and stay lost for a while, keep my mind off things.

When & Where
April 18 & 19, 2008
The Summit Conference & Event Center
411 Sable Boulevard Aurora, Colorado 80011

Presenting practical training in DIR® Floortime: treatment of children with autistic spectrum disorders, regulatory disorders, sensory processing disorder, or with other challenges in relating and communicating.

SYMPOSIUM FEATURES
Goals: Extensive videotape illustrations will teach assessment and treatment

• Demonstrating effective parent coaching methods in individual and group contexts
• Using longitudinal videos to track progress
• Attending to objects, people and play
• Engaging in meaningful communication
• Participating in appropriate social interactions
• Developing concepts and ideas
• Building play that has a logical flow
• Enhancing reasoning and abstract thinking

Learning Objectives:

• How to place the child/family relationship in the forefront when providing intervention
• How individual differences on the sensory processing continuum can influence behavior, attention, impulse control and motor planning, auditory/verbal processing and visual processing
• How to use strategies that increase attention and interaction to enhance social participation
• How to support communication through gesture, affect and language
• How to support the parent, or other adults, to follow the child’s cues, creating a continuous flow of interaction, increasing attention and affect
• How to coach caretakers to support peer play and interaction

KEYNOTE SPEAKER:
Lucy Jane Miller, PhD, OTR, Author of Sensational Kids and Founder and Executive Director of the SPD Foundation - presenting the latest research conducted by the SPD Foundation and action steps to officially recognize Sensory Processing Disorder as a valid diagnosis.

Including presentations and updates by:

• Barb Brett-Green PhD and Sarah A Schoen PhD, OTR
• Dr. William Gavin PhD: Sensory Registration in Children with SPD vs. Typically Developing Children
• Dr. Patricia Davies PhD, OTR: Neurophysiological Measures of Sensory Gating as Diagnostic Markers of SPD
• Dr. Michael Kisley PhD: Relationship of Sensory Gating to Sensory Sensitivity in Adults

FEATURING:
Rosemary White, OTR, Senior DIR®/Floortime Faculty - Presenting Greenspan & Wieder’s treatment model for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder or challenges in relating and communicating. Ms. White is certified in DIR®|Floortime, is a senior faculty member of the Interdisciplinary Council on Developmental and Learning Disorders and is clinical faculty, University of Washington. An OT since 1972, she trained with the Bobaths in NDT and with Dr. A. Jean Ayres in OT/SI. She has lectured extensively in the United States. Ms. White founded and directs Pediatric Physical and Occupational Therapy Services in Seattle, WA.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND:
Ideal for caretakers of children with autistic spectrum disorders, sensory processing disorder or other developmental and behavioral disorders. For OT’s, PT’s, SLP’s, MD’s, OD’s, nurses, educators, behavior specialists, and others interested in SPD.

CEU:
10 hours of AOTA Continuing Education credit will be awarded to participants completing the two-day workshop

For more information, visit the SPD Foundation website.

Thanks to Tonyo and Tita Ellen, I just learned that Vera Files is now online.

"Vera Files is published by veteran Filipino journalists taking a deeper look into current Philippine issues," according to the group's website. Vera is Latin for "true".

Journalists comprising the board of trustees and main writers of Vera Files are some of the country's best journalists, whose investigative and in-depth stories exposed various wrongdoings in the various spheres of politics, governance, business, environment and society--and even helped in the ouster of a corrupt president.

Vera Files happened at the right time: It came at a time when the country is hopping from one controversy to another. Vera Files seeks to provide deeper and relevant information to help Filipinos make sense and understand the issues and make informed decisions about them, hold officials accountable to the people, protect and promote integrity of the country's institutions, and promote democratic governance.

Most of them have won awards at the Jaime V. Ongpin Awards for Excellence in Journalism (JVOAEJ), with two of them (Yvonne Chua and Luz Rimban--two of my brightest teachers in college) elevated to the JVOAEJ Hall of Fame. (Since it was established in 1990, the JVOAEJ, organized by the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility where I work and one of the country's most prestigious awards for journalists, has only three Hall of Famers: Ma'am Yvonne, Ma'am Luz, and Sheila Coronel, the former executive director of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism who is now the director of The Toni Stabile Center for Investigative Journalism at the Columbia University in the United States.)

Other members of the Vera Files are Chit Estella and Booma Cruz, my former bosses in PJR Reports, both of whom I also deeply admire; Jennifer Santiago; and Ellen Tordesillas who was a reactor to our last forum on media coverage of political crises.

Visit the website of Vera Files here.

The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) will be holding its convention and expo on April 2-5 in Boston, Massachusetts, at the John B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center (900 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02115).

The 2008 CEC Convention & Expo is the premiere professional development event devoted to special and gifted children. Join us in Boston and:

• get the latest information and evidence based strategies
• explore topics in depth through preconvention workshops or strands
• learn, share and network with leaders and colleagues from around the world.

Look what we have planned for you!

Wednesday, April 2
Preconvention Workshops: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
General Session: 5:00–6:30 p.m. Keynote Speaker – Henry Winkler!

Thursday, April 3 – Saturday, April 5
Explore proven, effective, research-based practices through more than 600 sessions presented in a variety of formats to meet your learning needs! Browse the Expo with more than 300 exhibitors and the Career Center. Plus much more!

For more information on this event, click here.

When & Where

Saturday-Sunday, April 5-6, 2008
Renaissance St. Louis Grand & Suites Hotel
St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Two events, one registration! Your registration fee gives you full access to all sessions in both ASHA Health Care 2008 and the ASHA Business Institute 2008.

ASHA Health Care 2008
Critical issues and clinical updates for SLPs in medical and rehab settings:

• Track 1: Dysphagia
• Track 2: Adult Neurogenic Disorders
• Track 3: Pediatrics and Early Intervention

ASHA Business Institute 2008
Basic and advanced topics for SLPs in private practice and health care management

• Business planning
• Marketing
• Coding and reimbursement
• Legal issues

And more!

For more information, visit the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association website.  

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, the 2008 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures is a comprehensive statistical abstract of U.S. data on Alzheimer’s disease that includes: prevalence; mortality; the costs of Alzheimer’s care; family caregiving; and a special report on lifetime risk.

The Association’s report details the escalation of Alzheimer’s disease, which now is the seventh-leading cause of death in the country and the fifth-leading cause of death for those over age 65. It also offers numerous statistics that convey the burden Alzheimer’s imposes on individuals, families, government, business, and the nation’s health and long-term care systems. For example:

• Every 71 seconds, someone in America develops Alzheimer’s disease; by mid-century someone will develop Alzheimer’s every 33 seconds.
• Women are nearly twice as likely as men to develop Alzheimer’s disease (17 percent vs. 9 percent). One in six women and one in ten men age 55 and older can expect to develop Alzheimer’s disease in their remaining lifetime. Although it may appear that being female is a risk factor, more women will develop Alzheimer’s because on average, women live longer than men, thereby having more time to develop the disease.
• In 2007, there were nearly 10 million Americans age 18 and over providing 8.4 billion hours of unpaid care to people with Alzheimer’s disease valued at $89 billion, four times more than what Medicaid pays for nursing home care for people with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
• In addition, a quarter million American children age 8 to 18 years old are providing care to loved ones with Alzheimer’s.
• There are 1 to 1.4 million “long-distance caregivers” in the United States. About 1 million live more than two hours or more away and another 400,000 live at least an hour away from their loved ones.  Many of these long-distance caregivers also incur higher caregiving-related expenses compared to other caregivers.
• Seventy percent of people with Alzheimer’s and other dementias live at home where friends and family take care of them.

Source: Alzheimer’s Association

Quoted below is the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services news release dated March 19, 2008.

Rule Modifies Selection Process and Prohibits Multiple Filings

WASHINGTON - U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) transmitted an interim final rule to the Federal Register today that prohibits employers from filing multiple H-1B petitions for the same employee. These changes will ensure that companies filing H-1B petitions subject to congressionally mandated numerical limits have an equal chance to employ an H-1B worker. To ensure a fair and orderly distribution of available H-1B visas, USCIS will deny or revoke multiple petitions filed by an employer for the same H-1B worker and will not refund the filing fees submitted with multiple or duplicative petitions.

This rule does not preclude related employers (such as a parent company and its subsidiary) from filing petitions on behalf of the same alien for different positions, based on a legitimate business need. The interim final rule becomes effective upon publication in the Federal Register. Last August, President Bush announced that the Administration would be undertaking a series of immigration and border security reforms. The changes to the H-1B filing process under this rule are an important part of that initiative.

On April 1, 2008, employers may file petitions requesting H-1B workers for fiscal year 2009 employment starting on October 1, 2008. For fiscal year 2009, Congress has set a limit of 65,000 for most H-1B workers. Additionally, the first 20,000 H-1B workers who have a U.S. master’s degree or higher are exempt from the cap. Under current procedures, which are not changed by this rule, once USCIS receives 20,000 petitions for aliens with a U.S. master’s degree or higher, all other cases requesting the educational exemption are counted toward the 65,000 cap. Once the 65,000 cap is reached for a fiscal year, USCIS will announce that the cap has been filled and reject further petitions subject to the cap.

This rule also stipulates that if USCIS determines the number of H-1B petitions received meets the cap within the first five business days of accepting applications for the coming fiscal year, USCIS will apply a random selection process among all H-1B petitions received during this time period. If the 20,000 advanced degree limit is reached during the first five business days, USCIS will randomly select from those petitions ahead of conducting the random selection for the 65,000 limit. Petitions subject to the 20,000 limit that are not selected in that random selection will be considered with the other H-1B petitions in the random selection for the 65,000 limit.

The rule further clarifies that USCIS will deny petitions that incorrectly claim an exemption from any H-1B numerical limits. Those filing fees will not be returned.

This interim final rule can be viewed, along with additional information on this rule and the H-1B program, at USCIS’ website at www.uscis.gov.

Source: USCIS

I was going through files last night and I realized that I have posted a number no wait, A LOT of photos in my flickr account and A LOT of which have been burried because it only shows the latest 200 photos uploaded, for the free account at least. So using my paypal money (i earned through blogging) I upgraded my flickr to a PRO account and voila! I was able to retrieve my old pictures and I had a good laugh although soon enough I felt depressed as well. Why? Because I miss those days where I had no worries and just drank the night away, or mornings for that matter. I did not care whether I go to the office drunk with only 2 hours of sleep and still reeking of alcohol. I also miss the people, most of them have resigned. Oh and one more thing, I was fat and I looked healthy, not anorexic. :(

Me and Marlon when we were fat

And this is us now, looking anorexic.  

More random alcohol intoxicated, fat photos 

 

   

The Society of Occupational Therapy Major invites you to the Occupational Therapy Student Officers’ Assembly 2008, the first official gathering of OT student leaders and representatives. This event is open to all Occupational Therapy students. You wouldn’t want to miss this OT experience!

When & Where
April 23, 2008
Wednesday, 8AM-6PM

Audio-Visual Room
College of Allied Medical Professions
University of the Philippines - Manila
College of Dentistry Postgraduate Studies Bldg.,
Padre Faura cor. Maria Orosa Sts.,
Ermita, Manila, Philippines

To view the primer and invitation, click here. For inquiries, please contact Mr. Michael P. Sy (SOTM President AY 2007-2008) at this number: (0927) 873-2207.

Recent events, including political controversies and the clash over issues of press freedom, have provoked questions about the role of the press during political crises.

To help explore these issues, the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR) and the Embassy of Canada are inviting you to a forum on “Media Coverage of Political Crises” that will be held today (March 25), 9:30 a.m. at the Filipinas Heritage Library (Makati Avenue, Ayala Triangle, Makati City). Melinda Quintos de Jesus and Luis V. Teodoro of CMFR will be the principal speakers, while Marshall McLuhan Fellow Ellen Tordesillas and BusinessWorld Editorial Board Chair Vergel O. Santos will be the reactors.

For our overseas Filipino workers (OFW), this latest news release by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration is such a welcome development.

March 19, 2008. The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration is dropping the validation of documents of OFWs leaving through its labor assistance counters (LAC) at international airports in compliance with the directive of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to further streamline processes in the deployment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

Administrator Rosalinda Dimaplis-Baldoz said starting March 24, 2008, departing OFWs shall present the exit clearance or overseas employment certificate issued by the POEA directly to the airline counters, terminal fee counters, and the Bureau of Immigration counters.

The POEA labor assistance counter shall remain open 24/7, but its services shall be limited to assisting OFWs with documentation problems, issuing overseas employment certificates (OEC) to OFWs leaving the country within 24 hours, and dissemination of information and education materials to OFWs and families.

The implementation of the new procedure coincides with the start of the peak season when thousands of OFWs are expected to return to their job sites after attending the graduation of their family members, and observing Holy Week in the country.

The POEA has labor assistance counters at NAIA 1, NAIA 2, Mactan International Airport, Davao International Airport, and Diosdado Macapagal International Airport.

Source: POEA

We will celebrate World Health Day on April 7 with the theme “Protecting Health From Climate Change.”  The theme puts health at the center of the global dialogue about climate change. The World Health Organization selected this theme in recognition that climate change is posing ever growing threats to global public health security.

Key messages for World Health Day 2008

Health is one of the areas most affected by climate change – and it is being affected now.
The science is clear. The earth is warming, the warming is accelerating, and human actions are responsible. If current warming trends remain uncontrolled, humanity will face more injury, disease and death related to natural disasters and heatwaves; higher rates of foodborne, waterborne, and vector-borne illness; and more premature deaths and disease related to air pollution. Moreover, in many parts of the world, large populations will be displaced by rising sea level and affected by drought and famine. As glaciers melt, the hydrological cycle shifts and the productivity of arable land changes. We are beginning to be able to measure some of these effects on health even now.

The health impacts of climate change will hit the poor hardest.
The physical effects of climate change will vary in different geographical locations. The human health impacts from climate change are further modified by such conditions as level of development, poverty and education, public health infrastructure, land use practices and political structure. Initially, developing countries will be hit the hardest. Countries with high levels of poverty and malnutrition, weak health infrastructures and/or political unrest will be the least able to cope. Moreover, if we fail to address climate change and its effects on health, we risk jeopardizing even further our ability to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

Traditional public health tools are important components of effective response to climate change.
Clean water and sanitation; safe and adequate food; immunization; disease surveillance and response; safe and effective disease vector control; and disaster preparedness are all critical components of public health practices that are also adaptations to climate change. These programmes need to be strengthened globally with special concentration of effort in high-risk locations and populations in order to prevent climate-related injury, disease and death.

Cross-sector, interdisciplinary partnerships are necessary to meet this global health threat.
Climate change is wide ranging, and effective adaptation will require the building of partnerships to leverage the expertise of government agencies, intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations, industry and professional groups and local communities. Decisions affecting urban planning, transport, energy supply, food production, land use and water resources affect both climate and health. Collaboration across all these sectors is needed to find the innovative and effective solutions that will stabilize climate and protect health.

Action must begin now to protect health by applying both adaptation and mitigation
Scientific uncertainty persists about the possibility and timing of abrupt and catastrophic climate change if temperatures continue to rise. This makes it urgent for action to begin now to stabilize the climate through strong and effective mitigation undertaken simultaneously with adaptation activities to prevent increases in foreseeable climate-related illnesses. Full participation of the health sector in national and international processes for mitigation and adaptation to climate change is essential.

Source: WHO

In order to work as a physiotherapist in New Zealand it is a legal requirement that you must first be registered with the Physiotherapy Board of New Zealand and hold an Annual Practising Certificate (APC).

The application fee is NZ $600.00 (non-refundable)

This is a legal process - aimed at protecting the public of New Zealand. Therefore, the Board will only grant registration to physiotherapists it considers safe and competent to practise.

There is no accreditation of overseas courses. Each application is individually assessed.

The information required is extensive and there is no guarantee of registration.

The onus is on the applicant to provide all the information required.

Errors and omissions will cause significant delays.

Eligibility for Registration
You must meet the following eligibility requirements before you can send an application. You will also be expected to answer the preliminary questions on page 27 of the application form before proceeding with your application.

What the Board is
In order to be registered as a physiotherapist in New Zealand you must meet the looking for following criteria:
• You must hold a physiotherapy qualification see below and, refer to section C.
• You must be able to demonstrate that you meet the New Zealand competencies set by the Physiotherapy Board including autonomous practice, clinical reasoning and evidence-based practice.

Qualifications
• Your physiotherapy qualification must be sufficiently similar in theory and practice to the physiotherapy curricula undertaken by students in New Zealand.
• You must have completed one thousand (1,000) hours of supervised clinical practice during your course of physiotherapy study.

Recency of practice
Applicants who have graduated three or more years prior to the date of application for registration are required:
• to have worked as a practising physiotherapist (as a clinician, manager, educator or researcher) during the three years immediately prior to application for registration; Or,
• to provide sufficient evidence of ongoing professional development during the three years immediately prior to application for registration; this evidence will be considered on a case by case basis.

English proficiency
Applicants whose first language is not English and/or whose course of Physiotherapy was not instructed and examined entirely in the English language must be able to provide evidence of their ability to comprehend and communicate effectively in English.

Legal and disciplinary history
You must provide details of your legal and disciplinary history. The Board will only register physiotherapists who can demonstrate they meet fitness for registration.

Mental and physical health
New Zealand law requires physiotherapists to be mentally and physically fit to practice within the profession.

You must supply all the supporting documents that the Board requires. Failure to do so will result in your application being returned to you. The Board may deduct an administration charge from your application fee.

You must ensure that all the documents marked as such by the Board are properly certified documents.

Please remember that at all times it is your responsibility to supply the information that the Board requires. It is therefore in your interests to make sure you get it right first time. The Board accepts no responsibility for delays resulting from omissions or errors on your part.

For more details on applying to be a registered physiotherapist in New Zealand, download the application form here. It is also helpful to read their FAQs here.

Haven't really read colleague JB Santos's post on U.S. presidential hopeful Barack Obama so I think I'm going to reserve my thoughts on the issue for the meantime. Just saw from Youtube however that Obama's March 18 speech is the most viewed video this week.

Here's the clip:



Here's a copy of his speech.

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Just want to add that there were some discussions regarding the use of comparison in "absolute" adjectives such as "perfect" or "unique". Here and here are just two of the many links regarding the issue. However, I agree on the discussion here that "more perfect" is correct. Also saw a post from Daily Writing Tips basically echoing similar points, but can't find the link. Sorry.

Finally. After more than a two-week hiatus and while taking my 15-minute break from transcribing an interview for a story for the April issue of the PJR Reports, I am back blogging again. I was planning to do a post something about Lent, but I got drained from trying to master singing the Pasyon overnight from our family's Pabasa activity. I guess knowing how to sing a song or two in the karaoke machine does not mean you can also be Pabasa's next singing sensation.

Anyway, Poynter Online--that informative resource tool for journalists--shares tips and suggestions from some of the best journalists in the United States on how to write compelling and outstanding stories.

By Bill Kirtz (more by author)
Professor, Northeastern University
Source: Poynter Online

Details. Details. Details. Top writers and editors last weekend called them the engine that drives every compelling story.

Their comments came at the Nieman Conference on Narrative Journalism in Boston, March 14-16. Speakers offered tips on dramatizing investigations, doing narrative on deadline, identifying writing flaws and enhancing stories with multimedia.

Read more here.

Aside from talking about the importance of detail in writing wonderful narrative stories and using the right verbs, quote and attribution, Kirtz also discussed the pros and cons of multimedia storytelling. New York Times multimedia editor Andrew DeVigal, according to Kirtz, called new media as just a platform. "Story and story-telling hasn't changed," DeVigal said.

Talking about journalism in the age of new media, here's an article I wrote last year based on veteran journalist Sheila Coronel's presentation about new multimedia approaches in doing in-depth and investigative journalism.

Where three -or more- is not a crowd
A New Way of Reporting the News
by Hector Bryant L. Macale
Source: PJR Reports August 2007 issue

Faced by dwindling revenues and staff downsizing, should news organizations—the traditional gatekeepers of the news—be afraid of a world where blogs and citizen journalism have become increasingly important?

The future of journalism remains hotly debated among members of the press. Yet, news organizations may yet learn a thing or two from the new trends and techniques in which the news is being researched, reported, and presented.

“It’s a revolutionary moment in journalism. There is room for all kinds of experimentation now,” said journalist Sheila Coronel during her presentation on new trends in investigative reporting before a group of journalists last July 13. It was Coronel’s first visit to Manila since she assumed the post of inaugural director of The Toni Stabile Center for Investigative Journalism at the Columbia University in the United States last year.

The first and one of only three Hall of Famers of the Jaime V. Ongpin Awards for Excellence in Journalism, Coronel is a co-founder of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism where she served as executive director for 16 years.

“The business models that supported journalism for the longest time, especially print journalism—which are circu-lation and advertising that allowed newspapers to get revenues—are slowly crumbling and possibly collapsing,” Coronel said, adding, “Many newspapers are losing their circulation.”

Moving to new media

The changes not only affect the print medium but the broadcast medium as well. If the average newspaper reader in the US is 50 years old, Coronel said, the average viewer, say of global TV news giant CNN, is 60 years old.

“The audience for the so-called mainstream media is dimi-nishing,” she said, adding, “That is why the revenues that have sustained mainstream media operations for so long are slowly moving to new media.”

As consumers leave the traditional forms of media, advertisers follow them to the online medium where user-generated content is king. The power to act as information’s gatekeeper is devolving increasingly to the audience. No longer the monopoly of news managers and editors, new journalism involves greater participation among consumers in any aspect—research, writing, and distribution, according to Coronel.

“We don’t exactly know where things are going,” she said, adding that the source of news and information is currently shaped by both the press and the consumers every second.

The idea of who the journalist is is also increasingly being contested. The audience now is not just a consumer of news “but also a producer of stories.”

Read more here.

Time to turn off the television and let the children have some outdoor play experiences. Here’s some news from University of the Sciences in Philadelphia.

March 12, 2008 - Parents shouldn’t horse around when it comes to playground safety. Whether it’s in the neighborhood park or their own backyard, adult supervision and risk awareness are the keys to keeping kids playing and progressing, according to two University of the Sciences in Philadelphia occupational therapy professors.

“We have to allow opportunities for kids to fall, within reason, because not only do kids need to learn what to do, but they also need to learn what not to do,” said Roger Ideishi, JD, OT/L, assistant professor of occupational therapy at University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. “But kids may not know the limits of that, so that’s why you need to supervise their play.”

The benefits of playground use for children are abundant, when they play safely and mindfully. “A lot of playgrounds now are looking at a variety of forms of development, not just one large movement type of play, but fine motor play, social play, and more thematic play areas,” explained Ideishi. In fact, many new playgrounds are now specially designed to incorporate things for children of all ages and developmental levels. “The designs are starting to look at other ways children play so that they spur imagination and creativity,” he added. In addition to encouraging socialization, these new designs allow for a greater amount of physical and mental growth by challenging all types of children.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says playground equipment is the leading cause of injuries to children, and more deaths occur at home than anywhere else.

“As far as safety goes, cushioned surfaces and safety standards certainly help, but nothing works better than a parent’s eyes and ears,” advised Paula Kramer, PhD, chair and professor of occupational therapy at USP. She added that parents should not hover over their children, because this may inhibit their play and development. Instead, parents should watch attentively from a distance so they can interrupt only when necessary. It’s also recommended that parents periodically inspect playgrounds for dangers such as protruding hooks and bolts, hard surfaces, tripping hazards, splinters, and even metallic or plastic surfaces that can get hot in the sun.

Dr. Kramer also pointed out that parents have a tendency to put ready-made playgrounds in their backyards and then forget about them. “Kids are hard on things, and these playgrounds aren’t indestructible,” she said. “It’s a matter of inspecting and watching the things you have at home.” 

Source: USP

In time for the Holy Week, I am posting this video borrowed from the gmakapuso multiply site. May God be with us and lead us in our daily undertakings all the time.

The New Zealand Society of Physiotherapists will be holding its annual conference on April 18-20, 2008 at the University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.

Workshop Presenters & Topics

• Dr Rik Gosselink: Update in Pulmonary Rehabilitation
• Dr. Monika Clark-Gill, Professor David Baxter & Lecia Claydon: Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Facing the Challenges, Realising our Potential
• Dr Stanley Paris: Assessment and Non Thrust Manipulation of the Sub-Cranial Spine
• Dr Sue Lord: Advanced gait performance (functional walking): clinical assessment and treatment considerations
• Dr Diane Damiano: “Strengthening Works In CP: now lets do it”; Outcome Assessment in CP; Assessing hypertonia in CP
• Dr Jennifer Rowland: Physiotherapy and the Older Adult Group

Registration closes on 11 April 2008. For more information on this event, click here.

It sucks to not know if what you're doing is the right thing or not. Well, the fact is that you really don't get to know, and that sucks more. You just blindly go with the flow and ride the waves of life under the influence of your so called principles and beliefs. All you can do is wait and see where it might lead you and hope that its a better place. But often times its not and you contemplate, should you have gone the other way what would have happened? Being stuck in such a situation is just torture. I am too busy battling my insecurities, fighting boredom at work with a smile on my face, trying hard to avoid complaining about how horrible life is and how alone I feel at times. I don't know how to steer clear of these problems and because of them I barely feel human enough to function. Or perhaps being this affected only shows how human I am, in that case I wish I was a robot so I won't feel anything. This all seems like a bad dream, one that I can't escape, I scream at the top of my lungs but no one hears me, I want to wake up now.  But no matter how hard I try to pull myself out, loneliness creeps and slowly pulls me back in and Im suffocated. It sheds darkness to the last flicker of hope I am holding on to. I feel so helpless. I don't know how long this will go on, all I know is the longer it takes the more it divests me of my sanity and the deeper I fall into despair. So I go about my day with complete indifference. I was told to just hold on and follow the sun. Well, I'm holding on to dear life, but its letting go.

I’m thankful that I live in a Catholic country so today is the last day of the workweek I love the Lenten break because it is the time when the population of Metro Manila nearly goes down more than 50% as throngs of families, couples and individuals head for the provinces or abroad. Everybody is in vacation mode. As for me and the rest of my 20+ Manila-based relatives, it would be a family reunion in the small town of Angadanan, Isabela.

I’m schooled throughout my student life in a Catholic school and a Catholic university so it is in my blood that I know that this season is a time of reflection and giving thanks to Jesus Christ for what he has done for the whole humankind. I’m glad that eventhough our family is on vacation we never forget to pass by churches for the traditional “visita iglesia” and hear mass during the Holy Week.

To all my Christian readers: Have a meaningful Holy Week and advance Happy Easter.

For those applying for qualifications assessment at the Council of Occupational Therapists Registration Boards (Aust & NZ) Inc., please take note of the new requirement for English Language Proficiency as of 18 February 2008.

At its meeting on 18 February 2008 the Overseas Qualifications Assessment Committee of COTRB resolved to accept the Occupational English Test (OET) as well as the IELTS, as evidence of English language proficiency.

Therefore, if an applicant is required to provide the results of an English language test, the following tests and results will be accepted:

OET: An overall pass with grades A or B only in each of the four components (listening, reading, writing and speaking).

IELTS (Academic Module): A minimum score of seven (7) in each of the four components (listening, reading, writing and speaking).

Would you believe I haven't seen my blog in a week? Yes, I haven't been able to update my blog because I was assigned to go walk around and coach the team. I'm not complaining though, it is part of my job description, I just haven't done it in a while and I forgot how stressing it was. Good thing it lasted for just a week, I miss my computarrr and I miss being able to twirl my chair and wheel it around the area or from station to station. Most of all, I miss being able to eat while working, I can't really do that while I'm walking around the floor and coaching, unless I eat sandwiches. BUT MY STOMACH YEARNS FOR KANIIIIN!!! I had to use my breaks to eat rice, which normally I would use it for going outside to buy taho. =( 

So anyway, updates. My mom left for the states last Sunday, she will stay there for a while, (I don't really know how long) I guess until she fixes our papers, then we would have to go there too. I don't think that's gonna happen anytime soon though. So I spent my Sunday at the airport, my mom cried, she probably thought she would never see us again, lol. Before the airport, the entire day was spent with our relatives, they were saying their goodbyes and giving her lists of things to buy and send via balikbayan box, lol again. Then there was the never ending reminders she had for me about my drinking sprees, bills, work, future plans and boys, super lol. Oh and she got a car before she left, for me! Well, not exactly for me, its for home use which means its for my sister's use as well. And by home I mean Subic, so I really can't bring it here in Manila. Iknoerite? Also, since I was at the airport I didn't get to go to the Incubus concert with TJ. *le sigh*

I also bought a new phone. I know I just got a new one last December, but I don't like it anymore, meh. I can never be satisfied with a cellphone, I think I kept one for a year and that's the longest time I've had the same phone. Don't get me started with how the prices go down quickly. It's annoying.

Anyway, despite the exhausting week that was, I still got a chance to unwind because we had our team outing at Kabayan Resort in Batangas during the weekend. I enjoyed the breakfast/lunch/dinner buffet they prepared for us. Oh and I gained two pounds. LOL. Scroll for the pictures, there ain't much of me cus I started drinking when they were playing the games and doing other team activities and I passed out and could not remember a thing. I think I puked on someone, at least that's what they told me. I guess its good to finally let it out, see I've been feeling like I need to throw up (out of the blue) the past few days it's annoying. I try to control it but the feeling gets worse. Having been intoxicated with that much alcohol made it easier, I couldn't even remember throwing up, and on someone for that matter. Ok, gross, again, pictures, scroll.

Arriving at the resort

Oh teh lunch buffet!

Marlon with Rene Salud, yes that's him

Spaghetti for merienda, and this is an hour after we had lunch.

Under the Patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum

2nd International Emirates Physiotherapy Conference

Rehabilitation of Movement Dysfunction: A Physiotherapist’s Talent

April 20-22, 2008

Crowne Plaza Festival City, United Arab Emirates

This three day event conference provides the latest in best practice, research, educational, and professional developments in physiotherapy. Featuring a full program of keynote speakers, lectures, and workshops, Physio Dubai 2008 promises to be a truly informative meeting.

The conference will focus on Movement Dysfunction in the following five tracks:
Bones and Joints, Brain and Nerves, Heart and Lungs, Sports and Fitness, and Movement Dysfunction at Work. With such a broad spectrum of topics, you will no doubt find something relevant to your practice.

Physio Dubai will attract specialists from around the region and the world, and will be a conference not to be missed! 

For more information, visit the Physio Dubai 2008 website.