I had...

...tickets for tonight's FHM 100 Sexiest Women in the World Party, but had to give away my tickets at the last minute because I had to go out-of-town to do some field research for work. The town we visited wasn't that far away from Manila, but we had to go visit a couple of really remote villages. We had made preparations to stay the night, but it started to rain, so we decided to head back to the city because getting stuck might mean staying there for the next few days.

The places we visited had neither cellphone signal nor electricity. But they were not quite as remote as the place we had originally wanted to go to, which required a river crossing (ideally on a 4x4 vehicle). We did not end up going but we did make plans to go next time.

Overall, it was a fun day. Also, if it would make for a great excuse if I ever end up having an affair; I could always use the excuse that I couldn't reply to calls or text messages because, "Walang signal sa [name of remote village]."

Labels: hehehe, work

- posted by jaemark @ 7/09/2009 10:23:00 PM   1 comments

I wrote...

...a short sidebar for the PCIJ's latest two-part report on the automation project for the 2010 elections, and it made it to the front page of the Manila Times this morning. It's odd because I've been writing online (a lot!) for a long time, and I think this is the first thing of mine ever printed. Like, ever, ever.

The Times version was (poorly) cut, which is always a danger with print media. It's funny though, because the lopped off most of the meat of the story, but left in the Transformers joke.

The full version of the sidebar, which makes infinitely more sense, is online at the PCIJ site. Of course, you also owe it to yourself to read the first and second parts of the report.

UPDATE: Here's Ed Lingao's video on the story, drawing on the second part of the report.

Labels: news and issues, pcij, politics, work, writing

- posted by jaemark @ 7/03/2009 03:28:00 PM   1 comments

Gossip

A couple of months back, a friend and I were discussing the different trends of journalism on the web, and I shared with him a piece I found that featured a talk at Cal's J-school on the subject. Curiously enough, the resource person was Harvey Levin, the guy who runs the popular TMZ gossip site (and the centerpiece of the related TV show). While I am a fan of the show -- and Levin comes off as a smart guy on it -- I didn't really take him for the type who would be able to impart sage knowledge to J-school kids. But Levin was actually really good, and his stuff really was worth sharing. The guy gets it.

Levin and TMZ are now back in the spotlight after they broke news of Michael Jackson's death -- just the latest in their long line of accurate breaking exclusives. For all the flak it gets because of the tabloid sensationalism and the smug snarkiness, sites like TMZ, with smart guys like Levin at the helm, might be the future of journalism as we know it.

Labels: journalism, michaeljackson

- posted by jaemark @ 7/01/2009 07:41:00 AM   1 comments

Funniest Eraserheads interview ever

This was just a train wreck from start to finish.

Labels: eraserheads, hehehe, music, video

- posted by jaemark @ 6/29/2009 02:02:00 AM   2 comments

Little Miss Sunshine

Just caught an interview of Abigail Breslin on Jimmy Fallon, and well, dalaga na siya. She was talking about how excited she was about turning 13, and I just realized, my sister Icay is turning 13 later this year. How fast is time going? I would freak out that I'll be turning 30 in a couple of years, but seriously, I'm feeling like such an old man at 27.

Labels: hehehe

- posted by jaemark @ 6/25/2009 12:35:00 AM   1 comments

Game show

I was making a presentation this afternoon to the PCIJ board, including members David Celdran, Howie Severino, and Malou Mangahas, among others. When David, the board chairman, asked me a question, it gave me a moment's pause, thinking, "Hey wait, why am I on Battle of the Brains?"

Labels: hehehe, work

- posted by jaemark @ 6/05/2009 04:12:00 PM   0 comments