a mistake that everybody makes

Have you seen (name of artist here)'s new MTV?

Oh really? (artist's name) has his own MTV?

MTV, which stands for Music Television, is a cable television network dedicated to music and has popularized music videos. A lot of people seem to forget that although it is a noun, it is not the general term for any visual rendition of a song. So it is not proper for any music video to be referred to as MTV. The Black Eyed Peas, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Maroon 5 or any musical act cannot be said to have an MTV unless they are part owners of the giant cable channel. What they have are simply music videos that get airtime on music channels like MTV, Channel [V] or Myx.

La lang. Just my two-cents.

a letter to stinkerbelle

Dear Stinkerbelle,

How can you be such a pain in the ass? I though the business of PR-ing is easy to comprehend. In fact, some lousy people even dared to call it a mindless job. If it is, then why can't you people grasp the idea? Ok, we organized a press conference and came up with a media list that we meticulously worked on to ensure that we get the message across to our target audience. As in all gatherings, we cannot always get a 100% attendance. And not getting the desired number of warm bodies in a press briefing does not mean that the PR company does not deliver or live up to your expectations.

Let me tell you that head count in a press briefing wouldn't really matter in the end. If the story you are selling is interesting enough, then the media will not hesitate to tell the world about it even if they got the info from a press release. Didn't we prove that to you late last year?

Do not say that we do not have a hold on the media because we do. Unfortunately, we are just not among those companies who would buy the dignity of the press in order to please our clients. We refuse to shell out cash so they would publish our press release. Yes, you would not believe it but we do observe good business practices and we respect the integrity of these journalists.

Chillax. We will redeem ourselves. Just wait and see.


In Tagalog: Humanda Ka! May araw ka rin!

Hope in the new pope

Amazing. I cannot believe this is all happening in my lifetime. I got home almost midnight last Tuesday, and the breaking news on CNN and BBC was that white smoke was coming out of the chimney at the Vatican. In Rome, the people are in chaos. Even TV audience such as myself could not escape the excitement and thrill of anticipation. Outside my room I can hear my father's enthusiasm as he followed the event on the living room TV. Thanks to technology, the whole world is connected and we got to experience what could be the biggest event in Christianity for this decade.

We have a new pope. A few minutes after the bells rung at the Vatican, Joseph Ratzinger was introduced to the world as Pope Benedict XVI. I do not mean to offend whatsoever, but something in the new Pope's face scares me. He strikes me as a man with an iron fist. Christianity surely needs a ruler who can make people return to Church and recover their faith in the Almighty. In a time where all inocence is lost, Pope Benedict faces a huge challenge. Some people say that the Catholic Church has been left behind because of its resistance to change. The world is evolving and the church has to effectively evolve with it.

A new Pope signifies a new beginning in the history of the church. I just hope that in his time, Pope Benedict XVI musters the strength, courage and determination that John Paul II had to bring the world together and restore the faiths of the many people who have lost their way in the course of coping with life's challenges.