E-motion
As juvenile as the nature of the sport may be, when it’s done right, wrestling is occasionally able to create sincerely moving, emotional moments. It’s a rare sight, but it’s a phenomenon that exists nonetheless. I know that as an at least slightly hardcore wrestling fan (if you lurk and post in these forums, you most likely are one – unless you’re an FFA troll) there is at least one on-screen, kayfabe moment, in a time when it was still all real to you, or even otherwise, that elicited some strong emotions from you.
Perhaps it was when Eddie won his first and last WWE Championship. Perhaps it was the end of Wrestlemania XX, after Chris Benoit (yes, I dare say his name) had just won the World Heavyweight Championship, which was an emotional moment in itself, excluding the celebration with Eddie. Perhaps, to use a recent example, you marked out when Daniel Bryan won his first title in the WWE back at Night of Champions, just because you rooted for the literal underdog.
The point is, professional wrestling is, most of the time, more storytelling and drama than it is sport and athletics. When it elicits some real, powerful emotions from you, that’s when you know that it’s done right.
Stories from cramped cars
Author’s note: This article was published in UPIU.com, on Sep. 14, 2010. The original page is here.
This is a feature article that details a few of the various amusing events I’ve experienced while commuting back and forth every day.
My classmate, who gave me feedback, noted that the tone was generally light, which was both boon and bane to the story. A boon because the article and the various stories contained within were easy to comprehend and appreciate, but a bane because the tone apparently made it seem a little too trivial.
He also noted that while the stories were entertaining and amusing, the stories I told were a little negative due to the fact 2/3 of them involved a potential crime. He said that it made my stories seem like warnings (which were part of my intentions) to those who are unfamiliar with commuting in Manila.
Other things include a suggestion to include a handful of data and/or statistics that could support the background of the story, and other fleshing out of the background. (In my defense, there were some parameters with regards to word count, and I was already running over the suggested maximum as is.)
A UPIU mentor also gave me some brief feedback on the story; he said that it did suit the feature or column genre better. He found it humorous.
The story can be read after the jump.
Online outrage over Manila hijack
Posted by Romeo in Column, Current Events on October 12, 2010
Author’s Note: This column was originally published in the Asian Correspondent on Aug. 26, 2010. The original page is here.
This article was pretty much well-received in class due to the small (but significant) reaction it received and due to the timeliness of the issue. The criticism levelled against it was not really in the content of the column itself, but rather in the way I replied to one of the commenters who took the time to voice his or her opinion on it.
I had replied rather brashly, which may have led to another commenter calling me immature. (Though that also could’ve been because of what was said in the blog.) We were then taught that we must be professional above all else and despite our own personal feelings, because there is a reputation to be protected.
The column follows after the jump.
Thousands of Philippine students take state U entrance exam
Posted by Romeo in Current Events, News Feature on October 12, 2010
Author’s Note: This article was originally published in the Asian Correspondent on Aug. 13, 2010. The original page is here.
The article, a newsfeature, was warmly-received by the class. There was only one major criticism leveled against it, in that the tone of the article changed midway from being a possible straight news article to being a newsfeature. I can explain this; the article was originally going to be a straight news article, but the parts that included the quotes from the students made it sound like a newsfeature in the end; also, given that the UPCAT happening annually is not breaking news, the newsfeature label does fit it better.
Other things pointed out are the use of interviewees, the research of more specific figures for the UPCAT itself, and exploration of other angles that weren’t fully fleshed-out in the story.
The story follows after the jump.
FIGHTING IMPUNITY: A multimedia contest for a cause
Posted by Romeo in Current Events on October 12, 2010
It’s already October, and we’re nearing the first anniversary of the most heinous journalist-related killing in the Philippines – the infamous Maguindanao Massacre. The trial is still ongoing, and at this point we can only hope that justice may be served.
It’s been a long time since the incident, however, and it can’t be helped that the memory may have slipped from the consciousness of Philippine society. The victims of the massacre should not be forgotten, and the battle against impunity must continue to be fought.
This is why the Freedom Fund for Filipino Journalists (FFFJ), through the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR) and along with the University of the Philippines Diliman College of Mass Communication (UP-CMC) is holding a multimedia contest entitled “FIGHTING IMPUNITY: The 2010 multimedia competition to mark the first year of Ampatuan Massacre.” The contest was officially launched in a function held at the CMC Auditorium last Sep. 29.
Pinoy Smark 