Who now will feed my addiction? :( Does that mean I'd need to go back to the real world and stop fantasizing about McDoctors and Superheroes? What happens to us entertainment consumers out there?

Click here for more WGA strike info.

*** Now accepting gimmicks and dates starting Dec. 3 ***

As reported by ABS CBN Interactive
Eight people were killed while at least 89 others were injured after an explosion ripped through an upscale mall in Makati City Friday afternoon.

Red Cross and police officials said 56 people injured in the blast were rushed to Makati Medical Center while 33 others were brought to Ospital ng Makati.

In a press conference, Philippine National Police chief Avelino Razon said the blast in the Glorietta 2 ground level at 1:30 p.m. was "probably caused by a bomb" and not a gas leak as earlier reported.

"This was a bomb. But beyond that we can't say anything else yet because we are still investigating. What I can say is it was not LPG that caused this," Razon told reporters.

He said there was still no conclusive evidence to determine if the blast was caused by a C-4 bomb, a military explosive, or any other improvised explosive device. He added that the police cannot definitely say if the explosion was a terrorist attack.

Director Geary Barias, National Capital Region Police Office chief, said bomb debris carpeted a 200 square-meter area in the mall. "The ceilings are damaged and may collapse," Barias said.

The explosion ripped through the roof of the mall and damaged nearby shops. Debris from the blast were scattered on the streets.

A general alert has been issued for the rest of the city and for the international airport, officials said. A meeting of the National Security Council was called for later in the day.

Barias placed all police units in Metro Manila on full alert status and ordered district offices to put up more checkpoints in the metropolis. He added that he will order more policemen deployed in nearby malls to maintain peace and order.

"We will send policemen to other malls to restore order especially here in Makati and to prevent any untoward incident," Barias told reporters.

The blast, which occurred during lunch-hour, spread panic in the city of 12 million people, which has in the past been the scene of attacks by Muslim separatist rebels.

Several shoppers said the blast was heard from a nearby baby store in the mall. Liana Navarro, sister of Black and White Movement’s Leah Navarro and who was in the mall with her mother, said several people including children were seen with “obvious injuries.”

Another witness, Arel Vertucio, said the explosion was so strong that it was felt up to the third level of the mall. Vertucio said he saw some people lying on the ground.

Eyewitness Icy Marinas was only 15 meters away from the Glorietta explosion when it occurred. She said the blast felt like an "intense earthquake."

She said she saw a pregnant woman crying after the blast while other women started rushing out of the mall with their families. She added that she saw "three bloodied men" near the blast site while the security guards just stood around with no reaction.

Charlie Nepomuceno, an employee at the Glorietta mall, said the powerful explosion appeared to have centered on an escalator.

"It left a deep crater at the foot of the escalator," he said. "It also ripped open the roof of the building. I saw a man thrown on to the roof who had lost a leg."

He said a badly mangled body of a woman was near the escalator.

Manila has largely been spared a spate of bomb attacks by Muslim rebels that have plagued the southern Mindanao region. But it has been hit in the past. A series of bomb blasts in 2000 killed at least 22 people.

President Arroyo ordered the police to “leave no stone unturned” in its investigation on the explosion.

“The President is deeply saddened by this incident and extends her sympathies to the families of the casualties…She has also ordered the PNP to get to the bottom of things and to leave no stone unturned,” Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said in a statement.

Bunye said the President also ordered the Department of Social Welfare and Development to extend assistance to the victims. With a report from Reuters

Received this email. It sounds like another Malu Fernandez chismax.

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Here's the petition against the comment made on Desperate Housewives. You can sign the petition at the link below. its really offensive, especially for us who know better that our med schools produce good, if not the best, doctors. Though there are some diploma-mill schools, but that doesn't mean they can generalize or look down on our schools' reputation.

To: ABC
To the producers of "Desperate Housewives" and ABC:

We are writing to express concern and hurt about a racially-discriminatory comment made in an episode of Desperate Housewives on 9/30/07. In a scene in which Susan was told by her gynecologist that she might be hitting menopause, she replied, "Can I just check those diplomas because I just want to make sure that they are not from some med school in the Philippines. "

As members and allies of the Filipino American community, we are writing to inform know that this type of derogatory remark was discriminatory and hurtful, and such a comment was not necessary to maintain any humor in the show. Additionally, a statement that devalues Filipinos in healthcare is extremely unfounded, considering the overwhelming presence of Filipinos and Filipino Americans in the medical field. Filipinos are the second largest immigrant population in the United States, with many entering the U.S. (and successfully passing their U.S. licensing boards!) as doctors, nurses, and medical technicians. In fact, the Philippines produces more U.S. nurses than any other country in the world. So, to belittle the education, experience, or value of Filipino Americans in health care is extremely disrespectful and plain and simply ignorant. Many of the hospitals in major metropolitan areas of the U.S. (and the world) would not be able to operate without its Filipino and Filipino American staff members.

As Filipino Americans and allies, we band together to ensure that this type of hateful message should not be allowed to continue on our television and radio airwaves. Given the recent amounts of media attention that has been given to Michael Richards (against African Americans), Isaiah Washington (against gays), and Rosie O'Donnell (against Asian/ Chinese Americans), it is ridiculous that this type of hateful speech made it through various
screenwriters, the show's producers, the show's actors, and ABC itself.

We demand a public apology to the Filipino American community, and we demand the episode be edited to remove the ignorant and racist remark. We will not allow hateful messages against our community (or any other oppressed community) to continue.

Sincerely, The Undersigned

To Sign the Petition, click here.

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There was even an article in Inquirer about this. I wonder if we're getting a bit too touchy. What do you think? Check it out.

Last minute September updates! :D I have loads.

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Last Saturday (September 29), one of my good friends gave birth to David Antonio Miguel D. Martinez. Naks the name, diba! So Español! I luv it! Hehehe! I haven't met him yet, but his tita just sent me his pic. He's so adorable! Can't wait to meet him. :D



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My good friend Kris is leaving mid Month to the US for a training in her new office. Why this is such big news to me? Well for a couple of reasons:

1. Mawawalaan ako ng "dumping" ground for a month and a half;
   
2. My "work" events seems to coincide with Kris'. And I'm actually seeing an "up" movement in my work as well;
   
3. I need to be making decisions myself, and let change take its natural course.

Congrats dude! Good luck to us!

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During our EO3Q meeting this morning, our boss announced that our company has already reached and exceeded last year's sales performance. A big hurrah to us. :D Pwede na kaya mag bakasyon for the last quarter? Wehehe! Ummm, I don't think so...

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I don't follow the UAAP saga ever since I graduated. Too bad for school spirit. But for some reason, news was all around me about this Season 70 of UAAP specifically about the La Salle-Ateneo rivalry. I started hearing about it when La Salle lost to Ateneo during the Sept. 9 games 2nd playoffs. Many of the Atenistas I met bragged about this win for a good week. It got more interesting when both teams made it to the final four, and were up against each other once again for the semis against UE (who is undefeated so far). La Salle was "twice to beat" with the first fight last Thursday. This basically means, if La Salle won, then they were up against UE. If Ateneo won, there would be another match to break the tie with La Salle.

During the Thursday fight, La Salle lost to Ateneo. A lot of chismax went on saying this was an "intended" loss, because the UAAP games (most esp. La Salle-Ateneo games) were a money making business. It made a whole lot of sense (not that I'm sulking that La Salle lost, as I mentioned, I didn't really care much for the saga). Money making, because had La Salle won during that time, then there was no tie-breaker round. With the tie breaker round, Araneta Collisium made money, ticket sales made money, the major advertisers would be endorsed for another day, and of course, the drama is better. It also helps that Ateneo and La Salle are the most popular rivals since goodness knows when. And their alumnis were major sponsors to the events. I don't know how true it is, but it made absolute sense for the players to be "bought" out so the money making guys, make more money.

Irregardless of, yesterday was the tie breaker. And after all the hoopla, La Salle will be fighting at the championship round against UE. Click on the image below for the blow-by-blow account of the explosive game.


I now look forward to rekindling my Green spirit. ANIMO LA SALLE! :D

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I was supposed to be looking forward to a Singapore trip this October, but it got foiled. :( Blast my darn sister. (Joke lang!)

I'm thinking of where to go for a getaway. Hmm. What do you think? I'm thinking end of the month, para long weekend. (All Saint's / Soul's Day Holiday).

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Ang haba ng buhok ko. :D