ALS Ice Bucket Challenge: Donate Even If You Took the Challenge

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Have you joined the bandwagon, or more proper to be called the "bucketwagon" lately? Perhaps everyone who has been active online or on mainstream media has heard of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge  which is now a fad among celebrities worldwide, including our local talents here in the Philippines. The social phenomenon is still going strong and filling news feeds from mainstream to online media.

From Kris Aquino to Vice Ganda, from Anne Curtis to even popular TV broadcasters like Anthony Taberna and Korina Sanchez, and also non-showbiz citizens who probably thought "Why not? It's for a good cause!" It seems like every celebrity is getting in on it, from pop stars to athletes to politicians, as well as millions of ordinary people. They all took a video of themselves and posted them online for everyone to see. But don't be too judgmental because they did it for a cause, even though its majority for publicity.

Celebrities from all over the world drenched and soaked themselves with cold water to raise awareness for the ALS disease. You need to donate money to the ALS Association within 24 hours of being nominated. The challenge started in Massachusetts with former Boston College baseball player Pete Frates, who was diagnosed with the disease in 2012. It has quickly gone from a fundraising campaign to a viral Internet sensation. It’s annoying. But it’s working.

The challenge requires everyone to take the ALS Ice Bucket challenge by dumping a bucket of ice water on your head, and then nominate the next people to take it. Everyone is expected to donate some amount to the study of the ALS disease,.....even if they took the challenge. How will the campaign work if everyone will just take the challenge and donate nothing?

Hello Kitty Is Not A Cat, Jollibee Is Not A Bee, McDonald Is Not A Clown

Wazzup Pilipinas!
There's some viral news going around social media and rumor has it that our favorite iconic characters since childhood are not what they seem to be. If the news were true then that's our childhood shattered into itsy-bitsy pieces. If it's merely connected to a campaign to bring about interests, then it's somehow effective.

This revelation was discovered by Hello Kitty scholar, trend expert and anthropologist Christine R. Yano (who wrote a book about Hello Kitty), the cat we know and love is . . . not a cat. “Hello Kitty is not a cat,” Yano says. “She's a cartoon character. She is a little girl. She is a friend. But she is not a cat. She's never depicted on all fours. She walks and sits like a two-legged creature. She does have a pet cat of her own, however, and it's called Charmmy Kitty.”

The cartoon's real name is "Kitty White," and she is British with a twin sister, according to a backstory Sanrio and the cartoon's creator, Yuko Shimizu, made about her. She's also a perpetual third-grader.

Sanrio has a lot of explaining to do. After 40 years of collecting the cash of the cat-loving dudes and dudettes out there, they finally revealed in an interview that it is a girl? I haven't read all the details of the news since the headlines may be deceiving, and there are many satire sites out there, but who cares if Hello Kitty is not cat, our equally favorite beagle Snoopy in Peanuts is confirmed as a dog.

The Bragging Rights of Bloggers, Blaggers, Boogers, Bonkers and the Likes

Wazzup Pilipinas!

I am not in a habit of writing about trending topics, but I guess one should make "exceptions" or should it be "exemptions" or "excerptions" or "perceptions"? Well, whatever it may be, all that's important is the thought. Just as many would say - it's the thought that counts, or was it "clouts" or maybe "clouds?"

A play of words, of the vocabulary, on grammatical errors and spelling booboos - we all get to make mistakes but unknown to many, we do sometimes make it intentional - to humor  or make fun of the idea. To get the attention of the readers and add some controversy. To make the story more interesting by adding elements you will react to immediately. We would sometimes deliberately post an entire paragraph full of negativity, typos, insinuations, etc., to contain ideas that were entirely meant to provoke, to promote, to choke, to crack a joke - errrr to --- you get the idea.

Some people are just getting too nauseous of people that brag about their achievements. What's happening?. When some would just speak kind words of congratulations, some would comment negatively against this flaunting of recognitions. While some would take sides and rudely irk the other,  some would just ignore and eat popcorn while reading all the wacky posts of people debating online. I am not sure what could be tagged on those people who would just lurk around enjoying the controversy, but those who avoid getting involved  are said to be the better folks out there since they mind their own business.

I would love to depend the reason why I brag a lot. But I thought it was no longer necessary since those who are really smart enough to understand that all those "bragging" stuff was just a way of "branding." However, when you know you are deeply involved with and affected by the issue, it will be so hard not to say something. Resistance is futile. The soil might soon turn so fertile, or worthless, because of the blood that will soon litter or spoil the grounds.