Piloco

Despite warnings from the Department of Health and the EcoWaste Coalition, Pinoys insist on endangering their lives and limbs every New Year's Eve.

Mediators aren't always successful, too, despite their good intention. They also require goodwill from disputants.

Crushmuch Truce

Revelling on the holiday truce from politics, we were rudely reminded of its end by the Supreme Court's TRO on the Comelec's disqualification of Grace Poe. Of course, the latter took the opportunity to step up on the plate.

The cartoon Sherman's Lagoon's mayoralty loser take on this: "I tried to run an honest campaign, stick with the issues, and not get personal." To which the mayor retorted, "None of which belongs in politics." The loser has to "live and learn."

Mediation has, too.

Ninas Inocentes

Misses Colombia and the Philippines had an early reenactment of a worldly version of Holy Innocents during the last Miss Universe pageant. One woman's dream of the crown was killed in two minutes, as was another's nightmare of a defeat.

Meanwhile, young Filipino men and women have taken a boat to China's claimed island on the West Philippine Sea. As was joked that Ms. Philippines could also be claimed by China to be their own, (@siksikat/Twitter) these ninos and ninas hopefully won't suffer the same jest.

Unfortunately, China is not open to arbitration, on their claim on the island, that is.

Same Old

Some things never change. Recently, there was a photo of a Palestinian slingshot protester, a la David of old.

However, there have been new developments in conflict resolution, thank Yaweh!

Fair Tale

Even fairy tales have a message or two for you. Cinderella was on yesterday and spoke of courage and kindness, as well as forgiveness. It depicted "what could be, not just what is." And perhaps, good karma?

So is mediation.

Naivete Season

Christmas afternoon, was getting ready for a nap when E started showing the Kardashians nonstop. Whoa! Couldn't resist following the development of the Lamar and Bruce relationships with their respective "Dash Doll," among the other characters.  Aren't they all?

Likewise, mediation is hopefully the last phase in the development of a conflict.

Beast of Cesar

After Cablelink rechanneled Nat Geo way at the end, it was a pleasant surprise to see Cesar Millan dog whispering again in "The Best of Cesar." One episode featured some traumatized bite victims. One needed to overcome his phobia as it was getting into his job as swimming pool maintenance. Another wanted to gather the guts to attend her sister' wedding, when the bride's dog will be ring-bearer!

People go to mediation for a lot of reasons, too, but basic is the need to get out of conflict pronto.

E-razing Memory

This is like voluntary, emotional Alzheimers. NatGeo's Breakthrough featured research on erasing the pain associated with some experiences.

Perhaps Miss Colombia would like to try this, after the recent Miss Universe booboo. But first, she herself has to let go of its trappings, like her internet picture with the sash.

Mediation alleviates pain, too by declaring a truce on blaming, name- calling, and shout-outing while facilitating a search for conflict resolution.

APECops

Pardon the comparison, but in the Old West, riders took care of giving water to their horses before anything else. PNP Chief Ricardo Marquez attended to subordinates' board and lodging, too during the recent APEC conference. That might have helped them perform their duties well.

That is proactive prevention of the need for mediation. Pardon the redundance.

Christmas Blues

Mc Donald's has come up with smooth interpersonal ads to promote its cheeseburger. One  young woman looking for a long-lost godfather and a young man complaining to a karaoke- addicted neighbor express their problem humorously.

Such is a good way of communication in mediation, too.

Human Tripod

That's how they describe a photographer in "The Millers" sitcom, after the news reporter had his pirated and hence resorted to a stationary tripod instead. Of course, he couldn't converse, eat, and watch ball games with the tripod.

A lot of mechanical devices may replace people, but they definitely fall short when it comes to authentic human inter-action. For resulting conflicts, though, mediation comes into the picture.

Boiling Over

In today's Inquirer, Fr. Jerry Orbos' column had this quote that "the same boiling water that softens the potato also hardens the egg." Life is how one reacts to it.

Mediation sees a lot of hard-boiled eggs, indeed!

Icy Castles

The sitcom "Everybody Loves Raymond" reruns are a refreshing way to spend lazy afternoons. In one episode, good-natured Raymond sneaked on wife Debra's alone time at home and from the window, saw her weeping! Alarmed, he confronted her and found out she was just enjoying listening to her favorite song, the theme from "Ice Castles." One time, Raymond tried listening to the same tune, to no  effect.

Gender bias comes from insensitivity to gender differences, as mediation all to often brings out.

Velasco Orlina

That is no choice but a collaboration that soared the artistic skies. As featured in GMA News TV, the Velasco family of the former Energy Minister of Marcos had a glass factory, in which Orlina would help himself with its scraps. Talk of recycling with glass class!

Mediation likewise picks up the pieces of broken relationships at home, office, community, country and the world.

Anita Ho

DIVA's feature was not about Anita Magsaysay-Ho, renowned Filipino painter, but rather a Chinese woman who got engaged to a Korean. Did she get it from her kin! So with her Korean fiance. The couple felt like they were against all their dinner guests!

Racial as well as social discrimination knows no bounds. Perhaps the mediator could work hand in hand with the matchmaker.

Hotel Babel

Being a former hotel HR Manager, I was delighted to come across the Hotel Babylon series on British cable tv. Here, familiar issues are tackled- employee vs. guest, guest vs. guest, management vs staff, management & staff, management & guest...

Human Resources has always been in the mediation profession, too.

Democratizing Dinner

True to their liberty, equality and fraternity ideals, leave it to the French chefs  to serve fine dining cuisine at a train station one day.

Mediation is democratizing justice, too.

Connecting the Gowns

"Gowns of the same feather flock together" seems to hold true in show biz. GMA7 talent Yaya Dub had for stylist Liz Uy who, of course is more associated with ABS-CBN. Hence, the charges of being dressed shabbily, as in used clothing.

As in mediation, beware of the company you keep.

Businessmen A- betting

What a difference a dash makes! As it is, this Inquirer headline reported on leaders of business putting their money on different candidates this election 2016.

Remove that dash, and these businessmen are in trouble with the law!

The Millers

Another family sitcom has elder characters this time. Problems now are about divorce, career, and aging.

Family mediation is indeed from womb to tomb.

The Middle

This sitcom is the dysfunctional updated version of the 50's "Father Knows Best." This time, the Hecks (!)  gather around to solve their daily troubles.

Perhaps, it is a more realistic portrayal of this basic unit of society, more open to exposing its vulnerability and keeping up with the times. But as always, mediation starts with compromises at home.

Monumental Challenge

In a docu Multi-Mental Challenge on the Big Ben, engineers worked on the bell, building, and even the birds that crash on it. What a precise symphony!

Mediation is likewise a joint effort among the mediator, the disputants and other concerned parties.

Mon Terror

Like Paris, Metro Manila is also in fear of a terrorist called Montero. This is the Mitsubishi sports utility vehicle that has 97 cases of sudden unintended acceleration.
Mitsubishi of course denies wrongdoing and technical malfunction. Victims and the Department of Trade and Industry are for product recall, among other things.

Truly, a third party technical group is needed to settle this deadly dispute.

Chinese Mediation

Singapore was reported to be offering to mediate between Taiwan and Mainland China. It is to be noted that these three countries are of Chinese descent.

Sometimes, families can settle their differences, after falling into disagreements.

Corny Ito

The Cornetto series of ads is so light to the eyes, mind and heart. Its message is affordability.

So is mediation.

A Mother's Will

This was the theme of a DIVA movie that featured a mother's ten-year search for her kidnapped daughter. She was smart as well as persistent, drawing from her career of photography. She took pictures of schoolchildren and while doing so, would engage girl subjects in conversation. Finally, maternal instinct drew her close to her long-lost daughter.

In like manner, there is only so much that a mediator can do. The disputants have the solution in their hands.

Fact Checking

The onset of election season is one reason for fact-checking.  However, it could also be open to treason, leading to some fat check-ing.

Mediation is also into fact-checking, but not fat check-ing.

Crooked Hearts

This movie on AMC depicted a family in conflict, symbolically called the Warrens. Despite the father's usual practice of toasting their milestones, he kept a stash of old love letters from someone else. The eldest son burned down their house, saving those letters only. Later, while the two younger sons burned the letters, one of them  was hit by a passing vehicle as the fire scattered. In the end, this son's list of his rules on life was given an additional "Forgive."

Most, if not all families have these twists and turns, in varying degrees of intensity. All have to forgive too for the wars to end.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

This movie was like Downton Abbey's excursion to India. Common actors in updated clothes met the still stringent social mores of the East. This time, twas the Brits who told the bachelor hotel owner to "step up and beside" his girfriend whose family didn't approve of him.

There is universality of issus in mediation.

Yours, Mine and Ours

Watched this remake on Star Movies regarding former HS Prom King and Queen getting married years and their respective children later. Expect trouble from the joint brood of the Admiral and a free spirit.

Like sides to a dispute.

Garage Sale Mystery

Diva featured this insightful movie on the perils of selling old stuff to neighbors. It is consoling, too that ours is not the only crime-infested city where thieves can pose as buyers.

While we are called to live our neighbors, reality dictates we take precaution, too.