Dina's Tiya

This local term for dynasty struck me as self-explanatory.

In mediation, beware of over-defensiveness. As politicos say, they were voted into office, yeah, which they paid for.

Wildlife in Human Life

This docu showed wolves, mountain lions, bears, penguins and bald eagles invading human territory to eat, spawn and hopefully not to wait for Noah again.

Sometimes we have enough wild humans to contend with.

Worst Link

Best Link reminded me of the Besta I used to own which I renamed Worsta. The same thing happened when Best Link College contracted Harana Tours, which in turn subconned Panda Coach.

Now, CHED, LTFRB, PNP, DILG and legislators have joined the frayed nerves. Not ideal mediation situation.

I Kid U Not

At our condo complex's Building Reps (BRs) meeting yesterday, we were faced with one of us
caught on cctv in a tussle with several of her neighbors. Looked like a sorority scuffle, complete
with security guards intervening.

We had a group caucus with our colleague. The issue of rowdy children in their building lobby,
festering for a while, erupted in our last town hall meeting. BR was imposing house rules on her previously close friend (CF).  Conflict started when obedience-seeking leader met disobedient follower. Worse, when the latter sought peace during the meeting, the former rejected it.  Caso!

After that meeting, I told the Property Management Officer to schedule a private meeting with the two nay-bores. I guess it was overrun by events. On May 4, we are meeting with CF to thwart legal action she is planning.

Yesterday, we told BR that she may have missed the opportunity to resolve the issue by turning down CF's offer of reconciliation and to give a good example.  Defending herself by judging CF as a repeat offender, we suggested that she could have gotten CF's commitment by replying, "Ok, I'll take your word for it." It could also have saved face for both of them. Like in Aikido, one has to reach out to the opponent, to take him to your side in the end.              

Biblical GPS

Can't recall now where I read this directive on life.

"If you want to be miserable, look within;
                                distracted, look around;
                                peaceful, look up."

Works in mediation, too. Seeking what is right and just resolves conflict.

Posting Bail by the Bay

Casino at that! Latest mind-twisting his-story by the Custom-ary suspicious characters of Immigration. What fantastic tales they weave!

Won't pass mediation.

Scarlett Letter

She's Johansson and claims monogamy is unnatural.

So is choosing mediation over litigation.

Pacman for Biblical Scholar

A little knowledge brings you way-off. Pacquiao says the Bible bans cross-dressing, while he espouses the death penalty.

Mediation espouses consistency.

Mine-ing

Gina in the spot now for being tough on mining. Perhaps it's time to give to the townspeople what is theirs, and to the mine-rs, too.

A lot of mine-ing in mediation also.

Nazi Underworld

NATGEO's feature on Hitler felt eerily familiar. Narcissistic, he "gave" his book Mein Kampf (My Struggle) as wedding gifts to newly married couples, to raise more sales, of course. He also kept referring to his poor background, though he initially studied art in Austria. There he encountered difficulties after his inheritance from his mother ran out. So it was Austria he returned to first with a vengeance, when he got into power. He was more interested in its artworks, too. And his income tax was really taxing to the people. One who exposed this was never heard of. His Eva was his photographer's assistant, true to his selfish ambition.

Trillanes, beware!

Cow-rus Pronouncements

Ever noticed how Duterte has a phalanx of backup whenever he announces yet another controversy? Were there cowed into it? Or just photo-bombing.

Disputants do not even need lawyers in crafting their own compromise agreements.

Am Nasty International

Only to violators of human rights.

They will likewise be violated.

Viral Signs

They now have robots taking vital signs of patients. For added measure, they can also cheer up, connect with others and even tour a museum!

When would we have viral mediation?

GPS for Drunks

Big Bang Theory's Sheldon says it has been invented and is called Uber.

For those drunk with power, possession and other personal agenda, there is mediation.

Pillow Talk

Umagang Kay Ganda featured a couple of pillows named Mr. Right and Mrs. Always Right.

They can do their pillow talk in mediation.

Devil in Details

The LRT, or at least some or one coach gets spruced up every Christmas and Valentine's. Wonder how  they will decorate this Holy Week?

If only they are as religious with what counts, maintenance!

Sinbad Production

Caught this name before a movie and reflected on the ill effects of moral transgression.

Mediators see a lot of these bad producers.

Titanic Rethink

James Cameron, Nat Geo's Explorer-in-Residence went over the filming of the sinking with scientists. He wanted to know whether he had been faithful to the actual catastrophe as far as the laws of physics dictate. He likewise asked how he and more importantly, the ship's captain could have done better.

Mediation is the way out for disputants to undo their mistakes.

A-- Licker

Should be banned. Duterte gets cozy with China, who responds by planning to build more castles in the sandbars. Trump, on the other hand, wants to put American employees first.

This natural tendency of the selfie generation is tempered by mediation.

Sacred Weapon

Asked by airport security if she had any weapon to declare, St. Teresa of Calcutta used to wave a rosary.

Mediators would be prudent to take a minute of silent prayer before starting the session with disputants.

If You Were

This was one poem in the Public Speaking Contest of one school. One stanza went like this:

If you were busy being good,
And doing just the best you could,
You'd not have time to blame some man
Who's just doing the best he can.

A message from babes to busybodies, often the cause of conflict.

Skull Luwag

There is something loose up there in the minds of the people in the PNP. And not only in morals, of recklessly shooting suspects that move or even asleep. Now these knee-jerk shooters are to clean up the Pasig River, after being cursed at by their Chief and told to do the moves.

Clearly, there is no sensible study on the delineation of liabilities of these scalawags who were just lumped up as the floating trash of society. Perhaps, they deserve to be IN the River.

5 Ways 2 4-give

Catholic Express listed them as:

1. Begging for grace
2. Forgiving immediately
3. Humility
4. Two- way street
5. Seeing Christ bleeding on the Cross for us.

FYI, disputants.

Second Opinion

Fr. Jerry Orbos, SVD, writes: "The story is told about a wife who told her husband: Honey, my doctor advised me to take a month long vacation at some pleasant place like Paris or Italy. Where do you think I should go? The husband said: I think you should go see another doctor."

For conflicts more unpleasant, there are mediators to see after, or even before lawyers.

The Lost Supper

The birthday party of Bato had no one casting stones. The api were not happy.

Why do Presidents have the bad habit of advancing the exoneration of their men?

Let Them View Caked Blood

That could be Marie Antoinette's line to families of EJK victims in PH today. But afterward, please file your complaint at the Supreme Court.

Caritas Manila's Restorative Justice Committee has likewise enlisted mediators.

Are They Serious

With Donald Dump in the white house at the end of the pen, Duterte follows suit by appointing Chiquito to police the police. If they are serious, bring them to the ICU,
the joke goes.

Mediators likewise observe signs of sincerity in spoken word as well as body language.

What's in Color

Whitewashing has come to mean another thing. This time, it is the emphasis on the color of an actor to match that of the character s/he is playing, in some form of reverse racism. As our dear old Sr. Ignacia taught us in Philosophy, extremism just swings from one end to the other.

Mediation breaks down all these barriers to conflict resolution.