Credit

Some people do not want to pay it but most of them want to grab it even if not meant for them. When priests ask the faithful to clap for the Lord, do they refer to His representative?

Mediators give credit to the disputants for crafting their Compromise Agreement.

If the Issues Fit

Cinema World featured a German film yesterday. Specifically, about sneakers in the time of war. They were not spies. Dassler Bros. Rudi and Adi made sports shoes and even for "negro" Owens of the U.S. To make up for this violation, they made war materials for the Nazis. When the Americans won, Dassler reminded them of Owens. Still the brothers split the business between them (other than Adi's wife implicated with Rudy!), except that Rudi used to handle marketing, while Adi did production. Long story short, Adi's Adidas made the Germans win over Hungary for the first time. Longer cleats on their sneakers saved them that rainy day. Rudi's Puma was defeated, also by not giving in to the coach's demand for DM 1000/ month.

This is like a case study in mediation. In the end, Rudi left a note of congratulations to "the little guy."

Dropping the Bomb

The real thing, i.e. Cinema World featured a Danish tv reporter who exposed the coverup on a bomb dropped accidentally off Greenland's Thule Island by a US plane upon crashing.

Mediation likewise uncovers hidden agenda.

Pinoy Bird Cage

Not hawla, but "Pre-nup," an adaptation of the movie starring Robin Williams. A refreshing take is the list of contra demands from the poor girl's family.

Mediation ensures an even playing field especially between unequal disputants.

Disputants' Prayer

If there is an advice a mediator can give disputants, it is to pray, "I am down but not done."

That is the hope of mediation.

Crowd Control

Not to secure a personality, but to tell the faithful to say a phrase to seatmates, or the internet users to forward an alarming message to family and friends. The priest one can forgive for personalizing his homily, and internet for sincere concern but could it also be driven by desire to up usage?

Mediators cannot directly advise disputants but can direct them by questioning to arrive at a settlement both come up with. Then there are more chances of their compliance.

Bodas de Sangre

Yesterday, watched Bienvenido Lumbera's Filipino translation of this Federico Garcia Lorca work. Plot revolved around a love triangle turning bloody.

Disputants settle amicably in mediation.

Breed drug goons

Perhaps putting drug pushers together in jail is not a good idea. Those who were caught recently claimed they formed a partnership while incarcerated.

Mediation puts the good eggs in a basket.

Hate Red

Or anything else? Fran Lebowitz asks, "What is that about? It's a fear of your own weakness."

These issues are tackled in mediation.

Tough Talk

From DU30 down, cursing is the name of the game. Just the other day, the manager of the airport called the cab drivers "buisit."

Mediation could do well without name-calling.

Check Hates

Ever since GMA's term, we noticed it throws a case after the opposition files one against it. So it is now, with the ICC sword hanging over DU30's head, cases against PNoy are mushrooming overnight.

Mediation aims to prevent recurrence of conflict by arming disputants with skills on compromise.

Prosecutoreporter

Some tv reporters should read the Miranda rights to suspects before they interview on camera. Especially since they are sometimes the source of evidence in real prosecution at the House!

Mediators, on the other hand cannot divulge in court pieces of information gathered during sessions.

Battlefronts

The Chief Justice faces two warfronts today. The Lower House votes on her impeachment, while her peers asks her, Quo Warranto?

Mediation puts together all issues in one basket.

Senior Mediation

Yesterday, we met with 40 senior nuns who live in a community. Issues ranged from taking of cats in a room, getting three pieces of chicken at table, and proper place to urinate.

Someone suggested breaking them up into functioning, mild and severe cases. Not "nunsense" (Sr. Mary John Mananzan's term)

Endoterterorista

Creative rallyists combined the two issues associated with Duterte.

Name-calling not allowed in mediation but hey, am on day-off.

The Fence

Duterte now wants to pull out of the ICC after saying he would face his case before it.

Mediators, beware of shifting talk of disputants.

The Last Face

In "The Last Face," caught this line "addiction to emergency."

Mediation is the antidote.

What's that again?

The Alexa gadget eerily does laugh loud instead of lamp off.

So has clarification to be made during mediation.

Simply put

St. Therese of Lisieux said, "For simple souls, there are no complicated ways."

For disputants in mediation, just compromise agreements.

Maalaala Malala

The Pakistani Nobel Peace Awardee was again featured this Women's Month. Her father recalled that she was shot not by a person but by an ideology.

That is the reason why the GRP and NDF talks seem to go nowhere.

Bag-ani

The National Historical Commission sure harvested an anti-active award when it faulted this new ABS-CBN series for misinformation. What was it doing when the station was announcing it weeks ago?

Mediation occurs when a perceived wrong was not nipped in the bud.

By Your Leave

You shall be judged, Chief Justice. Spokesperson Lacanilao sometimes lack- a- linaw.

That is why mediation shuns lawyers who could muddle issues more.

Sacrifice

CNN's Sunday Mass celebrant had this take on Lent. A hold-upper found out his latest victim was a priest. After the latter offered him a cigarette to calm their nerves, the former refused, saying it was his sacrifice during the season.

Mediation aims for basic justice before the frills.

Gold

Prospector Kenny Wells used to describe himself as always believing it is out there, against all odds.

Like a mediator on the prospect of a compromise agreement.

World's Best Beaches

This category uses shells to rate beaches on several factors.

Just like in mediation, level of communication has to adapt to that understandable by both disputants.

Gift Mediation

In the 9JKL sitcom about the adjacent condos of parents (with Elliot Gould as the father) and their two adult sons, one of the latter devised a fool-proof gift-giving with his partner. They buy themselves a gift of their choice and then hand it to the other to give it back to them.

In mediation, this is called negotiating based on individual interests.

Dengvaxia

Like a voice crying in the wilderness, one medical expert stated that vaccines are not 100% effective.

But Deng, back siya. Purse-guida si A-costa!

Eulogy

After coming from one, Kenneth Cobonpue was thus inspired to work seriously on his own legacy, according from one of his trusted staff from whom he inquired what she would have said about him.

Truly, our you-logy we must all work on.

Saydoism

Not a kind of sadism, but Cecilio Penson's theory of doing what one says.

Mediators trust disputants to abide by this.

Socratic Me-thod

If not mistaken, twas he who said, "Know thyself." Among his criteria are the usual: whom one admires, how one spends leisure time AND what one laughs at. Truly this last one has been fatal for some. Better to laugh at oneself.

The ability to not take oneself too seriously and the other more seriously is a big step toward a compromise agreement.

Jellyfish

Scientists have found out they do not have a backbone, brain nor heart. Looks like the Tin Animal in Oz.

Some disputants too.