[20] Visit Bizu and try their Macaroons

This was a thought spurred by a post from Toni in her Wifely Steps blog.  I tried to have a girlfriend send me some the last time another friend came from Manila but they said it wouldn’t last the trip which made me think, something’s wrong there.  Then again I’ll never know how close it is to Laduree’s until I try it.

Macaroons please

I receive the newsletter from Laduree periodically and I always end up drooling when I get the latest from them.  Their update shows their Easter creations.  Three new flavours of macaroons for these special ‘Easter’, combining chocolate and fruit.  Chocolate Raspberry – Chocolate Passion Fruit – Chocolate Lime.  Yummy.. I wish, I wish…

 

Feedback on that NY Times Editorial

This is what I like about blogging and comments, it lets you interact on one plane.  Jher paid us a visit and wrote:

yes, the pen is mightier than the sword. but i don’t think it echoed that much around the 7100 islands. For sure it did around some parts of metro manila. But life, for the rest of us who are sick and tired of politics, just went on. The editorial is nothing new, and the reaction of government is expected, so does the praises from the opposition. And the recommendation to have Bush call on Gloria to fix the problem or something like that, is a big joke. I say fix his own problems first before messing with ours.

Jher, thanks for the comment, but what I meant about the sentiments of the editorial echoing through the islands is that it has been a known fact that many people have felt and voiced the same opinion regarding the recent developments in Manila — not that the editorial per se made a big splash back home.  As you said, it is nothing new.  Precisely — we’ve been hearing this harped about by various sectors back home for a while now. 

As far as the call from Bush, I think it pays to bear in mind that the recommendation comes from an American to an American — I think it would not have been appropriate for the American paper to minister to the Filipinos.  After all, the audience of the paper is the American public.

Bush isn’t exactly my favorite person either, but I saw the editorial as the American Press’s way of extending a helping hand to it’s Filipino counterparts who, as we all know, have been getting the raw deal in the name of national security, etc.  I don’t think we would’ve landed in the Editorial were it not for the threats and acts of intimidation against the Philippine press.  Freedom of Speech is not exactly one of our more secure rights back home — there is always that veiled threat of retaliation, and the brave few who speak out do so at great danger to themselves.

I believe the Editorial has made its point.  It’s not exactly something that Arroyo brushed aside.  And it has the Arroyo administration on notice that any further infringement on the Freedom of Speech will have a voice in the press outside in the freer world.