Muckraker

The difference between a whistle-blower and a muckraker is this: The whistle-blower is usually an associate of the culprit or the malefactor. So that the whistle-blower, by virtue of close association, has access to information that he broadcasts by blowing his whistle. The muckraker, on the other hand, is usually a journalist, more often a columnist who specializes in exposing corruption and misfeasance in the halls of government. A muckraker is therefore a professional who is engage in the exposure of sins. A whistle blower is an amateur. He may blow his whistle once and keep it silent the rest of his life. Jose de Venecia III is a whistle-blower. Ramon Tulfo is a muckraker.

One of the most famous "gossip" columnist and muckraker was Drew Pearson who together with his associate Robert S. Allen in their column "Merry Go Round" was sued by Gen. Douglas Mac Arthur for libel, asking for $1,750,000. The whole journalistic world held its bated breath --- will Pearson and Allen finally get their come-uppance? Fortunately, after a second thought, Macarthur dropped his suit. He also reimbursed the columnists their legal expenses. He was afraid that a trial will result in additional damaging material coming to light.

But the more onerous libel suits, 68 of them were filed against Pearson and Allen by Rep. Martin Sweeny of Ohio. Pearson and Allen's column had charge that Sweeny was anti-Jewish, that he opposed the appointment of a federal district judge because he was a Jew. Since Pearson's Merry-Go-Round was distributed by 325 newspapers all over the U.S. the 68 cases were filed in different jurisdictions: How's that for hassle? All the 68 cases were dropped or dismissed, Pearson's merry-go-round continued to rotate.

Habeas Data. Access to the truth. Access to facts: Access to information. This right was underscored by Chief Justice Puno, in a recent speech at Silliman University.

So what is habeas data? Habeas Corpus is "produce the body." Habeas data is to "produce information," data, as are in the custody of the government. Let CJ Puno describe the right.

Habeas data is a method or petition "which would allow person who is a relative or his immediate relative to get info held by the authorities," said C.J. Puno.

"These wits are our humble offering to our people, to show our gratitude for their trust and confidence. We will demonstrate this fidelity to the human rights of the Filipino."

(Nearly 900 extra-judicial killings and 180 cases of disappearances were documented throughout the country. Among missing is Jonas Burgos, son of Joe Burgos Jr. who was abducted on April 28, at a mall in Quezon City.)

We clap our hands and cross our fingers that this right is effective.

Hail the Lowly Tanglad. I'm no herbalist, but anybody who fears the Big-C can take heart from a very recent Israeli report that Tanglad, or lemon grass maybe a real armor against cancer.

Israeli researchers have found out that cancer cells dipped into a brew which is equivalent to a cup of lemon-grass tea commit suicide or self-destruct. Normal cells are not affected. The crucial element is called citral found in tanglad.

There is yet no large trials, but many Israeli doctors are advising their patients to try the brew.

To take the potion is the height of simplicity. Just take tanglad leaves and the rest, boil it, and voila, you can sleep better in the thought that you have a degree of protection.

So now Israelis can probably relax a bit about cancer. The remaining worry are the rockets from Hamas fanatics whizzing in from Gaza.

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Raleigh to Reno: Tennessee Waltz. To get to Tennessee from Raleigh, North Carolina, one has to skirt the Great Smokey Mts. through the Cherokee National Forest. About two years ago, we had a chance to tour parts of the Great Smoky Mts. We passed by Tennessee area and winded up at a Cherokee Village, named Cherokee (Of, course!) It was a bitter cold jaunt, being December.

Our hosts this time, was my brother Rienzi and his wife, Martha. They were winding up their continental tour and proposed to transport Fe and myself in their new Toyota from Raleigh to Phoenix, Arizona, then on to Las Vegas, Nevada. My brother and wife, inveterate travelers - have visited Machu Pichu in Peru, the Angel Falls and endured the mosquitoes drifting down the Amazon.

We took the Highway 40 that traverses five states. If you just follow this road you wind up in Arizona. (The highway goes on to California). We spent the night at Knoxville Tennessee's big city. We didn't see much of the town, although I saw a part of it when I had my early morning hike. Too early. Nobody was moving around at 5 a.m.

Before we left Knoxville, I noticed from the map that Oak Ridge, the famous atomic facility of World War II was just a short ride from the city. We paid Oak Ridge a visit which we didn't regret.*

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