Some people are just natural writers. They have a good command of the written word. And it’s also possible that these same people can’t express themselves verbally as well or as eloquently as they can on paper. I know, because that’s exactly how I am.
I haven’t even read this kid’s blog and yet from the excerpts everyone has provided, I’m not convinced of any of your suspicions! Children are incredibly smart, perceptive and capable of so many things, beyond what you imagine. Once they are interested in something, they pour so much effort into it. I’m sure Carl is an excellent writer because he writes very often…and I’m sure he knows a lot about “grown-up” issues through regular reading and contact with other intelligent people.

There’s so much I can say to defend this kid, but hopefully the entire thing has already blown over by now.

I have chatted w/ Carl a few times w/ him asking me some help to setup one of his sites. I felt impressed of how he was easily able to follow my instructions. Cmon, give the kid a break. For me whatever’s going on around about him and what he’s doing sounds possible.

Cat, she’s very Adult now.

So it’s not impossible that Carl could post comment here during class hours.

I can edit my time stamp.

So it’s not impossible that Carl could post comment here during class hours.

Let’s give the boy the benefit of the doubt. Malay natin, talagang geek siya since early childhood. May mga child prodigy naman talaga, di ba? We marvel at those Promil kids having exceptional talents in music, arts and sciences. Why not in technology? Maybe the father is a geek, and has trained his son very early on. Although I also have reservations that he could possibly do all of the entries on his own. First of all, blogging is very time consuming. Paano na kaya siya nag-aaral? O naglalaro?

But let us not condemn/judge father and son. Let’s give them the chance to straighten things out. If indeed it is a father-son tandem, then all they have to do is admit. After all, we Pinoys can easily forgive and forget.

I personally know both, and I can tell you the kid grew up to be a kick-ass writer. She works as one right now.

Oh yeah, nothing has changed since she was blogging at age 10 except her blogs these days are longer.

I am not pointing to anybody because when you point

with your index finger, the other fingers point back to you.

For me, if I think that this kid can write and make sense that deep, then i would be happy to emulate his writing skills and perhaps would love to know some of his strategies. Giving the benefit of the doubt, he could have gotten technical advices and editing from someone more knowledgeable and versatile than he is.

If only everybody can truly “reserve [his] judgment” as you said, we’d all be criminals. Don’t reject what a million or so years of human evolution has taught us. We judge others to survive. ‘Tis always been thus…

Now, being judgmental, judging those who mind their own business, do not cause harm, do not misinform, disinform, etc. is something else altogether.

This Carl Ocab is too obvious not to call.

Finally read the other comments. A 13-year-old could think up of monetizing blogs, even more than that. A 13-year-old could be running a very popular adult TGP site and be making hundreds of thousands of dollars. That is not the point. analyze the English. If he’s writing Wordsworthian poetry, I’d be inclined to believe he is as old as he says he say. If he’s writing in prose with the lyrical quality of Edgar Allan Poe’s I’d still be inclined to believe or at least be open to him being 13.

But dudes and dudettes, this kid’s English is technical, studied, educated. This writer is trained. He’s no virtuoso. HE IS A TRAINED WRITER. Trained, trained, trained, trained, trained, trained, trained, etc., etc., Look, I can write like a 13-year-old. It’s easy but a 13-year-old writing like my no-talent English professor?

This kid writes like an English teacher. He should be on Korina Sanchez or something. I don’t mind if a kid is better than me on designing sites (I don’t even know html), but he can can actually write perfect English with a few “intentional” colloquialism here and there. I’ve heard of eleven year olds write magnificent epic poems, but the controlled language on this one just ain’t believable for a 13-year-old.

Example:

“I’ve said it once, and here it is again. An advertising page is like the sales letter of a product. Some sales talk will help the conversion stretch [a little] more. Keep in mind these important aspects of an about page…”

And I cannot imagine a kid using parenthesis like this. Not ever.

“Most blogs (popular ones) use contracts when selling their advertising spots. For example, if you want to advertise in someblogidontknow.com they will set a contract (let’s say 2 months) for how long the advertiser will stay and will pay…”

My two cents. Nah, fake, fake, fake.

But the dissenters raised some pretty valid points.

And, I’d like to attest to Conn’s #4:
4) “If the kid can express himself using the written word, then the kid should have also been able to express himself verbally.”

I’m a living testament. I’m the most blabbermouth person there is when it comes to writing, but I just as easily fold up when speaking verbally, ESPECIALLY IN FRONT OF PEOPLE I’M MEETING FOR THE FIRST TIME.

Give the kid the benefit of the doubt. The truth shall come out sooner or later, if there’s such a truth that needs to come out.

Just my two cents.