Poverty is real everywhere

Change is said to be the only thing permanent in the world, however, poverty might as well qualify as another thing becoming permanent in the world, unless we do something about it. There have been many debates as to how to eradicate poverty and it has become a worldwide concern that the UN top it on the list of its priority for its millennium development goals.

Behind the world’s greatest bailout

Just when you thought everybody meant well in this time of the world credit crisis, here comes the ’sad’ truth behind the much touted US bailout of the failing big US companies–the ’sweeteners’ were insertions that benefit each senator’s constituents.

A Philippine Daily Inquirer editorial yesterday pointed out that the ‘insertions’ in the bailout bill showed that US lawmakers effectively used a global issue to “prove that all politics is local.” In contrast, while the US lawmakers may make an advantage out of any political issue in the house to benefit their stay in the August Hall, Filipino lawmakers are definitely out to make everything happen for a law to be passed–as long as it will benefit them, personally, in the long run. The PDI explained in its editorial:

Instead of insertions in the budget to pander to the businesses and industries of their constituents, our legislators have shown themselves inclined to make insertions along two broad lines. First, for specific infrastructure projects which may redound to their benefit not necessarily in the form of kickbacks, but certainly in the form of real estate improvements. Second, to provide for broad slush funds (lump sums for vaguely-defined purposes) the release of which still require the legislators’ pandering to whoever is chief executive.

In the recent WA election, I saw, in a gist, how most politicians would decide on their affiliation–they almost act like their US counterparts–they put their constituent’s benefit first (well, there’s an ulterior motive to stay in politics probably but it’s the voting public that wins big time). Now, with how lawmakers in the Philippines, is it a cultural thing unique in Southeast Asia or is it ‘only in the Philippines’???

Egos and Evaluation

There are people who are very proficient in what they do that some of them could easily wield the pen (or keyboard in our case) and use it as effective as punching another human being (that they get a number of lawsuits). Well, sadly most of the time, with prolific writers and good journalists (both broadcast [new media and traditional] and print) ego is a bad ‘better half’ of ‘being good.’

A good example of the marriage between ‘good’ and ego is exhibited in this video:

I recalled Lenggai and her post about post-mortem meetings when they hold evaluation meetings in the broadcast industry. Now, I guess in situations such as this one, they might never sit down in a meeting.

Global Warming Refugee

In what could be the first of a series of trends, Tuvalu recently ‘floated’ the idea of mass migration to Australia. This was after the effects of global warming is becoming a reality in the tiny Pacific island nation, which is one of the world’s lowest lying nations.

Trickiest criminals

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd recently branded the convicted Bali bombers as “mass murderers and cowards who deserve what’s coming to them.” This was after it became certain that the convicted criminals will be executed any day soon.

Australian PM Kevin Rudd brands the Bali bombers as 'murdering cowards' (Source: News.com.au/perthnow)

The convicted bombers, Amrozi, his brother Muklas and Imam Sudra, faced the media yesterday and remained defiant. They said that there will be others who will avenge their deaths. As I watched their interview on TV, I can see fear and nothing that indicated that they would want to embrace death as they have repeatedly declared previously.

Islamic terrorist might be the trickiest criminals that any law enforcement agencies might have since they claim to welcome death yet continue to make threats if they continue to live. So, what is the fitting punishment? Will they reform? At the end of the day, what do they want?