Long time…

Well, I was travelling these past few weeks. I also found a good reason for not updating this blog along with so many other accounts I maintain online–I was in a country with limited internet connection. 😀 There were many developments around the world from what seems to be a movie inspired one–a black (well, half-black in this case) US president elected to the world’s remembrance of the ‘war to end all wars.’

Here are some events that some of you might have overlooked–The international community finally took notice of the carnage in DR Congo. The Philippine Daily Inquirer hopes that Pinoy politicians learn a thing or two from the recent US election. Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is in trouble for a media leak of his private phone conversation with US President Bush where the latter reportedly asked him ‘what is the G-20?’. Howie’s article on Filipino racism stirred some emotions and fiery debates while Doronila took offense to Obama’s ‘snub’ that Malacañan tried to play down. The WP-Pinoy website is currently down (not sure why) and the last of the original Hi-5 member finally quits.

Quick wrap for the past two weeks, not comprehensive but I thought you might want to know about these. 🙂

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?

Blackmail

As the global credit crisis enters the second week, the US Congress is still debating whether to hand a needed bailout for the US companies that started it all.

Boom! what now?

Prior to the 9/11 attacks, there were a number of bombings that were directed to ‘dominant’ countries but most of the victims would likely be civilians and peace loving people. One of the most infamous attack prior to 9/11 was the Kenya bombing. One would wonder why the hatred, why the passion for killing? Well, they might be able to justify their acts through their elegant dialectic but one would really ask, are they humans? Now, in a very familiar scene that reminiscent of the attack on the UN in Iraq, Kenya, these misguided elements gave media press release. The attack in Islamabad was said to be the biggest in 7 years.

I think they will never stop until everybody’s stopped breathing. So, there’s the big bang, now what?

Why Lehman Brothers Collapsed…

Well, not quite. Sal and Richard from the Howard Stern Show makes a live prank while a CNN correspondent reports in front of the Lehman Brothers building after the company’s collapse.

Surprise, Makati Traffic Cops ask other than the regular

I can’t help but comment on this news in Makati where traffic cops ‘burns’ violators’ ticket and instead asks them to be eye donors. What a noble change indeed from the usual ticket ‘with a price.’