Showing posts with label Totie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Totie. Show all posts

PostHeaderIcon Iran builds a second nuclear facility; UN stuck with a new resolution

9/27/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post


United Nations appears almost powerless in foiling nuclear proliferation. On Friday, September 25, US president Barack Obama, French president Nicholas Sarkozy and British Prime minister Gordon Brown at the G-20 economic summit chorused to say Iran is building underground uranium enrichment and concealing the facility from the eyes of international inspectors.

Iran’s head of the Atomic Energy Organization Ali Akbar Salehi quickly defended the facility saying that it was intended as back-up in case the first nuclear facility it built will be attacked. Iran continues to assert that its nuclear program is for peaceful civilian purpose.

In a Saturday address, Pres. Barack Obama reiterated the seriousness of Iran’s evasive designs and warns anew of grave consequences of Iran’s devious plan. The international front thinks of heavier economic sanctions against Iran and doesn’t rule out military action. It’s the same rhetoric the world is hearing. Russia and China advice cooperation from Iran, but these countries don’t endorse tough sanctions, probably their way of protecting their business interests.

"Iran's leaders must now choose — they can live up to their responsibilities and achieve integration with the community of nations. Or they will face increased pressure and isolation, and deny opportunity to their own people." ----Pres. Barack Obama. AP (09/27/09)

With Obama leading the UN Security council, world powers are endorsing a nuclear-free world whose realization no one knows when. They want to make it hard to proliferate nuclear arms in the future.

“The Security Council unanimously passed a U.S.-drafted resolution that endorses the eventual goal of "a world without nuclear weapons." It lays out steps for nuclear powers to trim their arsenals, while making it harder for other nations to convert civilian nuclear programs to military ones.”---- www.McClatchy.com (09/24/09, Strobel, W.P.)

The rogue Islamic republic of Iran with a restive populace offers the international community to inspect the site in Qom, but its timing is yet to be set. Built on a mountainous region near the holy city of Qom, the facility has the capacity to house 3,000 centrifuges (vs. that 8,000 in Natanz) is said to be operational soon, in less than 18 months.

This revelation comes with Brazil’s expressed intention of going nuclear to “protect” itself from its neighbors and Venezuela seeks the help of Iran to prospect for radioactive uranium. Actions by these countries with unstable leaders who want to go nuclear makes the problem of world security even more complex.

It’s the same problem Pakistan and North Korea are facing where loose nukes pose a potential problem. The world watches with alarm whether the United Nations, slackening on its job and often trying to avoid military confrontation, will be able to rein over the threat of nuclear arms. (Photo Credit: http://dailymail.co.uk) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon More fatalities in Abu Sayyaf firefight

9/23/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post


The death toll of the fighting between the Islamic rebel group Abu Sayyaf in Jolo, Sulu, Mindanao and the military rose this week. Victor Reyes of Malaya reported:

“Nineteen bandits were killed Sunday, and another 15 Monday in clashes following an ambush staged by the bandit group on a military convoy returning from the captured Abu Sayyaf camp. The bandits killed eight Marines in the counter-attack. Nine other Marines were injured."

In a fierce fighting between more than 200 Abu Sayyaf bandits and government forces, Saddam Parad, the brother of Abu Sayyaf chief Albader Parad and as Ustadz Muktar, the cousin of another leader Ismilon Hapilon were killed. In January this year, it was Albader's group who kidnapped and eventually released three International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) humanitarian workers after months of painstaking negotiations.

The fatalites were considered a huge blow to the Al-Qaeda-affiliated trouble-makers who lost their camp to the military in Sitio Talibang, in Barangay Buansa, Indanan last Sunday, September 20, 2009. As a result, government forces are beefing up their defenses to foil a retaliation from the notorious insurgents. (Photo Credit: Charlie Saceda) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon Four million Filipino child-laborers

9/05/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post


With the objective to lower down the incidence of exploitation and child labor in the Philippines, the ABK2, a project funded by the US Department of Labor recently helped in rescuing about 6,800 child laborers--- at least 1,984 in in Cebu and 4,863 in Negros Oriental.

The children were removed from difficult and hazardous working conditions and were offered some education through the coordinated work of the World Vision Development Foundation, ChildFund International (formerly known as Christian Children’s Fund), and ERDA.

Child Laborers at a Glance:

Number: 4 million child laborers

Ages: 5-17 years old

Work Hours:
1 to 4 hours---2 million;
5-8 hours---1.3 million;
8 hrs plus---360,000

Areas of employment:
Scavenging
Prostitution
Agriculture
Fishing
Quarry &Mining
Domestic work

Education:
No schooling: 1.3 million

Before their rescue, the children were engaged in scavenging, peddling sex and drugs, doing domestic work, working in mines, fishing, agriculture, and quarry. They were part of an estimated 4 million children between ages 5 to 17 years in the labor force around the country.

A third of these children (1.3 million) do not attend school. Of those who attend school, they face problems such as learning difficulties, lack of school supplies, unsupportive teachers, and lack of time to study.

“In Negros Oriental, 4,591 children who were working in sugarcane plantations were pulled out from their workplace, followed by 162 kids in domestic work and 110 child laborers from commercial agriculture.

Nationwide, the project has rescued and assisted 23,095 child laborers. But ABK2 Project Director Daphne Culanag said the figure is insignificant compared to the estimated four million child laborers around the country. “The figure is just a drop in the bucket of the four million child laborers we want to help,”---Manila Bulletin (09/04/09, Mosqueda, MW Jr.)

The staggering number of children being exploited in the country belies the progress that is usually harped by the government. Social inequity has trickled in among the most vulnerable in society. In spite of efforts to generate jobs locally and abroad, the need for work to survive has forced young boys and girls to forgo their childhood, be independent, and help in keeping the family alive. (Photo Credit: Claude Barutel) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon Phelps helps 400m relay team for a world-record win

8/03/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post


In a rematch between Olympic swimming icon Michael Phelps and Serbia’s Milorad Cavic, the former thrust himself to the last seconds to keep his title as the fastest in 100 m butterfly category. Phelps won, bringing him his 4th gold.

But on Sunday, August 2, 2009, in the World Swimming Championship in Rome, Italy, Phelps was part of the US relay team to bag his 5th gold medal, helping his group in 400-meter medley relay to win the 43rd world record in the championship.

Overall, not as good as his 8 gold medal sweep in the unforgettable Beijing Olympics, Phelps' spectacular showing ends the meet with two individual gold, one silver medal (200 freestyle) and three relay gold medals. He still remains the greatest in swimming history. (Photo Credit: D. Daniel) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon Pope Benedict XVI breaks wrist

7/17/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post


In an accidental fall, during a vacation in the Italian Alps, Pope Benedict XVI, the Roman Catholic supreme pontiff figured in a fall. He broke his right wrist and is being treated for it.

According to Rev. Federico Lombardi, the 82 year-old German church leader who appears in good health is in no serious danger. However, he has to be treated at the Umberto Parini Hospital in Aosta, Italy for a bone injury that was visualized in an x-ray. (Photo Credit: Jari Kurittu) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon Iraqi troops take over US military servicemen in major cities

7/01/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post


After the successful surge spearheaded by Pres. George Bush, the time is now to pull out the US military servicemen who serve in major cities---This has stabilized a dangerous country before it is turned over to the Iraqi people.

It’s a kind of victory for peace that this is happening, but it will take time to know if the Iraqi military will be able to maintain the advance of peace and order in the area. This is a time to recall the great men and women of the US armed forces who put their lives in line to help a troubled country.

As thousands of Iraqi troops and police take over check-points, the barbaric elements of society raised their challenge to the Iraqi government by exploding bombs and killing people.

“A car bombing devastated a food market in the city of Kirkuk, killing at least 33 people and wounding 90. The early evening attack, which bore the hallmarks of Sunni extremist groups like al-Qaida in Iraq, was the second in the Kirkuk area since a truck bombing killed 82 people on June 20.”-----AP/ Yahoo News (06/30/09, Gamel, K; Barzanji, Y.; Gearan, A.)

Because militants still operate Iraq, it is hard to say what will be the outcome of the take over. The Iraqis are optimistic that the future is in the hands of their people. The world shares the people’s optimism that a regime of peace and democracy will usher in growth and prosperity for the country. If they slid back to the path of violence, a fresh round of social upheaval will waste the effort of those who make peace possible. (Photo Credit: Mccalibur) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon Teary-eyed, Imelda Marcos swears on poverty anew

6/12/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post


In a tragi-comic declaration, Imelda R. Marcos, the ageing widow of strong-man dictator Ferdinand Marcos asked the Sandiganbayan to spare her from “persecution” citing she is old and poor. The well-known extravagant lady complains of having to pay a P750,000 travel bond in her recent trip abroad.

Insisting on her innocence and protesting the sluggishness of the judicial rulings on the corruption charges she was accused of since the 1980’s, the 79 year-old pompous former first lady, said,

"Why is this taking so long? When they filed these cases in 1986, I was only 56 years old. In three weeks I will be 80! Justice delayed is justice denied. Ano bang kasalanan ko? Maawa naman kayo sa akin… I did so many projects … Heart Center, Lung Center, Kidney Center… and I am being punished for it.

Bakit hanggang ngayon kinakastigo ako. Ganito ba talaga ang judicial system sa ating bansa? Bakit ako ginaganito? Ano ba ang naging kasalanan ko? Minahal ko kayong lahat," she said. Malaya (06/12/09, Tabingo, P.)

It's unclear whether her audience is taking her seriously.

In April 6, 2009, GMANews.TV reported that Imelda came out in Newsweek magazine's most greedy people of all time along with Marcus Licinius Crassus, Genghis Khan, Pope Sixtus IV, William Vanderbilt, Willam Tweed, Empress Dowager Cixi, Charles Ponzi, Ivan Boesky, Dennis Kozlowski, and Bernard Madoff.

The flamboyant lady traveled to Singapore last June 2, 2009 for eye treatment. She appeared in Sandiganbayan to comply with the stipulations of her travel permit that she presents herself before the Clerk of Court within five days of her return. She said her travel was paid for by her children. (Photo Credit: ReikoChan) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon Mitigation versus containment in the fight against the H1N1 flu

6/09/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post


The sudden rise of H1N1 flu cases in the Philippines to 46 had Dr. Francisco Duque III of the Department of Health (DOH) and his team to shift gear in the battle against the viral infection. Early on, containment was the goal to stop the spread of the swine flu at the bud, but the sharp increase of those stricken with the disease, made them to resort to “mitigation”----a lesser goal to reduce the outbreak’s spread and severity.

“As more and more cases were confirmed daily, Duque said health authorities were no longer doing contact tracing since the virus was being transmitted much faster than they could trace and quarantine all contacts of those infected with the virus.

"It offers little benefit to do extensive tracing of this virus when it is clear that the disease can be passed on to others at a rate faster than it will ever be humanly possible to find the contacts,” he said.

“This means that we only do early detection and aggressive treatment of cases as they come, especially for those with high-risk preexisting conditions. Those manifesting mild symptoms can be managed and monitored at home so that only patients at risk of developing complications ‘----PDI (06/08/09, Pazzibugan, D.)

What Dr. Duque says is that the illness is out of the genie box and absolute control is unrealistic. Minimization of the disease’ potential impact is the "better" course of action. Reducing the severity of exposure is now the strategy knowing that the exposed have become more difficult to track.

This comes at a time of the opening of classes. And rainy season is at hand. Dengue, another health hazard carried by mosquitoes is brewing in the air. In greater numbers, more people have become possible swine flu and dengue hemorrhagic fever carriers thus making more infections in the community possible.

To date, the World Health Organization (WHO) identified the Philippines to have the highest number of swine flu cases in Southeast Asia. As of its latest tally on June 8, 2009, WHO listed 73 countries affected by the swine flu with a total of 25,288 confirmed cases and 139 recorded deaths. (Photo Credit: CDC) =0=

UPDATE: June 9, 2009: Follow up update revealed 57 cases of swine flu in the Philippines. Many of the recently infected had been students in Manila and those with history of travel outside the country. Vigilance, personal responsibility, and self-help to prevent the disease are in order to limit the spread of the infection.

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PostHeaderIcon America honors heroes on Memorial day

5/25/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post


America's fighting men and women sacrifice much to ensure that our great nation stays free. We owe a debt of gratitude to the soldiers that have paid the ultimate price for this cause, as well as for those who are blessed enough to return from the battlefield unscathed.”----Allen Boyd




On March 25, 2009, the United States remembers and honors those who died for their country. The Memorial day is intended to pay tribute to all those who put their life on the line in America’s wars.



From the time of the civil conflicts that gave birth to American democracy to the wars that brought dedicated soldiers to the theaters of combat in Europe, Asia and the Pacific, and more recently to Iraq and Afghanistan, the heroism and sacrifices of countless men and women are recalled with gratitude.



The American people reach out to those who bravely offered their life in service to the country. To them and their loved ones, the nation is eternally thankful. (Photo Credits: PaJager; Torunaosuke; Hanneortal; mgegapicke; ArmyArchives; Hanneortal)=0=



"Cover them over with beautiful flowers,
Deck them with garlands, those brothers of ours,
Lying so silent by night and by day
Sleeping the years of their manhood away.
Give them the meed they have won in the past;
Give them the honors their future forcast;
Give them the chaplets they won in the strife;
Give them the laurels they lost with their life."
--~Will Carleton



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PostHeaderIcon Favoring alternative medicine, mom and child from Minnesota reject cancer treatment

5/21/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post


To protect the best interest of a child suffering from cancer, the court in Minnesota ordered the mother to bring her son to the doctor for additional tests and treatment. But 13 year-old David Hauser is nowhere to be found after her mother Colleen told the court that she wanted alternative cancer treatment for her son instead of the state-of-the-art medical treatment offered in the hospital.

The teenager suffers from a life-threatening lymph node malignancy called Hodgkin’s lymphoma which when medically treated has a high chance of being cured. He and his family were ordered by the court to come on May 19, 2009 for a hearing to determine if its in the boy’s advantage that he goes for chemotherapy and/or radiation instead of taking the nebulous alternative treatment of herbals and vitamin supplements that the mother learned from the internet.

After having a course of chemotherapy, the boy and his mother who are believed to be hiding in California, decided against further treatment, invoking on religious beliefs as the reason for their change of heart.

“Daniel's father, Anthony Hauser, said in an interview Wednesday at the family's farm near Sleepy Eye, a town of 3,500 people about 80 miles from Minneapolis, that his wife and son left without telling him their plans, and that he hadn't heard from them... In Minnesota, district judge John Rodenberg ruled last week that the Hausers were neglecting their son, and ordered them to consult doctors. He cited a state law requiring parents to provide necessary medical care for a child." ----AP (05/20/09, Forliti, A; Condon,P, Kamowski, S)

The boy who obviously doesn’t fully understand the prognostic ramifications of his disease is in bigger danger of dying if he is not promptly treated medically. Daniel’s case brings to focus the clash between standard medical treatment and alternative medicine when patients are faced with difficult illnesses.

Because of the mother and child’s decision to dodge conventional medical remedies, the government is in an awkward position to pursue protection for the boy against the mother’s conviction of what is best for her child. The decision is probably easier if the sick person is an adult and mature enough to decide for himself. (Photo Credit: CBS) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon Accused of lying, Nancy Pelosi tries to rescue her credibility

5/15/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post


A high ranking official in the Obama administration, democratic house speaker Nancy Pelosi was embarrassed as she was accused of lying. Early on she said she didn’t have any knowledge about waterboarding, an enhanced interrogation technique (EIT) that was used in 2002 during the Bush administration. After many convuluted explanations from Pelosi herself, evidence cropped up to hound her.

“GOP officials secured the release of an unclassified chart by the CIA that describes a total of 40 briefings for lawmakers over a period of several years. Pelosi's name appears once, as having attended a session on Sept. 4, 2002, when she was the senior Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee. Former Rep. Porter Goss, R-Fla., who at the time was the chairman of the committee and later became CIA director, also was present.”---Yahoo News.com/ AP (05/14/09, Espo, D)

“Republicans accused Pelosi of not having her story straight. "The speaker has had way too many stories about this issue," said the top Republican in the House, John Boehner. He said it is "hard for me to imagine that anyone in our intelligence area would ever mislead a member of Congress."---Yahoo News.com/ Reuters (05/14/09, Cornwall, S; Holland, S)

According to former vice president Dick Cheney, the EIT was proven to be effective in protecting America against terrorist attack. There had been strong indications Pelosi knew more about waterboarding than she was prepared to admit. It was politically charged and she would rather not be associated with it.

In her rush to keep her credibility, she accused the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) for “misleading” her and other lawmakers about the use of waterboarding. Instead of accepting that she was aware and therefore complicit in the use of the controversial interrogation technique, she blamed the Republicans of shifting the attention to her. For a thrid ranking official of the Obama administratin to politicize a matter which deals on security of America is grievously wrong. (Photo Credit: Gnotalex) =0=

UPDATE: March 15, 2009---CIA director Leon Panetta stood against Nancy Pelosi's claim that the CIA lies to members of congress. Panetta said CIA records show its agency's officers truthfully briefed lawmakers on the methods used in interrogation of terrorists.

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