WILLIAM JONES CUP INVITATIONAL BASKETBALL, CHINESE TAIPEI
02-Jul-07 15:00
Korea Vs Qatar
Men'S (L)
02-Jul-07 17:00
Usa Vs Philippines
Men'S (L)
02-Jul-07 19:30
Chinese Taipei Vs Japan
Men'S (L)
03-Jul-07 02:30
Korea Vs Qatar
Men'S
03-Jul-07 13:30
Usa Vs Philippines
Men'S
03-Jul-07 15:30
Jordan Vs Korea
Men'S (L)
03-Jul-07 17:30
Philippines Vs Lebanon
Men'S (L)
03-Jul-07 19:30
Iran Vs Chinese Taipei
Men'S (L)
04-Jul-07 02:30
Jordan Vs Korea
Men'S
04-Jul-07 13:30
Philippines Vs Lebanon
Men'S
04-Jul-07 15:30
Philippines Vs Japan
Men'S (L)
04-Jul-07 17:30
Usa Vs Korea
Men'S (L)
04-Jul-07 19:30
Chinese Taipei Vs Jordan
Men'S (L)
05-Jul-07 13:30
Philippines Vs Japan
Men'S
05-Jul-07 15:30
Jordan Vs Usa
Men'S (L)
05-Jul-07 17:30
Korea Vs Philippines
Men'S (L)
05-Jul-07 19:30
Lebanon Vs Chinese Taipei
Men'S (L)
06-Jul-07 15:30
Philippines Vs Jordan
Men'S (L)
06-Jul-07 17:30
Iran Vs Korea
Men'S (L)
06-Jul-07 19:30
Chinese Taipei Vs Kazakhstan
Men'S (L)
07-Jul-07 10:00
Philippines Vs Jordan
Men'S
07-Jul-07 15:30
Philippines Vs Iran
Men'S (L)
07-Jul-07 17:30
Japan Vs Korea
Men'S (L)
07-Jul-07 19:30
Qatar Vs Chinese Taipei
Men'S (L)
08-Jul-07 13:00
Korea Vs Lebanon
Men'S (L)
08-Jul-07 15:00
Iran Vs Kazakhstan
Men'S (L)
08-Jul-07 17:00
Chinese Taipei Vs Philippines
Men'S (L)
09-Jul-07 01:00
Korea Vs Lebanon
Men'S
09-Jul-07 13:30
Chinese Taipei Vs Philippines
Men'S
09-Jul-07 15:30
Qatar Vs Philippines
Men'S (L)
09-Jul-07 17:30
Kazakhstan Vs Korea
Men'S (L)
09-Jul-07 19:30
Usa Vs Chinese Taipei
Men'S (L)
10-Jul-07 13:30
Kazakhstan Vs Korea
Men'S
10-Jul-07 15:30
Philippines Vs Kazakhstan
Men'S (L)
10-Jul-07 17:30
Iran Vs Usa
Men'S (L)
10-Jul-07 19:30
Chinese Taipei Vs Korea
Men'S (L) 02:30
11-Jul-07 15:30
Chinese Taipei Vs Korea
Men'S
13-Jul-07 02:30
Korea Vs Philippines
Men'S
Thursday, June 28, 2007
The IED War FAQ
Info compiled by Dan Simmons from Thomas E. Ricks’s book "FIASCO: The American Military Adventure in Iraq" and other sources.
Question: In the early days of the IED War against American troops in Iraq, the weapon of choice for insurgents was roadside bombs. About one-third of American troops killed in 2003 (the first year of what is now seen as the U.S. occupation there) and two-thirds wounded severely enough to be evacuated from Iraq were victims of these so-called “improvised explosive devices.” During the summer of 2003, almost all of these IEDs were hardwired (attached by lines used to detonate them.) What was the U.S. military’s primary counter-tactic to these IED attacks?
Answer: See the wire, follow it back, and kill the person waiting at the other end.
Question: By the winter of 2003-2004, about half of the IED bombs were remotely controlled, triggered by car alarm transmitters, toy car controllers, cell phones, and the like. In addition, the levels of explosive had risen to include 155 mm artillery shells as well as mortar rounds and large amounts of TNT or plastic explosive. In the Sunni Triangle, the IEDs of choice were radio-controlled toy car mechanisms with their electronic innards wrapped with C-4 explosive and detonated with a blasting cap. What did Lt. Col. Steve Russell, headquartered in Tikrit, devise – and advise those who came after him to use – to avoid these radio-controlled bombs?
Answer: Mount one of the toy-car controllers on the dashboard of your Humvee and tape down the levers, detonating any such IED about a hundred meters in front of you.
Question: The insurgents would carefully choose spots for IED placement, such as traffic circles and intersections, and plant the bombs in the middle of the night. How did U.S. troops adopt a low-tech way to counter this practice?
Answer: Learn the kind of IED locations the insurgents preferred, leave behind a sniper team, and kill any Iraqi who went out into that intersection or traffic circle on foot in the middle of the night.
Question: During what some military historians are calling Second Fallujah – i.e. the second battle between Marines and insurgents in the evacuated city of Fallujah that resulted in the heaviest urban fighting in the war to date -- why did Marines use Polish snipers from the Coalition?
Answer: Rules of engagement for snipers in all branches of the U.S. military, including the Marines at Fallujah, required that a sniper’s target be carrying a weapon and show some hostile intent. Polish snipers’ rules of engagement allowed them to shoot any Iraqi man seen carrying a cell phone in that city almost emptied of civilians.
Question: Insurgents by late 2003 began leaving artillery shells and other remote-detonated explosives in the hollowed-out carcasses of dead dogs, dead donkeys, and other such carcasses that are common sights along the sides of Iraqi streets and highways. These dead animals smelled so bad and were so common that they were very difficult for American IED spotting teams to approach and investigate. How could they be countered?
Answer: Blow up every carcass from a distance.
Question: By the Battle of Second Fallujah, how had the dead-dog strategy been further adapted by the insurgents?
Answer: The Iraqi and foreign insurgents, who had flocked to Fallujah by the thousands, began booby-trapping the corpses of their own dead and even their wounded left behind.
Question: How did the Marines respond to this new tactic?
Answer: They “killed fallen Iraqis twice,” and in some cases – but not most – delayed in giving medical aid to wounded insurgents.
Question: As the insurgents watched U.S. troops become more sophisticated in dealing with IEDs, they and their civilian supporters observed that the convoys and troops would stop about two hundred meters short of the bomb. They then began planting more obvious bombs about two hundred meters in front of the actual IED killing zone to blow up the U.S. vehicles and troopers where they stopped. What could U.S. forces do after many such successful attacks?
Answer: Drive like hell. Get on the sidewalk and keep going. Drive over any civilians who get in the way.
Question: The insurgent IED bomber cells became much more sophisticated by 2004. Each cell often contained six to eight people, one of whose job it was to video-record the IED attack for propaganda, training, and recruiting purposes. Other IED team members might include the financier who paid for the operation, the emplacer, who would plant a bomb by pretending to fix a flat tire or by lowering it through a hole cut in the floor of the car, the triggerman who detonated the device, and one or two spotters. How did the military deal with this ratcheting up in insurgent IED teams’ sophistication?
Answer: They attempted to improve intelligence, but as that failed, they up-armored soft-skinned Humvees and every other vehicle they took into harm’s way so that they had a better chance of surviving the explosion.
Question: By winter of 2003, the suicide bomber in a moving vehicle became a popular IED delivery method. How did U.S. troops counter this measure?
Answer: The insurgents tended to use cheap, old cars for their suicide car bombings. U.S. troops began to look for old jalopies that sat low on their springs because of the heavy weight of munitions. Another sign was fresh tires on such an old car. “This is a one-way trip, driver wants no flats,” explained a 2004 briefing.
Question: By the winter of 2004-2005, insurgents began concealing IEDs among overhanging branches and leaves in the lush areas around Baghdad or hanging them from light poles. The purpose of this was to move the bomb blast above armored doors to direct the blast through windows while killing and maiming the U.S. soldiers manning weapons atop armored vehicles. How did American forces respond to this tactic?
Answer: By using more sophisticated jamming devices, by using heavily armored vehicles and IED dispersal teams to scout the roads and disarm or explode the bombs, and by “buttoning up” and accelerating when coming to areas with lots of overhanging branches and posts.
Question: Between 2005 and 2007, U.S. military sources alleged that Iranian commando forces that were part of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard allied with President Ahmadinejad were importing into Iraq – and training the insurgents there in the use of – sophisticated remote-control detonating devices (which could defeat both the Warlock Red and Warlock Green electronic jamming devices currently in use by Coalition forces) as well as introducing advanced plasma and “heavy slug” kinetic roadside explosives.
This new type of IED was often buried within the roadbed or set alongside the road and consists of a “shaped charge” and a cone of copper creating a hollow space in front of and along the axis of the charge.
When this explosive is detonated, the copper transforms into a forceful jetstream of molten metal known as “plasma.” This plasma jet contacts a surface at a velocity of 8,000 meters per second and cuts through unprotected steel armor like the proverbial hot knife through butter. These more advanced plasma IEDs are credited with destroying a growing number of American armored vehicles, including M1 Abrams tanks, Bradley armored vehicles, Stryker APCs, and up-armored Humvees, even though these vehicles had recently been protected by various types of add-on armor.
If the plasma jet does not strike a target within a few meters, it solidifies into a high-velocity kinetic slug which is less effective against heavy armor but which is still devastating against softer targets. Both the plasma jet aspect of the Iranian weapon and the kinetic slug are effective at igniting ammunition stores within the tank or vehicle, causing secondary explosions and killing the crews in a fireball that not only burns the American troops to death but asphyxiates them by consuming all oxygen within the armored vehicle.
(It should be noted that as late as May of 2007, left-wing blogs, editorials, and newspaper columnists in Europe, the UK, and in the United States denied either the existence of these weapons in Iraq or, if they existed, any definitive proof that Iran was behind their import and use there. When the U.S. Army presented Iranian manufacturing numbers and other evidence, including interrogation notes of Iranian commandos apprehended in Iraq who admitted to training Iraqi insurgents on the use of copper-plasma IEDs, critics suggested that this was more U.S. disinformation in preparation for a Bush Administration attack on Iran.)
Assuming the copper plasma-kinetic slug IEDs are a real threat, what can Coalition forces in Iraq do to counter them?
Answer: There’s no known countermeasure for such plasma armor-piercing weapons. As for the new anti-jamming detonators introduced by Iran, the U.S. military is currently undergoing field tests on the new Joint Improvised Explosive Device Neutralizer (JIN), which uses controlled directed energy to jam sophisticated remote-controlled activators, as well as the Scorpion II Demonstration System, a transportable high-powered microwave system capable of disabling a wide variety of IED triggering devices. (It should be noted that insurgents have already shifted to using infrared laser command links in areas where American electronic jammers have been effective.)
As a response for what the U.S. military claims is a growing problem of Iranian special forces arming and training both Shiite and (surprisingly) Sunni insurgent forces in Iraq, many members of Congress, primarily Democrats, have called for negotiations with the Iranians.
Question: In the early days of the IED War against American troops in Iraq, the weapon of choice for insurgents was roadside bombs. About one-third of American troops killed in 2003 (the first year of what is now seen as the U.S. occupation there) and two-thirds wounded severely enough to be evacuated from Iraq were victims of these so-called “improvised explosive devices.” During the summer of 2003, almost all of these IEDs were hardwired (attached by lines used to detonate them.) What was the U.S. military’s primary counter-tactic to these IED attacks?
Answer: See the wire, follow it back, and kill the person waiting at the other end.
Question: By the winter of 2003-2004, about half of the IED bombs were remotely controlled, triggered by car alarm transmitters, toy car controllers, cell phones, and the like. In addition, the levels of explosive had risen to include 155 mm artillery shells as well as mortar rounds and large amounts of TNT or plastic explosive. In the Sunni Triangle, the IEDs of choice were radio-controlled toy car mechanisms with their electronic innards wrapped with C-4 explosive and detonated with a blasting cap. What did Lt. Col. Steve Russell, headquartered in Tikrit, devise – and advise those who came after him to use – to avoid these radio-controlled bombs?
Answer: Mount one of the toy-car controllers on the dashboard of your Humvee and tape down the levers, detonating any such IED about a hundred meters in front of you.
Question: The insurgents would carefully choose spots for IED placement, such as traffic circles and intersections, and plant the bombs in the middle of the night. How did U.S. troops adopt a low-tech way to counter this practice?
Answer: Learn the kind of IED locations the insurgents preferred, leave behind a sniper team, and kill any Iraqi who went out into that intersection or traffic circle on foot in the middle of the night.
Question: During what some military historians are calling Second Fallujah – i.e. the second battle between Marines and insurgents in the evacuated city of Fallujah that resulted in the heaviest urban fighting in the war to date -- why did Marines use Polish snipers from the Coalition?
Answer: Rules of engagement for snipers in all branches of the U.S. military, including the Marines at Fallujah, required that a sniper’s target be carrying a weapon and show some hostile intent. Polish snipers’ rules of engagement allowed them to shoot any Iraqi man seen carrying a cell phone in that city almost emptied of civilians.
Question: Insurgents by late 2003 began leaving artillery shells and other remote-detonated explosives in the hollowed-out carcasses of dead dogs, dead donkeys, and other such carcasses that are common sights along the sides of Iraqi streets and highways. These dead animals smelled so bad and were so common that they were very difficult for American IED spotting teams to approach and investigate. How could they be countered?
Answer: Blow up every carcass from a distance.
Question: By the Battle of Second Fallujah, how had the dead-dog strategy been further adapted by the insurgents?
Answer: The Iraqi and foreign insurgents, who had flocked to Fallujah by the thousands, began booby-trapping the corpses of their own dead and even their wounded left behind.
Question: How did the Marines respond to this new tactic?
Answer: They “killed fallen Iraqis twice,” and in some cases – but not most – delayed in giving medical aid to wounded insurgents.
Question: As the insurgents watched U.S. troops become more sophisticated in dealing with IEDs, they and their civilian supporters observed that the convoys and troops would stop about two hundred meters short of the bomb. They then began planting more obvious bombs about two hundred meters in front of the actual IED killing zone to blow up the U.S. vehicles and troopers where they stopped. What could U.S. forces do after many such successful attacks?
Answer: Drive like hell. Get on the sidewalk and keep going. Drive over any civilians who get in the way.
Question: The insurgent IED bomber cells became much more sophisticated by 2004. Each cell often contained six to eight people, one of whose job it was to video-record the IED attack for propaganda, training, and recruiting purposes. Other IED team members might include the financier who paid for the operation, the emplacer, who would plant a bomb by pretending to fix a flat tire or by lowering it through a hole cut in the floor of the car, the triggerman who detonated the device, and one or two spotters. How did the military deal with this ratcheting up in insurgent IED teams’ sophistication?
Answer: They attempted to improve intelligence, but as that failed, they up-armored soft-skinned Humvees and every other vehicle they took into harm’s way so that they had a better chance of surviving the explosion.
Question: By winter of 2003, the suicide bomber in a moving vehicle became a popular IED delivery method. How did U.S. troops counter this measure?
Answer: The insurgents tended to use cheap, old cars for their suicide car bombings. U.S. troops began to look for old jalopies that sat low on their springs because of the heavy weight of munitions. Another sign was fresh tires on such an old car. “This is a one-way trip, driver wants no flats,” explained a 2004 briefing.
Question: By the winter of 2004-2005, insurgents began concealing IEDs among overhanging branches and leaves in the lush areas around Baghdad or hanging them from light poles. The purpose of this was to move the bomb blast above armored doors to direct the blast through windows while killing and maiming the U.S. soldiers manning weapons atop armored vehicles. How did American forces respond to this tactic?
Answer: By using more sophisticated jamming devices, by using heavily armored vehicles and IED dispersal teams to scout the roads and disarm or explode the bombs, and by “buttoning up” and accelerating when coming to areas with lots of overhanging branches and posts.
Question: Between 2005 and 2007, U.S. military sources alleged that Iranian commando forces that were part of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard allied with President Ahmadinejad were importing into Iraq – and training the insurgents there in the use of – sophisticated remote-control detonating devices (which could defeat both the Warlock Red and Warlock Green electronic jamming devices currently in use by Coalition forces) as well as introducing advanced plasma and “heavy slug” kinetic roadside explosives.
This new type of IED was often buried within the roadbed or set alongside the road and consists of a “shaped charge” and a cone of copper creating a hollow space in front of and along the axis of the charge.
When this explosive is detonated, the copper transforms into a forceful jetstream of molten metal known as “plasma.” This plasma jet contacts a surface at a velocity of 8,000 meters per second and cuts through unprotected steel armor like the proverbial hot knife through butter. These more advanced plasma IEDs are credited with destroying a growing number of American armored vehicles, including M1 Abrams tanks, Bradley armored vehicles, Stryker APCs, and up-armored Humvees, even though these vehicles had recently been protected by various types of add-on armor.
If the plasma jet does not strike a target within a few meters, it solidifies into a high-velocity kinetic slug which is less effective against heavy armor but which is still devastating against softer targets. Both the plasma jet aspect of the Iranian weapon and the kinetic slug are effective at igniting ammunition stores within the tank or vehicle, causing secondary explosions and killing the crews in a fireball that not only burns the American troops to death but asphyxiates them by consuming all oxygen within the armored vehicle.
(It should be noted that as late as May of 2007, left-wing blogs, editorials, and newspaper columnists in Europe, the UK, and in the United States denied either the existence of these weapons in Iraq or, if they existed, any definitive proof that Iran was behind their import and use there. When the U.S. Army presented Iranian manufacturing numbers and other evidence, including interrogation notes of Iranian commandos apprehended in Iraq who admitted to training Iraqi insurgents on the use of copper-plasma IEDs, critics suggested that this was more U.S. disinformation in preparation for a Bush Administration attack on Iran.)
Assuming the copper plasma-kinetic slug IEDs are a real threat, what can Coalition forces in Iraq do to counter them?
Answer: There’s no known countermeasure for such plasma armor-piercing weapons. As for the new anti-jamming detonators introduced by Iran, the U.S. military is currently undergoing field tests on the new Joint Improvised Explosive Device Neutralizer (JIN), which uses controlled directed energy to jam sophisticated remote-controlled activators, as well as the Scorpion II Demonstration System, a transportable high-powered microwave system capable of disabling a wide variety of IED triggering devices. (It should be noted that insurgents have already shifted to using infrared laser command links in areas where American electronic jammers have been effective.)
As a response for what the U.S. military claims is a growing problem of Iranian special forces arming and training both Shiite and (surprisingly) Sunni insurgent forces in Iraq, many members of Congress, primarily Democrats, have called for negotiations with the Iranians.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
WWE Wrestler Chris Benoit found dead with wife, son
suicide malamang:
Professional wrestler Chris Benoit was found dead yesterday in his Georgia home with his wife and seven-year-old son, World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. said in a statement. Benoit was 40.
Authorities are investigating the deaths as a murder- suicide, the Atlanta-Journal Constitution said on its Web site. The Fayetteville County, Georgia, police department said no information would be released until later today.
Benoit, a Canadian native, had been a professional wrestler since 1985, including the past eight years with the WWE. He was scheduled to compete in a pay-per-view title match on June 24, though he didn't appear due to what the WWE said during the broadcast was a ``family emergency.''
Four Modest Proposals to get out of Iraq
From Michael Totten:
I agree with Totten. I thoughtful piece and a good read.
Dan Simmons (the science fiction writer) has written a fascinating and well-informed essay about four ways we can get out of Iraq.
It isn’t possible for anyone to agree that all four options are good ones. They’re contradictory (and absurd) on purpose. But the whole thing is a delightful and thought-provoking out-of-the-box read by a clearly intelligent person.
It’s impossible to excerpt this piece. You really just need to read it.
I can’t resist, though, revealing his third modest proposal: Give the keys of Iraq to the Iranians and join the insurgency. It’s a terrible idea. But it’s a modest proposal, not a serious one, and it works both as a joke and as a strictly intellectual exercise.
I agree with Totten. I thoughtful piece and a good read.
Distracted by the upcoming NBA draft
I have been following all the Suns trade rumors too re Garnett too. Mas interesting pa ang off season kaysa yung actual NBA finals.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Good choice, Titser Manuel
Okey yung piniling eskuwelahan ni MLQ3 kung saan siya magtuturo. Sabi niya sa blog niya:
He could have chosen to teach in Ateneo or La Salle or UP. Pero Letran ang pinili niya. Very nice.
Delayed entry today because I’ve started teaching Journalism 105 (Opinion and Editorial Writing) at Letran. So my next 17 Fridays will be eaten up.
He could have chosen to teach in Ateneo or La Salle or UP. Pero Letran ang pinili niya. Very nice.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Fudging and Window Dressing the financial figures
We've already discussed the arroyo admin's fudging the Philippine unemployment and poverty numbers to window dress their economic data. (but MLQ3 doesn't care raw! ;) )
Now, more evidence has come out na hindi lang yan ang mina-nipulate nila, although the bunag revelations are getting little play in the media. From Ninez Cacho Olivares:
Sabi ni Ernie Maceda:
More details on the Bunag-Teves bulgaran:
But I can't wait for winnie monsode to come to Arroyo's aid again and tell us these are lies, all lies.
Now, more evidence has come out na hindi lang yan ang mina-nipulate nila, although the bunag revelations are getting little play in the media. From Ninez Cacho Olivares:
Fudging figures and window-dressing to make the financial figures look good are truly hallmarks of Gloria Arroyo and her economic team. And when all these come tumbling down, there is always a scapegoat — and in this recent case of low tax collections in the first quarter of the year, it is resigned, or sacked, Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) chief Jose Mario Buñag.
So why doesn’t Gloria sack her Finance Secretary, Margarito Teves, since it is he who is in charge of the Finance department and more important, it was he, so Buñag alleges, who had pressed the big corporations to pay their taxes in advance last year, to make the tax collection figures look good before the international creditors and ratings firms, and create the impression that the deficit target would be easily met?
The BIR chief can only take directions from his boss, who is Teves. So why is Teves getting off the hook, when it was he who insisted on the window-dressing of the tax collections?
More to the point, Teves certainly knew that, as payments were made in advance by the big companies to inflate the collection figures last year, the next year’s quarter collection figures would necessarily be down, since tax payments were made in advance.
But even as Buñag was sacked, he was offered an ambassadorial post in Europe by Gloria, perhaps in a bid to salve the ignominy of his having been sacked, or to ensure that he keeps quiet. But from Buñag’s recent statements, it appears that he is ready to spill some beans, as he declined the ambassadorial offer and pointed the finger of blame on Teves and other “high officials” whose “incompetence” will come to play sooner than later.
As he put it in his statement to the media, “Higher authorities in the government’s financial institutions...like to wash their hands of responsibility for the dire consequences of their unrealistic, failed and bungled policies.”
On imposed targets, the Buñag statement said these are “humanly impossible” to meet “because of the economy’s performance that was lower than target last year.”
If one follows the logic of Buñag, it is almost certain that whoever sits as BIR chief will still be encountering the same problems, as he pointed out that the tax collection cannot outperform the economy. Still one wonders: Why should a first quarter performance be the gauge for sacking the BIR chief? But Teves apparently wanted Buñag out, and at the same time, pass on the blame solely on the sacked BIR chief, while making himself look good.
All this merely goes to show just how much of Gloria and her finance managers’ claimed economic “progress” is propaganda and window-dressing. Even that claim of a 6.9-percent gross domestic product quarter growth is definitely fudged, as the production and consumption data don’t match. Moreover, if the agriculture sector continuously experiences growth, it stands to reason that the weather is no longer a factor. One wonders then: If there is such continued growth in the agricultural sector quarter after quarter, come rain or come shine, why then is the government importing millions in tonnage of rice for the country?
Sabi ni Ernie Maceda:
Falsifier. Fired BIR chief Jose Mario Buñag has let the cat out of the bag. He charged Finance Secretary Margarito “Gary” Teves with “window-dressing” the 2006 government income and deficit figures. Buñag said he was being made a scapegoat and sacrificial lamb for the failures of Teves. He said it should be Teves who should be fired.
Yes, yes, yes, the GMA administration has been quite adept at window-dressing its figures including changing its definition of poverty and inflating the figures on loans and assistance secured during her foreign trips. Even the annual crime statistics are tailored to reflect a decline every year in crime.
And who can forget the inflated job creation figures started during the time of presidential adviser for jobs Cito Lorenzo?
More details on the Bunag-Teves bulgaran:
Padding indeed is a household word in Malacañang.
Even as Gloria is kept busy fending off allegations that she again padded the votes for her allies in the just-concluded mid-term elections, comes now the revelation that even economic data are getting the same treatment.
Obviously hurting, Jose Mario Buñag, who was sacked from his post as Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) chief, blamed Finance Secretary Margarito Teves for fudging the fiscal numbers last year by asking big taxpayers to forward their dues. Buñag explained that since the bulk of the tax dues has been paid already, collections for the first quarter would naturally shrink, thus resulting in missed current revenue targets.
The sacking of Buñag, which apparently received an imprimatur from Teves, happened a day after the government reported a disappointing P1.7-billion deficit in the budget in May which raised a strong sentiment that the whole-year budget goal of a P63-billion deficit may be missed. The deficit in the first five months was already P41.8 billion.
It is not in Buñag’s rationalizing of low revenue collections that caught the attention of many but the fact that Teves was engaged in the padding of finances that came as a jolt.
In business parlance, this is called window-dressing, which is not exactly illegal since no numbers have been manufactured, yet this is considered a violation of good corporate ethics in the private sector.
Most companies engage in window-dressing at the end of a year, or a fiscal year for some, to spruce up their books that would be presented to stockholders. This is an accepted fact in the business world.
For government to do this, however, would risk serious international backlash particularly among investors who get panicky whenever there are even suggestions that data they were being fed are padded.
Under the regime of Gloria Arroyo, many suspect the padding of economic figures may be a practice to dolly up Gloria whose slide in popularity in various surveys seems to be without end.
In fact, there was a time when Socio-economic Planning Secretary Romulo Neri had to laboriously explain how the country missed landing in a technical recession, which consists of two straight quarters of economic contraction, by managing a 0.1-percent growth.
When the government reported a 6.9-percent GDP growth in the first quarter, most of the country’s economists merely twiddled their thumbs.
Buñag’s squealing on Teves only confirms what was lingering in the minds of many that the government indeed is into the practice of fudging numbers.
According to Buñag, the advance payments were made by various taxpayers upon the personal calls and requests made, and this is well known in the BIR, by no less than Finance Secretary Teves himself.
The revelation was believable since last year was a crucial turning point for the country’s fiscal showcase.
The sales tax was expanded and increased and the expectation was that the fiscal picture would start to brighten. Representatives of credit rating agencies were around town to check the numbers.
With the Finance secretary initiating such practice, the padding of numbers is expected to go all the way down the line. What or who would stop a lower-ranked government official to tweak a number or two to ramp up economic data?
Buñag, in his fit of pain, in being used as a scapegoat for the Arroyo administration’s fiscal mismanagement, opened a can of worms that would, from now on, place more doubts on data that the government periodically puts out.
As a rule, figures don’t lie, but not in the desperate world of Gloria where figures become a tool for deception.
But I can't wait for winnie monsode to come to Arroyo's aid again and tell us these are lies, all lies.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Experimenting with CFL light bulbs
Bumili ako ng Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL), o compact fluorescent light bulb kanina. Ganito itsura niya. Twist ang bulb shape.
Gawa ito sa China. OKES ang tatak. P50 ang bili ko sa Divisoria Mall. 40W ang bombilya.
Meron rin binebenta sa US na ganito na tatak Westinghouse. pero $24.10 naman siya. (siguro mas matibay yung sa US??? o baka gawa rin yan sa China??? lol.)
Gusto kong subukan maglagay ng isang CFL sa ceiling para palitan yung isang lumang fluorescent light namin sa kusina. Nakakatipid raw kasi ng kuryente ang CFLs eh. Raw. I want to see kung kasing liwanag rin siya nung 32W circular shaped na fluorescent tube light. At kung maganda naman ang liwanag, susubukan ko siya for one month. Tignan ko kung bababa ang babayaran namin sa kuryente kapag papalitan namin lahat ng mga regular flourescent lights with CFLs.
UPDATE: Okay, nasubukan ko na yung CFL bulbs sa bahay namin, at maliwanag siya. I like.
I have to admit tho na nagkamali ako ng bili. I bought a 40 Watt CFL spiral bulb. Mas mataas pa ang kuryente na nakakain niya kaysa sa 32W na Circular Fluorescent lamp.
I should have consulted this chart first.
Btw, sa ibang bansa, mape-phase out na pala ang incandescent bulbs sa ibang bansa.
Gawa ito sa China. OKES ang tatak. P50 ang bili ko sa Divisoria Mall. 40W ang bombilya.
Meron rin binebenta sa US na ganito na tatak Westinghouse. pero $24.10 naman siya. (siguro mas matibay yung sa US??? o baka gawa rin yan sa China??? lol.)
Gusto kong subukan maglagay ng isang CFL sa ceiling para palitan yung isang lumang fluorescent light namin sa kusina. Nakakatipid raw kasi ng kuryente ang CFLs eh. Raw. I want to see kung kasing liwanag rin siya nung 32W circular shaped na fluorescent tube light. At kung maganda naman ang liwanag, susubukan ko siya for one month. Tignan ko kung bababa ang babayaran namin sa kuryente kapag papalitan namin lahat ng mga regular flourescent lights with CFLs.
UPDATE: Okay, nasubukan ko na yung CFL bulbs sa bahay namin, at maliwanag siya. I like.
I have to admit tho na nagkamali ako ng bili. I bought a 40 Watt CFL spiral bulb. Mas mataas pa ang kuryente na nakakain niya kaysa sa 32W na Circular Fluorescent lamp.
I should have consulted this chart first.
Btw, sa ibang bansa, mape-phase out na pala ang incandescent bulbs sa ibang bansa.
Brazil and Venezuela were the first countries to attempt to phase out the use of incandescent light bulbs in 2005. Australia has announced it will phase out incandescent light bulbs in favour of compact fluorescent lights by 2010.[1]
Harassment and Killings of Lefties Election-Related
napansin nyo walang nang masyadong pinapatay na maka-kaliwa ngayon?
And The Supreme Court finally ordered siRAULo's DOJ to dismiss the rebellion case against the Batasan 6 a few days after many candidates and party listers were already declared winners in this years midterm elections. I guess it's better late than never.
The demolition job and the bogus "rebellion case" filed by the admin obviously failed to scare voters into not voting for the Lefties.
Pinakawalan na rin si Crispin Beltran after spending so many months under hospital arrest nung tapos na ang election.
UPDATE: I believe the killings were meant to weaken and intimidate the leftist party list groups, and to discourage potential recruits from joining Bayan Muna or Gabriela (baka patayin sila ng mga death squads ni Butch Palparan). At kung mahina, distracted at crippled ang organization ng mga makakaliwa dahil maraming pinatay na miyembro sa kanila, then this might have hurt their chances in the 2007 elections.
And The Supreme Court finally ordered siRAULo's DOJ to dismiss the rebellion case against the Batasan 6 a few days after many candidates and party listers were already declared winners in this years midterm elections. I guess it's better late than never.
The demolition job and the bogus "rebellion case" filed by the admin obviously failed to scare voters into not voting for the Lefties.
Pinakawalan na rin si Crispin Beltran after spending so many months under hospital arrest nung tapos na ang election.
UPDATE: I believe the killings were meant to weaken and intimidate the leftist party list groups, and to discourage potential recruits from joining Bayan Muna or Gabriela (baka patayin sila ng mga death squads ni Butch Palparan). At kung mahina, distracted at crippled ang organization ng mga makakaliwa dahil maraming pinatay na miyembro sa kanila, then this might have hurt their chances in the 2007 elections.
Bad and Badder
Estrada may have stolen morals along with money, wrecking this country’s concept of right and wrong, but he did not break this country’s spirit completely, making right wrong and wrong right, punishing good and rewarding evil. Arroyo has.
-- Conrad de Quiros, June 20, 2007
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
The Latest on Ricardo Manapat
Buhay pa siya.
Sabi ni Jake Macasaet, nabubulok na raw si Manapat sa Australia (doon siya itinago ng Arroyo admin para hindi makausap ng media at Opposition).
Para may pagka-Jok jok bolante ang istorya niya. if ever na nag-decide siya na gusto na niyang umuwi, he could do it "Garci style."
Related:
- Ricardo Manapat and his phony document (w/ photo)
Sabi ni Jake Macasaet, nabubulok na raw si Manapat sa Australia (doon siya itinago ng Arroyo admin para hindi makausap ng media at Opposition).
Noong kainitan ng kampanya sa pagka-pangulo noong Mayo 2004, nagpalabas ang gobyerno ng isang dokumento na nagsasabi na si Fernando Poe Jr. umano ay isang banyaga, isang Amerikano. Kaya nga wala siyang karapatan na kumandidato sa ano mang halalan.
Sinasabi ng batas na ang kandidato sa ano mang eleksyon ay kailangang natural born Filipino citizen. Sa utos ng Malacañang nagpeke si Ricardo Manapat, director ng National Archives, ng isang dokumento na nagsasabi na Amerikano si FPJ.
Dahil dito, huminto ng pagbibigay ng pera kay Fernando Poe Jr. ang ilang bilyonaryong negosyante. Dahil nasubo na at sa pag-aakala na darating pa rin ang malaking perang tulong para sa kampanya niya, nangutang ng malaking halaga si FPJ para matuloy ng maayos ang kampanya.
Sa bandang huli, inaprobahan pa rin ng Comelec ang kandidatura ni FPJ. Nag-apela ang gobyerno sa Korte Suprema. Pero sa botong 8 laban sa 6, sinabi ng Korte na natural born citizen si Fernando Poe Jr. Kaya tuloy ang kandidatura kahit utang na pera ang ginamit.
Dahil sa pagkalito, pati media inaway ni FPJ. Kaya naman bumagsak ang kanyang rating samantalang umakyat ang rating ni Gloria Arroyo.
Sa madaling salita, ipinandaya ni Manapat si GMA. Sa tulong ni Virgilio Garcillano, utak ng pandaraya sa Mindanao, nanalo si GMA.
Di ba dapat may gantimpala si Manapat? Wala. Ipinadala siya ng Malacañang sa Australia para hindi makausap ng media o ng Oposisyon. Hindi naman binigyan ng regular na sustento. Kaya naghihirap ngayon si Manapat.
Gusto na niyang bumalik sa Pilipinas. Hindi siya makauwi dahil sa takot na arestuhin siya.
Bakit naman aarestuhin. Tumulong na nga sa pandaraya gusto pa ng Malacañang ipakulong. Wala akong maisip na dahilan kung bakit nademanda si Manapat sa kasalanang forgery of public documents.
Totoo na nagpeke nga siya ng dokumento. Pero sino ang nag-utos? Di ba Malacañang para makinabang si Gloria Arroyo?
Para may pagka-Jok jok bolante ang istorya niya. if ever na nag-decide siya na gusto na niyang umuwi, he could do it "Garci style."
Related:
- Ricardo Manapat and his phony document (w/ photo)
Monday, June 18, 2007
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Still thinking about Musa
Nakakalungkot ang nangyari kay Musa Dimasidsing. Pinatay siya dahil gusto siyang patahimikin ng mga mandaraya sa lugar nila.
Ako naman, feeling guilty. Because a few weeks ago, I encouraged the teachers and witnesses to come forward and tell us what they know about the cheating that took place in their areas.
Sabi ni Arbet na mangyayari lang yan if we (the opposition and this Government) can ensure their safety. I agreed with him.
Obviously, we failed to protect Musa. And because pumalpak tayo, why would any witness to fraud now want to tell the truth about what they saw, if they're going to end up like Musa Dimasidsing?
To me, what he did was very brave and very admirable. But i fear more people (especially the ordinary folks in Maguindanao) will learn a DIFFERENT LESSON from his death, especially kung kung mukhang mawa-whitewash ang kaso nya--na telling the truth is not worth it.
And I can't blame them if they feel that way, sa totoo lang.
Ako naman, feeling guilty. Because a few weeks ago, I encouraged the teachers and witnesses to come forward and tell us what they know about the cheating that took place in their areas.
Sabi ni Arbet na mangyayari lang yan if we (the opposition and this Government) can ensure their safety. I agreed with him.
Obviously, we failed to protect Musa. And because pumalpak tayo, why would any witness to fraud now want to tell the truth about what they saw, if they're going to end up like Musa Dimasidsing?
To me, what he did was very brave and very admirable. But i fear more people (especially the ordinary folks in Maguindanao) will learn a DIFFERENT LESSON from his death, especially kung kung mukhang mawa-whitewash ang kaso nya--na telling the truth is not worth it.
And I can't blame them if they feel that way, sa totoo lang.
DJB: "GMA would have been the Joan of Arc or our generation."
From Dean Jorge Bocobo:
if there was no edsa dos, and erap survived impeachment the first time, there was a good chance he won't survive it again after the 2001 midterms. If he managed to survive till 2004, the last remaining years of his presidency would look like george w. bush's.
as for GMA being our "joan of arc" savior... heh. she's the least liked among the opposition candidates back in 2001. she was late to join the bandwagon.
by 2004, there'd be plenty of anti-erap candidates who probably would be more viable, charismatic and credible prez candidates than GMA. maraming sasali, open race ang 2004 (katulad ng 2008 US Presidential elections). If she ran with other anti-erap candidates, she'd be the "JDV of the 2004 elections", looked at with suspicion edsa dos faithfuls.
"Suppose Erap had been acquitted? Knowing him, he would then have straightened out (a little!) and actually become a half-way decent President (ok ok one tenth decent). He certainly wouldn’t have carried on as he did before he was impeached! But the 2001 elections would’ve become a referendum on him. Maybe a Hanging Senate would’ve replaced the Craven Eleven. Then he could’ve been impeached again. Given the rabid nature of the anti-Erap opposition that could certainly have happened. By 2004, GMA would’ve blossomed into a kind of Joan d’Arc of our generation and would’ve swept triumphantly into Malacanang with a posse (instead of sneaking in on Garci’s donkey)."
if there was no edsa dos, and erap survived impeachment the first time, there was a good chance he won't survive it again after the 2001 midterms. If he managed to survive till 2004, the last remaining years of his presidency would look like george w. bush's.
as for GMA being our "joan of arc" savior... heh. she's the least liked among the opposition candidates back in 2001. she was late to join the bandwagon.
by 2004, there'd be plenty of anti-erap candidates who probably would be more viable, charismatic and credible prez candidates than GMA. maraming sasali, open race ang 2004 (katulad ng 2008 US Presidential elections). If she ran with other anti-erap candidates, she'd be the "JDV of the 2004 elections", looked at with suspicion edsa dos faithfuls.
Abno Rep. Dennis Kucinich hits the jackpot
his wife is good looking. how did you do it, dennis? More here.
Friday, June 15, 2007
DJB: Should we be right? Or should we be fair?
Sabi ni DJB:
Kung sasagutin yan ng mga edsa dos supporters at veterans na ngayo'y tacit supporters na ng pagnakaw ng election ni Arroyo noong 2004--sasabog ang ulo nila.
In my own opinion it would not have been morally or poetically RIGHT that Joseph Estrada be acquitted at the Senate Impeachment Trial because I believe he was unworthy to be President and deserved to be impeached, convicted and forever banned from Public Office.
YET it would have been FAIR and in keeping with DUE PROCESS that the Trial continued, EVEN IF that meant Erap would then escape Justice, at least at that point.
As time passes, the difference between those who still support what happened at Edsa Dos and those that don't, will become more clearly the difference between what one thinks is BETTER in this case: to be RIGHT or to be FAIR.
Indeed, the question lingers over the very fate of Joseph Estrada: should we be right, or should we be fair?
Kung sasagutin yan ng mga edsa dos supporters at veterans na ngayo'y tacit supporters na ng pagnakaw ng election ni Arroyo noong 2004--sasabog ang ulo nila.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Better things to do than worry about THAT
Christian Monsod is sounding the alarms.
Zzzz... Honestly, I don't know what the big deal is.
If Biazan, Lacson et al want to form a Cavaliers' club or Friar's club or Cotton club or M-W-F Group like Joker and Villar's Wednesday Group, bahala sila.
I have better things to do than worry about THAT, Mr. Monsod.
At least elected officials sila Biazon, Lacson, Trillanes at Honasan, no?
Tignan mo yung admin ni Arroyo, ang daming APPOINTED ng ex-edsa dos generals at military officials sa bawat sulok ng gobierno. But I don't recall you complaining about it.
Binira mo ang "Cavaliers' club", but where were you when nung nalaman natin na ninakaw ni aRroyo ang election? Did you and your wife call for her resignation?
my point exactly.
Wait and see ang attitude ko re the Cavaliers' Club. If they're a force of evil instead of good, then i'd be the first one to condemn them.
Sabi naman ng editorial na ito:
lol. elitist?
eh sa U.S. nga may Congressional BLACK caucus eh. Myembro doon puro mga african americans. No whites allowed. Anong tawag mo sa kanila, RACIST?
Maraming grupo grupo sa U.S. Congress. May Blue Dog Democrats (conservative/moderate Democrats), May Singing Senators, may maka Israelis (Israel Allies Caucus), may caucus rin para sa mga Latinos at Hispanics. Meron ring grupo na anti-Iraq war.
Former Comelec Commissioner Christian Monsod, in a TV interview, raised the alarm over the emergence of military officers in the Senate, saying this band of former military officers poses a danger to democracy, as the military is already powerful as it is under the civilian government of Gloria Arroyo.
Zzzz... Honestly, I don't know what the big deal is.
If Biazan, Lacson et al want to form a Cavaliers' club or Friar's club or Cotton club or M-W-F Group like Joker and Villar's Wednesday Group, bahala sila.
I have better things to do than worry about THAT, Mr. Monsod.
At least elected officials sila Biazon, Lacson, Trillanes at Honasan, no?
Tignan mo yung admin ni Arroyo, ang daming APPOINTED ng ex-edsa dos generals at military officials sa bawat sulok ng gobierno. But I don't recall you complaining about it.
Binira mo ang "Cavaliers' club", but where were you when nung nalaman natin na ninakaw ni aRroyo ang election? Did you and your wife call for her resignation?
my point exactly.
Wait and see ang attitude ko re the Cavaliers' Club. If they're a force of evil instead of good, then i'd be the first one to condemn them.
Sabi naman ng editorial na ito:
The forming of the PMA Club is also dangerously elitist. For the same reason that we would look askance at any attempt to form a senators’ club consisting of, say, alumni of the University of the Philippines (this would be a long list, starting with Ed Angara and including Miriam Defensor-Santiago) or of the Ateneo de Manila (much shorter), we consider the very idea of a Cavalier Club unsound. Senators do not represent the schools they come from (how incredibly narrow-minded!), but the country as a whole. When the graduates of one of the country’s most exclusive schools form a bloc, they rub the common man’s nose in his commonness.
lol. elitist?
eh sa U.S. nga may Congressional BLACK caucus eh. Myembro doon puro mga african americans. No whites allowed. Anong tawag mo sa kanila, RACIST?
Maraming grupo grupo sa U.S. Congress. May Blue Dog Democrats (conservative/moderate Democrats), May Singing Senators, may maka Israelis (Israel Allies Caucus), may caucus rin para sa mga Latinos at Hispanics. Meron ring grupo na anti-Iraq war.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Why Cebu is different from the rest
(via MLQ3) From The Magnificent Atty. Perez:
I thought the Cebu voters are definitely pro-Arroyo, although not as pro-Arroyo as the admin would like you to think.
I thought the 2007 election results in Cebu were credible (where TU won), but not during 2004. (UPDATE: Definitely NOT in 2004's Garcified elections in Cebu)
More from Perez:
That's for the voters to decide. Dapat nagkaroon ng Special Elections once we found out na ninakaw ni Arroyo ang election.
I didn't vote for FPJ too, but I would have respected the wishes of the voters kung siya talaga ang nahalal. Just like in 1998, anti-erap ako, i voted for raul roco, pero when it was clear that erap was the legit winner, i accepted him as the elected president of this country.
I agree that Cebu is pro-Arroyo. But Arroyo's Cebu victory would not have mattered that much if the votes were counted properly--in Cebu, and in other parts of Mindanao.
I don't know about that. That buffoon Prospero Pichay was one of the top three vote getters in your area. Cesar Montano made it to the Magic twelve.
I think Cebu usually takes the contrary side to what "Imperial Manila" does. Parang Red State(Cebu)/Blue STate(Manila) yan. lol.
UPDATE: The Magnificent Perez reponds to my post (without linking to it.)
he made sumbong in his blog na inatake ko raw siya, at inatake ko ang mga Cebuanos in general. Did no such thing, dude. I just laid out the facts on the 2004 and 2007 elections in Cebu. And I asked my Cebuano friends in Manila re their thoughts on GMA and cebuano attitudes in general, and many of them don't agree with your your attitude towards the fraud marred 2004 elections.
UPDATE: Man, if i knew earlier on na he was an administration lawyer working from LAKAS (and assigned to be Joker Arroyo's lead counsel in Cebu), I would not have bothered to react to this idiot's drivel in the first place.
In Cebu (the totality of Cebu City and Cebu Province), we stand out from most of the country in the fact that the administration prevailed in our votes. Eight Team Unity candidates entered the Magic Dozen, while the rest of the spots went to three Genuine Opposition candidates, and one Independent. Those were more or less, the real votes cast by Cebu, contrary to claims made by the Genuine Opposition who are quick to remind the nation of the “Hello Garci” incident. I speak from my own experience, since I was very much involved in the canvassing of votes at both the local and national levels as one of the watchers and I can tell you honestly that although I did see for my own eyes certain tampered certificates of canvass in Cebu affecting the national votes, these occurred only in one municipality, and a few isolated precincts. All of these tampered COC’s were in far-flung places which were under the strict control of certain local candidates. More or less, the cebu votes reflect the real pulse of the Cebuano electorate.
When I went to Manila for the national canvassing, I was able to talk to people there who asked me for the Cebu results. When they saw the COC that I brought with me, three people in three separate instances all said the same thing, “The Cebuanos are very discerning voters.”
I thought the Cebu voters are definitely pro-Arroyo, although not as pro-Arroyo as the admin would like you to think.
I thought the 2007 election results in Cebu were credible (where TU won), but not during 2004. (UPDATE: Definitely NOT in 2004's Garcified elections in Cebu)
More from Perez:
Speaking as a Cebuano, I must say that I am puzzled why in the face of their anti-administration stance, the Manileños are staunchly pro-opposition. There’s a logical inconsistency there, I know, but let me clarify. You do not have to convince me that GMA cheated during the 2004 and 2007 elections. You do not have to argue with me that the Little President and her Big Husband are corrupt. I concede those points. I even concede that there have been many human rights violations committed by La Arroyo and that there are many of aspects of her administration that are left for wanting.
But for the love of practicality, who else would you have sit on the throne???
That's for the voters to decide. Dapat nagkaroon ng Special Elections once we found out na ninakaw ni Arroyo ang election.
I didn't vote for FPJ too, but I would have respected the wishes of the voters kung siya talaga ang nahalal. Just like in 1998, anti-erap ako, i voted for raul roco, pero when it was clear that erap was the legit winner, i accepted him as the elected president of this country.
And so far, I, and I believe the general majority of Cebu, stand by our vote for GMA. She does have unforgivable faults. She has a blatant lust for power and has been trampling on human rights. But we Cebuanos are practical in the sense that we tend to look at the bottom line and overlook certain character defects. The bottom line is that the Philippine economy is doing particularly well, which has translated to an economic boom in Cebu. Although there really is a need to ensure that this wealth should and must trickle down to the poor and underprivileged sectors, at least we have some wealth to work with. It’s all now a matter of execution to make sure that things, overall, are made to work.
I agree that Cebu is pro-Arroyo. But Arroyo's Cebu victory would not have mattered that much if the votes were counted properly--in Cebu, and in other parts of Mindanao.
In short, the reason why Cebu voted in favor of mostly Administration candidates is that we voted based on each and every candidate’s individual merit, and not because we wanted to send a message against the President. We would not vote for unqualified people just because we detested the President. In other words, a Cebuano would not cut off his nose in order to spite his face. It just does not make sense.
I don't know about that. That buffoon Prospero Pichay was one of the top three vote getters in your area. Cesar Montano made it to the Magic twelve.
I think Cebu usually takes the contrary side to what "Imperial Manila" does. Parang Red State(Cebu)/Blue STate(Manila) yan. lol.
UPDATE: The Magnificent Perez reponds to my post (without linking to it.)
he made sumbong in his blog na inatake ko raw siya, at inatake ko ang mga Cebuanos in general. Did no such thing, dude. I just laid out the facts on the 2004 and 2007 elections in Cebu. And I asked my Cebuano friends in Manila re their thoughts on GMA and cebuano attitudes in general, and many of them don't agree with your your attitude towards the fraud marred 2004 elections.
UPDATE: Man, if i knew earlier on na he was an administration lawyer working from LAKAS (and assigned to be Joker Arroyo's lead counsel in Cebu), I would not have bothered to react to this idiot's drivel in the first place.
Two Years of Humble Pie
Yeah, i'd like our presidential campaigns to start earlier too, especially for the 2010 elections. Simulan na natin ang presidential debates starting on 2009, para mas makilala at maging familiar ang mga voters sa mga kakandidato sa pagka-presidente.
Sa aking palagay, ito ang mga candidates na posibleng tatakbo sa pagka presidente: Manny Villar, Loren Legarda, Mar Roxas, Ping Lacson, Noli de Castro, and maybe Kiko Pangilinan, Chiz Escudero.
Sa aking palagay, ito ang mga candidates na posibleng tatakbo sa pagka presidente: Manny Villar, Loren Legarda, Mar Roxas, Ping Lacson, Noli de Castro, and maybe Kiko Pangilinan, Chiz Escudero.
Maguindanao Whistleblower shot dead
This is an outrage.
More from the Tribune:
The longer the Maguindanao "election" issue remains unsettled, the more these types of incidents (silencing witnesses, murders) are likely to happen in that area.
More from Ellen Tordesillas on the slaying.
Comment from chi:
I agree. Dapat tulungan at protektahan ng Opposition at Gobierno sila at ang pamilya nila. We need to stop the killings, NOW!
And the first thing the Senate should do is to invite them to testify on the election rigging they saw in Maguindanao. No stone should be left unturned. The opposition should dig deeper and hold those election officials in Maguindanao liable for the horrible mess there.
UPDATE: We all know walang credible reforms o changes na mangyayari as long as Arroyo is in power. Her admin --responsible for appointing and promoting COMELEC commish and officials-- will just replace the old crooked loyalists at the COMELEC with new "untainted" COMELEC dagdag bawas operators and commissioners.
Maam Arroyo is the worst person to be overseeing the reforms and personnel changes at the COMELEC.
UPDATE: The Musa Dimasidsing article of Conrad de Quiros is a must read.
A SCHOOL district supervisor in the Central Mindanao region who exposed alleged poll irregularities in the May 14 elections in Maguindanao was shot dead by unidentified men Saturday night.
Reports reaching Camp Crame said Musa Demasidsing died at a hospital in Midsayap, North Cotabato, from gunshot wounds in the face and chest.
Demasidsing served as a member of the board of election inspectors in Pagalungan town in Maguindanao during the elections.
Demasidsing was named by Norodin Matalam, who ran but lost as mayor of Pagalungan town, as among those who refused to sign a petition saying there was no election fraud in Maguindanao.
More from the Tribune:
Members of the political opposition also yesterday moved to secure the lives of other witnesses to alleged rampant poll fraud in Mindanao in the light of the killing of Dimasidsing.
“People who are fighting to protect the electoral system need not sacrifice their lives. Otherwise, this will discourage them from correcting defects in our society,” Genuine Opposition senatorial bet Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, who took the initiative, also yesterday said.
Pimentel urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Department of Justice (DoJ) to extend protection to teachers in Pagalungan, Maguindanao, who have attested alleged anomalies in the May 14 polls.
He appealed to the Comelec to set aside the canvassing of votes in Maguindanao, saying the ballots are unsupported by source documents.
The longer the Maguindanao "election" issue remains unsettled, the more these types of incidents (silencing witnesses, murders) are likely to happen in that area.
More from Ellen Tordesillas on the slaying.
Comment from chi:
Proclaimed GOs, in full force or individual, should initiate moves to ferret out the truth behind Dimasidsing’s death, or at least do something about it! Bibilib ako sa kanila kung merong kikilos tungkol dito o ayudahan man lang ang pamilya ng pinaslang na school district supervisor. Time to make ingay, Senators!
I agree. Dapat tulungan at protektahan ng Opposition at Gobierno sila at ang pamilya nila. We need to stop the killings, NOW!
And the first thing the Senate should do is to invite them to testify on the election rigging they saw in Maguindanao. No stone should be left unturned. The opposition should dig deeper and hold those election officials in Maguindanao liable for the horrible mess there.
UPDATE: We all know walang credible reforms o changes na mangyayari as long as Arroyo is in power. Her admin --responsible for appointing and promoting COMELEC commish and officials-- will just replace the old crooked loyalists at the COMELEC with new "untainted" COMELEC dagdag bawas operators and commissioners.
Maam Arroyo is the worst person to be overseeing the reforms and personnel changes at the COMELEC.
UPDATE: The Musa Dimasidsing article of Conrad de Quiros is a must read.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Saturday, June 09, 2007
Lebron on Parker. Gibson on Bowen.
I agree with Jay Aych of The Painted Area:
I think the Cavs can get away with putting Boobie Gibson on Bowen. And i'd like to see Lebron guard Tony Parker more.
That's the adjustment the Cleveland Cavaliers need to make for game 2.
Like I mentioned since at the start of the Conf Finals, Gibson needs more minutes instead of Hughes. Bron has to try to go earlier on his offensive moves, when the Spurs have time to set up in the half-court, they are mighty tough. Liked to see Coach Brown put Bron on Parker a little more. Thought the instances where Bron checked Parker he did a good job sagging off Parker and forcing jumpers.
I think the Cavs can get away with putting Boobie Gibson on Bowen. And i'd like to see Lebron guard Tony Parker more.
That's the adjustment the Cleveland Cavaliers need to make for game 2.
Friday, June 08, 2007
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Koko should concede
for the good of the country. Para matapos na ang charade and we can have a new so-called senator in Migz Zubiri finally.
Maguindanao, of all places, is the one that will decide the 12th senator? I find that funny and depressing at the same time.
I've always believed na if Recto and Defensor did not concede, siguradong makakapasok sila sa Magic twelve, dislodging Trillanes and the guy at number 10 thru fair and foul means.
UPDATE: JB Baylon says Alan Cayetano should sue Abalos and Co. for their role in electoral fraud.
I agree with JB. Dapat alisin sa pwesto ang mga walang kwentang commissioners na yan for their role in sabotaging Alan Cayetano's candidacy (cayetano votes are counted as stray votes? buti na lang palpak pa rin ang plano nila) and coddling Pidal's nuisance candidate, at ipakulong ang mga election officials na involved sa dagdag bawas operations sa Mindanao.
Maguindanao, of all places, is the one that will decide the 12th senator? I find that funny and depressing at the same time.
I've always believed na if Recto and Defensor did not concede, siguradong makakapasok sila sa Magic twelve, dislodging Trillanes and the guy at number 10 thru fair and foul means.
UPDATE: JB Baylon says Alan Cayetano should sue Abalos and Co. for their role in electoral fraud.
I think one of the first things that Senator-elect Alan Cayetano should do is to file charges against Benjamin Abalos and the whole Commission on Elections for their participation in electoral fraud, at the very least under the principle of "command responsibility".
And if Alan is concerned that people might say he is vindictive, he should realize he will be doing this not because of what he went through – although that is far more than enough basis – but on behalf of everyone else who has been victimized by the Comelec and in the name of everyone else who will be victimized in the future if we don’t act now.
I was actually revolted at the sight of the Comelec chair and his fellows, smiling and cracking jokes at the proclamation of the first ten of twelve winners in the Senatorial elections that we began on May 14 and have yet to conclude. The Comelec bigwigs even had various ad-libs as they introduced the winners and read the certificates of proclamation. The one who introduced and proclaimed Senator-elect Alan even described him as the "most colorful"!
Well, Senator-elect Alan should pay them back in kind, and turn the Comelec black and blue. Or at least that is what I would do if I were he, just to wipe the smiles off their faces. Then he should make them turn pale at the thought that rather than a comfortable retirement they will be looking at court cases left and right and a potential extended stint behind bars.
We must make an example of these last elections and of this Comelec and demonstrate that we now take seriously our desire for clean, honest, and peaceful elections and that we will begin here and now.
I agree with JB. Dapat alisin sa pwesto ang mga walang kwentang commissioners na yan for their role in sabotaging Alan Cayetano's candidacy (cayetano votes are counted as stray votes? buti na lang palpak pa rin ang plano nila) and coddling Pidal's nuisance candidate, at ipakulong ang mga election officials na involved sa dagdag bawas operations sa Mindanao.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
So what's next?
A group of businessmen, led by the brother of pro-Arroyo man Jose Concepcion a few days ago tried to hijack and spin the election results, and said the new Senate should not engage in "destructive" politics anymore raw (like the last senate? nung inimbestigahan nila ang nakawan ng 2004 elections?).
Okay. Noted. We'll take your advice under consideration... :rolleyes:
But for the Opposition, eto ang dapat nilang gawin para maging successful sila.
It's a short list. Nothing grand. But doable. Kung magawa ito ng opposition, magiging successful ang tingin ng tao sa kanila.
UPDATE: eto naman ang mga suggestions ni Kuya MLQ3. natawa ako sa suggestion nya para maging independent prosecutor.
Eto raw ang gusto nyang baguhin sa Constitution:
I think the "presidential runoff" proposal is the only one that will get widespread approval.
Yeah, I'm in favor of changes in economic provisions within the consti. pero wag na muna yan. after 2010 na lang siya.
there are some people who thing the Constitution is broken and needs a complete overhaul. hindi ako pabor diyan. I'm not in favor of making any changes to the consti other than the runoff and voting for senators by region.
Okay. Noted. We'll take your advice under consideration... :rolleyes:
But for the Opposition, eto ang dapat nilang gawin para maging successful sila.
1) Make the ARroyo admin and their officials accountable.
2) Abolish the Pork Barrel system. I know it will gain support from the CBCP and the Business community. (Or maybe not? Since they (bishops, pro-arroyo businessmen) know the allocation of Pork is vital to Arroyo's political survival... which is more reason for the Opposition to scrap the system once and for all.)
3) Pursue a Zero Tolerance Approach to election fraud. Clean up the COMELEC of scalawags and dagdag bawas operators--WE KNOW they're still there. Then, once that is done, computerize our voting system. But we need to do a thorough COMELEC housecleaning first.
4) Depoliticize the Military. Military assets shouldn't be used to rig elections, spy on the opposition and arroyo critics, or help administration candidates and intimidate rival parties.
5) Get tough on Terrorism. But we need to check the Abuses of Arroyo's military on the extra judicial killings too. Our military shouldn't be using the same tactics the NPAs and Abu Sayyafs are using.
6) Amend the Constitution to allow a Presidential runoff kapag walang candidate na nakakuha ng more than 50% sa boto. Make the electing of Senators by regions too.
UPDATE: And we should amend the consti so that we vote for the President and VP as a team. Which means na if you voted for Arroyo for president in 2004, you'd be getting Noli for VP. If you voted for FPJ, you'd be voting for Loren as VP. (sa 1998, if you voted for Erap, then si Angara ang VP mo. If JDV, then si GMA ang VP). Gawin rin ito sa pagboto ng Governors-Vice Gov. and Mayors-Vice mayors.
yan lang ang gusto kong i-amend. None of that Parliamentary system nonsense.
It's a short list. Nothing grand. But doable. Kung magawa ito ng opposition, magiging successful ang tingin ng tao sa kanila.
UPDATE: eto naman ang mga suggestions ni Kuya MLQ3. natawa ako sa suggestion nya para maging independent prosecutor.
Eto raw ang gusto nyang baguhin sa Constitution:
I think the "presidential runoff" proposal is the only one that will get widespread approval.
Yeah, I'm in favor of changes in economic provisions within the consti. pero wag na muna yan. after 2010 na lang siya.
there are some people who thing the Constitution is broken and needs a complete overhaul. hindi ako pabor diyan. I'm not in favor of making any changes to the consti other than the runoff and voting for senators by region.
Mayor Fred Lim off to a good start
Mayor Lim prevented the Jose Abad Santos High School (i know that place) from being turned into a god damn shopping mall by the previous group of peeps who ran Manila. And yes, dapat imbestigahan ito.
Teachers and students of Jose Abad Santos School in the Tondo district of Manila held their own demonstration last Monday, the first day of school. They were protesting their transfer to new school buildings in the old Namarco compound at the end of Dasmariñas Street, just off Escolta Street. They don’t want to move to the new site because it is far from their homes. They have to take two jeepney rides to get there, whereas they take only one to the old site. Besides, they have to pass through a squatter colony and they are afraid the students would be held up.
Senators Lim and Jamby Madrigal, several Manila congressmen and councilors rushed there early Monday morning because of the protests, attracting media people. I noted that the school buildings were still in very good condition. It seemed such a waste to tear them down.
So why do they want to tear them down? It’s because a land developer wants to get hold of the three-hectare campus. Megaworld Corp. is going to build a shopping mall and multi-story condominiums on the site of the school buildings. Megaworld did not even pay cash for the property owned by the city of Manila. According to Lim, the lot is worth P120,000 per sq m.
Instead of cash, Megaworld is paying for the property by giving some of the residential units in the condominium to the city government and by constructing new school buildings in the Namarco compound. Those buildings are now finished.
Lim said the deal, authorized only by a resolution -- not an ordinance -- by the city council, is grossly disadvantageous to the government because the land is worth much more than the value of the condo units to be turned over to the city government and the new school buildings put together.
Lim said there are reports that the councilors have been promised half a million pesos each to pass the resolution and that all but seven of the 36 councilors voted for the resolution. He added that there are reports that half of the amount (P250,000 each) has already been paid, with the balance to be given once the transaction is completed.
It looks like they won’t get the rest of the money because Lim said he would rescind the contract when he becomes mayor. To compensate Megaworld for the school buildings it constructed, the Manila government will buy it and convert it into a hospital for the people of the Tondo-Binondo area.
I think that’s fair enough. This should make everybody happy, except of course for some people at City Hall.
If you're a betting man, who would you pick "to win"?
Koko Pimentel or Migz Zubiri? I'm sorry if I sound pessimistic, but after listening to this interesting comment by Defensor, I'm DEFINITELY picking Zubiri to get more COMELEC generated votes in Mindanao.
Unless Zubiri preempts the COMELEC declaring him the victor by conceding first. ;)
(And if he does, I'm sure he will write another beautiful concession speech like Gore, Recto and Defensor).
Unless Zubiri preempts the COMELEC declaring him the victor by conceding first. ;)
(And if he does, I'm sure he will write another beautiful concession speech like Gore, Recto and Defensor).
Monday, June 04, 2007
Hmmm...
If I recall correctly, the pro-arroyo business community were noticably hostile to the Opposition (ayaw nga silang tulungan pagdating sa pera eh), so I don't know how much sway they have over the new senators.
TV station in Venezuela accused of "abetting coup", closed down
if you read the reasoning behind it, it's as if si Raul Gonzalez ang nagbaba ng katuusan na ito. lolololololololol....
Tinamaan rin kaya ang websites nina Ellen at MLQ3 ng DOS attacks?
kaya minsan mahirap silang ma-access? Eto nangyari sa Estonia.
Sunday, June 03, 2007
Cool face recognition trick by Google Image
From LifeHacker:
Reader Dennis writes in with a juicy tidbit regarding Google Image Search:When you add &imgtype=face to the picture search string, only photos with faces are showing up. This feature has not been officially announced yet and I have no idea how reliable it works.For example, a regular Google Image Search for "paris" returns lots of photos of the city. The modified search returns lots of photos of Paris Hilton. The same technique works for "Trapani" - a regular search turns up photos of the Sicilian city of Trapani, the modified version gives you photos of people's faces with the last name Trapani. Freaky! Thanks, Dennis!
Saturday, June 02, 2007
Where will Lebron's performance rank with the greatest?
Sabi ni Henry Abbott:
I agree with you on your last point. It's a great game for lebron, but it will rank higher if:
a) Cleveland actually beats Detroit in the series. It's not yet over, folks.
and
b) it will go up a few more notches if they beat the Spurs to win the championship.
If Detroit prevails over the cavs like it is supposed to, then lebron's performance will lose some of it's luster. Like Dirk's 50.
Remember last year when the Lakers were the toast of the basketball community after pushing the Suns to the brink of elimination? Kobe almost had two greatest game moments last year. Game 4 and Game 6.
If the Lakers eliminated the Suns in the playoffs, Kobe's Game 4 would be up there with the top 20 greatest playoff moments for me. Two great moments for Kobe during the game: He made the game tying shot to send the game into overtime, and the game winning shot to win 99-98 in OT. This would have been remembered as Kobe's "Jordan shooting over Ehlo" moment. it even had an "iconic photo" of kobe screaming after the winning the game for the lakers.
re Game 6, if tim thomas hadn't made that 3 pointer and won the game in OT, kobe's 50 (eliminating the suns 4-2, advancing to the playoffs) would have to be considered too.
but now it's all forgotten because of the way LA squandered a 1-3 lead, and losing the way they did (a blowout) in game 7 -- with kobe refusing to shoot in the second half. and now, all we hear is kobe whining about not getting enough help and wanting to move out of LA.
Oh, how things can turn quickly from gold to garbage, and vice versa.
Top twenty? Top ten? Top three?
A bunch of ESPN experts debated where last night's performance ranks on the all-time list.
My gut is that if it had been in an elimination game, or in the Finals, it would have been way up there near the top.
I agree with you on your last point. It's a great game for lebron, but it will rank higher if:
a) Cleveland actually beats Detroit in the series. It's not yet over, folks.
and
b) it will go up a few more notches if they beat the Spurs to win the championship.
If Detroit prevails over the cavs like it is supposed to, then lebron's performance will lose some of it's luster. Like Dirk's 50.
Remember last year when the Lakers were the toast of the basketball community after pushing the Suns to the brink of elimination? Kobe almost had two greatest game moments last year. Game 4 and Game 6.
If the Lakers eliminated the Suns in the playoffs, Kobe's Game 4 would be up there with the top 20 greatest playoff moments for me. Two great moments for Kobe during the game: He made the game tying shot to send the game into overtime, and the game winning shot to win 99-98 in OT. This would have been remembered as Kobe's "Jordan shooting over Ehlo" moment. it even had an "iconic photo" of kobe screaming after the winning the game for the lakers.
re Game 6, if tim thomas hadn't made that 3 pointer and won the game in OT, kobe's 50 (eliminating the suns 4-2, advancing to the playoffs) would have to be considered too.
but now it's all forgotten because of the way LA squandered a 1-3 lead, and losing the way they did (a blowout) in game 7 -- with kobe refusing to shoot in the second half. and now, all we hear is kobe whining about not getting enough help and wanting to move out of LA.
Oh, how things can turn quickly from gold to garbage, and vice versa.
Oras na ba para I-computerize ng botohan?
Ito ang mga comments na nabasa ko sa blog ni Manuel.
Sabi ni Jon Mariano, about computerizing our voting system:
I'm probably the only person who is not advocating for the computerization of our voting system until we do a thorough housecleaning within the COMELEC.
I have to disagree with Jon on this. Kapag computerized ang botohan, mas mabilis nga ang bilangan--pero mas mabilis rin ito dayain.
Kaya nga some people like Glenn Reynolds are advocating paper ballots para sa US elections dahil mas mahirap ito dayain at mas mabilis mahuli ang pandaraya.
Kapag computerized ang election, MAHIRAP mahuli ang dayaan. Almost undetectable. Posibleng dayain ka ng admin, pero hindi mo sya mapapansin, dahil "mabilis ang bilangan", at "walang ebidensiya" na may fraud.
Tignan nyo yung mga reports ng media at watchdog groups re fraud. Mas mabilis mahuli ang dayaan sa Mindanao di ba? dahil mas mabilis ma-recognize ang manual na "dagdag bawas". Most people know it when they see it.
Eh kung "computerized" yan, mahuli kaya ni ricky carandang ang dayaan sa botohan? Mabilis bang ma-detect ng mga outside computer experts at watchdog groups ang electronic "dagdag bawas" ng COMELEC if they have no (or limited) access to the COMELEC computers?
Problema kasi, walang naparusahan o nakulong nga garci operators nung 2004 eh. Kaya bumabalik ulit ang mga magnanakaw ng boto sa COMELEC.
So Jon, the difference between a "rigged" computerized system and a "rigged" manual system (both under a partisan COMELEC) is that it is easier to catch cheating under the manual system. At mas matrabaho and dagdag bawas sa manual.
re how to make the computerized system "un-riggable"? First step is to remove all the crooks inside the COMELEC. Without that first step, walang kwenta ang automated system na ito.
I'm sure the DJB, who's a physicist, will disagree with me on the voting machines issue.
UPDATE: PDI Editorial: "Who would not welcome poll computerization, unless he or she has a secret agenda for 2010?"
Sabi ni Jon Mariano, about computerizing our voting system:
It’s really time for computerization. If we try to simplify things, we can see that without computerization the voting is rigged. With computerization, the voting might be rigged. Might as well computerize it so that even if the results are rigged we have the results faster! Then we can work on making the computerized system “un-riggable”.
I'm probably the only person who is not advocating for the computerization of our voting system until we do a thorough housecleaning within the COMELEC.
I have to disagree with Jon on this. Kapag computerized ang botohan, mas mabilis nga ang bilangan--pero mas mabilis rin ito dayain.
Kaya nga some people like Glenn Reynolds are advocating paper ballots para sa US elections dahil mas mahirap ito dayain at mas mabilis mahuli ang pandaraya.
A paper ballot encodes lots of useful information besides the obvious. Not only is the information about the vote contained in the form, but also information about the voter. Different colors of ink, different styles of handwriting, etc., make each ballot different. Erasing the original votes is likely to leave a detectable residue. Creating all new ballots with fraudulent votes requires substantial variation among them or the fakery is much more obvious; thats hard work. And destroying the original ballots in order to replace them with fraudulent ones isnt that easy theres a lot of paper to be disposed of, and shredding it, or burning it, or hiding it is comparatively easy to detect. (Protecting the ballots before counting doesnt require fancy encryption, either: just a steel box with a lock, a slot on the top, and a seal.) Whats more, because people are familiar with paper documents, fraud is easy to understand when it occurs. Paper ballots are both robust (resistant to fraud) and transparent (easy to understand). Compare this sophisticated voting technology to that of voting machines. A voting machine captures only the information regarding the vote. Once it has done so, one vote looks like another. Theres no handwriting, no style, no ink, just a simple notation of which candidate was favored. Most voting machines store votes electronically, meaning that if theyre changed, theres no troubling paper residue for fraud-perpetrators to dispose of. And because voting machines are complicated - and because their actual workings are unseen, and often kept secret its much harder for voters, members of the press, and others to identify or understand fraud. Electronic ballots, in other words, are neither robust nor transparent. The fact is, if you could come up with a new technology as simple and resistant to fraud as the paper ballot, people would be pretty impressed.
Kapag computerized ang election, MAHIRAP mahuli ang dayaan. Almost undetectable. Posibleng dayain ka ng admin, pero hindi mo sya mapapansin, dahil "mabilis ang bilangan", at "walang ebidensiya" na may fraud.
Tignan nyo yung mga reports ng media at watchdog groups re fraud. Mas mabilis mahuli ang dayaan sa Mindanao di ba? dahil mas mabilis ma-recognize ang manual na "dagdag bawas". Most people know it when they see it.
Eh kung "computerized" yan, mahuli kaya ni ricky carandang ang dayaan sa botohan? Mabilis bang ma-detect ng mga outside computer experts at watchdog groups ang electronic "dagdag bawas" ng COMELEC if they have no (or limited) access to the COMELEC computers?
Problema kasi, walang naparusahan o nakulong nga garci operators nung 2004 eh. Kaya bumabalik ulit ang mga magnanakaw ng boto sa COMELEC.
So Jon, the difference between a "rigged" computerized system and a "rigged" manual system (both under a partisan COMELEC) is that it is easier to catch cheating under the manual system. At mas matrabaho and dagdag bawas sa manual.
re how to make the computerized system "un-riggable"? First step is to remove all the crooks inside the COMELEC. Without that first step, walang kwenta ang automated system na ito.
I'm sure the DJB, who's a physicist, will disagree with me on the voting machines issue.
UPDATE: PDI Editorial: "Who would not welcome poll computerization, unless he or she has a secret agenda for 2010?"
Friday, June 01, 2007
Siguro "irresponsible" rin si Ricky Carandang...
Kaya siya nakatanggap ng death threat for his reportings on the Mindanao election fraud.
Harry Roque gets one too.
Previous:
- Only "irresponsible" journalists get killed
Harry Roque gets one too.
Previous:
- Only "irresponsible" journalists get killed
Malaya: Economy grows 6.9% in 1st quarter in strongest expansion since 1990
Latest gov't statistics.
IIRC, Tumaas rin ang GDP natin noong 2004.
Maybe it has something to do with the elections and all that spending.
IIRC, Tumaas rin ang GDP natin noong 2004.
Maybe it has something to do with the elections and all that spending.
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