Simple solution

2

Written on 4:49 PM by isko b. doo

For most of us, it might be difficult to understand the reason for the downward spin of the global economy but it boils down to overproduction and speculation. While we can point to the highly-excessive US economy and its neo-liberalist policy, which makes it vulnerable to abuse by some enterprising multi-nationals with a lot of grease money to make sure the market forces are artificially stable, we can also cite some countries (led by China), flooding the world with cheap goods and imitations which makes it virtually impossible for small businesses to compete.

Of course, free market forces adhere to the maxim that supply creates demand. What is happening now, however, is not the lack of supply but production is not meeting the demand of quality in products. To put it simply, it's the case of putting the cart before the horse. There are too many cheap products of the same design but nobody is buying after hearing too many horror stories of toxic poisoning in children, breakable products, and unreliable warranty.

This distrust towards cheap products is further aggravated by the economic downturn which creates a vacuum of demand for non-basic products, which leads to retrenchments and profit loss. It's no wonder therefore that China is badly-hit by the global recession since it forces nations to cut down on imports and develop local products.

You have the richest family on the block, which becomes the envy of the neighborhood because the parents, who were savvy entrepreneurs, always had the most beautiful cars and clothes, the kids had the latest toys and gadgets, the mansion covers nearly half the block with a 24-hour security detail.

One day, the rich father showed you how he devised a system through maximized use of credit cards, subprime mortgages, and manipulating the market to keep profits soaring. You tried it and saw your bank account expand, you get a new car, renovate your house, send your kids to exclusive schools. Finally, you're living the American dream.

So what happens when you notice the cars of your neighbor missing one by one? When his kids are now taking buses to school or even transferring to another cheaper school? One day, you see furniture and appliances being wheeled out of the mansion and rumors have it that they are being pawned off. The pool dries up, the dogs stop barking, the security guard goes missing.

You know something is wrong but you're not sure what. Then you start hearing rumors about banks foreclosing properties, loans getting rejected, markets falling, your friend getting fired from his job, and your center of balance start spinning. You hold on to your valuables and hard-earned money hoping to weather the difficult times. But you know in your heart it's only a matter of time before you get what's coming to you.

At work you hear whispers, softly bouncing off walls at first but it gets louder and more persistent. You are next to go.

What do you do?

Our lawmakers found a solution: just add another P2 billion to the pork barrel.

I hope he can

1

Written on 7:34 PM by isko b. doo




It's it amazing how just barely 54 years ago Rosa Parks refused to yield her seat in a bus to a white passenger in Montgomery, Alabama and sparked the modern civil rights movement? With that act of defiance, her name is now forever etched in history while the driver of the bus who threatened to have her arrested will forever be relegated to small script and annotated by an asterisk. The driver's name, by the way, was James Blake.

Nine years earlier, a lesser known act of courage was shown by Irene Morgan, who was jailed in Virginia for refusing to give up her seat to a white person on board a Greyhound bus. She was just 27 years old.

I don't even remember what I did at that age.

And here we are. Standing behind the podium on the steps of the US capitol, a rather lean man in red silk tie. Barack Hussein Obama. The first black president of the most powerful country in the world.

The storied candidacy of Obama from a virtual unknown to the 44th US president has been well-played by the media. Obama knows his history and the significance of his victory. For some, he has ceased to be an individual but became symbol personified. It is to his credit that rather than run away from the overwhelming expectations, he welcomed it. This is evident on his speech, which was filled to the brim with symbolisms, as he weaved from one era to another in the history of America in a preacher's deep voice.

I was impressed by his eloquence but then again, I think part of the reason was watching George W. Bush mangle the English language for the past eight years. That doesn't take away from Obama's command of the language but we have to admit, any politician with an ounce of charisma and articulation will sound like Einstein standing next to Bush (I'm not looking at you Newt Gingrich). Anyway, no sense to step further on already flat shit. Moving on.

Throughout his speech (here's the full text), Obama peddled hope, freedom and responsibility like rare gypsy's potions. I sat in front of the tube entranced, as I watched the crowd cheer while hanging on to his every word like giddy girls over Edward Cullen pasty-white smile.

Yes, I'm even willing to suspend whatever misgivings I had before about how he dropped his pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, over his controversial sermons that did not sit well with white America and choosing instead ultra-right Pastor Rick Warren (who himself made inflammatory rhetoric against homosexuals) to deliver the inaugural prayers.

I guess that's the peril of being a president, you have to please each demographic.

At this point, I really hope he can make good on his promise to reclaim the lost faith of the rest of the world on the capacity of America to lead and erase the image of a bully that wedgies school nerds on a whim.

I wonder though, throughout his speech, did anybody notice the color of his skin other than white, red and blue?