Posts tagged economics

Teach the Man how to Fish


…and how to paddle and probably even build the boat, too—one step at a time, with not just one person doing the teaching part.

ODA (official development assistance) may no longer be that sustainable, considering the shifts of economic powers and political positions in the world order in the last half-decade. In the last two decades we also saw the rise of corporate foundations (CSRs), multi-laterals, development agencies and bi-lateral relations come to the fore in advancing global development.

So yesterday was Ash Wednesday, the launch of what the Catholic Church declares a period for abstinence, sacrifice and fasting. Today everyone eats bags of chocolates, dines in pricey restaurants, spends a fortune on flowers and f*cks like there’s no tomorrow in honour of another Church-devised icon. The pope has thus so rightfully quit his job. Who’s next?

Sex, Politics and Racism

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There’s a racist in all of us, waiting to say it out loud given the right moment. But while we all have our own prejudices on or against certain groups or nationalities, there’s also a little part of us that craves for some understanding as to why we feel that way towards…them.

All jobs require English nowadays.
Pollyana Temponi, a 27-year-old prostitute in Belo Horizonte (Brazil) told the Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper on signing up for an English course in preparation for the influx of international tourists for the 2014 World Cup. Story in http://www.ibtimes.com/brazilian-prostitutes-learn-foreign-languages-ahead-world-cup-1005030
Not surprisingly, Europeans in the eurozone share a consensus that Deutschland is (and probably, rightfully so) the least corrupt in the region; as reported by The Economist. Story in http://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2012/05/greeks-say-they-are-hardest-working-european-nation.The report is largely drawn from the recent survey done by Pew Global as discussed here: http://www.pewglobal.org/2012/05/29/chapter-4-views-of-eu-countries-and-leaders/

Not surprisingly, Europeans in the eurozone share a consensus that Deutschland is (and probably, rightfully so) the least corrupt in the region; as reported by The Economist. Story in http://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2012/05/greeks-say-they-are-hardest-working-european-nation.

The report is largely drawn from the recent survey done by Pew Global as discussed here: http://www.pewglobal.org/2012/05/29/chapter-4-views-of-eu-countries-and-leaders/

In 2010 George Papaconstantinou, chief negotiator of Greece’s first bail-out by the EU and IMF, took delivery from the French government of a disk with the names of 2,000 Greeks with Swiss bank accounts. He kept it and deleted names of members of his family. The planned investigation was dropped.
It’s a good way to cap off this year. Now you all can suck it, Catholic extremists!
Finally, the Reproductive Health bill has now been signed into law (Republic Act 10354).  http://www.gov.ph/2012/12/21/republic-act-no-10354/
The fight is really loaded for the RH bill, but despite that, it was a close vote. Truth is not always determined by the majority…It is not determined by pork barrel, by dangling of government projects, by political convenience, or political whip. They have these to see to it that members of the Liberal Party follow what the President wants, but many did not follow.
Catholic Bishop Gabriel Reyes, on the majority of YES votes to the second reading of the Reproductive Health bill at the Lower House of Congress. (Related story in http://www.interaksyon.com/article/50302/ayes-have-it-house-passes-rh-bill)

Naturally, Reyes sounds off the staunch opposition of the Church to the RH Bill, embedded in a long tradition of keeping the Filipinos ignorant of the realities of poverty and social imbalance brought about by even the church’s abuse of power and influence in Philippine society. Heck, even these men in white robes 

But by saying this, it let’s ask Reyes and the Catholic Church: And what, dangling your support and endorsement for national and local candidates in next year’s elections isn’t a game you in the clergy love to play? Don’t be kidding the people, this is not 1521. It’s the 21st century, for f*ck’s sake, Mr. Reyes.

It’s as if we don’t know that you people are lying to the people in poor communities about your antiquated morals and detached grip from reality, ripping them off of their money, refusing to pay taxes while maintaining luxurious lifestyles, murdering the so-called unbelievers, accepting bribes from officials you accuse to be corrupt, engaging in illegal ivory trade, harbouring criminals in your convents, investing in the Philippine Stock Exchange and sexually abusing little kids.

CBCP and Vatican, please wake up…or just sit with your computers and devote all your time on Josef Ratzinger’s Twitter account. You might learn a thing or two.

Europe’s struggling economies ‘most corrupt’, new survey reveals


The countries worst hit by Europe’s debt crisis are also thought to be the most corrupt, according to a new global survey. Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece all had the lowest scores in Transparency International’s annual Corruption Perceptions Index.

Field of Angels


Angeles City is known to many as one of the country’s food capitals for its exotic Kapampangan delicacies. People flock to the province for the food-adventure it offers, particularly the curious, the daring and the fearless. But little would we, even us Filipinos, know that it’s also thriving on another delicacy: strip clubs.

Development progress is about overcoming institutional blockages, usually underpinned by collective action problems. It is not, for the most part, about resource shortages or funding gaps.
Dani Rodrik
For my American friends and followers—I am not American, but today I hope you will vote wisely and, indeed, vote for progress. Believe it or not, your vote has—in many direct and indirect ways—a huge effect on the lives even of non-Americans.

For my American friends and followers—I am not American, but today I hope you will vote wisely and, indeed, vote for progress. Believe it or not, your vote has—in many direct and indirect ways—a huge effect on the lives even of non-Americans.

An alarming consequence of Greece’s economic meltdown has been the rise of the virulently ultra-nationalist political party, Golden Dawn. In this week’s issue of TIME, we report on the group’s tactics and ideology as well as the political climate that feeds Golden Dawn’s anti-immigrant drive.
In Reclaiming Xenophobia: The Rise of Ultra-Nationalism in Greece, by Joanna Kakissis in the 31 October 2012 issue of TIME. Story in http://world.time.com/2012/10/31/reclaiming-xenophobia-the-rise-of-ultra-nationalism-in-greece/?xid=newsletter-europe-weekly

Hardly surprising, given the Greeks’ own history of xenophobia in general; and the current economic state coupled with their internal political tiffs.
And lying to the people, ripping them off of their money, refusing to pay taxes, maintaining luxurious lifestyle, murdering the so-called unbelievers, accepting bribes from corrupt officials, engaging in illegal ivory trade, investing in the Philippine Stock Exchange and fucking little kids are also God’s will?

And lying to the people, ripping them off of their money, refusing to pay taxes, maintaining luxurious lifestyle, murdering the so-called unbelievers, accepting bribes from corrupt officials, engaging in illegal ivory trade, investing in the Philippine Stock Exchange and fucking little kids are also God’s will?