Will ‘Richard the Lionheart’ deliver?

 

“We shall never change our political leaders until we change the people who elect them.”

—Mark Skousen

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

EVERY political pundit will now be watching with awe and avidity if “Richard the Lionheart” will be able to sustain and rev up the dominant political empire his late father Oca had built in the first district of Iloilo possibly “on the brink” of being shredded like ribbons now that the grand old man is gone.

Being the only male in the Garin political lineup, much is expected of “Richard the Lionheart” especially now that the May 9, 2022 election is fast approaching.

Will he be able to protect through his own charm and direction, as what his late father Oca had done, the seven municipalities—Guimbal, Oton, Tigbauan, Tubungan, Miag-ao, Igbaras, San Joaquin—from the challenges to be mounted by those who think now is the right time to storm the Bastille?

For sure, the clan’s political rivals are now sharpening their knives for possible attempt to take over some of the aforementioned municipalities in the belief that there’s a gnawing leadership vacuum following father Oca’s sudden demise on September 26 due to reportedly Covid-19.

Some of the clan’s political rivals who dreaded standing toe to toe against the late patriarch might now be emboldened to file their Certificates of Candidacy (COC) and convince themselves they can hack out a major upset in the coming election, a dream many of them had longed for in the past 30 years.

 

-o0o-

 

Before his death, there were fears from the clan’s political adversaries all over the province the late father Oca’s influence and machineries had branched out beyond the first district of Iloilo.

If given more latitude and additional time and resources, some of the political opponents think the Garin clan’s fortresses could expand and grow and they would find it more daunting to wage a battle against the clan during and beyond election 2022.

With father Oca’s unexpected death eight months before the forthcoming poll, the clan’s political rivals may have found the perfect opportunity to regroup, reenergize and frenziedly marshal their forces like they are about to be deployed in the Punic Wars, a series of wars fought between the Roman Republic and Ancient Carthage.

In this case, “Richard the Lionheart’s” hands and leadership will be put to acid test.

 

-o0o-

 

WE are glad that New York hospitals on September 27 began firing or suspending healthcare workers who defied state order to get the COVID-19 vaccine, even as resulting staff shortages prompted some hospitals to postpone elective surgeries or curtail services.

It’s long overdue. It should have been done earlier, or when Covid-19 deaths and cases did not reach alarming stage.

With the pandemic already more than a year and millions have perished worldwide, what more do these anti-vaccine characters want to hear and learn from health experts in particular and medical science in general?

The news came out after New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the city's hospitals were not yet seeing a major impact from the mandate, adding he worried about other areas of the state where vaccination rates are lower.

According to Reuters, a spokeswoman for Catholic Health, one of the largest healthcare providers in Western New York, said it had reached full compliance, counting staff members who had been vaccinated, those with exemptions and some who had been suspended without pay.

New York's state health department reportedly issued an order last month mandating that all healthcare workers receive at least their first COVID-19 shot by Sept. 27, triggering a rush by hospitals to get their employees inoculated.

Of the 43,000 employees at the New York City's 11 public hospitals, about 5,000 were not vaccinated, Dr. Mitchell Katz, head of NYC Health + Hospitals, said at the news conference with de Blasio.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two dailies in Iloilo)

 

‘I didn’t order an Apple laptop’

 “A scam is a scam. A fraud is a fraud. Different rules don't apply in the City than they do for you and me.”

—Emily Thornberry

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

A FEMALE Filipino-American friend from New Jersey and a visiting physician from Sorsogon became the latest victims of online scam or credit card fraud here in the United States.

I actually learned about the predicament of Angelica (not her real name), the Fil-Am, after visiting the Bank of America (BofA) branch on 3^rd Avenue and 59^th Street in Midtown Manhattan September 27 to file my own complaint regarding my own case.

Bacolod-born Angelica, 51, who read my article about the unauthorized use of my BofA debit card on Saturday, immediately contacted me to report that her credit card was also used in a fraudulent transaction involving the purchase of a brand new Apple Macbook laptop in Michigan.

“I lost $1,600 in that scam,” bewailed Angelica. “A scammer who hacked my credit card was able to purchase the item in a place I have never been to.”

Angelica swore “I didn’t order an Apple laptop” (even) online.

She uses a laptop for business and otherwise but not an Apple product, Angelica confirmed.

She didn’t indicate which bank or credit company her card belonged.

Another friend, a physician who arrived in New York two months ago, lost $1,378 in her credit card after a scammer used it to purchase a brand new TV set in Seattle.

“It’s really pure and simple scam because I am here in New York and the transaction occurred in Seattle which is miles away,” protested the female physician, who is now in Washington D.C.

 

-o0o-

 

Going back to my own case where I “lost” only $104.94 from two unauthorized online transactions evening on September 25, BofA officer for Small Business Consultant Jamie Bernstein handled my case.

Mr. Bernstein confirmed that the bank had “locked” my account to prevent further unauthorized activity after the fraud was monitored and the bank’s alert monitoring system alerted me that night.

He said a new debit card would be sent to me by mail this week.

While the new card hasn’t yet arrived, I couldn’t use my old card to make a deposit or withdrawal, I was informed right there inside the BofA branch.

Mr. Bernstein asked me to wait for the new card and refrain from using the old one because I could no longer use it in any ATM machine anywhere in the United States.

Fair enough and logical although I found it inconvenient to keep or carry checks and cash, which I don’t normally do, in my wallet this week. 

 

-o0o-

 

The credit card industry has always been targeted by hackers and thieves, disclosed Holly D. Johnson of Bankrate.

Unfortunately, she stressed, the most common scams have changed right along with technology. 

According to a 2020 identity theft study from Javelin Research, scammers have mostly graduated from counterfeiting credit cards to more significant crimes like identity theft and savings account takeover, reported Johnson.

She warned further the next year could even bring about even more complicated scams like synthetic identity fraud and takeovers of investment accounts instead of just checking and savings accounts.

“While nobody knows for sure what the future holds, it’s safe to say financial scams cause headaches and financial losses, and will likely continue doing so for years to come,” Johnson emphasized.

“Still, you don’t have to be a victim if you’re careful. The experts at Javelin Research say a large part of reducing fraud is making sure consumers adopt safer methods to protect their sensitive data while they manage their finances. To help in that respect, read on to learn more about some of the biggest credit card scams to watch out for in 2021, as well as how you can protect yourself.”

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two dailies in Iloilo)

 

 

 

 

 

Oca Garin’s death changes the political picture

  

“The greatest power is not money power, but political power.”

—Walter Annenberg

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

NOBODY has filed an official certificate of candidacy (COC) with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) yet, but the demolition machines of some warring political parties have started to blowtorch in the social media in particular those who have already announced their candidacy in next year’s election.

Comelec Resolution No. 10717 mandates the filing of COC from October 1-8, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

We expect the heavy artillery attack to groundswell once COCs have been filed and submitted in the Comelec; and contenders in the May 9, 2022 Philippine general election will be officially revealed.

The social media has become the favorite venue for political flamethrowers to brainwash and condition the minds of a large slice of the voting populace at this early.

Unlike in the raucous radio blocktime programs where oodles upon oodles of cash are needed to mount a black propaganda or political demolition job, social media platforms aren’t expensive.

Political hacks recruited in the trolls aren’t necessarily popular media or brilliant PR characters. 

Second rate and odious barkers, as well as gutsy mercenaries who are willing to eat their prey alive, can now be tapped to handle the detonation of political bombs in social media.

 

 

-o0o-

THE sudden death of Guimbal, Iloilo mayor Oscar “Oca” Garin Sr. on September 26 has left a big void in the clan’s political supremacy in the first district of Iloilo that romped off in 1987 when Garin, an engineer, was elected in the House of Representatives.

Since then, the Garin clan has managed to tighten up their grips into power and none of their strongest political rivals had a chance to replace them or “borrow” the portfolios even for a single term of office.

From mayor to congressman, it’s been an all-Garin show since after the EDSA Revolution.

Garin’s death means the patriarch also could no longer see a clan member climbing into the highest position in Iloilo province now being lorded over by the Defensors.

The Garin children, well-educated and well-trained to continue the patriarch’s legacy, however, are still very much in contention, as well as their mother, San Joaquin mayor Ninfa.

 

-o0o-

 

But after the Defensors (assuming they are all retiring), there is still the formidable Tupas clan waiting with smoking guns in the horizon after Gov. Arthur “Toto” Defensor Jr.

Almost all the Tupas children in politics are still vibrant, active, virtuoso and politically knowledgeable like the casts in the Return of the Jedi. 

There has never been an exciting moment in Iloilo’s political history where three gigantic families are vying for supremacy and dominance in one generation: Garin, Defensor, Tupas.

The Tupases have lost patriarch Niel Sr. and the Garins have just lost Oca Sr.

The Defensors remain solid and robust in machinery with patriarch Arthur “Art” Sr. still in the driver’s seat.

It would have been another story if Oca Garin were alive.

Garin himself had long been targeting the governorship and this explained why he didn’t retire from politics even after a long journey in public service holding different elective and appointive positions under six presidents.

If Garin were alive but couldn’t anymore take the capitol’s top post, he could still commander one of his talented children or wife Ninfa to give Gov. Toto Defensor a run for his money.

His death has dramatically changed the picture.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two dailies in Iloilo)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What did I tell Gotthard in Spuyten Duyvil?

“Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing.”

—Camille Pissarro

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

I MET Gotthard in, of all places, Spuyten Duyvil third week of September this year.

He was an elevator operator in a building in Manhattan sometime in 1969 when Jack Dempsey, then 74, became his “passenger.”

When Gotthard, then 30, recognized Dempsey, also known as the Manassa Mauler, the retired former world heavyweight boxing champion gave him a $5 tip.

“I couldn’t believe it,” Gotthard sighed. 

“That you saw Jack Demsey?” I muttered.

“No. That he gave me a $5 tip,” Gotthard intoned.

A five-dollar tip at that time was equivalent to around $500 (Philippine Peso 25,000) today.

“By the way, Alex, do you know him?” Gotthard, now 82, inquired.

“Yes, Mr. Hoitink (Gotthard’s family name),” I quickly retorted. “In fact, I can’t forget him. Jack Dempsey was regarded by many as the apotheosis of the professional fighter. And he was involved in the controversial ‘the long count’.”

My rather stout response was enough to provoke Gotthard’s interest on the subject matter. 

He demanded for more details and how the hell I was able to remember this iconic personality in sports history when I wasn’t yet born when the press had supposedly started to bypass his ring exploits the moment his tavern beaming international sporting events and offering a menu of American grub and Irish breakfast on 36 W 33^rd Street, New York became an international sensation because it bears his name: Jack Dempsey’s.

 

-o0o-

 

Before we proceed with Dempsey and Gotthard, let me explain where is Spuyten Duyvil, why I was there—or what I was doing there—and why it’s tongue twister.

Spuyten Duyvil has quite the sinister name and is a seemingly peaceful body of water that connects the Harlem and Hudson Rivers.

Erin Klarke of NY1 quoted Bronx borough historian Lloyd Ultan as saying, "It's a Dutch name that means in spite of the Devil.”

It’s actually one of the most peculiar names in the Bronx.

"Spitting devil because of the strong current," wrote Angel Hernandez of the Bronx Historical Society.

“Spouting stream," according to Thomas Casey, president of the Huntington Free Library.

No one knows for sure why it got that reputation, but author Washington Irving helped fan the flame with a story that some still debate.

"He tells a fictional story that when the English fleet comes in menacing the Dutch control of the area that Peter Stuyvesant sent a messenger to the mainland. There was a big storm in the area, but the messenger had a duty to perform so he said that he was going to cross that creek in spite of the devil or in ‘spuyten duyvil’ and supposedly, according to the story, he drowns," Ultan explained.

“He's eaten by a very large fish," Casey said.

Frightening creatures aside, Spuyten Duyvil Creek was a troublesome waterway.

Its curves and shallow waters made it difficult to navigate, and in 1895, the Army Corp of Engineers widened and made it deeper.

Years later when a railroad was built, more people began moving to what was known as the country and they took their neighborhood name from the creek.

"You had a large estate and you traveled sometimes by boat you had a dock right on the Hudson River," said Casey.

That position along the Hudson made Spuyten Duyvil a prime location a century earlier during the Revolutionary War.

 

-o0o-

 

Back to Dempsey, who held the title from July 4, 1919, when he knocked out Jess Willard in three rounds in Toledo, Ohio, until September 23, 1926, when he lost a 10-round decision to Gene Tunney in Philadelphia. 

Dempsey fought 84 bouts, winning 62, 51 of which were by knockout.

Dempsey started boxing in 1914 under the name Kid Blackie. 

In 1918 and early 1919 he compiled an impressive number of knockouts, most in the first round, to earn a fight with Willard. 

The 37-year-old champion proved no match for young Dempsey, who attacked ferociously from the starting bell and knocked Willard to the floor seven times in the first round. 

Even more primitive in its intensity was Dempsey’s title defense against Argentine heavyweight Luis Angel Firpo in New York City on September 14, 1923. After being knocked out of the ring in the first round, Dempsey battered Firpo into defeat in the second.

Why I was in Spuyten Duyvil. Social worker Lucelle tasked me to “help” Gotthard for a few days after he was diagnosed with colon cancer metastasized to liver with pneumonia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

A daily three-hour conversation with me and assisting him to take a shower are part of my tasks for Gotthard, a lawyer-university professor-historian rolled into one.

But it’s our tete a tete that made him forget his present condition for a while. He’s also interested to know if Imelda Marcos is still alive and how did the “Thrilla in Manila” end, why it is called the greatest heavyweight championship in history until today.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two dailies in Iloilo)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I ‘stopped’ the hemorrhage but lost $104.94 in scam

“To me, the Internet is a big scam.”

-Ry Cooder

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

IN 2016, I decided to close my Bank of America (BofA) checking account I opened in Culvert City, California in 2007 after being hit three times by online scam since I relocated in New York City a year earlier.

I tried to close my other business account I opened in Lake Forest, California in 2015 with the same bank, but the management in the Jackson Heights, Queens branch prevailed upon me to keep it.

After retaining the business account, I was hit by online scam once more in 2018. 

Enough is enough. I kept the account and endured the $16 monthly fee (Philippine P800) but maintained only a certain amount enough to pay my basic bills.

For a while everything was fine. The pandemic lockdown came in March 2020 and the account suffered from famine when the economy nosedived for a few months.

When New York bounced back from the state of financial comatose due to the pandemic-induced lockdowns, the BofA business account rose from death throes and was never closed despite being dormant.

 

-o0o-

 

At 7:30 in the evening September 25, a text message popped up on my phone. 

It read: “Bank of America Security: Did you use your debit card ending in 9833 at: VITAVIX KETO, $89.99, Declined, 09/25? If you recognize this activity, reply YES. If not, reply NO. STOP to end texts.”

I didn’t authorize an $89.99 transfer through online so I typed ‘NO.’

Then another text message came: “Your card ending in 9833 is restricted. Call 844.585.0485 or go to Online Banking to prevent further unauthorized activity.”

I got scared by the words “…to prevent further unauthorized activity.”

When I checked online, another unauthorized activity has just commenced: “CHECKCARD 09/25 8669911616VERACLEANSE 866-9911616 CA -$14.95.”

The electronic robbery was unfolding.

I immediately followed the BofA online instructions on how to stop the ongoing illegal activity and, thus, averted a massive hemorrhage that would have not only drained my account but also possibly further impaired it with a negative balance that might reach to hundreds if not thousands of dollars if not halted right away.

 

-o0o-

 

I learned later that a scam spreading across the United States has been targeting Bank of America customers, tricking them into sending money to fraudsters through the popular Zelle payment app, among other schemes.

The scam has been reported far and wide by thousands of victims across the United States. 

Bank of America was reportedly now warning customers as many scammers are posing as BofA representatives helping them "avoid a hack in their account."

ABC13 has reported that in San Francisco, California a school nurse identified as Page Pollack was among the latest to fall victim, just as she was working to get students safely back to school amid the threat of COVID-19.

Pollack lost $3,500 from con artists who hacked his BofA account.

“With the pandemic and kids coming back to school, yeah it's crazy,'' said Page Pollack, the nurse for the San Carlos School District. "I have eight schools and I am the only nurse. So it's a pretty big job."

Immersed in the task of getting schools open with ever-changing pandemic conditions, the last thing she expected was to be blindsided by a con artist, reported the ABC13.

"$3,500 is a lot of money to me,'' Pollack told ABC13 sister station KGO-TV. "School nurses don't make a ton of money."

 

-o0o-

 

Through the help of KGO-TV, however, Pollack was able to get back her money after BofA denied her claim.

In denying her claim, the bank's notice reportedly read: "Page, unfortunately, we're unable to approve your recent claim...we didn't receive approval from the payee to reverse the $3,500 transferred into your account."

The bank reportedly added, "We recommend you contact the person you sent the funds to directly for further assistance."

BofA reportedly reversed its verdict after being informed by the TV network that this was a fraud, not a legitimate transaction.

“I said, 'So that means I get my money back?' She says, 'Yes.' So I just started crying," Pollack told KGO-TV. "I am just beyond grateful, beyond appreciative. And I thank you from the bottom of my heart."

On September 27, I will go to the BofA to make a claim of my $104.94 because I am a victim of a fraudulent transaction.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two dailies in Iloilo)

 

 

 

 

We need moral values not popularity

 “You'll be someone's favorite, and someone else is going to hate you, aren't they? I know that I can't please everyone, but what I can do is be myself and be true to my values.”

—Alex Scott

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

WHAT we should look for a leader is not popularity but a strong set of moral and spiritual values.

The fad in Philippine politics nowadays is that if you are popular, you can join in the electoral process and win.

Never mind if you’re corrupt and inept. Never mind if you have been living an immoral life. 

Never mind if you are unprincipled and weakling. Never mind if you are bereft of moral and spiritual values.

Sad to say, none among the early birds in next year’s presidential elections in the Philippines has measured up to our expectations. 

Yorme, Pacman, Ping, Bongbong, Quiboly. All superstars and affluent materially in their respective fields, but nobody from this pack has exhibited a brand of leadership and characteristics worthy of emulation from the youngsters in the next generation.

Where are those who have been espousing a decent, moral, humane, honest, spiritual, simple and dignified life both in private and public?

We need leaders who can inspire and lead us to the right direction, not popular but pretenders and traditional politicians.

 

-o0o-

 

Yorme is just another fly in the ointment. After a brief date with public adulation owing to his head-turning transformation from a jungle into a livable habitat of the country’s capital city, he now thinks he can solve the country’s major mess when he occupies Malacanang.

Pacman is a media creation. Being a world boxing champion doesn’t make a person a shoo-in for the presidency.

If being a popular athlete was used as the basis for a trip to the highest office in the land, Paeng Nepumoceno, Bata Reyes, Flash Elorde, Onyok Velasco, Pancho Villa, Arianne Cerdena, Bea Lucero and a host of Filipino world class athletes would have been president.

Quiboloy is a charlatan. A-blind-leading-the-blind a-false-prophet beware-of-wolves-in-sheep-clothing-type applicant. A Dracula intending to guard the blood blank. No good.

Ping still has the blood of the Kuratong Baleleng in his shirts. And the double murder of Dacer and Corbito. Scary.

If political wannabes tell us "it's not about the money but the principle," chances are it is always about the money.

That’s why Bongbong needs no further introduction. The family name speaks for itself.

 

-o0o-

 

A new study published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B finds that people are quick to change their moral values depending on which rule means more cash for them instead of others.

The study, titled "Equity or equality? Moral judgments follow the money," was conducted by Peter DeScioli, an Assistant Professor in Department of Political Science at Stony Brook University and Associate Director of the Center for Behavioral Political Economy, and colleagues.

“Previous research emphasizes people's personalities, genes, and upbringing as the main source of moral values and disagreements about morality," said DeScioli. 

"We found that people also adjust their moral values depending on which principle benefits them the most. Our moral principles are more flexible and self-serving than we would like to admit."

DeScioli points out that the finding translates to many situations in which people need to divvy up resources such as family members dividing an estate, business partners dividing profits, citizens deciding how tax dollars will be spent, or nations dividing territory.

“Our selfishness does, however, have some limits," emphasized DeScioli. 

In the last experiment, the researchers removed the justification for an unequal division by asking both partners to transcribe one paragraph. In this scenario, most Typists (78%) shared the reward equally rather than taking the larger share. And, Typists no longer shifted their moral judgments in the self-interested direction.

The researchers conclude that the "Pursuit of self-interest is tempered, however, by the constraints of coordination. People seek not only to benefit themselves but also to persuade other people that they are morally right in doing so.”

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two dailies in Iloilo)

 

Western media ‘ignore’ Duterte’s UN speech

 “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.”

—Mahatma Gandhi

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

WHEN news broke out that the Taliban have asked to address world leaders at the 76^th session of United Nations (UN) General Assembly in New York City where they nominated Doha-based spokesman Suhail Shaheen as Afghanistan's UN ambassador on September 21, it was the same schedule when Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte delivered his pre-recorded speech.

It was supposed to be a “bombastic” speech, something that was expected of a firebrand Philippine leader who had been criticizing the UN in the past.

But except for UN’s news organization, no other Western press took cognizance of the fire-spewing Philippine President’s speech where he urged the world to “reverse course” on inequality.

The world media in general largely bypassed Mr. Duterte’s speech which became a headline story in the Philippines the following day.

Media gave more prominence to Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s request in a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on September 20 where he asked to speak during the annual high-level meeting of the General Assembly, which finishes on September 27.

There was no mention of Mr. Duterte’s speech even in major news websites, except in the news websites based in the Philippines.

Describing the current global situation as “bleak”, Mr. Duterte remembered that the pandemic upended everyone’s lives, the climate crisis has worsened, inequalities have deepened, and the geopolitical balance is in a state of dangerous flux.  

He argued: “Certainly, these are complex problems. But one thing is clear, they all hit the poor the hardest. Injustice is the common thread that ties these issues together.”

 

-o0o-

 

The issue on inequality will define humanity’s future, Mr. Duterte emphasized.

He added: “From what I have seen that future will likely be one of inequality, where the poor plays catch-up with the rich, with no hope nor chance of ever succeeding in closing the gap. We cannot, in all conscience, allow this to happen. An unjust order is inherently volatile.”

The controversial Philippine leader then addressed the representatives in the room, asking how, as governments, they could reconcile their obligations to their own citizens with their responsibility to the rest of humanity? 

“We recognize that only inclusive multilateralism can deliver the global public goods we need,” he answered.  

He pointed to deeply uneven COVID-19 vaccination rates as an example. Saying some rich countries are now talking about booster shots, while developing nations consider half-doses, he called the behavior “shocking beyond belief.” 

“(It) must be condemned for what it is, a selfish act that can neither be justified rationally nor morally,” he said.  

Mr. Duterte also remembered Philippines’s $1 million contribution to the UN’s COVAX Facility, urging all partners to support the initiative and addressed his Administration’s campaign against illegal drugs.  

He said his Government “has a mandate and an obligation” to his people and will deal with all criminals “with the full force” of the country’s laws.  

He admitted that “achieving this goal has not been without challenges” and informed that he instructed the Department of Justice and the Philippine National Police to review the conduct of the campaign. 

“Those found to have acted beyond bounds during operations shall be made accountable before our laws,” he promised.  

 

 

-o0o-

 

Lastly, he argued that the world’s institutions, including the United Nations, “have proven to be inadequate” in dealing with global crisis that demand effective global governance.  

For the Philippine’s President, “the UN a product of an era long past, it no longer reflects the political and economic realities of today.” 

Mr. Duterte concluded: “If  the UN is to lead the world out of the many crises we face, things need to change. The UN must empower itself, by reforming itself. Therein lies the hope for humanity,” he concluded.  

Meanwhile, Guterres' spokesperson, Farhan Haq, confirmed Muttaqi's letter. The move sets up a showdown with Ghulam Isaczai, the UN ambassador in New York representing Afghanistan's government ousted last month by the Taliban.

Haq said the rival requests for Afghanistan's UN seat had been sent to a nine-member credentials committee, whose members include the United States, China and Russia. The committee is unlikely to meet on the issue before Monday, so it is doubtful that the Taliban foreign minister will address the world body.

Eventual UN acceptance of the ambassador of the Taliban would be an important step in the group's bid for international recognition, which could help unlock badly needed funds for the cash-strapped Afghan economy.

Guterres has said that the Taliban's desire for international recognition is the only leverage other countries have to press for inclusive government and respect for rights, particularly for women, in Afghanistan.

The Taliban letter said Isaczai's mission "is considered over and that he no longer represents Afghanistan," said Haq.

Until a decision is made by the credentials committee Isaczai will remain in the seat, according to the General Assembly rules. He is currently scheduled to address the final day of the meeting on September 27, but it was not immediately clear if any countries might object in the wake of the Taliban letter.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two dailies in Iloilo)

 

Facebook ‘blocks’ my blog but tolerates pornography

“The seven billion people on the planet don't give a fuck what you want. They want you to program code for cool video games, they want you hot young girls to do porn, and they want you guys to like go build engineering and other stuff to make their lives easier. And they want food... and they want it fast.” 

―Aaron Clarey

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

IN March 2020 during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in New York City where our community in Elmhurst in the borough of Queens became the epicenter of the world, Facebook “blocked” one of my two active blogs, alexpvidal.wordpress.com.

I noticed the major upheaval after I couldn’t post it on my Facebook page, which I have been regularly doing in the past.

The blog was blocked because I “shared something that goes against our Community Standards,” explained the social media’s “Help Center.”

When I checked, the story I wrote on my blog that day was about the “death of 17 New Yorkers every minute,” which had been reported in all the major media networks in the United States.

It’s purely based on facts, actual observations and interviews done on experts and authorities on the subject matter. 

The story was neither manufactured nor doctored.

Facebook ostensibly considered the straight story based primarily on accuracy and facts as “going against their Community Standards.” 

Highly debatable and atrocious, to say the least.

Interestingly, Facebook did not block the news websites that carried the same story; it did not block my other active blog, alexpvidal.blogspot.com, that accommodated the same story in toto.

It arbitrarily and blatantly singled out the particular blog without any due process.

If it wasn’t double standard, illogical and arbitrary, I don’t know what is.

 

-o0o-

 

Below is part of that story that triggered the snafu:

I went back to the petrifying Elmhurst Hospital in Queens amid a slight downpour Saturday afternoon and noticed that the area, where hundreds of people lined up for coronavirus admission in the last three days, was empty.  

There were police cars and the tents placed outside to accommodate a horde of patients (from 200 to 400 a day the last week, according to reports) were still there.

Outside or near the entrance, everyone was coughing and apparently had breathing shortage.

A nurse had said earlier dozens of people with symptoms of the coronavirus were sent to sit on chairs in one unit because there were no beds available.

I decided not to enter the area where coronavirus patients were being treated when I sensed some people screaming.

I didn’t want to add to the burden of the front liners if my issues weren’t that serious.    

Dr. Collin Smith, Elmhurst Hospital emergency room doctor, had exposed the eerie situations inside including the lack of tools needed for the “overflowing” Covid-19 patients.

Conditions at the hard-it hospital, located in the most ethnically and linguistically diverse neighborhood, were so bad that it resembled a “war zone.”

There were shortages of both supplies for the medical personnel and beds for their overflow number of coronavirus patients.

The latest grim citywide statistics as of this writing was that New Yorkers have been dying at a rate of one every 17 minutes as 84 more patients died only on Thursday and Friday.

The deaths occurred as the number of positive cases and of those who are critically ill had climbed.

New York has become the epicenter of the country’s outbreak with 52,318 confirmed cases and 728 deaths so far. 

When adjusted for population, that translates to roughly 269 known cases for every 100,000 residents.

But experts say those numbers don’t give the whole picture because many cases—including mild or asymptomatic infections—have not been diagnosed.

States have also approached testing differently. In our state in New York, where officials have been testing aggressively, the number of known cases is now doubling about every two days.

 

-o0o-

 

As of this writing, Facebook hasn’t “unblocked” my alexpvidal.wordpress.com blog almost a year and six months since the summary execution.

The giant social media platform hasn’t offered any explanation why it has continued to zero in on my active blog, which only reported the truth.

But they also didn’t touch with a ten foot pole my other active blog, alexpvidal.blogspot.com, that has been carrying simultaneously the same stories I regularly wrote in the blocked alexpvidal.wordpress.com blog.

While Facebook has denied my social media readers the access to my blocked blog, they surreptitiously allowed and tolerated the mushrooming of low quality and ragtag pornographic short films on their newsfeed. 

Every now and then, Facebook users are horrified to stumble on x-rated and kinky materials, regularly “seen” and “shared” by millions of viewers, and believed to have been deliberately inserted on the newsfeed when they scroll down.

Thus we find it outrageous and impossible for Facebook authorities to fail to monitor these licentious, prurient and morally reprehensible garbages, yet continued to censor blogs that try to promote a healthy discourse, provide regular news updates, and share relevant information to the reading public.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two dailies in Iloilo)