Saturday, May 29, 2010

Reading Between the Lies

Reading Between the Lies

By Erick San Juan





Circa 2006, when former U.S. Vice President Al Gore released his documentary film, An Inconvenient Truth. Since then, several issues were raised, questioning the credibility of his report which is actually based on his book. A film was also released – 'The Great Global Warming Swindle' which featured credible scientists questioning Al Gore’s manufactured data. When this film, 'An Inconvenient Truth' got hold of the Filipino audience, we took the responsibility of writing several articles on this and exposed the lies. From then on, any events that has something to do with climate change/global warming hoax, this author will always see to it that our readers will not easily fall on their trap. One such event was held last December 2009 at Copenhagen in Denmark. In spite of the anomalies that were exposed through the leaked e-mails that showed how they manipulated the data to justify the lie, the summit pushed through but failed.



This time around, the “patron saint” of global warming – Al Gore will present his An Inconvenient Truth (fraud), Asian version to the Filipino audience this June with multimedia presentation to increase fear mongering among our most gullible audience. Why the so called “Asian version”? I’m pretty sure that he will use (again) the natural calamities that we experienced as part of that “version” without any understanding of several important contributing factors. We have to be on the lookout for personalities in different sectors of society who will kowtow to this master of fraud and ask them if they know what they’re dealing with. If they will be “slaves” to this hoax as individuals, go ahead but to bring the whole nation to this insanity – we will stand guard against them.

We must all remember that this is a well planned scheme to bring humanity to another level of deception, to fleece of their sweat and blood. Al Gore with his London-based hedge fund, Generation Investment Management and his cohorts that established the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX) will make Asia a part of this looting. The City of London started this “carbon trading” in 2002 and such, “business” picked up when the European Emissions Trading Scheme came along in 2005. The multibillion dollar carbon trading scheme of the world’s financial oligarchs is the real agenda of this climate change fiasco. The large financial conglomerates, involved in derivative trade include JP Morgan Chase, Bank America Merrill Lynch, Barclay's, Citi Bank, Nomura, Société Générale, Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs are actively involved in carbon trading.( FACTBOX: Investment banks in carbon trading | Reuters, 14 September 2009).

One comment that we got from the internet about Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth : “I'll never forget that part where he said that the polar bears were going to drown because of global warming. Turns out that the creatures can swim for 60 miles. Then he forgot to mention he had an interest in a hedge fund, Generation Investment Management, that was set to profit from carbon trading. I wonder now that global warming has been exposed as a hoax, if he has to give back the Nobel Prize….”



We must learn to read between the lies from the likes of Al Gore and the schemers of carbon trading and eventually expose such tall tales. Let us all do our share to stop these alarmists and just stick to the truth and spread it.

Saturday, May 22, 2010

The Unseen Web of Manipulations

The Unseen Web of Manipulations

By Erick San Juan



The May 10 automated election system was far greater in every aspect than Garci scandal. Everybody was stunned after several hours following the huge turnout of votes being transmitted to the different official servers. And up to this day, unanswered questions are still in the minds of those who felt that they were taken for a ride and left in a daze including the people who are supposed to be movers of this AES. Usual investigations are now going on in the halls of Congress as whistleblowers surfaced especially the controversial “Robin” a.k.a “Koala Bear”.



Actually, there’s more to this AES than meets the eye as more and more complaints are being presented. IT (information technology) experts are being tapped in the hope of understanding the very technical world of computers. Such technicalities entangled all of us in the unseen web of manipulations that left all of us in the dark. This is one automated scam that was carried by a network of schemers here and abroad that made it complicated even to those who are learned and much more difficult to the ordinary Juan dela Cruz.



Some sectors of society are actually pointing their fingers at the CIA which they easily thought can pull out a scheme as what happened in the previous elections. I disagree with them. Such scheme could not be carried out without conniving with the local political oligarchs and economic corporats. Such network was established before the elections and methinks that this set up goes beyond the CIA and far beyond the election issue.



Whether we like it or not, our present situation is like a dying body where vultures hovering above us and just waiting for the right moment to dive in. This is the dilemma we are all in and only the future administration (with the meddling of the present government) can actually decide if they will give in to the dictates of the so called “foreign investors”. Just recently, in the news, the Palace welcomed the European Union as part of the International Monitoring team that will help in the peace process in Mindanao. Added to this was the “friendly visit” of the new US Ambassador – Harry Thomas at Times Street's residence of incoming President Noynoy where rumor mills are buzzed with all kinds of speculation.



As a keen observer of events, a lot of undercurrents are happening in the wake of the BP-Deep water Horizon catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico. The explosion of the Deep water Horizon oil rig and the resulting oil super spill in the Gulf of Mexico is the worst man-made disaster, and the largest and most heinous act of environmental destruction in history. Translation – the shifting of the Anglo-American search for other sources of more gas, oil and maybe deuterium (G.O.D.) that makes us the next target.



The signs are obvious and quite real to be taken for granted. The saddest unavoidable part is the possible balkanization of Mindanao and the whole nation in the process.



The unseen web of manipulations that may lead to the destruction of our country is at hand and we must always be on the lookout for those who will make this possible for their own benefit. Our new leadership should have the political will to get what's due us. God help us all.

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Climate of Fraud and Uncertainty

Climate of Fraud and Uncertainty

By Erick San Juan



Almost a week now that the so called first national automated elections was held and as I write this piece, there are still over 7 million votes that are not transmitted yet. The voters turnout for this year’s election was overwhelming as every voter enthusiastically went to their designated polling precinct to be part of the historic automated election exercises. What happened at the polling place was a nightmare and the enthusiasm quickly evaporated as most voters experienced an automated disenfranchisement due to the clustered precincts. I myself waited for two hours when I found out that my precinct was clustered. Those who were able to make it to the long lines of voters also left after hours of waiting under the terrible hot weather. This is the general picture that hit the news here and abroad sans the perceived scenario concocted by a few megalomaniacs who want to stay in power. Thanks to our AFP and PNP, the self fulfilling prophecy was foiled. With all the imperfections and shortcomings of the Comelec and its partners, the Filipinos just went through the first hurdle of a new six-year administration.



Based on the partial canvass of votes by the Comelec, the president-in-waiting Benigno 'Noynoy' Aquino III is now showing signs of consistently annoying the GMA administration by saying he would rather take the oath of office (if he will be proclaimed as president by the Congress) before a barangay captain rather than the recently appointed Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona.



Since the campaign season started, a lot of Noynoy’s statements were directed against the existing administration and its policies that according to him is the breeding ground for corruption. Methinks that this incoming president is so obsessed with the eradication of corruption that he might overlooked other important issues. One such critical issue is the never ending chaos and violence in Mindanao by the bandits and secessionists that even the so-called US military troops’ presence (for almost a decade now) could not solve. What about the controversial “peace talks” via the MOA-AD Bangsamoro Juridical Entity – translation: balkanization of Mindanao. What is the stand of the president-in-waiting on this? Will he kowtow to the friendly master as a loyal ally?

Given the fact that he became the cover of the Time magazine a couple of weeks before the elections, will he be the next “doll in the pocket”?



The Filipinos as a sovereign nation must stand guard as we braced ourselves for more hurdles ahead that will put to test our nationalism amidst uncertainties of our incoming leaders. May God grant to our leaders the wisdom and perseverance to rule this nation towards the right path for benefit of every Filipino.

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Balance of Power and Power Shifts

Balance of Power and Power Shifts
By Erick San Juan

I am one of the millions of Filipinos observing this year’s national elections and I can’t help but notice that there’s no one candidate who has a firm stand when it comes to foreign policy and the nation’s relation to the world community. Methinks this is something very crucial when choosing a candidate to take the highest office of the land. All I can hear from the candidates are motherhood statements that can be translated as playing safe when it comes to foreign relations.

We are blessed to be situated in a very strategic location in this part of the region which makes us prone to be used by other countries if we don’t play our cards well. The recent development that we missed because of this election fever happened in mid-April, where two Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force (MSDF) destroyers, the Choukai and Suzunami, unexpectedly encountered several Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) warships, including a pair of submarines and eight destroyers, approximately 140 kilometers west-southwest of Okinawa near the Nansei (Ryukyu) Islands. The Chinese warships were heading out of the East China Sea and into the Western Pacific. They passed north of Miyako Island - the northernmost island in the Nansei group - through the Miyako Strait and then proceeded to head southeast. They were there to practice anti-submarine warfare, underway refueling and helicopter flight training, to name a few of the procedures.

According to report, proper communique ensued between Japan and China's military. The above mentioned was a clear ascendancy of China’s naval power in this region as other countries look on with envy.

Also, very few did some follow up with what happened in the tragic sinking of the 1,200-ton South Korean corvette Cheonan in the West Sea or Yellow Sea on the night of March 26,2010.

"A North Korean torpedo attack was the most likely cause for the sinking of a South Korean warship last month," an unnamed US military official told CNN on April 26. Up to 46 of the ship's 104 sailors were killed in the sinking.

Actually, The disaster took place precisely in the waters where what the Pentagon has called "one of the world's largest simulated exercises" was underway which involved scores of shiny, ultra-modern US and South Korean warships equipped with the latest technology. This war exercise, known as "Key Resolve/Foal Eagle" did not end on March 18 as was reported but actually ran from March 18 to April 30. There were speculations that the sinking of the South Korean corvette Cheonan was an accident due to the said war exercise.

Washington is now faced with several problems in East Asia and Southeast Asia while trying to balance Beijing’s growing naval power in the region. One of Obama’s problem is the renegotiation of the relocation of the Futenma US naval base in Japan, particularly its 50,000 US military personnel. I wrote about this last February, when the newly elected Mayor of Nago, Okinawa – being true to his promise that he will not allow the relocation of the US Futenma base to his area of jurisdiction. Backed by the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) and its Prime Minister Hatoyama, the US-Japan alliance is now being put to a serious test as more than 90,000 Okinawans protested before the end of April over the proposed relocation. The pressure is now with PM Hatoyama who has promised a decision on the base by the end of May and politically speaking, it seems that all is not well with his party and its secretary general as issues were thrown against them. Let us all hope for the best to Japan’s leadership and its people that they may surpass this pressure and predicament with flying colors.

As for our future leaders, I recall what some presidentiables said with regards to their “foreign friends”. Some of them parroted that they will keep the country’s old friends and will make new ones that will benefit us in the long run. The usual safe answer. What this nation needs is a true leader who will always put the best interest of the Filipinos first regardless of any foreign ally's wants. We must play our cards well as the balance of power in Asia is gradually shifting in favor of the Asians.

Sunday, May 2, 2010

The Art of Ponerology

The Art of Ponerology
by Erick San Juan


The whole nation has entered the final stretch of the political race. Whether we like it or not, all of us were dragged into this race as legitimate voters who will have the final say at the polling centers. Unfortunately, the current trend that we are experiencing is gutter politics that what makes politics (or is it the politician) dirty. Mud slinging, black propaganda, lies – manufactured and sometimes true, are what we are being fed on a daily basis through different channels.

These are just samples of what kind of future leaders awaits the different government offices, from the highest to the lowest. It reminds me of a book written by a self-claimed Polish refugee in America, Andrew M. Lobaczewski, his book entitled Political Ponerology. The term ponerology which he invented means the study of the nature of political evil. The author believes that psychopaths are driven by rejection to take over governments and make whole nations and societies evil. But what are psychopaths? According to Lobaczewski, they are manipulative, mostly men, who totally lack empathy for other people. Though they have learned to appear normal, that is merely a survival tactic. They lie without conscience, have sexual relations without regard for the feelings for the feeling of their victims, they hurt others because they don’t care about them, they foment division in all human relationships, and they justify complete selfishness because they feel superior to the adjusted world. When psychopaths manage to achieve political power they can and do murder without remorse because they don’t feel the pain of humanity. And they will murder for such crimes as simply disagreeing with them.

Psychopaths also keep up their "psychopathic fiction" by being charming conversationalists. They expertly tell "unlikely but convincing" stories about themselves, easily blending truth with lies. Not only can they lie effortlessly, they are completely unfazed when caught in a lie. They simply rework their story, to the confusion of those who know the truth. They may pretend remorse, but are equally skilled at rationalizing their behavior, often portraying themselves as the victims (and blaming the real victims).

Lobaczewski claims just 6% of a typical nation is composed of psychopaths but ten times that number, or 6% have various psychological illnesses that permit them to support, even violently, the psychopath. They become the nouveau riche of the new society, while another 12% are callous or cowardly enough to create the bureaucracy. In short, it takes only 18% of the population to run an evil state.

Given these facts based on the author’s study of what he termed as political ponerolgy, we will be at the lookout for a possible candidate with that leaning to become a psychopath or might be supporting one. Although it is important to note that psychopaths also thrive in corporations that usually support candidates in the political battleground as campaign funders. I’m sure that there are psychopaths already in our midst and if we will not be careful, we might put some of them in power. Psychopaths only thrive in a society where the public has lost its ability to think. The first step is awareness of the reality of what goes on behind the scenes of political power. It would be potentially dangerous when given unlimited access to budgets and intelligence networks by virtue of the scope of influence given to these political psychopaths.

The voting public has still more time to use that ability to think analytically to choose the right one in spite of the daily dose of political ads, news and views from the political analysts and "experts". Remember that the enemy hides in plain sight. A fellow blogger, Jonty Marasigan said that lawyers and non-management experts have failed us.He made an unsolicited advice that let's try a genuine resource manager and strategist to solve the nation woes. Why not?