By Andy SullivanThu Feb 14, 6:40 PM ET
Former Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney endorsed erstwhile rival John McCain on Thursday and urged Republicans to unite behind him in a gesture that could help McCain with disgruntled conservatives.
In the Democratic race, Sen. Hillary Clinton scored a much-needed victory in New Mexico and accused surging opponent Barack Obama of lacking substance and experience as she fought for political traction in Ohio after a string of losses.
After a rough campaign battle between them to be the party's nominee in November's election, Romney offered conciliatory words to McCain a week after dropping out of the race, calling him an American hero.
"Even when the contest was close and our disagreements were debated, the caliber of the man was apparent," Romney said with McCain at his side. "This is a man capable of leading our country at a dangerous hour."
McCain said it was a hard campaign but "now we move forward together for the good of our party and our nation."
"We had differences on specific issues, but there was never any doubt about the common philosophy and principles and dedication to the party of Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan that we share," he said.
Romney, 61, and McCain, 71, had battled bitterly over who was the real conservative in the race, culminating in a caustic debate in California on January 30.
That was set aside in Boston at Thursday's endorsement ceremony, which was intended to encourage Republican conservatives long distrustful of McCain to unite behind the all-but-certain nominee.
"I still have my views, the senator has his views, but as a party we come together," Romney said. "We can't possibly incorporate all views of all Republicans into one individual, because we have differing views."
If Romney's 282 delegates were added to McCain's 822, it would give McCain 1,104, putting him within easy reach of the 1,191 needed for nomination. But Romney's delegates are not necessarily bound by his recommendation.
Many conservatives distrust McCain because of his moderate views on illegal immigration and for having originally voted against President George W. Bush's tax cuts. Persuading them all to turn out for him in the November election will be a central challenge.
McCain still faces opposition from former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who has picked up the support of some conservatives who had been backing Romney.
"This election should be about choices and voices, and not a coronation. Until someone receives 1,191 delegates, the verdict is not in," Huckabee said after Romney backed McCain.
REPUBLICANS UNITING, DEMOCRATS BATTLING
While Republicans were busily trying to unite, Clinton was trying to stop Obama's wave of momentum.
She welcomed news from New Mexico that she had won the party's presidential contest on February 5 in a vote so close it took nine days to count and verify.
"I am so proud to have earned the support of New Mexicans from across the state," Clinton said in a statement, adding she had been awarded 14 of the state's 26 delegates to the party's nominating convention this summer.
Brandishing a pair of blue boxing gloves given to her at a General Motors automobile plant in Lordstown, Ohio, Clinton portrayed herself as a fighter and Obama as someone who makes a lot of speeches that sound good but do not offer solutions.
"That's the difference between me and my opponent. My opponent makes speeches. I offer solutions. It is one thing to get people excited. I want to empower you," the New York senator said.
Clinton, the one-time front-runner for her party's nomination who now finds herself in political peril, intensified her attack as she was forced to scramble for sweeping victories in Ohio and Texas on March 4 and in Pennsylvania on April 22.
She focused on an area that some Democratic strategists say is a weak spot for Obama -- the Illinois senator's tendency to give uplifting, inspirational speeches that offer few specifics about how he would lead the United States if elected.
Clinton has shaken up the top level of her campaign staff and is attempting to re-energize her White House bid. Many strategists now see Obama as the favorite for the nomination after winning eight states in a row.
A new poll showed that at this point, Clinton is in a strong position in Ohio and Pennsylvania.
The Quinnipiac University poll said she led Obama 55 percent to 34 percent among likely Democratic voters in Ohio, and 52 percent to 36 percent in Pennsylvania.
(Additional reporting by Caren Bohan with Clinton and Jason Szep in Boston; Writing by Steve Holland; Editing by Peter Cooney)
(To read more about the U.S. political campaign, visit Reuters "Tales from the Trail: 2008" online at http://blogs.reuters.com/trail08/
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Greenspan says US 'on the edge' of recession
Reuters
HOUSTON - Former US Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan on Thursday said the US economy is "clearly on the edge" of a recession.
Greenspan said the economy will continue to erode until there is a stabilization of US housing prices.
"We have a long way to go" before housing prices hit a bottom, Greenspan told energy executives at the CERA conference.
"Stagflation is too strong a term for what we are on the edge of," Greenspan said.
High oil prices are dragging on the economy, but the fact that they haven't done more damage shows it is resiliency.
"It's a burden now," Greenspan said. He added that it's "quite remarkable" that the US economy is "able to do reasonably well" with oil prices near historic highs.
Crude oil futures hit above $95 a barrel on Thursday and went above $100 in early January.
Greenspan again -- as he had last month -- said that the likelihood of the US economy going into recession was "50 percent or better."
The subprime mortgage crisis would already have put the United States into recession if US businesses weren't healthy in part as the result of years of low interest rates, Greenspan said.
"If businesses weren't in extraordinarily good shape, I have no doubt we wouldn't be asking if we're in a recession, but how long and how deep," Greenspan said.
"Obviously, they (businesses) are not pushed for credit," said Greenspan.
Banks have cut back lending and will continue tight controls on borrowing until housing prices backed by subprime mortgages stabilize, Greenspan.
Stagflation is a period when economic growth is stagnant but when prices rise. Recession is at least two quarters of negative economic growth.
HOUSTON - Former US Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan on Thursday said the US economy is "clearly on the edge" of a recession.
Greenspan said the economy will continue to erode until there is a stabilization of US housing prices.
"We have a long way to go" before housing prices hit a bottom, Greenspan told energy executives at the CERA conference.
"Stagflation is too strong a term for what we are on the edge of," Greenspan said.
High oil prices are dragging on the economy, but the fact that they haven't done more damage shows it is resiliency.
"It's a burden now," Greenspan said. He added that it's "quite remarkable" that the US economy is "able to do reasonably well" with oil prices near historic highs.
Crude oil futures hit above $95 a barrel on Thursday and went above $100 in early January.
Greenspan again -- as he had last month -- said that the likelihood of the US economy going into recession was "50 percent or better."
The subprime mortgage crisis would already have put the United States into recession if US businesses weren't healthy in part as the result of years of low interest rates, Greenspan said.
"If businesses weren't in extraordinarily good shape, I have no doubt we wouldn't be asking if we're in a recession, but how long and how deep," Greenspan said.
"Obviously, they (businesses) are not pushed for credit," said Greenspan.
Banks have cut back lending and will continue tight controls on borrowing until housing prices backed by subprime mortgages stabilize, Greenspan.
Stagflation is a period when economic growth is stagnant but when prices rise. Recession is at least two quarters of negative economic growth.
22,000 died amid delayed Bayer drug recall: doctor
22,000 died amid delayed Bayer drug recall: doctor
1 hour, 34 minutes ago
The lives of 22,000 patients could have been saved if U.S. regulators had been quicker to remove a Bayer AG drug used to stem bleeding during open heart surgery, according to a medical researcher interviewed by CBS Television's 60 Minutes program.
The drug Trasylol was withdrawn in November at the request of the FDA after an observational study linked the medicine to kidney failure requiring dialysis and increased death of those patients.
It had been given to as many as a third of all heart bypass patients in the United States at the height of its use over a period of many years, according to the report.
Dr. Dennis Mangano, the study's researcher, said during the program that 22,000 lives could have been saved if Trasylol had been taken off the market when he first published his study in January 2006, according to a CBS News report on its Web site ahead of a broadcast slated for next Sunday.
He said in the broadcast that Bayer failed to disclose to the FDA during an FDA advisory panel meeting in September 2006 -- at which Mangano's negative findings were discussed -- that the German drugmaker had conducted its own research which confirmed the same dangers established by his study.
The chairman of the FDA advisory panel, Dr. William Hiatt, told 60 Minutes he would have voted to remove Trasylol from the market had he been informed about Bayer's study, according to the CBS report.
Bayer spokeswoman Meredith Fischer said she could not comment about the broadcast until it is aired, including allegations that the drugmaker had failed to protect patients.
She said Bayer is facing a number of product-liability lawsuits filed by patients who had taken the medicine or their families, but said she not know how many lawsuits were filed.
(Reporting by Ransdell Pierson; Editing by Gary Hill)
1 hour, 34 minutes ago
The lives of 22,000 patients could have been saved if U.S. regulators had been quicker to remove a Bayer AG drug used to stem bleeding during open heart surgery, according to a medical researcher interviewed by CBS Television's 60 Minutes program.
The drug Trasylol was withdrawn in November at the request of the FDA after an observational study linked the medicine to kidney failure requiring dialysis and increased death of those patients.
It had been given to as many as a third of all heart bypass patients in the United States at the height of its use over a period of many years, according to the report.
Dr. Dennis Mangano, the study's researcher, said during the program that 22,000 lives could have been saved if Trasylol had been taken off the market when he first published his study in January 2006, according to a CBS News report on its Web site ahead of a broadcast slated for next Sunday.
He said in the broadcast that Bayer failed to disclose to the FDA during an FDA advisory panel meeting in September 2006 -- at which Mangano's negative findings were discussed -- that the German drugmaker had conducted its own research which confirmed the same dangers established by his study.
The chairman of the FDA advisory panel, Dr. William Hiatt, told 60 Minutes he would have voted to remove Trasylol from the market had he been informed about Bayer's study, according to the CBS report.
Bayer spokeswoman Meredith Fischer said she could not comment about the broadcast until it is aired, including allegations that the drugmaker had failed to protect patients.
She said Bayer is facing a number of product-liability lawsuits filed by patients who had taken the medicine or their families, but said she not know how many lawsuits were filed.
(Reporting by Ransdell Pierson; Editing by Gary Hill)
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
80 groups unite, urge Arroyo to resign amid ZTE deal 'stink'
Article posted February 13, 2008 - 05:42 AM
- ZTE controversy timeline
- Profile of Jose Miguel Tuason Arroyo
- Profile of Romulo Neri
- Profile of Benjamin S. Abalos
- Ombudsman Gutierrez logs a record of going easy on Abalos, Comelec
- Transcript of Lozada’s Senate testimony on ZTE mess
Groups critical of the present administration have renewed their calls for President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to step down amid Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr’s revelation on the alleged anomalies behind the controversial National Broadband Network (NBN) project that was linked to the President’s husband, Jose Miguel Arroyo.
On Tuesday, a day after the Senate’s second hearing on the NBN project, 80 multi-sectoral groups from the opposition, militant organizations, and the civil society met at the Manila Polo Club and formed the Concerned Citizens Movement to show their indignation over the alleged widespread corruption in the Arroyo administration.
While they think that their protest actions will not instantly bring down the President, the groups are content to start activities where the public could give vent to their anger sparked by Lozada’s testimony on the NBN project.
“Whether or not it leads to the removal or the resignation of the President, hindi na namin iniisip ‘yon (we’re not thinking about it anymore). We’re taking one step at a time," said Dr Minguita Padilla, the movement’s co-convenor.
Silence
According to Vicente “Enteng" Romano III, convenor of the Black and White Movement, it is now high time for the people to show their disgust over the worsening corruption in government (Read here Lozada’s letter “What is Neri afraid to say and why," disseminated by Romano).
“Panahon na rin para ipakita ng taumbayan ang kanilang nararamdaman. Kasi ako, ang pagtingin ko, kaya nandito tayo sa ganitong kalagayan is because we are actually suffering the consequence of our silence. (It’s time for the people to show what they feel. I think we are stuck in this situation because we are actually suffering the consequence of our silence)," he said.
During the meeting, the groups proposed different forms of protest actions. Initially they agreed to stage rallies in Makati City Friday afternoon, and participate in a Mass on Sunday at the La Salle Greenhills where Lozada had disclosed to the public what he knew about the NBN project.
“We call on our people. If you still cannot find it in your heart to declare your outrage publicly, can you at least join in praying for Jun Lozada and his family. President Cory Aquino and the La Salle Brothers will be celebrating mass at the La Salle Greenhills grounds on Sunday, Feb. 17, 10 am for that purpose – pray for Jun and his family," said Romano.
Outrage
Meanwhile, the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan said it would join forces on Friday at Makati City's central business district to condemn the rampant corruption in the government and call for President Arroyo's ouster.
"We will join the protests to show our outrage over the shameless cover-up of corruption. The arrogance and impunity of the Arroyo regime and its brazen use of state machinery to silence and harass people like Jun Lozada are too much," said Renato Reyes Jr, Bayan secretary general.
Reyes said protests would snowball as public indignation on the alleged NBN scam and the abduction Lozada intensifies.
Members of the Concerned Citizens Movement have also extended their support to Lozada, who they say lives the difficult life of a whistle blower.
They said they were ready to help Lozada financially, including providing him with volunteer lawyers who could defend him from charges that could be filed by his enemies and detractors.
While at the meeting, the groups passed jars where supporters could pitch in money to help Lozada.
Greed
Lozada testified before the Senate that Benjamin Abalos Sr, former chairman of the Commission on Elections asked for a $130-million "commission" from the $329.48-million project of the Philippine government and China's Zhong Xing Telecommunications Equipment (ZTE) Corp.
He also claimed that Abalos called up the President’s husband to tell him of the refusal of the National Economic Development Authority to bankroll the NBN project through a loan.
Lozada also said that on February 5, alleged aides of President Arroyo snatched him out of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City, minutes after his arrival from Hong Kong, to prevent him from testifying before the Senate.
Also on Tuesday, the Makati Business Club (MBC) urged the public to join the clamor for change by ending corruption and greed in the government.
“We call on all Filipinos to proclaim, tama na ang kasinungalingan, sobra na ang kasakiman, manindigan na, bayan (enough with lies, greediness is already too much, let us take a stand)" the MBC said in a statement.
The MBC said it could not content itself with the rise of the peso amid the moral collapse of the government.
“As business people, we cannot console ourselves in the strength of the peso and the mirage of inequitable growth. These are ephemeral gains that have not translated into a better life for most Filipinos," it said.
Exit plan?
Meanwhile, President Arroyo has reportedly forged an "exit plan" with vice president Manuel "Noli" de Castro Jr and some members of her Cabinet.
The Daily Tribune newspaper's online edition for Wednesday quoted a Palace insider — who rejected the plan — as saying that Arroyo would invoke Section 11, Paragraph 2 of Article VII of the
Constitution.
"Whenever a majority of all the Members of the Cabinet transmit to the President of the Senate and to the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice-President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President," the constitutional provision says.
According to the report, De Castro will take over, but provide Arroyo "protection from any and all charges in court and maintain her immunity from suit, as well as ensure that the presidential couple will retain their ill-gotten wealth."
In return, De Castro was reportedly assured that because he would only be serving two years of the term of Mrs Arroyo, he could, as incumbent run for the presidency in 2010, "and use up all the resources of government to win the race."
"He stays on for 8 years as President. He won't say no to such a deal," the Tribune story quoted its source as saying, adding many Cabinet officials are also said to be in on the Gloria-Noli exit plan.
The deal also reportedly states that de Castro, once installed as President, is to retain the majority of the Cabinet members. - GMANews.TV
- ZTE controversy timeline
- Profile of Jose Miguel Tuason Arroyo
- Profile of Romulo Neri
- Profile of Benjamin S. Abalos
- Ombudsman Gutierrez logs a record of going easy on Abalos, Comelec
- Transcript of Lozada’s Senate testimony on ZTE mess
Groups critical of the present administration have renewed their calls for President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to step down amid Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr’s revelation on the alleged anomalies behind the controversial National Broadband Network (NBN) project that was linked to the President’s husband, Jose Miguel Arroyo.
On Tuesday, a day after the Senate’s second hearing on the NBN project, 80 multi-sectoral groups from the opposition, militant organizations, and the civil society met at the Manila Polo Club and formed the Concerned Citizens Movement to show their indignation over the alleged widespread corruption in the Arroyo administration.
While they think that their protest actions will not instantly bring down the President, the groups are content to start activities where the public could give vent to their anger sparked by Lozada’s testimony on the NBN project.
“Whether or not it leads to the removal or the resignation of the President, hindi na namin iniisip ‘yon (we’re not thinking about it anymore). We’re taking one step at a time," said Dr Minguita Padilla, the movement’s co-convenor.
Silence
According to Vicente “Enteng" Romano III, convenor of the Black and White Movement, it is now high time for the people to show their disgust over the worsening corruption in government (Read here Lozada’s letter “What is Neri afraid to say and why," disseminated by Romano).
“Panahon na rin para ipakita ng taumbayan ang kanilang nararamdaman. Kasi ako, ang pagtingin ko, kaya nandito tayo sa ganitong kalagayan is because we are actually suffering the consequence of our silence. (It’s time for the people to show what they feel. I think we are stuck in this situation because we are actually suffering the consequence of our silence)," he said.
During the meeting, the groups proposed different forms of protest actions. Initially they agreed to stage rallies in Makati City Friday afternoon, and participate in a Mass on Sunday at the La Salle Greenhills where Lozada had disclosed to the public what he knew about the NBN project.
“We call on our people. If you still cannot find it in your heart to declare your outrage publicly, can you at least join in praying for Jun Lozada and his family. President Cory Aquino and the La Salle Brothers will be celebrating mass at the La Salle Greenhills grounds on Sunday, Feb. 17, 10 am for that purpose – pray for Jun and his family," said Romano.
Outrage
Meanwhile, the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan said it would join forces on Friday at Makati City's central business district to condemn the rampant corruption in the government and call for President Arroyo's ouster.
"We will join the protests to show our outrage over the shameless cover-up of corruption. The arrogance and impunity of the Arroyo regime and its brazen use of state machinery to silence and harass people like Jun Lozada are too much," said Renato Reyes Jr, Bayan secretary general.
Reyes said protests would snowball as public indignation on the alleged NBN scam and the abduction Lozada intensifies.
Members of the Concerned Citizens Movement have also extended their support to Lozada, who they say lives the difficult life of a whistle blower.
They said they were ready to help Lozada financially, including providing him with volunteer lawyers who could defend him from charges that could be filed by his enemies and detractors.
While at the meeting, the groups passed jars where supporters could pitch in money to help Lozada.
Greed
Lozada testified before the Senate that Benjamin Abalos Sr, former chairman of the Commission on Elections asked for a $130-million "commission" from the $329.48-million project of the Philippine government and China's Zhong Xing Telecommunications Equipment (ZTE) Corp.
He also claimed that Abalos called up the President’s husband to tell him of the refusal of the National Economic Development Authority to bankroll the NBN project through a loan.
Lozada also said that on February 5, alleged aides of President Arroyo snatched him out of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City, minutes after his arrival from Hong Kong, to prevent him from testifying before the Senate.
Also on Tuesday, the Makati Business Club (MBC) urged the public to join the clamor for change by ending corruption and greed in the government.
“We call on all Filipinos to proclaim, tama na ang kasinungalingan, sobra na ang kasakiman, manindigan na, bayan (enough with lies, greediness is already too much, let us take a stand)" the MBC said in a statement.
The MBC said it could not content itself with the rise of the peso amid the moral collapse of the government.
“As business people, we cannot console ourselves in the strength of the peso and the mirage of inequitable growth. These are ephemeral gains that have not translated into a better life for most Filipinos," it said.
Exit plan?
Meanwhile, President Arroyo has reportedly forged an "exit plan" with vice president Manuel "Noli" de Castro Jr and some members of her Cabinet.
The Daily Tribune newspaper's online edition for Wednesday quoted a Palace insider — who rejected the plan — as saying that Arroyo would invoke Section 11, Paragraph 2 of Article VII of the
Constitution.
"Whenever a majority of all the Members of the Cabinet transmit to the President of the Senate and to the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice-President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President," the constitutional provision says.
According to the report, De Castro will take over, but provide Arroyo "protection from any and all charges in court and maintain her immunity from suit, as well as ensure that the presidential couple will retain their ill-gotten wealth."
In return, De Castro was reportedly assured that because he would only be serving two years of the term of Mrs Arroyo, he could, as incumbent run for the presidency in 2010, "and use up all the resources of government to win the race."
"He stays on for 8 years as President. He won't say no to such a deal," the Tribune story quoted its source as saying, adding many Cabinet officials are also said to be in on the Gloria-Noli exit plan.
The deal also reportedly states that de Castro, once installed as President, is to retain the majority of the Cabinet members. - GMANews.TV
All love's lost as civil society primes anti-Arroyo rallies
Valentine's Day this year, it seems, will not be rosy for President Arroyo as she and her administration brace themselves for street demonstrations to be led by some groups instrumental in her ascent to the presidency in 2001.
On Tuesday, at least 20 civil society and activist groups banded together to plan rallies against the President as allegations of corruption and anomalies continued to riddle her administration.
First stop is the opposition bailiwick of Makati City where a street demonstration will be held on Friday, a day after Valentine's.
"There's outrage here! It's time to move," said former transportation and communications secretary Josefina Lichauco of the Concerned Citizens Group.
Aside from Lichauco's group, those who have signified their intention of joining the rallies include Gabriela, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, Black and White Movement, FPJ Movement, National Union of Students of the Philippines, Health Alliance for Democracy, Ecumenical Movement for Justice and Peace and Citizens Action Against Crime.
Some of these groups and their leaders supported Mrs. Arroyo in 2001 after the aborted impeachment trial of former president Joseph Estrada led to his downfall.
Earlier, the influential Makati Business Club (MBC) also called on Chairman Romulo Neri and Environment Secretary Lito Atienza to resign after their names were dragged into the national broadband network (NBN) controversy and issues related to it as exposed by Senate star witness Rodolfo "Jun" Lozada.
"Tama na ang kasinungalingan! Sobra na ang kasakiman! Manindigan na bayan!" said MBC executive director Alberto Lim.
(Enough with the lies. The greed is too much! Stand up for your beliefs!)
The group likewise said that it does not mind if Vice-President Noli de Castro replaces Mrs. Arroyo if ouster calls against her succeed.
"We don’t mind if Noli de Castro takes over if the president resigns. If she sees herself moving to the light like Jun Lozada, the consequence is Noli de Castro becomes president, we are willing to accept that. We’ll help Noli de Castro become a good president," Lim said.
Palace downplays dissent
De Castro, an ally of the President, meanwhile, he supports the campaign against corruption.
Malacañang, meanwhile, downplayed renewed calls for the President's ouster, saying the numbers will not be that big.
"I'm not sure it will be big," Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said, referring to the rally set Friday in Makati.
Trade Secretary Peter Favila, meanwhile, dismissed the MBC's capability to support those who want to drive Mrs. Arroyo away from the Palace.
"What I know within MBC they are divided," he said.
Aside from the Makati rally on Friday, civil society groups said they will join the Mass to be offered by former president Corazon Aquino -- another Arroyo critic -- on Sunday at La Salle Greenhills in Mandaluyong City.
Lozada said that Mrs. Aquino told him about the scheduled Mass in support of his testimony before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.
Organizers said the 10 a.m. Mass will also be a venue for others involved in the alleged overpricing of the NBN contract with China’s ZTE Corp., to come out and tell the truth.
Mrs. Aquino also said the Mass will be in commemoration of the anniversary of the EDSA People Power 1, which catapulted her to the presidency in 1986.
The former president, one of the key figures in EDSA "people power revolution that ousted the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos, has been calling for Mrs. Arroyo's ouster because of allegations of anomalies and corruption in her administration.
Lozada, meanwhile, thanked the members of the media, particularly dzMM's Teleradyo for interviewing his wife Violet who appealed to the public who took him last week to return him to his family.
He said the radio interview made his captors panic. They eventually dropped him off at the La Salle school compound. With reports from dzMM and ABS-CBN News
On Tuesday, at least 20 civil society and activist groups banded together to plan rallies against the President as allegations of corruption and anomalies continued to riddle her administration.
First stop is the opposition bailiwick of Makati City where a street demonstration will be held on Friday, a day after Valentine's.
"There's outrage here! It's time to move," said former transportation and communications secretary Josefina Lichauco of the Concerned Citizens Group.
Aside from Lichauco's group, those who have signified their intention of joining the rallies include Gabriela, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, Black and White Movement, FPJ Movement, National Union of Students of the Philippines, Health Alliance for Democracy, Ecumenical Movement for Justice and Peace and Citizens Action Against Crime.
Some of these groups and their leaders supported Mrs. Arroyo in 2001 after the aborted impeachment trial of former president Joseph Estrada led to his downfall.
Earlier, the influential Makati Business Club (MBC) also called on Chairman Romulo Neri and Environment Secretary Lito Atienza to resign after their names were dragged into the national broadband network (NBN) controversy and issues related to it as exposed by Senate star witness Rodolfo "Jun" Lozada.
"Tama na ang kasinungalingan! Sobra na ang kasakiman! Manindigan na bayan!" said MBC executive director Alberto Lim.
(Enough with the lies. The greed is too much! Stand up for your beliefs!)
The group likewise said that it does not mind if Vice-President Noli de Castro replaces Mrs. Arroyo if ouster calls against her succeed.
"We don’t mind if Noli de Castro takes over if the president resigns. If she sees herself moving to the light like Jun Lozada, the consequence is Noli de Castro becomes president, we are willing to accept that. We’ll help Noli de Castro become a good president," Lim said.
Palace downplays dissent
De Castro, an ally of the President, meanwhile, he supports the campaign against corruption.
Malacañang, meanwhile, downplayed renewed calls for the President's ouster, saying the numbers will not be that big.
"I'm not sure it will be big," Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said, referring to the rally set Friday in Makati.
Trade Secretary Peter Favila, meanwhile, dismissed the MBC's capability to support those who want to drive Mrs. Arroyo away from the Palace.
"What I know within MBC they are divided," he said.
Aside from the Makati rally on Friday, civil society groups said they will join the Mass to be offered by former president Corazon Aquino -- another Arroyo critic -- on Sunday at La Salle Greenhills in Mandaluyong City.
Lozada said that Mrs. Aquino told him about the scheduled Mass in support of his testimony before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.
Organizers said the 10 a.m. Mass will also be a venue for others involved in the alleged overpricing of the NBN contract with China’s ZTE Corp., to come out and tell the truth.
Mrs. Aquino also said the Mass will be in commemoration of the anniversary of the EDSA People Power 1, which catapulted her to the presidency in 1986.
The former president, one of the key figures in EDSA "people power revolution that ousted the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos, has been calling for Mrs. Arroyo's ouster because of allegations of anomalies and corruption in her administration.
Lozada, meanwhile, thanked the members of the media, particularly dzMM's Teleradyo for interviewing his wife Violet who appealed to the public who took him last week to return him to his family.
He said the radio interview made his captors panic. They eventually dropped him off at the La Salle school compound. With reports from dzMM and ABS-CBN News
Monday, February 11, 2008
Mango the Mild and Mellow
VISITORS to most of the tropical and subtropical regions of earth are likely to encounter that mild and mellow fruit—the mango. Have you ever eaten it? It is not likely if you have not visited a land where it is grown, for it is not too suitable for export purposes. But to give you an idea how it impresses the taste buds—it has been described as a combination of peach, apricot, pineapple and strawberry.
On your first sampling of this kidney-shaped, golden fruit, you may not quite agree. In fact, some persons on first tasting it have been known to say, “Ugh! This tastes like turpentine!” Since it is an aromatic fruit, the aroma, when extremely strong, reminds one of turpentine. But spinach, Russian caviar and French champagne do not always commend themselves at the first trial. One has to cultivate a taste for them.
Since the mango is so mild and mellow, a number of expressions have come into common use, expressions that feature the mango. For example, “What a mango!” means “What a beauty!” Or, “Don’t cry; suck on your mango!” suggests something more pleasant that aids one to forget his troubles.
This delectable fruit grows on trees, beautiful trees, thick, dark green and attaining a height of 40 to 50 feet. Some have been known to reach 90 feet. Grafted mango trees may bear fruit after two or three years; it takes five years for a newly planted tree. The first crop may yield only about 150 mangoes, but when the tree reaches its peak it may bear as many as 5,000 or even more. For best results the trees are spaced some 60 feet from each other. The slender, dark-green leaves may measure as long as 12 inches. The blossoms take the form of tiny pink flowers that grow in small clusters at the ends of the branches.
There are many varieties of mangoes. In fact, there are so many that in India alone some 500 varieties have been described. They vary in size from that of an ordinary apple to a fruit that may weigh as much as three pounds. Too, they vary in color. The fruit is covered by a thin leathery skin. There is a large, flat seed almost as long as the fruit itself, enclosed in a thick husk. Some like to roast the mango seeds and eat them. The flesh of the mango may vary as to consistency. In the poorer quality it will be found that many tough fibers grow into the pulp. The better quality fruit can be eaten with a spoon, it is so tender.
Mexico is a land blessed with numerous delicious fruits. Its large markets feature hundreds of fruit stands offering pineapples, apricots, peaches, apples, grapes, watermelons, cantaloupes, pears, grapefruits, mammees, sapotes, oranges, tangerines, bananas, figs, and a great variety of berries. Yet, when the Manila mango is at its best, from May to August, the entire market sparkles with its golden color.
Some Mango History
It appears that the mango originally grew wild in southeastern Asia. It reached America sometime in the 1700’s. In 1900 the United States government introduced Indonesian and Philippine varieties, popular because they are largely fiberless, and they thrived in southern Florida. The Manila mango is a strong favorite. It has bright yellow skin, delicious tender pulp and a very thin seed—all of them commendable features from the standpoint of marketing.
On the northwest coast of Mexico there are many varieties of mangoes that have been crossed with other fruits to produce even greater variety. For example, one can get the pineapple mango, the peach mango, and so on. In the south there is a variety known as petacón—very large, about the size of a large eggplant, and weighing more than a pound. Also there is the very tasty Paradise mango, from the vicinity of Acapulco, quite similar to the petacón, but having a much more attractive skin, a blend of rich autumn colors.
Once you have eaten a peach in its skin, you will have some idea of the problem faced when you want to eat a mango in the same manner. Some adults and most children, after eating a mango in this fashion, look as if they had washed their faces with the fruit. To avoid this there are special forks available, and some become so experienced in their use that they do not get one drop of the mango juice on face or plate. It is an art. Of course, it can also be eaten with ice cream or in the form of preserves. And it is not beyond the bound of possibility that people may soon be asking for a mango split instead of the familiar banana split.
One can buy this fruit by the kilo, by piles of four or five, and by the box. When one buys the box one gets mangoes of all sizes. In the harvest season prices are very reasonable, and the mango becomes the popular dessert. Mango vendors are not confined to the marketplace either. One can see them, balancing boards filled with beautiful mangoes, dodging the traffic at street crossings, seeking to interest drivers in their delicious merchandise.
Even apart from its delicious fruit, the mango tree will always be popular, for it is both ornamental and a provider of welcome shade. The bark and the resin both have medicinal properties. As timber the mango tree is not quite so popular, for it rots easily. And, of course, the very fact that it is readily killed by frost, limits it to the tropical and subtropical areas. It is claimed that in some parts of Asia this tree has been cultivated by man for at least 4,000 years.
Picture for yourself a mature mango tree, some fifty feet high, beautifully symmetrical, and loaded with thousands of golden mangoes that peep out from behind the dark foliage. How considerate of human needs the great Creator has been! Sunshine, rain, and all the other ingredients for producing delightful foods are part of his generous provision. The mango is one more of the unnumbered taste experiences provided for humankind by a Benefactor who delights in man’s happiness and well-being.
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Effective Leadership
Students from distinct walks of life roam the corridors of schools in search for security and company. Each has a potential to be a leader. An effective student leader is one who influences others to accomplish an objective and directs a group in a way that makes it more cohesive. A leader carries out this process by applying leadership traits such as beliefs, values, ethics, character, knowledge, and skills.
People decide if they respect you as a leader by observing what you do to know who you really are. They can tell if you are an honorable and trusted leader or a self-serving person who misuses authority to look good and be popular. A self-serving leader is not effective because people only obey them, not follow them.
If you would like to be a respected and effective leader, bear in mind the following:
Know your strengths
Knowing your strengths enables you to select environments that allow you to express and develop them. If you love helping people and are a religious person, then you may consider involvement in the campus ministry. If your passion is writing and likes working in a team setting, consider becoming a member of the school’s newspaper staff.
Gain experience
You may have all the attributes of a good leader, but if you lack the experience, you will not be viewed as a knowledgeable leader. If you want to become the editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, you’ll have to start at the bottom and gain experience. This holds true for practically every leadership position.
Work well with people
Good leader exudes superior interpersonal skills. You should be able to listen to others, communicate well, establish trust, ask questions to stimulate thinking, and develop a sense of teamwork.
Be optimistic
Leaders must be optimistic. When faced with setbacks, optimists don’t give in to feelings of helplessness. They maintain their focus.
Act willingly
Leaders create a vision, set goals that embody that vision, and develop plans that lead to their goals. Don’t just talk what you want to do, take action to get it accomplished.
Although your position gives you the authority to accomplish certain tasks and group objectives, you should remember that this power does not make you a leader.
What makes a person want to follow a leader then? Simple, they want to be guided by those they respect and those who have a clear sense of direction. To gain respect, they must be ethical. A sense of direction, by the way, is achieved by conveying a strong vision of the future. So have yourself a potent, passionate vision and be an effective leader!
About the Author
Virgil B. Vallecera is a college student taking up Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in the University of Cebu. He has participated in numerous seminars, conventions, summits, and trainings on leadership improvement, community development, and socio-politico-economic issues. To read more, see http://www.mainglobe.com
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