Saturday, February 29, 2020
Luke 5:27-32 | Hieronymus Bosch | Jesus comes not to call the virtuous, but sinners to repentance
| ||||||||||||||
|
Friday, February 28, 2020
Matthew 9:14-15 | Henk Helmantel | Why do Your disciples not fast?
| ||||||||||||||
|
Thursday, February 27, 2020
Ressa, UK envoy's photo prompts open letter from Brit netizen
CHALLENGED PHOTO: A recent photo of United Kingdom Ambassador Daniel Pruce (left) and Filipino journalist Maria Ressa (center) that prompted British blogger Malcolm Conlan to issue an open letter to Pruce. Conlan said the picture and its caption paint the British ambassador in a bad light as well as the the British government for tolerating such conduct among their delegates. (Photo courtesy of Conlan's FB account)
MANILA -- A recent photo of United Kingdom Ambassador Daniel Pruce and Filipino journalist Maria Ressa, bearing the hashtag DefendPressFreedom, has prompted an open letter from a British netizen, saying the picture and the caption paints the Duterte administration in a bad light.
Malcolm Conlan, a blogger, who is a known supporter of President Rodrigo Duterte reacted to Pruce and Ressa's photo posted on the former's Twitter account with the caption, "Excellent discussion with @AmbJohnHolmes and @mariaressa before she flew to London for next week’s Global Conference on Media Freedom, hosted by (UK and Canada). Maria will be joining 1,000 participants to #DefendMediaFreedom including 70+ Ministers, journalists and NGOs."
"I hope you don’t mind, but I do think this photo and caption this gives the impression that you are supporting her stance and malicious accusations that there is no press freedom in the Philippines," the blogger who is living in London said.
Here is the open letter, posted on the British citizen's Facebook account:
Ambassador Daniel Pruce,
The British Embassy
120 Upper McKinley Rd, Taguig,
1630 Metro Manila,
Philippines.
Dear Ambassador,
I am sorry to have felt the need to write to you personally, however I was most upset to see a photo earlier today of you with the CEO of Rappler, Maria Ressa with the tag line ‘Defend Press Freedom’ (see below).
This made my blood boil and was most upsetting. President Rodrigo Duterte cares very much about every single Filipino and allows them freedom of protest and expression, having met him personally, as you have, I can say he is one of the nicest people I have ever met.
I hope you don’t mind, but I do think this photo and caption this gives the impression that you are supporting her stance and malicious accusations that there is no press freedom in the Philippines.
The reality is that there is an almost daily criticism of the President by bias media of other Philippine owned publications in the country and not once has President Duterte tried to shut them down or control them in any way!
Maria Ressa was arrested earlier this year, following being sued by a private businessman in the Philippines and on the order of the courts. The authorities that carried out the said arrest were just doing their job as prescribed by Philippine law. Any citizen, whether they are journalists or not would have had the same treatment.
Secondly, Pia Ranada who works for Rappler was only banned by the MPC as there is evidence that Rappler has foreign backers, this is not permitted under the Philippine constitution.
Also, Ms Ressa and Rappler also has another case against her, being sued by the Bureau of internal revenue for Tax evasion. All of this has nothing whatsoever to do with her or indeed Rappler’s criticism of the President.
President Rodrigo Duterte and indeed the Filipino people gladly welcome the British Ambassador into the Philippines on the basis that you are there to promote British-Philippines relations and of course protect the interests of British citizens in the Philippines and not be critical of the policy of the country you are stationed in or indeed get involved in local politics.
This maybe even unintentional endorsement of the false accusations of Ms Ressa that she had been unfairly treated is a slap in the face for many Filipinos both in the Philippines and around the world including OFW’s in the UK who are unhappy about the constant campaign by Rappler to undermine and be unfairly critical of the current administration.
I actually write this email to you with a heavy heart, having been previously invited by your predecessor to the birthday party of Her Majesty the Queen in the British School Manila, I felt I had a good relationship with the British Embassy and that you would not directly get involved with Philippine politics, particularly as you are a guest in the country.
Thank you sir for your understanding. I do hope you are able to reply to this and give your side of the story. I have written this with apprehension being a British Citizen myself, but I do feel I have a right to call out any issue that concerns me. Hope that my right to freedom of speech won’t also be curtailed?
Best regards
Malcolm Conlan
British Citizen with a Filipino heart, London.
(PNA)
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1074287?fbclid=IwAR2TxT8vJIVv7sLjAd1lQeW4stPViJTLZF8OnmcTt8ETIaRjgDhXWNaX0Do
Luke 9:22-25 | Kevin Carden | Carry your cross every day and follow me
| ||||||||||||||
|
9 Reasons to Stop Seeking Approval From Others
When you seek approval from others, you add an unnecessary step to the decision-making process. You invite scrutiny from people who really can’t comment on your life because they haven’t lived it. You essentially give up your power to another person.
Why should others get to determine your life plans?
Remember the following facts the next time you wish to seek approval to refocus as to why it isn’t necessary.
YOU ARE THE ONE IN CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE
Next time you have the urge to get permission from someone to follow through with a plan, remind yourself that you are the one in control. You can seek all the guidance you need from within by listening to your heart and following your passions. Others are often unsure about their own life path, much less yours. Ultimately, you have all the power you need to take charge of your life. You are the driver of your own soul; you know where to turn and what roads to take already. Trust in yourself and the Universe to guide you along your unique path.
YOU ARE IN CHARGE OF YOUR OWN HAPPINESS
Others can add to your happiness, but you shouldn’t depend on others’ opinions on it. Seeking happiness in others often leads to disappointment because others may not agree with your life plans. They may dismiss them and not understand what you truly want or believe in your dreams.
When you look to yourself as your own beacon of hope, light, and happiness, you empower yourself. You stop letting things or people outside yourself control your destiny and remember that happiness comes from within. Others can let you down, but you can never let yourself down if you remain true to your innermost desires in life.
SEEKING APPROVAL FROM OTHERS IS TIME-CONSUMING
Think of how many other things you could be doing besides arguing with people about your plans and trying to get them to see through your eyes? To be honest, some people may never understand you or even try to see things your way. Asking others for approval adds a superfluous step to making a decision.
Instead of relying on others to support you, support yourself. If you have a burning desire to travel the world, just go. You can tell others of your plans, but just leave it at that. You don’t need their approval if you support your decision already. Time is precious, so use it to make your heart happy instead of convincing others to agree with every decision you make.
FREEDOM COMES WHEN YOU DEPEND SOLELY ON YOURSELF
Imagine how it would feel to make a big decision about your life all by yourself. Believe it or not, you have the strength to carry out your plan without others’ permission.
Next time you feel inclined to receive counsel from family/friends about your next big move, try to set your plan into action first. Don’t feel like you have to inform everyone when you make decisions; you can save a lot of headaches and gain freedom when initiating change by yourself. You are the creator and master of your own life – never forget that. You have the power to transform your life all by yourself; all you have to do is believe it. True freedom awaits us when we rise up to our own potential and let go of our need to please everyone, which brings us to the next point…
YOU CAN’T PLEASE EVERYONE, SO DON’T EVEN TRY
Not everyone will agree with you all the time. Maybe no one will agree with your plan besides you, and that’s okay. Being a people-pleaser usually makes everyone happy except you, and you’re the most important part of the equation.
Everything stems from you – the quality of your relationships, your thoughts about life, what career you choose, etc. If you make major life decisions with everyone but you in mind, you will never find true happiness.
For example, if you took a high-paying job as a Marketing Director at a huge company just because your parents wanted you to, but you absolutely hated it, what good does this do for you? If you can’t come home at the end of the day and say you’re happy, nothing else matters. Not the money, your parent’s approval, your title or status, none of it. Do what makes you happy, and others can either choose to encourage you or rain on your parade. Remember that others’ unhappiness with your life is not your responsibility to fix; everyone is in charge of their own.
YOU GET TO KNOW YOURSELF BETTER
There is no relationship more important than the relationship you have with yourself. If you look to your inner-self for guidance and wisdom, you will better understand who you are and what you want out of life. Take some time to tune into you- block out the voices from everyone else attempting to control your life and listen to your inner guide. By breaking the habit of approval-seeking, you can put all your focus into figuring yourself out and learn to trust in your path, rather than putting that responsibility on others.
YOU DRAIN YOURSELF OF VALUABLE ENERGY
Not only does approval-seeking waste time, but it wastes energy as well. Energy makes up everything in this vast Universe, including you. If you want to use that energy in the most efficient ways, cut out unnecessary actions. If you want to keep the fire alive and truly transform your life, you will need to dismiss the need to gain outside approval for your decisions.
IT COULD DISCOURAGE YOU FROM FOLLOWING YOUR HEART
Let’s pretend that you want to drop out of college and travel the world on a quest to find yourself. Do you first worry about how you think others will react? If this truly resonates with you, you will never know unless you try, and you will forever wonder where life would’ve gone, had you only listened to that inner calling.
Don’t let others kill your dreams before they become a reality. Have confidence in yourself and trust that your inner voice is directing you to the right path.
IT PROMOTES FEAR
When you seek approval from others, you begin to form expectations of what they will say. You start to think of how the conversation will go if they don’t agree with you, and you become anxious of their response. Fear only holds you back, but love will set you free. If you truly love yourself and feel assured with your life, you won’t even think twice about giving up the need for acceptance. We have been conditioned to be afraid of many things – other people, their opinions of us, trying new things, listening to new ideas, and much more.
Remember that fear is just an illusion. Give into who you truly are, which is abundant and unconditional Love, and you will realize the limitless power within that greatly surpasses the power of others’ opinions.
https://www.powerofpositivity.com/9-reasons-to-stop-seeking-approval-from-others/?fbclid=IwAR2MKA4YpQHEtjq0Mjo0-BrMZ871SvxXh1wRcTsYxwG2gYVzY_4kDHfsReA
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
Yellows’ fake ‘defense expert’ calls military idiots, predicts coups vs Duterte
By Rigoberto D. Tiglao
WHAT a gullible media we have.
Expert maybe, but on other things. FROM JOSE ANTONIO CUSTODIO’S FACEBOOK ACCOUNT
Yellow operative a favorite in Salim-controled TV5 talk-shows From Jose Antonio Custodio’s FB
Since 2016, one Jose Antonio Custodio has been interviewed by so many media outlets ranting against President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration and the military. He recently declared that the military would soon topple Duterte, angry at the latter’s termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA).
He said that before in 2016, when charges were filed against Sen. Antonio Trillanes 4th.
Mainstream media — among them the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the Philippine Star, GMA 7, ABS-CBN and the Salim-controled network TV5 — describe Custodio as a “military expert,” “military historian” or a “defense analyst.” He’s been such a regular source of media men’s “analysis” that he complained in his Facebook (FB) account that he was starting to dislike early morning calls from the press.
He doesn’t hide his arrogance and odium for the military, writing on FB: “I just love the idiocy in the Philippine military and Defense sector. So, you want to have a status of forces agreement with China to replace the PH-US VFA?”
Custodio is a fake. His analyses merely express the wishes of the Yellows. He is as much a military expert as I am a nuclear scientist. He hasn’t published anything on military affairs, defense issues and history of the military. Searches in Google (including Google Scholar) and in Academia.edu (a site that has 115 million articles by academics) had zilch on Custodio.
1945 battle
He isn’t even an instructor in any college or university. The closest he can claim to be a historian is his short master’s thesis written in 1999, two decades ago, on an event 75 years ago, the 1945 Battle of Manila. I’ve messaged him several times asking him about his credentials as a military analyst and what papers he has published. He didn’t reply.
The closest to the military he could claim is his FB profile picture, a blurred one, that shows him wearing a khaki shirt in front of a vintage World War 2 bomber.
For somebody who claims to be a defense analyst, the scant but revealing information provided in his FB page reads: “Works at Freelance Mowdel [sic] Past: Office of the President of the Philippines-Malacañang, Consultant, June 2010 to 30 June 2016.” He doesn’t say at all how he makes a living after 2016.
That post points to what Custodio really is: an employee in the Aquino 3rd regime and a straggler of the Yellows’ propaganda force. Obviously, with the mostly anti-Duterte posts in his Facebook account (e.g., “Duterte is a tuta [dog] of China,” a photo with arms locked with Yellow Sen. Ana Theresia “Risa” Hontiveros ), Custodio is a Yellow cultist, one who has fooled a gullible Philippine media that he is an objective expert on the military and defense matters.
It seems the main source for media for their elevating this charlatan to the status of an expert is the pompously named “Stratbase ADR Institute for Strategic and International Studies” set up in 2016 by President Benigno Aquino 3rd’s Foreign Affairs secretary Albert del Rosario, both as his tribute to himself (ADR) and as his anti-China, anti-Duterte propaganda venue.
Non-resident
The outfit lists Custodio as one of its 19 “non-resident fellows” (read: contractuals), together with another known anti-Duterte, anti-China writer Richard Javad Heydarian (which it says wrote “close to a thousand articles” on regional security affairs).
It described Custodio as follows: “He has served as a consultant for the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Office of the President. He specializes in military history and has postgraduate studies in history from the University of the Philippines (UP).” (Of course it didn’t mention that the history he specialized in was the 1945 Battle of Manila.)
As in the case of Heydarian, and in contrast to its other non-resident fellows, whose academic background is described at length, nothing more is written there about Custodio. Nothing else on why and how he is a military expert.
Custodio himself has not described exactly what he was doing in Aquino’s office, whether he was a real consultant or simply a contractual employee who fetched coffee for the officials. A source in Malacañang has claimed that the records show that he was at Salary Grade 13 Step 1, which fetches about P25,000 in salary, which is also that of a clerk.
Custodio isn’t a military or defense expert. He is a Yellow propagandist, who amazingly has managed to fool Philippine media for so long.
Punk
I wouldn’t have written anything on this propaganda punk if not for the fact that his case points to a very serious flaw of media, which readers must be aware of and which it has to correct, for the nation’s sake.
Philippine media has been gullible, lazy or continues to have a Yellow/Red bias in their choice of “experts” talking on issues. For instance, TV5 has a talk-show program self-importantly titled “The Chiefs,” since the hosts are the editors in chief of the Salim group’s four media outlets. It is these editors’ job to assure the quality of their reporters, that they are not being fooled, or worse paid by people they cover.
Yet this program recently had Custodio as their sole guest for their episode on the VFA’s termination. In the whole 45-minute program, none of these chiefs bothered to ask Custodio, “By the way, what are your credentials for being an expert on security affairs or on defense?”
Were they gullible and lazy to check Custodio’s credentials or did they, who are really Yellows themselves, simply want a Yellow propagandist to monopolize the narrative in their talk show?
The problem is pervasive. The head of a leftist propaganda venue disguised as a research institute calls himself “professor,” and his media interviewer indeed calls him that, in effect, giving this activist who dropped out of college the stature of a PhD, given tenure by a government-recognized university. He’s been actually aping his idol, Communist Party founder who by-lines his articles as “Prof. Jose Ma. Sison,” when he never even became a regular instructor of English at the UP in the 1960s.
Communist cadres assigned by the party’s Central Committee to represent leftist party lists are called collectively by the term they want, the Nationalist Bloc, when the party has long been unmasked as having merely used nationalism as a cover for their aim to topple the democratic system.
Media hasn’t been doing its job when it quotes or features people whom a real expert on the military termed as follows: “Nagtitinda lang ng maruya sa kanto, analyst na.”
Email: tiglao.manilatimes@gmail.com
Facebook: Rigoberto Tiglao
Twitter: @bobitiglao
Book orders: www.rigobertotiglao.com/debunked
https://www.manilatimes.net/2020/02/21/opinion/columnists/topanalysis/yellows-fake-defense-expert-calls-military-idiots-predicts-coups-vs-duterte/692958/
Indonesian child protection boss is ridiculed after claiming women can fall pregnant in swimming pools 'even without penetration' if men with 'strong sperm' ejaculate in the water
- Sitti Hikmawatty, commissioner for health, made the claims during an interview
- Hikmawatty - whose surname translates as wisdom - has been ridiculed online
- Doctors have said it is impossible to get pregnant in the way she described
Women can fall pregnant in swimming pools 'even without penetration' if men with 'strong sperm' ejaculate into the water, an Indonesian child protection boss has claimed.
Sitti Hikmawatty, the comissioner for health, narcotics and addictive substances at the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI), made the extraordinary claims in an interview with the Tribun Jakarta last week.
Ms Hikmawatty - whose surname translates as 'wisdom' - has apologised for her comments, saying they were made in a 'personal capacity', after she faced backlash on social media.
Doctors in Indonesia have said it would be impossible for women to get impregnated in this way.
Sitti Hikmawatty - whose surname translates as 'wisdom' - made the comments in an interview with the Tribun Jakarta last week
'There is an especially strong type of male sperm that may cause pregnancy in a swimming pool,' said Ms Hikmawatty.
'Even without penetration, men may become sexually excited (by women in the pool) and ejaculate, therefore causing a pregnancy.
'If women are in a phase where they are sexually active, (such a pregnancy) may occur. No one knows for sure how men react to the sight of women in a swimming pool.'
SHARE THIS ARTICLE
The Indonesian Doctors Association told the Jakarta Post that women cannot be impregnated in swimming pools.
Indonesian blogger doctor, called Blog Dokter, said in response to her claims: 'Once again, I remind you, if you do not understand health problems, it's better to be quiet. Instead of your comments causing anxiety and panic.
'I will emphasise here, swimming with the opposite sex will not cause pregnancy. Not all men who swim ejaculate and sperm cannot live in chlorinated pool water, let alone swim into the vagina.'
The head office of the Indonesian Child Protection Office (KPAI) pictured in the capital Jakarta
She has faced ridicule on social media. Photos have been uploaded of her shaking hands with a senior commissioner with the reflection of pool water pasted over the top.
One Twitter user wrote: 'When there is a flood. Ordinary people: Save ourselves and other valuables. Sitti Wisdom: Please separate men and women so that no one gets pregnant.'
A cartoon strip has also been posted online showing a women getting pregnant after she enters flood waters with a man.
The chairman of the KPAI, Susanto, has issued a statement saying her claims do not represent the views of the organisation.
'We hereby state that KPAI's understanding and attitude are not reflected in the online news narrative.'
Ms Hikmawatty issued an apology on Sunday. 'I apologise to the publi for giving an incorrect statement,' she said. 'It was a personal statement and not from KPAI. I hereby revoke the statement. I plead with all parties not to disseminate it further or even make it available.'
Read more:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8042509/Women-fall-pregnant-swimming-pools-without-penetration-says-Indonesian-official.html?fbclid=IwAR1h41UKlzglncpjcM9tEe9eEXnf72W0fApHU7NzZ06WpYmkUoM94VnLS2w
Matthew 6:1-6,16-18 | Podcast & Pieter Claesz | Ash Wednesday: remember that you are dust
| ||||||||||||||
|
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)