BE VIGILANT

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
“ Your Online Banking is Blocked !
Because of unusual number of invalid login attempts on you account, we had to believe that, their might be some security problem on you account. So we have decided to put an extra verification process to ensure your identity and your account security. Please click on sign in to Online Banking to continue to the verification process and ensure your account security. It is all about your security.
Thank you. and visit the customer service section. “
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I opened my email and discovered this disturbing official notification from one of the largest banks in the United States . For Expatiates living here, a block on their bank account could mean a personal financial disaster. How would you pay your rent? How would you buy food? How would they re-new their passport?

Many people would have clicked on the link and immediately tried to resolve the problem. Unfortunately what would probably happen is that they would have every dollar in their bank account stolen!

My first clue that this was a possible hoax is the fact; I have no account with this famous international bank. Now, it is possible that someone has stolen my identity and opened a new account; but then why would they contact me instead of the person who stole my identity? In addition to this anomaly, I have placed a special alert with all credit bureaus. The credit bureau is directed to report to me, immediately, all “new” accounts. I have received no such notification. A check with them shows no such account has been opened.

So what is going on here? Look at the notice. This notice is purportedly from one of the largest banks in the world. This notice has at least sixteen grammatical, punctuation and syntax errors. One error is possible, but sixteen is ridiculous for a bank of this stature. Obviously the people who composed this message, not only do not work for the bank, but it would appear English is their second language.

If you click on this link you open your computer to these criminals. They can place a “key-stoke” virus on your machine and steal your identity. If you complete the form you will give the crooks direct access to your personal bank account. They then can steal all the money you have in your account.

Anytime you receive a notice supposedly from a legitimate business (EBay, Bank of America etc.) instead of using the link provided, contact the business through a different route. Ask the business directly if the notice is legitimate. My experience is that these notices never are legal. Responsible businesses never give you a link and demand passwords or account numbers. They always just ask you to contact them as soon as possible.

I suggest you contact the three largest credit bureaus and have them place your account on “alert”. Request they contact you in the event any new accounts are added to your record. Also request a copy of your account and clean it up. There are procedures for removing obsolete or inaccurate information. The first step in preventing identity theft is prevention.

Finally, be VERY cautious about what you send over the internet. Never send passwords and account numbers through links even to what may appear to be a legitimate web site. On the rare occasion you need to transmit this data, go directly to the companies’ web site and access them through a secured system. I access my bank through two levels of security. In addition I constantly scan my computer for “key-stroke” viruses. Once your identity is stolen you can never get it back. Be an Everyday Hero, protect yourself and educate your friends.

STUPID

He came busting through the front door of the Smart business office like a wounded pregnant carabao. His face was contorted in anger. He snapped and snarled at the security guard, then took his number and waited his turn. At the counter his mood had not improved. He spoke to everyone as if they were idiots. His choice of words was not fit for a whore house much less a place of public business. He obviously thought the louder his voice the quicker his problem would be resolved.

I will never understand why people do stupid things like this. First, he is abusing the wrong people. These people are not personally responsible for his problem; why does he feel compelled to hurt and insult them. Second, how can hurting and making angry the very people you need to help you, make those people more inclined to give that help. I do not know about them; but I would be less inclined to help.

Never underestimate the power of a smile and a sense of humor. I had a similar problem with Globe. I went into the service center with a smile and tried to make the situation as painless as possible. It took awhile, but the problem was fixed. The Globe service people worked extra hard to help the “nice” man.

The huge mango tree needs insects and animals to stay alive and propagate. The insects pollenate it's flowers so fruit will grow and animals eat the sweet mangoes distributing the fruit pits and making new trees grow. The tree does not shout at the insects and demand they pollinate it. The tree provides beautiful flowers and sweet necture to encourage the insects to do their job. The tree does not beat it's limbs together and demand birds and humans eat it's fruit and plant it's seeds. It makes its fruit sweet and juicy to encourage our help. These are the lessons of life that God has wisely provided all around us. Things work better His way.

Calling people "stupid" does not make those people smart nor does it resolve your problems quicker. Be an Everyday Hero. Do not abuse people. Learn the art of patience and living in harmony.

YIN and YANG

Most people are familiar with the symbol but many do not understand the concept. The “Unity of Opposites” is a Chinese philosophical concept that recognizes a world filled with contrasts. Good is contrasted by evil. Wet is the opposite of dry. Slow is relative to fast. Each of these conditions or objects needs the other to define itself. The concept of hard means little unless you compare it to soft. Often these opposites combined to form something even more special. If you take a dark velvet night and combine it with a bright silvery moon it becomes a night to remember.

Many of us believe there is someone special in this world who is our other half; someone who is the Yin to our Yang. I have searched all of my life for the other half of my heart. I had finally given up the hunt and resigned myself to living out my remaining years in solitude. I was here in “the land of beautiful women” a year before I even thought about dating anyone. I had made peace with my lonely fate.

Suddenly there was Cora. Interestingly, I was attracted by her inner beauty long before I even noticed her outer beauty. She routinely sublimated her Pinoy pride in an open quest for self improvement. Her determination, dedication coupled with an unusually high intellect was inspiring. She showed an uncommon empathy and compassion. Her quick wit and sense of humor made her a stimulating companion.

Shakespeare once wrote, “The course of true love never did run smooth” and that was certainly true of Cora and I. Our love has had a long and rough trip. She even admits, when we first met, she did not love me; in fact she was a little afraid of me. But I had a simple plan. I would keep her in my life long enough for her to forget the “wrinkled old man” and fall in love with my “young heart”.

Love is not a word; love is a lifestyle. Saying “I love you” is easy but living that love is difficult. Everything she did told me she did not love me. Several times over the past three years we came terribly close to separating. Finally about eight months ago things began to slowly change. I could see and feel her love growing. We were becoming a true couple, a “team”. Finally I asked her to be my wife.

Last Wednesday we pledged our love and were married. I traveled halfway around the world and finally found the other half of my heart.

HISTORY

“Until lions have their historians, tales of the hunt shall always glorify the hunters.” ~African Proverb

The history of the world is written by those in power and to serve their own needs. Japanese history school books say little or nothing about World War II or their role in that disaster. For centuries, America almost totally ignored the contribution of minorities to our own history. Then in the early 1960’s the Civil Rights Movement forced a change to our historical records. Until 1946 Philippine history was controlled and recorded mostly by western powers. Since then such authors as Dr Gregorio Zaide, Antonio De Morga, and Negros Orientals own Caridad Aldecoa-Rodriguez have enlightened the world to the many valuable contributions made by Filipinos, both here and around the world.

Sadly despite over an estimated 4,000 new books on Philippine history many distortions and inaccuracies still survive. To illustrate my point I want to compare two historical figures, one western and one eastern.

Leonardo da Vinci is known around the world in every nation as a “genius”, a “Renaissance Man”.

“He was the most diversely talented person to ever have lived.”….Wikipedia

“Leonardo can be considered to have been the universal genius par excellence… Five centuries have passed, yet we still view Leonardo with awe”…. Liana Bortolon, 1967

“"There may not be in the world an example of another genius so universal,…. so far ahead of his own century “….H. Taine, 1866

Jose Rizal is not nearly as well known.

"A gem of a man.”…. Dr. Reinhold Rost, Curator British Museum.

"Pride of the Malay Race" ….Wikipedia

"The First Filipino"….Wikipedia

"Greatest Man of the Brown Race"….Wikipedia

Leonardo was the illegitimate son of a peasant girl; Jose was one of eleven children born into a middle class Philippine family. Leonardo accomplished very little until his teenage years when his talent for drawing was recognized. He became the apprentice / student for some of the greatest artists of his time. Jose could write the alphabet at age three and was reading and writing by age five. While his talent for art was also acknowledged, he was never provided any formal training. Leonardo never attended a university, while Jose not only attended four top quality universities but earned two doctorates. His student performance was always sobresaliente (outstanding). Leonardo only spoke Italian. Jose not only spoke Italian but twenty-one other languages. His linguistic fluency was such that he graduated from universities in three different countries.
Jose Rizal was a pacifist. Both Gandhi and Nehru credit him with originating the concept of “passive resistance”. Passive Resistance eventually freed India from British colonial rule. In contrast Leonardo spent much of his life designing and building “war machines”, unfortunately many of his designs were impractical and/or failures. His “helicopter”, “tank” and “airplane”, while ahead of their time, were poorly designed and would not actually work.
During Leonardo’s 67 years he is credited with being a : scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, painter, sculptor, architect, musician, writer, aeronaut, botonist, civil engineer, chemist, geologist, optiical engineer, and zoologist.

During Jose’s brief 35 years he is credited with being an: anthropologist, architect, artists, businessman, cartoonists, cartographer, civil rights reformist, dramatist, diarist, editor, essayist, educator, economist, ethnologist, engineer, Freemason, hospital director, scientific farmer, historian, inventor, journalist, linguist, musician, mythologist, nationalist, naturalist, novelist, ophthalmic surgeon, pacifist, poet, propagandist, psychologist, playwright, martial artist, scientist, sculptor, sociologist, teacher, theologian and writer. He was also an expert swordsman and an excellent shot. He carried on a very active correspondence with intellectuals from around the world, often in their own language.

I do not want to denigrate Leonardo da Vinci. He was a genius and far ahead of his time but it becomes immediately obvious that Jose Rizal accomplish ten times as much in half the time. He was NOT just the “greatest man of the brown race”; he was a great man of all races. If Rizal had been given the support and opportunities that Leonardo enjoyed, one must wonder to what intellectual heights he might have soared.
There is much to be appreciated in Philippine history and culture but you must search it out because the full story has been hidden for over 500 years. Be an informed Everyday Hero. Do not accept everything you hear and do the research. Check even me and when you think I am wrong, write the editor. Truth is more important than ego.

One last bit of information you might find interesting. Modern genetic research has revealed Leonardo da Vinci’s mother was probably an Asian slave from Constantinople.

THE ANSWER

For the last thirty seven years the Philippines has been fighting what seems to be an endless war against Abu Sayyaf (“Father Sword Maker”) and other insurgent forces. Abu Sayyaf, by itself, has murdered an averaged of one innocent civilian each day during those many years (over 100,000 people). My friend Nick Rowe was targeted and murdered by these communist criminals. Nick was a loving husband and devoted father. He was one of the nicest people I ever met and a good friend. Surviving horrendous torture while a prisoner of war in Vietnam (“Five Years to Freedom”; his war biography) he was assassinated riding in his car on a quiet Manila street.

Currently the Philippine government is negotiating a peace treaty with these animals. You have only to look at world history to see how useless and silly that is. Thailand signed a peace treaty with its communist rebels only to have that treaty broken just a few years later. What makes the Philippine government think they can make a treaty with people who slaughter innocent women and children? These criminals have no honor. They respect no treaty.

Abu Sayyaf has never had more than two or three hundred killers on its roster. You can add to those numbers maybe 3,000 supporters. This handful of criminals has held the entire nation in fear. They are cowards that attack from ambush killing unarmed civilians. When faced with “real” Filipino soldiers they run and hide. They negotiate fake “Peace Treaties” to avoid their own annihilation.

I spent almost thirty years teaching and fighting this type of warfare. Bullets and false “Peace Treaties” will not stop the terror. Every time you kill an “insurgent” you create two to take his place. Every time you sign a “Peace Treaty” you give them time to regenerate and continue the war. There is only one way to fight this type of war and it is not with bullets or treaties.

You fight an insurgency by using your brain. The Philippines leads Asia in fighting insurgencies. They were the first Asian country to fight against western imperialism. The Philippines set the worlds standard for a successful counterinsurgency campaign. The Philippine people have only to study their own history to know the way to stop the carnage and eliminate these cowards. Magsaysay’s victory over the PKP’s “Hukbalahap” is a classic example of how to conduct a counterinsurgency.

Some western historians claim the fall of the Huks was caused by the assassination of the late President Quezon’s widow but that explanation is far too simplistic. The Hukbalahap was defeated because Magsaysay understood the dynamics of an insurgency. He studied the enemy and developed programs which stripped the communists of their ability to fight and survive. If he had lived to complete his plans; we would not be fighting this war today. In my opinion Magsaysay was one of the greatest leaders in the modern world. He is highly underrated by many historians including some Filipino writers.

If the current government would study and follow Magsaysay’s example they could eliminate ALL the insurgencies in the Philippines, without outside help, within two years. In addition the economy and the plight of the poor would be improved. As this great humanitarian leader once said, “I believe that government starts at the bottom and moves upward, for government exists for the welfare of the masses of the nation.” Sadly many in the current government have forgotten this simple truth.

SACRIFICE

Persie Mapili’s life was not that unusual. Born poor some forty-four years ago; she eventually met and fell in love with a handsome young Filipino. They were married and started their family. As time passed Persie’s focus became her five children. She dedicated her life to helping them escape the very poverty she had suffered. Her sacrifices were never ending. If there was one bite of food left, her children got it. If there was one peso left, she spent it on clothes and school supplies for them. All her money and energy went into her children and their future. She encouraged them and monitored their academic progress. Two of her children are now university graduates and earning a good living. Two are still in the university and the last one is doing well in high school.

What started as a small lump in her breast began to grow and was uncomfortable. Again she sacrificed for her children. Rather than see a doctor she spent the money on tuition fees. Later as the discomfort became pain she finally was forced to see that doctor. It was breast cancer. If they operated and treated it, they might be able to save her life or at least give her a few more years. The ride home in the pedicab was long and silent. She stared at the road as it sped by, thinking about her choices. By the time she reached home her mind was made up. She would make one more sacrifice for her children. She would give up her life.

There was no expensive surgery, no expensive medicines; she continued to dedicate her life to her children and their future. Her children suffered whenever she cried out in pain, so she endured the pain without sound or tears. Even on the final day of her life she showed no sign of the searing pain that tore through her body. Her last words were, “I am fine; Go study.”

While I honor and respect Persie’s sacrifice, I can not help but think her family would prefer to have her at their side. Her children would rather have her smile than ten diplomas.

The Philippines is the leading country in Asia for breast cancer deaths. Breast Cancer is the third major cause of death in the Philippines. We even have more breast cancer deaths than several of the larger western countries. During a World Health Breast Cancer survey in Manila 54% of the women examined were found to have signs of possible breast cancer; of those examined only 27% sought medical treatment. While breast cancer can be cured if caught early enough, in the Philippines one out of every two breast cancer victims will die the first year because they were not diagnosed or treated soon enough. Over 64,998 Filipinas and Filipinos are diagnosed with this disease every year. (Yes, men get breast cancer too.)


Who is at risk for breast cancer?
*High risk people are men and women between 35 and 50 years old. But BC can strike teenagers also.
*People who have a family history of breast cancer are at higher risk.
*If you use contraceptives you increase your chance of getting breast cancer.
*Post menopausal women are at a greater risk.
*If your first pregnancy was after your 34th birthday the risk is higher.
*If you are infertile and can not have children you are at greater risk.
*Some foods can increase your BC risk ( Deep fried foods, food boiled in coconut milk, charred meat, etc)
*Not getting a regular medical check up puts you at greater risk. If you can afford it get an annual mammogram. At the very least give yourself a periodic breast self exam. Have your husband help you with the exam. You can help him check for testicullar cancer. Do not wait for something to hurt. When it hurts it is often too late.

Many Filipinas/Filipinos put off seeing a doctor thinking, “What I do not know can not hurt me.” “Why spend the money?” “I feel fine an exam is a waste of time.” There is an endless stream of excuses and that stream often ends in the cemetery. Your family NEEDS you. Be an Everyday Hero, prevent breast cancer; get an exam regularly and teach your friends to do the same.

MYSTERY II

In the column “MYSTERY” I challenged you to fight graft and corruption. What I failed to do was explain HOW !

A friend of mine came to me with his tale of corruption. He and his wife went to a local government agency to process some paperwork. Later when he returned to check on the project he was told the paperwork was “lost”. After he paid an additional 900P his paperwork was suddenly “found”. He asked me what he should or could do. To be honest, I had no answer for him. I began to research the local corruption problem.

The closest Oddbudsman Office is in Cebu. Having lived there, I know they have their hands full with their own corruption. In Dumaguete City, elected officials can not act against corruption without committing political suicide. Everyone here is related to someone. If politicians put one corrupt official in jail that officials relatives will vote the politician out of office. Elected officials are in effect powerless to stop corruption. The local police are hard pressed to fight rape, robbery, drugs and murder. The police work long dangerous hours for low pay and the temptation to look the other way on what they see as a relatively minor crime like corruption is very strong.

Everybody hates corruption; but I could find nobody locally who is doing much to stop it. Several community leaders realize it needs to be stopped. If the community is to grow economically corruption must be stopped. None of the leaders, I spoke to, knew exactly how to halt this insidious “cancer”.

Corruption has plagued many nations. In the 1930’s corruption in America was as bad, if not worse, than it is here today. Almost every judge or policeman in America was on the “pad”. Justice was for sale to the highest bidder. We created the “Untouchables”. They were a group of special police who sought out and prosecuted corruption. The “Untouchables” could not be bribed or politically influenced. America solved much of their corruption problem and the Philippines can solve its corruption problem also.

Dumaguete City could be the “first” corruption free city in the Philippines. Local leaders just need to follow the example of the Philippine national government. Form a special “Anti-Corruption” police unit. Shield the unit from outside political or economic influences. Authorize them to conduct “sting” operations. Establish an anti-corruption phone line, so honest Filipinos can safely report corruption crimes. Enact local “Whistleblower” protection laws that will keep people trying to fight corruption from being unjustly punish for their honesty. Publicize the special police unit’s successes and make the “Anti-Corruption” Squad local crime fighting heroes. A similar program is working nationally; national corruption statistics have improved. The PERC has even withdrawn it’s unjust “Most Corrupt Far East Nation “ label and apologized for the injustice, not that that repairs the damage they did.

Nothing bad ever gets better by being ignored. If we want to lift Dumaguete City economically and eliminate poverty, we must first remove corruption. In a corruption free zone we can enjoy not just domestic investments but foreign investments. Economists say, “The rising tide lifts all boats.” That means the financial success of one business sector of Dumaguete City will eventually benefit everyone. We can fight corruption and improve the quality of life in our city but we must all work together.