Fernanda Cabrera Osmena Velez

 

Fernanda Cabrera Osmena Velez

So this narrative will be preserved and archived in my blog.

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She was Fernanda Cabrera Osmena, who married Porfirio Velez. Her parents were Victoriano Osmena and Januaria Cabrera.

She was already elderly when I would stay with her or accompany her on trips. Her more prominent features were high cheekbones, long face, and droopy-eyed. So tried to recapture her image with those features at an earlier age.

My most intimate companionship with her was when as a little kid I accompanied her on a very extended vacation to the remote island of Culion, the leper colony. We stayed with the family of one of her married daughters.

She was most independent and regal in stature having lost her husband still in the 30s. She was quiet and withdrawn much like my own mother. Kept herself busy with her religious devotionals, and darning clothes in the most intricate fashion. I would watch her do this and be in awe at what she had done, like a little machine had done the work.

A Blog Entry Of Random Thoughts For A Sunday

As creatures with Free Will, no subject ought to be taboo.

We learn that the biblical sense of sin is this:  Missing the mark.  Thus, we sin because we miss the mark.

Now, bearing false witness against another man is missing the mark.

What about bearing false witness against another man because we believe the source(s) that allowed us to make such a witness?  Or because we are informed by such sources? And we believe without giving due diligence that sources are divulging the facts rather than their opinions.

That would still be missing the mark in my best judgment.

Because before making judgments against another man, or worse bearing false witness against another, one is compelled to first learn of the truth.  One cannot be satisfied with accepting things at face value.  Unless, we harbor entrenched loathing for another making it easy to make rash judgment at the slightest hint or provocation.

I am finding as I continue my virtual travels, that this is the one thing that muddies or complicates discussions on issues that are delicate but vital to our continued health and peace.   Issues about politics.  About religion.

And as some sort of cop-out, we then dismiss the whole thing and declare these subjects as taboo for good and cordial social interaction.

Yet deep down we know that we would become the better if we allowed ourselves unfettered and unhindered access and discussion to issues on religion and politics.

                                                         

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My Own Prayer for Serenity

From the clutter and frenzy of our everyday lives deliver us, O Lord.

And bring us to the mount of simplicity and serenity 

where we can find you with the destiny wrought for us all.

Let not the many allures of the world beset and confuse us.

For when all is said and done, they all matter but little.

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 A conscious stream of thought rides along my Sunday jog

Your earthly life is so very short. Do not waste any of it.

An admonition constantly hammered in our minds, especially for those of us in the twilight of our years.

And from the river of ideas propounded, many of us may be getting the wrong notions about this saintly beatitude written above.

Why seekest thou rest (and pleasure), since thou art born to labor? - chimed in a’ Kempis.

So, ask yourself this question: How is life then wasted or not wasted?

A life of ease and pleasure, or one of constant vigilance and pursuit of thoughts and acts that purify the soul? 

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 In Prayerful Supplication

Lord, what have we become?  For this is what I see before me.

So much loathing, hatred, and deceit toward other people, like we were unspoiled angels untainted by the very impaired nature bestowed on us.  

The few who do humbly scrutinize their own lives find themselves just as debauched, or even worse as the persons they are criticizing.   

We hate, yet our own lives are hateful or we tend toward odious things.  Projection?  We forget our beloved Christian exhortation, hate the sin, not the sinner.

Our children wallowing largely in a life of ease and comfort in these advanced stages of civilization and technology, so capable of knowing so much and thus ought to be inclined toward wisdom and prudence. 

Yet good enough numbers are so haughty, disrespectful, and unlettered to the ways of what is rightful for them to do or be as children, like being deferential and dutiful to their parents or elders. Or how about be subject to authority?

 They publicly disparage others taunting them to educate themselves, yet they are so oblivious about their own unawareness.  

Christ did warn that in pursuit of our own salvation, humanity will find itself in great turmoil, with families against families, parents against each other, and children against their parents, friends against friends, etc.

 We are told in that alternate existence we are expected to stand alone in our beliefs and resolve, solitary before our own judgment, and accountable only for our very own actions.  And not even for those of our own loved ones.

Is this what has become?  And there are telltale signs pointing to something.

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A Sunday Thought

In these times when we as a species are forever trying to exhibit and pay obeisance  to our social and gregarious nature, we are reminded of a simple but hard saying by a’ Kempis in his Imitation of Christ book.

We humans are constantly seeking discourses because we seek comfort from one another.  In explanation, he lays out one possible reason why humans are constantly on the move seeking new sights and new people to interact with.

And we find it could be for a self-centered reason, which at times could be clothed in altruism or other self-less reason.

Thus, we have to constantly be on the alert to examine whether our actions or protestations have the single eye of intention, or whether we do things for our own satisfaction and contentment.

Christ himself has cautioned us about the difficulty of showing the single eye of intention in the things we do here on earth.  So that when we say that we are doing things for the greater glory of God, are there no other more self-serving intentions thrown into the mix?

This we have to constantly remind ourselves lest we be misled.

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The strong contravening forces of both nature and nurture will conspire to almost guarantee that the next generations will be different from the previous.  The mothers and fathers different from their children; children and grandchildren from their ancestors.

Though it is still an obvious reality when certain individuals will surprise people when they start looking and acting like their previous generations.

And the similarities and differences will tread beyond just physical attributes, but all the way down to values and priorities.

I do believe that God’s stupendous and inscrutable creation assures the utter uniqueness of each human individual brought into this world.

We just hope the moral absolutes learned through the ages will find their way down to the last generation of humanity.  After all, we also believe these are encoded in our very nature.

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A timely rule to live by for we are wont to criticize our fellow humans in our daily discourse in social media or conversations.

Caution on Public Criticism

While clearly human actions are visible to us, 

And thus subject to our discriminating eyes,

Remember it is God alone that can discern

Hidden intentions and desires of the actor,

Unless unequivocally declared in public.

Good faith on the motives are to be assumed

To be fair and equitable in our judgments.

To rashly ascribe unkind and shallow motives 

Would no doubt clearly be unfair and unjust.

Thus best to exercise circumspection in such

For truly we do not possess the complete truth.

In another vein, the better part of discretion

Dutifully dictates to those hurt or concerned

To stay quiet about the misunderstandings

Unless keeping in quiet solitude it leads to

Much graver scandal or unnecessary offense.

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In Pursuit of Youthful Stuff

As a young pimply kid growing up in the 50’s in the sleepy town of Cagayan de Or0, we made do with whatever was available and affordable in pursuing our idle dreams of fame and fortune.  Dreams gathered and collated from what we saw on the silver screen, which for most of us was our only window to the rest of the fantasized world.

We naturally wanted to look like our idols, act and sing like them, and imitated as best we could their mannerisms, using means as crude and coarse as they got during those simpler times.

We did not have smartphones, not even decent cameras, much less photo editing apps we could play around with in pursuit of our escapist fantasies.

As a matter of fact, if we wanted pictures of ourselves, during off-times, meaning when there were no class pictures scheduled or school events to be memorialized in pictures, we had to go to one of a few studios around the city and sit for a portrait.  And this would set us back a few pesos, which meant we had to save for it.

And a number of us did just that, recording for posterity the silliness and pettiness that characterized our youth.

And in hindsight, we have cause for snickering. Or maybe smirking?

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Approaching the 2nd Term of Obama

In a latest show of disregard for 1st Amendment rights where the American Christian filmmaker of the controversial YouTube trailer that supposedly sparked all the flames stoking the Middle East and South Asia and specifically directed at US offices, had been taken by LA county deputies at midnight “for voluntary questioning”, I now find  no reason why any US voter ought to vote for the incumbent.  We do not have to name who the replacement ought to be.  It is just “anybody but” as far as I am concerned.

And let us count the random ways why he should not be re-elected.

Since he took office the general well-being of Americans has declined. In our local economy we find very anemic growth, very high chronic unemployment, even poverty has dramatically increased,   and millions of people have even stopped looking for work.  Household incomes have fallen to lowest levels since the 90’s.

His foreign policy initiatives from dealing with Iran’s nuclear weapon development activities to fostering better relations with Russia, and dealing with the Middle East and Israel in general, have not brought any results that we can celebrate about.

 He has not even properly addressed the looming debt crisis the country is bound to experience, much less planning any serious attempt at welfare and entitlement reforms.  His actions have simply exacerbated the problems which continue to get worse as more and more people join in on the Federal dole.

His policies to spur growth in the economy have been dismal failures. Including the promised pipe dream of creating more green jobs.  What about any attempt to mitigate the housing problems which continue to bedevil the country?

Not only are we registering record numbers in food stamps, and astronomical gas prices, we are now also experiencing increases in insurance premiums.  I suppose no thanks to the landmark Obamacare.

Even his campaign for re-election has gone into the deep end churning out less than honest ad campaigns targeting opposition candidates, rather than focusing on the problems of the state.

It would be nice to see amidst all these a harried head of state moving heaven and hell to try and address all these problems that cry out for attention, instead we see one too concerned only with fundraisers and recreational activities in the golf courses and  expensive vacation spots of the country and abroad.

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Thoughts on this the holy day of the Lord:  

Rather than a holy man or a prophet, it was instead a classical historian who reminded me that nothing in the world today that happens to man is new.

If one is confused or in quandary as to how to respond to current events, one simply has to turn to history, the old books, to realize the repetitive nature of things and events, and thus for modern man to derive the pertinent lessons from them.

All the lessons we need to lead good lives can be derived from those sources, whether in religious settings like Holy Scriptures, or in secular settings like ancient history books.

 All of humanity, of whatever religious orientation or inclination, simply needs to turn to them for examples or illustration.

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"Three coins in the fountain. Which one will the fountain bless. . . . . ." 

A reported tri-cornered auction for the 2016 mayoral election in our city is in the offing.  Here are some off-the-cuff observations from a budding numismatist, though for the sake of circumspection and tongue-in-cheek humor, no candidates’ names are mentioned.  Please appraise it for whatever currency it may have.

 The most-seasoned “fractional denomination” and his misshapen looks are still  glossy and eye-catching.  He has deadly intent to jingle back into the coffers of the city and he will mint any and all proof sets to attain that goal.  His protestations to the contrary and his eroded edges notwithstanding.  His intent is singular and his actions are all focused toward a fortuitous end.  To rule the city’s purse-strings anew.

 In the case of the other “loose change” it may be a little different. One recalls that at the onset of his decision to run for mayor, he interposed certain obstacles against his running.  A heart-tugging one remembered was that his family was not too happy about it, that they would rather he spends more time with them after so many years in politics.  And many early supporters got the shiny impression that he was in this one joust only to unseat what was perceived as a very undesirable and corrupt counterfeit legal tender.   And no mention was made about what would transpire after this.   Meaning no thoughts or plans were made beyond a first term.  After all, here was a candidate many thought who was possessed with a singularly-engraved noble intention of serving the common welfare.  And nothing more.  With no plans to perpetuate himself in power.  Also, what might the family think since after all they were already ambivalent about his initial round at auction?

With regard to the third “coin of the realm”, before casting their lot with  the eventual incumbent many had him as  the prized gold-cladded choice, and being one of its own, many pursued him relentlessly to no avail.   Excuses were given, like that he wanted to finish his work in Congress, etc.  And many held breaths and bids till the last minute.  Hedging for him to run for at least just one term.  Because he was viewed as a mint-condition shoo-in, even against a well-entrenched machinery. What ended however was that he eventually threw his support and ante pot with the challenger.  And many attribute this for the eventual record-price victory of the challenger.

  But recall that all this transpired before learning of this legislator’s BBL stance and his own PDAP/DAP mess.  Have we “loosely changed” our minds about him?

 "Three coins in the fountain. Make it mine!  Make it mine!"

Golden Years In Employment

An innocent little FB post earlier inevitably evoked memories of my past employment, the very last prior to final retirement. 

It lasted for about 10 years, and I would consider them 10 golden years, but not because they accorded me with monetary returns approximating the precious metal. Rather those years were most priceless because of the over 36 years of my employment in different fields, they gave me the most exciting challenges and inspiration in my working life.  Measured much more than any in the diverse fields I had found myself in earlier employment - from non-life insurance, to teaching HS and college, to branch banking, then lastly to the hospitality industry. And of course, since I  was myself approaching my golden years then the description fits.

Working those golden years I found myself showing initiatives and drives I never discovered earlier, in a field that I totally was unprepared for, both academically and experience-wise. Imagine being able to devote time and intense attention learning about software applications written in thick tomes which at times got very technical. 

 I was literally pushed into the whirlpool called the computer and IT industry, which during those times was beginning to garner global attention and prominence, and thrown into the place which could be considered the front yard of where all the action was happening, in Silicon Valley. What exciting times, even for a doting employee approaching retirement. 

 I had wished then that we should have had established residence closer to the valley rather than San Francisco whose main industry was hospitality and tourism.  Admittedly, it was quite envious reading and meeting some who had earned their millions simply being employed in small start-up companies in the nearby cities dotting the valley. The bigger and more-established enterprises in the valley were in hot pursuit gobbling up start-ups that could improve their own products.

 Anyway with reality the way it is, I moved on and proceeded to push my nose to the grind, learning as much as I could on my own. Aside from reading textbooks and via the Internet, actually building PCs at home, and even constructing a server-workstation network with about a dozen nodes of printers and workstations, to duplicate and simulate actual work environment.

But by then age had caught up on me and the decade was up, though emerging technologies were still sizzling, even after the tech bust at the turn of the century. And today, it continues and it gets more advanced, more challenging, and harder to understand from the outside. 

 Anyway, pushed myself to go up my attic to retrieve what I had kept as reminders of the tools of that last trade I pursued. So I found stowed in an old attaché case, an assortment of items, from tools to parts, cramped inside that little storage, but sufficient enough to remind me of those glorious years. 

 Now ensconced in our attic where old stuff go to hibernate.

For the Philippines: Maybe a Good Strategy To Win Elections

 

The well-oiled  elements in the multi-faceted forces that stood against Trump and his re-election were so cohesive and formidable, no other known forces on earth could have been victorious against them.  They were so spot on in their planning and execution, so that Trump even with his soaring popularity and support could not ever have supplanted them.  They covered all bases to guarantee the win of practically anybody they put up against Trump, even a weak and debilitated a candidate as Biden (and Harris), who did not even bother to campaign as candidates were wont to do.  It was no idle talk when people sneered that Biden did his campaigns from his basement.  They truly were and his audiences in his few appearances were as anemic as those of Trump were so robust and animated.  But obviously, Biden knew better.  He had his aces on his sleeve.

Thus, it could be regarded as a most effective model for conducting electoral campaigns. A surefire way to win elections then, apropos even for a developing country like the Philippines. At this opportune time, it is best then to take helpful cues from the 2020 US presidential elections.

Overly-confident Trump focused and poured out his resources and efforts on the boisterous campaigns he conducted leading up to election day.  (Which turned out to instead be, election days)  And boy, did he show them, hundreds of thousands gathered to hear him wherever he went. The at times rambling rhetoric he spewed was almost unnecessary for they loved him and what he had done to the country.  But of course, mainstream media unequivocally aligned with the other side, not only tried to ignore his tremendous efforts but did everything to malign, censor, and rebuke him at every turn. Still, many level-thinking individuals were judging based on enthusiastic responses of the electorate that Trump had the lock on victory in his re-election bid.  How else could it have been any different?

But the Democrats and their powerful allies, awash with resources, had many aces to deal with. Trump may have had the numbers, but the Democrats had the resources, media, and the elites.  So instead of the campaigns, they focused on the election itself, justifying why Biden and his coterie did not even bother to rigorously campaign. Instead they poured attention and resources on the forthcoming events of election day, or election days as it would eventually turn out to be.  And in very smart moves focused not on the entire country, but on certain critical areas located in states called batte-ground states where they could make the best impact and results in their favor.

The many focal thrusts of this cabal were then shown and executed in a number of clever moves, but at times moves bordering on or even beyond legality. 

First and foremost was the pandemic which had been weaponized to work against the incumbent.  In combined efforts with media and their acolytes, the incumbent was made to look like a complete idiot in the midst of the scourge.  And because of this, they all went into action to utilize the pandemic as a wedge against his administration. 

The Democrats dramatically changed in the critical states how the election and its count were to be had to its unfair advantage, all under the guise and cover of the pandemic. Subtle changes in established election procedures and protocols already in place were quietly passed in the background in areas held under Democratic hands.  And this new order at times meant short-circuiting the established systems in place. Matters within the purview of legislatures were summarily changed by certain executives of such places.  Thus instead of just the traditional absentee-ballots that voters requested for fairly good reasons, these jurisdictions instead opted to send without any request all ballots to all those listed in the voter registers.  No verification as to whether they were still alive or dead, or whether the names were still valid.  Or worse, whether new names were surreptitiously added to the mailing lists.  Now we wonder why millions more votes were had in the tallies, numbers that surprisingly broke records of the past.  And still worse, we learned most basic verification procedures for such voting were discarded in the counts.  Now we read that even at this late, there are still being conducted post audits in several states regarding the last election.

The slick operators made sure that election day counts would stretch to days to accommodate the huge numbers of "returns" that poured from every which way.  A move so dramatic and unprecedented since official counts could only be valid and legal within the appointed election day.  Not days! 

In a huge and novel move, Facebook undertook the get out and vote campaigns within these same areas, which function traditionally is within the purview and handled by the officials of those electoral jurisdictions. Facebook funneled funds (to the tune of half a billion dollars)to a little-known NGO to undertake that delicate task, a task that required impartiality and fairness. But reports showed a very different story.  Like the abundance of  available drop-boxes in critical areas expected to vote Democrat while neglecting the other areas. In another ironic twist, we learned that what were actually spent by the NGO were no more than were already budgeted to be spent by the jurisdictions involved.  So why the need to turn over functions to a funded NGO when the government itself was capable of doing it?

And of course, the case of the electronic voting machines of a certain source that somehow found their ways in those critical areas.  You think maybe they also played certain critical roles in the assurance of a certain result?  The Filipinos are familiar with this. To this day they are still eagerly waiting for final resolution on their issues.  Where is Commissioner Andy?

What an effective framework to use in an election. Clever and smart. One that certainly could have pertinence and effectivity in a place like the Philippines?  You think?  Remember he who has the gold, rules.

Many of these narratives may be sounding like spooky events from a horror-mystery novel, except they are couched in facts and data, observable and readily available.  And sooner or later, history which moves ever so slowly will bring all this to the sunlight.  And the alternate reality created will be dispelled.  

But not sooner.  The seer says.  

Pacquiao comes to mind, though a long stretch for him given his personal circumstances.  But he definitely has personal and unencumbered resources, plus electability (specifically, name recognition).  A deadly combination in Philippine politics.

But maybe employ a brain behind the scene?  Or better, a brain to run with his brawn?  To complete the package?

If perfected, he could win the plum price, better than all the victories he has savored so far in his pugilistic career.

 

 

Immigrants and Immigration in the US of A

The more one tries to learn about a situation, the less inclined one is to make public commentary on the situation.  Largely because then one realizes that many of those who do make commentary appear to inform themselves from very limited perspectives hatched either from misinformation or at best from scanty information about the topic.

Such lazy prognostications only serve to muddle and make more confusing situations that require earnest and studious attention.

One such topic is Immigrants and Immigration in the US of A.

All things considered it does appear proper for one to make known one's views if only to elevate the overall discussion to a more adult level.

On this issue many rely unfortunately on motherhood statements that do not anymore have bases in fact.  But they  still make for good theatre, and those sporting and advocating them are proud of themselves for their emotional show of compassion and generosity.  But overall it definitely does not move the needle nearer to understanding the situation and the inherent problems. And worse, of trying to mitigate the worsening situation.

How many take into account the number of legal immigrants the US takes in every year?  Do you know the number?  The US takes in about 1 million legal immigrants every year dating back many years.  Its population has burgeoned to 325 million, growing in leaps and bounds in the process. 

How many illegals are in the US? The estimate hasn't moved or been updated for a good number of years.  As if the number does not increase with daily illegal border crossings. Accelerated by de-facto open borders policy coupled with official invitations to come.  Anyway, as few as 12 million to as many as 20-30 million.  California the most populous state has close to 40 million residents.  The illegals are mostly low-skilled and least educated, which because of this there is no doubt the systems have been overwrought and corrupted in more ways than one can imagine.  Ergo, actual and real population should be more.

Social programs of the past designed to address this situation have only exacerbated monetary and fiscal problems of the country.  What is now the total debt of the US? What about deficits and shortfalls?  How many states are close to being insolvent?  Bailouts anyone?  Not to worry, humongous spending bills are just around the corner.  MMT to the rescue.

The richest and most powerful establishment elites in the US have aligned and conspired with government of all political flavors to continue the flood of cheap labor via illegal migration, to decimate the American middle-class which had been the stable and reliable anchor of the US economy and which assured it of high standards of living.  Now most data show that the middle class continues to shrink as early as the 80's, while the richest few accumulate more wealth.  Talk about lopsidedness. The last administration addressed this and was able to improve employment figures in areas not seen in ages. 

But the pandemic and all is accelerating this untenable situation.  Government's reckless moves in response add instead to the burdens.  Imagine right now it suffers from high unemployment, yet available labor is less than adequate to supply a heating economy.  Why? Because government makes unemployment benefits better than employment.

When is the tipping point?