The world wants Obama but US want MacCain

All along I thought of Senator Obama's advantage. But as I watch their debate last night in BBC World News, my sister went on telling that the issue of Philippine Daily Inquirer says McCain is winning in the United States.

In the beginning, i was liking Obama for his stand on the middle class and Iraq War. It is also noteworthy that while Obama does no favor the troops in Iraq, he agrees on sending more troops in the Afghan borders. It is his belief that the Al Qaeda is penetrating the country and it is where US must focus more. McCain has edge on the home security issues. He proudly says that the current administration suceeded in improving security for the homeland.

The September 11 attack has considerably overshadowed the framework of the elections. Having the current president of US a Republican, who failed to protect the Homeland from the terrorists threats, the Democrats find opportunity to gain the acceptance of the world.

The reason behind the attack of the World Trade has many stories. In fact when that happened there was a paradigm shift on the focus of security -- from cold war communist-laden issues to terrorism. It changed America's fight and limited the communist-democratic head-on to terrorist-democratic collide. Whether the communist and democratic collide of ideologies is finished or not is a different story. The point is the terrorist bombing in America has shaken it and is also the factor to what is now American financial crisis.

Having Republican as head of the country, expect US to re-dignify itself with more anti-terrorist measures. I have mentioned in an earlier post that Bush has been sued by a Foundation of invasion of privacy for colluding AT & T to redirect communication usage data to an office of the National Security Agency; it definitely still is a part of the security measure which although legally reinforced by the Patriotic Act is violating the US Constitution.

The agenda of Obama is more focused on the Economy. It is where he won last night to me. And MCain as macho as other Civil-war Southerners ideology seems to be un-reinforcing to the Iraq war cause with his age. I don't know. But his lenient personality seems to me inappropriate to the cause of war. He seemed to me Ashley Wilkes in the novel Gone With The Wind.

BBC research polls opined Obama win last night. But it noted that the audience of the last night's debate are more of democrats.

Is US ready for a Black President?

How Is It to Have a Bad Credit Reputation? Part 3

So yes, when you failed to pay your balance with your credit card bank and not follow the monthly payments due, you will have your credit card get cancelled. It is the beginning of the ordeal. With the shame on it, with the bank's collecting agents nagging you at your office to pay, you will eventually feel cold-footed. You will suddenly be nervous that you may be sued by the Bank for not paying.

Fortunately, my brother who was then studying law told me that no one gets imprisoned for unpaid debts. My other sister who is also taking up law now will add that the Philippine Constitution has explicit provision on the no-criminal liability for not paying debts.

A result of credit card non-voluntary cancellation is the submission of your name to the Bank Association of The Philippines' Negative List. This list is a roster of debtors who has been reported by Philippines banks for not being responsible enough to pay their debts. When you got included in it, your life is over. Or at least that was what I felt. Young debtor. Me. Then.

The inclusion of your name in that dreaded list will definitely block you from availing of car loans, house loans, education loans, etc. It will prevent you from having or attaining an affluent life which everybody does dream of. It was painful to think of it. Your own future and the future of my kids are at stake! First of all, I never want them to experience the life I had which was hard. That was how fast-forward my thoughts then was. I don't know but my mind is on a blast during those time. It's what they call a rush life even that I am a "probinsyana".


Below is an interview with Topper Coronel, President of the Bank Association of the Philippines (BAP) regarding the Negative List (Interview Transcripted) which I had clipped from Pinoy Money Talk.

The BAP Credit Bureau is just the repository of information. That means garbage in, garbage out. The banks themselves make the list. However, there are only several bank officers within a bank who are specifically authorized to modify that list and they are responsible for its reliability. They can get sued for mistakes. We are not worried about the accuracy of these lists. We are not dealing with kids here.

Yes, there are triggers for people to be listed and these are agreed upon by participants of the system. These include canceled credit cards due to improper usage, not voluntary cancellation. Even when the credit card falls past due, it is not immediately placed on the list. We make allowances for curable periods where a borrower might have merely forgotten to pay.

Banks as a rule look at the total credit history of a person. If you have a cancelled credit card or a bounced check but have paid the amount already, it is the obligation of the bank to make a notation that you have rectified the situation.
Personally, my advice is to deal with banks that know their business. If I were a bank, I would rather deal with someone who has had bad experiences with credit but got burned and has reformed, rather than someone who is spotless. Those who process credit applications and reject someone right away because of some bad decisions are lazy and are not doing justice to the bank. We are not dealing in heaven where there are only spotless angels.
Also, good banks invest in good systems. There are algorithms that check not just the name but also the address, birthday and other personal details. The BAP’s system can check details like middle names. We have enough safeguards to make sure we don’t make mistakes and ruin people’s lives. Our system can only be accessed by two or three very senior people and it is fully audited and fully secure.
The best way to check would be to write a letter of request to the BAP and we can check the system for you. Then we can tell the bank to review their records.

EFF Sues President Bush

That goes the headline...Although what really sues who is the EFF to The National Security Agency. Read on..


Aims to end illegal spying

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has filed a lawsuit against President George W. Bush and others in his administration for the illegal surveillance of emails and telephone calls without a warrant.

The suit also names the National Security Agency (NSA), Vice President Dick Cheney, Cheney's chief of staff David Addington, and former Attorney General and White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales.
Electronic Frontier Foundation

The lawsuit, Jewel v. NSA, is aimed at ending what the EFF says is "the NSA's dragnet surveillance of millions of ordinary Americans and holding accountable the government officials who illegally authorized it."

Evidence in the case includes undisputed documents provided by former AT&T employee Mark Klein showing AT&T has routed copies of Internet traffic to a secret room in San Francisco controlled by the NSA.

EFF attorneys filed a suit against AT&T in 2006 alleging that US telecoms giants had opened its network to the NSA without warrants. This year Congress passed legislation giving telecommunications firms immunity from spying lawsuits. The case is now stalled in federal court.

"In addition to suing AT&T, we've now opened a second front in the battle to stop the NSA's illegal surveillance of millions of ordinary Americans and hold personally responsible those who authorized or participated in the spying program," said Senior Staff Attorney Kevin Bankston.

"For years, the NSA has been engaged in a massive and massively illegal fishing expedition through AT&T's domestic networks and databases of customer records. Our goal in this new case against the government, as in our case against AT&T, is to dismantle this dragnet surveillance program as soon as possible."

Heard the latest news: McCain's Vice President is a Woman

The US Race for the November Elections is getting under our pants. Democrats are democrats, republicans are republicans. Obama did not choose Hillary as a VP candidate because definitely, choosing a woman for a VP will weaken the democrats stand in November. Amerian Blacks and Woman may at first sight go strong together as a pair but the dynamism of the US electorate may elicit other response to the merging of women and black forces under the democrats' banner. At this time, it is becoming apparent that Obama is "llamado" or a stronger candidate than McCain does. In response to Obama's choosing of the Delaware Senator, the Republicans this time choose a woman as their Vice-President. I will be showing the profiles of both contenders to the presidential race later. What is the implication of this decision by the Republicans? Well, I see it as something that intends to communicate a message: women will always remain second best to the men. It's that traditionalism that Republicans have been branded with. Money wise, Obama camp has experienced no laxity. He's being supported financially by wide range of financiers. The race is about the psychology of the question of having an American Black for President. With barely three months, propaganda that can sway voters' opinion or choice of candidate will be the name of the game. There are studies that voters (in any country for the matter) generally change candidates' preference when the elections is nearing, at the slightest knowledge they receive from external sources like the media. The choice of a woman as Republican's VP candidate, who is equally capable as Hillary CLinton, will make the voters' attention turn to the Republicans.

Sarah Palin is McCain's VP:
A Basketball Pointguard, A Beauty Queen, A Governor





Joe Biden is Obama's VP:
A Senator from Delaware