OFFBEAT MAIL

MILF chair Murad Ebrahim (center). This is my reaction to Mr. Amando Doronila's column "Bangsamoro framework: The inside story", which appeared at the www.inquirer.net, on Oct. 29. One of the particular paragraphs that caught my attention focused on: “The MILF wanted to have full jurisdiction [over] the judicial system, including banks, budgeting, and creation of taxes and revenues, as well as full control over policing and internal security,” the paper said. The paper being referred to above is titled “Forging a Peace Settlement for the Bangsamoro: Compromises and Challenges,” a copy of which was obtained by the Inquirer. It was presented by professor Miriam Coronel Ferrer of the Department of Political Science, University of the Philippines, at the recent 2012 Philippines Update Conference at Australian National University in Canberra. Ferrer is a member of the Philippine negotiating panel in the talks with the MILF. I don't want to sound like a...

The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis today reported 2.0 percent growth in real gross domestic product for the third quarter of 2012. U.S. economic growth is slow, but not slowing. It is difficult for the domestic economy to grow any more robustly, given the relatively soft pace of consumption and investment, weak sentiment among businesses, continued austerity for state and local government spending, weak exports, and the looming "fiscal cliff." Moreover, the negative headwinds from Europe and Asia look to be more persistent than previously thought. On the plus side, housing is finally turning into a positive factor after a long decline. Nevertheless, the U.S. remains poised to at least partially fall off the "fiscal cliff," as politicians are likely to let the payroll tax cut and extended unemployment benefits expire at the end of this year. This should depress economic growth to below 2 percent in the first half of 2013, the Bureau said.  Assuming the econ...

The erotic novel Fifty Shades of Grey is arousing more than book sales. Women are discovering their appetite for pleasure with or without a partner, and sex aids are playing a bigger role. Indeed, a new poll by ICR Survey of women ages 18 to 60 years shows that nearly 1 in 4 American women want a bigger "thrill" in bed. To give women the increased pleasure they've been craving, the makers of the We-Vibe(R) are launching the revolutionary Thrill by We-Vibe(TM), a new sex aid for solo play that stimulates both the C-& G-spot simultaneously for the ultimate "me time." The unique "c-shape" design fits all the right places and has a sleek handle to allow women to control the sensation like never before. With the Thrill, women can stimulate the C-spot and reach the elusive G-spot (alone!). Not only does the Thrill by We-Vibe make for a lot more fun between the sheets, it also offers some very real health benefits, like improving the immune system, ...

One of the sensitive issues that was taken up during the recent debates between presidential candidates incumbent President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney centered on how to tame the rate of unemployment in America. Unquestionably, the exchange of gangnam rhetorics between the two protagonists appeared to have satisfied the appetite of those who wished to hear something new as both of them articulated themselves on how to solve the massive unemployment, which put many Americans to rely on welfare funds to survive the dog-eat-dog competition. Surely, others may have just shrugged their shoulders but in their minds they knew who to vote for. Whether or not the rhetorics had worked to the advantage of both candidates, nobody knows. One thing sure, many corporations that are successfully operating in China and other Asian countries,  where labor is much lower, may be re-thinking on whether to take the bait or not. For sure, it won't be easy for them to decide yet at this point in ti...

The Investigating Manic Phases And Current Trends in Bipolar (IMPACT) study, which was designed to investigate the effects of periods of mania in people diagnosed with bipolar I disorder, also found for over three-quarters of respondents,bipolar I disorder had decreased their own expectations of success in life. Lundbeck today announced results from an international study of people living with bipolar I disorder, which found a significant proportion of patients experience symptoms of depression during an episode of mania. The IMPACT of Bipolar study (Investigating Manic Phases And Current Trends) found 64% of people reported experiencing feeling depressed during a manic episode. Bipolar I disorder, a subset of bipolar disorder, is a chronic, episodic illness characterised by mania, depression, or a combination of both. "The results of the global IMPACT of Bipolar study show depression is a significant factor during mania for a considerable number of bipolar I patients," s...

The holiday season is just around the corner. Surely, many consumers are already on their heels to plan for a wide variety of gifts that they could afford to buy to please their families, relatives and friends alike. And the most convenient way to pay for all the things we purchase is either through the use of debit or credit card. Besides, it also safer to use the debit card because even if it is lost, access to the account is protected by a secret pin number. It's not the same as the credit card which can be used by anyone who gets hold of it. But not too many people think that using these plastic instruments to purchase stuffs or pay for gas at the pumps can expose them to excessive overdraft fees, especially if they fail to take heed of the expenses that they have. That's true. In fact,  there are dangers that go with it.  I went through this sad experience a couple of months back due to my own ignorance for not being too careful to monitor my purchases. As alwa...

The International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA) will open its doors to the first ever international Master in Anti-Corruption Studies. A two-year, part-time program, the Master is designed for working professionals from all around the globe who wish to remain fully employed while pursuing their degree. Upon completion, they will receive an MA in Anti-Corruption Studies. The Master programme will start in February 2013 with the first module. Applications will be accepted until 26 October 2012. The program combines distance learning with seven, twelve-day on-site modules. Six will take place at the IACA campus in Laxenburg, Austria and one at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Academy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. "The Master provides participants from both the public and the private sector with a better understanding of corruption. They acquire knowledge and skills for building capacity in the field and tools for helping bridge the gap between theory and practice," stated Marti...