Thoughts

I am alarmed and you should be too!

After Iraq, it seems that the war-mongering spirit of some people just has to be sustained and so a certain self-righteous group called Invisible Children, came up with a documentary calling for America to wage war in Uganda, against a purportedly evil man named Joseph Kony, who, according to Ugandan authorities, have fled their country years ago.

But no, this group called Invisible Children wants to wreak Uganda and turn it into hell, they want to create nightmares for majority of Uganda's children by encouraging America to bomb their homes, playgrounds, destroy their forests, and all, just so this one insignificant man, who suddenly came into the limelight, would be flushed out the toilet.

How many children have to die for this one man?

Many people were alarmed at the response that this one uneducated and unconfirmed "documentary" is claiming, both positive and negative, but mostly positive as many celebrities are now rallying to call for America to intervene in an otherwise local issue that is totally not needing any international intervention.

This video raised alarm in Uganda and all over the globe, as peace-loving people are starting to see an "Afghanistan," "Libya" or an "Iraq" in Uganda. Is Uganda the next target? Would my country be the next target?

In a Telegraph interview, Ugandans spoke out including the country's spokesman:

"It is totally misleading to suggest that the war is still in Uganda.... I suspect that if that’s the impression they are making, they are doing it only to garner increasing financial resources for their own agenda.” - Fred Opolot, spokesman for the Ugandan government.

“This paints a picture of Uganda six or seven years ago, that is totally not how it is today. It’s highly irresponsible” - Rosebell Kagumire, Ugandan journalist.

“Suggesting that the answer is more military action is just wrong.... Have they thought of the consequences? Making Kony ‘famous’ could make him stronger. Arguing for more US troops could make him scared, and make him abduct more children, or go on the offensive.” - Javie Ssozi, Ugandan blogger.

“What that video says is totally wrong, and it can cause us more problems than help us.... There has not been a single soul from the LRA here since 2006. Now we have peace, people are back in their homes, they are planting their fields, they are starting their businesses. That is what people should help us with.” - Dr. Beatrice Mpora, director of Kairos, a community health organisation in Gulu, a town that was once the centre of the rebels’ activities. (More on the article, here).

This is an internal problem of Uganda, so let Uganda solve it, if ever the problem still exists. Unless Uganda asks for assistance, then no country has the right to self-righteously make themselves be the "savior" of that country.

Here is an alarming VLog from a Ugandan young woman:

This video is so heartbreaking and you can feel the alarm in her message. No one wants to see their country fall victim in the hands of war-mongering people who doesn't really care about peace but just wants to make money by bombing countries. This just made my heart heavy. Will Uganda be the next Syria? Will a recovering country once again be dragged into a no-nonsense war that would only kill more people, rather than uplift and help?

Instead of asking for America to intervene with force and arms, let America intervene by helping Uganda improve its social services, or in helping find shelter and education for these "purported" victims of Kony, or in spreading the message of peace.

Let America be in the forefront in the campaign for a peaceful world, not by bombing and destroying small countries, but by helping build these countries up and make them self-reliant.

The picture above, that's the face of Uganda's children, the innocent victims should this campaign by Invisible Children be given more attention.

Let America be the savior that it is.

Let us stop this nonsense. Let us call for America to help Uganda, not in finding Kony, but in rebuilding the lives of its children.

***

Credits go to @jinnledet for bringing my attention to this issue.

(Source: Telegraph | Video credit: Invisible Children, Slubogo | Photo credit: Generations Adoptions)

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Health

CEBU, Philippines - February has left plenty of memories for lovers. Sadly, not all memories are good, health-wise, especially. February was not just about lovers expressing their affection towards each other with flowers and chocolates, it was also that time of year when misguided individuals express their “love” by joining queues in motels and other places for carnal pleasure, believing that whatever it is that they intend to do is the ultimate expression of their love.

Unluckily, this sort of giving is not only about surrendering one’s dignity, it also entails the risk of receiving a gift that’s definitely not healthy.

In 2011, the Department of Health in Region 7 recorded a drastic increase in reported HIV/AIDS cases, from 95 in 2009 to 377 in 2010. In addition, an estimated 8,000 tested positive for various sexually transmitted diseases in the same year.

However, the numbers doesn’t seem to raise alarm with more people choosing to get a lifetime disease rather than give up hours, if not minutes, of pleasure.

Here are some of the more common gifts that may have spread around during the season and could start to manifest at this moment. If you see any of these symptoms, better have yourself tested and treated early.

Gonorrhea is caused by bacteria that grow in warm, moist areas like the reproductive tract and the urethra. It can also grow in the mouth, eyes, throat, and anus. The bacteria are transmitted through contact with the sexual organ, mouth, or anus. This is also spread from mother to baby during delivery causing blindness, joint infection, or a life threatening blood infection in the baby. Gonorrhea is a silent disease and most of the time may not present with symptoms, especially among women. Should there be symptoms, this appears one to fourteen days after infection and includes burning sensation during urination; white, yellow, or green discharge; bleeding of the anus; or sore throat. Treatment is with antibiotics, but some strains of the bacteria are becoming resistant to the usual treatment, so, health officials recommend dual therapy, or taking two drugs simultaneously. If left untreated, gonorrhea causes sterility and other life-threatening conditions. To read more on this condition, click here.

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by bacteria Treponema pallidum. It has a variety of symptoms depending on the stage of infection. It is transmitted when a person come in contact with a syphilis sore on the genitals, vagina, anus, in the rectum, the lips, or in the mouth of an infected individual. The first signs of syphilis would be the appearance of sores occurring 10 to 90 days after infection. The sores, called chancre, are firm, round, small, and painless. It usually disappears after three to six weeks. After which, rashes would start appearing. The rashes may not be itchy. This characterizes the second stage of infection. Other signs include fever, swollen lymph glands, sore throat, patchy hair loss, headaches, weight loss, muscle aches and fatigue. The symptoms could disappear without treatment. The late and latent stage could appear 10 to 20 years after infection and could include damage to internal organs like the brain, heart, the liver, and bones. To read more on this condition, follow this link.

Chlamydia is a silent disease. Symptoms do not usually appear but if they do appear, they present as abnormal discharges and burning sensation when urinating. Women may also suffer from abdominal pain, low back pain, nausea, fever, pain during intercourse, and bleeding in between menstrual periods. Infection could spread to the rectum and the throat and would present with pain, discharge, and bleeding. Symptoms, should they occur, would appear one to three weeks after infection. If left untreated, chlamydia could lead to sterility among women. Babies born to infected mothers could present with pneumonia and conjunctivitis. To read more on this condition, follow this link.

Hepatitis B is a viral infection transmitted through sexual contact with an infected person, or when blood and other bodily fluids from an infected person enters the body of someone who is not infected. The disease affects the liver and causes jaundice (yellowing of the eyes and skin), dark urine, grey-colored stools, abdominal pain, and unexplained weight loss, among others. Although most babies get vaccinated against the Hepatitis B virus, there is still a significant number of individuals who get infected every year. Chronic Hepatitis B could lead to liver cancer and other serious liver disease. At present, there is no cure against the virus that is why health professionals recommend vaccination. To read more on this and other viral hepatic conditions, follow this link.

HIV/AIDS is also a sexually transmitted viral infection. HIV is the stage wherein one is infected by the virus, while AIDS is the disease caused by HIV. HIV decreases the immunity of a person and as such becomes vulnerable to diseases, most prevalent of which is pneumonia and other respiratory tract infections. Because of low immunity, recovery also becomes slow. The virus is spread through unprotected sex, drug use, specifically that which uses injections, and from mother to child. Treatment for HIV/AIDS is still experimental at this stage and entails a cocktail of medicines. There is really no definite way of knowing that one is infected with the virus simply by relying on symptoms. In order to be certain, one must get tested for HIV infection. To read more on this condition, follow this link.

Love is about giving one’s self to another. It is not about giving another a disease that could impair them for life. Love, doesn’t have to be expressed with lust, which is brought about by body consciousness.

A relationship grounded on lust is not only fleeting, it also comes with plenty of risks, primary of which is sorrow brought about by sexually transmitted diseases. However, to have a relationship grounded on true love and self and mutual respect is to develop a mature relationship that could last for a lifetime. (FREEMAN)

Source: Center for Disease Control and Prevention (cdc.gov) and The FREEMAN. Photo credit: cdc.gov.

This article was first published in The FREEMAN on February 22, 2012 and somehow was republished again on its site on February 29, 2012. The FREEMAN is the Philippine's longest running regional daily. It is affiliated with the Philippine Star Group of Publications.

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Events

Ok so I promised myself to keep out from events and all, but then I know that you would agree with me that this one is worth blogging about.

So, I went AWOL from my review class (just between breaks and lunch, went back after the event) to attend the Cebu launch of Cebuana Lhuillier's award winning promotional campaign, the Search for the Happiest Pinoy. Pinoy is slang for Filipino, and its an endearing title that we as a people have coined ourselves. Here is an AVP on the search:

The search aims to promote happiness and to highlight the Filipinos resiliency. I have to admit we have a way of making things light, despite the hardship and the calamity that we experience. This year, the organizers want to see more nominees coming from the masa (the common people), those who despite their having nothing, are still able to inspire others to be happy.

There are three qualifications for one to be nominated:

1. A constantly cheerful face and optimistic outlook.

2. Proven ability to rise above life's challenges.

3. Positive impact in the lives of others.

Simple, and I am sure there are plenty of common people out there who possess all these three. A fruit vendor, a traffic police, or a street sweeper. There are many. It is inherent in us Filipinos to be happy and cheerful.

Deadline for submission of entries have been moved to July and the awarding ceremony will be on August.

More details and the nomination form can be accessed through the Happiest Pinoy website: http://happiest-pinoy.com.

Last year, over 200 nominations were made and out of these 10 were selected, most of whom have disabilities that make them so unlikely to be happy, including one who's blind, totally handicapped like that famous atheist physicist, yet she maintains a site on happiness and designs shirts on happiness, not to mention run a charity that aims to help cancer stricken children in a government-run hospital in the Philippines.

The first happiest pinoy was from my place, Dumaguete, and his name is Winston Maxino, president of an energy company who suffers from ankylosing spondylitis and at the same time has a daughter with Down Syndrome.

Here's his story:

Oh, yes, and since we're doing videos, allow me to share with you the radio stint that we recently had over at Bantay Radyo (yep, you can see me here) to promote an entirely different but not totally unrelated event by the Brahma Kumaris with none other than the creator of this wonderful search, Mr. Jonathan Batangan. Mr. Batangan, who happens to be a student of the Brahma Kumaris, talked on "Happiness is a Choice". The interview is in Cebuano so you might not understand it, unless you speak the language

Before I end this blog, some words of happiness from a press release by the Brahma Kumaris:

"Happiness is a choice."

"We all know that, yet there are times that we seem to choose sadness. We think that it is not reasonable to not feel sadness especially in times when there is pain and sorrow. It is just not normal to be happy all the time."

"But then, this is a misconception that we must correct. It is possible to feel happy even when we are in the middle of a great challenge."

"True happiness is not about denying the pain and hurts, rather it is about accepting the reason behind those emotions, and realizing that despite the sorrow there will always be something good that would come out of it."

Photo and video credit: Cebuana Lhuillier and Happiest Pinoy

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Thoughts

And I thought I'd be inactive... Well, I was and still am, so please forgive me if I can't post more often or visit your sites from time to time. I miss reading your posts guys.

So, anyway, @xbeautifully_broken_downx tagged me on her post, 7 Things, asking me to also share seven things about me. My gratitude dear friend for the tag. Here goes my 7 things:

1. I love sour fruits. Just a few moments ago I was enjoying my kamias (fruit from the cucumber tree) with so much gusto. Dipped in very sour vinegar and soy sauce plus sald. My favorite beverage is actually Cafe Bola's Kamias juice. Unfortunately, lately, they have not been serving it. What else is my favorite? Green mango dipped in the same sauce with like 10 African birdseye chili. Yum!

2. Valentines 2012 was spent with my friend Ferliza. She texted when I was about to go to bed asking me if I wanted to go out for a nightcap. I said, why not, since we have some catching up to do. All the while, she brought me to a bunch of heartbroken ladies needing comfort. It was fun, nonetheless. And the singer at the bar was also, well, feeling down. Choose happiness, I told them.That's my dear friend Ferliza, my new friend Che, and me, of course.

3. I love solitude. As much as I can, I try to meditate a lot. I practice Raja Yoga taught by the Brahma Kumaris. I've been going to the center for almost 10 years now. Remember, solitude doesn't have to be lonely, if you know your true companion. Always, we need time for ourselves.

4. I want to be a monk. A solitary monk. I've been considering becoming a sannyasi but I can't take the indignity of begging. I think monks are more dignified, and scholarly. If ever I become one, I want the one wherein talking is not allowed for life. The problem is, I'm not exactly Catholic. Check out this site of the Carmelite brothers: Carmelite Monks.

5. I'm a Born-Again Christian. In fact, my mother has her own church back home. Although, its been years now since I last set foot inside a church. The last was at Victory Christian Church in Cebu. It was fun, and it was in respect to a dying friend, Fernalyn. Honestly, I started becoming disenfranchised from organized religion because I feel that they do not do what they preach. They discriminate and see other faiths as that of the devil, as such are enemies. I don't think Jesus taught this. He, after all left two new commandments, one of which is for us to love our neighbors as ourselves. This means, accepting them for who they are and not judging them based on their faith.

6. I'm a Physical Therapist trying to get my license in the US since 2006. Now, I am a bummer with no source of income, and still hoping to get my license in the states. In the side, I work as a journalist and lifestyle writer.

7. I'm in the process of becoming a vegetarian. So far, its been a success. As much as I can, I cook my own food since its so hard looking for one that has no trace of meat in it. Filipinos love their meat, literally. And its all over. We just love greasy, salty, sour, and meaty. That's why its hard to be vegetarian if you are a true-blue Filipino. The only vegetarians I know are either those who are on a spiritual path, or those who are there because they are sick. The latter, well, they try to sneak in a few slices of meat and fats every once in a while. Our motto: We will die eventually, so indulge and enjoy while you still can. My question is, what would be your last days like? Bed-ridden and incontinent because of stroke? Hmmm, I sure would not want that.

Oh, and on a totally unrelated subject, allow me to express my gratitude to @we_deny_everything for mentioning me on his post. I am honored and flattered. All the best, to you, dear friend.

Photo credit: Kamias: The Stops @ WordPress, Valentines: Che Roble, Monks: Going Like Sixty

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Thoughts

We recently had an earthquake incident, which is really not so common in our area, although not rare as well since we are after all along the ring of fire. The earthquake cancelled our afternoon class.

On my way back to the dormitory I was shocked to see a mob of people coming my way. I thought they were my fans, but no. When they were getting near, I noticed the expression on their faces - panic, despair, uncertainty.

I asked one of those rushing towards uptown Cebu and she said, "The tsunami's coming!" 

I was like, seriously?

Apparently, an unknown guy cried wolf, and with the people's fears reinforced by an earlier tsunami advisory by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Philvocs), it was not hard for massive hysteria to ensue.

But then Cebu (together with the part of Negros Oriental that's been pointed as the epicenter of the earthquake that would supposedly trigger the tsunami) is located between two islands with a narrow strip of sea separating the islands. This unique geographical characteristic makes it impossible for a tsunami to develop in the area, particularly that which would hit Cebu City or Dumaguete City.

So, I was like, why then did Philvocs issue the advisory? It seems that it caused more damage, with the panic it fueled, than good. Still people argue that it was better for Philvocs to issue the advisory rather than be blamed afterwards if something would really happen.

But then, nothing would really happen, not unless you take off the map the other islands that buffers Cebu and Dumaguete City from the deluge of a giant wave, and that would take like a hundred more strong earthquakes, God forbid.

Of course, the earthquake, per se, caused a lot of damage with a few casualties, especially in areas near the epicenter, as this picture represents:

But with regards to the tsunami, I think Philvocs was being irresponsible in issuing a warning for something that is so unlikely to happen. Yes, in some places a tsunami may occur following an earthquake, but this is not Japan or Aceh which is exposed to the open sea, this is Cebu and Dumaguete, places hidden from the ocean where their is a likelihood for the water to be vacuumed into its vastness only to be spewed back with such a force that would qualify for a tsunami.

I guess they were trying to save face for not having said something of the earthquake that shook the region.

***

I couldn't avoid the temptation of posting this once-in-a-lifetime event that made me laugh, cry, and burn in anger for having to put up with an incompetent government office.

Forgive me, its just that this advisory did not only affect a few people, but a whole metropolis. There were lots of scenes that are funny, yet, the sincerity of the people's intent makes it heartwarming. 

A friend related to me that one time she saw two person arguing whether to bring the coffin of a loved one with them to the higher ground so that it won't be swept away by the tsunami. While there were those who had to rush to schools to fetch their kids, dashing in panic not caring whether they get bumped by approaching cars. It was really a terrible scene.

***

Well, here's some funny moments:

A friend was riding a jeepney when the earthquake happened. She noticed it and immediately told the driver, who candidly replied:

"Of course there's an earthquake, we're passing by a motel (where people go to get laid)!"

(Source: USGS, Philvocs | Photo credit: Facebook, USGS and Philvocs | Video credit: YouTube)

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Thoughts

My dear Xanga friends,

This next three or four months, I will be very busy reviewing for me to get my license to practice as a Physical Therapist in the US. Although this does not mean that I would take the exam (but I'm hoping), because this would all depend on the US embassy and if they would grant me my green card in the next year. Last time I was denied my tourist visa because of my pending petition with the US Immigration, thus was not able to take the exam May last year. Ann (@hesacontradiction) and I were already planning on having a good time in Florida where I planned to take my exam as I have relatives there. Still, this year, I am hopeful.

I have told myself that this would be the last effort that I'll be making in trying to fulfill my American Dream, but if it won't push through, then fate has something better in store for me. Regardless, I will be quite busy with the review. It's been nearly a decade since I became updated on the new trends in my profession, since for the last years I've been working on different fields: media, sales, and just recently, government service. This is because PTs have no place in the Philippines. Our profession is not respected here and the amount of money that our family would invest in our education is not justified if we work as physical therapists here. Sadly, people still see us as plain masseurs - massage parlor therapists - or fitness instructors. We are more than that, of course.

So, anyway, I'll be very busy this next three to four months so I might not be coming to Xanga as often as I used to this past year. But from time to time I will check on you guys because I would really miss you and your posts.

My deepest gratitude to all of you who have constantly showered my page with your thoughts and loving words.

All the best,

Tribo

P.S. Here's my parting song, although I'm not really leaving... I just love this song...

(Video credits: YouTube)

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Technology

So what does this mean to you?

Honestly, at first glance I thought it would be cool because I don't need to remember a lot of things, passwords and all. But when I read this piece from NPR, written by Eyder Peralta, I started to realize that this new policy is not just about convenience and a better experience for me, it is also about Google banking on my personal information for their personal gain.

People have been saying how Mark Zuckerberg had become one of the world's richest people by selling people's information he got from his Facebook (I'm an avid Facebook and Twitter user, by the way), now, this could be a more elaborate money making venture for Google. But then again, getting free services would entail some form of payment.

Peralta, in his article, quoted Common Sense Media chief executive James Steyer's Post interview:

"Google's new privacy announcement is frustrating and a little frightening. Even if the company believes that tracking users across all platforms improves their services, consumers should still have the option to opt out — especially the kids and teens who are avid users of YouTube, Gmail and Google Search."

He also quoted a USA Today article where Rep. Ed Markey's (D-Mass) expressed his concern on this new policy, further adding:

"Critics worry the tech giants will open fresh opportunities for cybercrooks to prey on users of the sites."

"'Both are racing to monetize our private information and in doing so creating collateral damage,' says Alisdair Faulkner, chief product officer at security firm ThreatMetrix. 'They are essentially indexing more and more private information and, in doing so, serving it up on a platter to cybercriminals.'"

On the other hand, the American Civil Liberties Union, also expressed their concern on this new policy in their site Blog of Rights.

They cited this example on how this new privacy policy could potentially violate our right to privacy:

"...have you ever Googled something you didn’t want to tell your parents/spouse/friends/doctor about? Have you ever had a personal conversation over e-mail that you didn’t want broadcast to the world? With this new integration, your e-mail content won’t influence only what ads you see in Gmail, and your search terms won’t influence just what ads you see when you’re searching. As of March 1, your e-mail content and search terms could influence ads you see on any Google site. So, imagine watching a YouTube video with friends or family and suddenly having an ad based on what you assumed was a private e-mail conversation or a personal Google search appear. Yikes! And short of signing out of your Google account, there is no opting out."

For them, the integration policy of Google is their right, however, users must be given the option to opt out of this new integration policy and that it not be made mandatory.

The products, by the way includes Google Chrome, Google's web browser. This means that it is not just your search history that's being monitored, but your browsing habit is also recorded by Google. Now ain't that creepy? Is this fair price for free access to the world?

If you think that Google should allow its users to opt out of integration, then better have your voice counted by checking out DotRights.org, or send Google a feedback.

(Source: NPR and ACLU | Video credits: Google)

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Environment

Another reminder of our wondrous Earth...

Doesn't this make you thankful that we have such a beautiful planet?

Let's take care of it.

If you are curious what that video is about, here's the backgrounder from Russia Today, the source of the video:

"The skies over northern Europe have been illuminated with an intense display of the northern lights after a week of massive solar storms showered the Earth with radiation."

"Video shot last weekend in Norway showed the eye-catching effect of the Aurora Borealis in the skies above Birtavarre. The lights are a familiar sight for Scandinavians, but even experienced stargazers were stunned by the intensity of the aurora borealis that swept across their night's sky on Tuesday, after the biggest solar storm in more than six years."

"An aurora appears when a magnetic solar wind slams into the Earth's magnetic field, exciting electrons of oxygen and nitrogen. Even before particles from the solar storm reached the Earth on Tuesday, a different aurora on Monday night was dancing across the sky as far south as Ireland and England, where people rarely get a chance to catch the stunning light show."

(Video credit: Russia Today)

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Environment

I remember Jill (@babyboomerjill) talk about fracking in one of her posts. I didn't really mind it because I was appreciating the beautiful picture that was the subject of her post (and the earthquake, of course). It wasn't until recently that this natural gas drilling practice really caught my attention.

Just what is fracking? Some cool NYU students made this video based on ProPublica's reports on the subject:

And how would you know you've been fracked?

Fracking further came into attention when President Barack Obama revealed during his most recent State of the Union Address that his administration hopes to maximize the country's rich natural gas reserves, underlining the need for companies to be transparent on their operations especially on the chemicals they use.

Now, if you still want to know what fracking is and how this would affect you, well, check this wonderful in-depth interactive report from Aljazeera.

(Video credits: RT, Aljazeera, and Water Under Attack)

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News

Economics Nobel laureate Joseph E. Stiglitz gives a gloomy outlook on the world's economy for 2012:

"This year is set to be even worse. It is possible, of course, that the United States will solve its political problems and finally adopt the stimulus measures that it needs to bring down unemployment to six or seven per cent (the pre-crisis level of four or five per cent is too much to hope for)."

Continuing,

"Moreover, the major emerging-market countries, which steered successfully through the storms of 2008 and 2009, may not cope as well with the problems looming on the horizon. Brazil's growth has already stalled, fuelling anxiety among its neighbours in Latin America.

Meanwhile, long-term problems - including climate change and other environmental threats, and increasing inequality in most countries around the world - have not gone away. Some have grown more severe. For example, high unemployment has depressed wages and increased poverty."

And on education, where Obama has put his hopes on in his latest State of the Union Address,

Stiglitz points out this reality:

"Young people who graduated from college with tens of thousands of dollars of education debt cannot find any jobs at all."

He adds:

"In that brief moment when the rising tide was indeed rising, millions of people believed that they might have a fair chance of realising the "American Dream". Now those dreams, too, are receding. By 2011, the savings of those who had lost their jobs in 2008 or 2009 had been spent. Unemployment cheques had run out. Headlines announcing new hiring - still not enough to keep pace with the number of those who would normally have entered the labour force - meant little to the 50-year-olds with little hope of ever holding a job again."

"Indeed, middle-aged people who thought that they would be unemployed for a few months have now realised that they were, in fact, forcibly retired.... People who moved in with friends and relatives have become homeless. Houses bought during the property boom are still on the market or have been sold at a loss. More than seven million families in the US have lost their homes."

But there's hope:

"The good news is that addressing these long-term problems (e.g. climate change and other environmental threats, and increasing inequality in most countries around the world) would actually help to solve the short-term problems. Increased investment to retrofit the economy for global warming would help to stimulate economic activity, growth and job creation. More progressive taxation, in effect redistributing income from the top to the middle and bottom, would simultaneously reduce inequality and increase employment by boosting total demand. Higher taxes at the top could generate revenues to finance needed public investment, and to provide some social protection for those at the bottom, including the unemployed."

Still, there's a but

"...politics and ideology on both sides of the Atlantic, but especially in the US, will not allow any of this to occur. Fixation on the deficit will induce cutbacks in social spending, worsening inequality. Likewise, the enduring attraction of supply-side economics, despite all of the evidence against it (especially in a period in which there is high unemployment), will prevent raising taxes at the top."

Will our global leaders prove this economics guru wrong and erase the final but, giving us hope for a better future? I pray so, please pray with me.

Read more of Stiglitz's thoughts here.

(Source: Al Jazeera | Video credit: Al Jazeera and NASFAA)

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