Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Random Thoughts

The headline on one of business papers today (September 8) read “Exporters Not Yet Rejoicing.” I did not read the article but it is apparently about the weakening of the peso against the U.S. dollar. It is probably just a literary device employed by the editor but it seems hint that exporters are entitled to be jubilant about their business prospects. All the while, I thought that the main function of business is to employ limited resources to meet consumer demands while making a decent return on their investment. Once in a while, businessmen may be “laughing all the way to the bank” but it is not imperative for government policy to guarantee that they do.

I came across an internet ad touting the advantages of converting one's vehicle to run on water. The ad stated “Reduce your fuel costs by as much as 70%.” I guess the water-powered vehicles have to run on special water that costs at least 30% of gasoline. Maybe it's one of those designer water. Maybe it's water that can only be found in Saudi Arabia.

Last week, Malaya Editor Jake Macasaet was arrested based on a warrant issued in relation to a complaint for libel filed against him some nine years ago. A search warrant is issued after a finding of probable cause by the fiscal. Probably cause simply means that the fiscal has determined that a crime has probably been committed and that the accused probably committed it. In libel, all that a fiscal needs to determine is if it is probable that someone published or caused the publication of what is probably libelous material. Jesus Christ! It took some pinhead fiscal nine years to determine that a material published was probably libelous and that editor of Malaya was one one who caused it! What did he do, read each and every copy of the newspaper? Don't hold your breath for Secretary Raul Gonzalez to sanction such seeming incompetence on the part of his subordinate.

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