L.C. Clark's Blog, page 9

Time Travel Part II-The Tranvia

   When I was child growing up in Pasay City, I used to see steel rails embedded in the street along Taft Avenue by the public market on the corner of Libertad Street.  I used to wonder who put the rails there and for what purpose.  To a child it looked like nothing have ran on it for a hundred years.  My grandmother told me there used to be a tranvia, some kind of train, that ran on those rails.
Tranvia in Manila  The electric street car built by Americans, called tranvia by Filipinos, ran to Pasay public market from Escolta and Plaza Goiti through Luneta and M. H. del Pilar.  It was called “Pasay line” of the Meralco powered tranvia.  It was patterned after the San Francisco cable car system built in 1873.   San Francisco Cable Car in the background 
   Pasay was a part of Rizal province back then and had a long way from becoming a city.  However, new automobiles from America with 20kph maximum speed have arrived.  The engine top speed capability was 35 mph.  However, the roads were bad and tires manufactured then were deplorable.  These cars trudged side by side with public transport horse and buggys called kalesa.
[image error] Manuel L. Quezon with Marlene Dietrich
From: http://www.classicmoviefavorites.com     In 1935, the US was struggling to fully come out of the Great Depression.  To help the US economy, a high tariff was charged on imports from other countries.  Commonwealth of the Philippines with Manuel L. Quezon as the first President had been established but the tariff did not affect the Philippines because the Philippine industry remained in the hands of Americans.  So, while the world crumbled during the Great Depression, the Philippines lost no jobs, got no bank failures due to Filipino conservative banking practices and with the six months long rainy season, none of the drought condition that dried some parts of the US into being called “Dust Bowl”, the topic of John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath.

   The Great Depression was less severe in the Philippines because the import tariff discouraged export of food items and produce.  Thus food flooded the local market and took down the cost of food benefiting the Filipino poor while the poor of the world suffered starvation.  
   A search for Philippines or Manila in the Wikipedia page for Great Depression came up zero.  The affected countries were as follows:
AustraliaCanadaChileChinaFranceGermanyGreece IcelandIrelandItalyJapanLatin AmericaNetherlands New ZealandPortugalPuerto RicoSouth AfricaSoviet Union SpainSwedenThailandUnited KingdomUnited States

See also:Time Travel F. B. Harrison Avenue, Pasay City 1950’s Kitchen

An Open Letter to President Trump

   According to Reuters in 2012, “The U.S. current account deficit shrank to its narrowest in nearly two years in the third quarter…”  Efforts were made and results reaped, however today we have a new dilemma, how to save on Medicare without hurting anybody. 
   How about we think outside the box and apply a global solution to a local problem.  If big corporations can outsource jobs to China to conserve capital why can’t the US outsource the medical expense to help the economy?
   Hospitals and medical practitioners in the Philippines are just as good as their American counterpart. but would cost Medicare 40 times less.  Dialysis cost less than $100 per treatment in the Philippines.  
   "Hemodialysis treatment costs an average of $89,000 per patient annually in the United States. This amounts to a total annual hemodialysis cost in the United States of $42 billion; $34 billion of this is absorbed through the Medicare budget. The remainder is either covered by Medicaid, private insurance, or paid out of pocket."   
   Seniors living on disability benefits can hardly keep the heat on in the winter while their rich counterparts are enjoying Florida and Hawaii.  The Philippines has beaches and climate like Florida and Hawaii but the Philippine currency makes every dollar worth 40 times. 

   Fresh food does not cost as it does in the US.  The ‘fresh markets’ are selling freshly butchered meat, just harvested fruits and vegetables and sea food right off the fisherman’s dock.  This as well as the sea air would help improve the health of the seniors.    An English speaking live-in maid in uniform, a privilege reserved for the very wealthy in the US cost about $70 a month.
   The cheap rent the seniors on disability benefit can afford places them in the high crime rate areas where they are at risk of break-ins and at worst brutal crimes.  Presents statistics about crimes against seniors involve weapons, serious violence— murder, rape, sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, and kidnapping.  A $400 rent in the Philippines could get these seniors a high rise condo with the security and amenities they could not enjoy in America for that amount.     The one way flight to the Philippines (from $800 to $1300) could be covered by flight credits from participating airlines to be paid in interest free installments.  This might inadvertently help the airline industry.
   With the US Embassy already in place, processing this may not cost the US government a dime.  If the Medicare spending were to be reduced 40 times less previous numbers would it impact the US economy?  What do I know?  I’m just an immigrant  looking at the best of both worlds. 
See also:Medicare Entitlement for DialysisLifestyle Choice with Dialysis Living on Dialysis 

Racial Divide

   During the Spanish Colonial time, non-Christian Chinese were prohibited to reside and put up business inside the walled city of Manila known now as Intramuros.  While Jesus taught a doctrine of inclusion, commanding his disciples to preach, “And this good news of the Kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations,”(Matthew 24:14), the Spanish Catholic priests/colonizers discriminated against the Chinese. 
[image error] From:Philstar.com   In a twist by divine providence, the Chinese set up residence in Binondo which later became identified as the Philippine’s China town.  Divisoria, the Chinese business center in China town became a thriving commercial district sustained by the Tutuban Central Station built in 1892, the main railway station of the Philippine National Railways.  It became a major drop-off center for goods coming to and from various provinces.  Divisoria’s close proximity to Manila harbors made it the source of low-priced goods smuggled from the US, China and neighboring countries.  Undocumented trading was conducted to give the buyers discount from the evaded tax and other costs.  That trade practice wasn’t a crime back then and even now to some extent.  It is called underground economy.              From:https://vanessaspostcards.files.wordp...     What happened to Intramuros?   It became a relic of a dead city.

   In the United States, tribal land was set aside by the government as Indian Reservations.  Indians can’t own the reservation land.  The property is held “in trust” for Indians by the federal government.  The policy was designed to keep Indian tribes on U.S.-owned reservations, which are governed by tribal leaders as a semblance of a sovereign nations.  “Almost no one on the reservation can afford to build a home, because no one can get a mortgage. And no one can get a mortgage because the property on the reservation is held in trust by the federal government; most of it also is “owned” communally by the tribe.” - www.theatlantic.com From:embracedbythelight.com
   The Bureau of Indian Affairs, or BIA, and the Bureau of Indian Education, or BIE, both part of the Department of the Interior are agencies overseeing the activities of Indian residents of reservations, a virtual, free roaming, centuries old, political prisoners.
   In a twist by divine providence, it was later found that Native American reservations may contain about a fifth of the nation's oil and gas, along with vast coal reserves.  "In 1923 alone, the Osage earned $30 million in royalties. The Commissioner of the Bureau of Indian Affairs called them "the richest people in the nation."
   Now, greedy politicians want to free those lands from a treaty with the Native Americans that holds title to 56 million acres of tribal lands in trust.  The politicians want to put the lands into private ownership, something the Native Americans have been deprived of for more than a century.  In the Philippines that's called land grabbing.  This one, I’m afraid, has no vindication happy ending.
See also:Creator of Poverty Climate Change is a Poverty Issue Who Created Sunday

Abraham Lincoln's Prophesy

   The Bill of Rights was adopted in 1791.  The Second Amendment says “A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”  
   In 1838, Abraham Lincoln said in his Lyceum Address: “All the armies of Europe, Asia, and Africa combined, with all the treasure of the earth (our own excepted) in their military chest, with a Bonaparte for a commander, could not by force take a drink from the Ohio or make a track on the Blue Ridge in a trial of a thousand years.  At what point then is the approach of danger to be expected?  I answer.  If it ever reach us it must spring up amongst us; it cannot come from abroad.”  Was Lincoln referring to the now controversial second amendment?  That we will never know.  Lincoln was assassinated 27 years after he uttered those words.
   Fast forward to this week’s news, Republican congressmen were shot by a disgruntled American, not by a terrorist from the Middle East, not by a Muslim in America, but by a white middle-aged American living out of a white cargo van.  The same Republicans who have fought gun control laws found themselves on the wrong end of an assault rifle.
   “both the United States and Yemen were distinct from the other countries surveyed in viewing firearm ownership as a basic right of civilians and in having more permissive regimes of civilian gun ownership.  In the remaining countries included in the sample, civilian firearm ownership is considered a privilege and the legislation governing possession of firearms is correspondingly more restrictive.” (Gun Control)
   What is it saying when America is ranked beside Yemen?  Here are some states and their corresponding gun control law:

State Open Carry? Kentucky   May carry openly without permit/license. Kansas, May carry openly without permit/license. Hawaii No laws against open carrying long guns. Idaho May carry openly without a permit in a vehicle or on foot. Vermont May carry open or concealed without permit as long as you are a citizen of the U.S. or a lawfully admitted alien, New Hampshire Handgun open carry without license Montana May carry openly without permit/license. Ohio May open carry without a permit if 18 years or older.
   I lived in Kentucky for 7 years.  I went to a pawnshop for real but affordable jewelry.  I found the jewelry on the left side of the room, on the right were guns with prices on them.  An automatic pistol cost $200, cheaper than a cellphone, an AK47 cost $700.  One can wage war for a thousand bucks!  As Lincoln said “the approach of danger… spring up amongst us.”
   Isaiah 2:4 "He will render judgment among the nations and set matters straight respecting many peoples.  They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning shears.  Nation will not lift up sword against nation, nor will they learn war anymore."
See also:Invention of Weapons An Open Letter to President Vladimir Putin Creator of Poverty

Statistics from the Heart

   Preaching the Bible has many forms.  There’s the cart witnessing, the door to door, return visits, Bible study, mall witnessing and street witnessing.  The mall witnessing and street witnessing are different from cart witnessing.  Cart service does not approach strangers, the cart itself does the offering.  The mall and street witnessing is where Jehovah’s Witnesses approach strangers in the mall, parks, bus stops and any spot in the curb where people pass.  In the 90’s, before busses in the Philippines had television, I used to ride standing and walk along the aisle handing out Bible tracts to passengers who actually read them until they reached their destination.
   Jehovah’s Witnesses report the number of hours, the number of homes they visited outside of door to door preaching, the number of publication distributed and the number of Bible study conducted.  No money change hands during preaching.  Everything is free.  Monthly reporting is done only for statistical purposes.  It tells the organization the worldwide progress of the preaching work.  As Jesus said, “And this good news of the Kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations,” (Matthew 24:14)

  When the computer happened, Jehovah’s Witnesses used it to translate the Bible in 120 languages so all nations can read and understand it.  More than 200 million copies of the Bible have been distributed.  When the Internet happened, Jehovah’s Witnesses used it to bring the Bible and publications to places that are difficult to reach by foot through JW.org.  As Hebrews 13:20-21 says, “Our Lord Jesus…equip you with every good thing to do his will.”

   As we have seen, computer and the internet are speeding up the preaching work.  “The little one will become a thousand and the small one a mighty nation. I myself, Jehovah, will speed it up in its own time.” (Isaiah 60:22)  
   The blog is an instrument for preaching that is not reported.  The statistics are not valid as the stats are counted as pageviews.  There is no way of knowing if a pageview came from a new viewer or a returning viewer and which one led to reading the entire article.  I have no idea how many Jehovah’s Witnesses have a blog.  Mine has several Bible based articles.  Below are the stats of how many pageviews each article got.  Again, the pageviews don’t represent the actual interest of the reader or the completion and effect of reading the article.  Still, for whatever it's worth, it's well-intentioned . 
   Only Jehovah can read the heart of the reader. He has the accurate statistics of the above articles.  Ultimately He alone judges the merit of the blogger’s efforts.  “For Jehovah searches through all hearts, and he discerns every inclination of the thoughts” (1Chronicles 28:9)
See also:Talking to Closed Doors The Art of Preaching The Silent Life

The Carmichael Show

From: http://dishmag.com   Most of the television shows I routinely watch like Homeland and Billions are on hiatus.  I went to Hulu to find something good that I might have missed.  I stumbled onto The Carmichael Show.  I have seen the first few episodes of Blackish but it wasn’t my cup of tea.  I thought The Carmichael Show wouldn’t be too.  I decided to see the pilot episode.  I was hooked!  
   I love the characters, the politically conscientious Maxine, the childish mama’s boy Bobby, the street smart Nekeisha, the religious mother Cynthia and their down to earth father Joe.  In the middle of them all is the independent son Jerrod.  Each one has an opinion to defend about controversial issues.  Some arguments are so unique I marvel at the talent of the writers.  Here are some of the social issues they discuss.
    1. Feminism;    2. Their pastor admitted to watching porn;    3. Cheating spouses – there’s an income bracket for cheaters, those earning $50K or less are definitely not cheating, those earning $50K to $100K are thinking of cheating but wouldn’t do it, $100K to $500K are definitely cheating and for $500K to 1 million the wife knows the mistress by name.      4. The Muslim family who just moved in next door;    5. Maxine’s rich Dad buying her independence and integrity with $10K;    6. Joe’s down to earth opinion about slavery, a touchy subject in any show.  He basically said if the slavery hadn’t happened they’d be in Africa now waiting for the advertised “a few cents a day” donations to feed Africa.    7. Gentrification of black communities is an issue I have not heard much about from the media.  In Austin, Texas, the black population is concentrated on the city's east side from the segregation of 1928.   From: http://history.library.louisville.eduIn Louisville, Kentucky, it’s called West End.  In Portland, Ore., 53% of black neighborhoods have been gentrified, in Washington, D.C. 51%, in Minneapolis, Minn. 50%, in Seattle, WA. 50%, etc.
   The episode entitled Guns, tackled gun ownership and the American culture that finds security in keeping a gun at home.  Police have their gun holsters on their side.  Civilians tuck it in the back so it’s not bulging obvious.  In this episode, Jerrod’s comfortably tucking his gun in and out of his belt behind him reminded me of Reb who used to do the exact same thing.
   I must admit there’s something very wrong with me watching Jerrod and fondly remembering a man wearing a gun like an accessory.
See also:Paperback Writer - Book 2 Blog’s 4th Anniversary Kabataang Makabayan (KM), In Hindsight

Talking to Closed Doors

   It’s common knowledge that Jehovah’s Witnesses go door to door to bring the good news of all that is coming as written in the Apocalypse in keeping with Jesus Christ’s commandment to preach.  Matthew 24:14 says, “And this good news of the Kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”  
   As one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, I went out this past Wednesday morning to go door to door.  I was grouped with two other senior citizen sisters.  We were given a set of home numbers of Filipinos covering three streets in South San Francisco.  We, three sisters, took turns in knocking on doors.  On the first street, we got no one to open.  On the second street, we got a couple of doors to open and accept the Bible based magazine Watchtower.  We had a pleasant conversation with a young man named Josh on one and met Sherwin on the other.  
   On the third street, something amazing happened.  It was my turn so I rang the bell.  There was no response.  I rang again and a man spoke to me through his home security device.  
   “Yes?” he said without a Filipino accent.  I could swear he’s an American.
   “Sir, we are here to visit Filipino families in the area.  May we speak to the Filipino resident please?” I said to the doorbell device.
   “My wife is Filipino but we’re not home right now.  I’m in the office,” the doorbell replied.  I was blown away!  
   “You’re not home! This is amazing technology, you’re in the office and talking to us!”  I heard the man laugh.  “Thank you for talking to us.  I will leave a magazine on your door.  We hope to meet you next time.  Again, thank you for talking to us.”
   What just happened there?  As I got home, I searched for the smart doorbell that had a conversation with me.  It’s called SkyBell HD. 
   SkyBell HD, the smart video doorbell system contains a video camera, a two-way radio (a microphone and speaker), that uses an app to interact with the system.  When I rang the doorbell, the device notified the owner’s smartphone with a video feed of me standing on his front door.  With his phone he was able to talk to me.  That, he could do whether he’s at home or 2,000 miles away!
   Jehovah God is helping the preaching work with the technology to connect the Jehovah’s Witnesses with the homeowners through closed doors.  And maybe soon conduct a Bible study from the doorstep to an office break room. 
See also:The Art of Preaching Google It The Silent Life 

Who is the Hamilton of Broadway?

   Alexander Hamilton was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States actively ending the legality of slavery.  The Federalist Papers he co-wrote with James Madison explained federalism.  It shaped the Constitution and advocated its ratification.
From: www.thefederalistpapers.org   The Federalist Papers (1788) established America’s unique financial system.  Hamilton wrote reports to Congress, such as the First Report on Public Credit (1790) and the Report on Manufactures (1791) which partly formed the outline of the US financial system still envied by the rest the world today.  
   “As the first Secretary of the Treasury, Hamilton was the main author of the economic policies of the George Washington administration. He took the lead in the funding of the states' debts by the Federal government, as well as the establishment of the first national bank…”  His interpretation of the constitution created the government-backed Bank of the United State.  He is still the face on the ten dollar bill. From: https://ariesofwar.files.wordpress.com   Laissez-faire capitalism inspired by the economic ideas of Alexander Hamilton was part of the reason America became an economic power.  Laissez-faire contends that business and industry will prosper without government intervention.  While preaching Laissez-faire with his right hand, Hamilton’s left hand imposed economic policy of high tariffs, or taxes on imported goods to encourage Americans to support local industries.
   American business and industry has been propped by the government via colonialization of smaller countries, weapons manufacturing and trade with allied countries.  US economic expansion rode on the railroads.  The U.S. government built the railway system through laws, with tax breaks and tariffs.  Then used its military to break workers’ strikes.  Industrial corporations could not have prospered at that time without government assistance.
   Hamilton was right about his double-talk.  Ultimately, Laissez-faire’s letting business speculate freely, caused the Great Depression of 1929.  Some economists say the mortgage crisis of 2008 was similarly caused laissez-faire policies.
   The Compromise of 1790 was between Alexander Hamilton and several southern members of Congress.  Hamilton won the decision.  The Residence Act of 1790 brokered by Hamilton put the capitol of the USA in the District of Columbia (Washington DC).
   The concept of honor was essential to Hamilton.  A duel began at dawn on July 11, 1804, Hamilton might have fired on his way to the ground, upon being hit by a bullet.  He died the next day, July 12, 1804.  
See also:Federalism, Explanation of Benefits F. B. Harrison Avenue, Pasay City Climate Change is a Poverty Issue

Medicare Entitlement for Dialysis

   In 1944, in Nazi-occupied Holland, Willem Kolff invented a primitive artificial kidney machine.  After the war, Kolff sent his machines to Europe and the United States.  In 1960, Belding Scribner of the University of Washington in Seattle and Wayne Quinton, an engineer, invented a permanent vascular access device.  Their first patient Clyde Shields, lived 11 years on hemodialysis.  The disease is fatal unless patients are treated by either kidney transplantation or dialysis.  
From: https://www.kidney.org   Before Public Law 92-603, 92nd Congress, H.R. 1 October 30, 1972, only those over 65 qualified for Medicare benefits.  Patients, their families, and physicians, as well as the National Kidney Foundation, worked to get the federal and state governments to provide financial coverage for treatment of kidney disease.  Congress passed and sent to President Richard M. Nixon the Social Security Amendments of 1972.  Nixon signed the bill.  He was overwhelmingly reelected.
  Public Law 92-603, considered kidney disease as a disability, “shall be deemed to be disabled for purposes of coverage under parts A and B of Medicare subject to the deductible, premium, and copayment provisions of title XVIII” (www.nap.edu)
   Sec. 299I, states that every individual who has not reached the age of 65 but is medically proven to have chronic renal disease and requires hemodialysis or kidney transplant is entitled to monthly insurance benefits.  “Medicare eligibility on the basis of chronic kidney failure shall begin with the third month after the month in which a course of renal dialysis is initiated and would end with the twelfth month after the month in which the person has a renal transplant or such course of dialysis is terminated.”
   This entitlement covers over 90% of all U.S. citizens with severe kidney disease.  It resulted in prolonging survival for many years.  A unique feature of this law is that the Social Security Amendments of 1972 is the only entitlement for a specific disease, chronic kidney failure.  In a negative sense, the provision of the law was that it is unfair to those who suffer from other ailments.  Public Law 92-603 was within American policy for health care.  Public facilities for treatment of mental illness and mental retardation have been available since the 19th and 20th centuries.  
   Nixon is only remembered for the Watergate scandal.  Now let us remember him by the millions of kidney patients who receive Medicare at any age and other social security benefits reserved for the disabled.  
See also: Lifestyle Choice with Dialysis Racial Bullying in Dialysis Center Living on Dialysis

Finding the Middle

   Every country is at war with itself.  In America, it’s Democrats against Republicans.  Laws are passed and repealed at will of the powerful.  Justice is ignored according to color.  Except for the very rich, everyone is a victim, everyone a casualty of the war within.  It doesn’t matter how you voted.  No good deed goes unpunished. 
  In the Philippines, it’s the President against the opposition.  The well-meaning politicians gets marginalized.  The corrupt gets away with the cash.  There is a left against right.  In between lies the mainstream and internet media faking news with edited photos, click bait sensationalized titles that have no article substance and paid crowds of urban poor populating protests.
   In the conflict, how does one find the middle?  Jehovah’s Witnesses have found the way to the middle through the Bible.  In 1Peter 2:13-14 “For the Lord’s sake subject yourselves to every human creation, whether to a king as being superior or to governors as sent by him to punish wrongdoers but to praise those who do good.”
   “Let every person be in subjection to the superior authorities, for there is no authority except by God; the existing authorities stand placed in their relative positions by God.  Therefore, whoever opposes the authority has taken a stand against the arrangement of God; those who have taken a stand against it will bring judgment against themselves.” (Romans 13:1-2)
   Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t vote, don’t criticize authorities, don’t commit crimes.  They just go on their way, as they have done for a hundred and thirty three years, knocking on doors to offer free Bible publication and Bible study service.  “For it is the will of God that by doing good you may silence the ignorant talk of unreasonable men.” (1Peter 2:15)
   Russia has declared Jehovah’s Witnesses as a terrorists group.  For some reason, Russia thinks the Bible held by the Jehovah’s Witnesses is a weapon of mass destruction.  They must have read Jeremiah 7:33 “And the dead bodies of this people will become food for the birds of the heavens and for the beasts of the earth, with no one to frighten them away”  The passage is referring to Jehovah God's final act of wrath against those who rejected him.
See also:Home An Open Letter to President Vladimir Putin The Art of Preaching