Publicity of foolishness

By Alex P. Vidal

“Nice words and nice appearance doesn’t conclude that someone is nice. I believe that the nicer you look, the more deceptive you appear.” ― Michael Bassey Johnson

LET’S vote only for politicians who did not brag about the donations they sent the victims of super typhoon “Odette” or “Rai”; candidates in the May 9, 2022 Philippine election who elected to stay behind the scene, or did not showboat in public to tell the world they were so “concerned” and “affected” that scores of families and neighbors lost their loved ones and properties to the killer storm that recently steamrolled Central Visayas and Surigao del Norte.

Being concerned and affected is not the exclusive domain or feelings of those who intend to hold a public office.

Publicity of goodness sometimes can be tantamount to publicity of foolishness.

Even ordinary characters like the hardened criminals and those who belong in the marginalized sectors would also feel the weight and terrible loss brought by the tragedy that befell the residents in the affected regions.

We need leaders who have the inclination to work silently and anonymously but efficiently and effectively; they who don’t grandstand and don’t parade their good deeds.

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God knows how to reward those who share their blessings in times of turmoil and calamities; He knows also who are the hypocrites, the scoundrels, the epals, and the Real McCoys.

Most of those who highlight their public service with unnecessary media stunts and excessive public exposure are normally the types of public servants who will hanker for overblown recognition even if they don’t deserve it once they are in office.

The “Odette” tragedy has exposed many of these hypocrites. They think their presence or their photo ops during the distribution of goods and cash showing them giving directions left and right, was a major plus factor to prop up their public image.

On the other hand, there were low-profile politicians or candidates in the coming election who muted their distribution of calamity assistance and didn’t use their acts of “generosity” and “kindness” to promote their virtues in public.

Once elected, some of them (not all) might be ashamed or afraid to steal taxpayers’ money. By their public display of affection and kindness, we shall know them.

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Did our government officials act quickly to respond to the crisis brought by the recent typhoon?

Aside from the National Disaster Coordinating Council and its local networks (regional, provincial, city), the following main agencies: Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Department of Health (DoH), Department of Energy, and Department of Transportation should have moved in at least 24 hours after “Odette’s” destruction was revealed and reported in media, when typhoon victims were facing imminent decimation, when lives could have been saved.

Sadly, the cries for lack of food and water, power outage and isolation due to total darkness, impassable or blocked bridges and zero communication signals continued to batter the affected areas almost a week after the nightmarish onslaught of “Odette” occurred.

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CRUNCH TIME. Holiday shopping may flatten our wallets but it could also trim our belly.

As we comb the racks, let’s stand tall and squeeze our stomach muscles for five seconds (pretend we’re bracing ourselves to lift a heavy box). We’ve just done the equivalent of one sit-up, says physiologist Pete McCall, of the American Council on Exercise.

Normal sleep is eight hours, health experts say. Oversleep can cause severe headaches. Doctors suggest a banana and fresh milk for those who have less sleep (especially for those who slept less than six hours).

BRAIN FOOD. We could cut the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by a whopping 42 percent. Columbia University researchers found when they analyzed the diets of 2,136 adults over 65 that meal plans with the highest intake of lefty greens, tomatoes, and cruciferous veggies like broccoli and cauliflower plus fish, nuts, and vinaigrette-type salad dressing, with only small amounts of full-fat dairy products, cut their odds of Alzheimer’s.

The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality has defined 8 major components of “optimal sexuality.”

Based on interviews with 44 individuals who reported having great sex, plus 20 sex therapists, a team of researchers identified 8 key factors–being present, connection, deep sexual and erotic intimacy, extraordinary communication, interpersonal risk-taking and exploration, authenticity, vulnerability and transcendence.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two Iloilo dailies.—Ed)