Pygmy sharks

By Alex P. Vidal

“A man who has never gone to school may steal a freight car; but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad.” ― Theodore Roosevelt

The names recommended by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure’s (ICI) to face plunder and criminal charges in relation to the multi-billion pesos flood control project anomalies are peanuts.

Senator Jinggoy Estrada, Senator Joel Villanueva, resigned Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co, former Public Works Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, Commission on Audit Commissioner Mario Lipana, former Caloocan Rep. Mitch Cajayon-Uy can be considered as “big fishes”, but they are merely dwarf lanternshark (the world’s smallest) or spined pygmy sharks.

The taxpayers were expecting for the whale sharks, great hammerhead sharks, tiger sharks and the basking sharks.

We thought at least 200 public officials, DPWH employees and contractors, among other flood control project wrongdoers, were expected to be charged, arrested, and jailed in the Quezon City jail as advertised by DILG chief Juanito Victor “Junvic” Remulla?

By the way, where is Chiz Escudero, Bong Revilla, Martin Romualdez, and all the congresspeople earlier mentioned in the Senate committee hearing chaired by Senator Ping Lacson?

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As of this writing, the US government shutdown continued, with Republican and Democratic lawmakers in Congress no closer to ending their budget standoff.

A shutdown meant any—but not all—US government services were temporarily suspended, and around 1.4 million federal employees were on unpaid leave or working without pay.

This latest shutdown was especially tense because President Donald Trump began drastically reducing the size of the national government as soon as he returned to office in January, and has threatened to use the current impasse to make further cuts. Budget confrontations are common in US politics.

Republicans and Democrats could not agree to pass a bill funding government services past 1 October, when the previous federal budget expired.

In the US system, Congress must agree a spending plan to send to the president to be signed into law.

The Republicans currently control both chambers of Congress. But in the Senate—or upper chamber—they are short of the 60 votes needed to pass the spending bill, which gives opposition Democrats some negotiating power.

Democrats want the bill to include an extension of expiring tax credits that make health insurance cheaper for millions of Americans and a reversal of Trump’s cuts to Medicaid, a government healthcare programme used by millions of elderly, disabled and low-income people.

Democrats also oppose spending cuts to government health agencies.

A stopgap bill designed to avoid the shutdown was passed in the House, or lower chamber, but did not clear the Senate.

And so, at 00:01 EDT on 1 October (04:01 GMT), the US government shut down for the first time in nearly seven years.

Ending the shutdown requires the two parties in the Senate to find a compromise that Trump will sign. Several votes aimed at reopening the government have failed.

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Below is the email I received from New York Governor Kathy Hochul which she also probably sent to fellow New Yorkers:

Alex, Donald Trump and Washington Republicans are waging an all-out war on working families. Their goal is simple: Take from the poor and give to the rich.

First, they rammed through legislation that kicks nearly two million New Yorkers off their health care and slashes food assistance — all while giving tax breaks to their billionaire friends. New York’s seven GOP representatives could have stopped it. Instead, they chose to sell out their constituents.

Then, Washington Republicans chose to shut down the federal government instead of protecting access to affordable health care. They’re turning their backs on their constituents, and as a result, 140,000 New Yorkers will see their insurance premiums skyrocket by nearly 40% next year.

But that’s not all. Now, they’re deliberately preventing New York families from putting food on their tables. With Trump refusing to release federal funding for food assistance and Washington Republicans refusing to reopen the government, starting November 1, nearly three million New Yorkers will lose their benefits and could soon be scrambling to find their next meal.

From ripping away affordable health care to gutting access to healthy food, Washington Republicans are making life harder for hardworking Americans.

In the face of Washington Republicans’ cruelty, I’m doing everything in my power to get assistance to our families, and the small businesses, local farmers, and food pantries that keep New York’s food system strong, but we know that the real solution is for Republicans to end their shutdown and release our SNAP funding.

As Washington continues their relentless attack on New Yorkers, I’m going to continue to fight back and stand up for our families.

We will not cower to these injustices. That’s not the spirit of New Yorkers. It’s not who we’ve ever been. I want you to know that I’m going to keep standing with you, shoulder to shoulder, and fighting for your families, for your friends, and for your communities. Ever Upward, Gov. Kathy Hochul

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Cosmopolitan has uncovered some surprisingly sensitive parts of the body; touching them will get us both insanely turned on. And no, none rhyme with shmenis or shmagina: Sweet Spot 1. The Ultrasensitive Border Around the Lips 2. That Sexy Dip Where Neck Meets Chest 3. The Erotic Pathways on the Sides of the Torso 4. The Pleasure Mound on the Lower Back 5. The Teasing Trail on the Thighs.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor-in-chief of two leading daily newspapers in Iloilo, Philippines.—Ed)