The Psychology of Corruption; How Do Strikes Affect Student Performance; Causes of Increased Influenza Positivity.

Friday, May 2, 2025. The Psychology of Corruption: When Good Institutions Fall, and the People Pay the PriceBy Brett Mikkelson Corruption rarely announces itself with fanfare. It creeps in slowly, like a shadow at sunset. often unnoticed until the damage is done. In recent years, we’ve witnessed a disturbing trend: the dismantling or defunding of organizations that once stood as pillars of service, support, and integrity. From AmeriCorps to community-based programs aiding veterans and volunteers, institutions that once empowered the underserved are being hollowed out, sometimes from within. It’s not just mismanagement. In some cases, it’s outright fraud. AmeriCorps, a once-robust force for community service, reportedly failed eight consecutive audits and couldn’t account for over a billion dollars in funding. It’s hard to justify continued financial backing of an agency that repeatedly fails to meet the most basic accountability standards. But what’s even harder to accept is that the consequences of that corruption are not borne by those responsible, they’re borne by the people who were depending on those services to survive, recover, or rise. And this isn’t just an American story. In Panama, corruption between a private corporation and local authorities caused the closure of the Quantum copper mine, once considered a major source of economic stability. The fallout? Schools have closed, street protests have intensified, and businesses are hemorrhaging revenue. Meanwhile, politicians talk about “collaborative reopening” while avoiding any real ownership of the chaos their deals caused. The people suffer. Again. Corruption, at its core, is not just a legal or political issue, it’s psychological. The question we should be asking isn’t just how corruption happens, but why. Why would someone betray the very system they’re sworn to uphold? Why would a U.S. judge, entrusted with enforcing the law, commit obstruction to protect an individual already charged with domestic violence, a federal offense in its own right? Why do people in positions of power risk their reputation, freedom, and careers for something as shallow as influence or a short-term payoff? The answer is layered. For some, corruption begins with rationalization, the quiet voice that whispers, “Everyone’s doing it.” For others, it’s born of desperation, ego, or a misplaced sense of justice. What starts as a small favor, a blind eye turned, a fund diverted “just this once,” can quickly spiral into institutional rot. It’s a slippery slope where decency is slowly traded for self-preservation or gain. But make no mistake: corruption has victims. When systems become compromised, those who rely on them, the single mother seeking housing aid, the veteran hoping for mental health services, the community rebuilding after a disaster are left stranded. The integrity of a nation is not measured by its wealth or its weapons, but by how it serves those with the least. And when corruption flourishes, that service dies. The bottom line is that we need to stop feeding the machine. Because if we don’t, the collapse of trust may prove more devastating than the corruption itself. TOP NEWS and TIDBITS: How Do Strikes Affect Student Performance? In response to the insistence of some social unions on maintaining calls for strikes, education authorities state that each work stoppage is equivalent to three days of lost knowledge for students. Therefore, so far this school year, around 12 days of learning have been lost, as classes have been suspended at least four times. Parents express concern about their children’s future, since despite the Ministry of Education (Meduca) having decided to resume classes, some teachers have failed to return to their duties. Guardians are urging teachers to return to their posts or seek alternative solutions that do not affect students’ academic futures, such as virtual or modular education. Aldo Bazán, a representative of the regional educational community of Panama Centro, points out that intermittent strikes undermine students’ education. He therefore calls on both parties (Meduca and the teachers) to continue the educational process. “We know there is a situation in the country and that everyone has the right to strike, but we also defend the right to education for our children,” he reiterated. According to Bazán, the work stoppages have been concentrated mainly in secondary schools, since in most other educational centers, the majority of teachers have chosen to continue attending to students. There is still no exact figure for the economic losses from the first day of protests, but the Ministry of Commerce and Industries (MICI) estimates they could be around 90 million dollars. Minister Julio Moltó believes the strike by teachers and the Single Union of Workers in the Construction and Similar Industries (Suntracs) “makes no sense,” since the issues raised by these groups have already been addressed by the authorities. “Let’s not deceive the public — we’re injecting ideology and political opportunism, trying to fool the people,” he said. Moltó reiterated to the public not to be misled by these social groups, stating that their claims regarding the law reforming the Social Security Fund (CSS) are incorrect — the approved reform does not raise the retirement age nor does it change the regime for teachers. READ ORIGINAL ARTICLE HERE ATTT Announces Road Closures for the Transfer of the 1903 Panamanian Flag from Herrera to Panamá Pacífico The Land Transit and Transportation Authority (ATTT) announces the temporary closure of several roads due to the solemn transfer of the National Flag, known as the “Wounded Flag.” This historic 1903 flag, a symbol of Panama’s separatist movement from Colombia, will be transferred from the Fabio Rodríguez Museum in Herrera to Panamá Pacífico. The road closures began this Tuesday to ensure logistics for the transfer, which will take place this Wednesday, at the following intersections: The procession will begin at 10:00 a.m. The vehicle carrying the “Wounded Flag” will depart from Julio Arjona Street, in front of the Fabio Rodríguez Museum. The route will continue along Paseo Enrique Geenzier, merging onto the Economic Center (Belisario Porras Avenue) toward Divisa. From there, it will take the Inter-American Highway en route to Panamá Pacífico. Citizens are urged to take necessary precautions and use