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Mga Pinoy, Intsek ug Hapon sa Saudi nag pustahay kon kinsa ang maka pronawns sa pulong nga "Bulaklak at Paroparo".

Ang mga Pinoy mipusta ug dako Sa ilang paisano.

Intsek: "Bulaklak at Palopalo", ang intsek pildi kay dili maka pronawns ug litra nga "R".

Hapon: "Burakrak at Paruparu", ang hapon pildi kay dili
makalitok ug litra nga "L".

Pinoy: "Buyakyak at Payopayo", labaw pang
napildi, kay taga Surigao man diay ang kontestant.


Bwahaha! Maypa matuyog na lang sa bayay nga wayay haboy-haboy...

Quote from: bugsay on October 25, 2013, 09:29:48 AM
anad lang mosil-ip sa gagmayng buho...

...labi na kon ang gipunting gamayng buho pud...

He he, I guess Sir John Suckling was more reliable in this regard...

http://www.cracked.com/

Scenic spot. Ideal for conflict resolution...

Loboc river cruise kick-starts Bohol tourism revival; new viewing deck for Chocolate Hills opens
Cebu Daily News
7:32 am | Friday, October 25th, 2013





Bohol’s enchanting Loboc River Cruise reopened yesterday as tourism stakeholders pulled all stops to restart the province’s top revenue earning industry a week after a powerful earthquake devastated parts of Central Visayas.

The cruise in Loboc, among the towns that reeled from the 7.2 magnitude earthquake, became the province’s symbol that Boholanos are getting back on their feet.

Loboc Mayor Helen Allaba said the whole town was happy the river cruise was back because it provides livelihood for at least 300 local residents.

“We have 21 floating restaurants run be four operators. Without this , the people earn nothing for their families,” she said.

Before the quake, an average of 1,000 tourists took the cruise each day. They pay P450 for a relaxing ride and lunch.

Almost all roads leading to key Bohol tourist attractions are passable, said the Department of Tourism (DOT).

The roads from Tagbilaran City to Carmen town via Corella to see the Chocolate Hills from a new viewing deck are open to light vehicles.

Mercy Tundag, president of the Almers Compound Neighborhood Association, however, said the talks of a miraculous image is a hoax and Alvarez' group is just capitalizing on the fear that people still feel after the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that hit Cebu and Bohol last October 15 by spreading rumors about a miracle.

Tundag told The Freeman that people started coming to their place after a post in a social networking site spoke of a miraculous image in their compound chapel.

Botir, who welcomed Alvarez' group into her home, told The Freeman that Alvarez and his group first sought shelter at a chapel of an abandoned factory nearby then moved to the chapel of Paradise Home, before ending up at Almers Compound, where they were also turned away by chapel officials. Botir said that she agreed to provide shelter for Alvarez' group in the hopes that she would be cured of an ailment.

Fe Librero, another resident, said people from as far as Tabuelan in northern Cebu have come to their place since the rumor started. Librero said she had to answer queries from kibitzers on where Botir's house is located. She, however, said that she does not believe that the image is miraculous.

Alvarez, meanwhile, denied spreading rumors that the image of the Virgin Mary was miraculous, saying that although he has a firm faith on the Holy Mother, he has not experienced the "miracle" that residents are speaking of.

The homeowners association has already drafted a resolution asking Alvarez and his group to leave the compound after the supposed miracle brought them so much inconvenience. Tundag said she feels sorry for the people who were led to believe that the image is miraculous, especially those who come from far places.

Group accused of spreading rumors: Mandaue “miracle” not true â€" residents
By Bryner Diaz (The Freeman) | Updated October 26, 2013 - 12:00am



People have been flocking to a house in a compound in Mandaue City after reports that this image of the Our Lady of the Holy Eucharist, owned by a religious group seeking shelter there, is miraculous. Bryner Diaz


CEBU, Philippines - A religious group that owns an image of the Our Lady of the Holy Eucharist has gotten the ire of a homeowners association in Tabok, Mandaue City for allegedly spreading rumors of a miracle and causing chaos in their community.

The group, which calls itself the Order of the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit, led by a certain Bishop Clarisso Benito L. Alvarez Jr. D.D. OHMS, has been accused by the board of directors of the Almers Compound Neighborhood Association for spreading rumors about a supposed miracle, causing people to flock to their neighborhood.

Alvarez and some 10 other members of the religious group are staying in a house owned by Carmencita Botir located inside Almers Compound for two weeks now. The group brought with them a life-size image of the Our Lady of the Holy Eucharist, which, according to some residents in the area, is miraculous.

Some residents claim that a female beggar, who looked like the image, was seen roaming around the neighborhood two weeks ago. There were talks that the beggar and the image are wearing the same sandals.

Quote from: bugsay on October 26, 2013, 09:37:38 AM
ang imong gihuptan karon ang mapa nalang sa ilawom sa mga silong....

Hmm, ang buot mong ipaibot mao ba ang mga lama sa yuta, mga lakra metapisika nga naghubit sa hunas ug taob sa tawhanong mga pangandoy?

When the Spanish colonizers invaded the Philippines and with the introduction and propagation of Christianity among the natives, this superstitious belief of the early Sugbuanons gradually disappeared, except among few families in the hinterlands of the city and nearby towns, which retained this vanishing tradition.

The craft of making “puso” still exists, but Inocian says it has been transformed into an industry that caters to the economic needs for survival especially of the present poor and middle-income Cebuanos.

The “puso”, which had to be hung from a piece of rope is now placed in a sack or basket in barbecue stands in street corners or carenderias, its cultural meaning has been lost with the young generation not caring about it.

Inocian says the present “mamumuso” does not anymore make the different designs but rather has fallen back on weaving “kinasing”, “badbaranay”, and the “binaki” representing the small and medium sizes of their products. These designs are easy to weave and fastest time to finish â€" for mass production and for greater profit. /JMO (FREEMAN)

IMPLICATIONS

What do the six designs imply? Inocian says the early Sugbuanons had shown reverence and respect with the divinity of nature as exemplified in the “binaki” and “manan-aw” designs. Nature is the source of life. They are dependent with it as they worked in the farm for the source of food. It is the same nature that they had to give indisputable indulgence. With such reverence, they commit themselves to their existence with the supernatural being as they performed the annual ritual with pure intentions and love as exemplified with the “kinasing” design. The designs of “binaki”, “manan-aw”, and the “kinasing” represent the spiritual ethos of the early Sugbuanons as regards with their reverence to nature.

Inocian says that aside from this spiritual ethos, the early Sugbuanons also thought of using material objects that would symbolize the significance of the ritual as majestic as they could through the use of the “binosa”, “badbaranay”, and the “tinigib”.

“They have not forgotten to recognize their human potential â€" a material ethos that recognizes human limitations. The spiritual and the material ethos can divide humans and nature, but the three designs manifest the early Cebuanos’ values for manual, social, and decisive competence as a synergy of both human and spiritual existence in the engagement of the ritual. Every amount of toil is always be equated with spiritual gratification. This combined ethos (spiritual and material) represents harmony of nature’s grand design in order to shun violence and other sorts of nature’s abuses,” Inocian says in his book.

As a component of the animistic practices of the early Sugbuanons, they braided different rice pouches (puso) and other objects as an offering for religious celebrations and rituals. The term “puso” is derived from a Visayan word, denoting “bunga” or “bulak” which means fruit or flower. The banana flower called “puso” is an obvious example. Like the “puso sa saging”, (banana flower) that is suspended from its natural trunk setting, the “puso” depicts a Sugbu-anon belief in fertility and abundance.

This is the reason why why other people call the Cebuano puso “hanging rice,” calling to mind bunches of these which are hung from a local “tabo-tabo” store, (village faire) in the rural areas. Similarly, upland farmers living on the hilly slopes of Sugbu, made and cooked “puso” in several designs during harvest season to celebrate a bountiful harvest of farm crops, especially corn and rice. They did this in the form of “HIKAYAN”, the local version of “diwata” or ceremony.

Upland farmers living in the hilly slopes of Sugbo, made and cooked “puso” in several designs during harvest season to celebrate a bountiful harvest of farm crops. They did this in the form of “HIKAYAN”, the local version of “diwata” or ceremony.

The “HIKAYAN” (annual banquet) is not exclusively intended for thanksgiving to celebrate a good harvest, but also for exorcism to drive away demons in healing rituals. This ritual is called “YAMYAM” (prayer of intentions) which is performed by a “TAMBALAN”, (village shaman) on a sickly person whose illnesses are caused by supernatural forces like: “duwende”, (dwarfs) “agta”, (black giant), or spirits from the nether world.

“BADBARANAY”, which means unraveling or opening with an “abridor” (opener). This is offered together with other designs, in the belief that the gods can open up and grant a pleasant and successful celebration officiated by the “MANANAMPIT” or the local” tambalan” (priest or priestess) to the “MAMUMUTANG”, the family which offers the “hikayan”.

“KINASING” (heart-like) or “KASING” (top) is a two strand “puso”, which resembles a diamond or a heart-shaped pouch, a precious design, used to remind us of nature’s bounty; it is offered to the important minor gods. The “kasing” (top) once played with by children is a symbol of joy with a happy heart. A happy heart is capable of generating love which these pouches primarily symbolized. It is offered to the gods with pure intentions and love. The Kinasing rice pouches are the common designs among the Cebuano rice pouch weavers. This design reminds our trait of being sincere to one another, “kinasing-kasing”. Like the human heart, this design also means the source of love, which is one of the foundations of peace in the family, community, nation, and the world.

This is where the term “LANTAYAN” is derived, which means annual or occasional “HIKAYAN” (an annual tradition). For a carpenter, a chisel is one of the most essential tools in furniture-making, the same way that in “hikayan”, the “tinigib” is one of the rice pouches that should not be missed out in the actual ceremonies. These rice pouches represent the carpenter’s passion for furniture construction and building of houses. This reminds the essentiality of carpenter’s labor and the satisfaction towards his craft.

“DUMPOL, or “PUDOL”, is a variation of the “KINASING”, which has the same number of strands and features, but unlike the latter, it possesses a flattened bottom. In some other areas, the villagers call it “TINIGIB” (chisel), such as among the weavers of Glan, Sarangani province (Nocheseda: 2009), because the bottom looks like a chisel blade. This pouch is offered to the spirits of the gods by placing it on the ground below the “LANTAY”, a table-like platform decorated with coconut fronds as side skirting with two white flag lets on two opposing ends, which would make it look like a floating vessel.

“BINOSA” (a shot glass), is a one strand “puso” or “inumol” (molded) or “kinumo” (human fist-like mold) among the weavers of Anda, Bohol, when they perform the “pagdiwata” ritual before clearing a stretch of farmland or erecting the first post of a new house (Nocheseda, 2009). This rice pouch resembles a small shot-glass. This is offered in bunches of a dozen each to the spirits of the lesser gods of the underworld to start a joyful banquet molded (inumol) with the family’s pure intentions. These rice pouches resemble a wine-shot glass used primarily in a social gathering. This represents a great rejoicing for a very important celebration of a family’s achievement, victory, and thanksgiving.

“MANAN-AW” is a local Sugbu-anon term for white “phalaeonopsis amabilis” â€" native orchids which locals hang near the window to be admired by spectators for their captivating charm and beauty. Its cascading bunch of flowers resembles the eight leg-strips of this rice pouch. This is the most intricate design. It is made up of eight little strands of “lilas”, (strips) that would produce the biggest “puso”. This is offered to the highest gods especially for asking special favors like good health, good fortune, and a good harvest. Caring of orchids is actually ancient custom in different cultures. It symbolizes love, beauty, royalty, luxury, elegance, strength, perfection, virility and fertility. Among the natives, they used these pouches for asking very important favors like to conceive a child, strength in the marital vow, obtaining perfection in one’s mission and the like.

“BINAKI” means frog-like. This is offered to the gods as a reminder of the earthly-life-relationship of man with the supernatural forces.

In human dreams, frogs symbolize spiritual and emotional transformation. It reminds human transition or turning points from our ordinary life to another level of life’s challenges. Frogs are always associated with fertility and abundance.

The different designs of hanging rice

As a “puso-weaver” himself, Inocian learned the craft at the tender age of seven from his mother who was a “MAMUMUSO”. There are six major designs of “puso” that were used in the rituals while other designs in some areas like the “kinabayo” (horse-like) and others still need further validation. The local names of these designs are derived from the Sugbuanon tradition of HIKAYAN and the uses of each.

Each of the six designs of the “puso” is an intricate example of the native weaver’s craft.

The six designs Inocian identified in his book are binaki, manan-aw, binosa, dumpol or pudol, kinasing and badbaranay.

Cebu being at the center of these islands had remarkably espoused the culture of “lukay” art across centuries ago, Inocian notes.

Hindu Malayan culture influenced the social ideals, cultural traditions and practices of the early Sugbuanons. One of these traditions is “puso-making”, an industry which reflects Cebuano ingenuity, their superstitious beliefs and social life. It became an activity performed in ceremonial celebrations in victory, harvesting, planting, weddings, birthdays, baptisms, and burials, vis-à-vis its economic value and paramount importance for survival.

With these accounts, enough justifications were provided on Inocian’s researches on Cebuano heritage related with the ethnography of “puso”-making in Cebu. These researches brought light to both private and government sectors in bringing out the best for Cebu among the rest of its Asian neighbors.

Traces

Still in his book, Inocian sites Jenny King (2002) who pointed out in her book, “World’s Religions”, the countries that practice Hinduism as a religion and the people doing “puja” â€"a certain ceremony that may include making offerings to their gods or deities, in the form of coconuts, flowers, and apples.

The use of coconut, dubbed as the “Tree of Life”, has been noted as significant in the ritual as its leaves are being used in the “puso” among the Cebuanos, the “tamu” among the Tausugs in Basilan, the “ketupat” among the Malaysians, the “ketipat” among the Indonesians, and the “katupat” among the Thais proves such a diversity with one common identity.

The flourishing trade relations of the Hindu Malayan traders and the early Filipinos during the Shri Vijayan Empire in Southeast Asia heavily influenced the culture of the “BISAYA”, the natives of the Visayas, which comprises the islands of Negros, Siquijor, Bohol, Leyte, Samar, Biliran, Panay, Guimaras, and Cebu.

Among three Southeast Asian countries, these rice dumplings: “ketupat” in Malaysia, “ketipat” in Indonesia, “katupat” in Thailand, Laos, Guam and other Pacific islands, “patupat” in Northern Philippines, “puso” in central Philippines, and “tamu” in Southern Philippines are all basically woven and braided with the use of “lukay” (young and supple coconut fronds), Inocian says in his book.

He also attributes this similarity to the rice, the best staple in Asia. Known with its scientific name “Oryza Sativa”, rice is grass popularly grown in Orissa, an eastern province of India where its name was derived. This essential grass grew widely in Southern China’s Yang Tze River valley, which archaeologists believe that rice cultivation could have started in this area and extended to Northeastern Thailand to that of the Irrawaddy river valleys in Myanmar since 4500 B.C.

Considered as staple food for many in Southeast Asia, rice links Heaven and Earth, between mortals and gods. As a scared food, rice has been used for numerous offerings in animism. Lakshmi and Annapura are two rice goddesses of India, illuminate through the people’s faith as they offered “puja” or ritual prayer with elaborate decoration to yield abundant harvest.

Eiseman says that a “ketipat” is a kind of a rice pouch woven of coconut leaves. The “ketipat” is then put into the rice steamer or boiled in the pot. The rice swells to fell the container then put into the rice steamer, or boiled in the pot. The rice swells to fill the container and the result is a package of rice that the husband can take to the field for a snack or the kids can take to school, or that can be used as an offering in whatever rice rituals”.

Dewi Sri, an Indonesia goddess of rice, has been an embodiment of the “Rice Mother” whose body the Indonesians believe, where the first rice ever produced. She is responsible to ensure good harvests. The “Rice Mother” is believed to be the guardian of all the crops.

This version among the Indonesians is similar to the culture of rice practice in Thailand. Mae Possop, the “Rice Mother”, is being paid homage in a Royal Plowing Ceremony to signal the rice planting in the country. This ceremony is spearheaded by the King, who leads the oxen and the slough for three times while the Queen broadcasts rice seeds across the newly plowed earth. Then, the oxen are led to a Hindu shrine erected in honor of Lord Vishnu, the “Preserver God”. Whether or not the Thais’ Mae Possop sounds like “May Puso” in Bisaya. This would theoretically make a conjecture of how it is uttered. With Thailand’s “katupat”, there is a possible connection that despite language variance, a probability could have been established, with Malaysia’s “ketupat”, and Indonesia’s “ketipat” with “puso” and “tamu” in the Philippines.

If this is true, then the veracity of “puso” braiding might have been practiced by Cebuanos before the arrival of the Chinese traders, as an indigenous Malay art. Although this theory might have been validated by other findings, the Malays also have their own “ketupat” (Malay rice pouch) â€" a heritage food in Malaysia. Lin & Lin (2003) cited that the “ketupat” is matched with “satay” (lamb meat barbecue) or “rendang” (a type of dry beef curry) for very important celebrations like the “Eid ul-Fitr” (Breaking of Fasting Festivity), marking the end of the Ramadan and the Hari Raya (festival).

The Malaysians were also greatly influenced by the Hindu and Chinese cultures. Therefore, it is evident that traces of this culture reached the Philippines during the golden ages of the Shri-Vijayan and the Madjapahit Empires in Southeast Asia.         

In the island of Bali, Indonesia, these rice pouches are known as “ketipat” primarily used for important celebrations like weddings.

In the Balinese article “Rice and Ritual”, Fred B. Eiseman, Jr. records his findings about the rituals related to rice culture and preparation. One of the findings that he observed among the Balinese rituals that resembles Cebuano “puso” is the “ketipat”.

Noy Paulino tried to imitate that reverence to nature, but dropped that animistic ritual for sole reverence of one God. Still, he did not discount its anthropological significance â€" a Malayan heritage worthy of admiration in the preservation and orderliness of nature.

Based on the accounts by Spanish Fathers Alcina and de San Buenventura in the 16th century, it was obvious that the natives in the Visayas had made use of “puso” in their so-called offrenda, an offering to the anitos in the form of pagdiwata.

Cebu, being located in the center of the Visayas, had contacts with different international traders since the beginning of the 13th century. Many Chinese traders came here to pursue their business interests.

Also in his book, Inocian cites Jeffrey James Y. Pacres (2006) of Ontario, Canada who says in his blog: “These Chinese people were good at making rice dumplings and the Cebuanos tried to imitate the so called "ma-chang" which is delicious. Then a Cebuano came, proud of what he has made and showed it to the Chinese, the Chinese did not agree with what the Cebuano had cooked out of the palm leaves and said "phu-shr" (which means "it isn't") while pointing out on the puso, and saying "ma-chang" while pointing on the rice dumpling, that was when the Cebuano realized that, what he made is named "pu-so" (in which the Cebuano didn't get the pronunciation well). Well, that was how the pu-so was born.”

History

“Puso” is made out of a simple tropical material called “lukay”, a local term that refer to coconut fronds. The “tukog” or midrib of the “lukay” is removed to make “lilas” or coconut palm strips to start the “lah” which means “to weave”.

In his book, Inocian said that the experts in making “puso” are called “manlalah”. Every Cebuano family in the upland areas is expected to learn the weaving of “puso” as part of the informal education handed. This craft is taught especially by mothers in preparation for the occasional “HIKAYAN”. 

There are several farm rituals (butangan) associated with the use of several designs of “puso”. Residents of Taptap observed these rituals according to purpose or family intentions: (1) “Harang sa mga kalag” (ancestor worship offering), (2) “Buhat Silung” (diwata ritual for good fortune and thanksgiving for abundant harvest), (3) “Tigpo” (for farmers’ atonement of sins of the spirits of the underworld), (4) “Sagangsang” (for tuba gatherers’ ritual for abundant wine), (5) “Damit” (in preparation for abundant harvest), (6) “Balangkisaw” (rituals for the atonement in sinning the spirits of the water gods), and (7) “Pamisa” (for the souls in purgatory). 

Inocian’s father, Noy Paulino, himself manifested his high regard to nature’s reverence and preservation when he stopped swidden agriculture in favor of contour farming - to preserve the fertile silts on the ground and minimize the use of commercial fertilizers and soil erosion. This was one of the popular programs of the hilly-land development projects in the early 90s of the local government, which Noy Paulino and the rest of the locals seriously observed and involved.

These days, only but a few know that the “puso” originated as a ritual object intimately associated with the animist religion of the pre-Hispanic Cebuanos with animistic farmers connecting the “puso” to an unexplainable mystical experience. At that time, the people were said to have shown adherence and loyalty to the rituals without doubt and not even the teachings of the church could stop them. 

As wide Christianization occurred, the rituals slowly disappeared because of the severe punishment imposed on those who practiced them. Some of those who disobeyed and insisted on their pagan worship received severe punishment.

The rituals are still being practiced by a small community in Taptap, one of the highland barangays of Cebu City, something that Inocian himself witnessed during 1970’s up to the 1980’s. The rituals reportedly began fading in the 90’s.

In 1998, Inocian decided to pursue research on the “puso” when he joined the Cebu Normal University as a professor with Savellon prodding him to never give up.

“At first I was hesitant. This question popped in my mind: What is there to research about? But with all compelling requests, I produced a thin compilation about it being a ritual object since when I was a child, I noticed that this was practiced by the natives in Taptap where I was born,” he said.

His research revealed much more than he asked for.

Puso: More than hanging rice
By Marigold P. Lebumfacil (The Philippine Star) | Updated July 18, 2012 - 12:00am


CEBU, Philippines - Who would have thought that from its humble spot in food stalls, the hanging rice would become one of the country’s tourism and trade icons? Aside from landing on the cover of the Department of Tourism brochure, the Department of Trade and Industry has also thought of capitalizing on the hanging rice’s unique characteristics â€" for instance, making accessories shaped like it.

Dr. Reynaldo Inocian, author of “Lukay Art in the Visayas: Cebu’s Cultural Pride of a Unique Ritual Identity” certainly did not think the hanging rice, locally known as “puso”, will generate this kind of commercial appeal.

Back in 2005, he used the “puso” as a model for the decorations in his wedding. For 10 months and with the use of ribbons, he wove 5,000 pieces of “puso”. Yet he explained that the “puso” had a much deeper use than being just decorations.

“I made it as a decoration in the church and at the reception. Puso is not only a kind of stuff. It is a dimension, which can be incorporated with fertility. With the seven years that we’ve been together with my wife, there are no hardships, I believe there’s abundance, we don’t have time to quarrel and it influenced the aura of my strong belief,” Inocian said.

However, this aspect of the existence of the “puso” is feared to be slipping away. Inocian’s colleague, Romola Savellon, said this ethnic aspect of the “puso” seems to have been obliterated by Western influences, not to mention that rituals are being frowned upon by the Catholic Church.

In January 2012, the HFI exhausted its supply of liquid helium coolant needed to maintain such cold temperatures. The LFI, meanwhile, had enough coolant to keep making observations until Oct. 3, 2013.

When Planck's mission began winding down in August, the satellite was pushed away from its operational orbit around the Lagrange Point 2 (L2) â€" a place where the gravity of Earth and the sun roughly balance out â€" to a long-term orbit around the sun. In the last few weeks, the spacecraft was prepped for hibernation and used up all of its remaining fuel before its transmitter was finally switched off.

Planck was launched with a sibling spacecraft, the Herschel telescope, which ceased scientific work in April and was turned off on June 17.

Though the telescope has been powered down, the wealth of data it collected will be scrutinized by scientists for years to come, mission scientists said.

"Planck has given us a fresh look at the matter that makes up our universe and how it evolved," project scientist Jan Tauber said in a statement, "but we are still working hard to further constrain our understanding of how the universe expanded from the infinitely small to the extraordinarily large, details which we hope to share next year."

The oldest light in the universe, called the cosmic microwave background, as observed by the Planck space telescope is shown in the oval sky map. An artist's concept of Planck is next to the map.

Planck's map also helped cosmologists get a better handle on the age of the universe. When researchers unveiled the new picture in March, they said it showed that the universe was 100 million years older than previously thought, bringing its age to 13.82 billion years.

Planck was equipped with two powerful tools: the High Frequency Instrument (HFI), which could detect frequency bands between 30 and 70 GHz, and the Low Frequency Instrument (LFI), which could pick up bands in the range of 100 to 857 GHz. Both instruments completed five full-sky surveys â€" beyond the original target of two.

The satellite was also outfitted with a high-tech cooling system that allowed the telescope to operate near absolute zero, just one-tenth of a degree above minus 459.67 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 273.15 degrees Celsius). Keeping the sky-mapping instruments at frigid temperatures was necessary to let Planck's sensors detect heat from some of the coldest parts of the universe without being swamped by the spacecraft's own warmth.

ESA officials described the Planck observatory as a sort of cosmic "time machine" because of its ability to peer back into the universe's history. They sent the final command to Planck at 12:10:27 GMT (8:10:27 a.m. EDT) on Wednesday. [Gallery: Planck Spacecraft Sees Big Bang Relics]

"It is with much sadness that we have carried out the final operations on the Planck spacecraft, but it is also a time to celebrate an extraordinarily successful mission," Steve Foley, operations manager for Planck at ESAs European Space Operations Center in Darmstadt, Germany, said in a statement.

The Planck telescope's major achievements include piecing together the most accurate map of the cosmic microwave background to date â€" essentially the best "baby photo" of the universe ever seen. Before this light was created in the universe's infancy, everything was too hot and dense for light to pass though.

Space.com  |  By Megan Gannon
Posted: 10/25/2013 8:34 am EDT



An artist's illustration of the Planck spacecraft, a European Space Agency probe designed to study the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) â€" the relic radiation from the Big Bang. It mapped the fluctuations in the CMB that became today’s clusters of galaxies. Released just 380,000 years after the Big Bang, the CMB is the oldest 'light' that can be seen in the universe. | ESA


After hunting for the earliest clues about the evolution of the universe for more than four years, Europe's Planck Space Observatory has gone dark.

Officials with the European Space Agency sent the Planck observatory its final command on Wednesday (Oct. 23), marking the end of its prolific mission. The space observatory launched in May 2009 on a mission to scandeep space for the faint relic radiation called cosmic microwave background â€" the oldest light in the universe â€" created 380,000 years after the Big Bang.

Quote from: hubag bohol on October 26, 2013, 08:46:38 AM
Reports said some members of the Aquino family are backing Fernandez, and that her appointment would please the religious group Iglesia Ni Cristo that had supposedly been at odds with the President on various issues.

Pakitang gilas na pud ang mga Inc.

He also denied reports that Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon Paje was on the way out.

“I have no such idea and I have no such intention at this point,” he said.

Aquino said he could not just fire officials based on intrigues and mere accusations as no one would be left in his official family.

However, Aquino assured the public that he was not insensitive to issues involving Cabinet members.

“If there’s a specific issue, we are happy to investigate it. If he’s guilty of something, then we will remove him or file the necessary charges. But to date, I don’t have a specific charge that anybody has leveled against him â€" that we investigate it and said ‘yeah, there seems to be a basis,’” he said.

Reports said some members of the Aquino family are backing Fernandez, and that her appointment would please the religious group Iglesia Ni Cristo that had supposedly been at odds with the President on various issues.

Henares told GMA News that she is ready to leave her post if asked, but added that there was no indication that she would be replaced.

Malacañang earlier denied reports that Henares was being eyed as replacement for Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon.

The President told reporters on the sidelines of the recently concluded Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Brunei that there would be no Cabinet revamp.

By Aurea Calica (The Philippine Star) | Updated October 20, 2013 - 12:00am


MANILA, Philippines - There is no impending Cabinet revamp and Kim Henares will not be replaced as commissioner of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), according to Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr.

“There is no such thing. There are no discussions on Cabinet changes,” Ochoa told The STAR at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 Friday night as he, along with several Cabinet members, welcomed President Aquino upon his arrival from a two-day state visit in South Korea.

He said intrigues against the Cabinet are getting worse each day and they have learned to ignore them.

Text messages had been circulating claiming that a certain Imelda Fernandez had been “anointed” by Aquino to take the place of Henares.

Si Bishop Clarrisso Benito Alvarez sa Apostolic Catholic Church nga nahinabi sa Banat News miingon nga wala siya mismo makasinati sa maong milagro ug ang mga tawo na ang nagtaho kaniya nga adunay nagmilagro.

Matud pa sa mga taho nga adunay usa ka babaye nga makililimos nga nanaygon ug gani gitagaan og usa ka peso sa gidaygonan niini sa Paradise Home sa barangay Tabok.

Si Carmencita Botir ang tag-iya sa balay nga gisak-an sa birhen miingon nga gipasaka niya ang birhen sa iyang panimalay tungod kay mibalibad ang mga opisyal sa kapilya sa Romano Katoliko nga adto ibutang ang maong birhen.

Apan siya mismo miingon nga wala siya makakita sa milagro apan gihangyo niya ang kadagkoan sa Apostolic Catholic Church sa pagpasaka sa birhen sa iyang balay kay masakiton siya og guiter.

Apan ang silingan sa pamilyang Botir nga si Eladion Alesna Dian miingon nga siya mismo dili kombinsido nga nagmilagro ang birhen kay sukad sa pag-abot niini sa panimalay sa mga Botir wa man siya’y namatikdan nga milagrong nahitabo.

Dihang gipangutana sa Banat News ang Obispo sa Apostolic Catholic Church nga si Bishop Alvarez kun unsa ang mensahi sa birhen nga gikatahong nagmilagro. Siya  miingon nga buot sa birhen nga mobalik ang mga tawo sa sabakan sa Diyos.

Panawagan sa maong Obispo nga mag-ampo ang mga tawo sa rosaryo sa matag adlaw.

Si Jundee Ayuda nga molupyo sa Canduman dakbayan sa Mandaue miingon nga pagkadungog niya nga dunay birhen nga nagmilagro wa maglangay ug miadto sa Almers Compound aron masuta kun unsa kini ka tinuod. (/WC) (BANAT NEWS)

Ni Bryner Diaz (Banat) | Updated October 26, 2013 - 12:00am





CEBU, Philippines - Naukay ang mga molupyo sa Almers Compund sa Tabok, dakbayan sa Mandaue sa kadaghan sa mga tawo nga midagsa sa maong lugar tungod sa gikatahong birhen nga nagmilagro.

Ang presidente sa Almers Compound Neighborhood Homeowners Association nga nahinabi sa Banat News nga si Mercy Tundag miingon nga dakong kahasol sa compound ang pagdagsa sa mga tawo.

Miingon si Tundag nga daghang mga tawo nga moabot sa ilang compound nga gikan pa sa layong lugar aron magpakisayod kung tinuod ba nga nagmilagro ang birhen.

Tungod niini nagbuhat pa sila og petisyon nga papahawaon lang sa  maong lugar ang maong imahin ug ang nagdala niini kay usa man ka private property ang maong dapit ug wala mananghid kanila ang nagdala sa maong birhen.

Kaluoy sa bana. Sakit na ang dughan, hapdos pa ang dunggan...

Ni Chester Abadilla (Banat) | Updated October 26, 2013 - 12:00am


CEBU, Philippines - Nalangkat ang dunggan sa usa ka bana human paaka sa iyang asawa  didto sa barangay Pulpugan lungsod sa Consolacion sa alas 8:00  pasado  sa miaging  buntag.

Ang nalandig sa Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) mao  si Viviano Sarsalino, 43, minyo, ug  nagpuyo  sa  maong  lugar.

Samtang ang suspetsado  mao  ang  iyang  asawa  nga  si Rosalie Sarsalino, 41.

Sigun sa report  nasuta  nga ang biktima nakasakop  sa akto sa iyang asawa nga nakigkuyog sa amigo   niini  nga giila  nga si Melecio Tampos   kinsa  “sweet” ug sikit kaayo ang duha.

Tungod sa gugma, wala   sukmati  sa biktima ang iyang asawa.

Apan  mihungaw  ang  iyang  kasuko  dihang  naabtan  niya  sa ilang  balay  ang anak  nila  nga  gibiyaan  lang  sa inahan  ug  wala  maatiman.

Nagkalalis ang magtiayon nga miresulta sa panagbugno sa duha.

Ang asawa nga suspetsado nakahigayon sa pagpaak sa dunggan sa biktima ug wala kini buhii hangtud nga  nalangkat  gyud.

Ang mga paryente sa  bana mao na ang midala niini ngadto sa hospital samtang ang asawa  daling nagpalayo sa lugar.

Wala pa hinuon makadisisyon ang bana kun mopasaka ba kini og kaso batok sa iyang asawa. (/WC) (BANAT NEWS)

Sori kay ang akong nahibaw-an nga jiyograpi kay ang kang Yoyoy ra nga kanta, nga wala raru...

Quote from: islander on October 25, 2013, 11:55:05 PM
mas bilib ko kun ang suwatan ni botoy ug graffiti ang sinkhole.

Taym sa ra gud. Unsa may isyu nimo nako, Madame, nga imo man kong lisodlisoron.

Pwede posingan, with writings on the wall like "Botoy was here"...

25 Journalists Killed in 2013/Motive Unconfirmed
   
Jesus "Jessie" Tabanao, dyRC Radyo Calungsod
     September 14, 2013, in Cebu City, Philippines
Vergel Bico, Kalahi
     September 4, 2013, in Calapan City, Philippines
Fernando Solijon, DxLS Love Radio
     August 29, 2013, in Iligan City, Philippines
Rakesh Sharma, Aaj
     August 23, 2013, in Etawah, India
Narendra Dabholkar, Sadhana
     August 20, 2013, in Pune, India
Carlos Alberto Orellana Chávez, Canal Ã"ptimo 23
     August 19, 2013, in Suchitepéquez, Guatemala
Mario Sy, Freelance
     August 1, 2013, in General Santos City, Philippines
Richard Kho, Aksyon Ngayon
     July 30, 2013, in Manila, Philippines
Bonifacio Loreto, Aksyon Ngayon
     July 30, 2013, in Manila, Philippines
Alberto López Bello, El Imparcial and Radiorama
     July 17, 2013, in Oaxaca City, Mexico
Aníbal Barrow, Globo TV
     June 24 through July 9, 2013, in San Pedro Sula, Honduras
Liban Abdullahi Farah, Kalsan TV
     July 7, 2013, in Puntland, Somalia
José Roberto Ornelas de Lemos, Jornal Hora H
     June 11, 2013, in Nova Iguaçu, Brazil
Jitendra Singh, Prabhat Khabhar
     April 27, 2013, in Jharkhand, India
Daniel Alejandro Martínez Balzaldúa, Vanguardia
     April 23 or 24, 2013, in Saltillo, Mexico
Mario Vendiola Baylosis, Radyo Natin and DXNC-Radyo Suhnan
     April 22, 2013, in Mindanao, Philippines
Bernard Wesonga, The Star
     March 30, 2013, in Mombasa, Kenya
Jaime Guadalupe González Domínguez, OjinagaNoticias
     March 3, 2013, in Ojinaga, Mexico
Mehmood Jan Afridi, The Daily Intekhab
     March 1, 2013, in Kalat, Pakistan
Malik Mumtaz, Geo TV and News International
     February 27, 2013, in Miran Shah, Pakistan
Luis Choy, El Comercio
     February 23, 2013, in Lima, Peru
Nemi Chand Jain, Freelance
     February 12, 2013, in Chhatisgarh, India
Mohamed Abd Al-Rahman, Syria News
     January 24, 2013, in Damascus, Syria
Ikechukwu Udendu, Anambra News
     January 12, 2013, in Anambra state, Nigeria
Issa Ngumba, Radio Kwizera
     January 8, 2013, in Kigoma, Tanzania

25 Journalists Killed in 2013/Motive Unconfirmed
   
Jesus "Jessie" Tabanao, dyRC Radyo Calungsod
     September 14, 2013, in Cebu City, Philippines
Vergel Bico, Kalahi
     September 4, 2013, in Calapan City, Philippines
Fernando Solijon, DxLS Love Radio
     August 29, 2013, in Iligan City, Philippines
Rakesh Sharma, Aaj
     August 23, 2013, in Etawah, India
Narendra Dabholkar, Sadhana
     August 20, 2013, in Pune, India
Carlos Alberto Orellana Chávez, Canal Ã"ptimo 23
     August 19, 2013, in Suchitepéquez, Guatemala
Mario Sy, Freelance
     August 1, 2013, in General Santos City, Philippines
Richard Kho, Aksyon Ngayon
     July 30, 2013, in Manila, Philippines
Bonifacio Loreto, Aksyon Ngayon
     July 30, 2013, in Manila, Philippines
Alberto López Bello, El Imparcial and Radiorama
     July 17, 2013, in Oaxaca City, Mexico
Aníbal Barrow, Globo TV
     June 24 through July 9, 2013, in San Pedro Sula, Honduras
Liban Abdullahi Farah, Kalsan TV
     July 7, 2013, in Puntland, Somalia
José Roberto Ornelas de Lemos, Jornal Hora H
     June 11, 2013, in Nova Iguaçu, Brazil
Jitendra Singh, Prabhat Khabhar
     April 27, 2013, in Jharkhand, India
Daniel Alejandro Martínez Balzaldúa, Vanguardia
     April 23 or 24, 2013, in Saltillo, Mexico
Mario Vendiola Baylosis, Radyo Natin and DXNC-Radyo Suhnan
     April 22, 2013, in Mindanao, Philippines
Bernard Wesonga, The Star
     March 30, 2013, in Mombasa, Kenya
Jaime Guadalupe González Domínguez, OjinagaNoticias
     March 3, 2013, in Ojinaga, Mexico
Mehmood Jan Afridi, The Daily Intekhab
     March 1, 2013, in Kalat, Pakistan
Malik Mumtaz, Geo TV and News International
     February 27, 2013, in Miran Shah, Pakistan
Luis Choy, El Comercio
     February 23, 2013, in Lima, Peru
Nemi Chand Jain, Freelance
     February 12, 2013, in Chhatisgarh, India
Mohamed Abd Al-Rahman, Syria News
     January 24, 2013, in Damascus, Syria
Ikechukwu Udendu, Anambra News
     January 12, 2013, in Anambra state, Nigeria
Issa Ngumba, Radio Kwizera
     January 8, 2013, in Kigoma, Tanzania

2 Media Workers Killed in 2013

José Darío Arenas, Extra Quindío
     September 28, 2013, in Caicedonia, Colombia
Ahmed Sharif Hussein, Radio Mogadishu
     August 20, 2013, in Mogadishu, Somalia

Journalists killed in 2013 to date
http://www.cpj.org/


39 Journalists Killed in 2013/Motive Confirmed
     
Ayub Khattak, Karak Times
     October 11, 2013, in Karak District, Pakistan
Édison Alberto Molina, Puerto Berrío Stereo
     September 11, 2013, in Puerto Berrío, Colombia
Rajesh Verma, IBN 7
     September 7, 2013, in Muzaffarnagar, India
Tamer Abdel Raouf, Al-Ahram
     August 19, 2013, in Damanhur, Egypt
Mosaab al-Shami, Rassd News Network
     August 14, 2013, in Cairo, Egypt
Ahmed Abdel Gawad, Al-Akhbar, Misr25
     August 14, 2013, in Cairo, Egypt
Mick Deane, Sky News
     August 14, 2013, in Cairo, Egypt
Akhmednabi Akhmednabiyev, Novoye Delo
     July 9, 2013, in Semender, Russia
Ahmed Assem el-Senousy, Freedom and Justice
     July 8, 2013, in Cairo, Egypt
Fidaa al-Baali, Orient News
     July 5, 2013, in Damascus, Syria
Salah al-Din Hassan, Shaab Masr
     June 29, 2013, in Port Said, Egypt
Yara Abbas, Al-Ikhbariya
     May 27, 2013, in Al-Qusayr, Syria
Mohamed Ibrahim Raage, Radio Mogadishu, Somali National Television
     April 21, 2013, in Mogadishu, Somalia
Aslam Durrani, Daily Pakistan
     April 16, 2013, in Peshawar, Pakistan
Walgney Assis Carvalho, Freelance
     April 14, 2013, in Coronel Fabriciano, Brazil
Mikhail Beketov, Khimkinskaya Pravda
     April 8, 2013, in Khimki, Russia
Abdul Raheem Kour Hassan, Watan FM
     Unknown, in Damascus, Syria
Amer Diab, Freelance
     March 29, 2013, in Damascus, Syria
Mahmoud Natouf, Sana al-Thawra, Moadamyat Al-Sham Media Center
     March 14, 2013, in Damascus, Syria
Ghaith Abd al-Jawad, Qaboun Media Center
     March 10, 2013, in Damascus, Syria
Amr Badir al-Deen Junaid, Qaboun Media Center
     March 10, 2013, in Damascus, Syria
Rodrigo Neto, Rádio Vanguarda and Vale do Aço
     March 8, 2013, in Ipatinga, Brazil
Walid Jamil Amira, Jobar Media Center
     March 3, 2013, in Damascus, Syria
Olivier Voisin, Freelance
     February 24, 2013, in Antakya, Turkey
Mafaldo Bezerra Goes, FM Rio Jaguaribe
     February 22, 2013, in Jaguaribe, Brazil
Mohamed Saeed al-Hamwi, Qaboun Media Center
     February 17, 2013, in Syria, Syria
Youssef Adel Bakri (Youssef Abu Jad), Halab News Network
     February 15, 2013, in Aleppo, Syria
Ahmed Rajib Haider, Freelance
     February 15, 2013, in Dhaka, Bangladesh
Loay al-Nimir, Freelance
     January 31, 2013, in Arbin, Syria
Issam Obeid, Freelance
     January 31, 2013, in Arbin, Syria
Abdel Karim Nazir Ismail, Freelance
     January 31, 2013, in Arbin, Syria
Mohamed al-Mesalma, Al-Jazeera
     January 18, 2013, in Daraa, Syria
Abdihared Osman Aden, Shabelle Media Network
     January 18, 2013, in Mogadishu, Somalia
Yves Debay, Assault
     January 17, 2013, in Aleppo, Syria
Bassem Fawaz al-Zabi, Freelance
     January 13, 2013, in Daraa, Syria
Mirza Iqbal Hussain, News Network International
     January 10, 2013, in Quetta, Pakistan
Saif ur Rehman, Samaa TV
     January 10, 2013, in Quetta, Pakistan
Imran Shaikh, Samaa TV
     January 10, 2013, in Quetta, Pakistan
Suhail Mahmoud al-Ali, Dunya TV
     January 4, 2013, in Damascus, Syria

Aw, kon website popularity ra diay ang gibasehan, wala raru...

In some information circulating on Facebook, the girl was simply identified as "Joyce," a Grade 5 student from Brgy. Luzon in Governor Generoso town located in southernmost Philippines.

Two days after uploading, the video has so far reached close to 60,000 views and has since made the rounds of social media. "Blind Girl Sings Wrecking Ball," is also fourth in the hot picks list of Yahoo in the Philippines as of Friday (October 25).

As of this posting, the Facebook version of the video has been shared by close to 100,000 times, and liked by over 200,000 people.

The comments - mostly pleasant- have since reached 18,000. However, some opinions couldn't help but compare “Joyce” to Miley.

Facebook user Jethro Barcela, for instance, reminded the 20-year-old singer to be "sensitive," especially since the youth look up to her.

"One of the reasons why Miley Cyrus should be sensitive sa mga actions nya. Some kids consider her as their inspiration," he commented.

User Concy Con, meanwhile, said: "Somebody tag Miley! This girl got pure talent."

The former child star has been making headlines following her raunchy moves at the MTV VMAs, her failure to keep her tongue in her mouth, among others.

Early last month, the Hannah Montana star shocked the world when she appeared naked on the "Wrecking Ball" music video.

Miley Cyrus ‘knocked out’ by Filipina blind child singing ‘Wrecking Ball’
By Luigene Yanoria | Yahoo Southeast Asia Newsroom â€" 2 hours 17 minutes ago



From Cinema Online Exclusively for Yahoo Newsroom/Videograb from Master Wendell's Facebook account - Videograb from Master Wendell's Facebook account


Finally, someone gave Miley Cyrus' "Wrecking Ball" a good image--a Filipino blind girl who reportedly hails from Davao Oriental.

In an amateur video posted on Youtube, the latest talent discovery will bring goosebumps, as she performed the former child star’s latest hit.

She was singing with a mic in one hand and braille lyrics, in another.

This is not the first time Sen. Cruz has offended an ethnic community with his comments. Last month, Cruz angered a group of Filipino vets after tying his 21 hour speech against Obamacare to the "Bataan death march."

Towards the end of his marathon speech, Cruz said he wanted "to thank the men and women who have endured this, this Bataan Death March."

Cruz later met with a group of Filipino vets to apologize for his statement.

"I apologize for causing offense," Cruz said. "I should not have said what I did."

"I was not attempting to compare my filibuster to that suffering," he added.

"Cruz has maligned all hardworking, decent and outstanding Nigerian-Americans who add value and bring goodwill to their different communities, especially in Texas, with the largest concentration of Nigerian-Americans in this country," the group said in a statement released Thursday.

And that's not the only place where Cruz's joke fell flat.

The Nigerian ambassador to the United States also wants an apology from the senator.

Ambassador Ade Adefuye told POLITICO that Nigerians are "disappointed and shocked" by Cruz's comments.

"We deplore the statement, and we demand an apology, and we demand it be withdrawn," Adefuye said.

CANAN maintains that despite the stereotype of Nigerians running email scams and being corrupt, the Nigerian-American community is one of the most educated and successful immigrant communities in the United States, with more than 17% of Nigerian-American immigrants holding a master's degree or higher, according to U.S. Census numbers.

The group wants Cruz to issue a formal apology for his remarks.

"We consider it an insult that a senator who should be representing the people of his state could turn against some of his very own constituents in what is clearly a reckless and offensive remark," CANAN said.

ABC News By Dana Hughes
8 hours ago


Sen. Ted Cruz's sense of humor is earning him some ill will from near and far.

A Nigerian-American organization wants the Texas Republican to apologize for comments he made Monday about the problems with the Affordable Care Act website.

"You may have noticed that all the Nigerian email scammers have become a lot less active lately," Cruz said at a gathering with supporters in Houston, according to the Houston Chronicle.

"They all have been hired to run the Obamacare website," he joked.

But the Christian Association of Nigerian-Americans, also known as CANAN, isn't laughing. The group blasted Cruz, calling his comments distasteful and disparaging.

A terrible beauty is born. --William Butler Yeats



AFP News - This photo taken on October 22, 2013 shows residents standing next to a huge crack creating a rock wall in the village of Anonang, Inabanga town, Bohol province brought about by the 7.2-magnitude quake which hit the province October 15.

Quote from: wardiflex on October 25, 2013, 03:53:31 PM
ajo lang ug naapil ug lamoy sa bangag tong mga RIT diri..

Maajo jamong molihay ang mga kanahan...

Quote from: wardiflex on October 25, 2013, 03:52:39 PM
aside sa tulis nga naay mapusilan dri sa bohol kasagaran sab ang uban gipusil naay background about drugs..

Drugs and death are boon companions...

Angay jud klarohon ang kada pulgada sa balay kon wa bay damage...

The shadow rules...


V

Here we go round the prickly pear
Prickly pear prickly pear
Here we go round the prickly pear
At five o’clock in the morning.

Between the idea
And the reality
Between the motion
And the act
Falls the Shadow
For Thine is the Kingdom

Between the conception
And the creation
Between the emotion
And the response
Falls the Shadow
Life is very long

Between the desire
And the spasm
Between the potency
And the existence
Between the essence
And the descent
Falls the Shadow
For Thine is the Kingdom

For Thine is
Life is
For Thine is the

This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a whimper.

â€" The Hollow Men by T.S. Eliot

Hmm, asa man ni nga Alcantara, Bay Tigs?


Wiki lists the following:

Algeria

El Kantara â€" town and commune in Biskra province
El Kantara District â€" in Biskra province

Brazil

Alcântara, Maranhão â€" city in the state of Maranhão
Alcântara Launch Center â€" satellite launching base of the Brazilian Space Agency located near the city of Alcântara, in the state of Maranhão
Alcântara River â€" river of Rio de Janeiro state in southeastern Brazil
Barra d'Alcântara â€" municipality in the state of Piauí
Dom Pedro de Alcântara â€" municipality in the state Rio Grande do Sul
São Pedro de Alcântara, Santa Catarina â€" municipality in the state of Santa Catarina

Chile

the area near Alcántara metro station in northeastern Santiago
San Pedro de Alcántara, a local area in the O'Higgins Region

Cyprus
Kantara Castle â€" in the Kyrenia mountains

Egypt
El-Qantarah el-Sharqiyya â€" city in the governorate of Shamal Sina, on the eastern side of the Suez Canal

Italy

Alcantara (river); Alcàntara, in Sicilian â€" a river of Sicily

Philippines

Alcantara, Cebu â€" municipality in the province of Cebu
Alcantara, Romblon â€" municipality in the province of Romblon

Portugal

Alcântara, Lisbon â€" civil parish of Lisbon
São Pedro de Alcântara â€" Franciscan monastery in Lisbon

Spain

Tierra de Alcántara â€" comarca (district) located in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura
Alcántara â€" municipality in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura
Alcántara Dam â€" in Tagus river near the town with the same name
Alcántara Bridge â€" Roman bridge over the Tagus river near the town with the same name
Valencia de Alcántara â€" municipality in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura
Santiago de Alcántara â€" municipality in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura
Herrera de Alcántara â€" municipality in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura
Mata de Alcántara â€" municipality in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura
Alcàntera de Xúquer (Alcántara de Júcar, in Spanish) â€" municipality in the comarca of Ribera Alta, Valencian Community
San Pedro de Alcántara â€" town in the province of Málaga, Andalusia
San Vicente de Alcántara â€" municipality in the province of Badajoz, Extremadura

Venezuela

Francisco Linares Alcántara Municipality â€" municipality in Aragua state

Meanwhile, aftershocks will continue for several weeks after major earthquakes. Some may be large enough to cause additional damage. In preventing further injuries, the Earthquake Country Alliance (ECA) reminded that there will be constant need to be ready to “drop, cover, and hold on.”

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said that more than 2,000 aftershocks have been recorded while more than 60 have been felt. With the aftershocks, medical facilities could expect victims of secondary hazards to arrive at a later stage.

The ECA said that people should not enter their homes until they are certain that there are no gas leaks. When checking homes, it added that people must not use open flames (lighters, matches, candles, or grills) or operate any electrical or mechanical device that can create a spark (light switches, generators, motor vehicles, etc.).

The ECA added that emotional care and recovery are just as important as healing physical injuries and rebuilding a home.

In addressing the health needs of the victims, the Department of Health has secured water sources and sanitation as well as provided psychosocial services, tetanus toxoid shots, and water purification tablets, among others.

The Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP), through the PHAPCares Foundation, is in Bohol this week to turn over P4 million worth of essential medicines for use of victims in Central Visayas to complement government resources.

Meanwhile, the WHO added that apart from the direct impact to health, natural disasters like earthquakes also result in indirect impacts to health.

Health facilities are often damaged by earthquakes and any massive damage could lead to an interruption in basic health care services. In Cebu, Bohol, and Negros Oriental, at least six hospitals were reported to have been partially damaged by the tremor.

Health could also be affected by massive damage to lifelines such as water and sewer systems, energy lines, roads, telecom, and airports.

Medical facilities would also observe that patients would come from the immediate area around the facility followed by a second wave of referred cases as relief gets organized in more distant areas, the WHO added.

It could be expected that there would be high demand for surgical needs, particularly in the first weeks after the earthquake. Injuries ranging from minor cuts and bruises, simple fractures, and serious multiple fractures or internal injuries and crush syndrome requiring surgery and other intensive treatment are to be expected.

A paper published by the Japan Medical Association Journal (JMAJ) defined crush syndrome as a condition which results in shock, acute renal failure, and other systemic symptoms.

Burns and electroshocks have also been observed.

For those who may have to leave home and seek shelter in evacuation centers, poor sanitation and the lack of access to nutritious food and clean water would also have an impact on health. Government health agencies are on the lookout for any spread of diarrheal diseases, acute respiratory infections, measles and other infectious diseases.

Around 53,439 houses were either totally or partially damaged while seaports, airports, churches, government buildings, schools and hospitals, as well as roads and bridges, were also affected by the earthquake.

Like other natural calamities such as storms, flooding, landslides and volcanic eruptions, earthquakes also have direct impact on health.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said that earthquakes cause high mortality resulting from trauma, asphyxia, dust inhalation (acute respiratory distress), or exposure to the environment like hypothermia.

It added that if persons were not rescued between 24 to 48 hours, the chances of survival becomes dim.

The first 24 hours following the earthquake also require the highest level of health care, while the next three to five days place great pressure on medical services relating to injuries and caring for the displaced.

http://www.bworldonline.com/
Medicine Cabinet -- Reiner Gloor
Posted on 06:13 PM, October 24, 2013


ABOUT 195 people were killed while 651 others were injured when a powerful magnitude 7.2 earthquake rocked Bohol province and other areas in Western and Central Visayas.

Many of the fatalities were trapped under the rubble of their collapsed homes or inside other damaged structures.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRMMC) reported that close to 600,000 families or 2,991,143 persons were affected by the earthquake in Bohol, Cebu, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Iloilo, Siquijor and Guimaras.

Of the total number of people affected, 66,717 families or 344,347 people were displaced in Bohol province alone.

Quote from: hubag bohol on October 25, 2013, 06:09:15 AM
Philippine earthquake creates miles-long rocky wall
By AFP Published: October 25, 2013



This photo taken on October 22, 2013 shows residents standing next to a huge crack creating a rock wall in the village of Anonang, Inabanga town, Bohol province brought about by the 7.2-magnitude quake which hit the province October 15. PHOTO: AFP


PHILIPPINES: A deadly earthquake that struck the Philippines last week created a spectacular rocky wall that stretches for kilometres through farmlands, astounded geologists said Thursday.

Great Wall of Bohol...

Makahilak man pud ta...

Hmm, like this?

Quote from: islander on October 24, 2013, 09:15:08 PM
di na lang ko magpalayo.  di baya ko housewife.  i am a household engineer.

Hmm, unya unsa man si banana republic, handheld stress eliminator?

Kon guilty man tinuod, matagam na pud tingali...

"China's continuous overwhelming naval and maritime presence in the area is also contributing to the raising of regional tensions," del Rosario added.

He said Manila had until next March 30 to submit its arguments and evidence seeking clarification on China's maritime claims, based on the U.N. Convention of the Law of the Sea.

A diplomat familiar with the arbitration proceedings told Reuters the tribunal would give China six months to respond before holding a hearing and deciding the complaint.

"So, we could actually get an actual ruling by late 2014 or early 2015," the diplomat said, adding it would take time if China changed its mind and decided to join in.

(Reporting by Manuel Mogato; Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in BEIJING; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)