MikeLigalig.com

Jimmy Alapag and Bruno Sundov. (Nuki Sabio/PBA Images)

hampasabol, but why man you think so?

Arctic Fox, Canada --- Photograph by Norbert Rosing, National Geographic --- Before dawn, a brilliant full moon illuminates the snowy landscape of Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, home to an arctic fox. The fox's coat changes color with the seasons; as the snow melts it begins to turn grayish brown.


http://news.yahoo.com/

Deer Creek Canyon, Grand Canyon National Park ---Photograph by Corey Rich, Aurora ---Most of the nearly five million people who visit Grand Canyon National Park each year simply take in the stunning views from the rim. The more adventurous descend the canyon and get up close to rock that dates back 1.8 billion years. Here, hikers traverse Deer Creek Trail, an overnight trip that’s one of the most popular routes in the park.

Lake Mývatn, Iceland ---Photograph by Jonas Bendiksen, National Geographic ---"Pseudo craters" mark the land surrounding Lake Mývatn in Iceland. The southern part of the lake rests on a lava flow that was emitted 2,000 years ago. The pseudo craters are continually formed as water trapped beneath the Earth's surface turns to steam and explodes through the layer above.

Cherry Blossoms, Japan ---Photograph by Diane Cook and Len Jenshel, National Geographic ---In Japan the nighttime viewing of cherry blossoms in spring, like these at Kyoto’s Hirano Shrine, is a special event. “The cherries’ only fault: the crowds that gather when they bloom,” wrote Saigyo, a 12th-century poet.

Burj Khalifa, Dubai --- Photograph by LOOK/Alamy --- The observation deck at the Burj Khalifaâthe tallest building in the world at 2,716.5 feet offers a panoramic view of the flat desert shores of sea-level Dubai. The building took seven years to build and holds a number of other records, including most number of stories, highest outdoor observation deck, and tallest service elevator.

Fisherman, Bangladesh --- Photograph by Pronob Ghosh, National Geographic Your Shot --- A Bangladeshi fisherman flings open a traditional blue net to catch tiny shrimp. His village, Gabura, is in southwestern Bangladesh and has been studied for the effects of climate change.

Colosseum, Rome --- Photograph by Gabriele Forzano, Reuters --- A rare snow shower falls on Rome's Colosseum, built 2,000 years ago to host gladiator duels, battle reenactments, and other public spectacles. Today the 50,000-seat amphitheater serves Rome in another capacity: as a major tourist attraction.

Blue Lagoon, Iceland --- Photograph by Agnieszka Rayss, Anzenberger/Redux --- Drinks blend with the landscape during a summer solstice midnight party in Iceland's Blue Lagoon. Marking the beginning of the season, the summer solstice is the longest day of the year, falling on June 20 or 21.

National Geographic Travel's Best Travel Photos of 2013

Kacper Kowalski, Panos Pictures
December 17, 2013 


Pomerania, Poland --- Photograph by Kacper Kowalski, Panos Pictures --- Fall colors blaze out in concentric rings from a lake in eastern Pomerania, Poland. The region on the south shore of the Baltic Sea is largely covered with farmland and vast swaths of forest.

true gyod, hof.  ambot why himoan pag estorya.  if i were michelle, the best that i could do, after viewing the adverse blowback, is to tell obama, "barry boy, you chose to be president of the u.s., so you have to be more careful with public appearances because you live in a fish bowl... it goes without saying.  by the way, next time, choose kim kardashian for your selfie partner, hehehe.  and don't forget to spank her butt for me."

sige, isumbong kang mayor duterte unya didto ka nisakay ug taxi sa tuguegarao.

There have been few randomized clinical studies of the effects of multivitamins and minerals on heart disease, cancer and risk of death, said Dr. Stephen P. Fortmann, of the Kaiser Center of Health Research, who led the task force review. A draft of new task force recommendations, based on the updated review, said there was insufficient evidence to recommend taking or not taking vitamins.

But Dr. Fortmann, who also did not write or sign the editorial, suggested that those who buy vitamins may be “throwing their money away,” adding: “Don’t think it makes up for a bad diet, that you can eat a lot of fast food and then take a bunch of supplements. That’s not a good idea.”


http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/

But Dr. Francine Grodstein, one of the lead authors of that study, said that since physicians tend to have healthy diets and be well-nourished, the added nutrients may not have made a difference in their cases. “I do think there’s room for more research,” said Dr. Grodstein, who did not write or sign the editorial.

Demonstrating the prevention of chronic diseases can take decades and conducting long-term, randomized, controlled trials is both tricky and very costly. “We don’t and probably never will have randomized trial data over decades,” she said.

The results of another clinical trial published in the journal found that high-dose vitamins and minerals did not protect heart attack patients 50 and older from experiencing additional cardiovascular events, though the research was marred by a high dropout rate.

The Cochrane Collaboration, which publishes reviews of medical evidence, has also concluded that taking vitamins does not extend life. An updated review of the evidence by the United States Preventive Services Task Force, published online on Nov. 12, likewise concluded that there was limited evidence that vitamin and mineral supplementation could prevent cancer or cardiovascular disease.

The task force pointed out, however, that two clinical trials had found slight cancer reductions among men who took multivitamins. Yet other studies have found that beta-carotene supplements may actually increase the risk of lung cancer in smokers, the task force review noted, and that high doses of vitamins A and E cause harm and may increase the risk of death.

The editorial in the Annals is accompanied by two new studies reporting dismal results for multivitamins in helping preserve cognitive function and preventing heart attacks. In one study of nearly 6,000 male physicians 65 and older, participants who took a multivitamin for over a decade were no more likely to retain cognitive function as they aged than similar doctors who took a dummy pill.

“Our members market and sell their products in order to assist people to achieve a healthier lifestyle,” said John Shaw, executive director of the association, adding that he could not understand why the industry was being criticized “for trying to promote health and wellness.”

Demand for vitamin and mineral supplements has grown markedly in recent years, with domestic sales totaling some $30 billion in 2011. More than half of Americans used at least one dietary supplement from 2003-06, up from 42 percent from 1988-94, according to national health surveys conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The most popular products are multivitamin and mineral supplements, which are consumed by some 40 percent of men and women in the United States, according to data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Whether regular long-term use can prevent heart disease and cancer has never been clearly established, and the authors of the editorial are not the first to point that out.

“The message is simple,” the editorial continued. “Most supplements do not prevent chronic disease or death, their use is not justified, and they should be avoided.”

“We have so much information from so many studies,” Dr. Cynthia Mulrow, senior deputy editor of Annals of Internal Medicine and an author of the editorial, said in an interview. “We don’t need a lot more evidence to put this to bed.”

Officials with the Natural Products Association, a trade organization that represents supplement suppliers and retailers, said they were shocked by what they termed “an attack” on their industry, pointing to a study published last year that found a modest reduction in overall cancers in a long, randomized, controlled trial of 15,000 male doctors.

Should We Toss Our Vitamin Pills?

By RONI CARYN RABIN
December 16, 2013



Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press, via Associated Press
Demand for vitamin and mineral supplements has risen, with 2011 sales of $30 billion.

One in two adults takes a daily vitamin pill, and Americans spend tens of billions of dollars each year on supplements. Now, a small coterie of physicians writing in a leading medical journal has offered this blunt advice: “Stop wasting money.”

In an unusually direct opinion piece, the five authors say that for healthy Americans worried about chronic disease, there’s no clear benefit to taking vitamin and mineral pills. And in some instances, they may even cause harm.

The authors make an exception for supplemental vitamin D, which they say needs further research. Even so, widespread use of vitamin D pills “is not based on solid evidence that benefits outweigh harms,” the authors wrote. For other vitamins and supplements, “the case is closed.”

no, tenk yu.  mapungil ana akong dunggan kun di mamao ang akong pagtokar.

Quote from: hubag bohol on December 18, 2013, 11:01:30 AM
Kanang parehas og nawong ni Bugsay, mao na ako...

aaahhh, daan pa lagi kong kaliwat mog mga boksidor.

does it mean that they wear their faces like they have toothaches?

in rose pink shadows, wow!

Quote from: hubag bohol on December 18, 2013, 11:34:58 AM
I know. Ang imoha silent whisper...

whispering hope, dearie.

be careful what you pray for.

1. they must be thinking of valentine and not christmas.  otherwise, they could have used a styrofoam cutout of santa claus instead of a heart.

2. lorenz, are you sure those two are not chimpanzees?   

hahaha!  arang gajod.  what's a DECENT SLR camera?  does it mean it should not be bought nude?

my own mimings have gentler faces.  kana isog jamo, morag boss nako sa una.

Quote from: Lorenzo on December 18, 2013, 03:47:06 AM
unsa man pod imong buhaton sa snow, sir insur?

maghimo kog daghang halo-halo.

"I'm dedicating my pageant for the Haiyan or Yolanda victims. I'm not going there just as Bea Santiago, but as Miss Philippines. If I win or if I make it, that would bring happiness to them and make them proud,” Bea previously said.

Miss Netherlands Nathelie Den Dekker was crowned first runner-up, while Miss New Zealand Casey Radley was declared second runner-up. Miss Colombia Lorena Hermida and Miss Hungary Brigitta Otvos were included in the Top 5.

This is the fifth time that the Philippines has won the Miss International title. Past winners include Precious Lara Quigaman, Gemma Cruz-Araneta, Melanie Marquez, and Aurora Pijuan.

Miss International beauty pageant aims to promote goodwill and cultural understanding globally. According to its official website, Miss International raises funds for UNICEF, as part of their campaign.


http://ph.omg.yahoo.com/news/

Miss Philippines Bea Rose Santiago wins Miss International title

By Karen Valeza | Yahoo Southeast Asia Newsroom
December 17, 2013


Reuters/REUTERS - Miss International Bea Rose Santiago of the Philippines walks on stage after being crowned Miss International Beauty Pageant 2013 in Tokyo December 17, 2013. Representatives from 67 countries …more  and regions from all over the world took part in the pageant. REUTERS/Yuya Shino

Miss Philippines Bea Rose Santiago took home the crown in the 53rd Miss International pageant, held at the Shinagawa Prince Hotel Hall in Tokyo, Japan on Tuesday, December 17.

Miss International 2012 Ikumi Yoshimatsu of Japan crowned her successor, Bea Rose, who bested 66 other delegates from around the world.

Bea Rose impressed the judges during the Q&A portion where she said she wants to "sustain the spirit of sympathy and hope," when asked about what she would do if she wins the crown.

Before Bea left for Japan, she told the press that she is dedicating the competition to the survivors of typhoon Yolanda.

ay, abi nakog beret nang akong gisul-ob.

bitaw, asa man nilay pareha nimog nawong, bai hubs?  kaberks baya ta...

that's pee, man, not beer!

pildi gihapon ang kontra ani.  makatuslok ni ug maka-tetanus.

remember django the milyonir?  unsay sulod anang iyang gigujod?  that's a delivery, dear hubag nga hinan-aw ug sine.

Quote from: hubag bohol on December 16, 2013, 08:49:01 AM
Hmm, abi kay mao ni sulod sa imong violin case?

sa pinurol nga pagkasulti, naay violin nga ang tingog ngek-ngek-ngek, naa poy violin nga ang tingog rat-tat-tat.

Quote from: hubag bohol on December 17, 2013, 04:05:28 PM
Bwahaha! Bad memories come flooding back...

kay naa ba diay bayolin tong imong milyonir best friend?

bayolet ang kolor sa labod.

seriously, mora man ug photoshopped nang piktyur nimo, bai hubs. 

but they're just dancing!

Quote from: hubag bohol on December 17, 2013, 04:15:09 PM
What is "sizable" should not be based on sheer number alone, but also on the minority population's impact on the country's body politic, the whole gamut from its national policies to its collective imagination.

well, then, i'm of the impression that not all foreign ministers in this council believe that the number of muslims from among us have any impact whatsoever.

maybe we're just too christian, just like turkey's hanging application to the european union when it seems too middle eastern?

Besides tracking Santa, what does NORAD normally do?

NORAD is a bi-national U.S./Canadian military organization responsible for aerospace warning, aerospace control, and maritime warning in the defense of North America. NORAD provides warning of impending missile and air attacks, safeguards the air sovereignty of North America, and maintains airborne forces for defense against attack. NORAD performs this important mission 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. www.norad.mil or follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/noradnorthcom.

How many people support this effort, and are they active duty military personnel?

More than 1,250 Canadian and American uniformed personnel and DOD civilians volunteer their time on December 24th to answer the thousands of phone calls and emails that flood in from around the world. In addition to the support provided by our corporate contributors to make this program possible, NORAD has two lead project officers who manage the program.

How much money is spent on this project?

The NORAD Tracks Santa program is made possible by volunteers and through the generous support of corporate licensees who bear virtually all of the costs.


-portions from http://www.noradsanta.org/

Can I send an email to NORAD to find out where Santa is located?

Yes! On December 24th, you can send an email to noradtrackssanta@outlook.com. A NORAD staff member will give you Santa’s last known location in a return email. You can also track Santa on your mobile phone, through the official Windows 8 app, and you can even chat live with a NORAD operator to find out Santa’s location!

Has Santa ever crashed into anything when he was flying around the world?

Santa has been flying for centuries without hitting anything. He must be a great pilot!

Where is Santa right now?

Santa is at the North Pole, where he lives with Mrs. Claus and the elves who make toys and take care of the reindeer year round! Each year on December 24th, Santa and his reindeer launch from the North Pole very early in the morning for their famous trip around the world. The minute they launch, NORAD starts to track him! Come back to this website on December 24th and you can track Santa along with NORAD!

I would rather talk to someone at NORAD to find out where Santa is located. Is there a number I can call?

Yes! The NORAD Tracks Santa Operations Center is fully operational beginning at 3:00a.m. MST on December 24th. You can call 1 877 HI-NORAD (1 877 446-6723) to talk directly to a NORAD staff member who will be able to tell you Santa’s exact location. Operators are available until 3:00a.m. on Dec. 25th to answer your calls!

Does NORAD have any pictures of Santa taken from your planes?

Our fighter pilots love to take photos of Santa. We also have NORAD Santa Cams in space which take video of Santa as he flies round the world. These videos appear almost every hour on December 24th at www.noradsanta.org.

Does NORAD have any statistics on Santa’s sleigh?

NORAD can confirm that Santa’s sleigh is a versatile, all weather, multi-purpose, vertical short-take-off and landing vehicle. It is capable of traveling vast distances without refueling and is deployed, as far as we know, only on December 24th (and sometimes briefly for a test flight about a month before Christmas).

Sleigh Technical Data

Designer & Builder:  K. Kringle & Elves, Inc.

Probable First Flight:  Dec. 24, 343 A.D.

Home Base:  North Pole

Length:  75 cc (candy canes) / 150 lp (lollipops)

Width:  40 cc / 80 lp

Height:  55 cc / 110 lp

(Note:  Length, width and height are without reindeer)

Weight at takeoff:  75,000 gd (gumdrops)

Passenger weight at takeoff:  Santa Claus 260 pounds

Weight of gifts at takeoff:  60,000 tons

Weight at landing:  80,000 gd (ice & snow accumulation)

Passenger weight at landing:  1,260 pounds

Propulsion:  Nine (9) rp (reindeer power)

Armament:  Antlers (purely defensive)

Fuel:  Hay, oats and carrots (for reindeer)

Emissions:  Classified

Climbing speed:  One "T" (Twinkle of an eye)

Max speed:  Faster than starlight

How does Santa get down chimneys?

Although NORAD has different hypotheses and theories as to how Santa actually gets down the chimneys, we don’t have definitive information to explain the magical phenomenon.

Do your planes ever intercept Santa?

Over the past 50 years, our fighter jets (F-16s, F-15s, F-22s and CF-18s) have intercepted Santa many, many times. When the jets intercept Santa, they tip their wings to say, "Hello Santa! â€" NORAD is tracking you again this year!" Santa always waves. He loves to see the pilots!

How old is Santa?

It’s hard to know for sure, but NORAD intelligence indicates Santa is AT LEAST 16 centuries old.

What does Santa look like?

Based on flight profile data gathered from over 50 years of NORAD's radar and satellite tracking, NORAD concludes that Santa probably stands about 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighs approximately 260 pounds (before cookies). Based on fighter-aircraft photos, we know he has a generous girth (belly), rosy cheeks from sleigh riding in cold weather, and a flowing white beard.

How can Santa travel the world within 24 hours?

NORAD intelligence reports indicate that Santa does not experience time the way we do. His trip seems to take 24 hours to us, but to Santa it might last days, weeks or even months. Santa would not want to rush the important job of delivering presents to children and spreading joy to everyone, so the only logical conclusion is that Santa somehow functions within his own time-space continuum.

Is there a Santa Claus?

Mountains of historical data and more than 50 years of NORAD tracking information leads us to believe that Santa Claus is alive and well in the hearts of people throughout the world.

What route does Santa travel?

Santa usually starts at the International Date Line in the Pacific Ocean and travels west. So, historically, Santa visits the South Pacific first, then New Zealand and Australia. After that, he shoots up to Japan, over to Asia, across to Africa, then onto Western Europe, Canada, the United States, Mexico and Central and South America. Keep in mind, Santa’s route can be affected by weather, so it’s really unpredictable. NORAD coordinates with Santa’s Elf Launch Staff to confirm his launch time, but from that point on, Santa calls the shots. We just track him!

Does Santa visit everyone (i.e. Afghanistan, Israel, non-Christian countries)?

Indeed! Santa visits all homes where children believe in him.

some Q and A at the NORAD Santa Tracking website:

Why does NORAD track Santa?

Twenty four hours a day, 365 days a year, NORAD tracks airplanes, missiles, space launches and anything else that flies in or around the North American continent, while also completing some other very important missions. While the tradition of tracking Santa began purely by accident, NORAD continues to track Santa. We’re the only organization that has the technology, the qualifications, and the people to do it. And, we love it! NORAD is honored to be Santa’s official tracker!

When will Santa arrive at my house?

NORAD tracks Santa, but only Santa knows his route, which means we cannot predict where and when he will arrive at your house. We do, however, know from history that it appears he arrives only when children are asleep! In most countries, it seems Santa arrives between 9:00 p.m. and midnight on December 24th. If children are still awake when Santa arrives, he moves on to other houses. He returns later… but only when the children are asleep!

Shoup then decided to offer the kids information about Santa's progress from the North Pole, and as NORAD's Santa site would say, "a tradition was born."

When NORAD was formed in 1958, Shoup's organization offered annual Santa tracking, and a phone number was publicized.

"Manning those phones over the years have been countless numbers of Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps personnel and their families, and for many people, turning to NORAD to find out where Santa is became something to look forward to each year," Snopes.com said. â€" TJD, GMA News


Air Force Lt. Col. Rich Fletcher answers emails about Santa Claus in the NORAD Santa Operations Center in 2011. (Courtesy of the Air Force)

No laughing matter

Citing a narration by Shoup's daughter Terri Van Keuren, Snopes.com said calling Shoup's line was no light matter since it was one of the top secret lines in CONAD and would only ring in a crisis.

"Dad's pretty annoyed," she said as she recalled her father "barking" into the phone and asking who was on the line.

When the child on the other line began to cry and asked if Shoup was "one of Santa's elves," Shoup eventually softened and had an airman answer the calls.

"Just pretend you're Santa," Van Keuren recalled her father instructing the airman.

"(T)he phone number included in the ad was printed incorrectly, and children who called that number on Christmas Eve found themselves not on the phone with St. Nick but on a top secret line to one Colonel Harry Shoup, the officer on duty that day at CONAD (Continental Air Defense Command, NORAD's predecessor)," Snopes.com said.



But instead of telling off the children, Shoup decided to play along and had his staff accommodate the young callers by updating them on Santa's progress.

Today, Snopes.com said NORAD engages "well over a thousand people" to track Santa from the North Pole.

How a wrong number sent the US military hunting for Santa

GMA News Online
December 17, 2013

Talk about high-tech chases.

Who would have thought a wrong phone number listing would trigger one of the most high-tech of annual Christmas traditions: the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) Santa Tracker?


Yes, Virginia. NORAD started tracking Santa's yearly trip in 1955, after the Sears Roebuck & Co department store published a number where children can call and talk to Jolly St. Nick, according to urban legend-busting site Snopes.com.

doubledecker tingali ni unya mas barato sa taas.

Quote from: hubag bohol on December 16, 2013, 08:44:17 AM
...dayon pakapinan og sipa nga utot...

imo na nang expertise.

i checked the website.  i could not for the life of me understand where it leads.

my dinner, which i ate in the car after a terrible 4 hours at the vet having 3 cats treated for mouth infections.  it took 4 people to hold each cat for their blood tests and injections.

the earth is getting confused?

wingig man sad ang liog sa mokwentas ani.

Quote from: hubag bohol on December 17, 2013, 05:18:41 PM
He he, hadlok diay ka ni Justin?

who isn't?  makusian gyod mog pino jamo.

Quote from: Lorenzo on December 12, 2013, 10:50:08 AM
mag sinambagay ko ni kim boy. i bet i can take him on.

bantay lang sa boomerang.  y'know, untol gyod imong kinumo anang pormaha.

hahay.  dia na say pasiklab nga news.  nanunggab kay hubog man tawon ni uy.  yabag o di ang nikanta, bahala pa tingalig si justin bieber o frank sinatra o luciano pavarotti, hubog gihapon ang supetsado.

next time, hubog ka unya naay nikanta, ipatulon na lang ang microphone.  ayaw panunggab.  kalami tuod daklon ug microphone ang ulo sa newswriter ani uy. 

and top it off with an exploding coffee soon after.

More likely, however, Kim is consolidating power, much like Hussein did in 1979. He is building his own inner circle of trustworthy loyalists and daring anyone to defy him. The young heir who rose to power two years ago under the protection of an experienced uncle is sending notice that he is not a child any more. The dictator is all grown up and settling in for a long time in power.


A South Korean man watches TV news about the dismissal of Jang Song Thaek, North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un's uncle


http://edition.cnn.com/

But so far, he has proven as defiant and inflexible as his father and grandfather. In a major crisis a year ago, he launched long-range missiles and later detonated a nuclear weapon and then threatened a nuclear attack against the U.S. and South Korea.

Kim may now want to prevent anyone from taking advantage of turmoil in Pyongyang with another show of force.

It is not clear what exactly caused the high-level purge. The military might have triggered and won the clash with Jang. Some suggest Kim may now be a figurehead in a military-led regime, but he already reshuffled the military command. He appears to be in control.


Jang, far right, appeared with Kim Jong Il and other officials during an inspection of the Mt. Ryongak Recreation Ground in Pyongyang, in an image released on January 18, 2009, by the official Korean Central News Agency.

That is dismal news for those who live in a state that is the world's worst violator of human rights. A new report from Amnesty International says as many as 200,000 North Koreans, including children, the elderly and generations of families live in prison camps where they routinely endure torture, starvation and worse. Life outside the camps is also subject to harsh conditions for most North Koreans.

When the younger Kim came to power in 2011 after his father died, some held hope that his time living in Switzerland had instilled reformist instincts, expecting he would moderate domestic policies and undertake more conciliatory actions toward the rest of the world.


Jang is seen with Kim Jong Il, right, and Naguib Sawiris, center, the executive chairman of Cairo-based Orascom Telecom, at an undisclosed place in North Korea on January 23, 2011.

Jang was known as something of a reformer, although that term must be viewed within the context of the totalitarian regime. He supported limited market reforms and reportedly opposed Pyongyang's nuclear test earlier this year -- both positions that put him at odds with the military. There is little doubt that Jang's execution strengthens the military's hand.

The experience from Iraq suggests that a reign of fear among the powerful serves only to entrench the harshest policies. High-ranking officials, worried about appearing weak or disloyal, will be more reluctant to suggest reforms that loosen the regime's grip.


Jang follows Kim Jong Un during the funeral procession for Kim Jong Il in Pyongyang on December 28, 2011.

State media has followed the reports with a scrubbing of the files. Jang is being erased from the records. The man who stood at Kim's side when his father died is being Photoshopped out of existence.

All mentions of him -- except for the condemnations -- are disappearing from the website of the Korean Central News Agency. And every photograph is now suddenly, and not-so-mysteriously, free of his image. He has even been deleted from a recent documentary about Kim Jong Un.

The question is what comes next: What does this mean for the millions of North Koreans living under Kim's brutal rule? How does this execution and purge affect nuclear-armed North Korea's behavior on the global stage?


Jang attends a meeting on developing the economic zones in North Korea, in Beijing, on August 14, 2012.

Kim's uncle, the regime charges, was "behaving against the elementary sense of moral obligation and conscience of a human being." Most of all, Jang -- married to the sister of Kim's late father, former leader Kim Jong Il -- is accused of planning to challenge his nephew and undermine him as "unitary center" of the state.

It's a stunning ledger of charges and one that makes no effort to conceal there is a power struggle in North Korea.

Tellingly, the accusations speak of a Jang Song Thaek "group," which suggests the purge is far from over. There have already been reports that a couple of Jang associates were executed.


Kim Jong Un walks past his uncle after reviewing a parade of thousands of soldiers commemorating the 70th birthday of the late Kim Jong Il in Pyongyang on February 16, 2012.

In keeping with the totalitarians' textbook, the North Korean regime denounced Kim's uncle in language that would be familiar to those who have lived under the worst dictatorships.

The masterpiece of totalitarian prose, published for all to read in the state media, accused Jang of leading a "dissolute and depraved life." It condemns him for pretending to support Kim while "dreaming different dreams," and living a life of corruption, ambition, drug use, "wining and dining at back parlors and deluxe restaurants," as well as "gambling in foreign casinos at the party's expense" and being "affected by the capitalist way of living."


Chinese President Hu Jintao, right, greets Jang in Beijing on August 17, 2012. Jang met China's President and Premier in an effort to improve the relations between the two countries after Kim Jong Un irked Beijing with a rocket launch soon after taking power.

Decades-old grainy black and white images from Iraq tell a similar story of power and intrigue whose consequences are now well-known.

On July 22, 1979, during a meeting of Iraq's Baath Party, the names of 60 top party leaders labeled traitors were read as, one by one, the terrified men were removed from the hall. That footage was also distributed widely -- a sign to all that Hussein would let no one stand in his way, instilling fear even among the most powerful in the country. It was a moment that as much as any other cemented Hussein's rule for almost a quarter of a century.


Kim Jong Un, left, and Jang Song Thaek walk through a cemetery for Korean War veterans on July 25 in Pyongyang, North Korea, marking the 60th anniversary of the signing of the armistice that ended hostilities on the Korean peninsula.

The televised footage showed what unfolded during the meeting of the party's Central Committee, reportedly the day before. In a room of stunned party members, two uniformed soldiers grabbed Jang -- until recently the country's second most powerful man -- and took him away after he was accused of betraying Kim and the revolution.

Just a few days later, on Thursday, the North Korea government-controlled Korean Central News Agency reported that Jang had been executed for betraying the regime: "Despicable human scum Jang, who was worse than a dog, perpetrated thrice-cursed acts of treachery in betrayal of such profound trust and warmest paternal love shown by the party and the leader for him."


Japanese lawmaker Antonio Inoki, left, Jang Song Thaek and Kenshiro Matsunami, a former Japanese lawmaker, hold a meeting in Pyongyang, North Korea, on November 6. Jang Song Thaek was regarded as the second most powerful figure in North Korea.

How Kim Jong Un got rid of his uncle

By Frida Ghitis
December 13, 2013


In an image taken from footage shown by North Korea's KCTV and released by South Korea's Yonhap news agency on December 9, 2013, Jang Song-Thaek is reportedly being dragged away from his chair by two police officials during a meeting in Pyongyang. North Korea confirmed on December 9 that the powerful uncle of Kim Jong-Un, the nation's leader, had been removed. New reports from North Korea say that Jang has been executed.

(CNN) -- The chilling images from North Korea brought back memories from one of the most disturbing and important moments of none other than Saddam Hussein's tactics for establishing his iron-clad rule of Iraq. The young North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, it appears, has learned from the most ruthless and long-lasting of modern dictators.

On Monday, North Korea's citizens saw what would have seemed impossible just a few months ago: The man who had stood at Kim's side since he came to power, his uncle Jang Song Thaek, publicly humiliated in a shake-up that signaled a fierce power struggle and sent a stern message to the country and the world.

Zoo owner Manny Tangco (center) places a Santa hat on a brown bear named "Justin BieBear" as young children hug an orangutan named "Pacquiao" at the start of Christmas-themed events at the Malabon Zoo on Sunday. Tangco said survivors of Super Typhoon Yolanda will get free entrance to the zoo from December 16-18 upon presentation of their identity documents. Photo by Jay Directo, Agence France-Presse/ABS-CBN

Quote from: Lorenzo on December 15, 2013, 06:45:53 AM

wowie, what a beautiful shot and artistic photo editing/coloring.

i was an 11-year-old when i first attended mass in this church, at a time when boholano was still a strange language for me.  so i was so bored during the mass.  the clincher: we happened to occupy a pew with a weak kneeler.  my feet were under the kneeler when our father kneeled down, pinning my feet thus.  i bawled in pain, during consecration at that.  i think our father felt so bad for causing me such pain.  i made it worse for him when i walked home limping. 

please, just not the yolanda kind.

sana, sana.  kaya huwag mong unahing bilhin ang latest na cell phone at ipad ha?  at huwag mo na lang gayahin yung bagong sound system ng kapitbahay niyo.  o bagong refrigerator.  mag-save muna ng totohanan.  kasi, minsan, dahil lang sa inggit, nag-aabroad din yung iba.  akala siguro, lahat na sagot sa buhay ay nasa pera galing abroad.  aba, wait till you go abroad... reality bites.  oftentimes.

oh-oh, right from the article itself is the authors' bona fides--they're both in the field of medicine, thus their credibility as regards their claims in the article at the outset.  no wonder they did not cite any source; they are the source. 

Paul A. Offit is chief of the division of infectious diseases at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where Sarah Erush is the clinical manager in the pharmacy department.

how scary naman.  i'm a believer of supplements, that's why.  now i'll have to research on the background of this article's writers.  that needs looking into too.

firearms ang sulod ana, okay? 

thanks for the prayers and concern.  my dixie had gone to cat heaven the other day.

the vet had reimbursed me of part of my deposit; an almost negligible amount really, but i liked the animal hospital's professionalism.  the extra medicines that have already been paid for were also given back to me.  i said i have no use for them.  will you just donate these?  yes, i said, especially to cat owners who may think it's foolhardy to buy those medicines for their cats.

i've mourned enough.  only the death of mosquitos fail to make me sad. 

Bus driver Edilson, 45, also known as "Fumassa", drives while wearing a Santa Claus outfit inside an urban bus decorated with Christmas motives in Santo Andre, outskirts of Sao Paulo December 10, 2013. Fumassa dresses as Santa Claus every year while driving his bus. Picture taken December 10. REUTERS/Nacho Doce


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FRANCE
People sit inside a giant Christmas ball as part of Christmas holiday season decorations in Nice December 5, 2013. REUTERS/Eric Gaillard

FRANCE
Santa Claus kites float in front of the Eiffel Tower as part of Christmas holiday season preparations in Paris, December 12, 2013. REUTERS/Jacky Naegelen

BRAZIL
A boy looks at bus driver Edilson (not pictured), 45, also known as "Fumassa", inside an urban bus decorated with Christmas votives in Santo Andre, outskirts of Sao Paulo December 10, 2013. Fumassa dresses as Santa Claus every year while driving his bus. Picture taken December 10. REUTERS/Nacho Doce

FRANCE
A man dressed as Santa Claus pets dolphins at the Marineland Aquatic Park as part of Christmas holiday season preparations in Antibes, southeastern France, December 12, 2013. REUTERS/Eric Gaillard

HUNGARY
People look at Christmas decorations at a stall at the Budapest Christmas Fair at Vorosmarty square in downtown Budapest, December 11, 2013. REUTERS/Bernadett Szabo

HUNGARY
St. Stephens' Basilica is pictured behind a Christmas market in downtown Budapest, December 11, 2013. REUTERS/Bernadett Szabo

UNITED STATES
An outdoor artificial Christmas tree is displayed at a shopping center in San Diego, California December 11, 2013. REUTERS/Mike Blake

PERU
People pose by a Christmas tree at the Larco Mar shopping mall in Lima's Miraflores district, December 11, 2013. Picture taken December 11, 2013. REUTERS/Mariana Bazo

PHILIPPINES
Jonald Libres, 28, walks on a tight rope over live crocodiles while wearing a Santa Claus costume as part of performances for the Christmas Yuletide season at a crocodile farm in Pasay city, metro Manila December 12, 2013. REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco

FRANCE
Pink clouds fill the sky at sunrise above the Notre Dame Cathedral near a decorated Christmas tree as part of the holiday season in Paris, December 12, 2013. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer

SPAIN
People walk past vendors setting up a Christmas market at dusk at Madrid's Mayor square November 28, 2013. Madrid, once the shining emblem of the Spain's economic surge of the 1990s and early 2000s - has now become a prime example of how painful and slow Spain's recovery will be on the ground. Picture taken November 28, 2013. REUTERS/Susana Vera

GREECE
People walk past an illuminated boat, which is part of this year's Christmas decorations, at Syntagma (Constitution) square in central Athens December 11, 2013. The centrepiece of this year's Christmas light up, which is an old tradition in Athens, is a boat instead of the usual Christmas tree. REUTERS/John Kolesidis

SOUTH KOREA
A diver dressed in a Santa Claus costume swims with sardines during a promotional event for the Christmas "Sardines Feeding Show with Santa Claus" at the Coex Aquarium in Seoul December 10, 2013. (REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji)

BRITAIN
Guests from the 10 Downing Street Christmas party mill around outside after the Christmas tree lights were switched on in central London, December 9, 2013. REUTERS/Andrew Winning

FRANCE
Dolphins jump behind a man dressed as Santa Claus at the Marineland Aquatic Park as part of Christmas holiday season preparations, in Antibes, southeastern France, December 12, 2013. REUTERS/Eric Gaillard

HUNGARY
People visit the Budapest Christmas Fair at Vorosmarty square in downtown Budapest, December 11, 2013. REUTERS/Bernadett Szabo