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Makapanlimbawot sa balhibo balitaa...

SuperBalita Davao
Tuesday, July 30, 2013


PATAY ang usa ka asawa human gisanggot sa iyang bana ang liog ala 1:30 sa hapon, Sabado, didto sa Purok 3, Sitio Galacia, Barangay Colasas, Paquibato District, ning siyudad.

Ang biktima mao si Evaflor Cabungkal Enad, 47, molupyo sa maong lugar.

Gisaysay sa spot report sa Paquibato Police Station nga mismong ang bana nga si Edilberto, 47, ang misanggot sa liog sa iyang asawa.

Nasayran nga gikan si Edilberto sa uma ug sa iyang paghiabot sa ilang balay, gipangutana sa asawa dayon giaway gumikan kay misumbong ang iyang duha ka mga anak nga alegasyong gilugos sila sa ilang amahan.

Mikuha dayon og sanggot si Edilberto kinsa daling nakaabis sa liog sa biktima duha ka higayon ug diriyot maputol.

Ang pagpatay nasaksihan sa iyang duha ka mga anak sud sa ilang balay.

Hinuon, human sa hitabo nasikop sa purok leader sa dapit ang suspek sa ilang balay mao nga gipriso karon sa Paquibato Police Station.

Gihikay na ang kasong parricide batok sa suspek. (Jeepy P. Compio)

Quote from: Chongki on July 29, 2013, 02:39:28 PM
congrats inadvance bai

Salamat, Bay Chongks. Bisag hinay-hinay lang basta kanunay...

Payts para sa tingtugnaw...

Quote from: hubag bohol on July 28, 2013, 11:44:46 AM
From this point on, the two lines were completely diverged. There was no turning back,...

Quote from: Lollapalooza on July 29, 2013, 09:23:00 AM
hahahah korek... ang panit kiskisan gyud nako ug tambok... nakasuon ko ana sa akong dating supervisor..

Pagkahuman og kiskis, trapohan pa jud og tissue...

Quote from: hubag bohol on July 28, 2013, 11:54:14 AM
"Throwing bananas, personal insults ... acts like these play no part in the civilized and democratic discussion needed between the minister and those who don't share her opinion," the ANSA news agency quoted him as saying.

Binuang bitaw kaayo. Giitsahan og saging? Unggoy na ba lang jud sa ilang tan-aw? Grr...

Konsimisyon ang mga inggitero!

Hapit na jud ang 8th medal ni Botoy! Hear ye! Hear ye!

To save on transportation expenses, he sometimes walked to the Informatics College at Eastwood in Quezon City. It was no easy feat as he lived in Angono, Rizal, or a three-hour walk.

After class, he continued selling balut to get by. He said it was difficult, but he knew the scholarship was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity he should not let slip away. Each day in school was a step closer to his dreams, Paguia said.

After completing the program, he emerged as one of the top scholars in the class. Discovering his potential, Informatics immediately hired him in its Web development team.

Paguia is now embarking on his first big IT project â€" the school’s online student portal.

He has since left the streets and has retired his balut basket, but always mindful that this represents his humble beginnings. â€" Newsbytes.ph

Paguia, who is in his late 20s, knew he was also keen on technical matters and wanted to pursue training in a course related to information technology.

Although financially hard up, he always saved a few pesos for a trip to the internet shop to look for job openings and training opportunities. That was when he chanced upon the announcement for a web development scholarship while surfing online.

The training was under the Training for Work Scholarship Program (TWSP) of Tesda in partnership with computer school Informatics.

“The information on the website said they will give us training on data programming and PHP server site encryption. It’s one course I want to specialize on, but the free website tutorial were not very helpful,” Paguia said.

Getting in the training was not the end of Paguia’s woes. The challenges of sustaining and attending his classes were not an easy task. Money was again the problem.

GMA News Online â€" 1 hour 33 minutes ago


One of the real-life heroes who took the spotlight in the recent State of the Nation Address of Pres. Benigno Aquino III once roamed the streets of Rizal vending balut (fertilized duck embryo).

Emerson Paguia hailed from Zambales, but had to go to Manila to look for a job. He had tried various odd jobs, but what he earned was not enough to fend for his family.

“I was willing to take on any type of job. I didn’t want to be idle,” he said. For additional income, Paguia sold balut at night. The little money he earned from it was used to help him with his daily expenses.

“I finished high school, and I heard that some call center companies accept high school students, but I realized that my weak communication skills would not afford me to land in such a job,” he said.

Quote from: hubag bohol on July 29, 2013, 11:25:40 AM
Si Magpatoc dunay P500,000 nga patong sa ulo.

Hala, di lagi makita ang kwarta nga patong. Basin gisurikbot na...

DAVAO. Mga otoridad mipresenta ni Maria Loida Tuzo Magpatoc, 52, sekretarya sa Far South Mindanao Regional Committee sa New Peoples’ Army. Si Magpatoc dunay P500,000 nga patong sa ulo. (Contributed photo)

Ok ra ang lechon basta i-scrape off lang ang tambok nga part...

That slogan has been infamous in France since Sarkozy used the same words in 2008 to insult a man in a crowd who refused to shake his hand, and the court judged that left-wing activist Herve Eon was being satirical with his protest banner.

It said his conviction and 30-euro ($40) fine were out of proportion to his protest and that his right to freedom of expression had been violated.

Anyone found by a judge to have slandered the president still runs the risk of a fine of up to 45,000 euros.

President Francois Hollande has so far shown a thick skin, however, as critics have given him a string of unkind nicknames like "Flanby", a brand of wobbly caramel pudding or "Mr. Little Jokes".

Reuters â€" Fri, Jul 26, 2013


PARIS (Reuters) - Being rude to the French president is no longer an offence after parliament agreed on Thursday to amend legislation dating back to 1881 in favour of freedom of speech.

Whereas before any rude remark risked an automatic fine for "offending the head of state", the president is now reduced to the same category as ministers and parliamentarians and would need to have a judge prove there had been slander or defamation.

The change came after the European Court of Human Rights ruled in March that France violated a demonstrator's right to freedom of expression when it fined him for holding a banner up to former President Nicolas Sarkozy reading: "Get lost, jerk."

Good lesson here. Admitting the truth will set you free. Stop living in a fantasy world.

Kaya pa niya buhaton kay 34 pa man siya. Hinuon, in politics, a span of two or three presidential elections is a long time. Marami pang mangyayari.

"If he loses, I will tell him to retire," he was reported as telling ESPN.

Pacquiao's preparation for the fight will begin in the Philippines next month, with "light training for conditioning" seeing him run in the morning and hit his gym in the afternoon, before he steps up the work rate to put himself through weeks of gruelling workouts.

Acknowledging he is no longer a young fighter -- but confident he will be in as good a shape as ever -- he said: "Of course, my mind is still there but I have to adjust a little bit of something in my body because I'm 34 years old. It's different than if you compare it to when I was 25 years old.

"I never think negative. I only think positive," Pacquiao added, conceding that his nearest and dearest were desperate for him to bow out of the fight game.

"Especially my mother," he admitted. "My mother doesn't want me to fight any more, she doesn't like it," he told AFP. "She wants me to focus on serving people."

His trainer too, the legendary Freddie Roach, has categorically stated that if he loses to Rios it will be the last time he sets foot in the ring.

Pacquiao insists he is as fit as ever, will focus on not leaving himself open to Marquez-style punishment, and has ignored calls from friends, family and media commentators, fearful for his health, to call it a day.

Once regarded as the world's best pound-for-pound fighter, he dismisses the possibility of defeat at the hands of the much younger -- and possibly hungrier -- US opponent.

"There's a little bit of pressure for this fight but I believe in myself that I can still fight and improve," he said. "I still can knock somebody out in the ring.

He said he was "100 percent" sure he would beat Rios (31-1-1), giving him one more chance to regain his credibility -- and potentially another shot at a world title.

"He's OK but I can say he's a greasy fighter and he loves to fight inside, he loves to fight toe-to-toe," he said in an interview on Saturday as he kicked off a promotional tour for the Rios battle.

"This is going to be a good fight -- more action in the ring. Hopefully he won't run away."

The unconventional start time is for the benefit of the lucrative US pay-per-view audience, who will be settling down to watch the fight mid-evening on Saturday, as top US promoter Bob Arum attempts to elbow his way into the China market.

And viewers will not be oblivious to the fact that it is probably make or break time for Pacquiao's boxing career.

Despite his last fight ending in a disastrous knockout, when Juan Manuel Marquez caught him with a huge right hand that saw the Filipino crumple to the canvas -- his second successive defeat -- Pacquiao refuses to entertain the notion that he will lose a third straight bout, or retire.

Drawing parallels between his pugilism and politics careers, the former world champion in eight weight divisions said: "When I started boxing, of course I was planning, you know and thinking about getting to become a champion. So when I enter politics it's the same thing.

"But, you know, it's far away," he said, adding: "It's God's will."

Before that, however, Pacquiao whose record stands at 54 wins, five losses and two draws, must concentrate on his latest bout -- a post breakfast-time tear-up with US fighter Brandon Rios, kicking off at the Venetian resort-hotel in Macau at 10:00 am on November 24.

By Alex Millson | AFP News â€" 21 hours ago



Manny Pacquiao during an AFP interview in Macau on July 27, 2013. The Philippine great is harbouring thoughts of running for president in his beloved homeland when he finally hangs up his gloves, he revealed to AFP in an exclusive interview


Philippine boxing great Manny Pacquiao is harbouring thoughts of running for president in his beloved homeland when he finally hangs up his gloves, he revealed to AFP in an exclusive interview.

Giving his strongest hint yet that he will push to the top of the political tree when he finally retires from the ring, the "Pacman" -- a hero and congressman in his home country -- admitted he had considered the presidency of the 95 million-strong nation.

When pressed on whether he had thought about shooting for the top job, the softly-spoken 34-year-old replied "Yes".

Rainy days are here again...

Bitaw, ang wrinkles. Unya ang heart pa jud...

Tired during the day: There is a strong correlation between excessive daytime sleepiness and vitamin D deficiency, a 2012 study in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found. The sun's rays are the best source for this vitamin, but not everyone can get the necessary sun exposure due to climate or skin cancer concerns.

There are a few food sources of vitamin D, such as swordfish, salmon, tuna and fortified foods, but this is one case where I would suggest supplementation. It's not likely that you would get enough of the sunshine vitamin from food alone.

Trouble staying asleep: Potassium supplements may be helpful to those who have trouble sleeping through the night, according to a 1991 study in the journal Sleep. Of course, although potassium is available in pill form, I prefer to get most of my nutrients directly from their sources by eating a healthy diet.

When most people think about potassium, they think bananas. Bananas do contain a fair amount of this mineral (about 10% of the daily value), but they aren't the best source. Beans, leafy greens and baked potatoes are the best sources. Avocados are a great source too â€" good news for the guacamole lovers!

Trouble getting to sleep: Magnesium plays a key role in the bodily function that regulates sleep. Insomnia is one of the symptoms of magnesium deficiency, and in fact, a 2006 analysis in the journal Medical Hypothesis suggests that such a deficiency may even be the cause of most major depression and mental health problems.

Bottom line: magnesium is an extremely important mineral. You'll find it in dark leafy greens, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds and Brazil nuts, beans and lentils and some types of fish.

If you ask me, prescriptions, especially those with severe and dangerous side effects, should always be a last resort.

There could be many reasons for not sleeping well, and stress often plays a role, but quite a few studies have shown that getting the right nutrients can help you get a good night's rest. Why not try eating right, before popping an Ambien?

Here's a look at three common sleep problems that have been linked to vitamin or mineral deficiencies:

LiveScience.com By Deborah Enos, CN, LiveScience Columnist 8 hours ago


I'm not sure exactly when it happened, but the U.S. seems to have become a nation obsessed with pills. If something doesn't work right, no worries, there's a pill for that.

So when we have trouble sleeping, naturally, we go see the doctor for a prescription. Who cares that we might try to sleepwalk our way behind the wheel of a car? At least we're sleeping, right? Wrong!

Quote from: hubag bohol on July 20, 2013, 06:06:02 PM
“However, the number of tourist workers who were able to secure work visas from some Singapore agencies are double the number of  POEA processed workers,” Geslani said.

Mao lagi ni ba...

Hmm, stress-free baya imong dating, Ms. Lolla...

Boys play following a downpour that submerged several areas in Metro Manila yesterday.  EDD GUMBAN

OK pud ang ginagmayng baha aron ianod ang mga dangan ug peste...

LPA, ITCZ to bring rains
By Jeannette I. Andrade
Philippine Daily Inquirer
1:41 am | Monday, July 29th, 2013


The weather bureau on Sunday alerted residents of southern Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao to possible flashfloods and landslides triggered by rains spawned by a low pressure area (LPA) north of Tacloban City and the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ).

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said the LPA, estimated at 70 kilometers north of Tacloban City, was embedded in the ITCZ affecting Palawan, the Visayas and Mindanao.

Forecaster Adczar Aurelio said the two weather systems were expected to bring moderate to heavy rains and thunderstorms on Monday to the Bicol, Mimaropa, Zamboanga and northern Mindanao regions as well as Quezon province and the Visayas.

Aurelio said there was a possibility the LPA could develop into a tropical cyclone to be named “Jolina.”

Aurelio said Sunday’s downpour in Metro Manila was brought by thunderstorms and not by the two weather systems.

In its 5 p.m. forecast, the bureau said Metro Manila and the rest of the country continue to have cloudy skies with light to moderate rainshowers and thunderstorms.

Pahuway lang una ko, mga kaberks. Laay man. Ako ray TAWO nga nagsigig post karon...

Kuyaw kon di na kaabot sa gitakdang petsa...

Hapit na! Hapit na ang 8th medal! Naa juy ma heart attack ani ron!

The higher the interest rates in the bond market when you purchase an annuity, the better the income your annuity will pay. Those who buy annuities today are locking in returns from today's bond market. The chairman of the Federal Reserve has all but promised that the interest rates from bondsâ€"and therefore from annuitiesâ€"will be higher in due course.

The stock market remains harder to predict, as ever. But much of the boom in the market has been fueled by the Fed's easy-money policy.

When that policy ends, it isn't hard to see a reaction on Wall Street. Stocks with a dividend yield of 2.1% may seem attractive at a time when five-year Treasury bonds yield only 1.3%.

Will they seem quite as attractive as Treasury bonds start to yield 3% or more? Or will stocks have to fall to remain competitive?

Such actions are likely to lead to interest rates returning over time to more "normal" levels. No one knows for certain when that will happen or exactly where interest rates will end up. But many economists, based on history and current expectations for inflation, suggest rates on 10-year Treasury notes may return to 4% or even higher, and interest rates on other bondsâ€"such as corporate debt and longer-term government bondsâ€"may go higher still.

If that should happen, investors who own bonds today will lose money as bond prices will fall. Those who own cash will get the benefit of higher rates.

The situation will be similar for those who wait to buy annuities. As Mr. Stern points out, annuities are constructed by insurance companies using bonds as "raw materials."

The good news, however, is that no one is required to commit their money to stocks, bonds and annuities at current valuationsâ€"and there are plenty of signs that, for those willing to sit on the sidelines and be patient, the situation is likely to improve.

Today's interest rates are artificially low as a direct result of the actions of the Federal Reserve. The central bank has tried to stimulate the recovery of the economy by forcing interest rates down.

Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke announced in the spring that such policies will be coming to an end, although questions remain about timing. Many economists think the Fed may start "tapering," or winding down, as early as September.

"There are no historical periods in the United States where comparable low bond yields and high equity valuations have occurred simultaneously," they wrote in a recent paper.

The problem, they say, is that most retirement planning ignores market valuations. As a result, it may offer a misleading guide to investors today. By their calculations, investors today who hold a typical conservative portfolio of 40% stocks and 60% bonds cannot safely rely on withdrawing 4% a year and still making their portfolio last 30 years. They believe such investors run a 50% chance of running out of money before they die.

Recent research by Jack Vanderhei at the nonprofit Employee Benefit Research Institute found comparably sobering concerns. Current low interest rates, he says, will make it tough for many baby boomers and members of Generation X to meet their retirement-income needs from their savings.

The picture is little better for immediate annuities, insurance products that allow retirees to convert a lump sum into a guaranteed income stream for life. According to Hersh Stern, an industry expert and the head of ImmediateAnnuities.com, a comparison website, payout rates on annuities remain little improved on the record lows seen a few months ago.

A 65-year-old man investing $100,000 in an immediate annuity today would lock in an income of about $535 a month for life, says Mr. Stern. In early 2009, the same amount would have generated an income of $675 a month.

We are in a historic situation, according to new research by David Blanchett, the head of retirement research for investment research company Morningstar, Michael Finke, a professor of financial planning at Texas Tech University, and Wade Pfau, professor of retirement income at the American College.

Stock prices are now at very high levels compared with average corporate earnings for the preceding decade, or compared with the replacement cost of corporate assetsâ€"two indicators that many economists note have in the past been very good predictors of stock-market returns. When shares have been this expensive on such measures in the past, they have usually turned out to be a poor investment.

The interest rates on bonds have picked up from the historic lows seen earlier this year, but they remain very low by long-term standards.

The 10-year Treasury note offers a yield of just 2.5%, and the Barclays index of corporate bonds isn't much better at 3.2%. Inflation-protected Treasury bonds are so expensive they offer a guaranteed loss of purchasing power for the next seven years.

The best asset for many investors right now may simply be cashâ€"money-market funds or short-term certificates of deposit. That's especially true for retirees, who rely on their low-risk investments for both income and capital preservation.

The stock market has been hitting new highs, amid growing hopes that the economy is rebounding from the long slump. Last week the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed near its all-time high, set July 23. Likewise, the S&P 500 index was just 0.2% below its record; investors are sitting on thumping gains of 18.6% since the start of the year.

But rising stock prices produce risks as well as gains. At current levels, U.S. stocks offer a paltry dividend yield of just about 2.1%â€"meaning a retiree investing $100,000 in the S&P 500 will earn just $2,100 a year in dividends.

By Brett Arends | The Wall Street Journal â€" 4 hours ago


Conventional wisdom usually advises older investors and retirees to balance a portfolio of bonds, stocks and annuities to squeeze the most from their savings during the third stage of life.

But recent events on Wall Street and in Washington, including a booming stock market and Federal Reserve warnings about "tapering" its easy-money policy, suggest those investors may need to junk conventional wisdom and think again.

Stocks may be too expensive, while bonds are likely to fall as the Fed pulls back and interest rates rise.

Way but-anay. Way abogay...

Botoy expects to have many more medals...





Attabotoy!

Quote from: Mike Ortega Ligalig on July 28, 2013, 09:08:12 AM
dyutay nalang dokdok, bai hubag.

Dokdok lang ta ani sa hilom samtang galihaylihay intawon kay unsaon gipauwanan man og mga hiniloang udyong sa paglutos ug panghimaraot...

A future medal...

Hapit na! Wa nay 100 posts, 8 medals na! Yehey!

Environment Minister Andrea Orlando said on Twitter he felt "utmost indignation for this lowly act", while Education Minister Maria Chiara Carrozza praised Kyenge for her courage and determination in such a hostile climate.

Veneto region governor Luca Zaia from the Northern League, who is due to participate in an immigration debate with Kyenge in August, also spoke out against the incident on Saturday.

"Throwing bananas, personal insults ... acts like these play no part in the civilized and democratic discussion needed between the minister and those who don't share her opinion," the ANSA news agency quoted him as saying. (Reporting by Catherine Hornby; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)

However, on Saturday the group denied that one of its members had thrown the bananas. Italian police are trying to identify the culprit.

Kyenge responded to the gesture on Twitter, calling it "sad" and a waste of food.

"The courage and optimism to change things has to come above all from the bottom up to reach the institutions," she added.

Several politicians, including her peers in Prime Minister Enrico Letta's government, responded with messages of support and condemnation on Saturday.

Last month, a local Northern League councilor said Kyenge should be raped so she understands how victims of crimes committed by immigrants feel. The councilor has received a suspended jail sentence and a temporary ban from public office.

Shortly before Friday's incident, members of the far-right Forza Nuova group left mannequins covered in fake blood near the site of the Democratic Party rally in protest against Kyenge's proposal to make anyone born on Italian soil a citizen.

"Immigration kills," was written on leaflets accompanying the dummies - a slogan Forza Nuova has previously used when referring to murders committed by immigrants in Italy.

by Catherine Hornby 9 hours ago


ROME (Reuters) - Some of Italy's top politicians on Saturday rallied behind the country's first black minister, a target of racist slurs since her appointment in April, after a spectator threw bananas at her while she was making a speech.

Integration Minister Cecile Kyenge, who is originally from Democratic Republic of Congo, was appearing at a political rally in Cervia in central Italy on Friday, when someone in the audience threw bananas towards the stage, narrowly missing it.

Kyenge has faced almost daily racial slurs and threats since joining the government. Earlier this month a senator from the anti-immigration Northern League party likened her to an orangutan and only apologized after a storm of criticism.

It hasn't even been conclusively proven that we are not still interfertile with chimpanzees: some people speculate that a hybrid may be possible, although personally I would bet against it. All indications are that modern humans would be interfertile with Neanderthals. Likewise, modern chimpanzees are interfertile with bonobos, although there is no interbreeding in the wild between the two species as they are separated by the immense Congo River.

One final point I'll make to avoid upsetting the scientists: the more we learn about the path from ape to human, the more we know just how messy the process really was. I described it as a fairly neat process, one group evenly and gradually splitting into two over the course of a couple million years or so. In reality, there appear to have been numerous partial splits, and numerous different fluctuating populations with various degrees of interfertility (and actual interbreeding) between them. Most splits led to eventual extinction, Neanderthal man being a well known (and relatively recent) example. Certain chance events happened along the way, for instance there is evidence a jaw mutation that reduced biting power allowed the brain to grow bigger. In the forest that mutation was a disadvantage, but in the savanna the additional cognitive power given by the larger brain outweighed the loss of bite strength.

From this point on, the two lines were completely diverged. There was no turning back, as it was now impossible for any of the forest apes to mix their genetic code with the savanna dwellers. The apes living in the forest continued to thrive in the forest, and were the ancestors of modern chimpanzees and bonobos. The apes in the savanna were our ancestors, and by this point, there is a good chance they looked a lot like primitive humans. They were far more intelligent than the apes in the forest, since intelligence had an especially high value in the savanna. Being able to accurately throw a rock, sharpen a stick to use as a weapon, make a fence or other structure to protect themselves from predators, and make use of animal furs were all extremely valuable skills here, and those that more readily acquired these skills tended to be the ones that produced the most surviving children.

As time went on, the apes living in the forest became separated by more and more generations from the apes in the savanna. No longer were any of the apes interfertile with all of the others, not even the ones living in the transition territories. As populations ebbed and flowed, various bands moved about, took over territory of others, suffered from diseases and starvation and predation and changing climates -- eventually there became a day that the last "interfertility link" between the forest apes and savanna apes died. This day came and went without fanfare, as interfertility is a hypothetical concept: it is unlikely that any of forest apes had even tried to breed with any of the savanna apes for thousands of years prior to the point it became theoretically impossible.

A million or so years later, some of the apes were living over one thousand miles apart, and were separated by more than 10,000 generations -- 10,000th cousins, so to speak. Some were so distantly related that they were no longer interfertile with one another. Had they somehow been put together and tried to breed, they would not have produced offspring. However, they remained interfertile with the apes closer to them.

Typically, those less than 6000 generations apart remained interfertile. So they all were still "connected" by a chain of interfertile pairs. While it might be impossible for two apes that were 10,000 generations apart to have children together, they could have still theoretically shared grandchildren or great-grandchildren, by mating with apes that were only 5000 generations apart, which in turn mated with ones 5000 generations apart. Keep in mind, though, that in reality the degree of interfertility was rarely if ever tested: apes interbred only with apes that lived nearby, which were rarely separated by more than a dozen or so generations.

Over hundreds of thousands of years, more and more of the apes spread out farther and farther into the savanna. They continued to adapt to the savanna, becoming different in appearance and behaviour from those in the forests, much as coyotes differ from gray wolves today. The apes that lived near the border of forest and savanna looked and behaved like a cross between those living deep in the forest or far into the savanna, much as red wolves look and behave like a cross between coyotes and gray wolves. Like coyotes, gray wolves and red wolves, all of the apes -- whether living in the forest or the savannah -- were interfertile with all the others, as they were still fairly close relatives and therefore genetically similar.

Some of the apes lived near the edge of the forest, where the thick trees give way to the drier grasslands, or savanna. There were still trees, but they were much less dense than in the forests. While these apes were less adapted to this environment than they were to the forest, at least there was less competition from the other apes. The apes who lived in this transitional area gradually adapted to the different environment. Tree climbing ability and upper body strength was less important than ability to move about on the ground, and capabilities like carrying things long distances and throwing rocks at prey or predators were valuable. The savannah-compatible attributes and skills increased in number and degree among the populations living in the transition area between forest and savannah.

Around 7-10 million years ago, there was a population of apes in the forests of Africa, all of which were interfertile with all the others. These apes probably roughly resembled modern day gorillas, chimpanzees or bonobos ("pygmy champanzees"), but were not identical to any of them. Nor were they interfertile with any ape or human alive today.

The forests eventually reached the maximum capacity of these apes per square mile as it could support. Like modern chimpanzees, it is likely that various bands of the apes fought with and killed members of adjacent bands, with winners taking over the territory from losers. Even in the absence of fighting, there is a limit as to how many animals an environment can support, so the number of apes stabilized at this number.

interfertile: two animals are interfertile if they would be able to produce an offspring, if they were allowed to mate or were artificially inseminated. If they are both the same sex, they are interfertile if each could produce an offspring with the appropriate sex parent of the other.

Before I continue, though, let's clear one thing up. It is natural to think of humans as "more evolved" than other animals, but this isn't true in any scientific sense. We are differently evolved, simply adapted to a different environment. It so happens that our intelligence, and the culture and technology that it spawned, has turned out to allow us an unprecedented degree of success, and the ability to live in environments that our ancestors couldn't. But evolution didn't somehow anticipate this.

The point is, evolution is only "directed" in that it favors survival, it does not favor high intelligence or walking upright or use of tools, unless those features aid in the survival and passing on of genes to the next generation. Other animals, for instance mosquitos, don't seem to be suffering for lack of these human-like capabilities.

"But if we evolved from monkeys, why are there still monkeys?"
http://karmatics.com/


First, I am not going to give you the common brush off to your question: "We didn't evolve from monkeys, monkeys and humans share a common ancestor". That's just avoiding the question, and frankly, I don't agree with it. I'm going to assume that when you say "monkey," you not only include those animals called monkeys that are alive today, but also animals that looked and behaved like monkeys that lived millions of years ago. An animal that lived about 40 million years ago, known as Aegyptopithecus, is believed by scientists to be a direct ancestor of humans. If I saw that animal swinging through the tree branches today, I'd certainly call it a monkey.

I'm going to go one step further and assume that you are using the term monkey even more colloquially, and include chimpanzees and gorillas under the general umbrella ofmonkeys. Technically those are apes, but since they are non-human primates that are indeed decended from monkeys, let's go ahead and let that one by. So below, I'm going to cover a scenario whereby humans might have evolved from apes, while leaving apes still existing.

Ham (July 1956 â€" January 19, 1983), also known as Ham the Chimp and Ham the Astrochimp, was a chimpanzee who was the first Hominidae launched into outer space, on 31 January 1961. The launch was part of the American space program. Ham's name is an acronym for the lab that prepared him for his historic mission â€" the Holloman Aerospace Medical Center, located at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico. --Wiki



The famous "hand shake" welcome. After his flight on a Mercury-Redstone rocket, chimpanzee Ham is greeted by the commander of the recovery ship, USS Donner (LSD-20).

CAGAYAN DE ORO. Bodies of victims lay on the floor as police examine the scene of an explosion at one of the restaurants at the Lim Ket Kai arcade on Friday. Six people were killed and 46 others were wounded in the blast. (AP Photo)

"Go ahead, make my day!"



Dirty Kitty


"I know what you're thinking. 'Did he fire six shots or only five?' Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement I kind of lost track myself. But being as this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and would blow your head clean off, you've got to ask yourself one question: Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?"

Meanwhile, Aquino said he looks forward to the commemorative summit in Tokyo this December, the 40th year of friendship between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and Japan.

"The relationship between Japan and ASEAN serves as a cornerstone of harmony and dialogue in our part of the world," he said. â€" with a report from Rouchelle R. Dinglasan and AFP /LBG, GMA News

He cited Japan's assistance in critical areas such as infrastructure development, transportation, connectivity, and disaster preparedness and response.

Aquino said he welcomed the technical assistance provided by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in developing a Transport Roadmap Study for Metro Manila and its Surrounding Areas.

"I also expressed appreciation for Japan’s positive response to our request for a Post Disaster Stand-by Loan through the Stand-by Emergency Credit for Urgent Recovery (SECURE)," he said.

"Japan remains our largest source of development assistance, and our country’s second largest source of approved investments, which in the previous year amounted to more than P69 billion. Japan is also our third largest source of tourists; 412,474 Japanese nationals visited our shores last year," Aquino said.

Moreover, Aquino said that during his discussions with Abe, he underscored the commitment of his administration to "meaningful reform," which he said is "essential in nurturing an attractive and stable investment climate."

He also thanked Abe for Japan’s commitment to Philippine development.

Top trading partner

On the economic front, Aquino said he congratulated Abe for Japan’s economic gains, which he said is a result of the Japanese government’s resolve to prudently manage the economy.

He noted Japan is a top trading partner of the Philippines and remains the largest source of development assistance.

"This growth (of Japan) is a positive sign for the global economy and for the Filipino people. After all, Japan is the Philippines’ top trading partner. In 2012, our total bilateral trade amounted to $16.35 billion.

"The new initiatives of the program, which include community and human resource development, will help my countrymen in the Bangsamoro rebuild their communities and become even more productive citizens of the Philippines. For this, Your Excellency, you have the sincerest gratitude of the Filipino people," Aquino said.

Meanwhile, Aquino thanked Abe and the people of Japan for their continuous support of the peace process in Mindanao.

He said Japan’s development programs for community and human resources development “will help my countrymen in the Bangsamoro rebuild their communities.”

He cited the Japan-Bangsamoro Initiative for Reconstruction and Development (J-BIRD), which he said is vital to the socio-economic development of the Bangsamoro.

Policy dialogues

Aquino said he and Abe also agreed to strengthen bilateral policy dialogues, and to continue high-level visits and people-to-people exchanges.

He welcomed the Japanese government’s decision to encourage more Filipino tourists to visit Japan by allowing multiple-entry visas, and the expansion of the Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youth (JENESYS) program.

The two programs "will provide our respective students a unique opportunity to cultivate friendships and deepen their appreciation for our respective cultures and societies," he added.

"Your Excellency, your presence today reaffirms our shared commitment to deepen our relations, foster cooperation, and more importantly build a more peaceful and more secure Asia Pacific region. It is by treading the path to progress and peace that we can bring about meaningful change for our peoples," Aquino told Abe.

Abe's government pledged in February to provide 10 patrol boats to the Philippines, which is rushing to upgrade its antiquated navy and coast guard.

Aquino said he and Abe agreed to strengthen the two nations’ maritime cooperation, “which is a pillar of our strategic partnership.”

He thanked the Japanese government for helping enhance the capacity of the Philippine Coast Guard "by building multi-role response vessels and by providing communication systems for their use."

The Philippines and Japan have maritime disputes with China.

China seized the Scarborough Shoal, a West Philippine Sea outcrop just 230 kilometers (140 miles) west of the main Philippine island of Luzon, last year after Manila backed down from a lengthy stand-off.

This year, the Philippines has complained about the presence of Chinese navy vessels near Filipino-held Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly islands.

Aquino's statement was made at a media briefing following talks with Abe at the Malacañan Palace. Parts of his speech were aired on government-run dzRB radio.



President Benigno Aquino and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Malacañang during Abe's visit to the Philippines on Saturday. Robert Viñas /Malacañang Photo Bureau

For his part, Prime Minister Abe noted that the Philippines has long been strategic partners promoting “free of intimidation” and “rule of law” policies in the Asia Pacific Region.

“[We] exercise the right of collective self-defense… after the war (World War II), Japan and US has been greatly contributing in peace and stability in the Asia Pacific Region and we will continue to play that role,” Abe said.

Aquino said he and Abe also agreed to strengthen maritime cooperation, as part of the strategic partnership of the two countries.

"We reviewed the security challenges that confront our nations, and pledged to cooperate in advancing our common advocacy for responsible action from international players. We believe that can be done by upholding the rule of law in international affairs, and by finding just and peaceful solutions to our territorial disputes and maritime concerns, so that we may create a secure and stable environment that leads to our collective progress,” Aquino said.

July 27, 2013 12:35pm



Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at Malacañang. President Benigno Aquino listens as Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe delivers his remarks at the Reception Hall, Malacañan Palace, during Abe's official visit to the Philippines on Saturday. Robert Viñas, Malacañang Photo Bureau


President Benigno Aquino and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Saturday pledged to pursue a joint advocacy for “responsible action” by international players on maritime concerns by upholding the "rule of law" amid growing territorial disputes with regional rival China.

The glossed-over operative phrase is--to underscore the obvious-- "cheap achievements"...

Yehey! Hapit na pud naay laing medalya si Botoy! Ika-8 na!

Hala! Bayle sa tanan. Apil unggoy!

Si Taga Tigbotoy una ang inyong alagad karon. Ingon niini ang diwa sa pakigdait--magtinabangay, dili magsangyaw og mini nga mga hulga nga tataw kaayong way katumanan...

LPA nears  Surigao; flash floods, landslides threaten Vis-Min
July 28, 2013 7:28am


Flash floods and landslides may threaten parts of Visayas and Mindanao as a potential cyclone â€" a low-pressure area â€" moved near Surigao early Sunday, state weather forecasters said.

PAGASA said that as of 4 a.m. Sunday, the LPA was estimated at 50 km northeast of Surigao City, embedded along the inter-tropical convergence zone affecting Palawan, Visayas and Mindanao.

“Visayas, Caraga and Northern Mindanao will experience cloudy skies with moderate to heavy rain showers and thunderstorms, which may trigger flash floods and landslides,” it said in its 5 a.m. bulletin.

It added Palawan, Bicol and the rest of Mindanao will have “cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms.”

Also, it said Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will be “partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.”

PAGASA earlier said the LPA has a chance of becoming a cyclone while inside the Philippine area of responsibility.

If it does, it will be locally codenamed "Jolina."

As of 6:07 a.m., PAGASA said thunderstorms affected most parts of Camiguin Island, Surigao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Agusan del Norte, Siargao Island, Socorro Island, and Surigao del Sur.

"All are advised to take precautionary measures against heavy rains, gusty winds, lightning and possible flash floods. Keep monitoring for updates," it said. â€" LBG, GMA News

Log out na ko. Can't be responsible for the precipitate occurrence of one inevitable case of simian acute myocardial infarction...

Suggested title for local release: "Ang Kaligutgot sa Unggoy nga Nagay-ot ang Pangandoy"

Bwahaha! 

Hartlepool is famous for allegedly executing a monkey during the Napoleonic Wars. According to legend, fishermen from Hartlepool watched a French warship founder off the coast, and the only survivor was a monkey, which was dressed in French military uniform, presumably to amuse the officers on the ship. The fishermen assumed that this must be what Frenchmen looked like, and after a brief trial, summarily executed the monkey. --Wiki

He he...

He he, gapadingoldingol intawon ang makaluluoy nga naisyot...

Lain2x baya og dagway ang kitties...