MikeLigalig.com

the dubai mall fountain, outdoor

Quote from: taga tigbao on August 10, 2013, 01:08:02 PM
Amping sa biyahe Te kay unpredicted ang movement ni Labuyo.

i will be on the lookout, bai tigs.  thanks.

go, go, go!  sing your way to people's hearts.

Vladimir Vladimirovich Nabokov
Novelist

Vladimir Vladimirovich Nabokov was a Russian-born novelist. Nabokov's first nine novels were in Russian. He then rose to international prominence as a writer of English prose. He also made serious contributions as a lepidopterist and chess composer. (Wikipedia)

Born: April 22, 1899, Saint Petersburg, Russia
Died: July 2, 1977, Montreux, Switzerland

Mona Lisa close-up



Begun between 1503 and 1506, the half-portrait measures just 77cm by 53 cm (2ft 6in by 1 ft 8in)

Painted using sfumato technique to blur sharp edges by blending colours, leaving corners of the eyes and the mouth in shadow

Background painted with fewer distinct outlines than foreground in technique known as aerial perspective, that gives painting more depth

Acquired by France's King Francis I and put on permanent display in the Louvre in 1797

Stolen in 1911 by ex-Louvre employee Vincenzo Peruggia who believed it should be returned to Italy; replaced in the Louvre when Peruggia was apprehended two years later


http://www.bbc.co.uk/

The Mona Lisa is a top attraction at the Louvre museum in Paris

The Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre in 1911 but returned three years later

He was apprehended by police two years later, and the Mona Lisa was safely returned.

While its small size can surprise Louvre visitors, the painting is the biggest attraction in the museum.

One popular, if unlikely, theory suggests it was a self-portrait.

There are similarities between the facial features of the Mona Lisa and of the artist's self-portrait painted many years later, with some suggesting this is the reason behind the portrait's famed enigmatic smile.

Self-portrait?

Leonardo da Vinci took about 15 years to complete what has become one of the most famous paintings of all time.

One of the artist's favourite paintings, he carried it with him until he died in 1519.

It was acquired by King Francis I, who ruled France from 1515 to 1547. The painting was put on permanent display in the Louvre in Paris at the end of the 18th century.

The piece was stolen from the museum in 1911 by a former employee who believed it belonged in Italy.

To find the DNA they needed, scientists cut a round hole in the stone church floor above the family crypt of Florentine silk merchant Francesco del Giocondo. The tomb lies behind the altar of the Santissima Annunziata Basilica.

Writer and researcher Silvano Vinceti plans to compare DNA from the bones with that of three women buried at the nearby convent of Saint Ursula.

Lisa Gherardini died there as a nun in 1542.

It is hoped that some of the bones will belong to at least one of her blood relation, probably her son, Piero.

"When we find a match between mother and child - then we will have found the Mona Lisa," said Mr Vinceti.

He added that once a DNA match is made, an image of Gherardini's face can be generated from the skull and compared with the painting.

Florence tomb opened in quest to find 'Mona Lisa'

10 August 2013


The tomb, opened for the first time, held vases and bones

Scientists in the Italian city of Florence have opened a tomb to extract DNA they hope will identify the model for Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa.

The tomb contains the family of Lisa Gherardini, a silk merchant's wife who is believed to have sat for the artist.

It is hoped DNA will help to identify her from three skeletons found last year in a nearby convent.

Experts have for centuries puzzled over the woman featured in the Mona Lisa, and the reason for her cryptic smile.

i prefer putol-putol kay mas sayon basahon ug mas sayon sabton ug mga ang-ang ug utok pareha nako.  pwera opinion ug mga evil spirits nga luod na kaayog binalik-balik ug mga hadla.

prior to my sister's surgery, a close priest-friend of hers annointed her right at the hospital.  it was a ceremony that lasted almost an hour, complete with gospel readings, she said.  (i wasn't there.)  it was if she was levitated, she said, and she cried copiously after.  it was tears of joy and awe.  i realized he has this childlike faith, she said of the priest.

ang akong potential suspect unta ning paingon man sa california... 

what a very inspiring story about faith.

hehe.  my mouth is tak-omized.

Chief Raymond Reed said rescue crews were struggling to cut through the strong metal of Lentz's Mercedes.

'It was a very well-built car, and when you compact materials like that one, they become even stronger because you're cutting through multiple things instead of one layer,' Reed said.

Reed says Lentz was pinned in between the steering wheel and the seat and the prayer was offered just as he was told by the paramedics that Lentz was failing.

'Where did this guy come from?' Lentz's friend Travis Wiseman asked.

'We're looking for the priest and so far, no one has seen him. Whether it was a priest as an angel or an actual angel, he was an angel to all those and to Katie.'


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/

Scene: Dozens of emergency workers battled to free Katie Lentz as she lay pinned in her Mercedes wreck on Highway 19


Chief Raymond Reed said that the Catholic priest made everyone including Katie Lentz calmer before the jaw-of-life appeared from Hannibal

Divine Intervention: Katie Lentz was saved after emergency workers from Hannibal fire services arrived with heavy duty cutting equipment

'We would like to find this gentleman and be able to thank him,' Reed said.

'As a first responder, you don't know what you're going to run into. We have a lot of tools, and we have intensive training.

'In this particular case, it is my feeling that it was nothing more than sheer faith and nothing short of a miracle.'

Lentz suffered several broken bones to repair her legs, but her friends and family say that her spirit has been boosted by the apparent divine intervention.

'Both of her legs are very damaged,' Lentz's friend Amanda Wiseman said.

'Her wrist is broken, several broken ribs, so she's had a lot of broken bones to deal with.'

That is when officers from the neighboring Hannibal Fire Department arrived with their jaws-of-life and Lentz was pulled to safety and put into an air ambulance to hospital.

Turning to thank the guardian angel who had arrived from nowhere at their lowest ebb, the emergency crews could not find him.

The highway had been blocked for a quarter of a mile each end during the hour and a half rescue and no bystanders and parked cars were anywhere near the crash site on Highway 19 near Center.

'He came up and approached the patient, and offered a prayer,' Chief Raymond Reed told KHQA-TV.

'It was a Catholic priest who had anointing oil with him. A sense of calmness came over her, and it did us as well.

'I can’t be for certain how it was said, but myself and another firefighter, we very plainly heard that we should remain calm, that our tools would now work and that we would get her out of that vehicle.'

Prayer: When emergency workers could not free her - Katie Lentz asked them to stop so that a prayer could be said


Effort: The desperate effort to save Katie Lentz was blessed by a Catholic priest who appeared from nowhere and just as mysteriously vanished

The riddle of the 'angel priest': Holy man appeared from nowhere to pray with trapped girl and rescuers in traffic accident, told them she would be OK and then vanished

    Katie Lentz was hit head-on by a drunk driver on Sunday morning on an isolated stretch of Missouri highway

    Emergency workers battled for over an hour to rescue her but they couldn't free her from the car wreck

    Lentz requested a moment of prayer and a priest appeared - even though the road was blocked off

    He prayed and told the rescuers that Lentz would now be freed - and she was

    They turned to thank him - but he was gone

By James Nye
The Daily Mail
8 August 2013

Pinned inside her mangled Mercedes, seriously injured and fading fast, Katie Lentz turned to her rescuers on the lonely open stretch of Missouri highway and asked them to pray.

Struck head-on by a drunk driver on Sunday morning, emergency workers had been battling for an hour and a half to free Lentz, but to no avail.

But as they joined hands a Catholic priest appeared, even though there were no bystanders and the road was blocked, who offered a prayer and an instruction to the rescuers that they would now be able to free her.


Mangled Wreck: Emergency workers were struggling to save Katie Lentz when she was hit head-on by a drunk driver on Highway 19 near to Center, Missouri

"The words were to remain calm, that our tools would now work," Reed said. "Instantaneously, at that moment, our neighboring department arrived with fresh extrication tools."

Lentz survived, but the man vanished before crews could thank him.

The young woman is recovering in the hospital with broken legs and ribs, but some say it could've been worse, if not for the mystery man on the highway.

"Whether it was just a priest as an angel, or an actual angel coming down," Lentz's friend Travis Wiseman said, "he was an angel to everyone and to Katie."


for the video news report on abcnews, the link: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2013/08/mystery-priest-vanishes-after-anointing-crash-victim/

That's when first responders say a man who looked like a Catholic priest seemed to appear out of nowhere, despite a 2-mile perimeter blocking the scene.

"He began to pray and use the anointing oil," New London Fire Chief Raymond Reed said. "There was a calmness that, to me, seemed to come over the entire scene."

But that's not the only seemingly divine detail. Firefighters say their equipment kept failing until the mystery man showed up.

'Mystery Priest' Vanishes After Anointing Crash Victim

By Eliza Murphy
@ElizaWMurphy
ABC News
August 9, 2013


Katie Lentz

A small Missouri town is looking for a man not suspected of a crime but, rather, a miracle.

"I think that this time I've actually witnessed a guardian angel at work," Jeremiah See of the New London Fire Department told ABC News.

An unidentified allegedly drunken driver hit Katie Lentz, of Quincy, Mo., head on Aug. 4 while traveling on Route 19 near Center, Mo., pinning the 19-year-old in the front seat of her convertible. With her vital signs failing fast, she asked rescue crews to pray with her.

5. Celebrations around the world

Though Eid celebrations are similar in most places, many countries around the world flavor the holiday with their own traditions.

In Turkey, Eid is called Ramazan Bayram, meaning Ramadan Feast, or Åžeker Bayram, which means "sugar feast" for the sweet foods such as baklava that are typically eaten. Reverence for the elderly is particularly emphasized during this period, and older citizens are greeted with a kiss to their right hands.

Eid is referred to as Idul Fitri or Lebaran in Indonesia. During the holiday, many Indonesian Muslims visit the graves of deceased family members where they will clean the gravesite and pray to Allah for forgiveness.

The Philippines is the only Christian country in the world to recognize Eid as a national holiday, known to most as Wakas ng Ramadan. The national holiday was declared in order to promote unity between Filipino Muslims and the rest of the population.

http://news.yahoo.com/

4. Zakat al-Fitr

During the last few days of Ramadan, Muslims donate a certain amount of food, called Zakat al-Fitr (charity of breaking the fast), to the poor so that they may too break the fast and celebrate Eid. This donation is a duty that is required of all Muslims.

Zakat, or alms giving, in general is one of the five pillars of Islam, and all Muslims of means are obligated to contribute to their community. However, Zakat al-Fitr takes on extra significance as it is meant to represent gratitude to Allah for helping Muslims get through Ramadan’s fast. Moreover, wealthy Muslims are supposed to come into direct contact with those they are giving charity to during Eid.

3. Eid traditions

On the morning of Eid, Muslims typically wake up early, eat a small breakfast, and go to pray either outside or at a mosque. A sermon is given, followed by a prayer, known as Salat al-Eid, that may only be recited with others.

In the afternoon, Muslims eat a large meal, attend processions and celebrations, and spend time with their friends and family. Gift giving is common during Eid. The celebrations are meant to give thanks to Allah and to ask for sins to be forgiven.

2. Lunar start date

Islam follows the lunar calendar, so the start of Eid is determined by the sighting of the moon. Once the crescent moon marking the start of the next month, Shawwal, is spotted, the month of Ramadan is over and Eid may begin. This means that, according to the solar Gregorian calendar used by the secular world, Eid falls on a different day every year.

Another consequence of the lunar start date is that the beginning of Eid may vary from country to country, depending on when the moon is sighted. While most Muslim countries began celebrating Eid today, Oman did not sight the crescent moon and will begin celebrating tomorrow instead, Al Arabiya reports.

Eid 101: Five facts about Eid al-Fitr

Christian Science Monitor
August 8, 2013

Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan, is celebrated over three days. Here are five facts about the holiday.

1. Breaking the fast

Eid al-Fitr literally means the Festival of Breaking the Fast, and it marks the end of a month-long fast. During the month of Ramadan, observant Muslims are expected to abstain from food and drink from dawn to dusk in order to purify their minds and bodies. On the day of Eid, however, it is forbidden to fast.

Traditional greetings during Eid are Eid Mubarak, which means "Blessed Eid," and Eid Said, meaning "Happy Eid."

The Dillards 'Old Blue'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8DuRuh1uDA#

This folk song about a beloved hunting dog is believed to have originated in Mississippi during the 19th century. A variety of artists have recorded the song, including Joan Baez, Pete Seeger and The Dillards.


http://www.mnn.com/

Cat Stevens, 'I Love My Dog'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWT2qHVftGk#

This song was the British singer's first single and was released in 1966. It contains the memorable line, "I love my dog as much as I love you /But you may fade, my dog will always come through."

Henry Gross, 'Shannon'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OwpA02iJkM#

Singer-songwriter Henry Gross' hit song "Shannon" was written about the death of Beach Boy Carl Wilson's beloved dog of the same name. Wilson was battling depression when he was introduced to the lively Irish setter, but the dog helped him find happiness. Sadly, one day Shannon was carried out to sea, which crushed Wilson.

Pinback, 'Penelope'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMccGgs02Ak#

"Penelope" is a song by indie rock band Pinback about the death of bass guitarist Zach Smith's pet goldfish. In 2002, singer Rob Crow posted this explanation on Yahoo: "Penelope is a real fish that Zach has that constantly hovers around the top of the goldfish bowl and could never make all the way to the bottom without a major struggle. Zach has always had a problem keeping fish alive, so i called the pet store and they said that either she had swallowed to much air and would expel it within day and be fine, or she had dropsy which is a disease that fish get where their lungs swell up and she would die in a couple weeks. But, even though she STILL hovers up there and constantly floats back up to the top, she's doing fine. You go girl." Unfortunately, Penelope died in December 2002.

Queen, 'All Dead, All Dead'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CydDzjXe3M#

It seems Freddie Mercury wasn't Queen's only cat lover. Guitarist Brian May wrote and sang this song about coming to terms with the death of his childhood cat.

Suicide Machines, 'Sometimes I Don't Mind'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeqQukAt8qs#

Punk band Suicide Machines wrote this song about a Boston terrier and contains such memorable lines as "There's something with the way you act/Makes me laugh when you chase the cats/You chase 'em around/And when it's close to feeding time, you stare at me and whine."

Elvis, 'Old Shep'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SE8Y_hc4A5Y#

Country singer Red Foley wrote this song in 1933 about his childhood German shepherd, Hoover, who was poisoned by a neighbor. He recorded the song several times, but the classic country song was also recorded by other musicians, including the King of Rock 'n' Roll himself.

Freddie Mercury, 'Delilah'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0u48-HjJr-s#ws

Dogs may be man's best friend, but Queen frontman Freddie Mercury was a cat person through and through. He kept several cats, whom he reportedly called home to talk to when he was on tour. His first solo album, "Mr. Bad Guy" was even dedicated to those who shared his appreciation for felines. The dedication read, "to my cat Jerry â€" also Tom, Oscar and Tiffany, and all the cat lovers across the universe â€" screw everybody else." Mercury even made his love for cats known on the Queen album "Innuendo," which features a song about one of his favorite feline friends, a tortoise shell cat named Delilah.

Norah Jones, 'Man of the Hour'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_YvaM9EkH0#

Norah Jones' fourth studio album, "The Fall," was released in 2009 and featured a ballad she penned for the four-legged man in her life. However, the Saint Bernard on the album cover isn't Jones' "man of the hour" â€" that title belongs to her poodle, Ralph, who she says would have caused chaos had he been allowed on set.

The Beatles, 'Martha My Dear'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hZ6BpyyQzk#

Paul McCartney wrote "Martha My Dear" as a piano exercise, but it was later released on the White Album. The song was inspired by McCartney's love for his Old English sheepdog, which he adopted in 1965. Although there was speculation that the song was about longtime love interest Jane Asher, in 1977 he revealed that his dog Martha was the song's true inspiration. "Whereas it would appear to anybody else to be a song to a girl called Martha, it's actually a dog, and our relationship was platonic, believe me," he said.

10 pets that inspired great songs

Cats, dogs and even goldfish have been muses for animal-loving musicians.

By Laura Moss
Thu, Aug 08 2013


Freddie Mercury hugs one of his cats. (Photo: Zsuzsanna Rippné Pomázi/YouTube)

Ninety-one percent of pet owners consider their animals to be family, and more than half think of their furry family members as their children. With numbers like these, it should come as no surprise that musically inclined pet owners have penned songs in their pets’ honor.

We’ve rounded up 10 such songs and the stories of the pets that inspired them. Some celebrate lifelong companionship with man’s best friend, while others are melancholy melodies about the loss of a feline companion. There’s even a song about a goldfish.

What it really means:

40-ish = 49
Adventurous = Slept with everyone
Athletic = No boobs
Average looking = Ugly, can only be loved by mommy
Beautiful = Pathological liar, airhead
Contagious Smile = Does a lot of pills
Emotionally Secure = On medication
Feminist = Fat, hates men
Free Spirit = Junkie
Friendship first = Former very “friendly” person
Fun = Annoying
New Age = Body hair in the wrong places
Open Minded = Desperate
Outgoing = Loud and Embarrassing
Passionate = Sloppy Drunk
Professional = Bitch
Voluptuous = Very Fat
Large Frame = Hugely Fat
Needs soul mate = Stalker

http://www.simplified-dating.com/jokes

Be careful for what you wish for …

Hopeful suitor joined a computer-dating site and registered his wants.

He wanted someone who enjoyed water sports, liked company, favored formal attire, and was very small.

The computer operated faultlessly.

It sent him a penguin.


http://www.simplified-dating.com/

goodnight too.  sleep tight, dream well, posture straight, don't be gibbous.

Quote from: islander on August 09, 2013, 10:37:31 PM
They can be seen all across the sky, but because of the path of Swift-Tuttle's orbit, Perseids are primarily visible in the northern hemisphere.

The shower is visible from mid-July each year, with the peak in activity being between August 9 and 14, depending on the particular location of the stream. During the peak, the rate of meteors reaches 60 or more per hour. They can be seen all across the sky, but because of the path of Swift-Tuttle's orbit, Perseids are primarily visible in the northern hemisphere. As with all meteor showers, the rate is greatest in the pre-dawn hours, since the side of the Earth nearest to turning into the sun scoops up more meteors as the Earth moves through space. Most Perseids disappear while at heights above 80 kilometres (50 mi). In 2009, the estimated peak Zenithal Hourly Rate was 173, but fainter meteors were washed out by a waning gibbous moon. (wikipedia)

Photo and copyright Greg Francke


more at http://news.yahoo.com/photos/perseid-meteors-will-light-up-night-sky-on-monday-tuesday-1375897265-slideshow/

Stephane Guisard/Copyright European Southern Observatory

Quote from: hubag bohol on August 09, 2013, 10:22:42 PM
He he, red herring para sa mga okoy...

i'm enjoying my night sky.  don't give me sea monsters, please.

Photo and copyright Isaac Baquero Perez

Photo and copyright tobyharriman

Photo and copyright betwo23

Photo and copyright David Kingham

Thunderbolt_TW/Copyright Thunderbolt_TW

was ist das?

Michael Menfee/Copyright Fort Photo

Perseid meteors will light up night sky on Monday, Tuesday

Starting on Monday, Aug. 12, Perseid meteors will streak across the summer sky for a couple of nights, offering casual stargazers and serious nighttime photographers a chance to capture a glimpse of the annual meteor shower.

The Perseids appear when the Earth passes through debris left by the Swift-Tuttle comet. The comet’s dust smashes into our planet’s atmosphere at 132,000 mph, says NASA, flecking the sky with as many as 100 meteors an hour. The prime viewing time will occur between 10:30 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. local time.

The Perseids â€" named for the constellation Perseus, from which the meteors seem to emerge â€" also offer space geeks another bonus: a “fireball” meteor that NASA says can be as bright as Venus. Data collected and studied this year by the space agency says the Perseids produce more “fireball” meteors than any other shower.

If you’re photographing the Perseids, Yahoo News and Flickr are interested in showcasing your work. Upload your photos to Flickr and submit them to Yahoo News’ Your Photos group. We’ll select some of the best for a future slideshow. â€" Tim Skillern

In this gallery, we’ve showcased some of the best Flickr photography of the Perseids from past showers. Photos are by European Southern Observatory, Mulling it Over, betwo23, pedrog78, Greg Francke, the real Kam75, tobyharriman, C. Fredrickson Photography, hiro, Ian Alexander Norman, Isaac Baquero Pérez, ∙tlc∙, Thunderbolt_TW, David Kingham, and Michael Menfee.

heaven help us.

the philippines is improving despite its government's corruption, real or perceived.  period.

thanks for the storm warning, bai tigs.  it gave me time to change my flight to a later date.  hinaot wa na ni on august 14.

Notice, Reader, that the benefits accrue to individuals; the costs are borne by society. The “servants” of the people screw their bosses with impunity.

And do not tax my patience by saying that not all legislators are involved. True. But they haven’t done a thing about it either. All it takes for evil to triumph….

Abolish the pork barrel.


http://opinion.inquirer.net/

In sum, what are the benefits of the pork barrel system in the Philippines? One, it gives the executive branch tremendous leverage over the legislature, which is supposed to provide checks and balances (the executive branch can withhold the pork). Two, it gives incumbent legislators an unfair advantage over their electoral opponents, because of the projects (if successfully implemented) they bring, or the money (if pocketed) they can use to buy votes. And what are the costs? At least P21 billion a year of taxpayers’ money that arguably could have been more efficiently and equitably used for the welfare of the Filipino people.

Moreover, in the Philippines, while the big guns get the lion’s share of the pork, legislators don’t have to fight over it. The division is institutionalized: at least P70 million worth of pork a year for a House legislator, and P200 million a year for a senator of the republic.

And worst of all (if the current scam is any indication), the pork may not even help the local constituents; it stops in the legislators’ pockets and those of their private-sector co-conspirators, with the active help or benign neglect of the government agencies and the Commission on Audit.

So how do crooked legislators get their hands on the money, aside from the ghost projects supposedly undertaken in the P10-billion scam? It takes a little more effort, but only just a little: The legislators reportedly tell the government agency involved who they want as contractors or project implementers.  How the government agency translates that order into reality when there are bids and awards committees to safeguard procedures is another thing altogether.  But one can see the elements of conspiracyâ€"the legislator, the government agency, and the contractor acting in collusion. The legislator reportedly gets his cut from the contractor. Clean hands. Reminds me of a former Chief Executive who swears that he never stole a single centavo from the government. He forgets that he was receiving all kinds of goodies from friends with government contracts.

Because, as has been made even more obvious by the present scandal, cases of out-and-out bribery are not the exception, but more the rule, in the Philippines. Our legislators have constantly repeated that they never handle any of the money involved in the projects, and just choose the projects, which choices are limited to a list of projects that “qualify” or are acceptable by guidelines set up by the Department of Budget and Management. A list, by the way, that is as broad as all outdoors: livelihood, manpower, sports, and cooperative development, delivery of basic services, environmental protection, agricultural and fisheries diversity, rural industrialization, development of local enterprises, social services in areas that would not be ordinarily undertaken by the private sector, and construction, maintenance, operations and management of infrastructure projects. Good grief.

Here is what an American NGO, the Citizens Against Government Waste, says about the pork barrel system in the United States at present: “Cases of out-and-out bribery are rare. But pork-barrel spending is a form of corruption, where tax dollars are dolled (sic) out on the basis of political favoritism and to advance the careers of Washington insiders.”

Is this also the case in the Philippine pork barrel system? Only in the sense that a jeepney and a Porsche are both motor vehicles.

The first pork project in the United Statesâ€"federal funds were appropriated for the benefit of a localityâ€"was $1,500 to complete a lighthouse in what was then Massachusetts (with the backing of President George Washington). It was not a unanimously approved project, and the use of federal (national) money for local benefit was looked at askance by some of the greatest American leaders, including Thomas Jefferson.

While the US Congress was torn “between those who pursue pork and those who resist it,” the latter view prevailed until a “turning point” was reached in the 1980s, during the Reagan administration, after which the number and value of pork projects increased astronomically.

Get Real

Pork barrel: costs and benefits

By Solita Collas-Monsod
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Saturday, July 20th, 2013

Institutionalized corruption. Grand conspiracy to steal taxpayers’ money. Trapo at its lowest point. That’s the pork barrel system in the Philippines. And it continues to flourish, in spite of the fact that its costs are much greater than its benefits. Why? Simply because those who benefit are the ones who decide whether the system should continue or not.

Let’s define “pork” first, and then let’s take a quick look at its history (we got it from the United States), courtesy of the Internet.

Definitions of the pork in pork barrel, which apparently originated in the US Congress:

• A bill or project requiring considerable government spending in a locality to the benefit of the legislator’s constituents.

• A government appropriation, bill, or policy that supplies funds for local improvements designed to ingratiate legislators with their constituents.

• The act of using government funds on local projects that are primarily used to bring more money to a specific representative’s district. Basically, the politician tries to benefit his/her constituents in order to maintain their support and vote.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzNf5VQub_k#ws

guilty as charged, hahaha!  mas gwapa lang among doggie.  i take exception with no. 3, though.  last i counted, i had 13 strands of hair.  that would have been no. 5 on the list.

uy, you had to go to brooklyn to get this stop, look and listen thingy?  wasteful.  daghan ni sa bohol. cute pa kay tarsiers.

hanep.  nasaypan tingali imong totem pole nga magic wand ni harry potter...

i'm humbled. 

how modest naman of you.  you must have spent an amount of titanic proportions, bisag nagmantinir kag baratohon nga poste like the one in the picture.  buying one cheap post means buying the whole roof as well, because it will go down if you take out one post, right?

Quote from: hubag bohol on August 09, 2013, 10:45:54 AM
Hmm, basin molili pero di modayon kay malisang...

di tong duha type nga malisang.  daghan to silag prayers nga gi-post dinhi, way giliatan nga problema or challenge.  nothing will faze them out of tb permanently.  they will come back, one day soon.   

kining hangin sa tb mahimong di tagdon, unlike sa hangin nga reported by our inhouse weatherman mr. tigs.  wa ta kahibawo kun kining tb hangin daotan ba o makadaot sa tiyan ug ginhawa, mao nga to play safe, tak-om na lang ta aron di ta matakboyan.  sabe?

i very much would like to believe this, very much wish this were true.  but something nags, and it says this is too good to be true, too easy to be denied a cancer-stricken crowd.

in my sister's case, we decided to go the whole hog with mainstream medical treatment.  her surgeon was right; there will be many counsels from neighbors--- this leaf, that leaf, don't go for chemo, so-and-so are still alive because of what's-this-plant, etc.  but i concluded that only the living are being counted.  those who went ahead in spite of or because of utter trust in alternative or homeopathic medicine aren't considered in the statistics. 

so we were one when we opted for integration--- homeopathic diet and mainstream treatment.  if dairy products feed cancer cells, then do away with dairy products.  avoid animal meat at all cost.  spend on expensive fresh salmon.  eat the proper vegetables and fruits.  study proper cooking preparations.  drink guyabano leaves tea everyday.  and wheat grass and barley grass.  all the works.  and tell the oncologist everything.  result: she looks healthier.  her skin has taken on a healthy pinkish glow.

but she'll submit to her scheduled series of chemotherapy for the next 12 months.     

i like his attire.  how patriotic, how filipino.

yeheeey!  thanks kay nia na ka, bai tigs.  hinaot mamenosan ang mga bagyo sa ato.

p.s. a bit sad baya dinhi karon kay ni-bakasyon si lolla ug lorenz.  hinaot they'll have the time to lili-lili dinhi, and come back very soon.

pila may palit nimo sa usa ka poste didto sa gold souk sa dubai mall?

Pointing using lips

Just like the “sit-sit,” pointing using lips is also believed to have been developed by Filipinos because of the need to conceal some messages. Elders also urge younger Pinoys to refrain from pointing using their fingers, in the belief that they may offend supernatural beings. EPA/ROLEX DELA PENA

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‘Psst’

It is said that one easy way to spot Filipinos in a crowd is to call to them via “sit-sit.” Yes, this odd way of attracting someone’s attention using a hissing sound instead of words is believed to be unique to Filipinos. Some experts attribute this to the need to inconspicuously deliver a message to a person without someone else overhearing. EPA/ROLEX DELA PENA

Black Nazarene

The devotion to the blackened image of Jesus carrying the cross may be recognized by the Vatican as a Catholic feast, but the image, known as the “Poong Nazareno” is originally Pinoy. The image, believed to be miraculous, is said to be initially of a fair-skinned Jesus, turned black due to a fire in the galleon which brought it from Mexico. The statue is now enshrined in the Quiapo Church and its feast day in January is celebrated with massive procession of devotees. EPA/DENNIS M. SABANGAN

Sisig

Attributed by most Pinoys to the Kapampangans, sisig is a crispy and savory dish made of pig’s ears, face, liver and sometimes belly. The pork parts are traditionally boiled, broiled and fried, giving it a distinct smokiness. It is commonly seasoned with calamansi, though modern versions also add mayonnaise. EPA/MIKE F. ALQUINTO

Dinuguan

The name speaks for the dish itself. “Dinuguan” which means “bloodied” is a stew made of pork cooked in its own blood. What started out as a poor man’s stew, since it uses innards and parts initially seen unfit for the rich man’s table, is now a delicacy usually served even during the most lavish Pinoy feasts. (Photo by Winston Baltasar)

Halo-halo

This popular cold Pinoy desert, whose name literally means “mix-mix,” is created simply by topping sweetened fruits and beans with shaved ice and sometimes ice cream. The desert, which is a delicious Filipino way of fighting off the tropical heat, has recently gained global fame.

Balut

Perhaps the most popular exotic food in the Philippines, balut has been tagged as a must-try for foreigners who want to get a taste of the local culture. The street food, which is basically duck embryo boiled alive and eaten from the shell, is also believed to be an aphrodisiac and a cure to a bad hangover. EPA/MIKE ALQUINTO

Sinarapan

Sinarapan, scientifically known as Mistichthys luzonensis, is the world’s smallest commercial fish species. This fish species is found only in the Bicol Region, particularly in bodies of water in Camarines Sur, including Lake Buhi and Lake Bato. Conservation efforts are in place for the fish, however, as it is threatened with extinction due to overfishing. (Photo from Instagram)

Tamaraw

The tamaraw or the Mindoro dwarf buffalo is the only bovine endemic to the Philippines. The government said an estimated 10,000 tamaraws existed in Mindoro in the early 1900s, but due to several reasons, the species has been tagged as critically endangered since 2000. EPA/DENNIS SABANGAN

Jeepney

The so-called “king of the road” is a popular icon of Philippine travel, and rightly so, since the jeepney is proudly Pinoy! Arguably the most widely used public utility vehicle in the country, jeepneys were originally made from U.S. military jeeps used in the World War II. EPA/ROLEX DELA PENA

Only in the Philippines: 10 things that are distinctly Pinoy

Filipino culture is said to be a mix of our own native traditions and that which colonizers have introduced. But whether originally from Pinoy forefathers or influenced by foreigners, some cultural markers are commonly identified with the Philippines. Here we list some of the things that are definitely Pinoy.

if the olympic-size skating rink has ice, so does the ski slope have snow, complete with temperate country flora and cottages

all dubai mall images from http://thetouristattractions.com/