MikeLigalig.com

weird. just plain weird.

5. "If you are more fortunate than others, build a longer table, not a taller fence."

Generosity is the spirit!


Reddit

http://social.diply.com/

4. "Be the person your dog thinks you are."

Your dog thinks you're pretty awesome, and they're always happy to see you — so take that to heart. Also, dog and god are spelled with the same letters!


Imgur | theSilencewillfall

3. "When gratitude becomes your default setting, life changes."

Why not make every day Thanksgiving Day?


Twitter | @nancyschwartz17

2. Love should not have exceptions.

It's pretty basic, but it's something we all need to remind ourselves about sometimes.


Reddit | woodceilingfan

1. "Listen and silent are spelled with the same letters."

You can't hear what others are saying when you're talking! Mind you, you can also spell 'tinsel' with the same letters.


Twitter | @tiffanyshlain

5 Church Signs With Wise Words To Live By

By RyanFord



Churches in this day and age have become renowned for their clever signs. There are a lot out there that have shown a flare for humor with their signs, but fewer that have actually figured out how to show off their wisdom.

But the wise words stick out so much better. The churches that have reduced fundamental truths to sayings small enough to fit on a lawn sign deserve a shout out, don't you think? These are words to live by!

The organization has set a one-day convention called A Forum on Cyber Security and the Internet of Things on Jan. 31, at the Enderun College in McKinley Hill, Taguig City to make people aware of the dangers in the internet.

Colin Christie, executive director of Global Chamber Manila, said world renowned cyber security expert Marc Goodman, author of the best-selling book "Future Crimes," will lead the forum and discuss the technological advances of the cyber world and its many pitfalls.

"Mr. Goodman is a global strategist and consultant focused on the profound change technology is having on security, business and international affairs."

http://beta.philstar.com/

Lugtu attributed this to lack of information among Filipino cyberspace users on the different schemes of cyber attacks, including hacking, phising and malware.

A report of social media management platform Hootsuite and United Kingdom-based consultancy We Are Social Ltd. showed that Filipinos spent an average of four hours and 17 minutes per day on social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter in 2017.

Lugtu said their organization, the Global Chamber Manila, has taken action to address this concern on cyber security.

Two of the country's neighbors in Southeast Asia – Malaysia and Singapore – also placed in the Top 20.

Lugtu stressed that cyber security in the Philippines remains weak considering such vulnerability to attacks in cyberspace and despite several laws enacted for this purpose.

The Philippines ranks 37th out of 193 countries in terms of cyber security preparedness based on the recent global security index report.

"In the legal aspect, we are ahead of other countries because we have already passed the Data Privacy Act, the E-Commerce Law and the Anti-Wiretapping Law. However, we are low in the cultural aspect because we are not well-informed of the dangers lurking online so that we easily open emails or click links without knowing the risks," Lugtu explained in a forum on Friday.

Philippines top victim of cyber attacks


Digital technology expert Reynaldo Lugtu, a member of the advisory board of Global Chamber Manila, said the country also ranks 10th in the world in terms of falling prey to cyber attacks, citing data released recently by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). AP/Mark Schiefelbein, File

Edu Punay (The Philippine Star)
January 15, 2018

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines, considered as the social networking capital of the world, is the most susceptible nation in Southeast Asia to cyber attacks, according to an expert.

Digital technology expert Reynaldo Lugtu, a member of the advisory board of Global Chamber Manila, said the country also ranks 10th in the world in terms of falling prey to cyber attacks, citing data released recently by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Canada topped the list, followed by India, United Kingdom, Australia, Brazil, Mexico, China, Japan and Germany.

Even as a foreigner, it's relatively easy to buy property or to start a business (no more than a few weeks, according to Lewis) compared to other countries. "While there is bureaucracy, it's not overly difficult to navigate," said Mat Newton, founder of TourismTiger and Santiago resident. While expats may get frustrated with the slow immigration process, once your visa is sorted, "life isn't too difficult," Newton promises.

Health insurance is affordable and effective, but where the country really shines is its infrastructure. "Santiago, and Chile in general, has high-quality infrastructure which makes living there a relative breeze with none of the headaches one might associate with developing countries," Newton said, referring to the country's high-quality highway system and near universal access to water and electricity. Santiago also has one of the world's largest urban parks in the world, the 1780-acre Metropolitan Park, and numerous bike paths that even Paul McCartney has traversed.

While Chile is extremely open and friendly to foreigners, rigid social classes can make it hard to break into the country's inner social circles, according to Lewis. He recommends that all newcomers join a local Facebook community group, so they can quickly make new friends and find referrals for English-speaking doctors and other services.

http://www.bbc.com/

Chile has one of South America's most stable and corruption-free governments (Credit: Matthew Williams-Ellis/Getty Images)

Chile

Ranked highly for its open and transparent government, control of corruption and access to basic knowledge and medical care, Chile has one of South America's most stable and corruption-free governments.

"Whereas you might be expected to pay a bribe to police or politicians in other South American countries, that doesn't happen in Chile," said Peter Murphy Lewis, owner of tour company Chile Guru and long-time Chile resident.

"We are a nation that believes disputes are resolved effectively
by debating them to a conclusion, and not by going to war."

The country is known for having strong personal freedoms, scoring high in both freedom of the press and personal property rights. That freedom extends to everyday interactions. "Batswana are easy-going people, that believe in open talk and do not take kindly any hidden agendas. It is advisable to be open and discuss issues in the interest of resolving them," said Tlotlego. "We are also a very liberal society where colour, religion and gender doesn't matter, and we will tackle, head-on, any form of injustice."

That has also led to strong social foundations that give citizens the opportunities they need to learn and stay healthy. Every village with 500 or more people qualifies for a medical clinic and primary school, said Tlotlego. The country also was early at recognising the HIV/AIDS pandemic and created a rigorous testing and counselling programme, with free antiretroviral treatment to every citizen testing positive.

Conservation has also been a strength of Botswana's government, which has led to tourism driving 12% of overall GDP. "Most of the funds accrued from the tourism industry is ploughed back into the protection of protected areas, wildlife management areas outside protected areas and the ever-growing anti-poaching unit," said Tlotlego. "Botswana has set up and supported one of the strongest anti-poaching units in Africa."

Botswana is known for having strong personal freedoms, such as freedom of the press and personal property rights (Credit: MARCO LONGARI/Getty Images)

Botswana

Botswana consistently ranks as one of the strongest-governed countries in Africa, especially in its role in containing corruption, regionally ranking the highest in both the World Bank assessment and Rule of Law Index. After a string of scandals in the early '90s, the government created the Directorate of Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) in 1994, which continues to investigate and prosecute officials accused of corruption. Not only that, but the national revenue from diamond mining has been fairly well distributed throughout the county.

"The entire country was founded on national unity and that is still the case to date," said Sehenyi Tlotlego, Botswana native and philanthropy coordinator for safari company Sanctuary Retreats. "We are a nation that believes and practices 'Ntwa kgolo ke ya molomo', which means 'Disputes are resolved effectively by debating them to a conclusion, and not by going to war'."

Japanese schools rank well globally, with elementary and secondary schooling being mandatory (Credit: Credit: Kyodo News/Getty Images)

Japan

Not only does the island nation rank highest in Asia by the World Bank for overall government effectiveness, rule of law and political stability, it also received the highest marks in Asia from the Social Progress Index for its access to basic knowledge, water and sanitation, and access to nutrition and medical care.

"The effects of government policies are often quite evident in cleanliness, efficiency and functioning of tax-paid parts of society," said Adam Goulston, a cross-cultural resume writer who lives in Fukuoka but is originally from the US. "Part of this can be attributed to the natural tendency of the Japanese to value social and public things and keep up appearances. However, a big part also owes to effective and in some cases quite liberal policies, especially in comparison to my home country, the US."

Health insurance is universal, though it can be expensive since it's income-based and taken out of wages – but residents can go to any doctor any time and costs are capped. Though the aging population and population decline is putting pressure on the solvency of the programme, said Goulston, overall, the system works. Japan also has some of the world's best cancer doctors.

The education system is another of the country's strengths; elementary and secondary school is mandatory, and Japanese schools rank well globally. Though the schools are highly regimented and systematic – which can lead to over-standardisation, according to Goulston – they have prioritised nutrition as a key part of education, with school lunches prepared with locally grown ingredients and paired with lessons on healthy eating and food history.

Alia Bickson: "Canada is more progressive in its values than our neighbour to the south" (Credit: Bettmann/Getty Images)

Canada

Both the United States and Canada rank highly across all indexes, but Canada scores higher in political stability and lack of violence/terrorism. In fact, Canada comes close to many of the Scandinavian countries in its near-perfect scores, including access to nutrition and medical care, as well as to basic knowledge and personal rights.

"Canada is more progressive in its values than our neighbour to the south. For instance it would be quite rare for attitudes against a woman's right to choose, or removing rights from LBGTQ persons, to become serious topics of debate," said Alia Bickson, an Intrepid Travel guide who lives in Toronto and has dual US and Canadian citizenship. "Of course, individuals have varying views, but the country as a whole supports policies in line with compassion and acceptance of varying life choices."

One mistake newcomers sometimes make, however, is thinking Canadians' courtesy and thoughtfulness makes them pushovers. "They have a sharp sense of fairness and will assess visitors' behaviour with a clear eye," Bickson said. "[Canadians] don't suffer fools gladly, so do your basic homework before arriving."

New Zealand citizens 65 and older automatically receive generous government allowances (Credit: Walter Bibikow/Getty Images)

New Zealand

Australia and New Zealand are virtually neck-and-neck across the indexes, but New Zealand scores slightly better for overall political stability, fundamental rights and lack of violence/terrorism.

"New Zealand was the first nation in the world to give women the vote [in 1893]," said Zoe Helene, founder of Cosmic Sister, who lived in New Zealand for 10 years and frequently visits her parents who are permanent residents. "A group of people brought a physical petition from one end of the island to the other, gathering signatures until it was a giant scroll. That scroll can be viewed in the museum now, and I think it should be something that tourists go to see, like the Statue of Liberty."

The country also has generous policies that support single parents, children, students and seniors. "You know the saying 'you can judge a civilization by how they care for their elders'? When a New Zealand citizen becomes a senior at 65 they automatically start receiving a generous government allowance, no matter who they are, no matter how much money they earned or inherited, and no matter when they arrived in the country," Helene said.

Danes treat each other more like friends
in almost every situation."

The social system also relies on a sense of trust, rather than paperwork. "When Danes are ill and they cannot go to university or to work, it's fine to simply call and let the employer know. In Germany, however, employees and students need to get an official certificate from the doctor," Steinbach said. "Both countries are structured when it comes to policy and governance, but Germans like everything to be on paper, in order and certified, whereas Danes treat each other more like friends in almost every situation."

While life in Denmark can be expensive compared to other European countries, with the highest collective taxes in the EU to pay for these services, the benefits outweigh the costs, says Steinbach, and residents are friendly and welcoming to boot.

"Danes are all about hygge," she said, describing a word that roughly translates to a cosiness shared among friends. "Having a movie night or a dinner night and inviting Danish friends over is a perfect way of blending into the Danish culture. Danes love to talk, to mingle and to simply sit together, enjoy the candlelight, good food and interesting talks."

Denmark received near-perfect scores on the 'Basic Human Needs' ranking in the 2017 Social Progress Index (Credit: Hendrik Holler/Look-foto/Getty Images)

Denmark

While all the Nordic countries rank consistently high across every index, Denmark inches out its neighbours (and blows away the rest of the world) with near-perfect scores on the 'Basic Human Needs' ranking in the 2017 Social Progress Index, which includes meeting the nutritional and medical needs of its citizens and giving access to basic knowledge and communication.

These benefits are offered to more than just native-born residents. "The general health and social system is well-developed and accessible to anyone living in Denmark, and as a student you can get financial assistance and free language classes," explained German native Anne Steinbach, editor-in-chief of Travellers Archive who recently lived in Aarhus, Denmark's second-largest city, for six months.

Chile, Valparaiso (Credit: Matthew Williams-Ellis/Getty Images)

What it's like to live in a well-governed country

From Canada to Botswana, these six nations consistently rank highest for their progressive social policies, trust in government and effective justice system.

By Lindsey Galloway
8 January 2018

What makes a country well-run? Whether minimising corruption or spearheading educational and medical initiatives, governments around the world use different policies to facilitate a high-functioning society. To quantify the effectiveness of these policies, indexes like the World Justice Project's Rule of Law Index, the World Bank's Governance Index and the Social Progress Index survey residents, compile publicly available statistics and rank countries based on their performance across different categories.

While each index varies in their precise ranking, certain patterns emerge across all three, with the same countries consistently at the top for their progressive social policies, trust in government and effective justice system.

Still, policies are only as good as the people they affect, so we talked to residents living in some of these countries to find out which factors most influence their daily lives.

wow!

Crepes with Nutella. Author: Dawid Skalec. CC BY-SA 3.0

In 1983, Nutella was distributed in the United States for the first time. Since then it has acquired a cult status as a favorite food. The product even has its own World Nutella Day, celebrated by fans all over the world on February 5th. Two years ago, Poste Italiane issued a 50th anniversary Nutella commemorative stamp. The 70 (Euro) cent stamp was designed by Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato and features a jar of Nutella on a golden background.

The Nutella phenomenon has prompted competitors to launch their own versions of the hazelnut spread and small artisan producers try to reinterpret chocolate-hazelnut spreads for consumers. But can anything be quite the same?

www.thevintagenews.com/

Shortly after the launch of this product, Ferrero introduced a new, spreadable version called "Supercrema Gianduja." This spread was a presence in the households across Italy, on toast or croissants, swirled into ice cream or eaten with a spoon directly from the jar. Ferrero's confection became so popular that neighborhood food stores kept a full jar on the counter and school children would run in with slices of toasted bread, asking for a "smear" for a few lire as an afternoon snack.


Bonaparte at the Pont d'Arcole, by Baron Antoine-Jean Gros, (ca. 1801), Musée du Louvre, Paris

In 1963, Ferrero's son Michele Ferrero revived Supercrema in order to advertise it throughout Europe. He modified the product and renamed as "Nutella" in 1964. The first jar of Nutella left the factory in Alba on April 20, 1964. The product was an instant success.

Nowadays, the main ingredients of Nutella are hazelnuts, palm oil, sugar, cocoa solids, and skimmed milk. In 2012, French Senator Yves Daudigny proposed a tax increase on palm oil. At 20 percent, palm oil is one of Nutella's main ingredients, and the tax was dubbed "the Nutella tax" in the media.

Nutella in its jar and also spread on bread, along with hazelnuts and a pitcher of milk. Author: donald. CC BY-SA 3.0

A resourceful chocolatier in Turin started experimenting with the local hazelnuts to stretch the chocolate supply as much as possible. The resultant delicacy was named after the Commedia dell'Arte character symbol of Turin: Gianduja (pronounced john-doo-jah). Since hazelnuts grew in abundance in Piedmont, they were cheaper than cocoa, making the "gianduja" chocolate more affordable to make, and to consume. In 1852, in Turin, appeared the first candy that featured chocolate and hazelnuts together.

The Italian candy company Caffarel sold a small confection in the shape of an upturned boat called "giandutto."  This combination of cocoa and nuts was the second solid chocolate product ever made after the invention of the dark chocolate bar, predating milk chocolate, invented in 1875.


The region of Piedmont in Italy

Over a century later, during World War II, the price of chocolate dramatically rose again. In 1946, an Italian pastry maker from Alba in Piedmont named Pietro Ferrero, founder of the Italian candy company Ferrero, decided to answer this challenge by, once again, turning to the "magical" hazelnut paste. He created Pasta Gianduja: a small loaf of chocolate hazelnut paste meant to be sliced and served on bread. The same year he sold an initial batch of 600 pounds of Pasta Gianduja.

Napoleon responsible for a great many turning points in history, including Nutella. Really.



Yes, we know. Your mouth waters at the thought of Nutella, a sweet spread made of chocolate and hazelnuts. It's a match made in heaven. On the shelves of every supermarket can be found an endless range of chocolate-hazelnut concoctions, but the ever-popular Nutella beats them all. Its recognizable packaging–with bold red letters, a yellow flower, and a pitcher of milk–is a welcome sight indeed.

But where did the idea for a product like this come from?

The story begins in 1806, in Turin, the capital of Piedmont, with Napoleon attempting to freeze out British commerce in order to win a war. This resulted in a disastrous continental blockade that, among other things, insanely elevated the cost of chocolate. The shortage of cocoa forced the Piedmontese chocolate makers to experiment with new textures and flavors.

The Philippines had previously been one of the most outspoken countries in standing up to China's claim to most of the South China Sea.

This culminated in Manila's complaint to a United Nations-backed tribunal that ruled in July 2016 that China's territorial claims in the sea were without legal basis.

But since Duterte took office in mid-2016, he has decided not to use the ruling to pressure China but has instead chosen to build closer ties in return for billions of dollars in investment and aid.

https://www.yahoo.com/

The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) said the buildup continued despite rival claims across the sea from Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.

Over 2017, China installed infrastructure to support air and naval bases, such as "large radar and sensor arrays", the Washington-based think tank said.

Fiery Cross Reef saw the most construction last year, with building work spanning 27 acres, or about 110,000 square metres, AMTI said its analysis of satellite images showed.

Asked about the Philippine complaints, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said China "is conducting peaceful construction in our own territory", and that Beijing "has the need to build necessary territorial defence equipment".

He added: "It's not targeted at any country. I need to point out that China and the Philippines are friendly, neighbours."

Last month, a US think tank released new satellite images showing deployment of radar and other equipment in disputed South China Sea islands.

Lorenzana spoke out despite recent moves by President Rodrigo Duterte to ease tensions with China.

"According to them they are not militarising (the reefs) and it was for peaceful purposes only like tourism," Lorenzana said.

"But if it is true and we can prove that they have been putting soldiers and any weapons, defensive (or) otherwise, that would be a violation of what they said".

Lorenzana said he had also received reports Philippine fishermen had been "harassed" by Chinese coast guards.

Philippines to protest over China activity on reclaimed reef

AFP
Tue, Jan 9 2018


Fiery Cross Reef is an outcrop that Beijing turned into an artificial island and which now appears to house a military base (AFP Photo/WESTCOM)

Manila (AFP) - The Philippines will lodge a diplomatic protest with China after Manila questioned if Beijing had reneged on a pledge not to militarise a disputed South China Sea reef.

Beijing claims nearly all of the sea and has been turning reefs in the Spratly and Paracel chains into islands, installing military facilities and equipment on them.

Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana Tuesday said Manila was investigating reports of recent Chinese activity on Fiery Cross Reef, an outcrop that Beijing turned into an artificial island and which now appears to house a military base.

oops, no comment.

and that, for me, is the simplest explanation i could find.

what is a PRIME NUMBER? here's an answer to confuses me (a math half-literate) all the more.

A prime number is a positive integer that has exactly two positive integer factors, 1 and itself. For example, if we list the factors of 28, we have 1, 2, 4, 7, 14, and 28. That's six factors. If we list the factors of 29, we only have 1 and 29. That's two factors. So we say that 29 is a prime number, but 28 isn't.

Another way of saying this is that a prime number is a positive integer that is not the product of two smaller positive integers.

Note that the definition of a prime number doesn't allow 1 to be a prime number: 1 only has one factor, namely 1. Prime numbers have exactly two factors, not "at most two" or anything like that. When a number has more than two factors it is called a composite number.

Here are the first few prime numbers:

2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29, 31, 37, 41, 43, 47, 53, 59, 61, 67, 71, 73, 79, 83, 89, 97, 101, 103, 107, 109, 113, 127, 131, 137, 139, 149, 151, 157, 163, 167, 173, 179, 181, 191, 193, 197, 199, etc.

-more at http://mathforum.org/dr.math/faq/faq.prime.num.html

Quote from: hubag bohol on January 11, 2018, 09:27:25 AM

...that is, when he's drunk.

The prisoner's father, José Carlos Montoya, said he had tried to hang himself in his cell seven months ago. "It's clear that in the jail they do not supervise him nor treat him well," he told El Comercio, adding that his son was given "pills for his nerves, but it was not enough".

Relatives also cast doubt on whether Montoya Jimenez was properly examined by all three doctors who pronounced him dead, suggesting that instead the first certificate had simply been rubber-stamped by the second and third physicians.

It was initially suggested that Montoya Jimenez may have suffered a rare case of catalepsy, a nervous condition which induces an unresponsive state. Tests have since indicated the coma caused by the overdose, along with severe hypothermia, may have masked his vital signs.

https://www.yahoo.com/

Family members revealed yesterday that Montoya Jimenez had tried to commit suicide by taking an overdose of barbiturates, accusing prison authorities of failing to control access to medication. The prisoner had reportedly been taking anti-epileptic drugs, while relatives suggested he was also being treated for anxiety, though the specific substances involved have yet to be confirmed.

"The pills are taken as they (the prisoners) want," said Luis Manuel Montoya, his uncle, according to local paper La Voz de Asturias. He and other family members gathered at the hospital in the town of Oviedo said they would be seeking Montoya Jimenez's immediate release as compensation for what they branded negligence. The 29-year-old has seven months left to serve of his sentence, for stealing scrap metal.

"We don't want him to go back to jail. If he goes in, he will come out as a body," Mr Montoya said. Shocked by his nephew's suicide attempt, he said he nevertheless understood it. "He is young, he is 29 years old and has his whole life ahead of him. He has been in jail three years and he couldn't go on anymore."

Family demand release of man found snoring on autopsy table after being pronounced dead

Hannah Strange
The Telegraph Wed, Jan 10 2018


The prison where Gonzalo Montoya Jimenez was being held - SOLARPIX.COM

The family of a Spanish prisoner who was pronounced dead by three doctors before waking up as he was being prepared for autopsy have demanded he immediately be released from jail.

Gonzalo Montoya Jimenez, 29, began snoring on an autopsy table in a morgue in Asturias four hours after his death was certified at a local prison on Sunday morning. The man - whose body had already been marked up for the procedure - was on Tuesday awake and recovering in hospital as authorities opened investigations into the mysterious case.

The prisoner was discovered in his cell by guards at around 8am on Sunday, seated in a chair, blue, and showing no signs of life, according to officials. His death was certified first by the doctor on the overnight shift, then a second on duty that morning, and finally by a forensic specialist before he was transported to the morgue.

The NASA Astrobiology Institute hypothesizes that other planets could contain subglacial liquid water environments such as this. Moreover, they are enthusiastic about the prospect that those environments could be favorable enough for some elementary forms of life to start evolving or be preserved from times when conditions on those worlds were not so extreme. With this discovery, science can now rely on the premise that some forms of life might be better off at extreme depths, completely protected from ultraviolet and cosmic radiation, than exposed on the upper surface, and dig deeper in the search for life that might exist out there in the vastness of the universe.

https://www.thevintagenews.com/

Chemical and microbial analyses found that a rare subglacial ecosystem of autotrophic bacteria metabolizing sulfate and ferric ions instead of oxygen had developed into 17 different types of microbes, evolving completely independently, isolated from the outside world and any external evolutionary processes. According to geomicrobiologist Jill Mikucki from the University of Tennessee, the lead scientist of the project, such a metabolic process had never before been observed in nature.

Separated for an adequately long enough time, the ancient microbial population evolved in an entirely different way compared to similar marine organisms. This now offers to science one concrete explanation of how other microorganisms endured when the Earth was frozen in its entirety.


The arrival of the NSF team at the "Blood Falls" of Antarctica. Photo Credit:DLR-de/Flickr CC By 2.0

Not only that, the uniqueness of this evolutionary process, in a lake serving as a "time capsule" for life to evolve without oxygen for millions and millions of years, is spurring scientists to question the range of conditions in which life can exist. It also gives them a way to study the possibility of life in places such as Mars or Europa, the ice-covered moon of Jupiter, where till now the extremes of the temperatures on these planets excluded that possibility.

A team from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and Colorado College developed a new theory based on the findings and later conclusively proved its existence. They confirmed that not only did the glacier have a lake underneath it but also a free-flowing water system which allows the captive iron-containing liquid seawater to emerge through small cracks in the ice cascade, oxidize instantly and giving the water its bloody color.

The team concluded that somehow, due to an impressive perpetual hydraulic system which sees heat energy released by water freezing which in turn melts the surrounding ice, the water in the lake never really froze. They managed to confirm this using echolocation to track the water flow, kind of like the way bats use it in order to 'see' things around them.


A schematic cross-section of the Blood Falls explaining how subglacial microbial organisms have survived in cold darkness with no oxygen for a million years

At last, during the expedition of US National Science Foundation (NSF) in the Taylor Valley, fresh and uncontaminated samples were taken once again from Blood Falls to enable further studies of the water in the subglacial lake. And the results were simply astonishing.

Still, with expeditions being rather rare due the location being situated in one of the most remote and geologically exotic places in the world, and the results from them somewhat limited because samples often ended up lost or contaminated, nothing conclusive was reliably proved. That is until, in 2003, one study proved that the redness is due to the high amount of iron oxides, sulfates and salt present in the water.


Photograph of The Taylor Valley and the glacier, taken by scientist Michael Studinger during his IceBridge project in Antarctica.

Furthermore, the saltiness of the water led scientists to a conclusion that there must be free flowing salt water trapped somewhere beneath the huge plate of ice.

And as it turns out, there was. Hidden 400 meters deep beneath the glacier, a subglacial lake of unknown size containing extremely salty water was discovered. Located several kilometers from the outflow, the lake had been completely isolated from the outside world for almost two million years.

The 106-year-old mystery of Antarctica's Blood Falls finally unveiled: Living organisms found frozen in a lake hidden beneath the glacier

Martin Chalakoski
Dec 16, 2017



Scientists throughout the world have been deeply puzzled for some time as to why the Taylor Glacier in Victoria Land of Eastern Antarctica gives the gruesome impression of what appears to be bleeding.

Named after its discoverer Griffith Taylor, who, during his expedition in 1911, first spotted this peculiar sight, the glacier is spread across the Taylor Valley. From time to time something rather strange occurs: an outflow of reddish water appears at its very end, pouring into West Lake Bonney below.

At first, scientists believed this strange phenomenon to be a direct result of tiny red algae that might be present in the water. However, further expeditions and scientific studies were carried out and water samples obtained from the "Blood Falls".

proud here.

Quote from: MIKELIGALIG.com on January 06, 2018, 04:35:50 PMAs a result of this dynamic social revolution; concomitantly, as a nation, instead of outrightly being prejudicial and judgmental towards the LGBT community, there is a need for us to recalibrate our social, cultural and moral perceptions, and even convictions, including revisiting our understanding of our faith concerning gender identity. Nothing better capsulizes this social activism than in the landmark case of Ang Ladlad LGBT Party v. COMELEC, where the highest court of the land, Supreme Court, said: "practical solutions are preferable to ideological stalemates; accommodation is better than intransigence; reason more worthy than rhetoric. This will allow persons of diverse viewpoints to live together, if not harmoniously, then, at least, civilly."

truly. and with due respect to lgbts, i'm just wondering here why laws still have to be made specifically for them when they are already covered by existing human rights laws, which do not at all discriminate against them. why aim for "special treatment" when that in itself is already discriminatory because it means they're being regarded as different?

sa tinuoray lang, kalami gyod hinoon duslakon ning silingan nga mag-videoke tibuok adlaw. di ko kasabot nganong kusgon ang volume ug nganong tibook kapupod-an padunggon sa puryang kinantahan.

One thing we do know is that the neurological differences between left and right-handed people are very small, and supposed behavioural and psychological distinctions have often been debunked.

As for whether lefties are in fact evil, the jury is still out.

https://www.yahoo.com/

"The most important factor for an efficient society is a high degree of cooperation. In humans, this has resulted in a right-handed majority."

In other words, for some reason we have evolved to favour right-handedness, and so anyone deviating from this may have been conditioned to grow up this way, despite their genetic predisposition.

It's still a bit of a mystery, and it's very hard to predict whether a child will become left or right-handed once they are born. This is partly because more left-handed people need to be included in scientific research.

So why are lefties so rare?

Why are left-handed people so rare, with right-handed people making up 90% of the population? Some scientists have tried to answer this question, such as in 2012, when researchers at Northwestern University developed a mathematical model to show how the percentage of left-handed people is a result of human evolution.

They hypothesised that a balance of cooperation and competition in our evolution has led to this divide. In other words, although the basis may be genetic, there could be a social factor to it too, hence why the ratio is so high.

"The more social the animal — where cooperation is highly valued — the more the general population will trend toward one side," Daniel M. Abrams, the author of the model and an assistant professor of engineering sciences and applied mathematics at the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, told LiveScience.

They concluded that the asymmetrical nature of the spinal cord could be down to something called epigenetics — which is how organisms are affected by changes in their genes' expressions, rather than in the genes themselves. These changes are often brought about by environmental influences, and can affect how the baby grows.

These gene expression differences could affect the right and left spinal cord differently, resulting in lefties and righties.

Arm and hand movements start in the brain, in an area called the motor cortex, which sends a signal to the spinal cord. This is where the signal is translated into a motion. While the baby is growing in the womb, up until about 15 weeks, the motor cortex and the spinal cord are not yet connected, but right or left-handedness is already decided.

In other words, the baby can already make movements, and has chosen its favourite hand before the brain starts controlling the body. This led the researchers to believe the spinal cord is the decider for the hand preference.

To study this, the team analysed the gene expression in the spinal cord during the eighth to 12th week of pregnancy. They found significant differences between left and right-handedness in the segments of the spinal cord that control arm and leg movement.

It's down to the spinal cord — not the brain

Research since the 1980s has shown that our preference for being left or right-handed is probably determined in the womb before we are born, as early as the eighth week of pregnancy, according to ultrasound scans. From week 13 in the womb, babies tend to suck either their right or their left thumb.

It was previously thought that the genetic differences in the left and right hemisphere of the brain would determine whether someone was born left or right handed. But a study from 2017, published in the journal eLife, has found that the answer could lie in the spinal cord.

The research was led by Dr Sebastian Ocklenburg, Judith Schmitz, and Prof Dr H. C. Onur Güntürkün from Ruhr-Universität Bochum, along with other colleagues from the Netherlands and South Africa. They found that gene activity in the spinal cord is already asymmetrical in the womb, and this could be what causes left or right-handedness.

Scientists think they have found the reason some people are left-handed — and it has nothing to do with the brain

Lindsay Dodgson
Business Insider
05 January 2018


Iryna Inshyna / Shutterstock

About 10% of the population is left-handed.

There have been several theories over the years about why some people favour their left hand.

A study from last year has shown that it might be nothing to do with your brain.

Rather, it could be determined by your spinal cord while you are in the womb.

Left-handed people haven't always been treated very well throughout history. Lefties have been persecuted for their disposition in the past, being labeled as evil, or even as witches, despite making up about 10% of the population. In fact, the word "sinister" derives from "left" or "left-hand."

There have been a few theories about where left-handedness comes from over the decades, including an outdated idea that it's something to do with mothers being stressed while pregnant.

"America First was not well received by American allies."

"There is no alternative great power willing and able to step in and assume what has been the U.S. role. China is often suggested, but its leadership is focused mostly on consolidating domestic order and maintaining artificially high rates of economic growth, lest there be popular unrest."

#"There is no other candidate...The cold truth is that the alternative to a U.S.–led international order is less international order."

https://www.axios.com/

Richard Nathan Haass is an American diplomat. He has been president of the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) since July 2003, prior to which he was Director of Policy Planning for the United States Department of State and a close advisor to Secretary of State Colin Powell.

Other key points Haass added for this edition:

How this came about is unprecedented: "History suggests great powers and the international orders they are associated with inevitably fade."

#"Some powers exhaust themselves through overreach abroad, underinvestment at home, or a mixture."

#"For some other powers, their privileged position is usurped by the emergence of one or more new stronger powers."

#The United States has now introduced a third means by which a major power forfeits international advantage. It is abdication, the voluntary relinquishing of power and responsibility."

Richard Haass: U.S. now "a principal disrupter" of world order

Mike Allen 
Jan 3 2018


U.S. President Donald Trump, center left, shakes hands with Emmanuel Macron, France's president in Brussels. Photo: Jasper Juinen / Bloomberg via Getty Images

CFR President Richard Haass tells me that the title of his book a year ago, "A World in Disarray," actually understated the situation. Haass is out this week with a paperback edition that includes a new, nine-page Afterword: "Things have become even worse that I had imagined. Disarray is greater than expected."

One highlight: The Trump administration is a significant cause of increased disarray in the world: "Trump is the first post-WWII president to view the burdens of world leadership as outweighing the benefits. The United States has changed from the principal preserver of order to a principal disrupter."

7
Make saving automatic

Almost all banks offer automated transfers between your checking and savings accounts. You can choose when, how much and where to transfer money to, or even split your direct deposit between your checking and savings accounts. Automated transfers are a great way to save money since you don't have to think about it and it generally reduces the temptation to spend the money instead.

8
Watch your savings grow

Check your progress every month. Not only will this help you stick to your personal savings plan but it also helps you identify and fix problems quickly. These simple ways to save money may even inspire you to save more and hit your goals faster.

https://bettermoneyhabits.bankofamerica.com/

5
Decide on your priorities

After your expenses and income, your goals are likely to have the biggest impact on how you save money. Be sure to remember long-term goals—it's important that planning for retirement doesn't take a back seat to shorter-term needs. Prioritizing goals can give you a clear idea of where to start saving. For example, if you know you're going to need to replace your car in the near future, you could start putting money away for one.

6
Pick the right tools

If you're saving for short-term goals, consider using these FDIC-insured deposit accounts:
#Savings account
#Certificate of deposit (CD), which locks in your money at a specific interest rate for a specific period of time

For long-term goals consider:
#[FDIC-insured] individual retirement accounts (IRAs), which are tax-efficient savings accounts
#Securities such as stocks or mutual funds. These investment products are available through investment accounts with a broker-dealer. Remember that securities, such as stocks and mutual funds, are not insured by the FDIC, are not deposits or other obligations of a bank and are not guaranteed by a bank, and are subject to investment risks, including the possible loss of principal investment.

3
Plan on saving money

Now that you've made a budget, create a savings category within it. Try to put away 10–15 percent of your income as savings. If your expenses are so high that you can't save that much, it might be time to cut back. To do so, identify non-essentials that you can spend less on, such as entertainment and dining out. We've put together ideas for saving money every day as well as cutting back on your fixed monthly expenses.

Tip: Considering savings a regular expense, similar to groceries, is a great way to reinforce good savings habits.

4
Choose something to save for

One of the best ways to save money is to set a goal. Start by thinking of what you might want to save for—anything from a down payment for a house to a vacation—then figure out how long it might take you to save for it. If you need help figuring out a time frame, try Bank of America's savings goal calculator.

Here are some examples of short- and long-term goals:

Short-term (1–3 years)
#Emergency fund (3–9 months of living expenses, just in case)
#Vacation
#Down payment for a car

Long-term (4+ years)
#Retirement*
#Your child's education*
#Down payment on a home or a remodeling project

*If you're saving for retirement or your child's education, consider putting that money into an investment account such as an IRA or a 529 plan. While investments come with risks and can lose money, they also create the opportunity for compounded returns if you plan for an event far in advance. More details in step No. 6 below.

8 simple ways to save money



Sometimes the hardest thing about saving money is just getting started. It can be difficult to figure out simple ways to save money and how to use your savings to pursue your financial goals. This step-by-step guide to money-saving habits can help you develop a realistic savings plan.

1
Record your expenses

The first step to saving money is to figure out how much you spend. Keep track of all your expenses—that means every coffee, newspaper and snack you buy. Ideally, you can account for every penny. Once you have your data, organize the numbers by categories, such as gas, groceries and mortgage, and total each amount. Consider using your credit card or bank statements to help you with this. If you bank online, you may be able to filter your statements to easily break down your spending.

2
Make a budget

Once you have an idea of what you spend in a month, you can begin to organize your recorded expenses into a workable budget. Your budget should outline how your expenses measure up to your income—so you can plan your spending and limit overspending. In addition to your monthly expenses, be sure to factor in expenses that occur regularly but not every month, such as car maintenance. Find more information about creating a budget.

"Mag-invest ka sa business. Oo, iisipin mo malaking take ng risk yan kasi puro labas yung pera mo. Paano mo masasabing may savings ka eh labas ka nga ng pera. Pero after ilang months kapag na compute mo na siya makikita mo na may return of investment ka pala," Tomelden said.

(You should invest in a business. Of course, you may think it is a big risk because you just keep on releasing money. How can you say you have savings when you keep on releasing money? But after several months, when you compute it, you will your return of investment.)

The public will soon experience the impact of the additional taxes approved by President Rodrigo Duterte. These include the increase in prices of petroleum products and other commodities.

Lawmakers vowed to take steps in easing the burden that additional taxes will give by implementing programs that would help the poor. — Mon Jocson | UNTV News & Rescue

https://ph.yahoo.com/

Ms. Reig, meanwhile, notes the public should not resort to saving money only but also target to make it grow.

Ang bottom line kasi natin sa pagtitipid ay para mayroon tayong future goal na i-meet. Pwede magkaroon tayo ng savings na kakailanganin natin kung tayo ay mag-nenegosyo, savings na kakailanganin kung tayo ay mag i-invest para yung pera naman natin kumita," she said.

(Our bottom line in saving money is to have a future goal to meet. We can have savings we can use in the future to start a business. We can have savings that we can use in an investment so our money will grow.)

Businesswoman Roshalem Tomelden began working at an early age. She noticed that her income was not enough to sustain a living.

That's why aside from a job, she also invested in a coffee shop with some of her friends.

According to economist Wilson Lee Flores, the public should save money even though the economy is expected to further improve this year.

"Karamihan sa buong mundo kapag nag-iisip na magtitipid ang ginagawa gumastos muna at kung ano matitira ay i-save, dapat baligtad, kapag dumating sahod o kinita natin dapat may target ka na... yung natira mong pera yun ang pagkakasyahin mo," economist Wilson Lee Flores said.

(People in many countries, when thinking of saving, they spend first and save the surplus amount. It should be the opposite. When you're salary is about to come, you should already have a target. And you spend wisely your remaining money.)

To save time and transportation fare, the business and financial expert advises the public to wake up early to avoid traffic and to recycle materials when needed.

"Hindi lahat ng bagay binibili. Marami tayong puwede i-recycle o i-reuse na mga gamit. Halimbawa mga ketchup bottles na pwede pang paggamitan sa ibang bagay; mga old clothes na pwede kay baby naman o sa bunsong anak," she said.

(Not all things have to be bought. We can recycle or reuse some products. For example, ketchup bottles that we can reuse to store other products; hand-me-down clothes for younger children.)

Experts share money-saving tips amid price increase in goods and services in 2018

UNTV News,UNTV News Wed, 3 Jan 2018


(Left-Right) Business and financial consultant Roselle Reig, economist Wilson Flores and businesswoman Roshalem Tomelden

MANILA, Philippines — Business and financial consultant Roselle Reig believes there are many simple ways to save money.

She says one of these is to eat at home or bring drinking water before going out to avoid spending more money.

Reig also advises the public to list their groceries and look for alternative products which are cheaper than their branded counterparts.

Instead of buying from malls or supermarkets, Reig notes it would be cheaper to buy groceries from public markets which offer commodities at cheaper prices.

Andromeda Galaxy (Photo: Eric Africa)

Meteors and satellites

The Perseid Meteor shower this August could be the best shooting star show of the year. The Perseids peak on the night of Aug. 12 and into the morning of Aug. 13. Get out of the city and find a dark spot to view. The moon will be out of the way so you may be able to see even the fainter shooting stars. Whether you moon-gaze, stargaze or Mars-gaze, there is always lots to see when you keep looking up.

Dean Regas is the Astronomer for the Cincinnati Observatory, co-host of PBS' Star Gazers, and author of the books 100 Things to See in the Night Sky and Facts from Space!  He can be reached at dean@cincinnatiobservatory.org

https://www.cincinnati.com/

Saturn (Photo: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SSI/Ian Regan)

The ringed planet Saturn will be at its best for viewing on June 27 when the nearly full moon will be just above it. Since you will be able to find Saturn all summer long in the southern sky, make a point to look at it through a telescope this year.

However, the big planetary news is that the Red Planet is back. Mars, always a crowd favorite, will be a mere 35.8 million miles from Earth on July 27. This is the closest pass for Mars since 2003. You will notice it in July rising in the east late at night, and throughout August after sunset as a bright, orange, unblinking star. On the night of closest approach, July 27, Mars will also be in conjunction with the full moon. The pair will make a dramatic sight and kick off a month of Mars-watching some astronomers call "Marsapalooza."

Our beautiful red planet, Mars. (Photo: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

Marsapalooza

After a long hiatus from the evening sky, all five naked-eye planets will be visible this year after sunset. First to return is Mercury, which will shine at dusk the week of March 15. Next comes Venus, which will cozy up to Mercury and the crescent moon on March 18. That will be the start of Venus viewing season when the dazzlingly bright planet will grace the western sky every evening until October.

On May 9, Jupiter will be at its closest point to Earth for the year and will look exceptionally bright in the southeastern sky after sunset that entire month. You will also be able to spot Jupiter right next to the moon on June 23, July 20, Aug. 16 and Sept. 13.

Lunar eclipse (Photo: Dean Regas)

Every lunar eclipse occurs on a full moon, but what's going to make this lunar eclipse extra special is that Jan. 31 is the second full moon of the calendar month, making it a blue moon. A blue moon does not actually turn the color blue. It is just a made-up name.  Nevertheless, the combination of a "blue moon" and a "blood moon" might make the internet explode.     

If you miss the blue moon on Jan. 31, there will be another one on March 31. There will be a full moon on March 1 and 31 this year. And that means that the month of February will have no full moons. This rare non-occurrence has not happened since 2009.

Astronomical highlights of 2018

Dean Regas
Special to Cincinnati Enquirer
Published Jan. 3, 2018


(Photo: Eric Africa)

Two blue moons, a lunar eclipse, an August meteor shower and the return of Mars are the headliners for another full year of astronomical wonders. Get out your calendars and get ready for the following astronomical highlights of 2018.

The astronomical event in 2018 that may go viral may only happen once in a blue moon. On the morning of Jan. 31, we will have a lunar eclipse. This happens when Earth comes between the sun and moon and casts its shadow onto the lunar surface. During a total lunar eclipse, the moon turns an eerie shade of orange that some people call a "blood moon." It is definitely on the top 10 list of every stargazer to see. However, if you are looking for it on the eastern half of the country, you will see only part of the moon eclipsed. The moon will set just before totality. But if you live in the western half of the U.S., you will see the total eclipse just before sunrise.

The middle class and the economy

Setting the middle class apart from the extreme ends of the social spectrum can sometimes cause misconception. That's why often times, (upper) middle class are easily associated with the rich while lower middle class individuals mistake themselves as poor. However, as definite as how we see what "rich" should look like, middle class can be unclear simply because it's greatly dependent on the economy.

While the poor population also have a more constricted spending capability, the middle class' income and spending power can easily get pushed back beyond the poverty line (for those who belongs to the lower end of the middle income spectrum) depending on the economy.

According to Michael Ettlinger of AmericanProgress.org, a strong middle class is the key to getting our economy moving. Why? Simply because majority of the spending consumer belongs to the middle class population. They can be a definite measure of a country's economic performance. The middle class not only gives the country a face, it will also most likely define what it means to be a regular citizen of that land.

https://www.imoney.ph/

Pitfalls of the middle class

It cannot be denied that the biggest threat to the middle class is economic stability. While everyone in the population gets affected eventually with its rise and fall, the middle class on the other hand are the first in line to experience its strain.

Job creation

Primarily, the middle class is dependent on salary as their main source of income. This means that the bulk of the middle class population are working class; this is true not just to the Philippines, but even on a global scope.

When a country lacks good paying jobs, it will create instability to its middle class population.This explains why America experienced a decline in its middle class population during the recession in early 2000s. On the contrary, the Philippines saw a rise  when the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector in the country was born. 

Inflation

While inflation affects each and everyone in the population, to the middle class, it has a much bigger implication. For them, it can spell the difference poverty and financial stability.

When cost of living or taxes increases they feel the brunt of it. If inflation isn't countered by the government with mitigating measures or at least couple it with efficient financial aid, the middle class will be financially squeezed. In turn, it will push back most of the population from the lower end of the socioeconomic spectrum beyond the poverty line.

Inflation without any economic intervention is basically how you pull down the middle class sector of a country.

Social safety nets

Efforts of the government to provide financial aid to the people are channeled through agencies such as Philhealth, Pag-IBIG, and SSS. The benefits that these agencies provide offer major financial assistance to  the middle class mainly because it's mostly this sector that's actively funding these programs.

For one, Pag-IBIG is the most accessible means of the poor and middle class to purchase a home. Compared to banks, Pag-IBIG is highly inclusive of all socioeconomic classes, even to the poor.

If financial assistance from the government become inefficient, it's the spending capability of the middle class that will mostly be hampered.

So, are you in the middle class?

Based on the data from the NSCB, for a household of three to be considered as part of the middle class, they must meet the following criteria:

#A household income of  approximately ₱11,915 to ₱49,526  per month or ₱142,975 to ₱594,317 annually. The bigger your family is, the higher your income should be in order to fit into this classification.

#If you're single, and your income immediately falls in this range, it's safe to say that you belong in the middle class, as long as you can freely choose your lifestyle without compromising your daily essentials such as food, transportation, shelter, and etc.

#Overall household and moving expenses on the average is 66.2% of your monthly income, the lesser the better.

#Approximately 21.9% of your income can be considered as your discretionary fund which you can spend on luxury items, vacation, non-essential goods and services, or investment and savings. In other words, it's extra money you can pocket after paying your bills and spend on all your necessities.

Another indicator that would factor in as a determinant of the socio economic classification is the family expenditure – the ratio of the overall household expenses to the monthly income. The NSCB simply grouped the country into three segments: the high income, middle income, and low income groups, each representing the respective socio economic classes.

Food   
High income  : 21.1%
Middle income: 34.8%
Low income   : 53.4%

Rent/rental value of occupied dwelling units   
High income  : 16.6%
Middle income: 13.9%
Low income   : 10.7%

Transportation and communication   
High income  : 12.5%
Middle income:  9.8%
Low income   :  5.3%

Fuel, light and water   
High income  :  5.6%
Middle income:  7.7%
Low income   :  7.7%

Taxes   
High income  :  5.4%
Middle income:  2.4%
Low income   :  0.5%

Education   
High income  :  3.7%
Middle income:  5.9%
Low income   :  2.1%

Personal care and effects   
High income  :  3.0%
Middle income:  3.6%
Low income   :  3.9%

Others   
High income  : 32.1%
Middle income: 21.9%
Low income   : 16.4%

Total   
High income  : 100.0%
Middle income: 100.0%
Low income   : 100.0%


According to the breakdown of family expenditures from the NSCB, on the average, the middle class spends 34% of their income on food, 13.9% on home/rent, 9.8% on transportation, 7.7% on utilities, 5.9% on education, and 21.9% on others which can include savings, recreation expenses, and the likes.

Do note that these data can only be used as a baseline for the classification as it only represents a family of three. Assets and properties are also not taken into account in this study gathered by NSCB. The expenditure figures however may vary from one region to another, as the cost of living in the Philippines differs greatly per region. The cost of living in Davao may not be as high as the cost of living in Manila or Cebu.

How much do you earn and spend?

Primarily, the overall household income is a determinant of an individual's socioeconomic standing, especially in the Philippines where this classification is mostly associated with finances. According to the National Statistical Coordination Board's (NSCB) now known as the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the income classes for an average household of three are as follow:

High income:   
Monthly : ₱ 50,000 and up
Annually: ₱594,317 and up

Middle income:   
Monthly : ₱11,915 to ₱49,526
Annually: ₱142,975 to ₱594,317

Low income (Poor):   
Monthly : ₱0 to ₱11,914.5
Annually: ₱142,974

Who Are The Middle Class In The Philippines?

August 2, 2017

by Marc Adrian

In the Philippines, according to the most recent research done by National Statistical Coordination Board, only 3 out of 20 households belong to the middle class population, with two thirds of them residing in urban areas. The middle class plays within the gap between the poor and the rich, and basing on these numbers, that line seems to be a lot thinner than what many of us perceived.

The middle class is basically defined as the socioeconomic group between the affluent and the poor. In a more financially focused definition, the middle class is made up of those people who have the ability to choose their lifestyle, because they have just enough resources to do so without compromising their basic needs. In economics, this socioeconomic class is a crucial benchmark of a country's economic standing, thus it is every developing country's ultimate goal to grow this segment of their population.

Defining who is rich and who isn't can be straightforward to the laymen. However, defining who lingers in between these two contrasting classifications isn't as easy.

So, which category do you really belong to?

oh my, oh my.

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