MikeLigalig.com

Australian researchers are calling for an upgrading of national guidelines on lead levels in the blood of children, according to the latest Medical Journal of Australia on Monday.

Researchers estimated almost 100,000 children could be affected by lead in blood.

The Australian standard, set in 1993, mirrors the World Health Organization guideline of 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood.

But experts said these guidelines must be updated urgently in light of new figures based on analysis of the United States exposure rates and published in the latest issue of the magazine.

In a letter to the magazine, Mark Taylor of Sydney's Macquarie University, Chris Winder of the Australian Catholic University in Sydney and Bruce Lanphear of Canada's Simon Fraser University, say 100,000 Australian children aged up to four could have blood lead levels linked to health problems, including behavioral problems and low IQ.

According to their research, "new and overwhelming evidence indicates that even levels below 5 micrograms per deciliter are associated with a range of adverse health outcomes, including decreased intelligence and academic achievement, sociobehavioral problems such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, learning difficulties, oppositional and conduct disorders and delinquency." - source: PNA

by pna

Three young fighters from Davao City won four gold and a silver medals in the ADCC Asia-Pacific World Qualifying Championships and ADCC Asia-Pacific Championships held at the SM Mall of Asia last November 3-4 in Manila.

Jonathan "Spartan" Sumogat of the Cenojas Mixed Martial Arts-Kamphuis Fabricio Davao bagged the gold medal in the men's 60 kilogram under category while the Lim twins, Mike and Marc, also ruled their respective divisions.

Mike pocketed two golds from juniors and men under 65 kgs. events while Marc got the gold in the juniors 70 kg. under and a silver in the men 70 kg. under.

"To God be the Glory!," said CMMA coaches Mars and Marco Cenojas after their team's impressive feat in the two-day event participated in by competitors from Japan, Korea, Australia and the Asia-Pacific region.

Sumogat and the rest of the winners of the Male Advanced divisions will receive free accommodation and airfare to compete at the ADCC 2013 World Championships, according to organizer Stephen Khampis of ADCC Asia.

"The venue will be announced later. Baka daw sa US (United States)," said Mars Cenojas.

The Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC) is the most prestigious grappling competition in the world which is finance by the Prince of Abu Dhabi.

By Priam F. Nepomuceno

The death toll in the New People's Army-instigated ambush on Philippine Army soldiers in Sitio Cinco, Barangay Mapula, Paquibato District, Davao City Sunday afternoon climbed to four after another trooper earlier reported captured by the rebels was found dead on Monday.

Lt. Col. Lyndon Paniza, 10th Infantry Division spokesperson, said the slain troopers were all assigned to the 60th Infantry Battalion's Peace and Development Team.

The four soldiers, who were on civilian attire and unarmed, were aboard three motorcycles when they were attacked by 10 NPA fighters at around 5:30 p.m. Sunday.

Paniza identified the initial three fatalities as Private First Class Ahian Vir Dolero, Pfc. Marvin Lauronal and Pfc. Noel Sigan, whose remains are now in Villa Funeral Homes in Panabo City.

Private Marcelo Himaya, who was earlier reported captured by the rebels, was found dead in a nearby area and believed to be summarily executed.

“They were on their way back to their detachment after marketing when the incident happened,” Paniza said.

Bran, I think this is in Europe. If not Czech, it could be Hungary.

Yellow Leaves

Palatial

Creepy Place

Gloomy

Blue Moon

by pna

The Philippines ranked second in a Global Consumer Confidence Survey conducted by the Nielsen Company, a Palace official said.

In a statement issued Tuesday, Deputy Spokesperson Abigail Valte said the latest survey represents a two-point increase in the third quarter of 2012 compared to the second quarter this year.

With a score of 118, the Philippines comes second only to India and Indonesia which both share the top spot with 119 among 58 countries surveyed.

"The bullish consumer sentiment shows a positive attitude towards the Philippine economy, one bright spot in only 12 countries that registered “more optimism” out of the 58 surveyed," Valte said.

Valte pointed out that the survey’s index notes that a score of 101 and higher indicates more optimism while a score of 100 and lower means more pessimism.

She said the Philippines bested Thailand by 6 points and Malaysia by 13 points. Singapore with a score of 98 and Vietnam with 87 both measured below the index of 100.

Hurricane Sandy Arrives in New York City

Storm Hovering Over Statue of Liberty

vistabel, to watch the video, use Google Chrome as your browser.

Icy Shore

A Mediterranean and low-carb diet has the longest, healthiest effects on well-being, even if you pack the pounds back on afterward, an Israeli study shows.

Such a diet, rich in the bounty of Mediterranean-hugging countries, includes a variety of vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, fish and poultry, and features olive oil as one of its main ingredients.

According to the researchers from Ben-Gurion University in the Negev, along with Israel's Nuclear Research Center, adhering to such low-carb regimens provides a beneficial metabolic effect, lowering the levels of bad cholesterol, triglycerides and limiting arteriosclerosis.

The study, published this month in the New England Journal of Medicine, was a follow-up for a period of six years over 322 moderately obese research subjects who were given three kinds of diets: low-fat; restricted-calorie; Mediterranean, restricted- calorie; or low-carbohydrate, non-restricted-calorie.

Those that followed the Mediterranean diet lost an average of 3. 1 kg, as opposed to 1.7 kg lost by people on the low-carb diet. Also, since participants regained an average of 2.7 kg after the diet period, only the ones on the Mediterranean diet have actually stayed slimmer.

The results also suggested that the lipid profile improved in the long term, regardless of partial weight gain after the diet was concluded.

What a shame and disgrace for a police official to engage in evil deeds.

Gwaii, Hawaii
Photo by Evan Spellman

AFP-PNP statistics: 29,553 killed in 33 years of communist insurgency war since 1978
By Ben Cal

A total of 29,553 Filipinos, mostly combatants, were killed during a 33-year period covering 1978-2010 in the communist insurgency war in the country, according to military and police statistics.

Jurgette Honculada, a member of the Government of the Philippines (GPH) peace panel negotiating with the Communist Party of the Philippines/New People’s Army/National Democratic Front (CPP/NPA/NDF), based the figure on the statistics released by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police.

In a paper entitled “The Emotional Calculus of Conflict,” Honculada said that during the insurgency war between government forces and communist rebels from 1978 to 2010, a total of 13,412 NPA fighters were killed.

The AFP/PNP suffered 8,264 dead during the same period, she said.

Honculada lamented that 7,877 civilians caught in the crossfire were also killed.

She said this “translates into 80 deaths daily for the period: 36 communists, 23 soldiers and policemen, and 21 civilians.”

The fatalities did not include the years from 1969 to 1977 when there was also heavy fighting between government forces and NPA rebels.

Furthermore, the number of deaths related to communist insurgency warfare did not include the Muslim rebellion in Mindanao where an estimated 150,000 were killed during 40 years of fighting.

The GPH and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) signed on Oct. 7 this year the historic Framework Agreement as a roadmap to end the armed conflict in southern Philippines.

The signing of the Framework Agreement has drawn praises from the cross section of society here and abroad.

On the other hand, the negotiations between the Philippine government and the CPP/NPA/NDF have been stalled, meeting only once the past two years as the communist rebels insisted of putting pre-conditions such as the release of captured rebels whom they tagged as “consultants” before the talks could resume.

“When the GPH and CPP/NPA/NDF peace panels met in June in Oslo to declog a peace process mired in a contrapuntal word and ground war, both sides raised their bills of particulars. The CPP/NPA/NDF listed over half a dozen issues pertaining to safety and immunity guarantees for their consultants (JASIG) bilateral agreements, the release of political prisoners, terrorist listing of the CPP-NPA and Jose Ma. Sison, and indemnification of human rights victims. (These issues have been, and will be, addressed elsewhere),” Honculada pointed out.

“The GPH panel focused on a demand to 'lower the level of violence on the ground', with particular reference to the use of land mines and child soldiers by the NPA,” the lady peace panel member said.

Honculada added: “There is no meeting of the minds there, Satur Ocampo wrote in his Philippine Star column on Sept. 1, 2012. NDF chair Luis Jalandoni echoed this sentiment when he said, in a forum also on the same day, that peace talks must not be reduced to mere ceasefire negotiations.”

“For GPH, the issues of child soldiers and land mines are not marginal or peripheral to peace negotiations. Children, in the barest sense, are our future; when we imperil them we risk our future,” she said.

“International humanitarian law and Philippine law prohibit the use of child soldiers, a practice staunchly denied by the CPP-NPA but belied by regular news reports, among the latest that on a 17-year-old (recruited when he was 13) among NPA casualties in an Aug. 31, 2012 Davao encounter,” Honculada said.

Honculada added that “the CPP/NPA/NDF takes pains to point out that the NPA uses ‘command-detonated’ land mines (as against ‘pressure-activated’ ones which kill anyone) whose use is allowed by international conventions.”

“But land mines do not always obey instructions, time and again killing and maiming hapless civilians. (Recently a grenade targeted at a military site landed on merry- making barangay folk in a Davao fair in Paquibato district, injuring 47; the NPA has belatedly owned up to the deed),” she said.

“Unlearning war must begin here and now, not who knows when, or with the inking of the final pact. Violence has taken too high a toll on our families and villages and communities, rending them asunder. In the poem 'Brave Woman' by Grace Monte de Ramos, a village woman (perhaps widow?) soliloquizes about her two sons, unschooled and unskilled, joining the army “when they were young;” and her third and youngest son, abducted at 17 -- by soldiers or rebels? She cannot say. As she seeks his bones, she laments that perhaps her older sons have “given other mothers sorrow … Perhaps my (youngest) son had to pay for what they borrowed,” Honculada continued.

“And violence has taken too high a toll on our psyches, most especially those who have come within arm’s length of it,” Honculada said, adding that “the former pastor of a campus Protestant church was one of three children in the 1970s serving the NPA as errand boys. His peasant father was jailed by the military, his mother was in the U.S. to earn money somehow, he had to survive by his wits, thus ending up with the NPA in Isabela, his home province. Decades later, by dint of hard work, struggle and sacrifice, and luck, he became a pastor, as did one of his fellow errand boys. The third took his own life.”

Honculada stressed that “the inner wounds inflicted by violence take a lifetime (and amazing grace) to heal. The inner demons one cannot always slay.”

She quoted King Badouin I of Belgium when the latter said: “Youth is the first victim of war; the first fruit of peace. It takes 20 years or more of peace to make a man; it takes only 20 seconds of war to destroy him.”

“This is where GPH is coming from. This is the emotional calculus that compels the GPH panel to raise the issues of land mines and child soldiers and press for reduced levels of violence during negotiations,” Honculada said.

Honculada further stressed that “these do not negate the GPH’s commitment to socioeconomic-political reforms. For GPH, seeking peace in the here-and-now is a foretaste or token of the just and enduring peace that we all want. Muting the gunfire during peace talks, keeping children and civilians out of harm’s way, will mean one life, or two or three or more saved, and that will have been worth it.”

In her paper, Honculada also quoted American peace mentor John Paul Lederach, who once said: ”When we choose gunfire as the modality by which we communicate, it becomes difficult to go back to words.”

“Herein lies the challenge: of finding a common ground, of finding the right words to cut through the crap and the gunfire, of matching word with deed, resolve with will, of restoring integrity to words so that we do not engage in wordplay (and verbal sleight-of-hand) but mean what we say and say what we mean, of unlearning war in order to wage peace,” Honculada said.

The question is: Will the CPP/NPA/NDF listen to the multitude of the Filipino people crying for peace now? (PNA)

by pna

Police arrested four persons, including a Korean national, for allegedly kidnapping another Korean national and his Filipina live-in partner last Wednesday.

Police identified the victims as Jun Hyung Chung and live-in partner Charisse Santiago, both of legal age and residents of Laguerta St., Barangay Lahug, Cebu City.

The arrested suspects were identified as Leonard Bolabon, Gregorio Dealagdon and Richcard Nemenzo Dealagdon.

The three reportedly kidnapped Chung and Santiago from their apartment at 11 a.m. Wednesday.

The suspects said they were hired by a Korean national Song Sung Heum, 32, to demand payment of the couple's debt with the former.

Initial police investigation said Chung reportedly owed Heum about P4 million.

While the operation to track down the victims and the suspects was being conducted by the Cebu Intelligence Branch (CIB), CIB was ordered by Philippine National Police (PNP) Director Nicanor Bartolome who was in Cebu City Friday for a speaking engagement at an uptown hotel.

He told reporters that the couple was taken from their apartment in Lahug to different places in the city. First, they were taken to Busay, in Cebu City, but later to Toledo City and then back to Cebu City.

During the alleged kidnapping, the suspects supposedly took P200,000 cash from Chung.

Bolabon, who is currently detained together with two other suspects at the Cebu City Police Office stockade, denied kidnapping the couple.

He said they were asked by Heum, who was still in Korea during the alleged kidnapping, to personally demand payment from Chung.

Bolabon said they drove them around while waiting for their alleged creditor to return from Korea.

He said they pretended to be members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and told the couple to pay the money they owed Heum.

”We did not kidnap them because that’s a serious case. We only drove them around while we waited for Heum to return to the country,” Bolabon said.

He admitted they drove the couple to different places, but said they did not hurt the victims.

Bartolome, who refused to elaborate on some details, specifically on how the CIB tracked down the suspects, merely said that they received a text message from a source who knew about the kidnapping.

He told reporters to wait for the results of the anti-kidnapping task force’s investigation.

At 10 p.m. Wednesday, the CIB operatives traced the suspects to a bank near a mall in Cebu City.

The suspects were allegedly trying to withdraw P195,000 from Chung’s account.

The CIB arrested the suspects and found the victims, who were handcuffed, inside a Toyota Vios.

Bartolome said the suspects reportedly asked for P600,000 from the victims as an initial payment.

A middle man named Wilfredo Naval was still at large, he said.

Naval was the one who reportedly fetched Heum, who arrived from Seoul, South Korea at dawn Friday.

The CIB operatives arrested Heum just as he arrived in Cebu, based on Bolabon and Gregorio Dealagdon’s statement.

Heum is detained at the Tourist Police detention cell. He declined interviews.

by pna

The Department of Interior and Local Government’s planned recruitment of additional 60,000 policemen within three years will allow the Philippine National Police to deploy at least one cop in each of the country’s 42,000 barangays.

PNP Director-General Nicanor Bartolome welcomed on Saturday the medium-term plans by the DILG to muster 60,000 more police personnel to provide better services to the communities.

Speaking before the national convention of the Association of Government Accountants of the Philippines (AGAP) in Cebu City, Bartolome echoed the earlier pronouncements made by DILG Secretary Manuel A. Roxas II indicating moves to hike the PNP strength by as much as 60,000 personnel within the next three years.

Bartolome underscored the urgency to recruit more uniformed members of the police force in order to meet the ideal police to population ratio of one policeman for every 500 citizens.

He said the PNP flagship program to deploy at least one policeman in each of the country’s 42,000 barangays will be fully implemented with more warm bodies added to the present corps of 148,000 PNP members.

At present, he said, the PNP cannot possibly accomplish the one policeman per barangay deployment scheme, instead, one policeman is deployed to a cluster of several adjacent barangays in some parts of the country.

”Current annual supplemental appropriations from the Office of the President allow the PNP to take in as many as 6,000 recruits each year. But this is largely offset by the annual attrition of an average of 3,000 personnel due to retirement and separation,” Bartolome explained.

”At any rate, we can take in as many recruits as our funds can allow. We even have enough handguns in our inventory to equip new recruits,” he said.

Earlier, Roxas revealed his plan to achieve the ideal 1:500 policeman and citizen ratio within the next three years by recruiting 60,000 more police personnel.

by pna

Giant oil firm Petron Corp. has announced significant price rollbacks ahead of the observance of All Saints Day and All Souls Day next week, traditionally marked by high fuel consumption due to the transit of people to and from the provinces.

In its text advisory Saturday afternoon, Petron Corp. said it would cut prices of premium and unleaded gasoline by P2.15 per liter, regular gasoline by P1.70 per liter and diesel and kerosene by P1.35 per liter.

Petron’s rollback would take effect at 12:01 a.m. Monday, Oct 29.

“This reflects the movements in the international oil market,” the oil firm said in its text advisory.

Early Saturday morning, independent oil player Flying V Philippines jumped the gun on its rival companies by implementing a smallerâ€"yet still sizableâ€"price drop Saturday.

At 12:01 a.m. Saturday, Flying V reduced its prices of unleaded and premium gasoline by P1.50 per liter and diesel by P1 per liter.

Other oil firms have yet to announce a price adjustment as of press time, although they are expected to follow.

Dept. of Energy Undersecretary Jose Layug Jr. himself noted that the international market price of petroleum products plunged during last week’s trading, particularly from October 22 to 25.

During that span, international prices of gasoline and diesel dropped by an equivalent P2.30 per liter and P1.40 per liter, respectively.

The majority of oil firms are actually coming off a wave of price cuts, which they implemented only last Tuesday.

The previous rollback amounted to P0.90 per liter on unleaded and premium, P0.40 per liter on regular, P0.35 per liter on diesel and P0.25 per liter on kerosene.

As of yesterday, the average price of fuel products in Metro Manila stood at the following levels: premium (including unleaded), P55 per liter; diesel, P43 per liter and kerosene, P54 per liter.

Layug dispelled assertions that oil companies are always looking to jack up prices in the days leading to All Saints Day and All Souls Day in order to maximize their profit.

by pna

THE Commission on Elections asked the pubic to monitor national and local candidates who might take advantage of All Saints and All Souls Day by putting up streamers and tarpaulin in cemeteries.

“Bantayan natin yung Undas. Tingnan natin kapag hindi napuno yung mga sementeryo ng mga tarpaulin at posters,” said Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes, Jr.

He added what the people should do is to document the scenes by taking pictures of those who would take advantage of the occasion.

“Magandang kuhanan yun tapos ilabas natin tapos sabihin natin eto, tandaan niyo hindi dapat iboto pagdating ng May,” Brillantes said.

The Comelec chief said he would no longer be surprised if prospective candidates would use the celebration to promote themselves since there is no one who would prevent them.

“It’s always a problem because they can always take advantage of such fact that there’s no premature campaigning. We don’t have a law,” Brillantes said.

However, he appealed to the conscience of the possible candidates.

“I’am addressing it to the conscience of candidates. Siguro may pumipitik naman na konti na hindi tama yung ginagawa nyo---ang sinasabi ko lang don’t take advantage naman of the others who cannot afford it,” he said.

Women who quit smoking before reaching middle age can significantly cut risks of early death, according to a new study published here on Saturday.

Researchers at Oxford University found in a survey of 1.3 million women between 1996 and 2001 that women who quit smoking by the age of 30 could avoid up to 97 percent of the extra risks of premature death.

The findings, published in the medical journal The Lancet, echoed similar studies previously conducted on men.

"Both in the UK and in the USA, women born around 1940 were the first generation in wich many smoked substantial numbers of cigarettes throughout adult life," said Professor Richard Peto who is one of the study's lead authors at Oxford.

"Hence, only in the 21st century could we observe directly the full effects of prolonged smoking, and of prolonged cessation, on premature mortality among women," he said.

The study suggested that hazards of smoking for women were greater than previously thought. Lifelong smokers died a decade earlier than those who did not smoke at all.

Male or female, "smokers who stop before reaching middle age ... will on average gain about an extra ten years of life," said Prof. Peto.

However, experts pointed out that this was not a license for the young to smoke as much as they want in their 20s, which could still increase health risks.

by pna

U.S. President Barack Obama on Saturday highlighted the role of a federal consumer protection agency, vowing to constantly promote Wall Street reforms to prevent Americans from suffering another financial crisis.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), established under new Wall Street reforms, has been standing up for consumers and protecting Americans from mistakes made by the companies who determine credit scores, said Obama in his weekly address, citing that the CFPB and other regulators recently ordered three big credit card companies to return over 400 million U.S. dollars to people who were misled into making purchases they didn't want.

To stem the devastating financial crisis that began four years ago from spreading from Wall Street to Main Street, the United States passed new tough Wall Street reforms and the nation had recovered much from the crisis, said the president.

U.S. businesses had added more than 5 million new jobs and the unemployment rate had fallen to the lowest level since he took office, Obama said.

What the CFPB did is what Wall Street reform is all about, looking out for working families and ensuring everyone is playing by the same rules, he said.

However, he asserted, Republicans in Congress had always been trying to roll back these reforms.

"Backed by an army of financial industry lobbyists, they've been waging an all-out battle to delay, defund and dismantle these new rules," he said.

Obama, sounding like a consumer advocate, stressed that he would refuse to let that happen and continue to move reforms forward.

by pna

Hurricane Sandy on Saturday regained its hurricane strength after dropping to tropical storm earlier in the day, and is expected to impact U.S. East Coast as early as Sunday. The two presidential campaigns have both canceled events due to the approaching storm.

At 8 a.m. Saturday, National Weather Services said Sandy was about 335 miles southeast of Charleston, South Carolina. It has regained strength, and was again a category 1 hurricane with winds of 75 miles per hour.

The storm is expected to impact U.S. East Coast from mid- Atlantic to southern New England. Coupled with a winter storm front heading east, it could become a slow-moving super storm, dumping rain, gale, flash flood, and even snow to the most populated area of the United States in the early part of the next week.

Four states on the storm's path, Virginia, Maryland, New York and Pennsylvania, have already declared state of emergency, so did the District of Columbia.

Both election campaigns of President Barack Obama and Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney have made changes because of the storm. The Obama campaign canceled Vice President Joe Biden's Saturday rally in coastal Virginia Beach, and Romney also canceled a rally in Virginia Beach planned for Sunday. None of Obama's campaign stops had been canceled, but he is reported to be adjusting his travel schedule, moving the planned Monday departure for Florida to Sunday night because of the storm.

The northeast monsoon or "amihan" will bring light rains over extreme Northern Luzon but the rest of the country will generally have good weather condition within the week, the state weather bureau said on Sunday.

Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) forecaster Melo Mendoza said there is no weather disturbance near the Philippine territory that may affect the country.

Mendoza said that good weather is expected to prevail during the coming All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day except for possible rainshowers in the afternoon or evening due to localized thunderstorms.

The northeast monsoon is usually associated with the Christmas season. It is the cold wind from Siberia that blows into the country, usually from mid-October until mid-February.

PAGASA also issued a gale warning as strong to gale force wind is expected to affect the seaboards of Northern Luzon.

Fishing boats and other small seacraft are advised not to venture out into the sea while larger sea vessels are alerted against big waves.

What's Wrong with Samar in Philippines?

Only in Camiguin

Beautiful Spot for Meditation

by pna

Three strong weather systems are on an ominous collision course for the eastern United States next week that could create the worst storm to hit the region in 100 years.

“It really could be an extremely significant, historic storm,” Brian McNoldy, a senior researcher at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, told the New York Times.

Hurricane Sandy is headed from the south, a winter storm is approaching from the west, and cold air from the north could create a triple combination that is expected to hit early next week and bring high winds, snow, flooding and massive power outages.

Hurricane Sandy pummeled Haiti and Cuba on Thursday, and slammed into the Bahamas as a category 2 storm with 100 mph (161 kmh) winds on Friday. It was blamed for at least 29 deaths across the Caribbean.

Sandy was predicted to pass by the US North Carolina Coast and make landfall somewhere between Virginia and New England on Monday or Tuesday.

The rare convergence of three separate severe weather patterns merging in a densely populated area pushed damage predictions into the billions of dollars, and prompted state and local governments to begin emergency preparations.

Utility crews in several states put thousands of workers on standby and New York City opened an emergency situation room.

"What we are doing is we are taking the kind of precautions you should expect us to do, and I don't think anyone should panic," New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg told reporters.

Massachusetts told power companies to submit their storm plans to the state by Friday.

A spokesman for Connecticut Light and Power told CBS News the company was “getting our resources ready, making sure our people are ready, getting everything in order.”

“Everybody along the US East Coast needs to be paying attention to this right now,” National Hurricane Center meteorologist Dennis Feltgen told the New York Times.

Forecasters said New Jersey and the New York City area could see around five inches of rain and winds of up to 40 mph (64 kmh). Interior states including Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia could get snow.

"We don't have many modern precedents for what the models are suggesting," National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecaster Jim Cisco told the Associated Press.

"It's almost a weeklong, five-day, six-day event," he said. "It's going to be a widespread, serious storm."

by pna

China's consumer quality watchdog on Friday urged importers to recall certain kinds of instant noodles produced by Nongshim, the Republic of Korea (ROK)'s largest instant noodle maker, as some of the noodles have been found to contain carcinogens.

The recall would affect six of the company's products, including Neoguri, bowl-type Neoguri and Sang Sang Noodles, which were found to contain benzopyrene, a compound that can cause lung cancer, according to an online statement from the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ).

The decision came after the Korea Food and Drug Administration announced Thursday that it would recall the six varieties over health concerns.

"We have decided to issue a recall order for all of Nongshim's 'ramyeon' products that include materials that have been determined to be inappropriate," the Yonhap News Agency quoted an official from the Korea Food and Drug Administration as saying.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpZhZAr1cQU#ws
Korean Girls Doing Gangnam Style

A car whose mass is 900 kg travels east along a highway at 50.0 km/h. What is the magnitude of the momentum vector of this car?

(a) 450 kg .
m/s
(b) 1.25 10⁴ kg
. m/s
(c) 4.50 10⁶ kg
. m/s
(d) 2.25 10⁶ kg .
m/s
(e) 6.48 10⁴ kg
. m/s

Raw Fish Dish

Red Gumamela

Vegetarian Lumpia

Regal Airport Hotel in Hong Kong

by pna

Children with one or more electronic devices in the bedroom tend to sleep less, thus more likely to become overweight or obese, a Canadian study showed.

The study, conducted by the University of Alberta, showed that as few as one hour of additional sleep decreased the risk of being overweight or obese by 28 percent and 30 percent, respectively.

After asking 3,400 Grade 5 students in the Canadian province of Alberta, researchers found half of the students had a TV, DVD player or video game console in their bedrooms, and 21 percent had a computer and 17 percent had a cellphone.

Some 57 percent of the students reported using electronics after they were supposed to be asleep, with watching TV and movies the most popular activity, according to the study.

The study found that students with access to one electronic device were 1.47 times as likely to be overweight as kids with no devices in the bedrooms. The possibility increased to 2.57 times for kids with three devices, with similar results reported among obese children.

Co-author Christina Fung noted that children today are not sleeping as much as previous generations, with two-thirds not getting the recommended hours of sleep per night.

"It's important to teach these children at an earlier age and teach them healthy habits when they are younger," Fung said.

In addition to healthy lifestyle habits, a good night's sleep has been linked to better academic outcomes, fewer mood disorders and other positive health outcomes, she said.

by pna

Australian scientists have unraveled genes of pancreatic cancer, the fourth leading cause of cancer death, potentially paving the way for new treatments for this cancer, according to a statement from the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Sydney on Thursday.

The study was published in Nature this week. Pancreatic cancer has the highest mortality rate of all the major cancers and is one of the few for which survival has not improved substantially over the past 40 years.

Professor Sean Grimmond, from the University of Queensland, and Professor Andrew Biankin, from Sydney's Garvan Institute of Medical Research, led an international team of more than 100 researchers that sequenced the genomes of 100 pancreatic tumours and compared them to normal tissue to determine the genetic changes that lead to this cancer.

"We found over 2,000 mutated genes in total ... which was mutated in about 90 percent of samples, and hundreds of gene mutations that were only present in 1 or 2 percent of tumours," Professor Grimmond said.

"This demonstrates that so-called 'pancreatic cancer' is not one disease, but many, and suggests that people who seemingly have the same cancer might need to be treated quite differently."

by pna

Apple on Tuesday updated its computer products lineup with the launch of new notebook and desktop models.

At a press event held at San Jose in California, Apple introduced a new 13-inch MacBook Pro notebook computer with the high-resolution Retina display.

The new notebook is lighter and thinner than its previous generation, Apple executive said.

The company also announced new all-in-one iMac desktop computer and new version of Mac mini, a small desktop computer shipped without a display.

Apple is widely expected to unveil a smaller version of its iPad tablet computer at the ongoing event.

sulayan nako ug kuha iyang contact information, balong. taga Antequera ni siya. He was one of the Philippine representatives to the 2012 Chess Olympiad in Istanbul, Turkey.

by pna

Samsung Electronics, the world's leading tech company, unveiled on Wednesday its newest model of ATIV devices powered by the upcoming Windows 8.

The ATIV Smart PC, a hybrid of laptop and tablet, was introduced in the media event held in Samsung headquarters located in central Seoul to allow users to switch between laptop and tablet modes with detachable keyboard and touchscreen.

Convertibility is the most notable feature of the hybrid PC. The device is used as a laptop, but the display can be separated from the keyboard by pushing a button at the top of the keyboard before being carried as a tablet.

The device will be available starting Oct. 26 when the Windows 8 is scheduled to be launched. The Smart PC will be run by Windows 8 operating system (OS), and will be shipped with S pen digital stylus, which was already included in Samsung's Galaxy Note phablet model.

The Samsung Smart PC consisted of two models, including standard ATIV Smart PC and ATIV Smart PC Pro. The former came with Intel's Atom Z2760 processor, 2GB RAM and 64 GB of internal storage. The latter had the better hardware with Intel's Core i5 3317U processor, 4GB RAM and 128 GB SSD for storage.

the late Philippine President Carlos P. Garcia was a chess player. According to historical accounts, he was an excellent chess player.

Bohol now has a soon-to-be-crowned Grandmaster. His name is International Master Oliver Dimakiling.

next month, we'll start issuing press releases to bohol chronicle, sunday post, bohol times, bohol balita, bohol standard newspapers to drum up participation of boholano and non-boholano chess players.

by pna

China will launch 11 meteorological satellites before 2020 to boost the country's weather monitoring network, according to the country's meteorological satellite development plan (2011-2020) released Wednesday.

The country will invest a total of 21.7 billion yuan (3.44 billion U.S. dollars) in the sector, including research on new-generation meteorological satellites and the building of ground application systems for meteorological satellites, said Yang Jun, director of the National Satellite Meteorological Center.

China has launched 12 meteorological satellites since 1988, with seven remaining in orbit.

tinuod ni nga tournament. we are printing banners and tarpaulins for info dissemination around bohol towns.

by pna

In Google’s continuing effort to create the most comprehensive and accurate worldwide maps possible, the gigantic search engine this week went beyond the streets and skies, taking cameras down into the popular American tourist site, the Grand Canyon.

Google launched the Trekker, a sophisticated wearable backpack with a high-tech camera on top, sending three of the devices into the Grand Canyon, the first step towards mapping and showcasing remote destinations around the world accessible only by foot.

"Any of these sort of iconic, cultural, historical locations that are not accessible by road is where we want to go," said Ryan Falor, product manager at Google, according to the Associated Press.

Falor and two teams from Google hiked into the Grand Canyon’s South Rim, bringing them 4,500 feet (1,372 meters) into the landmark’s immense ravine. The camera system is capturing 360-degree pictures, which will be stitched together to create the panoramic images found in Google Maps.

The Trekker backpacks weigh 40 pounds (18 kilograms) and are equipped with a set of 15-specially designed camera lenses that are arranged into a metal contraption that looks like a soccer ball, capturing images every 2.5 seconds.

On top of the ball, there are also two GPS receivers and sensors that record temperature, vibrations and the device’s location as it is hiked through the Grand Canyon’s many steep and rugged switchbacks.

“When we were designing Trekker, we really knew we wanted to take it to these rugged, remote locations,” said Falor. “We worked really hard to make sure it was waterproof and could handle heat and cold and all kinds of abuse on the trail.”

Google’s journey into the Grand Canyon comes after Apple decided to drop Google Maps from its mobile operating systems and use its own mapping system that has suffered from glitches since it launched last month, providing bad directions and mislabeling locations for users.

The search giant announced the Trekker back in June, but the trip into the Grand Canyon is the first time the device has been used to collect pictures. It could be months before Google will release the images to the public, Falor said.

Trekker’s pictures will be used in the Google Maps Street View feature, which lets viewers explore natural wonders, landmarks and locations around the world through 360-degree street-level imagery with the click of a button.

In the past, panoramic views have been collected by Google’s Street View cars, tricycles and snowmobiles that have traveled more than 5 million miles (8 million kilometers) around the world, capturing scenery in 3,000 cities and 43 countries.

Through the launch of Trekker, people will be able to marvel and admire the beauty of the Grand Canyon from the comfort of their homes, which could help some plan their future hikes into the national park or view a part of the world that they may not be able to travel to in their lifetime.

by pna

A lawmaker is requesting the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives to appropriate P787 million for the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to cover the benefits of its science and technology workers mandated by Republic Act No. 8439.

In filing House Resolution 2713, Rep. Angelo Palmones (Party-list, AGHAM) said it is high time for the government to grant the incentives for science and technology workers as mandated by R.A. 8439 entitled Magna Carta for Scientists, Engineers, Researchers, and other science and technology personnel in government.

R.A. 8439 was enacted in 1997 to realize economic development faster with the application of science and technology, and technological changes can be achieved with systematic and deliberate investments in research and development (R&D) over time and putting in place appropriate policies and programs.

Palmones said it is provided in Section 20 of R.A. 8439 the appropriation of needed funds in the General Appropriations Act (GAA) of the year following its enactment into law under the budgetary appropriations of the DOST and concerned agencies.

But despite that, Palmones said there was no such amount appropriated for DOST and other concerned agencies following the enactment of R.A. 8439 in 1997 nor in the succeeding years.

Palmones said the incentives that DOST has been able to give to its science workers comes from savings of the individual agencies and from the DOST office, which fluctuates from year to year depending on the ability of the agencies to save.

FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva on Wednesday called on international food communities and all players in the global food system to join together in eradicating hunger from the earth "within our lifetimes."

Opening the bi-annual Terra Madre conference organized in Turin by Slow Food International, he said achieving zero hunger would, among other measures, require moving to eliminate food losses and waste.

"Around one third of all the food produced in the world is lost or wasted every year," he noted, adding that those lost and wasted was enough to feed an extra 500 million people without putting additional pressure on natural resources.

"It would make no sense to change the way we produce our food if we continue to consume as we do today," he said.

The FAO chief said it was time to take "the next big step" in the fight against malnutrition. FAO has embraced UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's challenge to eradicate hunger within our lifetimes, he said.

"I call on you to do the same," Graziano da Silva said. "Let's make this our Zero Hunger Challenge."

Meeting the challenge would mean making all food systems sustainable; enabling smallholders, especially women, to double their productivity and income; cutting food waste; ensuring people have year-round access to nutritious food; and ending malnutrition in pregnancy and child stunting, according to the FAO chief.

He also said that one reason food was wasted was "a tendency to excessive consumption in middle and high-income countries."

The result was that some 1.5 billion people are overweight, compared to 868 million undernourished, he continued.

"The figure illustrates one of the great contrasts of our world: the unequal distribution of food, of income and of opportunities," he said.

The Terra Madre conference, attended by delegates from some 130 countries, discusses food, agriculture, sustainable development, gastronomy, globalization and economics.

By Jelly Musico

At least 24 domestic flights have been cancelled due to bad weather brought by tropical storm Ofel which is battering southern Tagalog and Bicol Region.

As of noon Thursday, the Manila International Airport Authority media affairs office has received 24 flight cancellations as advised by Cebu Pacific, AirPhilippines Express and Zest Air.

Cebu Pacific cancelled its 14 flights from Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Caticlan and Ozamis and Legazpi.

The cancelled CebuPac flights are 5J 893, 894, 892, 920, 895, 898, 897 and 896, all going to and from Caticlan as well as flights 5J 781 and 782 to and from Ozamis and 323 and 324 to and from Legaspi.

The Air Philippines also cancelled its own flights 2P 051, 052, 055 and 055 going to and from and flights 2P 021 and 022 to Masbate.

Zest Air cancelled its morning flight Z2 260 bound for Masbate and the return flight 261 as well as its afternoon flight 202 bound to Marinduque and return flight 203.

The cancellation of flights has affected local tourists who are expected to enjoy the coming long weekend in Boracay resort island near the Caticlan airport.

by pna

President Benigno S. Aquino III said his administration has aggressively invested in people so that Filipinos don’t leave their families to work abroad and instead encourage those who left to return home.

Leaving overseas should be an option not a necessity for the people, the President said during a business forum in Australia on Thursday.

To meet its goal, the government increased the budget for education and healthcare since 2011, he said.

In the proposed 2013 budget, the public will see substantial increases in terms of spending for education and health, he added.

The President noted that from 63 percent, the government was able to achieve 85-percent national health insurance program coverage.

As the administration increased the number of people covered, it also widened the number of diseases covered by the health plan.

“We believe our greatest resource is our people therefore the investments have to enable our people to seize the opportunities that would be coming,” the President said.

“Our mantra is inclusive growth. We also believe that direct intervention to accelerate the process of their being included in the growth of the economy is as important,” he said.

The Chief Executive also acknowledged the need to shift the focus of the government’s thrust from consumer-driven economy to investment-driven one.

“We would like to move that from consumer to investment driven and that is the focus of this administration, providing more and more opportunities for our countrymen at home. We are not doing that on a passive basis,” he stressed.

Currently, the President said there are about 10 million Filipinos scattered around the world that the government has to protect if there are uncertainties.

By PNA

Scientists at Oregon Health & Sciences University (OHSU) have created human embryos using genes from one man and two women, a riveting development that could be used to prevent parents from passing incurable diseases on to their children, according to a study reported Wednesday in the science journal Nature.

“You can expect the first healthy child to be born [using this method] within three years,” Shoukhrat Mitalipov, a reproductive biologist who led the team at OHSU, was quoted by the journal as saying.

Mitalipov estimates there are 6,000 genetic diseases related to defects in a cell’s energy-producing component, mitochondria, which are inherited only from the mother.

Such diseasesâ€"which cause epilepsy, blindness, dementia and kidney failure, among other conditionsâ€"affect about one in 5,000 children.

By replacing the defective mitochondria with mitochondria from a donor, the mother can give birth to a healthy baby who is still biologically related to her.

“Since parents pass the genes through the sperm and eggs, the idea is to catch it at that stage and fix this mutation in sperm and egg … and the children that are born will be now completely healthy because the very basic cause of the disease has been fixed even before the child was conceived,” Milalipov said.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would have to approve the technique before it can be used in clinical research at the Washington-area National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Mitalipov has applied for FDA approval, but this process is often long. Almost certainly, he said, the research will first be used in human clinical trials in the United Kingdom, where similar research has already been opened for public review.

mao nay giingon nga nakatilaw ug tagam.

kini si balong, galingaw-lingaw lang na. nothing serious.

By Perfecto Raymundo

The Office of the Ombudsman has dismissed for lack of evidence the technical malversation case against former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and 11 others in connection with the alleged misuse of P530 million funds intended for overseas Filipino workers.

The dismissal order was contained in a 47-page memorandum and an 11-page supplemental memorandum approved by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales dated June 14, 2012 and Oct. 12, 2012 respectively.

Aside from Arroyo, the Ombudsman also ordered the dismissal of the case against former president and chief executive officer of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation Francisco Duque III;

Former Executive Secretary Alberto Romulo; and former Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Chairman of the Board of Trustees Patricia Sto. Tomas, and former OWWA Board of Trustees Members Virgilio Angelo;

Manuel Imson, Rosalinda Baldoz, Mina Figueroa, Caroline Rogge, Victorino Balais, Gregorio Oca and Virginia Pasalo.

Duque is the current Chairman of the Civil Service Commission, Romulo was the former Foreign Secretary and Baldoz is the incumbent Labor Secretary.

The Ombudsman reversed the findings of the Dept. of Justice, citing lack of evidence against the 12 respondents.

It said the funds could not have been used for the re-election of Arroyo because it was actually released in 2005 or a year after the May 2004 presidential elections.

"The truth that the OWWA Medicare funds were released only in 2005 or after the election in 2004, and only subsequent to the issuance by the OWWA Board of Resolution effecting the transfer of the funds and with the effectivity of the IRR of EO 182 as amended, only prove that respondents Duque, Macapagal-Arroyo and the OWWA Board never intended that the OWWA Medical funds be diverted for purposes other than to benefit the Filipino Overseas Contract Workers," the 47-page memorandum said.

The Ombudsman also noted the reports from the Commission on Audit dated Feb. 28, 2006 and March 15, 2007 which confirmed that the P530 million OWWA funds were transferred to the PHIC and used for the benefit of the OFWs.

Likewise, the Ombudsman also cleared Arroyo for approving the release of US$ 293,500 OWWA funds.

by pna

U.S. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's tough rhetoric on the Chinese currency issue is not in line with facts and would harm the important China-U.S. ties, a leading U.S. newspaper said Wednesday.

During Monday's presidential debate with U.S. President Barack Obama, Romney doubled down on his pledge to label China a "currency manipulator" on day one of his presidency if elected.

"Like the dog that catches the bus, the puzzle is what he would do on day two," the Wall Street Journal said in an article.

Romney was pushing the anti-China rhetoric over the objections of many advisers, and he seemed sincerely to believe that getting tough will yield concessions from Beijing, said the newspaper.

"Our own view is that Mr. Romney is underestimating Beijing. Even if Chinese leaders agree with his assessment of their economic interests, for domestic political reasons they can't afford to be pushed around by a hectoring U.S. President," added the article.

Torpedoing the bilateral relationship because of an ill-advised campaign promise could have multiple unforeseen consequences, warned the newspaper.

by pna

President Benigno S. Aquino III arrived a little over past midnight here Wednesday to begin the Australian leg of his trip which will be as busy as his recently concluded state visit to New Zealand.

Aquino started his official day at the Lakeside Lawn of the Government House where ceremonial welcome was prepared in his honor by Governor General Quentin Bryce complete with a 21-gun salute, according to Malacanang.

Aquino is said to be the second head of state to be welcomed at the Government House. The first had been Chilean President Sebastian Pinera.

A discussion between the two leaders was held shortly followed by a state luncheon hosted by Governor General Bryce and her husband, Michael Bryce, at the dining room where a ceremonial toast was proposed.

From there, Aquino proceeded to the Parliament House for a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Julia Gillard at her office before meeting with other Australian ministers.

Later in the afternoon, Aquino laid a wreath at the Australian War Memorial and toured selected galleries.

The President then granted an interview with Ms. Kathy Novak, a senior correspondent of the Special Broadcasting Service, before driving back to the Parliament House for the official dinner hosted by Prime Minister Gillard.

Aquino wrapped up his first day of activities here with the usual coffee meeting with the Philippine media held at the Hyatt Hotel where he answered burning questions from reporters on various issues.

The next two days of the President's visit in Australia will be spent with meetings with various company executives and other leaders including the Premier of New South Wales Barry O’Farrell in Sydney.

The President will deliver a keynote address at the Philippines-Australia Business Forum and meet with top CEOs in a roundtable setting.

He will then address The Asia Society of Australia and the Australia Philippine Business Council before proceeding to Campbelltown to unveil a statue of Dr. Jose Rizal, according to his official schedule released by Malacanang.

The President will also grace a Filipino Community gathering where he is expected to encourage them to help raise the profile of the Philippines by being knowledgeable and competent sources of information on their home country, be it on history and culture, business, and tourism, among others.

Aquino traveled for more than three hours from Wellington on his way here via a chartered Philippine Airlines flight PR001.

by pna

President Benigno S. Aquino III has invited the New Zealanders to visit the Philippines, saying this is the best time to invest in the country because of the genuine reforms initiated by his administration to reduce the opportunities for corruption.

In his speech before the Philippines-New Zealand Business Forum in Auckland, New Zealand Tuesday, President Aquino announced to the businessmen leaders of New Zealand that the Philippines is now open for business.

A copy of the speech was released in Manila by Malacanang to media.

The President, in New Zealand for a two-day State Visit, shared the many other opportunities present in the country.

He cited the geothermal energy and the Business Process Outsourcing Industry as some of the sectors in which investors may be interested in.

“One of the areas of mutual interest to our countries is geothermal energy. We have already collaborated in the past, and this provides a solid foundation as we continue to work together through measures like the Geothermal Energy Cooperation Arrangement, which will allow us to share best practices and knowledge, and facilitate private-sector activity,” he stressed.

“I understand that we still have somewhere in the neighborhood of 2,000 megawatts of untapped geothermal resources, and we can maximize these available opportunities together,” the President said.

He noted the Dept. of Energy has an investment promotion program entitled the Open and Competitive Selection Process, in which geothermal energy prospects are offered to private investors for bidding.

“Another area that should hold great interest is our Business Process Outsourcing Industry, which has as its backbone the capable, easily-trained, and customer-oriented Filipino people. It is because of them that the Philippines is currently the world leader in voice BPO services, posting 7.38-billion U.S. dollars in revenue for 2011,” the President said.

“I am proud to say, however, that we are diversifying, and moving up the value chain in BPO services, offering more complex services such as healthcare information management outsourcing, backroom engineering design, and animation and game development among others,” he said.

President Aquino said that more than 700 companies have already bet on the Philippines and, “with rapid increases in employment and revenue for the BPO industry, our country has not disappointed,” he added.

The President also assured the participants attending the business forum of a level playing field for business adding that investors will win contracts based on their ability to deliver projects not on backroom deals and political favors.

“What we are bringing to the table todayâ€"that we believe administrations in the recent past have not been able to offerâ€"is a business climate characterized by fairness and integrity --- where rules are clear-cut, where all are given the opportunity to profit, and where your success is determined by your strengths, adaptability, and ability to innovate,” he explained.

by pna

The Philippines and New Zealand could enhance further tourism cooperation for the benefit of both countries, President Benigno S. Aquino III said.

“The relations between our two countries can only grow stronger if our peoples gain a better understanding of our cultures, our history, and the unique experiences we can offer,” President Aquino said in his speech during the Philippine-New Zealand Business Forum held at the Convention Center of SkyCity Grand Hotel here on Tuesday.

The number of New Zealander tourists who have visited the Philippines has grown by almost 13 percent, to more than 12,700 tourists in 2011, noted the Chief Executive.

This development is an encouraging sign and the two countries can do more to enhance cooperation in this sector.

The existing Working Holiday Scheme between the Philippines and New Zealand can do much so that both countries can strengthen people-to-people relations and their shared agenda on tourism.

Under the scheme, New Zealand citizens can spend up to a year in the Philippines, and vice versa, he said, noting that this means great things for both New Zealanders and the Filipinos.

Through the working holiday, New Zealanders can experience Filipino culture and hospitality as well as gather and share stories about the Philippines.

“I want to take advantage of this opportunity to extend an invitation to all of you to visit our country â€"whether you want to try cave-diving, relax on our beautiful beaches, or just simply go shopping, you can be sure that Filipinos will welcome you with open arms, and make your vacation well worth it,” he said.

The Philippine government eyes to increase the annual tourist arrivals in the country to 10 million by 2016.

The local tourism industry targets to achieve 4.6 million tourist arrivals in the country by the end of this year.

This year, the Department of Tourism launched the “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” tourism campaign slogan to achieve its tourist arrival targets.

At the same time, the President encouraged New Zealand businessmen to talk with Filipino economic managers if they are interested in putting up their investments in the Philippines.

Cosco Philippines Shipping, Inc. vs Kemper Insurance Company

Ruling: “In order for the court to have authority to dispose of the case on the merits, it must acquire jurisdiction over the subject matter and the   parties. Courts acquire jurisdiction over the plaintiffs upon the filing of the  complaint,  and  to  be bound  by a  decision, a  party  should first  be subjected to the  court's jurisdiction.  Clearly,  since  no valid complaint  was ever filed with the  [MeTC],  the  same  did  not  acquire  jurisdiction  over the person of respondent  [plaintiff before  the  lower  court."

by Phil News Agency

Calling US President Barack Obama the “least transparent president in the history of this country,” American celebrity businessman Donald Trump on Wednesday promised to donate US$ 5 million to a charity of Obama’s choice if the American leader releases his college and passport records.

Trump made the offer to Obama on a video linked to Facebook and Twitter, and it came after several days of promising a major revelation about Obama.

This is the latest salvo in the real estate mogul’s attempts to portray the US president as being less than forthcoming with the American people.

Trump, host of the popular reality television show “The Apprentice,” had previously criticized the president for failing to release his long-form birth certificate, joining a chorus of right-wing critics who suggested Obama had perhaps not been born in the United Statesâ€"thus disqualifying him for the presidency.

State officials in Hawaii had repeatedly confirmed that the president was born in the island state’s capital, Honolulu. After Obama, whose father was a native of Kenya, released the long-form birth certificate last year again confirming his place of birth, he repeatedly teased Trump at the White House Correspondents Dinner in April 2011.

In his video announcement Wednesday, Trump said that if Obama’s college applications and records, as well as his passport records, are released by 5 p.m. on October 31, he will send a US$ 5 million check to a charity of the president’s choice “within an hour.”

What then, is the effect of a complaint filed by one who has not proven his authority to represent a plaintiff in filing an action? 

In Tamondong v. Court of Appeals, the Court categorically stated that “f a complaint is filed for and in behalf of the plaintiff [by one] who is not authorized to do so, the complaint is deemed not filed.  An unauthorized complaint does not produce any legal effect.  Hence, the court should dismiss the complaint on the ground that it has no jurisdiction over the complaint and the plaintiff.”

Apple® today introduced iPad® mini, a completely new iPad design that is 23 percent thinner and 53 percent lighter than the third generation iPad. The new iPad mini features a stunning 7.9-inch Multi-Touchâ,,¢ display, FaceTime® HD and iSight® cameras, ultrafast wireless performance¹ and an incredible 10 hours of battery life²―every inch an iPad, yet in a revolutionary design you can hold in one hand. Apple today also announced the fourth generation iPad featuring a gorgeous 9.7-inch Retinaâ,,¢ display, new Apple-designed A6X chip, FaceTime HD camera and ultrafast wireless performance. Both iPad mini and fourth generation iPad come with iOS 6, the world’s most advanced mobile operating system with over 200 new features.

“iPad mini is every inch an iPad. With its gorgeous 7.9-inch display, iPad mini features the same number of pixels as the original iPad and iPad 2, so you can run more than 275,000 apps designed specifically for iPad,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “iPad mini is as thin as a pencil and as light as a pad of paper, yet packs a fast A5 chip, FaceTime HD and 5 megapixel iSight cameras and ultrafast wireless―all while delivering up to 10 hours of battery life.” - source: apple.com

photoshop power.

Read With Me With My Amazon Kindle Paperwhite

Announcing a Webinar/Teleconference on
Why "Cyber Pearl Harbor" Won't Be Like Pearl Harbor At All...

Wednesday, October 24, 2012
2:00 to 3:30 p.m. ET
Exclusively avaialable via web or teleconference

Featuring

Lawrence Husick, Senior Fellow, FPRI
Edward Turzanski, Templeton Fellow, FPRI

On October 12, 2012, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta
warned that the United States could face a "cyber Pearl
Harbor" as cyber actors launch simultaneous attacks on our
critical infrastructure, in combination with a physical
attack. Mr. Panetta's warning was both embarrassingly late
and stunningly lacking in both reality and imagination.
Lawrence Husick, FPRI's co-chair the Center for the Study of
Terrorism, and a patent attorney and self-described computer
hacker, will address the threat that faces the nation, and
why both public and private sector perceptions of the threat
and reactions to it give little hope that we will be able to
avert serious consequences of disruption and violence in the
cyber domain. Mr. Husick's June 2011 briefing on this topic
was described by former National Security Advisor Robert
"Bud" McFarlane as, "the best I've heard from anyone
anywhere." Join FPRI on October 24, 2012 at 2:00p EDT to
learn more about this critical issue in national security.

Edward Turzanski is Co-Chairman of FPRI's Center for the
Study of Terrorism and  he is FPRI's first Templeton Fellow.
He has extensive experience in service to the US
intelligence community in the Middle East and Central Asia.
He regularly appears on air, offering commentary on CNN, CNN
Headline News, Fox News Channel, MSNBC, and assorted
international media organizations. During the Bush (43)
Administration, he was a member of the U.S. Department of
Justice Anti-Terror Advisory Committee for Region III and
the Department of Homeland Security Port Security Committee
for the Port of Philadelphia.

To register for the free webinar/teleconference visit:
https://cc.readytalk.com/r/pg01470bkf5s

Listeners may submit questions online or via email.
Email your questions to questions@fpri.org.

For more information and updates visit:
http://www.fpri.org/events/2012/20121024.webinar.cyberwar.html

or contact Harry Richlin at
(215) 732-3774, ext 102 or
Email: hr@fpri.org

About the Presenters

Lawrence Husick is Co-Chairman of the Foreign Policy
Research Institute's Center for the Study of Terrorism
where he concentrates on the study of terrorist tactics and
counterterrorism strategies, with a particular focus on
technology leverage as a defining characteristic of the
modern terrorist. He is also co-director of the FPRI Wachman
Center's Program on Teaching Innovation and an adjunct
professor in the Organizational Dynamics Masters Program of
the University of Pennsylvania and at the Whiting Graduate
School of Engineering of the Johns Hopkins University.

Mr. Husick's computer-related experience includes his work
as co-founder and principal system architect of Infonautics
Corporation (now HighBeam Research), which offers the
Electric Library and Encyclopedia.com on the World Wide Web,
for which he has been awarded five U.S. patents. He serves
as Chief Innovation Officer of TeraDisc, LLC, a pioneering
company in the field of in silico drug research. He has been
a consultant to both government and private organizations as
a systems analyst and design engineer. He has designed
teaching and simulation systems, special-purpose process
control systems for the chemical industry, and has consulted
in the design of systems which range from natural language
multimedia retrieval servers, to controllers for air
conditioners, laser printers, alarm systems, and chemical
instrumentation. He is a skilled programmer in computer
languages ranging from assembler to Objective C, and designs
and builds special-purpose computer hardware.

Mr. Husick holds a B.S. degree cum laude in Environmental
Chemistry from Muhlenberg College and a J.D. from the
Washington College of Law and has done graduate studies in
microprocessor engineering. He spent several years as an
associate patent attorney, working in a wide range of
technologies, and in litigation practice. Prior to starting
Lipton, Weinberger & Husick, an intellectual property and
technological law firm, he was head of the Intellectual
Property Group of Dilworth, Paxson, Kalish & Kauffman in
Philadelphia.

----------------------------------------

Edward A. Turzanski, Co-Chairman of the Center for the Study
of Terrorism at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, is a
national security analyst at La Salle University, where he
teaches in the Department of Political Science. He has also
served with the U.S. Government in the field of intelligence
(Soviet, Eastern European, Central Asian and Middle East
Affairs) throughout the Middle East, Central Asia, and
Eastern Europe.

Mr. Turzanski is the National Security and Intelligence
Analyst for Comcast's CN-8 Channel; and he has appeared on
numerous national television and radio stations including
Fox News Network, CNN, MSNBC, National Public Radio in
Wisconsin and New Hampshire, Canadian Broadcast Corporation
news, Turkish National Television from Istanbul, South
African National radio, Australian National Radio, WLS in
Chicago, KAIRO in Seattle, and KERN in Bakersfield,
California.

In additional to his academic positions, Mr. Turzanski is
the Assistant Vice President for Government and Community
Relations at La Salle University. His interests and
activities include foreign and domestic political analysis;
and foreign affairs, intelligence, and espionage research.

To register for the free webinar/teleconference visit:
https://cc.readytalk.com/r/pg01470bkf5s

FPRI, 1528 Walnut Street, Suite 610
Philadelphia, PA 19102-3684
Tel: (215) 732-3774
www.fpri.org

Help for Abdominal Swelling
The best way to deal with abdominal swelling is by eliminating certain foods from your diet. Eliminate gas-producing foods (such as beans) one at a time. If gas does not decrease, put the gas producing food back into your diet and eliminate another one until you have tested all of them. Over-the-counter and prescription medication such as antacids may also help to relieve discomfort. If symptoms persist, you should consult your doctor to rule out any other underlying conditions.

Natural Remedies
Natural herbs are also an excellent treatment option for relieving stomach bloating and excessive gas. Herbal ingredients are safe to use and gentle on the body’s system. Best of all, herbs benefit your overall health â€" keeping the mind, body and soul in better shape than ever! Zingiber officinale (Ginger) is one of the most well known herbs and is very effective for the digestive system â€" it boosts digestive fluids and neutralizes acid while also reducing symptoms of indigestion, flatulence and nausea.

Herbs such as Foeniculum vulgare (fennel) and Mentha piperita (mint) have wonderful soothing and calming anti-inflammatory properties but are also extremely effective in treating the symptoms of digestive problems such as heartburn. In addition, Pelargoneum graveolens (stomach pain bush) is an anti-spasmodic herb that minimizes stomach pain and cramps.

get more info at www.nativeremedies.com

What Causes Abdominal Swelling?
This is a common condition and may be due to overeating, weight gain, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), contraceptive pill, pregnancy or constipation. Very often abdominal swelling is caused by intestinal gas as a result of a sudden increase in fiber such as vegetables and fruit. Eating fatty, salty or processed foods and drinking carbonated drinks or too much alcohol can also lead to a stomach bloating.

Sometimes swallowing air unconsciously, too little protein in the diet, food allergies or being lactose intolerant may cause a puffy stomach. However, abdominal swelling may also be the result of a more serious illness that causes intestinal inflammation or obstruction such as colon cancer, diverticulitis, Crohn’s disease, or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Abdominal swelling occurs when large volumes of different gases â€" hydrogen sulphides or mercaptans are produced at a higher temperature and pressure. These gases stretch the gut wall past its elasticity limit, causing the abdomen to expand and become bloated. This bloated feeling may be painful, smelly and very uncomfortable. - get more info at www.nativeremedies.com

What is Abdominal Swelling?
Abdominal swelling, also known as stomach bloating or abdominal distention, is a condition characterized by the excessive accumulation of intestinal gas. The abdominal wall swells when gas is trapped in the intestines or peritoneal cavity â€" gas is produced at a higher rate than normal. Your abdomen feels full and tight, even when you have not eaten.

more info at www.nativeremedies.com

Help For Abdominal Pain

Many herbal and homeopathic remedies have been formulated with specific ingredients to promote abdominal health and support the digestive system. Matricaria recutita is a medicinal herb, used for centuries as a natural anti-inflammatory and anti-spasmodic. Its calming properties make it an extremely effective treatment for digestive disorders.

Similarly, the homeopathic preparation Carbo Veg. is particularly effective for individuals suffering from indigestion, sporadic constipation and diarrhea, sour belching, wind and bloating. A large part of natural health is adequate nutrients from a healthy diet. Fiber is an important component of a healthy diet. Remember that fiber plays a huge role in helping to prevent and address the following conditions:

Chronic constipation
Coronary heart disease
Hemorrhoids
Diabetes mellitus
Diverticular disease
Elevated cholesterol
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Colorectal cancer

more info at www.nativeremedies.com

What causes Abdominal pain?
Abdominal Pain can by symptomatic of a variety of conditions, ranging from the less serious ones such as indigestion, heartburn, intestinal gas, excess stomach acid, acid reflux, nausea and stomach ache â€" to the more serious conditions such as Gastric ulcers, Diverticulitis, Peptic Ulcers, Duodenal Ulcers, Gallstones, Irritable Bowel Syndrome IBD, Dyspepsia and Tympanites. If abdominal pain is chronic, or does not go away, it is always advised that you consult your doctor for further investigation.

more info at www.nativeremedies.com

Why is Abdominal health important?
The abdomen contains all our vital organs. This makes it an important site of the body, as a large concentration of delicate body systems are together, housed in the abdominal cavity. This is why it is important to maintain a healthy weight, especially if you tend to become ‘rounder’ around the belly area. If you are overweight or obese this can put an added strain on the abdominal cavity and internal organs.

more info at www.nativeremedies.com

Path of Philippine Storm Ofel

by pna

President Benigno S. Aquino III said he wants to achieve a balanced trade between the Philippines and New Zealand as well as foster better people-to-people interaction during his two-day state visit here.

The President described bilateral trade ties as ‘very lopsided’ at this point primarily due to the huge gap in their population figures.

He said this issue has been raised the first time he met with Prime Minister John Key. He was expected to discuss this matter again during their scheduled bilateral meeting Tuesday.

“The first time I met the Prime Minister, foremost in my mind was a balance of trade which is very lopsided. And the first thing he said was we’re a population of about five million, I said we’re 95 million… Your market compared to our market really will produce the lopsided trade,” Aquino told Radio New Zealand Monday.

Aquino said the Philippines imports most of its dairy products from New Zealand and so he invited New Zealand-based companies to explore other products we can offer such as electronics, home furnishings, and garments.

“We have a very significant business delegation looking at various opportunities and also the best in your salmon farms amongst others,” he said.

Aquino, moreover, said a working holiday agreement would be signed between the Philippines and New Zealand to afford better people-to-people interaction thereby boosting the country’s tourism campaign.

“We’re supposed to sign an agreement to afford better people-to-people interaction wherein I think citizens from both countries can go to each other’s countries and work for something like a period of three months, for a maximum of a year to again foster greater interaction between our peoples. This will also hopefully enhance our tourism campaign,” he said.

Aquino also mentioned they are looking at the possibility of having direct flights from New Zealand to the Philippines courtesy of the major airlines of both countries which are going to have fleet expansions.

by pna

President Benigno S. Aquino III has appointed new judges to the lower courts, a Palace official said on Tuesday.

Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte, during the regular press briefing in Malacanang on Tuesday, said President Aquino signed the appointment letters of Judge Corazon A. Domingo-Rañola as presiding judge of the Malolos, Bulacan Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 10; Judge Mirasol Ong Dychingco as presiding judge of the Malolos, Bulacan RTC Branch 20 and Judge Hermenegildo C. Dumlao as presiding judge of the Malolos, Bulacan RTC Branch 81.

The other presidential appointees include Judge Ana Marie Joson Viterbo as presiding judge of the Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija RTC Branch 24; Judge Mildred Villaroman Hernal as presiding judge of the Gapan City, Nueva Ecija RTC Branch 35; Judge Merideth delos Santos Malig as presiding judge of the Guagua, Pampanga RTC Branch 51; Judge Roline Ginez Jabalde as presiding judge of the Olongapo City, Zambales RTC Branch 74;

Judge Marifi Patam Chua as presiding judge of the Iba, Zambales RTC Branch 70; Judge Maximo B. Ancheta Jr. as presiding judge of the Baler, Aurora RTC Branch 66; Judge Vincent Filomena B. Rosales as presiding judge of the Cagayan de Oro, Misamis Oriental RTC Branch 23; Judge Henry B. Damasing as presiding judge of the Cagayan de Oro, Misamis Oriental RTC Branch 24;

Judge Carlos L. Espero II as presiding judge of the Davao City, Davao del Sur RTC Branch 9; Judge Retrina Espe Fuentes as presiding judge of the Davao City, Davao del Sur RTC Branch 10; Judge Reynato B. Gleyo Sr. as presiding judge of the Isulan, Sultan Kudarat RTC Branch 19; Judge Vicente S. Fernandez Jr. as presiding judge of the San Felipe, Zambales, Municipal Trial Court (MTC); Judge Rowena Rama Chavez as presiding judge of the Paombong, Bulacan MTC;

Judge Elmer H. Alea as presiding judge of the San Jose, Batangas MTC; Judge Michelle C. Manaig-Calumpong as presiding judge of the San Juan, Batangas MTC; Judge Rosalind R. Jungco-Abrigo as presiding judge of the Olongapo City, Zambales Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC) Branch 3; Judge Esmeralda Balderas David as presiding judge of the Olongapo City, Zambales MTCC Branch 4; Judge Petronila P. Tañas-Arguelles as presiding judge of the Batangas City MTCC Branch 1;

Judge Kelly B. Belino as presiding judge of the Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija MTCC Branch 1; Judge Zamita Tello Mationg as S.S. Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija MTCC; Judge Priscilla Unating Acedera as presiding judge of the Lemery-Agoncillo, Batangas MCTC; Judge Ali Joseph Ryan C. Lloren as presiding judge of the Jasaan â€"Claveria, Misamis Oriental MCTC; Judge Celenito N. Daing as presiding judge of the Jimenez-Sinacaban, Misamis Oriental 4th MCTC;

Judge Steven Prieto Cercado as presiding judge of the Janiuay- Badiangan, Iloilo 11th MCTC; Judge Minerva Paqueo Pepino as presiding judge of the Carmen-Sto. Tomas, Davao del Norte 5th MCTC; and Judge Dante R. Corminal as presiding judge of the Tubod-Algeria, Surigao del Norte 5th MCTC.

by pna

President Benigno S. Aquino III hopes the Philippines and New Zealand could work together in agriculture, energy, and manufacturing for the benefit of both countries.

During a business forum in New Zealand Tuesday, the President said he is interested in imitating Thailand in its dairy cooperation with New Zealand by developing tropicalized breeds of cattle to sustain Thailand’s meat and dairy needs.

“We’d like to have the same experience. I had a good fortune to try some of your produce ever since I came in yesterday, and I’m very, very impressed,” the President said.

“We’d really like to develop more indigenous abilities to satisfy that particular need,” he added.

The President was in New Zealand for a two-day state visit. He is scheduled to go to Australia after his New Zealand trip.

The Philippines imports 99 percent of its dairy requirements, the President said.

If the Philippines could develop such industry, it would become less dependent on the vagaries of the international market and at the same time satisfying the nutritional requirements of next generation of Filipinos, the Chief Executive further said.

The Philippines and New Zealand could also work together for further development of the Philippines’ geothermal energy sector.

In the 70s, the President said New Zealand assisted the Philippines put up its own capacity to harness geothermal energy.

The Philippines is the second country in the world devoting much attention to geothermal energy development and use.

The US is the biggest geothermal energy user.

“We can make our own industry that much more efficient and perhaps really tap into the reported 2,000 megawatts reserves. We need to be able to generate a lot more energy to bring down the prices of our electricity which are amongst the highest in Asia,” he President stressed.

by pna

The Aquino government announced Tuesday it was targeting to award eight projects for this year and 10 additional projects next year under the public private partnership program.

In a business forum in New Zealand Tuesday, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, who accompanied President Benigno S. Aquino III in his state visit there, said the government has bidded out projects like the Light Rail Transit extension and the construction of classrooms for the Dept. of Education.

So far, the government was able to award 10,000 classrooms and there will be another two 10,000-classroom projects to be bidded out.

The government also bidded out a toll way and will award another one.

The Ninoy Aquino International Airport Expressway is also up for grabs, Purisima said.

“What’s happening in the Philippines is we’ve established a pipeline of PPP projects, and we hope to launch at least eight this year and 10 next year,” Purisima stressed.

“What’s important is that this covers not just economic infrastructures such as mass transit, toll ways, power, sewerage and water; it also covers social infrastructures such as schools, office buildings and maybe prisons as we move down the road,” he added.

The goal of the President is to reduce the infrastructure gap between the Philippines and its neighboring countries, Purisima said noting that the administration is doing this through PPP arrangements on available budget.

With prudent financial management, Purisima said, the government was able to increase the allocation for infrastructure in the budget by almost 50 percent since the President took office in 2010. He said that the administration hopes to sustain this momentum until President Aquino steps down in 2016.

by pna

New Zealand and the Philippines Tuesday signed three cooperation agreements at the Parliament Building in Wellington after talks between Prime Minister John Key and Philippines President Benigno Aquino III.

Aquino arrived in Auckland Monday for his first two-day state visit to New Zealand after he became president in 2010.

Key told a joint press conference following their meeting the defense arrangement formalized the status quo but was still an important step in the relationship.

"We look forward to working even more closely in the future," he said.

Aquino said the two countries had much in common.

"We are on the same side on so many different issues."

The working holiday agreement is the first the Philippines has signed with any country and provides for 100 12-month visas in each direction for citizens aged between 18 and 30.

Aquino said the aim was to enhance cultural understanding and bring New Zealand and the Philippines closer through people-to- people contact.

The geothermal energy development commitment provides for a formal government-to-government framework supporting commercial ventures.

Aquino also met with New Zealand Governor-General Jerry Mateparae, and the opposition Labor Party leader David Shearer in Wellington on Tuesday.

The Philippines is New Zealand's 13th largest export market and third largest market for dairy products after China and the United States.

Aquino is accompanied by a 70-member delegation including Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory Domingo, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, and other Cabinet Secretaries.

by pna

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is eyeing trade agreements with Australia and New Zealand that will allow the entry of more Philippine mango varieties in the continent in exchange for higher dairy products.

Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said that agriculture officials expect to discuss with their counterparts in Australia and New Zealand the possible technical support for the development of the Philippines’ dairy industry, as well as possible export of mangoes to the continent.

“Australia wants to export kangaroo meat. At the same time, they want to help us improve genetic quality of our livestock,” Alcala said.

“For New Zealand, we have a special concern in agriculture technology, which we can replicate in our National Dairy Program,” he said.

The DA chief, however, admitted that they would still discuss the proposal to accept kangaroo meat from Australia, noting that there was still no specific guideline on its importation.

Alcala will accompany President Benigno Aquino III in his state visit in Australia and New Zealand.

While in Australia, Alcala said that they would discuss with agriculture and quarantine officials the existing policy for the importation of grouch mango fruit from the Philippines

At present, Australia only allows the entry of mangoes coming from Guimaras Island.

“In fact, we still have a pending request for our mango exports. We want to push for the entry of mangoes not only from Guimaras, but also those coming from Samal Island and Davao del Sur,” the official said.

In August 2010, the DA said that Biosecurity Australia has allow the entry of fresh mangoes from the Davao del Sur following a long-term cleanliness policy and quarantine practices the Philippines Bureau of Plant Industry.

By Perfecto Raymundo

The Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking and the Philippine Ports Authority have strengthened their partnership against human trafficking in the country with the signing of a memorandum of agreement.

Under the MOA, the PPA will provide logistical support for the nationwide anti-trafficking information in its various seaports and passenger terminal buildings.

Justice Secretary Leila De Lima, chairperson of IACAT, and Atty. Juan C. Sta. Ana, general manager of PPA, signed the MOA at the Executive Lounge of the DOJ Tuesday.

The MOA between the IACAT and the PPA is in line with Section 21 (e) of Republic Act No. 9208, or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003.

The law mandates IACAT to conduct massive information dissemination and campaign on the existence of the law and the various issues and problems attendant to trafficking through the local government units, concerned agencies and non-governmental organizations.

"This is not just a Memorandum of Agreement. This is a joint declaration of war…and the enemy is ignorance," De Lima said in her message.

She underscored the "strategic advantage" of creating a partnership with the PPA when it comes to conquering ignorance among the most vulnerable sectors of society.

The salient features of the MOA include increasing the awareness of ship passengers on the dangers and issues of human trafficking.

This is primarily done by the installation of flat screen televisions for the viewing of anti-human trafficking materials provided by IACAT and its member agencies.

"This partnership with the PPA is one of the more recent anti-trafficking gains achieved by this administration," DOJ Undersecretary Jose Vicente Salazar, in-charge of IACAT, said as he welcomed the representatives of the PPA.

"By creating a strong partnership with PPA, the IACAT shall also do its part in cracking down on the human trafficking syndicates that prey on our countrymen," Salazar added.

Also present during the MOA signing were members of the Manila Harbor Task Force Anti-Trafficking, Gender and Development Department of the PPA and executive officers of the IACAT Secretariat.

Earlier this month, the proposed law amending and thereby strengthening the existing anti-human trafficking legislation reached its third and final reading in the Senate.

Previous reports also highlighted the 100th person convicted of human trafficking since the law came to pass.

Seventy of the convictions happened during the Aquino administration, particularly from July 2010 to October 2012 alone.

by pna

The state weather bureau has maintained public storm warning signal No. 1 over nine Eastern Visayas-Northern Mindanao areas as tropical depression "Ofel" continues to move westward, posing risk to these areas.

Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) forecaster Boy Soriaga said that as of 10 a.m. Tuesday, TD Ofel was located at 300 kilometers east of Tandag, Surigao del Sur (09.0°N, 129.2°E), packing maximum winds of 55 kilometers per hour near the center.

Soriaga said that signal No. 1 is still hoisted over Leyte, Southern Leyte, Eastern Samar, Western Samar, Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Island, Surigao del Sur, Agusan provinces and Camiguin Island which are expected to experience winds of 30 to 60 kph within the next 36 hours.

According to Soriaga, Ofel has a high chance to make landfall between areas under storm warning signal No. 1.

"Residents living in low-lying and mountainous areas under public storm warning signal #1 are alerted against possible flash floods and landslides," he said.

PAGASA said those areas within TD Ofel's 400-km diameter are expected to experience rainfall of 5 to 15 millimeters per hour, which is classified as “moderate to heavy.”

Soriaga also said that Ofel is expected to intensify as it remains over the sea.

He noted that Ofel has increased its speed from 13 kph to 15 kph while continuing to move westward. It is expected to be out of the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by Friday or Saturday, headed towards China or Vietnam.

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Tuesday declared victory against an international swindling syndicate following the filing of criminal charges against its leaders and members, including foreigners.

Director Samuel Pagdilao Jr., CIDG chief, cited the close coordination between the CIDG and the Anti-Money Laundering Council that led to the busting of an international swindling syndicating preying on foreign companies scouting for metal scraps.

Through efforts under the CIDG’s Case Operation Plan: Tradebay, Pagdilao said government authorities established the existence of a syndicate duping foreign companies by offering tons of metal scraps.

He said authorities were able to identify the personalities involved.

According to Pagdilao, the syndicate is headed by Ah Chai Teo, and Chen Qwee Khai, both Singaporeans; Huang Chen, a Taiwanese; Lim Hoi Chung, from Hong Kong, and Chen Zhi Quiang, a Chinese national.

The CIDG identified the foreigners’ local cohorts as Romy Flores, Guerrero Villacorta, a retired policeman; Mary Ann Vasquez-Basan, Janet Villareal, and Pacido Ramos.

”It is worthy to mention that the conceptualization by this Group of Coplan: Tradebay was aimed at destabilizing and neutralizing the international organized crime group and not in mulcting or kidnapping its members for monetary consideration,” said Pagdilao.

”The successful joint CIDG and AMLC’s investigations have shown that the OCG actually existed and that it had victimized foreign traders with impunity,” added Pagdilao.

Pagdilao said the filing of syndicated and large-scale estafa charges against Teo’s group and the subsequent freezing of the numerous bank accounts under their names only showed that the CIDG and AMLC were successful in its mission of neutralizing the syndicate.

Pagdilao said the group’s modus operandi is to offer huge amount of metal scraps to foreign buyers but to later replace the scrap metal with garbage, rocks and concrete while being shipped.

The CIDG estimated that Teo’s group has swindled millions of US dollars from unsuspecting foreign buyers.

kung ang asawa ang niduwa ug laing team, pasayluon kaha pud? mao niy pangutana nga lisud tubagon sa hingtungdan.

unsa man kahay ikasulti ni chicogon ani?

one of their secrets.

breath-taking images of God's creation.

by Jennifer Benson Schuldt
Our Daily Bread

One autumn afternoon I drove past a field where a farmer had parked some massive machinery by the side of the road. A yellow caution sign read: “Harvest in Progress.” As I glanced over at the field, I knew instantly what the farmer had planted several months agoâ€"tiny kernels of corn. I knew this because he was preparing to drive his harvesting equipment through acres of mature cornstalks.

While it may seem obvious that planting corn leads to harvesting corn, we sometimes deny the relationship between sowing and reaping in our spiritual lives. The apostle Paul wrote, “Do not be deceived . . . ; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Gal. 6:7). Living to please our flesh yields corruption in the form of wanting what isn’t ours, self-centeredness, and even substance abuse (5:19-21). Walking with the Spirit produces peace, kindness, and self-control (5:22-23). By God’s grace, we can choose to “sow to the Spirit” and reap eternal life (6:.

Suppose Jesus declared today “harvest day” in our lives, and He asked us to gather up the yield of our everyday choices over the past year. What would we have to show Him?

Things of the world often pull at my heart,
But, Lord, help me see the end from the start;
Open my eyes to where my life’s going,
What I will reap from all I’ve been sowing. â€"K. DeHaan

The seeds we sow today determine
the kind of fruit we’ll reap tomorrow.

by Marvin Williams
Our Daily Bread

In Lansing, Michigan, during the winter, we don’t get many sunny days. But last year God blessed us with one of those beautiful days, and it seemed that almost everyone was thanking God, except me. As I left my office, a man said, “What a wonderful day we’re having. This is a gift from God!” To which I replied, “Yes, but we’re getting snow later this week.” What ingratitude!

In his letters, the apostle Paul helped his readers to develop a theology of gratitude. He wrote about thanksgiving more often than any other New Testament author. From the 23 times he used the word, we learn a few lessons about thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving was always directed toward God and never toward people. People were gifts from God, and Paul thanked God for their growth, love, and faith (1 Cor. 1:4; 1 Thess. 1:2).

Thanksgiving is given through Jesus for everything (Col. 3:15,17). Paul believed followers of Jesus could be thankful for everything because God is sovereign, and He is working things out for the believers’ good (1 Thess. 5:18).

May we intentionally be aware of God’s gifts all around us, and respond with gratitude. In response to God’s gifts, it’s natural to say, “Thank You, Lord.”

Lord, for days that are sunny or gray we simply
want to say, Thank You! And for the daily grace
You give us in Your Son, may we always be faithful
to say, Thank You! You are so good to us.

Gratitude is a natural response to God’s grace.

balong, dili mo-show-up basta picture from an email. private man gud ni. upload it on flickr.com or photobucket.com

True or not?

balong, basta it's an emailed picture, it will not appear in tubag bohol since that kind of picture is private/inaccessible.

Beauty of Stillness

Hyundai Life Schedule

by pna

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will start sending out clean-up crew starting Monday to help local officials spruce up cemeteries as part of this year’s “Undas” (All Saint’s and All Souls Day).

MMDA General Manager Corazon Jimenez said they will paid particular attention to four public cemeteries -Makati Public Cemetery, Pasay Public Cemetery, Navotas Public Cemetery and Tugatog Public Cemetery in Malabon- identified by the agency as among the dirtiest during last year's "Undas".

Jimenez said four teams will be deployed to clean the front and surroundings of the cemeteries but the local government will be responsible for the areas inside the fenced or walled in graveyards.

Though the official said they have noticed improvements in public cemeteries more efforts are needed to ensure that those who will visit the tombs of their loved ones will not be inconvenienced.

Aside from the deployment of the clean-up personnel, MMDA Assistant General Manager for Operations Emerson Carlos said they have already updated their “Oplan Undas 2012 which would see the deployment of 2, 300 traffic enforcers and other personnel.

by pna

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) is monitoring a new low pressure area (LPA) which has developed off Mindanao.

Weather forecaster Jori Loiz said on Sunday morning that the LPA was spotted in the vicinity of Surigao del Norte and may enter the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) on Monday.

Loiz said the LPA is embedded along the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) affecting Palawan, the Visayas and Mindanao.

He also said that if the LPA intensifies into a tropical depression and enters the PAR, it will be named “Ofel.”

Meanwhile, Northern Luzon is expected to have occasional light to moderate rains due to the effects of the northeast monsoon, Loiz said.

The rest of the country, including Metro Manila, will have partly cloudy skies with possible brief rainshowers, mostly in the afternoon or evening due to localized thunderstorms.

In its advisory, PAGASA said Palawan, the Visayas and Mindanao will be cloudy with moderate to heavy rainshowers and thunderstorms which may trigger flash floods and landslides.

Bicol region and the rest of Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) will have occasional light to moderate rainshowers or thunderstorms.

Moderate to strong winds blowing from the northeast will prevail over Luzon and coming from the northeast to northwest over the Visayas and Mindanao.

The coastal waters throughout the archipelago will be moderate to rough.

PAGASA also issued a gale warning as strong to gale force wind is expected to affect the northern and eastern seaboards of Northern Luzon, the eastern seaboard of Central Luzon and the seaboards of Southern Luzon and the Visayas.

by pna

Flashfloods and landslides threaten the Visayas and Mindanao due to low pressure area (LPA) which is embedded along the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), the state weather bureau said on Monday.

Weather Forecaster Boy Soriaga said as of 4 a.m. Monday, the LPA was spotted at 865 km east of Southern Mindanao (6.0°N, 135.0°E) embedded along the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) affecting Visayas and Mindanao.

An ITCZ is a merge of winds from different directions, which is also a breeding ground for a low pressure area.

Soriaga said the to ITCZ is expected to bring moderate to heavy rainshowers and thunderstorms which may trigger flashfloods and landslides in the Visayas and Mindanao.

The rest of the Luzon including Metro Manila, will be partly cloudy with brief rainshowers due to localized thunderstorms.

He said the LPA is expected to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) within the day and has a high chance to intensify into a tropical depression.

Once it intensifies into a cyclone inside the PAR, Soriaga said it will named “Ofel” â€" the 15th cyclone to enter the country this year.

He said the predicted cyclone is expected to further strengthen in the next few days since it is still hovering over the sea.

In its advisory, Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said that Bicol region and Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) will have occasional light to moderate rainshowers or thunderstorms.

Moderate to strong winds blowing from the northeast will prevail over Luzon and Visayas and the coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to rough. Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate coming from the northeast to north with slight to moderate seas.

PAGASA also said a strong to gale force wind is expected to affect the northern and eastern seaboard of Luzon and the eastern seaboard of the Visayas.

by pna

Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's leading automaker, said Monday that sales of its leading midsize sedan, YF Sonata, are expected to reach a record high in the United States this year on the back of its good performance and design.

In the first nine months of the year, a total of 175,436 YF Sonata sedans were sold in the U.S., up 0.3 percent from a year earlier, according to Hyundai Motor.

Hyundai Motor sold 225,961 YF Sonata sedans in 2011 following sales of 170,224 units in 2010.

"Demand for the YF Sonata is rising in the U.S.," said a Hyundai Motor official. "Its annual sales may top the previous record this year."

The steady rise in sales of the YF Sonata also helped boost Hyundai Motor's share in the U.S. midsize sedan auto market with its stake rising to 11.9 percent last year from a mere 6.6 percent in 2006.

by pna

In vitro fertilization (IVF) may significantly increase the risk of birth defects, particularly those of the eye, heart, reproductive organs and urinary systems, according to new study presented at the ongoing American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference.

In the study, researchers examined infants born in California from 2006-2007 after IVF and other treatments such as fertility- enhancing drugs or artificial insemination. Researchers examined maternal age, race, the number of times the mother had given birth, infant gender, year of birth and presence of major birth defects.

Overall, 3,463 infants with major birth defects were identified among 4,795 infants born after IVF and 46,025 naturally conceived infants with similar maternal demographics. Birth defects were significantly increased for infants born after IVF -- nine percent versus 6.6 percent for naturally conceived infants, even after controlling for maternal factors. Specifically, malformations of the eye (0.3 percent versus 0.2 percent), heart (five percent versus three percent), and genitourinary system (1.5 percent versus one percent) were greater in IVF infants. Overall, an IVF infant's odds of birth defects were 1.25 times greater than that of a naturally conceived infant with similar maternal characteristics. Risk of birth defects after other fertility treatments such as artificial insemination or ovulation induction alone were not significant.

"Our findings included a significant association between the use of assisted reproductive technology, such as certain types of in vitro fertilization, and an increased risk of birth defects," said study author Lorraine Kelley-Quon, a general surgery resident at Ronald Reagan University of California, Los Angeles Medical Center.

by pna

Thousands of pilgrims are streaming into the towns of Ginatilan in southern Cebu and in Toledo City in western Cebu for the celebration of the canonization of the first Visayan saint, Pedro Calungsod Sunday, police said.

Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) said they have augmented police forces in the two areas to secure the pilgrims.

Police officials in Ginatilan and Toledo City said the expected an estimated 80,000 people, mostly pilgrims, to attend the festivities.

CPPO Director Patrocinio Comendador said that aside from the police force assigned in both local government units (LGUs), they deployed an additional 20 policemen to serve as augmentation force.

Aside from the police in the two LGUs, police forces from neighboring LGUs will also conduct checkpoints to ensure the streets remain safe.

Police officials of Ginatilan and Toledo City said they are ready for the event.

Insp. Christopher Castro, Ginatilan police chief, told reporters that more than 30,000 pilgrims plan to visit the town.

Ginatilan, which is the reported birthplace of the young Visayan martyr, is holding a four-day fiesta in honor of Calungsod.

In Cantabaco, Toledo City Deputy Police Chief Insp. Bonifacio Lucerna told reporters that they have already made initial deployment in the Blessed Pedro Calungsod Parish.

They are expecting 50,000 pilgrims from the cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu.

Comendador said Ginatilan and Toledo City were placed on heightened alert for the arrival of pilgrims and visitors.

by pna

Philippine Airlines (PAL) will launch a pioneering service between Manila and Toronto on November, giving the flag carrier a direct link to Canada’s largest city and its first gateway on the vital East Coast of North America in 15 years.

The new service will trigger a revamp of PAL’s Canadian operation. From Nov. 30, the current daily service between Manila and Vancouver, British Columbia, on Canada’s West Coast, will be revised to four times weekly from Manila to Vancouver, alternating with a three-times-weekly non-stop from Manila to Toronto.

On the return journey, Vancouver-Manila will have a dedicated product four times weekly along with a shared service from Toronto three times weekly. Toronto-Manila, therefore, will be a one-stop service via Vancouver.

The Toronto service (PR 118) departs Manila every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at 3 p.m. Arrival at Terminal 3 of Toronto Pearson International Airport is at 5 p.m. on the same days.

PAL will field its brand-new, long-range flagship, the Boeing 777-300ER for non-stop flight to Toronto.

The luxurious wide-body jet is especially designed for such ultra-long-haul, intercontinental journeys. Its two GE 90-115BL engines â€" the largest and most powerful ever built â€" can readily cover the 13,230 kilometers between the two cities non-stop.