MikeLigalig.com

in this thread's "sister" (http://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=38470.msg505564#new), fr chic has, expectedly, expressed his desire to be counted in, balong.  you must have read his post by now... (waiting for hubag and bugsay, ).

i'll help in keeping these two threads alive...

yeheeey!  balongski, fr chic is in!  (waiting for hubag and bugsay...)

well, while china as a "threat to philippine existence" is putting it too far (the philippines will exist even if filipinos become martians), china is a threat not only to philippine territorial integrity but also to practically all of its neighbors, even to its own "breakaway province": the republic of china (taiwan), which identifies itself as a separate territory and sovereign.

the countries bullied (or rivaled if it cannot bully them) by china over territory and/or sovereignty:

tibet (as they say, the rest is history)
india (against whom it fought 2 wars over territorial disputes)
russia (hah!  yes, russia too.)
bhutan
mongolia
japan
north korea
south korea
philippines
myanmar
malaysia
vietnam
brunei
republic of china (taiwan)

from its north to south, its east to west, it is as if no neighboring country was spared by china. 

right on.  after the spratlys and the scarborough shoal, the whole philippine archipelago is not far behind.

china uses the EEZ as its reason when it sees fit as it is using the EEZ as its reason for ownership of okinotorishima in its territorial dispute with japan.  in its dispute with the philippines, where it stands no chance with the EEZ, it uses its own history.

“NO NEGATION OF BAPTISM”

The document stressed that its conclusions should not be interpreted as questioning original sin or “used to negate the necessity of baptism or delay the conferral of the sacrament.”

Limbo, which comes from the Latin word meaning “border” or “edge,” was considered by medieval theologians to be a state or place reserved for the unbaptized dead, including good people who lived before the coming of Christ.

“People find it increasingly difficult to accept that God is just and merciful if he excludes infants, who have no personal sins, from eternal happiness, whether they are Christian or non-Christian,” the document said.

It said the study was made all the more pressing because “the number of nonbaptised infants has grown considerably, and therefore the reflection on the possibility of salvation for these infants has become urgent.”

The commission’s conclusions had been widely expected.

In writings before his election as Pope in 2005, the then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger made it clear he believed the concept of limbo should be abandoned because it was “only a theological hypothesis” and “never a defined truth of faith.”

In the Divine Comedy, Dante placed virtuous pagans and great classical philosophers, including Plato and Socrates, in limbo. The Catholic Church’s official catechism, issued in 1992 after decades of work, dropped the mention of limbo.


(underscoring mine)
http://www.religionnewsblog.com/

Catholic Church buries limbo after centuries

ReligionNewsBlog.com • Saturday April 21, 2007

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) â€" The Roman Catholic Church has effectively buried the concept of limbo, the place where centuries of tradition and teaching held that babies who die without baptism went.

In a long-awaited document, the Church’s International Theological Commission said limbo reflected an “unduly restrictive view of salvation.”

The 41-page document was published on Friday by Origins, the documentary service of the U.S.-based Catholic News Service, which is part of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Pope Benedict, himself a top theologian who before his election in 2005 expressed doubts about limbo, authorized the publication of the document, called “The Hope of Salvation for Infants Who Die Without Being Baptised.”

The verdict that limbo could now rest in peace had been expected for years. The document was seen as most likely the final word since limbo was never part of Church doctrine, even though it was taught to Catholics well into the 20th century.

“The conclusion of this study is that there are theological and liturgical reasons to hope that infants who die without baptism may be saved and brought into eternal happiness even if there is not an explicit teaching on this question found in revelation,” it said.

“There are reasons to hope that God will save these infants precisely because it was not possible (to baptize them).”

The Church teaches that baptism removes original sin which stains all souls since the fall from grace in the Garden of Eden.

wa ko kasabot lagi ani.  how did this happen?  sorry wa ko kahibawo sa beginnings aning power sharing.  di ba usa ray modaog ug election?  and how can boholanos tolerate the imboys as the latest in the roster of boholano political dynasties?  it's public knowledge that they let money talk, or at least the lady mayor imboy's brother's money.

would this exempt grace ibuna (of gabby concepcion and the late congressman iggy arroyo fame) who had expressed interest in running for the seat vacated by the late congressman's demise?  just curious.  why are some people "accepted" or at least tolerated by society (and voters) at large despite their very obvious shenanigans while others are punished?  does money really talk more loudly in our society?  if so, then we deserve the officials that we've got.

as for grace ibuna and the media circus that recently ensued surrounding her person and status, really, the best that she could have done was to take the back seat and mourn in private.

Quote from: Raquelproud boholana on April 21, 2012, 10:28:20 PM
Di ba kitang tanan man naay right to bear arms or diri ra ni sa U.S nga balaud.

sa u.s. ra ni, raqz.  it has something to do with u.s. history.  wa ni sa ato, and i'm thankful.

QuoteAko pwede ko makapalit ug armas diri anytime kay naa man koy FOID card( Firearm Owner Identification) so far wa pa ko kapalit kay tagsaon ramay pink nga armas. Diha na unta to pero wa makameet sa akong standard heheheh.

gold na lang, raqz, kay bajot ug igo ning pink gun, kinahanglanon pa gyod ang background music nga theme song sa pink panther inig tira, lupig pay paltik sa danao nga mogakos kag lubi inig tira, panagang sa bala nga mosumbalik.  kun gold imong pusil, aw, sosi... the woman with the golden gun... pang-james bond.

a bouquet of 5 kittens...

for tb's 5th anniversary, it is requested that the webmaster becomes snow white...  



(two dwarfs have escaped!)

all for one, one for all!

with thanks to the webmaster!

CONGRATULATIONS, TB!  happy fifth anniversary!

to lorenz and balong, my answer is in the other thread (virgilio bucia fund by balong).

Quote from: Raquelproud boholana on April 22, 2012, 01:32:26 AM
Kumusta naman ni siya karon Ms. Isle? nakahuman na ba ni? 

sorry, raqz.  wa gyod ko kahibawo kay i didn't ask.  but judging from his capacity to bear his cross, he has the makings of success.  his resilience is humanity at its finest.

ang akong attitude na lang sa bangko kay mora na lang nig pitaka.  at least, mahipos imong kuwarta, di ta matamatahon ug takintakin.  wa na nako patuhoa akong kaugalingon nga makaganansya ko sa akong deposit.

sometimes, we get this rare privilege to see ourselves in other people; then we do what we can to make those mirror images of ours succeed.     

may i reiterate that more than what are in the article and virgilio's thanks and picture, i know nothing more.  i asked no questions. 

yes, any amount from anyone can go a long way.  way to go, balong! 

wa pa gani ko kabasa, imo na kong patubagon, ikaw gyod longlong tabilong...

yes!  thanks for being the answer, webmaster mol!  some things are just meant... i truly had you in mind as the most logical contact person, or go-between, for virgilio and tb netizens who may kindly look his way.

i appreciate your initiative, balong.  i'll let you in on something: through a circuitous route, i got me a picture of virgilio sometime last year.  i didn't ask for it (what for?); but someone simply emailed it, perhaps to make real for me the person that is virgilio.  i don't know if i got it right, but the uniform he wore i think was that of a nautical student.  if you are what you really say you are, then he may be like you, balong.

more at http://www.cracked.com/photoplasty_136_historys-most-iconic-images-ruined-by-photobombers/

i saw a similar sight in tagbilaran more than five years ago, believe it or not.  diha sa m. parras cor. g. visarra sts.  akong kalagotan kay di baya na highway dapita.  they're just two-lane roads; any sane driver is supposed to slow down at corners enough not to run over a walking dog.  the dog had already died, but another dog stayed by it.  he was mourning, helplessly looking around.  nakaluha ko. 

i kept mentioning the scene to my banana republic for days.  di tingali ko kaantos kun diha pa ko sa pagkaligis, ingon ko niya.  isuwat gyod nako ang plate number sa sakyanan ug ambot unsa pay akong buhaton. 

i've sworn long ago that i'll be proactive when it comes to animal rights.  bisag solo alone ra ko, di member ug bisag unsa, daghan man kog vet nga amigo kadiin-diin.  and i know what organizations to call.  full support pa gyod from the banana republic.  andam na kong mokiha o magpakauwaw sa mga guilty karon.  the signature in my profile is not for nothing. 

eeekkk, nahinayak na pod ko tungod kay nahinumdom ko atong irong naligsan sa tagbilaran.  it rhymes, huhuhu.   

true.  a grieving animal is a very sad sight.

this is getting better.

may i "confess" that i already did something last year; after reading virgilio's story here.  a friend facilitated it for me and she held true to my explicit request for anonymity.  i hope you understand that i'm opting not to join you now. 

yes, the guy is worth helping.  also through my friend, he sent an email of thanks.  that was enough for me. 

kun boys sila si bugsay, bqn, bnc, etc., na, mao na gyod ron.  nabawi hinoon ang reputasyon ni flying segs ug balong kay nanungha na man...

Quote from: Raquelproud boholana on April 21, 2012, 10:18:20 PM
Matawag ba pud ug battered husband ning seaman nga husband unya inig uli gikan abroad magpabunyag ug bata nga sure siya dili iyaha kay bisan unsaon ug kwenta wa man jud matukma sa bulan sa iyang paglarga?

my two-cents' worth, battered pa sa tanang tinumban.  emotional and psychological battering man ning gihimo sa asawa.  maayo pay himoon siyang angkla sa barko hangtod matugkan ug sisi. 

Quote from: hubag bohol on April 21, 2012, 08:53:17 PM
He he, di ba kaha ingon ani ang banang Bol-anon...

hahahahahahahaha!  paskang nimo hubag.  asa na man to si bugsay?  pareha ra ba mong duha aning liyona, hahahahaha!  gasakit akong apapangig ug kinatawa ani.

Quote from: TUBAGBOHOL.com on April 21, 2012, 03:32:12 PM
Philippine National Police (PNP) Director-General Nicanor Bartolome has instructed all his units, especially the Firearms and Explosive Division, to scrutinize closely all purported purchases of guns to determine whether these are legitimate acquisitions or just intended to boost the firepower of groups planning to sow terror and violence during next year's mid-term elections.

"We are now monitoring all firearms purchases in the country to determine whether these are all legitimate," Bartolome said.

does this mean that it was not scrutinized before?  nagmata gyod diay kog morning. 

mao nay poem...

posible pod nga mga sungayan diay ning mga ikogang machicogon.

wow!  ang basis diay sa china sa philippine territory kay ang "gihatag" ra sa spain ngadto sa u.s. (treaty of paris).  unsa kaha nga treaty ang gahatag sa tibet ngadto sa china?

what's a troll, greeny, and is that really hair on top of your head?

a banker friend's story...

grabe kuno ang banking in some places in mindanao.  sayon-sayonon lang ug hijack ug hocus-pocus sa mga bankers ang money sa depositors, labi na tawon tong sa ilang tan-aw medyo di tantong edukado.  my friend studied those cases kay ilang gipangkiha ang concerned banks.  this was more than five years ago.  mahibung pa ba ta nganong ang pinoy majority have no bank accounts?  gipapas tingali sa ubang bankers...

i, for one, can honestly say that one account of mine simply disappeared without a trace nor an explanation.  and i'm not in mindanao.

niabot ang panahon nga nigara ko.  tungod lagi aning more than one i.d. nga required, usahay driver's license akong ihatag nga di masabtan kay lahi nga foreign language, hahaha.  panurangsurang ba lang...

my latest bank misadventure was when i tried to open a dollar savings account.  aguy, i was asked for my tax account number.  ngano god tawong naa man koy tax account number nga wa man koy income?  monthly allowance from the banana republic ra man intawon tong akong ideposit unta.  unsa ba diay ning bangko, ang makatigom ug dollars kadto rang naay taxable income? 

puwes, ingon ko, i have two kinds of peso accounts in your bank, but if you cannot trust me with a dollar account, i don't care.  there are many other banks, okay? 

nalipay ko nga wa sila mo-change mind.  budlay nag balibad nga di gyod ko modayon ug deposit sa ilaha kay nangluod na ko.  naka-open ko sa laing bangko.  what did it mean?  it meant nga kandaiyag pakulo ang mga bangko.

ang resulta sa akong pagka-"fake" tungod lagi kay housewife, daghan hinoon kog na-"torture" nga tellers.

one teller refused to honor my passport because it was already expired.  hey, i said, unsa man mo dinhi, bangko o immigration?  i am showing my passport as an i.d. just to prove to you that i am who i say i am.  di ko moanhi kun mogawas ko sa nasod!  the expiry of my passport is not your business!  (lusot ko.  namuypoy intawon si inday nalooy lang pod ko.  but what did it mean?  it meant that the requirements are their judgment call.)

back to those messy bank requirements, for whatever they're worth...

i can very well save a little money in the bank because i'm daginotan; bol-anon god.  problema lang, mora kog walking fake citizen kunohay kay wa koy i.d. sa una (nadawat na nako ang akong voter's i.d. at last). 

nag-self-pity ko and felt the world is antipatiko towards housewives kay maglisod gyod kog mga transactions kay wa lagiy i.d.  kun di pa diay ko mo-drive, purya wa pod koy driver's license diay unta.  di sad ko pabor nga magdaladala ko ug marriage certificate kay mawagtang unya maahat kog kadalaga.   

that's true.  arang kahasol.  our banking system is not very encouraging.  kahasol anang duha pay kinahanglanon nga i.d. 

pabor baya ko nga naa unta tay national i.d. (as proposed during president ramos's time) ug mao ra na ang basihan nga tawo ta dili unggoy.  paarte-arte man tag supak kintahay for privacy's sake.  i.d.?  mawad-an tag privacy?  weird.  nawad-an ba diay tag privacy aning mga kinds of i.d. nga nagkalandrakas hinoon.

efficient man lagi kaayo ang germany nga naay national i.d., both for its citizens and expats.  sa ato, kada liso, bayronon.  lukat ug barangay clearance, mamuti ang mata ug huwat ug voter's i.d., palit ug residence certificate nga di dawaton ug bangko, etc. 

Quote from: hubag bohol on April 20, 2012, 07:57:01 PM

Hmm, sayang nga bisan tuod makita ang gitas-on sa buhok sa iring, di makita ang gitas-on sa ikog ni Islander...

naa man pod diay kay reading problem, hubs.  siyarog di gyod ka makakita sa imong ikog?

what next?

buttered chicken is chicken that's not margarined.  it could be male or female.

The psychological warning signs of abuse

People who are being abused may:

    #Have very low self-esteem, even if they used to be confident.
    #Show major personality changes (e.g. an outgoing person becomes withdrawn).
    #Be depressed, anxious, or suicidal.


http://www.helpguide.org/

Warning signs of isolation

People who are being isolated by their abuser may:

    #Be restricted from seeing family and friends.
    #Rarely go out in public without their partner.
    #Have limited access to money, credit cards, or the car.


http://www.helpguide.org/

Warning signs of physical violence

People who are being physically abused may:

    #Have frequent injuries, with the excuse of “accidents.”
    #Frequently miss work, school, or social occasions, without explanation.
    #Dress in clothing designed to hide bruises or scars (e.g. wearing long sleeves in
       the summer or sunglasses indoors).


http://www.helpguide.org/

General warning signs of domestic abuse

People who are being abused may:

    #Seem afraid or anxious to please their partner.
    #Go along with everything their partner says and does.
    #Check in often with their partner to report where they are and what they’re
      doing.
    #Receive frequent, harassing phone calls from their partner.
    #Talk about their partner’s temper, jealousy, or possessiveness.


http://www.helpguide.org/

for both men and women, husbands and wives...

Recognizing the warning signs of domestic violence and abuse

It's impossible to know with certainty what goes on behind closed doors, but there are some telltale signs and symptoms of emotional abuse and domestic violence. If you witness any warning signs of abuse in a friend, family member, or co-worker, take them very seriously. (http://www.helpguide.org/)

There's a popular presumption that men should somehow be able to “control” the woman in their lives, and if they can’t, then they deserve what they get. But the fact is that today a man who tries to defend himself is more likely than not to end up in jail. (http://cliffviewpilot.com/) 


obvious sa news sa sinugdanan ani nga thread.

The relationship between a battered husband and his abusive spouse can be very complex. A battered husband often employs the same defensive tactics as a battered wife, including denial, withdrawal and disconnection. The shame of owning up to a spouse's abusive behavior could cause a battered husband to defend her around others. Some excuses may be that his own actions triggered her violent response, or she's only reacting to post-natal stress. Denial can be a powerful coping mechanism for a battered husband, especially if he dreads the idea of having meaningful discussions with his abusive spouse.


http://www.wisegeek.com/

What is a battered husband?

A battered husband is a victim of domestic violence who happens to be male (obviously). 

A battered husband suffers the same emotional, verbal and physical abuse as a battered wife, but is less likely to report these crimes to authorities. (http://www.wisegeek.com/)

crispy pa!

“So far, the Team Kabang estimated the overall cost for her treatment to reach $20,000. Kabang is expected to be in the US for a month,” he said.

Maria Carmen Aquino Sarmiento, executive director of the Philippine Airlines Foundation, said they had sponsored four roundtrip tickets for the Bunggals and the two accompanying veterinarians.

“The Philippine Airlines through the PAL Foundation will help Kabang, the heroine dog of Zamboanga City to get to UC Davis so she can get her face fixed,” Aquino-Sarmiento said in a statement.

If Rudy or Christina cannot accompany Kabang to the US, Lim said Kabang would still be comfortable because he and another veterinarian would be traveling with her.

Kabang, which means “spotty” in the local dialect, had recently given birth to six puppies at the City Pound Center here and has become familiar with Lim and Dr. Grace Jimenea of the city veterinary office.


http://globalnation.inquirer.net/

Kenngott said Kabang would be operated on at the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital of the University of California in Davis, “under a team of multi-disciplinary doctors and surgeons led by Dr. Boaz Arzi.”

Arzi is a maxillofacial and dental surgeon.

While veterinarians here had raised money so that Rudy Bunggal, Kabang’s master, could accompany the dog to the US, Lim said there had been some problems.

For one, Bunggal and his wife Christina have no birth certificates, which they need to secure a passport.

So even if Kenngott sponsored their visas, they might not be able to go to the US after all, Lim said.

Despite that problem, all’s set for Kabang’s trip, Lim said.

Lim said among those helping in Kabang’s trip to the US, which could take place next month at the latest, aside from local veterinarians and humanitarian groups and individuals, was Animal Welfare Coalition US coordinator Karen Kenngott.

Kenngott, who was touched by Kabang”s story, is moving heaven and earth to find a facility, experts and funds to help Kabang, according to Lim.

In an e-mail to the Inquirer, Kenngott said that they wanted Kabang flown to the US as soon as possible.

“The more time that goes by, the more Kabang is at risk of infection,” Kengott said. “Fungal infections can be especially difficult to eradicate and any infection in the bone can be a lengthy process to treat at best. Her chances are better the sooner she can get those wounds closed,” she said.

Lim agreed by saying that Kabang is losing one of her remaining upper molarsâ€"which is very important for chewing and grabbing foodâ€"because of a previous infection.

Says veterinarian

Canine heroine ‘Kabang’ to be flown to US

By Julie Alipala
Inquirer Mindanao
Thursday, April 19th, 2012

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippinesâ€" The courageous canine who saved two girls from harm when she blocked the path of a speeding motorcycle here in December, is US-bound.


kabang

“Kabang,” a female aspin (short for asong Pinoy or native breed), will undergo major surgery to reconstruct her upper snout, which was mangled and ripped off in the accident, according to veterinarian Dr. Anton Lim.

“Kabang is going to the US with the help of many kind-hearted individuals and donors, who would like to see the dog … live longer. Her story inspired many people especially animal lovers,” Lim said, citing a confirmation from Ramona Consunji of the Animal Welfare Coalition.

whew!  so there it goes... allegedly, selling the country's soul to the devil for multi-million dollars!?  ugh.  judas was a cheapskate.

While the American government supported the Philippines' stand that international law must prevail to settle its territorial dispute with China, US embassy in Manila maintained a hands-off policy on the issue.

"When questioned by the Philippine media about the US position on the Spratlys, the Ambassador and other USG officials have consistently stressed that the US is not a party to territorial disputes in the region, and that it is our hope that all such conflicts will be resolved peacefully among the relevant parties in accordance with applicable international law," cable 08MANILA1838 said.

The cable cited the embassy's response to questions regarding military war games between the Philippines and the US and how they are related to the Spratlys.

"We carefully responded that the purpose of the bilateral naval exercise in question was to build capacity for interoperability and bilateral cooperation, that the exercise would not be carried out in the Spratlys area, and that the US calls on all claimants to resolve the issue peacefully," it said.


http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/

Arroyo befuddled by Spratlys

Cable 08MANILA1838 said the Spratlys controversy was "a strategic conundrum to the Arroyo administration."

"Filipino nationalism and widespread suspicion over China's intentions in the region militate in favor of the government taking a more aggressive stance in advocating for Philippine sovereignty over the islands, and the terms of the UNCLOS likewise tend to favor such a position," it said.

"On the other hand, the Philippines is the weaker party in an increasingly asymmetric relationship with China, and Philippine military forces are sufficiently occupied in addressing the nation's insurgent groups, without the added worry of projecting power in the South China Sea," it added. "It is clearly not in the Philippines' best interests to allow tensions in the South China Sea to escalate to the level of armed confrontations."

China threatened Philippines

China used carrot and stick to pressure the Philippine government during the Arroyo administration, according to a confidential cable sent March 5, 2009 by the US embassy in Beijing.

Cable 09BEIJING579 said a high-ranking Philippine embassy official in China, whose name ABS-CBNNews.com is withholding because of a "strictly protect" tag in the memo, told a US political officer that Beijing's official protests against the Philippines' baseline bill had raised concerns that China was hardening its policy on the South China Sea.

"We had never been nudged before like that," the Philippine official said.

The official revealed that a February 18, 2009 summons meeting, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wang Guangya reiterated his government's position on the South China Sea, rejecting any Philippines' claim to the Spratly Islands and Scarborough Shoal.

The Chinese official asked that the Philippine government take action to prevent enactment of the baselines bill, and reserved "the right of China to take action" over the issue.

The Philippine official expected Arroyo to sign the bill into despite China's protests "given that the Philippines believed it had already made concessions to China on this issue."

Other leaked US embassy cables also discussed several Chinese projects in the country that got entangled in controversy, as well as the Spratlys dispute.

They include the primarily Chinese-financed and Chinese-contracted North Luzon Railways (Northrail) project, which entails the construction of an 80-kilometer railway from metropolitan Manila to the Clark Freeport, as well as the expansion of the airport at the former Clark airbase.

"However, allegations of overpricing and kickbacks in China-financed and -built infrastructure projects arguably led China to withdraw its offer of concessionary financing for the project in order to avoid the controversy that might follow the contract. The scrutiny of Chinese-funded projects has intensified and expanded to cover the Bauang pump irrigation project, the General Santos Fish Port Complex, the Northrail Project, and others," cable 08MANILA998 said.

Arroyo did sign a compromise baselines bill into law, just barely making the deadline.

US embassy memos, however, pointed out that the law did not include the disputed territory in the Philippines' baselines and left the Spratlys and Scarborough classed as "regimes of islands."

According to cable 09MANILA428, Arroyo saw the compromise bill as the best way to prevent the tension over the disputed territories from worsening "and partly out of recognition that the Philippines lacks the military capacity to defend the Spratlys, if it should ever come to that."

The memo believes that with the compromise bill, Arroyo hoped that she may have "placated" China's simmering anger.

Cable 08MANILA998, dated April 28, 2008 directly linked the controversy over the failed ZTE broadband deal with the JMSU in the Spratlys.

"In the wake of the ZTE scandal, allegations emerged that the Arroyo administration allowed the seismic exploration deal in exchange for bribe-tainted loans," the cable said. "Legislative and media critics of Arroyo have suggested that the administration is dragging its feet in meeting a 2009 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) deadline for defining the Philippine archipelago's baselines."

Under UNCLOS, the Philippines retains an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 200 nautical miles, and may claim an extended continental shelf of 350 nautical miles.

"Even the Philippines' 200 nm EEZ includes most of the islands, while the 200 nm EEZs of China, Taiwan, and Vietnam include few or none," cable 09MANILA428 said.

"This and other recent scandals involving the Chinese led to charges in Congress and media circles that the Arroyo administration had likewise assented to the Spratlys joint seismic exploration deal in exchange for bribe-tainted loans, and that the government's attempts to get Congress to back off on inclusion of the Spratlys in Philippine baselines was similarly motivated by illicit Chinese influence," said the memo addressed to the US Secretary of State.

The memo was referring to the 2005 Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking (JMSU) agreement between China, Vietnam, and the Philippines that coordinated "pre-exploration" of possible hydrocarbon reserves in the Spratlys.

The JMSU was not extended when it expired because of the corruption scandals involving Chinese projects in the country, according to another confidential cable, 09MANILA428, that was sent by the US embassy in Manila on February 26, 2009.

"Following allegations of kickbacks and corruption, the Arroyo administration had little choice but to allow the JMSU agreement to lapse when in expired at the end of June 2008," it said.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&t=h&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=214193393822007846268.0004460b96d655257cc9c&ll=14.051331,116.499023&spn=25.38118,21.972656&z=5&source=embed

enclosed by the red line is the area claimed by china.  naa na gyod tuod sa atong tugkaran.

WikiLeaks cables: Arroyo scandals affected Spratlys, Scarborough

by Jojo Malig, ABS-CBNnews.com
04/17/2012

China used 'carrot and stick' to pressure Arroyo administration

US embassy memos support the Philippines' claim


MANILA, Philippines - Corruption scandals during the Arroyo administration that involved Chinese investments broke the fragile situation in the disputed Spratly Islands and Scarborough Shoal, US embassy cables leaked by anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks said.

Cable 08MANILA1838, classified confidential and sent August 1, 2008 in the name of then US Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Kenney, discussed the allegations that Arroyo's husband, Mike, had accepted multimillion-dollar kickbacks from the Chinese in return for facilitating a $349 million telecommunications deal between the Chinese ZTE Corporation and the Philippines' National Broadband Network (NBN).

The Arroyos have since been charged with graft over the botched deal but have claimed innocence on the allegations.

thank you, raqz.  pictures of you and your pets always inspire.  kalami na lang gyod sa imong kinabuhi.  and you deserve every minute of it because of your kindness to animals.  amen.

hihihi, this is something.  i'll try it.  no harm.  di lang gyod ko motan-aw ug moihap kay mogimaw pa lang...

time to start believing that we can stand on our own.  a pipe dream?  certainly.  but let's not think of war hardware.  pagahiay na lang god ug ulo, puwes...

madato gyod kog dali, flying segs, kun kuhaon nimo nang imong kawo kay naa sa ilawom ana ang akong dagon.

mas ngilngig gyod ang edad sa thread starter ani.  giango-ango na, tua, nasaag, wa na mobalik.

nagligas ra diay ta, sir fd.  35 and 3/4 na man ko.

hehehe.  ang di lang tinuod aning piktyura kay ang gitas-on sa buhok ni islander ug ang gitas-on sa ikog sa iring...

hinaot unta nga si dorothy dili ang dorothy sa wizard of oz.

tuod, tiaw bay puting karne nga ilogan.  horror flick man diay ni nga thread...

sa akong experience, dili tinuod.  kay kun tinuod pa, arang sabaa unta sa mga hospital.  wa man tingaliy doctor nga ni-prescribe ug 'siyagit ug jawa' para pain reliever...

kun mogamit man galing ko aning mga pulonga, malagmit para gyod sa laing tawo nga akong gikasuk-an.  di pod tingali sila makaingon nga nahupay sila ani.  malagmit pa nga ila kong gukdon ug pinuti.  kahibawo man tingali ta nga di makahupay ang pinuti.

bahin sa sugalan ug bahay aliwan... kamong mga lalaki, nasulbad ba gyod ang inyong mga problema ani?  di ba kaha makaingon hinoon mo nga nadungagan, sama sa sakit nga std o balay nga nawagtang kay giapil ug pusta?

Venus, Jupiter, and the Moon
This stunning image showing Venus, Jupiter, and the Moon was taken on March 26, 2012, in Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the Canary Islands.

Nighttime light show
Venus is visible throughout much of the world at this time of year, from early evening through the middle of the night. It's usually the brightest object in the sky (other than the Moon, of course). If you're not sure where to find it, just check out one of these online stargazing tools (http://www.tecca.com/columns/stargazing-resources-online/).
Image Credit: Santiago Atienza


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Venus and Jupiter
Venus and Jupiter put on quite a show in March 2012, appearing close to each other and very bright in the night sky. Flickr user Brian Neudorff shot this long exposure of the night sky on March 3, 2012.
Image Credit: Brian Neudorff


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Global view from Magellan
This is a global view of Venus, with the North Pole at the center of the image. It was created using images taken by the Magellan spacecraft, with gaps filled in using data from the Pioneer Venus Orbiter. While the image uses simulated color, the hues are based on true-color images from the Russian Venera 13 and 14 spacecraft.
Image Credit: NASA/JPL


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Two layers of clouds
These images of Venus, taken by the Galileo spacecraft in two different spectrums, show the planet's clouds at two different levels. The bluish image, taken with a violet filter, shows the very top of the haze of sulfuric acid in the upper atmosphere. The smaller red image was taken with an infrared filter and shows cloud patterns several miles below the visible cloud tops.
Image Credit: NASA/JPL


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Ultraviolet view of the clouds
The Pioneer Venus Orbiter snapped this photo of the cloudy atmosphere on February 26, 1979, showing the ultraviolet spectrum. The winds at the planet's surface are slow, but in the upper atmosphere, the winds zip around the planet at about 186 mph. And even on the surface, it would be difficult to walk against the wind, because the atmosphere is so dense that the winds exert a significant amount of force against anything in their way.
Image Credit: NSSDC Photo Gallery


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Impact craters on Venus
This image shows some of the hundreds of impact craters scattered evenly across the planet's surface. This is a computer-generated, 3D view created by superimposing Magellan images in topography data, with coloring based on the images taken by Russian Venus probes Venera 13 and 14.
Image Credit: Magellan press release P-39146


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False-color radar map
This false-color image is a composite of images taken by the Magellan spacecraft between 1990 and 1994. It shows the terrain of the planet's surface, with red representing mountains and blue representing valleys. The large yellow and red area in the north is called the Ishtar Terra and features Maxwell Montes, the largest mountain on Venus.
Image Credit: Magellan Spacecraft, Arecibo Radio Telescope, NASA


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Surface of Venus in true color
One of the first color images of the surface of Venus, taken by the USSR's Venera 13 probe on March 13, 1982, and preserved by the NASA National Space Science Data Center. The probe also analyzed soil samples using on-board equipment, and attempted to measure the compressibility of the soil with an impact probe.
Image Credit: USSR/NASA National Space Science Data Center


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True-color image of the Venus cloud cover
The planet's surface is shrouded by a very thick atmosphere of clouds, which is why this true-color image of Venus looks like a featureless grey sphere. The photo was taken by the NASA's Messenger spacecraft on its way to a fly-by of Mercury in January 2008.
Image Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington


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the arguments show writing at its best; easy to grasp, precise and crisp, not convoluted in any way.  readers can take their pick without the burden of intellectualizing.  thanks, hubag.

in the end, we believe in a god because if we didn't what else is there to believe in? 

buhi pa ba kaha intawon ang kahoy ani?

good, good, good, good dog.  kalooy intawon.  one more reason why we have to be kind to animals.

Quote from: balong on April 19, 2012, 01:43:55 AM
human ni DOROTHY naa pa jud si SULAMI, indonesian. atong ipagawas ug una ang mga curtain raisers usa ang main event

naghinam ko sa italian human sa indonesian... si salami pagkahuman ni sulami.

Quote from: balong on April 18, 2012, 07:05:02 PM
tig tanaw diay pod ka ug nba islander.

sorry, long, di gyod ko tigtan-aw ug nba.  labaw pang di ko motan-aw ug boxing.  there are only 2 sports events i watch on tv; the football world cup ug ang figure skating sa winter olympics.  other than that, mas maayong wa miy tv.

sadly, he wants his brother to run after his tenure.  in terms of political organization, his own is already in place.  (after 9 years, what else.)  he can always let his brother take over that political organization.  that's politics, philippine style; no ideologies, just a build-up of dynasties.  in the end, voters get what they deserve. 

i will search for your thread of rob...

consider how difficult it is to walk in those shoes.  both the back and front part of the shoes have been thickened.  in the old days, these were called platform shoes or something.  i don't know what they're called now.  (fashion repeats itself in different guises.)  these are around 5-inch heels.  i wouldn't know how to walk in these.  3-inch heels are my limit, and only when i wear a gown.  i'm content with 1 to 2 inches on ordinary days. 

Quote from: taga tigbao on April 19, 2012, 04:30:04 PM
P.S. Southern Leyte made it to the front page this past few days because of the discovery of two new frog species in the Nacolod Mountain Range in Maasin, Southern Leyte.

Quote from: Lorenzo on April 19, 2012, 04:33:30 PM
PS. Mao ba? Kuyawa oy, daghan diag hidden baki sa Leyte eh.

of all animals... ikaw gyod, tigs.  don't tell me relatives ninyo ni lorenz ning mga bakia... 

Quote from: Lorenzo on April 19, 2012, 04:21:17 PM
May we always keep in contact with each other here in Tubag Bohol Dot Com. At least from time to time.

this has taken on a more heightened nuance for me after reading (until 4 a.m.!) that thread on the obituary for orchids, that thread back in 2008 when tb was still a very strange creature for me.  (i came across the forum thereabouts but never gave a thought to joining then.)  i was surprised at my own tears over a young life suddenly cut short, over all the outpourings of grief, the disbelief and lamentations of lorenz, the offers of prayers from just about everyone.  heavens, i thought.  these are real people!  people who care even in cyberspace!

goodah!  great of you to lili, tigs.  masabtan nga mobiya usahay kay kitang tanan naa man gyod intawoy mga kakulian, pero mobalik gyod bisag hinay-hinay. 

aaahhh, isabel.  time was when i could run on high heels and was proud of it.  but high heels have helped greatly in weakening my back.  over 5 years ago, the doctor advised me to avoid high heels henceforth.  i was on regular rehab for a bad back then, and good patient that i am, i wore flats so the doctor can see that i followed his advice.  i changed to high heels once i was out of the hospital.  yes, i brought high heels with me, hehe.  there just are some clothes that only high heels can complement.  as for the brand that you're selling, good luck.  it's the first time i heard of such a brand, brands being something that i never really cared about.  high heels are an aberration, really.  but then, vanity, thy name is woman.

the victim!  consider the victim too!  labaw pa sa minghoy and insect intawon...

dugay ra na nga patakaran uy.  bag-o lang gi-otro pag-announce agig reminder.  gi-tolerate lang for some time ang mga teenagers sama ninyo.  unya kay kining teenagers mahimo man gyod intawong adults after a while, gawas kun nidiretso mog ango-ango.

"...do not like to deal with banks/financial institutions (1 percent)"

usa gyod ko ani.  makalagot baya ang arte sa mga tellers.  yet it's our money, not theirs...