MikeLigalig.com

The fight was absolutely boring. It seemed the fight was fixed. Mosley didn't know what to do with his fists.
Stop the hype HBO PayperView. Boxing is dead.

Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE) web browser, now accounts for less than 60% of the market, down from 95% at its peak in 2003, according to new figures.

Latest statistics, from measurement firm NetApplications, show that IE has 59.9% of the market, with Firefox gaining on it, with 24.5%.

While third-place Google Chrome's 6.7% share of the market looks tiny by comparison it is rising sharply, up from just 1.7% this time last year.

A new version of IE is imminent.

Microsoft has gradually been losing market share, largely due to concerns over security, experts said. - BBC

A German man has unofficially married his cat after the animal fell ill and vets told him it might not live much longer, Bild newspaper reports.

It says Uwe Mitzscherlich, 39, paid an actress 300 euros (£260,$395) to officiate at the ceremony, as marrying an animal is illegal in Germany.

Mr Mitzscherlich said he had wanted to tie the knot before his asthmatic cat Cecilia died.

The cat and groom have lived together for 10 years.

"Cecilia is such a trusting creature. We cuddle all the time and she has always slept in my bed," Mr Mitzscherlich, a postman from the eastern town of Possendorf, told Bild.

Actress Christin-Maria Lohri, who officiated the ceremony, was quoted as saying: "At first I thought it was a joke. But for Mr Mitzscherlich it's a dream come true". - BBC

Japan's Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has said it will not be feasible to entirely remove a controversial US base from the island of Okinawa.

The US Marines' Futenma base is deeply unpopular with many residents and removing it had been a key election pledge of the prime minister.

But on a visit to the island, Mr Hatoyama said "realistically speaking, it is impossible" to fully relocate it.

The island is home to over half the 47,000 American troops based in Japan.

Mr Hatoyama, speaking on his first visit to Okinawa since becoming prime minister, said maintaining the base in some form was needed for national security, under Japan's post-war military alliance with the US.

"I really feel sorry as I visit here today that I must ask for the Okinawan people's understanding that part of the base operations would have to stay," he said.

He called on the Japanese people to be "willing to share the burden, because the bases are necessary for national security".

BBC: A man suspected of attempting to detonate a car bomb in New York City has been arrested.

Faisal Shahzad, a US citizen of Pakistani origin, is accused of driving the explosives-laden car into Times Square on Saturday evening.

He is due to appear in court in Manhattan later.

US Attorney General Eric Holder said Mr Shahzad was arrested at John F Kennedy Airport attempting to board a flight to Dubai.

Reports from the US say Mr Shahzad recently returned from a five-month visit to Pakistan.

The FBI said it had searched his home in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on Tuesday.

In a statement quoted by AFP news agency, Emirates Airlines said US officials had removed three people from its Flight EK 202 from New York to Dubai, moments before it was due to take off.

It added: "Full security procedures were activated, including the deplaning of all passengers and a thorough screening of the aircraft, passengers, and baggage."

A senior Pakistani security source in the Pakistani capital Islamabad told the BBC that the authorities had no knowledge of Mr Shahzad.

He also dismissed statements released by the Pakistani Taliban saying that they were behind the failed attack and promising more to come.

Poster: If Friends were Filmed in Tennessee

How to Tell that a Man is Still Single?

Microsoft Corporation Circa 1978

This is absolutely true. He was seen by many Boholanos smoking when he visited here recently.

What do you think about it?

The Commission on Election (Comelec) is urging restaurants, resorts and bars in Boracay to apply for an exemption on liquor ban that will take effect on May 9-10.

Atty. Ian Lee Ananoria, Aklan provincial Comelec officer, said to date, only Shangrila Resort has applied with their office and have been granted approval.

“The deadline of submission of liquor-ban exemption is set on May 7 of this year so I am calling bar owners in this resort island to apply,” Ananoria said.

The Comelec prohibits selling and drinking of liquor a day and during the election in public places.

Those who will be caught drinking will be arrested by the police and will be penalized in accordance with the Comelec regulations. - PNA

By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter

Does carrying a gene tied to obesity doom a teenager to becoming obese? Not if that teen stays physically active, a new study shows.

Among genes related to obesity, mutations in the so-called fat mass-and-obesity-associated gene (FTO) appear to be particularly important. In fact, each copy of a mutation in this gene has been tied to an average jump in weight of about 3.3 pounds, the researchers say.

However, an hour of physical activity a day largely negated the gene's effect, the new study found.

"These findings have important public health implications, and indicate that meeting the physical activity recommendations may offset the genetic predisposition to obesity associated with the FTO [gene variant] in adolescents," said lead researcher Jonatan R. Ruiz, a scientist in physical activity and fitness epidemiology at the Karolinska Institute in Huddinge, Sweden.

The report is published in the April issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

For the study, Ruiz's team collected data on 752 teens who took part in the Healthy Lifestyles in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence Cross-Sectional Study, which was conducted in 10 European countries between October 2006 and December 2007.

Among these teens, 37 percent did not have FTO mutations, 47 percent had one copy and 16 percent had two copies. Copies of the mutation were linked with higher body mass index (BMI). BMI is a measure of weight divided by height. Statistically, a BMI of 25 is considered the threshold for overweight while a BMI of 30 is the threshold for obesity.

Nicotine withdrawal can create serious problems for smokers who have a medical condition that puts them in intensive care, according to a new study.

Researchers from Caen University Hospital in France found that hospital patients going through nicotine withdrawal can become highly agitated and accidentally remove tubes and catheters, require additional sedation, analgesic or anti-psychotic medicines, or need physical restraints.

Agitation, for example, occurred twice as often among smokers as non-smokers, the researchers found.

Their study, published online April 9 in Critical Care, compared 44 smokers and a control group of 100 non-smokers treated in the hospital's intensive care unit (ICU).

"These results suggest the need to be aware of nicotine withdrawal syndrome in critically ill patients and support the need for improved strategies to prevent agitation or treat it earlier," study author Damien du Cheyron said in a news release from the journal's publisher.

None of the smokers were allowed nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) during the study.

"NRT remains a controversial topic in intensive care and has been associated with mortality," du Cheyron said. "Due to the serious consequences of withdrawal-induced agitation, including sedation and physical restraint, we suggest the use of nicotine replacement therapy should be tested by a well-designed, randomized controlled clinical trial in the ICU setting." - Health Day News

Bong Revilla of Lakas Kampi-CMD TV Ad- Otso Otso

Kasukaon ka kung ikaw motan-aw. Wala na gyud intawon nahunahunaan unsaon pagcampaign but to sing otso-otso.

from a news item published by the Bohol Standard

She also told the press that there is no truth to the accusation that she spent lavishly at the Vicky Belo medical clinic, “I go there for facial, to treat pimple breakouts due to oily skin and stress from work and school. It costs P1,000+, just like other medical clinics and spas in the country.”

“First and foremost, I am earning. I receive a justifiable monthly salary, which I spend for my studies and my own personal expenses.” Cajes added.

“If its transparency they want, then they should know that I have received expensive gifts from my suitors and from my ex-boyfriend who is a businessman and a son of an Ilocos Sur politician. And I do not think there is anything wrong in that aspect because I am single and my suitors never had any business transaction and interest directly or indirectly with SK.” She added as a matter of fact.

full story here: http://www.theboholstandard.com/bnews.php?issue=164&s1=2786&s2=2787&s3=2793&s4=860&s5=2805&s6=&s7=857&s8=859&s9=&s10=&s11=&s12=861&s13=&s14=&s15=2800

Surveys should be banned. I've heard many people saying that they would not vote for this and that candidate because the candidate does not top in the surveys. Masayang lang daw ang boto if they'd vote for Perlas, for instance.

Pulse Asia and SWS are all scam. They never reveal their survey methodologies.

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Ahh!  The joy of a cruise. If you're an experienced cruise traveler you know what it means.  If you've never been on a cruise, it is only a matter of taking your first one and you'll be hooked for life.

No travel experience in the world offers the pleasures of a cruise. It's the ultimate stress free vacation. All-inclusive service, delicious food, luxury amenities, fantastic weather and exotic destinations are just a few of the factors that make cruising the fastest growing segment of the travel industry.

Now, what if you could combine all of that with a discount of up to 75% off?

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Way back in 1984, Vacations To Go realized that cruise companies had a dilemma. Their profits relied on selling most of their cabins well in advance at full price.  They couldn't offer steep discounts on unsold cabins because people would just wait until the last minute and then all cabins would be sold at a discount. Vacations To Go approached the cruise lines with a way for them to sell their unsold cabins at a deep discount without affecting their full price market.

How did they do it?

Simply put, the cruise lines allow Vacations To Go to re-market their unsold cabins to their exclusive and highly confidential client list at huge discounts from the regular price.

Vacations To Go has now provided more than a million of their "members" with dream vacations at a fraction of the regular price, often as much as 75% off.  It has also achieved the highest level of recognition possible for exceptional sales and superior service from every major cruise line in the world.

So how do you get onto this exclusive and confidential list?

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It's completely free and once you're registered you'll instantly have access to some really cool features.

The "90-Day Ticker" is a complete listing of last-minute cruise deals on the world's best cruise lines, showing information on destination stops, port city, ship type and much more.  Customers frequently save more than half what they would normally pay, often up to an amazing 75 percent off. source: howlifeworks.com

By Bohol Chronicle

Supt Pepe G. Rebusa, the incumbent Provincial Fire Marshal of Bohol who was freshed from his national award as having been adjudged for the third time as one of the Ten Outstanding Pilipino Firefighters has recently received a Regional Award for a job well done.         

The Special Commendation was given by Regional Director, SSupt Aloveel Ferrer during the closing ceremony of the BFP7 1st Quarter Command Conference held in Cebu City recently.

This time, Supt. Rebusa was cited for his profound dedication to duty in exemplifying sterling managerial expertise and leadership qualities by upholding unity of command, collective discipline and professionalism within the corp of BFP-Bohol.

It was the noteworthy initiative of Bohol BFP the establishment of PIFARERDS, a system for an effective, efficient and immediate response approach on fire alarm and other related emergency which has gained support from the Provincial Government in order to promote the general welfare of the entire Boholano Community. (FO1 Juvy Leah Danila)

This history-rich coastal municipality, despite the election fever, is on feverish preparations for the annual celebration of its town fiesta in honor of San Vicente Ferrer come Wednesday, this week.

A pontifical mass to be officiated by Bishop Leonardo Medroso and concelebrated by priests of the Diocese of Tagbilaran headed by Msgr. Jeffrey Malanog, vicar-general, will usher in the day-long festivity.

Mayor Leoncio Evasco Jr. and Fr. Warren Abarquez, parish priest, will head the hosts who will welcome visitors from all walks of life who will come from neighboring towns, Cebu, Manila, Mindanao and foreign shores.

Nightly shows starting from the first novernario, a tradition long practiced here, will highlight this year's celebration. The following are the activities that provided entertainment to townspeople and visitors who look forward to this part of the year when merry-making is at its fullest inertia:
         
April 26 - Fluvial Procession and Welcome Program and Recognition of Balikbayans and Visitors; April 27 - 3rd Dance Attack; April 28 - DepEd's "Flashback;" April 29 - Basketball Invitational Games featuring Maribojoc Team A versus Baba Yap Basketball Team; and Maribojoc Team B versus TIPASI; April 30 - Maribojoc GOT Talents;
May 1 - Variety Show; May 2 - Minus One Bulilit Singing Contests; May 3 - Bandfest 2010; May 4 - Disco Concert; May 5 - Enting-Enting Festival and Dos Pakatok Show sponsored by Alyansa Maribojoc; and May 6 - St. Vincent Institute Alumni Homecoming.

A local products/skills display and market matching is set on April 30 while heritage walks are scheduled on April 27, 29 and May 2.

The pre-fiesta preparations committees follow: Mayor Leoncio Evasco, Jr. and Fr. Warren Abarquez, co-chairmen; Executive chief of staff Oscar Francisco Valles and Fr. Faustino Bisol, co-chairs; Municipal councilor Reynaldo Villas and MPDC Engr. Maria Nenita Chiu, cultural and civic activities; Elizabeth Racho, finance; punong barangay Arsenio Pantollana, Motorcade and Fluvial Procession; Sr. Police Inspector George Badon, Peace and Order; Dr. Rey Belderol, medical and first aid services; and Engr. Raul "Eking" Jabines, utilities and physical upkeep. (FCP)

The Department of Tourism Central Visayas will conduct another Basic Tour Guiding Course sometime this month.

All interested participants are requested to inquire about the requirements at the Bohol Tourism Office.
         

Prior to the 17-day course, a panel interview is set to select those who will qualify to participate in the Basic Tour Guiding Course.

A course participant will pay a partially-subsidized course fee of Php 6,800. This amount will cover all the lectures based on the DOT-accredited course modules, daily a.m. & p.m. snacks, daily lunch, mock tour expenses and course materials.

The Basic Tour Guiding Course is organized by the Bohol Federation of Travel and Tour Operators (BOFETTO) in cooperation with the Provincial Government of Bohol through the Bohol Tourism Office.

For more details, please call the Bohol Tourism Office at 412-3666 look for Grace or Dagohoy World Travel at 412-0476 look for Lorraine.

Colonel Joseph G. Sevilla was promoted to Brigadier General last March 5.

DND Secretary Norberto Gonzales pinned the Star on Sevilla in the formal ceremonies attended by several AFP senior officers held at the General Headquarters, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City recently.

General Sevilla was born in Cantamis, Loon, Bohol. He started his early schoolings in Cantaongon and Catagbacan Elementary Schools, Loon and graduated at Daanbantayan Elementary School, Cebu as a consistent honor student. He was also a consistent honor student and graduated Salutatorian at the University of the Visayas High School, Cebu City.

He supported his way to college studies and graduated Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of the East; Bachelor of Public Administration from University of Manila and Bachelor of Laws from the Divine Word College (now Holy Name University), Tagbilaran City. He pursued his Master in Business Administration at the University of Bohol, Tagbilaran City.

As a distinguished UE ROTC Basic and Advance graduate, he immediately went on Army Probationary 2Lt Training, then commissioned as Army Second Lieutenant and was called to active duty as a Filler Officer and later as a Regular active duty in 1972. He spent his first eight years as a combat officer assigned in Sulu then reassigned and commanded a combat unit that first landed in Cotabato and operated also in Lanao provinces during the height of the Mindanao pacification campaign in March 1973.
         
Sevilla was also assigned in other insurgents affected area in Panay and Negros Islands in the Visayas and Isabela in Northern Luzon. He has served a Platoon Leader, Executive Officer and Company Commander of the 11th Infantry Battalion and 12th Infantry Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division of the Philippine Army, and several command and staff positions in higher army maneuver units and Army Reserve Command.

His military records in the various key positions earned him numerous awards and decorations for bravery in the battlefields, exemplary and meritorious accomplishments, and numerous commendations and recognitions from both the military and civilian authorities.

General Sevilla topped several military schoolings and was awarded the much coveted Commanding General Plague of Merit Award for Academic Excellence. He is a graduate of AFP Command and General Staff Course and the AFP Joint Service Command and Staff Course. He was reverted to inactive status as Major and entered in politics and was elected as Provincial Board Member from 1987 to 1992, and at the same time appointed as OIC Governor of the Province of Bohol during the Governor Torralba Administration.

He has outstanding legislative records as Author of Panglao Island Tourism Estate, elevation of Bohol Sandugo as one of Philippines Fiesta Islands Festivals, Bohol Bantay Dagat/Bantay Kalikasan Ordinances and other socio-eco-tourism and livelihood programs which earned for the Bohol the First Kalakbay Award as the Tourism Destination of the country. Sevilla was again called to active duty tour in 1992 later was promoted to full Colonel, and designated as Brigade Commander of the Technical Service Brigade, AFPRESCOM.

His unit has conducted numerous civil military operations activities such as medical/surgical/dental/optical/legal missions, disasters relief operations, public affairs activities, and other humanitarian missions serving more than a hundred thousand patients/beneficiaries in most depressed and rebels/insurgents affected areas throughout the country. He is happily married to a lovely Loay born Boholana former Maria Luz Rola Simbajon and is blessed with four children and seven grandchildren. (Col. Armando M. Manug PA (R)

By Bohol Chronicle

Jagna Mayor Exuperio C. Lloren and four other town officials are facing a complaint of nine counts for violation of R.A. 3019 or the Anti Corrupt and Practices Act and one count for Estafa at the Office  of the Ombudsman Visayas.

Included in the complaint were Vice Mayor Teofisto Pagar, Sr., Zenaida Galorio, municipal accountant, Raymund Emmanuel Cuadra, municipal treasurer and Brigida Aceron, budget officer.

The complaint was filed at the Ombudsman by LP Jagna mayoralty bet Joseph Rañola, a renowned graft buster who authored the book Guide for National Budget Legislation.

Citing selected transactions for CY 2009 under Audit Observation Memorandum No. 2010-001(2009) of the Commission on Audit, Regional Office No. V11, Audit group D-Bohol Local Government Sector dated January 7, 2010, Rañola alleged that the amount of P2,506,029.14 worth of transactions under the first two counts were made "with or lacking supporting documents raising doubts as to the validity, legality and propriety of the payments made and procurement of supplies and materials thru manipulations of respondents without competitive bidding".

He further claimed that the first count covering payments amounting to P1,160,328.83 were "highly questionable and illegal expenses were made, consummated and made possible thru the connivance of the respondents" while the second count showed that the absence of an Annual Procurement Plan(APP) of the concerned departments "resulted to direct purchase/canvass whereby LGU cannot get the price most advantageous to the agency". This "highly irregular scheme of procurements activities" caused "damage or injury to the municipality of Jagna".

The third count showed that payments worth P457,547.20 for catering services and snacks served on meetings and special occasions, seminars, SB cluster meetings, family days activities, department head meetings, entertainment of guests and visitors were also found to be "excessive and unnecessary" and were not "duly supported by appropriations for the purpose". Rañola lamented that these "expenses could have been minimized to ensure that government funds are spent only on necessary and important expenses which are beneficial to the constituents".
         
When contacted for comments, Lloren said he will issue his answer next week.

Using as basis COA's Audit Group analysis Rañola exposed that gasoline loaded to vehicles for certain travels to Tagbilaran City "appeared to be excessive". Estimated gas consumption to the city including travel within the city and back was 15 liters.

However, close examinations of selected vehicle trip tickets were found to be loaded 30-46 liters per trips on successive days which were found by the audit team to be unreasonable.

Furthermore, Rañola decried the blatant violations of EO 248 and COA Circular No. 96-004 on Liquidation of Cash Advances allegedly committed by Mayor Lloren and other "persons who are not even employees of Jagna LGU, such as Nimfa Lloren, wife of the Mayor". The Mayor "did not take actions to settle this cash advances", Rañola added.

The alleged unliquidated cash advances totaled P1,612,834.17 included intelligence and confidential funds of the Mayor. Ranola further stated that demand letters from COA were ignored even as additional cash advances were granted without liquidation of past accounts.

Based on the Audit Observation Memorandum addressed to Mayor Lloren, the Bohol Audit Group D reported that some projects funded from the 20% development fund to the tune of P1,854,727.46 "were not used in accordance with the guidelines" on fund utilization and were found not supportive of the socio-economic and environmental development of the municipality.

Mentioned projects were maintenance of buildings and heavy equipment, construction of a kitchen for the Rural Health unit and DA building, agri production and a program for early child development.

The Liberal mayoralty bet also charged Mayor Lloren and his Vice Mayor in connivance with the Municipal accountant, treasurer and Budget officer of "diversion of funds" for using part of the town's IRA to pay the loan for the construction of the Jagna Public Market amounting to P7,532,448.20 annually. This hampered the implementation of development projects that would redound to the benefit of Jagna's less privileged sector, Ranola added.

Also included in the nine count complaint for "misuse of funds" were expenses in the amount of P277,477.78 intended for cash and in kind assistance to individual/family in crisis situation. Deviations from the DSWD program guidelines were also noted.

Mayor Lloren and Vice Mayor Pagar were singled out by Ranola for "bad faith" in the non-appropriation of funding for peace and order in the budget resulting in the unliquidated cash advances of P1,100,000 purportedly for intelligence fund.

Based on the Audit Observation Memorandum the non-inclusion of peace and order in the budget is a common practice of the LGU to "evade the base of the Intelligence and Confidential funds from which they will peg their budget," Rañola said.

Meanwhile, the additional complaint for Estafa in connection with the construction of the Jagna Public Market was also filed in the interest of transparency.

The Audit Observation Memorandum dated January 7, 2010 was signed by Alegria Lapura, audit team Leader and Marcelita Sarmiento, supervising auditor.

Rañola of the Liberal Party and Fortunato Abrenilla of Lakas/Kampi are contesting the mayoralty while Mayor Lloren who will end his three terms is now the running mate of Abrenilla.

Lloren's wife, Nimfa Abaya Lloren, is running for municipal kagawad under the Lakas/Kampi.

By Ven Arigo
Bohol Chronicle

Nacionalista Party (NP) gubernatorial bet Vice Gov. Julius Herrera has been involved in a questionable large-scale recruitment of overseas job seekers who have ended up victims.

The victims, including many Boholanos, lost their hard-earned---even borrowed money---to false hope of finding highly-paid works abroad and free their families back home from the fangs of poverty.

The "OFW Desk" inside the office of Herrera at the provincial capitol which would supposedly handle the concerns of overseas workers has instead been used to process the victims' applications.

In other words, the desk has been anomalously used to front a private recruitment business, even using a government-paid employee.

There is now a mounting clamor for Herrera and his wife, Linda, a labor attaché based in the US, to resign from their respective government posts if complaints against the illegal recruitment are true. They are cited for conflict of interest.

The complainants identified a certain Marcus Julius Herrera as the "international marketer" of the agency, the 3 Js Global Recruitment Agency, Incorporated. The "Js" is believed to stand for Julius the father and Julius the son.

Herrera's wife met with the complainants at Garden Café on Friday for a settlement that could silence them. They will reportedly meet at POEA in Cebu City on Tuesday for initial half refund.
         

In their signed complaint to Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) Regional Dir. Evelia Durato, the victims recalled that the agency tied up with the Bohol Employment and Placement Office (BEPO) at capitol in September 2008. They were among those accepted for foreign jobs.

They underwent medical check-ups in Cebu City and were later made by the agency to deposit $450 each. The amount was equivalent to already P21,000 at that time. They spent additional money for their check-up and days of stay in Cebu.

The money was deposited to the Banco de Oro account, which bears the number 3250082826, of a certain Corazon Abarquez, said to be the "president" of the Herrera agency. Their fees were received by a certain Cheryl Lituanas, said to be an agency cashier.

The agency allegedly collected some P5 million from over 200 applicants, who included those from other provinces, according some accounts.

Nearly two years after their applications were assured the job seekers have not gone abroad. They said their other fellow applicants also now want their money back from the agency.

The victims were identified in their complaint as Maricel Cajelo, Nestora Rebusa, Carlos Gardosi, Maria Liezel Ingles and Maria Susan Yap, all applying for caregivers; Roberto Cister and Pableo Dabalos, garbage collectors; and Joseph Palingcod and Carlito Hibaya, construction workers. Some victims have been employed by Herrera as casual workers of the province.

The agency reportedly holds office at Room 201, Lee Business Corner, on Juan Luna corner Juan Dela Cruz Streets in Davao City, Davao del Sur.

The victims learned that the recruitment agency was delisted from POEA last March.

MARCUS JULIUS

The victims were surprised to know that Herrera's son Marcus Julius met them during their job interview. Herrera calling cards were given to them. The young Herrera also met them at Metro center here in July 2009.

He gave to the applicants his address at #56 Hernandez St., Pasay City, Philippines and e-mail address at marcusjlh83@yahoo.com.

One victim claimed that the vice governor himself appeared in a gathering of the applicants at the Governor's Mansion. The job seekers submitted their papers to the vice governor's office. A female government employee handled their papers. An applicant identified her as a certain Sharon.

ALIBI

When they inquired why they failed to fly abroad for work, the agency cited the "global recession" affecting the US economy as the cause.

The agency then promised to meet them in Bohol last January but none occurred until they learned from the POEA that the agency had been "closed." The agency's license had reportedly expired and, thus, its delisting.

"GIVE US OUR MONEY BACK"

The victims appealed to Herrera to give their money back since they are convinced that the vice governor is himself involved in the recruitment agency.

Some applicants borrowed from lenders, including the "5/6" loan sharks, while others were reported to have pawned their family rice lands.

They were not informed by the agency either by text messages about the status of their applications and of the agency itself.

They had submitted their Banco de Oro deposit receipts to the vice governor's office, where they were also made to sign a memorandum of agreement.

Illegal massive recruitment is a heinous crime and a capital offense. No bail is recommended if evidences of guilt could prove to be strong.(Ven rebo Arigo)

By Bohol Chronicle

Marcus Julius Herrera laughed off reports that the 3Js Recruitment Agency he is working for did not or won't pay back the processing pay to applicants being peddled on airlanes recently.

The younger Herrera issued the statement in the wake of repeated unfounded reports to clear the air of doubts regarding the workings of a recruitment agency. He met on Friday with some ten of the applicants for employment abroad through the said agency.

The only son of Nacionalsita Party gubernatorial timber Vice-Gov. Julius Caesar Herrera said that it would be unfair to link his father to the agency. He underscored that his father, who happens to be vice-governor, and the vice-governor's office has nothing to do with the agency.

He said that it is not true that his father's office has been used by the agency in the recruitment processes.

He said that to prove his point the agency has already refunded the amount to two of the applications since there's no available job order for employment in the U.S. as of the moment. He explained that the agency is very much willing to refund the amount provided the recruit will follow some procedures for documentation purposes.

The agency must refund the processing fee in the event it cannot send an applicant abroad if the concerned applicant willing to withdraw his/her processing fee paid to the agency based on the agreement signed by both parties (agency and the applicant), the younger Herrera said.
         
It is not also true that the agency is procesing about 300 applicants, which, he said, far from being possible. The agency has already sent two of the 29 applications to Dubai in middleeast for employment, he added.

The delay in sending applicants abroad was due to global recession affecting all countries, especially the U. S. , he said.

The younger Herrera requests those (applicants) who may have questions on their applications may just contact him since they have his number because the agency has nothing to hide.

The younger Herrera said he did not actually receive the processing fee paid by the applicants. It was a certain Joselito Pascual and deposited it in the name of Corazon Abarquez, one of the part-owners of the agency.

DOUBT

One of the applicants who asked not to be named expressed concern over the report, saying she doubted the veracity of the report and it may not come from their group (of applicants).

Another applicant said that Herrera has nothing to do with their complaint. She decried what her alleged companions did by announcing their gripe on the radio. She said in an interview that she does not want it to be tainted with politics. She urged her companions to disengage in political mudslinging and to avoid being used as tool of personal interests.

She said that Herrera has nothing to do with their try for employment in the U. S. She added that she, together with other companions, applied for job abroad through the Bohol Employment Placement Office of the Capitol during the job fair sometime in 2008. They did not apply with the vice-governor's office, either.

VICE-GOVERNOR'S RESPONSE

Nacionalista gubernatorial bet Julius Herrera has issued statement to clear his name being dragged into a supposedly complaint peddled in airlanes by his archrival .

He said he smells fishy about this (complaint) because this is being taken advantage of by Chatto's camp apparently to destroy him politically. He added that whatever transaction entered into by his son with private individual for job abroad has nothing to do with his being the vice-governor and his office.

Herrera minced no words of saying that Chatto's riding on the complaints is a proof that his archrival in the gubernatorial race has run out of legitimate issues and such is a desperate move. The voters are intelligent enough and cannot be cajoled by black propaganda of Chatto, he said.

"And I think those (complainants) who aired their gripe on air are barking the wrong tree because my son is the right person who can explain things clear for them or they should approach the right agency like, POEA," the vice-governor said. Herrera said he has pity the complainants because no doubt that Chatto camp is using them for his own political gain.

Herrera said if indeed they (complainants) allowed themselves being used by Chatto, they might end up like Mayor Bert Salinas and Gov. Erico Aumentado, the victims of Chatto's treachery by denying the duo of their rightful claim of the Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance of the Lakas.

The vice-governor said that if Chatto cannot answer legitimate questions, such as the fertilizer scam, the overpricing of computers and purchase of cell phones, how come he can help the complainants. If Chatto cannot solve his problem of his own making, how come he can help others, this is the big question, Herrera said.

Chatto has been keeping mum and deaf to answer the questions on the cell phones irregularity and computer anomaly that are hounding his campaign, now being aggravated by his questionable party leadership, Herrera said.

The vice-governor reminded the media, especially those paid hacks to exercise caution discussing on matters without verification or lack of knowledge from the concerned for "little knowledge is dangerous."

Herrera said that the complaint may be answered in the right forum like the POEA, which his son is attending to right now.

By the Bohol Chronicle

The expected massive vote buying will tap credit cards this election.

A highly reliable source from the camp of Mayor Dan Lim said voters will be issued this week with credit cards under the Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) and the First Consolidated Bank (FCB).
         
The innovative way in vote buying generated mixed reactions from the voters: This is only a ploy to entice voters to support the candidacy of Mayor Lim. To some they're excited to possess these credit cards.

It was not known whether majority of the electorate believe such scheme while many others prefer the manual delivery.

Efforts to contact the two banks this weekend failed.

Worst Mistake on a Date

The ultimate test to self-control

Honey, Please Come Down, I Can Explain This To You, Please

Charlie Brown is a Liar?

The World's Most Amazing Balloon

Cat Gone Wild

from a political analyst...

Warning: Gibo's supposed to be galing at talino but listen to how he's pro large scale mining, pro logging, pro 100% ownership of land by foreigners, pro VFA, etc. We don't want a president like this, do we?!

Beefalo are the fertile offspring of domestic cattle and American bison. Crosses also exist between domestic cattle and European bison (zubrons) and yaks (yakows). The name given to beefalo might be the most suggestive, since the breed was purposely created to combine the best characteristics of both animals with an eye towards beef production.

A USDA study showed that beefalo meat, like bison meat, tends to be lower in fat and cholesterol. They are also thought to produce less damage to range-land than cattle.

Grolar bears

The offspring of a grizzly bear and a polar bear, a grolar bear is one beast you don't want to meet in the woods. Interestingly, unlike many hybrid animals on this list, grolar bears are known to occur naturally in the wild.

Some experts predict that polar bears may be driven to breed with grizzly bears at an increased frequency due to global warming, and the fact that polar bears are being forced from their natural habitats on the polar ice

Wholphins

A cross between a false killer whale and an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin, wholphins are hybrids that have been reported to exist in the wild. There are currently two in captivity, both at Sea Life Park in Hawaii.

The wholphin's size, color, and shape are intermediate between the parent species. Even their number of teeth is mixed; a bottlenose has 88 teeth, a false killer whale has 44 teeth, and a wholphin has 66.

Ligers

Ligers are the cross of a male lion and a female tiger, and they are the largest of all living cats and felines. Their massive size may be a result of imprinted genes which are not fully expressed in their parents, but are left unchecked when the two different species mate. Some female ligers can grow to 10 feet in length and weigh more than 700 pounds.

Ligers are distinct from tigons, which come from a female lion and male tiger. Various other big cat hybrids have been created too, including leopons (a leopard and a lion mix), jaguleps (a jaguar and leopard mix), and even lijaguleps (a lion and jagulep mix).

Savannah cats

Savannah cats are the name given to the offspring of a domestic cat and a serval â€" a medium-sized, large-eared wild African cat. The unusual cross became popular among breeders at the end of the 20th century, and in 2001 the International Cat Association accepted it as a new registered breed.

Interestingly, savannahs are much more social than typical domestic cats, and they are often compared to dogs in their loyalty. They can be trained to walk on a leash and even taught to play fetch.
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By Bryan Nelson, Mother Nature Network

Zebroids

A zebroid is the offspring of a cross between a zebra and any other equine, usually a horse or a donkey. There are zorses, zonkeys, zonies, and a host of other combinations.

Zebroids are an interesting example of hybrids bred from species that have a radically different number of chromosomes. For instance, horses have 64 chromosomes and zebra have between 32 and 44 (depending on species). Even so, nature finds a way.

President Faust, members of the Harvard Corporation and the Board of Overseers, members of the faculty, proud parents, and, above all, graduates.

The first thing I would like to say is ‘thank you.’ Not only has Harvard given me an extraordinary honour, but the weeks of fear and nausea I have endured at the thought of giving this commencement address have made me lose weight. A win-win situation! Now all I have to do is take deep breaths, squint at the red banners and convince myself that I am at the world’s largest Gryffindor reunion.

Delivering a commencement address is a great responsibility; or so I thought until I cast my mind back to my own graduation. The commencement speaker that day was the distinguished British philosopher Baroness Mary Warnock. Reflecting on her speech has helped me enormously in writing this one, because it turns out that I can’t remember a single word she said. This liberating discovery enables me to proceed without any fear that I might inadvertently influence you to abandon promising careers in business, the law or politics for the giddy delights of becoming a gay wizard.

You see? If all you remember in years to come is the ‘gay wizard’ joke, I’ve come out ahead of Baroness Mary Warnock. Achievable goals: the first step to self improvement.

Actually, I have wracked my mind and heart for what I ought to say to you today. I have asked myself
what I wish I had known at my own graduation, and what important lessons I have learned in the 21 years that have expired between that day and this.

I have come up with two answers. On this wonderful day when we are gathered together to celebrate your academic success, I have decided to talk to you about the benefits of failure. And as you stand on the threshold of what is sometimes called ‘real life’, I want to extol the crucial importance of imagination.
These may seem quixotic or paradoxical choices, but please bear with me.

Looking back at the 21-year-old that I was at graduation, is a slightly uncomfortable experience for the 42-year-old that she has become. Half my lifetime ago, I was striking an uneasy balance between the ambition I had for myself, and what those closest to me expected of me.

I was convinced that the only thing I wanted to do, ever, was to write novels. However, my parents, both of whom came from impoverished backgrounds and neither of whom had been to college, took the view that my overactive imagination was an amusing personal quirk that would never pay a mortgage, or secure a pension. I know that the irony strikes with the force of a cartoon anvil, now.

So they hoped that I would take a vocational degree; I wanted to study English Literature. A compromise was reached that in retrospect satisfied nobody, and I went up to study Modern Languages. Hardly had my parents’ car rounded the corner at the end of the road than I ditched German and scuttled off down the Classics corridor.

I cannot remember telling my parents that I was studying Classics; they might well have found out for the first time on graduation day. Of all the subjects on this planet, I think they would have been hard put to name one less useful than Greek mythology when it came to securing the keys to an executive bathroom.
I would like to make it clear, in parenthesis, that I do not blame my parents for their point of view. There is an expiry date on blaming your parents for steering you in the wrong direction; the moment you are old enough to take the wheel, responsibility lies with you. What is more, I cannot criticise my parents for hoping that I would never experience poverty. They had been poor themselves, and I have since been poor, and I quite agree with them that it is not an ennobling experience. Poverty entails fear, and stress, and sometimes depression; it means a thousand petty humiliations and hardships. Climbing out of poverty by your own efforts, that is indeed something on which to pride yourself, but poverty itself is romanticised only by fools.

What I feared most for myself at your age was not poverty, but failure.
At your age, in spite of a distinct lack of motivation at university, where I had spent far too long in the coffee bar writing stories, and far too little time at lectures, I had a knack for passing examinations, and that, for years, had been the measure of success in my life and that of my peers.

I am not dull enough to suppose that because you are young, gifted and well-educated, you have never known hardship or heartbreak. Talent and intelligence never yet inoculated anyone against the caprice of the Fates, and I do not for a moment suppose that everyone here has enjoyed an existence of unruffled privilege and contentment.

However, the fact that you are graduating from Harvard suggests that you are not very well-acquainted with failure. You might be driven by a fear of failure quite as much as a desire for success. Indeed, your conception of failure might not be too far from the average person’s idea of success, so high have you already flown.

Ultimately, we all have to decide for ourselves what constitutes failure, but the world is quite eager to give you a set of criteria if you let it. So I think it fair to say that by any conventional measure, a mere seven years after my graduation day, I had failed on an epic scale. An exceptionally short-lived marriage had imploded, and I was jobless, a lone parent, and as poor as it is possible to be in modern Britain, without being homeless. The fears that my parents had had for me, and that I had had for myself, had both come to pass, and by every usual standard, I was the biggest failure I knew.

Now, I am not going to stand here and tell you that failure is fun. That period of my life was a dark one, and I had no idea that there was going to be what the press has since represented as a kind of fairy tale resolution. I had no idea then how far the tunnel extended, and for a long time, any light at the end of it was a hope rather than a reality.

So why do I talk about the benefits of failure? Simply because failure meant a stripping away of the inessential. I stopped pretending to myself that I was anything other than what I was, and began to direct all my energy into finishing the only work that mattered to me. Had I really succeeded at anything else, I might never have found the determination to succeed in the one arena I believed I truly belonged. I was set free, because my greatest fear had been realised, and I was still alive, and I still had a daughter whom I adored, and I had an old typewriter and a big idea. And so rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.

You might never fail on the scale I did, but some failure in life is inevitable. It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all â€" in which case, you fail by default.

Failure gave me an inner security that I had never attained by passing examinations. Failure taught me things about myself that I could have learned no other way. I discovered that I had a strong will, and more discipline than I had suspected; I also found out that I had friends whose value was truly above the price of rubies.

The knowledge that you have emerged wiser and stronger from setbacks means that you are, ever after, secure in your ability to survive. You will never truly know yourself, or the strength of your relationships, until both have been tested by adversity. Such knowledge is a true gift, for all that it is painfully won, and it has been worth more than any qualification I ever earned.

So given a Time Turner, I would tell my 21-year-old self that personal happiness lies in knowing that life is not a check-list of acquisition or achievement. Your qualifications, your CV, are not your life, though you will meet many people of my age and older who confuse the two. Life is difficult, and complicated, and beyond anyone’s total control, and the humility to know that will enable you to survive its vicissitudes.
Now you might think that I chose my second theme, the importance of imagination, because of the part it played in rebuilding my life, but that is not wholly so. Though I personally will defend the value of bedtime stories to my last gasp, I have learned to value imagination in a much broader sense. Imagination is not only the uniquely human capacity to envision that which is not, and therefore the fount of all invention and innovation. In its arguably most transformative and revelatory capacity, it is the power that enables us to empathise with humans whose experiences we have never shared.

One of the greatest formative experiences of my life preceded Harry Potter, though it informed much of what I subsequently wrote in those books. This revelation came in the form of one of my earliest day jobs. Though I was sloping off to write stories during my lunch hours, I paid the rent in my early 20s by working at the African research department at Amnesty International’s headquarters in London.

There in my little office I read hastily scribbled letters smuggled out of totalitarian regimes by men and women who were risking imprisonment to inform the outside world of what was happening to them. I saw photographs of those who had disappeared without trace, sent to Amnesty by their desperate families and friends. I read the testimony of torture victims and saw pictures of their injuries. I opened handwritten, eye-witness accounts of summary trials and executions, of kidnappings and rapes.

Many of my co-workers were ex-political prisoners, people who had been displaced from their homes, or fled into exile, because they had the temerity to speak against their governments. Visitors to our offices included those who had come to give information, or to try and find out what had happened to those they had left behind.

I shall never forget the African torture victim, a young man no older than I was at the time, who had become mentally ill after all he had endured in his homeland. He trembled uncontrollably as he spoke into a video camera about the brutality inflicted upon him. He was a foot taller than I was, and seemed as fragile as a child. I was given the job of escorting him back to the Underground Station afterwards, and this man whose life had been shattered by cruelty took my hand with exquisite courtesy, and wished me future happiness.

And as long as I live I shall remember walking along an empty corridor and suddenly hearing, from behind a closed door, a scream of pain and horror such as I have never heard since. The door opened, and the researcher poked out her head and told me to run and make a hot drink for the young man sitting with her. She had just had to give him the news that in retaliation for his own outspokenness against his country’s regime, his mother had been seized and executed.

Every day of my working week in my early 20s I was reminded how incredibly fortunate I was, to live in a country with a democratically elected government, where legal representation and a public trial were the rights of everyone.

Every day, I saw more evidence about the evils humankind will inflict on their fellow humans, to gain or maintain power. I began to have nightmares, literal nightmares, about some of the things I saw, heard, and read.

And yet I also learned more about human goodness at Amnesty International than I had ever known before.
Amnesty mobilises thousands of people who have never been tortured or imprisoned for their beliefs to act on behalf of those who have. The power of human empathy, leading to collective action, saves lives, and frees prisoners. Ordinary people, whose personal well-being and security are assured, join together in huge numbers to save people they do not know, and will never meet. My small participation in that process was one of the most humbling and inspiring experiences of my life.

Unlike any other creature on this planet, humans can learn and understand, without having experienced. They can think themselves into other people’s places.

Of course, this is a power, like my brand of fictional magic, that is morally neutral. One might use such an ability to manipulate, or control, just as much as to understand or sympathise.

And many prefer not to exercise their imaginations at all. They choose to remain comfortably within the bounds of their own experience, never troubling to wonder how it would feel to have been born other than they are. They can refuse to hear screams or to peer inside cages; they can close their minds and hearts to any suffering that does not touch them personally; they can refuse to know.

I might be tempted to envy people who can live that way, except that I do not think they have any fewer nightmares than I do. Choosing to live in narrow spaces leads to a form of mental agoraphobia, and that brings its own terrors. I think the wilfully unimaginative see more monsters. They are often more afraid.
What is more, those who choose not to empathise enable real monsters. For without ever committing an act of outright evil ourselves, we collude with it, through our own apathy.

One of the many things I learned at the end of that Classics corridor down which I ventured at the age of 18, in search of something I could not then define, was this, written by the Greek author Plutarch: What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality.

That is an astonishing statement and yet proven a thousand times every day of our lives. It expresses, in part, our inescapable connection with the outside world, the fact that we touch other people’s lives simply by existing.

But how much more are you, Harvard graduates of 2008, likely to touch other people’s lives? Your intelligence, your capacity for hard work, the education you have earned and received, give you unique status, and unique responsibilities. Even your nationality sets you apart. The great majority of you belong to the world’s only remaining superpower. The way you vote, the way you live, the way you protest, the pressure you bring to bear on your government, has an impact way beyond your borders. That is your privilege, and your burden.

If you choose to use your status and influence to raise your voice on behalf of those who have no voice; if you choose to identify not only with the powerful, but with the powerless; if you retain the ability to imagine yourself into the lives of those who do not have your advantages, then it will not only be your proud families who celebrate your existence, but thousands and millions of people whose reality you have helped change. We do not need magic to change the world, we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already: we have the power to imagine better.

I am nearly finished. I have one last hope for you, which is something that I already had at 21. The friends with whom I sat on graduation day have been my friends for life. They are my children’s godparents, the people to whom I’ve been able to turn in times of trouble, people who have been kind enough not to sue me when I took their names for Death Eaters. At our graduation we were bound by enormous affection, by our shared experience of a time that could never come again, and, of course, by the knowledge that we held certain photographic evidence that would be exceptionally valuable if any of us ran for Prime Minister.
So today, I wish you nothing better than similar friendships. And tomorrow, I hope that even if you remember not a single word of mine, you remember those of Seneca, another of those old Romans I met when I fled down the Classics corridor, in retreat from career ladders, in search of ancient wisdom:
As is a tale, so is life: not how long it is, but how good it is, is what matters.
I wish you all very good lives.

Thank you very much.

A total of 49 billion baht of confiscated financial assets of convicted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his family have been transferred from six commercial banks to the state, Comptroller General's Department director-general Pongpanu Svetarundra said on Monday.

On Jan 26, the Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions of the Supreme Court ruled to seize B46.3bn  of B76bn of ousted premier Thaksin's frozen assets, finding him guilty of amassing wealth through abuse of power during his time in office from 2001 to 2006.

Mr Pongpanu said the seized  assets were in 32 accounts and three unit trusts held by six commercial banks. The banks had transferred all the money to the state on April 30.

He said, 39.8 billion baht was from Siam Commercial Bank, B8.586bn from Bangkok Bank, B508.9 million from UOB Bank, B21m from Bank of Ayudhya, B10.4m from TMB Bank, B1.06m from Siam City Bank.

The amount comprised B46.2bn of principal and B2.805bn of interest.

"Over 163 million baht of seized assets have yet to be transferred as they are in three unit trusts and it will take about two months for the Finance Ministry to receive the money," Mr Pongpanu said. - Bangkok Post

By Engr Jes Tirol, Bohol Chronicle

SCANNING THE HORIZON FOR SURPRISES ON MAY 10, 2010 ELECTION DAY
   
Proem

During the April 25, 2010 induction of officers of LUDABI, AWRAFI, and BLAC held at JJ's Seafood Village, our inducting officer and guest speaker was Atty. Eliseo Labaria, the Provincial COMELEC of Bohol.

As I listened to Atty. Labaria, I could imagine many surprises that will arise during Election Day.

PCOS Machine

The Precinct Count Optical Scanner (PCOS) machines to be used in Bohol have already arrived and are being stored.

The PCOS machine is different in design compared to the machines used during the elections in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). In ARMM the machines were "touch screen" type and interact with the voters similar to a "Teller Machine" in a bank.

The PCOS machine has very low tolerance for variations like temperature, voltage, gap between ballot and machine slit, misalignment, etc. An excess from these tolerance can already cause the machine to malfunction. The COMELEC has already announced that they expect 30% of these machines to malfunction.

Unanswered Question

I asked Atty. Labaria what will happen if the oval is punched through and becomes a hole. Atty. Labaria was surprised because of all the expediencies they imagined they never thought of the oval for shading to become a hole. He hazard a guess that it will not be read.

I responded that if it will not be read by the PCOS, then there is a solution to an over-vote. Just ask the voter which candidate he will cancel and the COMELEC Officials will punch the oval to become a hole. At present, if you will over-vote, say for senators, all the 12 valid votes will be eliminated or not counted. Atty. Labaria took note of my suggestion and will bring the matter to National COMELEC.

NOY-NOY and BINAY

The Pulse Asia Poll Survey published a recent result that for the Vice Presidential race, Mayor Jejomar Binay has already surged to second place and threatening to overtake Senator Mar Roxas.

The March 25-29, 2010 poll survey conducted by the University of Bohol Research Center indicated that Mayor Binay is already ahead in Tagbilaran City.

Our January 27, 2010 survey for Tagbilaran City had AQUINO = 58.78% and ROXAS = 63.34% with BINAY = 14.86%.

Our March 29 survey had a result for Tagbilaran City as AQUINO = 40.1% and BINAY = 34.7% with ROXAX = 29.3%. In other words, Tagbilaran City was ahead in making the shift from ROXAS to BINAY.

There was not much shifting in the other candidates. At present we are still conducting a survey for the whole province of Bohol. We expect to finish it by May 5.

Money Is Still A Factor

Our surveys indicate that Inangayan (money distributed and viewed as a per diem) is still a big factor in the coming election.

In this regard we can expect many surprises. The money from national candidates is already here in Bohol. However, it will not be distributed through party lines but by independent organizations. The local candidates could not touch this money. The national candidates have already gotten wise to the situation that local candidates will forget the national candidate that supplied the funding.

In this situation, we can expect that local alliances will shift from political party to other political parties. In other words, in the Provincial and Municipal levels, we can expect the unexpected. This is enhanced by the fact that only very few candidates can afford to print the "long ballot".

In all probability you can find only individual fliers of candidates and maybe a ballot with names coming from a mixture of parties.

By Bohol Chronicle

Virtually unknown to many sports fans in this new generation, the late congressman Simeon Toribio of Carmen, Bohol is one of the country's outstanding athletes this year.

Exactly 80 years ago, Toribio gifted the Philippines a medal in the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics. The Cong. Simeon Toribio Memorial District Hospital was erected in his honor.

Reports from Manila say Chief Justice Reynato Puno will be the guest of honor when nine Filipino and the 1954 national quintet are enshrined in the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame on May 5 at the Maynilad Hall of the Manila Hotel.

Puno, the country's 23rd Chief Justice and a sportswriter in his college years at the University of the Philippines, will keynote the ceremony which will formally induct the likes of the late boxers Gabriel "Flash" Elorde, Francisco "Pancho Villa" Guilledo and Ceferino Garcia into the Hall of Fame.

The Hall of Fame organizing committee headed by Arturo Macapagal of the Philippine Olympians Association and Philippine Sports Commission chair Harry Angping made the choice of Puno as guest speaker.

"He is apolitical," Angping said of Puno, who is retiring from his post on May 17.
         
Also getting the nod of the screening committee composed of a select group of veteran sportswriters are Olympians Jose "Cely" Villanueva and his son Anthony, Miguel White, Simeon Toribio, Teofilo Yldefonso, Carlos Loyzaga and the Philippine team that won the bronze medal in the 1954 World Basketball Championships in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Some of the awardees like Loyzaga and Villanueva and members of the basketball team are expected to attend the ceremony.

Elorde (junior lightweight), Guilledo (flyweight) and Garcia (middleweight) held world boxing titles at the height of their careers.

Cely Villanueva captured the country's first Olympic medal in boxing - a bronze in the 1932 Los Angeles Games.

His son, Anthony, won the country's first Olympic silver medal in the featherweight division in the 1964 Tokyo Games.

As the country's first Olympic hero, Yldefonso, won two Olympic bronze medals, a feat no Filipino athlete has matched. He won the 200m breastroke bronze medals in the 1928 Amsterdam and 1932 Los Angeles Olympics.

Like Cely Villanueva and Yldefonso, Toribio gifted the country with a bronze in men's high jump in the 1932 Games. White, the country's only Olympics athletics medalist, snared the bronze in the men's 400-m hurdles in the 1936 Berlin Games.

BRUNA "Boning" JUMAWID ANUNCIADO
Born: October 6, 1913
Died: February 18, 2010

ISMAEL GALLARES PARRAS
* June 17, 1936
+ February 11, 2010

By Bohol Chronicle

Popular TV host Kris Aquino is slated to arrive here tomorrow to pitch her campaign for presidentiable Sen. Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III who could not come due to an earlier commitment in Bicol.

Sen. Aquino and running mate Sen. Mar Roxas will be at the center stage of a big event dubbed as "Tara na, Sali na! Araw ng Dilaw" at the People Power Monument, EDSA in Manila at 4 p.m. today.

Ms. Aquino will be arriving later tomorrow to support the scheduled proclamation rally of the local candidates of the Liberal Party headed by gubernatorial bet, movie actor/director Cesar Montano and running mate former DepEd superintendent Elpidio Jala.

Slates to arrive tomorrow for the LP big event are senatoriables Risa Hontiveros-Baraquil, TG Guingona, Sen. Franklin Drilon and Sen. Ralph Recto.

The LP senatoriables will be coming in from Cebu City where they are slated to join the "Rock the Vote" Concert Caravan today in the Queen City of the South.

The LP proclamation rally is slated to be held at a school gymnasium tomorrow afternoon.

Together with Montano to be proclaimed during the rally are congressional bets City Kagawad Edgar Kapirig, first district and Dannie Mendez, second district.
        
For provincial board members, JR Esperanza, Nemi Monton and Zeus Descallar, first district; Danny Garcia and Dodo Boyles, second district and Flor Garcia for the third district.

LP has 12 mayoralty bets, Loy Jalad of Albur, Willy Flores of Loay, Alex Paigan of Lila, Ondoy Granada of Guindulman, Joseph Ranola of Jagna, Jesha Cuyacot-Togue of Mabini, Jun Flores of Trinidad, Robert Celocia of Buenavista, Judith Simbajon of Clarin, Rex Flores of Sagbayan, Nilo Sarigumba of Loboc and Arthur Arboladora of Panglao. Vice mayoralty bets Ann Piquero-Dy of Candijay and Reynel Yamaro of Sierra Bullones will join in the proclamation rally.

SURVEY LEADERS

Aquino and Roxas continue to maintain their respective lead in the surveys conducted lately.

Aquino even improved his rating at 39% this April (from 37%) while Sen. Manny Villar's rating went down to 20%, from 25% in March. Former Pres. Erap Estrada went higher by 2%, giving him a tie with Sen. Villar at 20%.

Administration bet Gibo Teodoro maintained at 7% since February to April, as based on Pulse Asia, Inc. survey.

Published by the Bohol Chronicle

The electorate in the city has to make their better choice when they cast their votes on May 10, and that choice is between "good or evil," according to veteran broadcaster Choy Torralba.

Torralba is the Boholano commentator now based in Cebu City who was boxed by Mayor Dan Lim way back in 1988.

He said the city mayor is a representative of "evil" amid the various issues and concerns hounding the city, "from corruption to illegal activities up to harassment and big-time bribery."

Torralba said Mayor Lim was convicted by the Supreme Court for physical injury charges filed by the radio commentator after, in front of many people, he was boxed by Lim while he was waiting for his flight at the Tagbilaran City Airport. If that is the case, legal experts are now asking whether the city then have as a mayor a convicted felon?

The incident happened two days after the 1988 elections wherein Lim was defeated in his bid for congressman in Bohol's first district.

"After extending a hand to him (Lim), I was instead boxed by Lim," Torralba recalled saying that Lim was mad at him for the issues he raised during his radio program in a Cebu station. Torralba noticed the same violent attitude of the city mayor as he hears reports of harassment and intimidation done to local media personalities.

Comparing Lim during that time and now, Torralba said "he is the same Dan we all know."

"When he boxed me, he was with his bodyguards," Torralba recalled and now that he is city mayor he has his Task Force to intimidate those who would say anything negative about him.
         

"He is a bully person," Torralba categorically said.

Lim is indeed a person who wants to "silence his critics especially those in the media," the broadcaster said.

The charges of Torralba against Lim was sustained until it was decided with finality by the Supreme Court in 1995 convicting the city mayor on charges of physical injuries.

The statement of Torralba branding Lim as "violent" coincided with the recent statement of the city mayor where he challenged Dao Barangay Captain Atoy Cosap to a fist fight.

The challenge was hurled at Cosap during a recent public rally in barangay Dao, this city where the mayor lambasted the barangay captain who is not politically affiliated with his group.

Torralba when interviewed yesterday over dyRD said this is the "most crucial" election the city will ever have, considering that Tagbilaran is placed "under threat" by the city mayor, from the business sector, the judiciary, the media and the police.

It may be recalled that vocal broadcasters Nestor Daarol, Kagawad Batchoy Alba and Boyet Requeron were not spared from the threats of the city mayor.

Both Daarol and Requeron were recipients of physical threats when they were visited by members of the dreaded Task Force at the premises of the radio station where they were anchoring their radio programs.

Kagawad Alba, for his part, whose house is located in the remote barangay of San Isidro, this city, exposed an attempted arson during the height of his exposes of alleged anomalies at the city hall under the Lim administration.

Alba recalled "it happened during the dawn of All Souls Day. Luckily the spirits blew the fire away and spared my Avanza car and house from being gutted by fire, initiated by the cowards who operated under the cover of darkness."

"If Tagbilaranons will vote for Lim on May 10, then perhaps, they want this atmosphere
of fear and intimidation to continue," the radio broadcaster concluded.

Daarol, on the other hand, was assaulted with a foul liquid thrown at his face by Arlene Karaan, one of the executive assistants of Mayor Lim.

The latest case of intimidation against media men was the cutting off of power from the residences of radio personality Gerry Pabe, now running as an independent bet for city councilor and Jerry Cajes, a technician of Station DYRD, respectively.

City Mayor Lim, who fancies himself as broadcaster (but without KBP license) is considered by city residents as "anti-media" based on the number of media men he and his men had assaulted or intimidated.

He used City Hall to harass Station DYRD and the Bohol Chronicle last year for which he was reprimanded by the Department of Finace to be more circumspect with his tax indulgences and for which a "tax harassment" case has been filed against Mayor Lim in the Office of the Ombudsman.

An Editorial of the Bohol Chronicle, May 2 2010

The election scene in the city circa 2010 reminds one of the 1986 snap elections pitting the dictator Ferdinand Marcos versus the widow of a martyred senator Cory Aquino.

Patently, the choice was between good and evil. Like City Mayor Dan Lim, Marcos had the "gold" to buy people and the "guns and goons" to intimidate the electorate.

The people only had volunteerism, belief in the power of choice and faith in God. The rest, as the world now recognizes, was the historic return of democracy and free market in this country.

Station DYRD's popular "Radyo Merkado" yesterday surveyed the "fear factors" that may bedevil people come Election Day.

They centered on the woes of the city under siege, though some took note of some "risk concerns" of violence, as well, in the 2nd district where former Governor Rico Aumendato and Rep. Ondoy Cajes' wife is the surrogate opponent in a protracted Rico-Ondoy "political war" that is escalating.

Thirty four (34%) percent cited harassment by politicians and their armed goons (specifically in the city - the dreaded City Task Force), 29% (vote buying) and 9% (the risk of computer malfunction and electric power failure) as the major "fear factors".

The rest enumerated the lack of transportation in the hinterlands and the resulting "people power" if the true mandate of the people is being altered.

But every problem has a solution and with enough citizen willpower and Divine Grace, solutions are available. Take a look and note.

For harassment - always work in large groups whether in meetings or going to the precincts to vote and coming home - guarded by marshals and if possible led by priests, nuns, pastors or respected elderly in your communities.

Any violence the goons will do will be "blood on their hands" - and a looming new administration will brook no such nonsense, we are sure.

For those who purchase one's votes - accept the money but vote according to one's conscience. They have probably stolen money from government (through crooked deals and unliquidated advances) - and they will just be re-circulating money that properly belongs to the people, in the first place.

We know Comelec has standby computers - but just in case. People power, this time, means planning who will make available standby generators to keep the "light of democracy flickering" till the last voter has cast his democratic vote.

In case of retaliatory moves, let each leader have the phone lines to the Philippine army in the province as well as that of the PNP as the city PNP is under the baton of the City Mayor - and report the incidents.

If the PNP shows partisanship - report to Police Chief Verzosa or General Abner Cabalquinto for Police Personnel Affairs. Have their landlines, celphone numbers and email and fax addresses handy.

For those without transport in the hinter places, organize a transport brigade to alternately bring our poor fellow citizens to the polling place and back home. That is true community spirit.

And finally, when people feel that their true sentiments have been thwarted by whatever evil forces Satan's Brigade inflicted on the populace, by all means people should use their constitutional rights to seek redress against grievances.

Join "people power" marches and protest and do not allow those who cheated their way into office sit on the thrones they have illegally acquired. That is one's right and duty as a citizen of a free land.

An oppressed city needs men of bravery and spunk. With courage, borne out of God's grace, dare to cross the line of fear - and be counted.

Let us remember that "Bad men get elected (or reelected) into office because good men do nothing."

THE ROLE OF MEDIA

The obvious reason why City Mayor Dan Lim is allergic to media - is that it becomes a medium to expose the series of corrupt deals and practices and human right violations of his administration. And the election violations he may plan to perpetrate.

The pattern is there to see. From the violence against Choy Torralba to the assaults against Alba, Daarol, Requiron (father and son), Pabe and Cajes and the tax harassment against this twin media - one image of an insecure man whose mental dishonesty consists in trying to keep the debating hall -peopled only by his rah rah boys and sycophants. To the exclusion of all others.

Another pattern is also clear - when he punched broadcaster Torralba - the "bully" was surrounded by his bodyguards; today the intimidation is done with the aid of armed and dangerous men in his City Task Force.

People think broadcaster Atoy Cosap should accept the challenge for a fist fight launched by the City Mayor with one provision. City Mayor Dan Lim should get rid of all his goons and they walk - man to man - in the middle of the Garcia stadium - with nothing but their fists to do the talking.

Honestly, betting could be heavy that the athletic sportsman Cosap will be the one left standing after one minute - over the fallen opponent laden with morbid obesity.
And such is the future of tyrants.

The Ampatuans, drunk with power and hubris, ruled Maguindanao with force and intimidation for many years. Hubris also egged them to kill 57 innocent people and 30 media men (remember) who wanted to cover the Ampatuan's excessive show of force last November.

Well, the law has finally caught up with them. And there stands the apparently deranged Mayor Andal Ampatuan smiling like a jerk in his jail - where he is expected to rot for 10 lifetime terms.

Water, they say, will always seek its own level.

I forgot the title, but the movie was all about dancing. Murag Indian movie nga sige lang sayaw. Chubby pud ang main actress adto.

Atong ipamatuod sa kalibotan nga kita nagpakabana ug wala magpakabuta-bungol sa mga panghitabo sa atong yutang natawhan.

Please read the open letter (drafted by wolfpack823) at http://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=27532.0

Many thanks to WolfPack823...