MikeLigalig.com

4. Antidepressant

WebMD says studies suggest LV 3 may also have to do with improvements with regards to depression and anxiety, possibly as a consequence of fewer instances of stress and insomnia.

3. Digestion

According to Acupressure Wellness, LV 3 can help cure indigestion, upset stomachs, and even hangovers. By managing your metabolism through this point, you could also potentially find ways to slim down, the website suggests.

2. Painkiller

WebMD indicates that LV 3 can be a great source of pain relief, as it is connected to the lower back. Explore IM adds that genital problems in general can also be lessened by stimulating LV 3, including but not limited to menstrual cramps. Lastly, it is also said to help with eye problems and headaches.

1. Stress relief

Modern Reflexology reports the LV 3 point can affect stress levels positively by increasing your concentration and clarity of thought. The point is also said to relieve fatigue.

Acupressure point linked with stress and pain relief, and other health benefits

BY MAXIMILIEN WEINSTEIN

Sometimes, modern medicine is not meant to do the trick. When all the pill bottles in the world can't solve your problem, where do you turn? Many practitioners of alternative medicine swear by acupressure as the be-all and end-all of health remedies. Among other spots on your body, the LV 3 point is noteworthy as a powerful multipurpose booster for all-around health.







Located near the metatarsal bones in your foot, LV 3 â€" also known as Tai Chong â€" stands for Liver 3 because of its connection to the liver meridian, which connects to numerous different parts of your body and helps affect your health in several ways. Here are a few examples of the way the LV 3 point can influence your body.

sa damgo ba lang...

So journalists are now scouring the records to better understand what type of activity was going on at Johnny's house in Panama â€" whether it was legal, appropriate, or a bending of the law.

To read more of Vox's coverage of the Panama Papers, go to http://www.vox.com/2016/4/4/11361436/panama-papers-list-leaks-fonseca-names-politicians.

But everyone who hid their piggy bank at Johnny's house is still in trouble, because secret piggy banks are not allowed.

Not everyone was doing something bad, though. For example, you just wanted privacy from your mom.

But your neighbor Michael was stealing money from his mom's purse and hiding it in Johnny's closet. And Jacob was stealing other people's lunch money and didn't want his parents to ask where it came from.

Soon we'll know who was doing this for bad reasons and who wasn't.

That's basically today's document leak â€" and a lot of important and powerful people hid their piggy banks at Johnny's house in Panama.

She's mad and calls everyone's parents to tell on the kids hiding their money.

But one day, Johnny's mom finds the piggy banks.

So they also put their piggy banks in Johnny's closet.

The neighborhood kids also think this is a good idea.

Johnny's mom is busy. She doesn't check piggy banks. So you can secretly keep yours there without anyone checking up on it.

...and take it to Johnny's house.

So you get an extra piggy bank...

But your mom keeps checking up on how much you're putting in and taking out.

You don't like that.

Let's say you save your quarters in a piggy bank that is on your closet shelf.

The Panama Papers leak, explained with an adorable comic about piggy banks

by Alvin Chang and Javier Zarracina
April 4, 2016


It's easy to get confused by all the headlines about the Panama Papers, a massive 2.6-terabyte leak of documents that reveals a global web of corruption and tax avoidance. But Vox's German Lopez uncovered a great explanation of what's happening, and it's courtesy of brilliant redditor DanGliesack.

He uses piggy banks to help explain the main (and complicated-sounding) thing that was happening in Panama: foreigners setting up Panamanian shell companies to hold financial assets that obscure the identities of their real owners. We thought this analogy was quite fitting for a comic, so we created these illustrations to explain the key issue at the heart of the Panama Papers scandal.

from the philippines' side, the revealed names that have allegedly appeared in the panama papers so far:

The reports state the names of Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos and her three sons were in the Panama papersâ€"based on documents from a law firm in the Central American countryâ€"released by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) last Monday.

Also on the list of the ICIJ Offshore Leaks Database was Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito, a son of ousted President Joseph Estrada.


Read more: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/138330/bir-to-look-into-panama-papers#ixzz44wWqawO3

For its part, Mossack Fonseca says that it regrets “any misuse of our services and actively take steps to prevent it.” The firm has indicated its disappointment with media reports, taking to its website to say:

Recent media reports have portrayed an inaccurate view of the services that we provide and, despite our efforts to correct the record, misrepresented the nature of our work and its role in global financial markets.

The firm even went so far as to release a lengthy statement, defending its services and offering clarification about its role. (The firm’s entire statement can be downloaded as a pdf.)

More documents â€" and possibly more big names â€" will be revealed in the weeks to come. What that means for global financial and tax transparency â€" as well as the markets â€" is not certain. Stay tuned: the fallout from the leaks is bound to be felt from London to Beijing.

http://www.forbes.com/

When advisors like lawyers, accountants, and financial advisors work to establish offshore accounts, there’s a lot of due diligence that has to happen to ensure that money isn’t being transferred for illegal purposes such as tax evasion, money laundering or to avoid existing creditors (including soon to be ex-spouses or victorious plaintiffs). When done properly, there’s no harm, no foul: I’ve worked to establish offshore accounts for clients who had legitimate concerns about asset protection or estate planning. But moving money out of a jurisdiction â€" like the U.S. â€" doesn’t erase the compliance obligations for the owners who may still live in (or, in the case of the U.S., be citizens of) the country. In the U.S., for example, you must still report the existence of the accounts on tax returns (and in other circumstances, including for child support and other court proceedings) as well as income generated from the accounts. Failure to do the right thing can land not only the account owners â€" but the lawyers, accountants and financial advisors who facilitated the opening of the accounts â€" in hot water.

Sports figures aren’t immune to the scandal either. Offshore companies named in the papers have been linked to several persons closely involved in the massive FIFA corruption charges. Also finding their names on the infamous list? Arguably the best soccer player in the world, Lionel Messi, who is already facing a trial date on charges of tax evasion in Spain, and fellow Argentine Leonardo Ulloa, forward for Leicester City (sitting comfortably atop the English Premier League).

If many of those names look familiar, you’ve definitely seen them before: the files are said to include 29 billionaires featured in Forbes Magazine’s list of the world’s 500 richest people (though no popular U.S. names have been made public to date).

That said, it’s important to remember that owning an offshore company or creating an offshore trust isn’t illegal. In fact, it’s perfectly legally in most countries, including in the United States. What is illegal, however, is using offshore trusts to hide assets from known creditors or for evading taxation: failure to disclose offshore assets and report offshore income once again made the Internal Revenue Service’s Infamous Dirty Dozen this year.

According to the ICIJ, the documents prove that at least $2 billion in offshore assets can be attributed to Russian President Vladimir Putin who, the ICIJ says, “secretly shuffled” the funds “through banks and shadow companies.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has denied the allegations, which he has labeled an “information attack,” saying, “There is nothing concrete, nothing new, no details about Putin. All the rest is built on arguments and speculations.”

The ICIJ notes that the documents also name at least 33 people and companies “blacklisted by the U.S. government.” Those names include those that do business with Mexican drug lords, terrorist organizations and countries with which the U.S. government has imposed sanctions, such as North Korea and Iran.

The result? The names that you’ve seen on Twitter TWTR +6.95% and in various news sources. Those became associated with the papers when the news first went public. At first, there was a partial release of information on April 3, 2016; more data is expected to be made public next month. The data includes the names of the leaders of Argentina (Mauricio Macri, President); Iceland (Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson, Prime Minister); Pakistan (Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister); Saudi Arabia (Salman bin Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud, King); Ukraine (Petro Poroshenko, President); and the United Arab Emirates (Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, President). Additionally, information was uncovered linking family members of heads of states in at least 40 other countries including Ian Donald Cameron (father of the Prime Minister of the UK), Alaa Mubarak, (son of the former President of Egypt) and the children of Xi Jinping (President, China).

The files date back nearly 40 years, to 1977, when Mossack Fonseca was formed. About a year ago, an anonymous source contacted Süddeutsche Zeitung, a well-known German newspaper, with an offer to turn over the documents â€" with no compensation in return. Rather, the source said, the reason was simply, “I want to make these crimes public.”

The data was transferred to Süddeutsche Zeitung over the course of a few months. It consisted of e-mails, photos and other documents taken from an internal Mossack Fonseca database. Süddeutsche Zeitung, in turn, shared the records with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ). The ICIJ and hundreds of other journalists from a variety of news outlets researched the documents.

The Panama Papers are documents which were leaked from Mossack Fonseca, a Panama-based law firm which, according to its website, offers “comprehensive legal and trust services.” The website goes on to say that the firm offers “research, advice and services for the following jurisdictions: Belize, The Netherlands, Costa Rica, United Kingdom, Malta, Hong Kong, Cyprus, British Virgin Islands, Bahamas, Panama, British Anguilla, Seychelles, Samoa, Nevada, and Wyoming (USA).” Some of those jurisdictions have been labeled tax havens â€" including Panama.

The number of documents involved in the leak is staggering: 11.5 million confidential documents, constituting financial and legal records. It is thought to be one of the largest such leaks ever: even bigger than the Edward Snowden Wikileaks documents. The documents take up 2.6 terabytes in computer storage. For context, 1 terabyte of data could be stored on about 1400 CD-ROMs or 220 DVDs.

APR 4, 2016

What Are The Panama Papers?

Kelly Phillips Erb
FORBES STAFF

It is thought to be one of the largest such leaks ever: even bigger than the Edward Snowden Wikileaks documents.

It’s important to remember that owning an offshore company or creating an offshore trust isn’t illegal.


View of a sign outside the building where Panama-based Mossack Fonseca law firm offices are in Panama City, on April 4, 2016. A massive leak -coming from Mossack Fonseca- of 11.5 million tax documents on Sunday exposed the secret offshore dealings of aides to Russian president Vladimir Putin, world leaders and celebrities including Barcelona forward Lionel Messi. An investigation into the documents by more than 100 media groups, described as one of the largest such probes in history, revealed the hidden offshore dealings in the assets of around 140 political figures â€" including 12 current or former heads of states. (Photo credit RODRIGO ARANGUA/AFP/Getty Images)

Yesterday, it was all anyone was talking about: the Panama Papers. And then the names spilled out: Messi. Ulloa. Putin. Cameron. It seemed that the Panama Papers were connected with a staggering number of high-profile names.

But what, exactly, are the Panama Papers? Here’s what you need to know.

the modern-day model:

Frederic Bartholdi (the sculptor)... He used his mother, Charlotte, as the model for the most recognized statue in the world. This was first discovered in 1876, when Bartholdi invited French Senator Jules Bozerian to his box at the opera. When Bozerian pulled back the curtain to step into the box, he was shocked to find a real-life version of the Statue of Liberty sitting there in the box. When he said so to Bartholdi, the sculptor smiled: “But do you know who this lady is? She’s my mother,” he told the senator.

more at http://mentalfloss.com/article/51521/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-statue-liberty

"The Philippines is the least capable armed forces in the region, and the U.S., being a big brother, is a big help," said Philippine Vice Admiral Alexander Lopez, who heads the contingent of about 3,500 Filipino military personnel involved in the exercises.



While many Filipinos welcome American support in strengthening the Philippines' territorial defense, left-wing activists and nationalists have opposed a growing U.S. military presence in the former American colony, along with China's increasingly assertive advances in disputed waters.



Dozens of left-wing activists protested at the U.S. Embassy in Manila on Monday, waving placards that read "No to China aggression" and "U.S. troops, Philippines is not your playground."

https://www.yahoo.com/

Filipino military officials said a key exercise will involve U.S., Australian and Philippine forces retaking an oil rig seized by hostile units in a mock assault in an unused rig off the western province of Palawan, which faces the South China Sea.

The Philippines has turned to the United States, a longtime treaty ally, and others to rapidly acquire patrol ships and planes as its territorial rifts with China have escalated in the last four years. The disputes in the South China Sea also involve Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei.

Carter's presence will "reaffirm that the relationship that we have with the Philippines is rock solid and we're side by side," Toolan, who heads U.S. Marine forces in the Pacific, said at a news conference.

A highly mobile rocket system that has been deployed in hot spots such as Afghanistan will be used during the Balikatan, or Shoulder to Shoulder, exercises for the first time, he said.

"We are very, very expeditionary. We can move this stuff anywhere we need to," Toolan said.

The exercises have been opposed in recent years by China, which has territorial disputes in the South China Sea with several countries, including the Philippines, and suspects the drills are part of efforts to contain Beijing. Washington and Manila say the drills are not directed against China, and that they also focus on responding to natural disasters and humanitarian crises.



U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter will fly to the Philippines to witness some of the 11-day exercises, underscoring the importance Washington puts on the joint combat drills that have been staged 32 times, said U.S. Marine Lt. Gen. John Toolan, who heads the 5,000 American military personnel taking part in the maneuvers.

US, Australian and Philippine forces start combat drills

Associated Press   
JIM GOMEZ
April 4, 2016


U.S. and Philippine military officers stand at attention during the entrance of the colors at the opening ceremony of the annual joint U.S.-Philippines military exercise dubbed Balikatan 2016 (Shoulder-to-Shoulder) Monday, April 4, 2016 at Camp Aguinaldo, in suburban Quezon city, northeast of Manila, Philippines. The annual military drill, involving 5,000 U.S. personnel and 3,500 counterpart from the Philippines, is being conducted amidst tension in the South China Sea.(AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

MANILA, Philippines (AP) â€" Thousands of U.S. and Philippine troops, along with Australian defense forces, began annual drills Monday to prepare to quickly respond to a range of potential crises, including in the disputed South China Sea.

whatever they mean, these photos are beyond me now...




(all photos from www.ebaumsworld.com/ and http://jokerry.com/, unless otherwise indicated)

ikaw bay unggoy, lalim bah. 

ekskyus me.  di gyod ko moangkon nga kadugo nako na sila.

Swiss unearth 5,000-year-old door

Archeologists find 'remarkable' Neolithic wooden door as old as Stonehenge at site of planned car park in Zurich


The 5,000-year old door has a 'clever design that even looks good', archaeologists said. Photograph: AP

Associated Press
Friday 8 January 2016

Archaeologists in Zurich have unearthed a 5,000-year-old door that may be one of the oldest ever found in Europe.

The ancient poplar wood door is "solid and elegant" with well-preserved hinges and a "remarkable" design for holding the boards together, archaeologist Niels Bleicher said today.

Using tree rings to determine its age, Bleicher believes the door could have been made in 3,063BC, just as construction on Stonehenge began.

"The door is very remarkable because of the way the planks were held together," he told the Associated Press.

more at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/oct/20/swiss-unearth-neolithic-door-zurich

heh. gusto lang tawon niyag free backride uy. wa man goy motorcycle.

leave it to the japanese.

i can hardly wait for the definitive japanese noah's ark cafe.

7. They'll fill you up, not out.

Pistachios provide fiber and protein to help keep you fuller longer. What's more, they're one of the lowest-fat, lowest-calorie and highest-protein tree nuts.

8. They're great for cooking and baking.

Pistachios provide a rich, nutty flavor and texture to savory chicken or seafood meals, as well as sweet baked goods and grain-based sides. Here's a great Pistachio Crusted Salmon recipe to try.

9. They'll help you snack smarter.

According to USDA research, about a quarter of daily calories â€" 586 for men and 421 for women â€" now come from between-meal bites. Pistachios are a healthier alternative to the most popular snacks, including soda, chips, candy and baked goods.

10. They open on their own.

Pistachios grow in heavy grape-like clusters surrounded by a fleshy hull (they're actually related to mangoes!). When they ripen, the pistachio kernel grows inside until (in most cases) the shell splits open.

http://health.usnews.com/

4. They smile.

In China, pistachios are known as the "happy nut" because they look like they're smiling. Often given as a gift during the Chinese New Year, pistachios are a symbol of health, happiness and good fortune.

5. They're heart-healthy.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's qualified health claim for nuts: "Scientific evidence suggests, but does not prove, that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, such as pistachios, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease." Be sure to check the nutrition information on the back of the package for fat content.

6. They're grown in the U.S.

While the cultivation of pistachios began in the Middle East thousands of years ago, today more than 550 million pounds of pistachios are grown in California, making the U.S. the second leading producer of pistachios.

10 Surprising Facts About Pistachios

Who knew? Take these health benefits and go nuts.


In China, pistachios are known as the "happy nut" because they look like they're smiling.

By Julie Upton March 30, 2016, at 6:00 a.m. + More

They may be small, but the puny pistachio packs a nutritional punch.

Here are 10 reasons to go nuts for pistachios:

1. They're nutrient-dense.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Nutrient Database, pistachios provide more than 30 different vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients.

2. They have as much protein as an egg.

A serving (1 oz or 49 nuts) has 160 calories and 6 grams of protein â€" about the same as an egg.

3. Their shells may help you eat less.

It's true: Preliminary research suggests, but does not prove, that in-shell pistachios may help you reduce calorie consumption. In one study, people who left pistachio shells on their desk lowered their calorie intake by 18 percent compared to participants who discarded shells immediately after consumption. The shells may help remind you of how much you've eaten, so you're less likely to overindulge.

In February, Japan agreed to supply the Philippines with military hardware, which may include anti-submarine reconnaissance aircraft and radar technology.

Tensions in the South China Sea -- through which one-third of the world's oil passes -- have mounted in recent months since China transformed contested reefs into artificial islands capable of supporting military facilities.

Aside from the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan also have overlapping claims.

Japan and China are locked in a separate dispute over an uninhabited island chain in the East Sea.

The Philippines has asked a United Nations-backed tribunal to declare China's sea claims as illegal and the government expects a decision this year.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/

"The visit is a manifestation of a sustained promotion of regional peace and stability and enhancement of maritime cooperation between neighbouring navies," Philippine Navy spokesman Commander Lued Lincuna said.

The Ariake was equipped with an anti-submarine helicopter, according to an AFP photographer at the scene.

The port call came on the eve of war games between the United States and Filipino soldiers in the Philippines, which is seen as a showcase of a long-standing military alliance that the Philippines is counting on to deter China.

Seriously outgunned by its much larger rival China, the Philippines has turned to allies like the United States and Japan to upgrade its armed forces in recent years.

Japanese warships in Philippines near disputed waterway

AFP
Sat, Apr 2 2016



Two Japanese destroyers and a submarine docked at a Philippine port on Sunday near disputed South China Sea waters, where Beijing's increasingly assertive behaviour has sparked global concern.

Manila is seeking to strengthen ties with Tokyo as tensions mount over the disputed waterway, almost all of which is claimed by China.

Japanese submarine Oyashio and destroyers JS Ariake and JS Setogiri docked in the Subic port Sunday for a routine visit at a sprawling former US naval base just 200 kilometres (125 miles) from a Chinese-held shoal.

Vietnamese fishermen complain they are harassed, attacked and have had their catches confiscated by Chinese authorities while they fishing in the South China Sea.

Vietnam is locked in a territorial dispute with China in the South China Sea, which is rich in resources and occupies one of the world busiest sea lanes.

Vietnam, China and Taiwan have competing claims over the Paracel islands which are occupied by China, while the three along with the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei have claimed parts or all of the Spratly islands.

Chinese growing territorial assertiveness in the region including recent massive land reclamation of reefs and atolls in the Spratlys and its increased military actions in the two island chains have raised concerns among neighbors and the United States.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/

The captain told authorities the fuel was to be sold to Chinese fishing boats operating in the area, it said.

Hai Phong coast guard officails declined to comment Monday.

The newspaper said that in the last two weeks of March the coast guard had chased 110 Chinese fishing boats out of Vietnamese waters.

Vietnam's coast guard often warns and chases Chinese fishing boats out of its waters but rarely seizes them.

Vietnam seizes Chinese vessel for intruding its waters


Associated Press
04 April 2016

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) â€" Vietnam's coast guard in a rare move has seized a Chinese vessel for allegedly intruding in its waters, state media reported Monday.

The Thanh Nien newspaper said that the vessel has been towed to the northern port city of Hai Phong, and that the ship, its captain and two sailors, all Chinese, are under the supervision of Vietnamese authorities.

The vessel, disguised as a fishing boat, was carrying 100,000 liters of diesel oil and was intercepted by Vietnamese coast guard near Bach Long Vi island in the Gulf of Tonkin on Thursday, it said.

i may understand this...




Obama Fried Chicken

but this is alien every which way!


Unidentified Flying Obama?

A number of analysts this week ruminated on the strategic and political ramifications of increasing militarization in the South China Sea. Timothy Heath opined that the PRC’s HQ-9 deployment, while of limited impact militarily, signals the extent to which China is willing to bypass American criticism. Koh Swee Lean Collin explores China’s “White Hull” strategy, and Steven Stashwick looks at how China’s high-frequency radar station on Cuarteron Reef could be used to extend the Coast Guard’s reach. AMTI provides a great overview of recent, but less-noted, Chinese military buildups and how they extend detection and defense capabilities in the South China Sea.Looking forward, Robert Klipper outlines why China might occupy and build on Scarborough Shoal.

In a widely shared piece, our new Contributing Editor, Julian Ku, considers whether China’s nine-dash-line should be understood as a “super-sized exclusive economic zone.” And finally, for our 中国通 (Chinese readers), Liu Haiyang presents a Chinese perspective on how the U.S. is winning the public-relations war in the South China Sea.

Water Wars is our weekly roundup of the latest news, analysis, and opinions related to ongoing tensions in the South and East China Seas. Please feel free to email Chris Mirasola with breaking news or relevant documents.

https://lawfareblog.com/

Singapore

Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen expressed concern about growing South China Sea militarization, worrying that Asia “doesn’t have an equivalent of never again should a conflagration arise in Asia” and therefore is more at risk of unintended conflict. He called for increased mil-mil cooperation to prevent miscalculation and projected that Singaporean defense spending would remain at 3 to 3.3% of GDP. Minister Ng also conceded that China’s “position as a leader will have to be recognized and that there will be new rules, but China has to decide what these new rules are.”

Vietnam

Vietnam also turned its eye towards military modernization this week. Kommersant, an independent Russian newspaper, reported that Hanoi is looking to purchase up to twelve Su-35 fighters to augment its existing Su-30MK2 fleet. Vietnam is also partnering with India to build a jointly operated satellite data transmission station. The Asahi Shimbun reports that officials in the Vietnamese Ministry of Defense are using the station as part of a larger plan to “strengthen intelligence-gathering capabilities in the South China Sea.”

Notwithstanding this buildup, Minister of National Defense General Phung Quang Thanh welcomed his PRC counterpart to the third Vietnam-China Border Defense Friendship Exchange. Usual pleasantries were exchanged, and Vietnamese Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong called on the two countries to continue high-level meetings, carry out joint patrols, and promote closer mil-mil coordination.

Philippines

Military procurement was the name of the game this week for the Philippines. IHS Jane’s reports that three former Royal Australian Navy Balikpapan-class landing craft purchased by the Philippines in October 2015 have been received but are waiting for general servicing before deployment. Two days later, President Benigno Aquino III told reporters that the Philippines might also purchase its first submarine as the country “accelerates the modernization of our armed forces.” He stressed, however, that Manila is not “trying to engage anybody in an arms race, or in a military build-up.”

Indonesia

Indonesian officials appeared divided over a medium-term strategy for responding to last week’s fisheries incident off of Natuna Island. Despite strong statements last week from the Ministry of Fishery and Marine Affairs, for example, Minister of Defense Ryamizard Ryacudu said that “for the time there is no issue” in Sino-Indonesian dialogue concerning the South China Sea.  The next day, however, the Commission on Defense and Foreign Affairs of the Indonesian House of Representatives called for a new military base in the Natuna Islands to strengthen “the defense system in the central region of Indonesia.” Nevertheless, Chinese vessels left port the following day to join a blue-water training run by the Indonesian Navy. Prashanth Parameswaran at The Diplomat takes a deeper look at Indonesia’s evolving response.

Japan

On Monday, Japan operationalized a radar station on Yonaguni Island, 90 miles south of the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands. Ground Self-Defense Force Lieutenant Colonel Daigo Shiomitsu, base commander, said that the listening post would allow Japan to “keep watch on territory surrounding Japan and respond to all situations.” Prof. Toshi Yoshihara of the Naval War College noted that the station will extend a network of overlapping radar sites, “boost[ing] Japan’s ability to monitor the East China Sea.” The expanded base is part of a larger military buildup throughout Japan’s southwestern island chain aimed at deterring Chinese action in the East and South China Seas.

Regional tensions elevated further on Tuesday as Japan’s new security laws took effect. Enacted despite substantial domestic protest last September, the laws allow Japan to aid allies, including the United States, in overseas conflicts. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, heralding the law, said, “the bond of the [U.S.-Japanese] alliance has been strengthened.” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga also argued that the laws are essential to protect the Japanese people amidst an “increasingly severe security environment surrounding our country.”

Chinese officials were understandably less effusive. A commentary from Xinhua said that the new security laws shifted Japan “back to a fighting stance for the first time in seven decades” and “exposed” the “warlord prime minister[’s]” goal of “rid[ing] the coattails of Uncle Sam’s ‘pivot to Asia.’” PRC Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hong Lei also denounced Japan’s new security laws and reasserted Chinese sovereignty over the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands. Additionally, the PRC Defense Ministry suggested that the international community should resist Japanese military expansion.

Taiwan

The Taiwanese Coast Guard detained more than 40 people aboard a PRC fishing vessel that was harvesting coral and endangered turtles in protected waters around the Taiwanese-controlled Pratas Islands. The Coast Guard also dispersed eleven PRC fishing vessels and seized another two for investigation. Taiwanese prosecutors are preparing to indict the crew.

Taiwan’s Fisheries Agency released an official report following up on allegations that Indonesian government vessels shot at Taiwanese fishing boats in the Strait of Malacca, after accusations flew last week. Citing information from voyage data recorders, Director General Tsay Tzu-yaw said that the boats were moving too quickly to set fishing nets, as Jakarta has claimed, and reiterated that the boats did not try to ram the Indonesian patrol.

President-Elect Tsai Ying-wen reaffirmed that her party, now in opposition but soon to take power, would never change its stance on Taiwan’s sovereignty claim over Taiping Island despite contrary opinions from some backbenchers.

China

PRC officials spent much of the past week refuting criticisms of its presence in the South China Sea. Vice Minister Liu Zhenmin accused “a certain country” (read: the Philippines) of using UNCLOS “as a pretext” to provoke tension and denounced ongoing arbitration at The Hague. Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hong Lei also defended deployment of HQ-9 and YJ-62 missiles on Woody island as “reasonable and justified,” having “nothing to do with . . . so-called militarization.”

Shifting focus to the United States, an editorial from China Military Online strongly rejected a speech last month from Admiral Swift, accusing Washington of “do[ing] whatever it wants for its own interests.” In response to questions about American FONOPS, Defense Ministry Spokesperson Yang Yujun recommended that “as for the US Ships which came, I can only suggest they be careful.”

Finally, Major General Qian Lihua confirmed that island reclamation would “continue in the future” but claimed that an air defense identification zone had not yet been discussed.

United States

As President Obama meets with President Xi to discuss South China Sea issues on the sidelines of this week’s nuclear security summit (more coverage on that next week), the Pentagon announced that the United States would not recognize an Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) in the South China Sea.  Deputy Secretary of Defense Robert Work said a potential ADIZ would be “destabilizing,” and Pentagon spokesperson Peter Cook called on all countries to pursue diplomatic solutions. PRC Ministry of Defense spokesman Yang Yujun in response asserted that “there is no need for other countries to gesticulate” and that many factors would impact “whether or not or when to set up an air defense identification zone.”

In other news, the USS Boxer left Hong Kong Harbor earlier this week to patrol the South China Sea. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Amy Searight also announced that Tokyo is in talks with Manila to negotiate a status of forces agreement so that “Japan can regularly participate” in U.S.-Philippine joint exercises.

Water Wars: Fishermen Again Steer China into Hot Water

By Chris Mirasola  Friday, April 1, 2016, 4:27 PM

Malaysian Officials Fish for a Response to Chinese Trawler Incursion Fleet


Chinese fishing vessel fleet (Photo: The Maritime Executive)

Malaysia joined the ranks of countries taking issue with Chinese fishermen last Thursday, as 100 trawlers were detected within Malaysia’s claimed EEZ. On Friday, National Security Minister Shahidan Kassim reported that the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) had sighted foreign vessels within Malaysia’s EEZ and were continuing to monitor the situation. When asked about the incident, PRC Spokesperson Hong Lei said he did not “understand the details” but that “[a]t this time of year, every year, Chinese trawlers are in the relevant waters carrying out normal fishing activities.”

Spokesperson Hong Lei’s confusion was strikingly prescient; two days after Minister Kassim’s initial report, Defense Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein “confirmed that our waters are safe” and denied that any foreign vessels were in Malaysian waters. That same day, however, MMEA Director General Ahmad Puzi Ab Kahar told the press that 82 (not 100) as-yet unidentified foreign vessels remained in Malaysian waters.

Malaysian authorities coalesced around a common narrative another two days later, as MMEA Director General Kahar accused the Chinese Coast Guard of escorting 100 trawlers into Malaysia’s EEZ around Luconia Shoals. More specifically, Director General Kahar said that from Thursday through Sunday MMEA vessels sighted anywhere from 40 to 100 unmarked trawlers accompanied by vessels from the Chinese Coast Guard. National Security Minister Kassim subsequently banned all foreign vessels from fishing in Malaysian waters, and the Foreign Ministry summoned the Chinese Ambassador to communicate its concerns and to “seek clarification.”   

5. John “Mad Jack” Churchill

Being eccentric isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In fact, sometimes the exact opposite is true. Take Mad Jack Churchill, for example. He was a British officer in World War II and his weapon of choice was a Scottish broadsword, as he felt that “any officer who goes into action without his sword is improperly dressed”. Churchill also carried a longbow (he supposedly holds the record for the last bow-and-arrow wartime killing), along with a set of bagpipes which were used to…inspire his troops.


Source: Wikipedia

Churchill was eventually captured by the Germans during a dangerous mission that took place behind enemy lines. The enemy spared his life initially, mistakenly believing that Churchill was a relative of the Prime Minister. Once Churchill’s true identity was discovered, Hitler’s order was to execute immediately. Fortunately for Mad Jack, Captain Hans Thornerâ€"the German commander of the concentration campâ€"disagreed with Hitler and disobeyed the order, saving Churchill’s life.


Jack was actually a skilled archer. Source: Badass of the Week

After being transferred out of the camp, Mad Jack wrote Thorner a thank-you note. In a serendipitous twist, that letter actually ended up saving Thorner’s life. When the former German officer was tried as a war criminal, the letterâ€"along with Churchill’s willingness to testify in his defenseâ€"exonerated the German official. Though he wasn’t the craziest in terms of eccentric people, his quirks made him stand out as a unique officer.


Mad Jack to the far right during training exercises, sword in hand. Source: Wikipedia

http://all-that-is-interesting.com/

4. Hetty Green

Nicknamed “The Witch of Wall Street,” Hetty Green was considered to be the richest woman in America during the Gilded Age. Although this wasn’t an official title, her wealth was estimated somewhere around $3.8 billion in today’s money. Despite Hetty’s success as a businesswoman and financier, it is her reputation as a miser that lives on. Hetty Green was so stingy that she made Scrooge look like the world’s greatest philanthropist.


Source: Venture Galleries

Green’s lust for money started at a young age. When Hetty’s rich aunt died, she left $2 million to charity. Outraged at this notion, Hetty produced an older will which claimed that the money was to be distributed to her. The testament also featured a clause which invalidated all subsequent wills. While the will might have been genuine, the clause turned out to be a forgery.


Hetty separated from her husband when the bank started using her money as if it were his. Source: New York Times

Due to the number of rumors surrounding Hetty’s stinginess, it’s hard to distinguish fact from fiction. Some say that Hetty worked out of trunks kept at the bank to avoid renting an office. Others say that Hetty did have an office where she occasionally slept to save on heating her apartment. She also supposedly wore the same black outfit every day until it wore out, and avoided luxury items such as heat, hot water and soap at all cost (pun intended).


Hetty and her daughter, Sylvia. Source: 27east

Hetty’s most infamous case of miserliness came when her son, Ned, broke his leg. In order to save on medical bills, Hetty took him to a free clinic and pretended to be homeless. Eventually, she was recognized and forced to pay for medical treatment. According to the story, Hetty ran away and treated her son’s leg herself. However, her biographer maintained that she did pay her bill and took Ned to other doctors. Either way, it was too late; Ned’s leg had to be amputated.


Ned Green celebrating his 65th birthday. Source: The Gilded Age Era

3. Stanley Weyman

When Stanley Weyman said “One man’s life is a boring thing. I lived many lives. I’m never bored,” he really meant it. Over the course of his life, he assumed many identities and careers. Under different circumstances, Weyman might have been considered a fraud or a con man, but he never did it for the money; he was in it for the adventure.


Source: The Memory Palace

Weyman’s career as an impostor started in 1910 in New York. Just 20 years old, Weyman pretended to be a US consul to Morocco before getting arrested for fraud. His “credentials” also included serving as a foreign doctor, both Navy and Army lieutenants, a consul for Romania, the personal physician of Rudolph Valentino’s widow, a journalist for the United Nations and even the Secretary of State.

Weyman’s crowning achievement came in 1921 when he posed as a State Department Liaison Officer to Princess Fatima of Afghanistan. She wanted an official reception from the U.S. government, but the real State Department was mostly ignoring her. Weyman apologized on their behalf and asked for $10,000 (which he received) in order to “grease the wheels”. While most con artists would flee, Weyman actually used that money to treat the princess and her entourage like royalty, securing first-class transport and accommodations in Washington D.C..


Princess Fatima during her stay in D.C.. Weyman’s to her left. Source: Brooklyn Magazine

Weyman dropped the right names at the State Department and managed to set up a meeting between the princess and the Secretary of State. Working his way up the chain, Weyman even got President Warren Harding to receive the princess. In the end, Weyman was sentenced to two years in prison for the stunt, but like many eccentric people he expressed no regrets.

Stanley Weyman died in 1960 trying to stop a robbery at a New York hotel.

2. Caroline Prodgers

The name Prodgers might not mean anything today, but in 19th-century London it was a terror to all cabmen. Cries of “Mother Prodgers” made cab drivers run for the hills, because Mrs. Giacometti Prodgers was a Victorian aristocrat who really, really hated cabbies. Like many eccentric people, her oddities made her less likable.


Source: Flickr

Nobody knows what caused her utter disdain for cab drivers, but Mrs. Prodgers took great pleasure in taking cabbies to court. She did this by thoroughly memorizing London’s fare map and always knowing precisely how much she had to pay, down to the last penny. Mrs. Prodgers often made cabbies stop right before they could charge her the full fare, and if any of them dared to travel that extra yard, she would take them to court. For 20 years she kept up this insanity, victimizing more than 50 cabbies.


Her name struck fear in the hearts of all cabmen. Source: Horses and History

Unsurprisingly, this behavior made Prodgers notorious in Victorian London. Cabbies warned each other by shouting “Mother Prodgers” when they saw her coming, and she was satirized in newspapers and caricatures. Even judges were annoyed with Mrs. Prodgers, suggesting that she should buy her own carriage since she could clearly afford it. On Bonfire Night, cabbies burned her in effigy. Even her obituary mentioned her borderline-psychotic behavior: “Mrs. Giacometti Prodgers, the terror of London cabmen, is dead.”


Famed explorer, Sir Richard Francis Burton, was one of her only friends and often indulged her lunacy, even giving her advice on court proceedings. Source: iDNES

1. John “Mad Jack” Mytton

John Mytton inherited a huge sum of money and a giant estate at a young age, allowing him to indulge all of his eccentric tendencies. For starters, he was a massive drunk who enjoyed between six to eight bottles of port each day. He drank so much that upon his death, one of Mytton’s friends claimed that he had spent the last 12 years of his life inebriated.


Source: The Study

Jack came from a long line of aristocrats who were involved in politics. Wanting to follow in the family tradition, Mytton secured a seat as a Tory MP by offering voters £10 notes. Once he was elected, Mytton attended one 30-minute meeting in the House of Commons before getting bored, leaving and never returning again. This occurred after he spent £10,000 (over $1,000,000 today) to get elected in the first place.


The gag ended when the bear bit off a chunk of Mytton’s leg. Source: Rogues Gallery

Two bizarre stories involving Mad Jack deserve a mention here. One involved Mytton setting his nightshirt on fire because he wanted to cure his hiccups. The other involved him showing up at his own dinner party dressed in full hunting gear and riding a bear called Nell. Mytton was actually an avid hunter, though he preferred hunting completely nakedâ€"even during winter.

Mad, Bad And Totally Loony: History’s Most Eccentric People

By Radu Alexander
April 5, 2015


Source: The Best Picture Project

Eccentricity is a loosely-defined term. Sure, it describes odd behavior, but who’s to say what’s normal and what’s not? We all have our own quirks and it’s those quirks that make us interesting. Luckily for us, history is full of eccentric people who’ve always kept us guessing.

its next-of-kin:


If nothing unites like a common enemy, then polo shirt titans Lacoste and Ralph Lauren may soon be the best of friends.  Or at least temporary allies.
(www.counterfeitchic.com/])

naa sad kunoy brand sa lacoste nga ang buaya nagtuwad.  i'd be glad to be introduced to it.

curious as to what country that is.