MikeLigalig.com

Hmm, ako mag crew member na lang aron makasakay ani...

Cruise ship 'Xian Ni', previously operated in China's famous Yangtze River, now seen in Palauan waters (AFP Photo/Sebastien Blanc)

- 'They wreck corals' -

On the streets of Koror, some accused Chinese people of being noisy and disrespectful towards the environment.

"They wreck corals and throw their rubbish in the sea," chided Norman, a taxi driver.

In another recent example, a Chinese tour operator named "Yellow Skin Tour" caused outrage in Palau with leaflets including photos of grinning Chinese tourists holding up turtles they had removed from the water -â€" in one case by its flippers.

Residents have also accused Chinese tourists of being responsible for the deaths of some jellyfish at the natural wonder "Jellyfish Lake".

Visitors are encouraged to marvel at the harmless creatures by floating on the surface, but some locals complain that many Chinese lack swimming skills and thrash around, disturbing the wildlife.

The Palau government is exploring ways to try to stem the tide of Chinese tourists to the western Pacific Ocean archipelago and this week said the number of charter flights from China would be halved next month.

President Tommy Remengesau said the move was not intended to discriminate against any nationality but was to prevent tourism from becoming too reliant on one market.

"Do we want to control growth or do we want growth to control us?" he asked reporters. "It will be irresponsible for me as a leader if this trend continues. I am not only looking at the present but, as a leader, I am looking after tomorrow."

But the number of hotels, restaurants and guides in Palau now catering for a Chinese market would suggest that citizens of the world's second-largest economy are likely to keep coming.

- 'It's like paradise' -

Jia Yixin, a 30-year-old from Shanghai, didn't think twice about paying $1,133 (1,000 euros) for a six-day trip to Palau that she found online.

"It is like paradise here," she beamed. "In Shanghai the air is polluted but here people respect the environment," Jia added.

Ironically it is the potential environmental impact of the Chinese invasion that is at the forefront of the minds of many of the islands' 18,000 population.

Palau welcomed just shy of 141,000 visitors last year, up 34 percent on 2013, largely on the back of the Chinese visitors. But in February this year, mainland Chinese visitors leaped more than 500 percent year-on-year to 10,955 â€"- more than half Palau's total population.

Tourism accounts for close to 85 percent of Palau's gross domestic product (GDP), and while profits are up, some are worried the long-term damage may be too great.

"This is a very sudden influx, so we are trying to understand the situation" said Nanae Singeo, managing director of the Palau Visitors Authority, the local tourist board.

"We have never experienced this much tourism before and the magnitude is really giving us a lot of pressure. We are a very tiny country with scarce resources so this sudden increase is an unknown challenge for us," she added.

Palau has long catered for a particular type of visitor, with up to 70 percent of tourists coming for world-famous diving in stunning blue waters with pristine corals.

Japanese were traditionally the largest contingent, followed by Taiwanese and Korean visitors. But the majority of the new wave of Chinese tourists seem more interested -- for now at least -- in lounging on the beach.

"We are not seeing a growth rate to match the number of visitors," said Singeo. "Tourists are up 34 percent so technically we should see economic benefits at the rate of 30 percent or more, but that's not the case."

Residents of the archipelago, part of the larger island group of Micronesia, are baffled as to why Chinese travellers represented almost 62 percent of all visitors in February -- up from 16 percent in January 2014.

For businessman Du Chuang from Chengdu in China's Sichuan province, it is because his increasingly wealthy countrymen are becoming more adventurous, smashing the stereotype of the herded package tour.

Du first started to travel by visiting Hainan, the Chinese island in the South China Sea currently witnessing a massive development of hotel resorts. He then ventured to Thailand before branching out to the Maldives.

"The corals here are more beautiful than Sanya (on Hainan)," the 46-year-old told AFP, scrolling through photos on his phone of a $1,400 helicopter trip over Palau's Seventy Islands that he took his family on.

"Palau is small and magnificent," added the owner of a successful IT company.

Hoteliers are catching on, with some establishments focusing on Chinese clientele booked out months in advance. At "Sea Passion Hotel" in Koror, 74 of their 75 rooms were occupied by Chinese visitors when AFP visited.

On a beach Chinese women wearing full body suits to protect themselves from the sun pose for selfies with husbands and boyfriends in sleeveless vests, which they send to their friends back home in China's grey megacities.

Chinese descend on remote Palau as wanderlust deepens
By Sebastien Blanc
12 hours ago



Chinese tourists get ready for a swim in the world renowned 'Jellyfish lake' in Palau, a marine lake with thousands of golden jellyfish (AFP Photo/Sebastien Blanc)


Koror (Palau) (AFP) - Chinese tourists are flocking to the remote Palau islands as China's growing number of rich seek new frontiers abroad, but not everyone in the Micronesian paradise is happy about it.

Strapped into life-jackets and screaming with excitement, groups of boisterous Chinese thrill-seekers tear around Palau's "Milky Way" lagoon on a flotilla of speedboats -- a spectacle unfamiliar to locals just a few months ago.

by Philippine News Agency
March 14, 2015





TAGBILARAN CITY â€" L’Austral of Du Ponant company in France has docked here on Friday (March 13, 2015), tour operator Lourdes Sultan said in an interview.

The cruise ship, Sultan said, was on its maiden voyage in the Philippines and made a port call in the city.

This is the fourth international liner that visited Bohol. M/S Europa and Minerva dropped anchors in the city port to ferry its passengers. Just last week, another international ocean liner, Caledonian Sky, also on its maiden voyage to the country, dropped anchor off Baclayon town.

L’Austral brought in 240 passengers but only 170 passengers took the group tours. It had 250 crew members on board, of whom 75 are Filipinos. Some of the Filipino crew took time off and had their own tour in the city.

The groups’ guided tour in five tourist buses savored the usual menu in tour circuit such as the Chocolate Hills in Carmen town, the Loboc river cruise. The inclusion of Sta. Monica Catholic church in Alburquerque town for the tour came in picture in lieu of the Baclayon church, which is undergoing repairs following the earthquake on October 15, 2013, Sultan said.

(AP Photo)

http://qz.com/
WRITTEN BY Cassie Werber
March 13, 2015


Iceland sent a letter to the president of the European Union on Thursday, formally withdrawing plans to join the bloc. The letter (pdf) will have come as no surprise. Iceland had terminated negotiations aimed at bringing itself into union in 2013, when a new government came to power.

One divisive issue that kept the two sides from reaching an agreement: mackerel.

The EU has long called on Iceland to reduce its mackerel catch, and abide by quotas to which EU members like the UK must stick. The “mackerel wars” raged from 2010, when some countries upped their catch rates, to 2014.

Then, in March last year, the other main quota-refusing territoriesâ€"Norway and the Faroe Islandsâ€"came to an agreement with the EU.

Iceland held out. Fishing and fish-processing are central to its economy, particularly since a foray into finance ended disastrously in 2008. The following year, it applied for membership of the EU. Accession talks collapsed after five years, and before the quotas were discussed.

Iceland has said that, as a fishing nation, it is better placed than any faraway bureaucracy to judge how much fish it can safely take from its own waters. It has accused the EU of “an ongoing campaign of threats” related to fishing, after the bloc imposed sanctions on the Faroe Islands. The EU countered that Iceland is overfishing, and quotas are needed to protect fragile stocks.

This week’s letter made it plain that the door on any more discussion was totally, and formally, shut. “The Goverment of Iceland has no intentions to resume accession talks. Furthermore, any commitments made by the previous Government in the accession talks are superseded by the present policy,” it said.

Icelanders have never been keen on the idea of joining, with the majority of citizens opposed in opinion polls.

Way kwarta unya gutom pa si mister, basin sa tan-aw niya ang nawong ni misis morag humba...

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/
Ni Jeepy P. Compio
Sunday, March 1, 2015


USA ka asawa ang mipatala sa Women and Children's Protection sa Talomo Police Station kay gipaak iyang nawong sa iyang mister atol sa ilang panaglalis ala 1:20 sa kaadlawon, Sabado.

Nagreklamo mao si Maricel (bansagon gitago) 33, nagpuyo sa Shanghai, Barangay Matina Aplaya, siyudad sa Davao.

Subay sa impormasyon nga nakalap sa Sun.Star Superbalita, hilabihan ang kasuko ni Maricel dihang miuli ang iyang bana nga wa makadala og kuwarta.

Sa kalagot sa mister, gigunitan ang ulo sa iyang asawa og giayo pagkitkit ang iyang walang aping.

Si Maricel nakaangkon og dakong hubag ug samad kinitkitan sa iyang aping ug imanduan sa kapulisan nga magpa-check-up sa Southern Philippines Medical Center.

Dihang giadto na sa mobile patrol ang ilang balay, nahukman ni Maricel nga ilaha nalang istoryahon ang hitabo sanglit iyang mister lang ang nanginabuhi kanila.

As images of Ballesteros plus Obama appeared on the screen, Figueroa commented in Spanish that "Michelle Obama looks like a cast member of 'Planet of the Apes'."

Univision moved swiftly to fire Figueroa.

"Yesterday during our entertainment program 'El Gordo y La Flaca' Rodner Figueroa made comments regarding First Lady Michelle Obama that were completely reprehensible," Univision said in a statement.

"As a result, Mr Figueroa was immediately terminated."

Figueroa, nicknamed "El Fashionista," made a name for himself on Univision as a fashion expert, with frequent commentary and critiques of US and Latin stars plus red-carpet interviews.

Host fired for 'Planet of Apes' remark on Paolo Ballesteros' photo of Michelle Obama
Manila Bulletin â€" 17 hours ago


The United States' largest Spanish-language television channel has fired a key presenter who said First Lady Michelle Obama looked like a cast member from "Planet of the Apes," Univision said Thursday.

Venezuelan host Rodner Figueroa made the comment Wednesday during the evening "El Gordo y La Flaca" program, as moderators discussed Paolo Ballesteros, a make-up artist who had transformed himself into a variety of female celebrity figures, including Obama.

CEBU. A mother and her child carry their containers of fresh water in Babag, Cebu City, while the setting sun’s final rays light their way home. (Alex Badayos)

Perfect combination...

Hmm, the other way around, likewise...

Sa imbestigasyon sa kapulisan sa Fuente, si Tiu sakay sa iyang awto gikan sa iyang opisina dihang gisundan ni Mrs. Ungab.

Gidasmagan ang iyang sakyanan hangtod nga sila niabot sa Ramos public market nga nahimutangan sa Citom.

Dihang nihunong si Tiu, nikanaog usab si Mrs. Ungab ug gibunalan ang sakyanan sa nahauna.

Giingong giablihan ni Mrs.Ungab ang pultahan ug gibunalan sa baseball bat ang abogada.

Si Tiu nisinggit og pakitabang nga girespondihan ni SPO2 Alan Magalso sa Traffic Patrol Group nga didto sa dapit atol sa hitabo.

Gidala silang duha sa Fuente police station sakay sa Mobile Patrol Group (MPG) sa Cebu City Police Office (MCPO).

Gidakop dayon si Mrs. Ungab sa kapulisan.

Gidala si Mrs. Ungab sa Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC).

Si Fuente police chief Wildemar Tiu niingon nga love triangle ilang gitan aw nga motibo.

Nakaangkon og bun-og sa iyang walang abaga si Tiu nga nakit-an sa mga tigbalita atol sa iyang pagduso ug reklamo.

Gitug-an ni Tiu nga nisuway pagsibat si Mrs. Ungab apan siya mismo ang ni-siyagit ug nihangyo sa mga pulis nga dakpon.

Si Asst. City Prosecutor Liceria Rabillas maoy nipahigayon sa inquest proceeding sa reklamo. Nangita si Rabillas sa respondent nga si Mrs. Ungab, apan matod sa pulis nga ni-asister pagpasaka sa reklamo, tua kini sa tambalanan human nakasinati og kakulian sa panlawas.

Si Mrs. Ungab giingong mabdos ug nakasinati og bleeding human sa hitabo.

Human nakuha ang side sa reklamante ug testigo, niadto si Rabillas sa VSMMC alang sa pagpadayon sa inquest proceeding ug aron mapahibalo si Mrs. Ungab sa reklamo batok niya.

Giuban sa piskal si Tiu aron maoy personal nga mo-identify sa respondent.

Misis 'mibunal' sa sakyanan, abogada
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/
Ni Astra Zina D. Logarta ug Astra Zina D. Logarta
Friday, February 27, 2015


KASONG frustrated murder ang giatubang sa asawa ni Ronda Vice Mayor Jonah John Ungab nga si Pearl human nga matod pa iyang gibunalan og baseball bat ang usa ka abogada ug gibanggaan pa ang sakyanan niini.

Nidangop sa buhatan sa Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office si manlalaban Jiecel Tiu human sa hitabo niadtong Huwebes sa hapon sa brgy. Cogon Ramos, dakbayan sa Sugbo.

Si Tiu giubanan sa iyang igsuon ug mga higalang abogado sa iyang pagduso og reklamo sa piskaliya. Kauban nila ang usa ka street sweeper nga nakasaksi sa hitabo.

Giingong nagselos si manlalaban Pearl kang Tiu kay siya nagdudang uyab sa iyang bana.

Base sa alegasyon ni Tiu nga alas 5;30 sa hapon niadtong Huwebes, duol sa DMDP building sa Ramos, kalit nga gibanggaan sa itom nga Nissan Navarra (YGY 155) nga sakyanan ni Mrs. Ungab (7AT 146392) ang puwa nga Toyota Vios ni Tiu.

Tungod sa pagbangga sa sakyanan, naabot sila sa buhatan sa City Traffic Operations and Management.

Human niini, nikanaog, matod pa, sa sakyanan si Mrs. Ungab dala ang usa ka baseball bat ug giduol ang driver side sa Vios.

Unang gipuspusan niini ang samin sa driver’s door. Giingong gidukdok sab niya ang passenger side luyo sa driver.

Dihang nabuak na, matod pa, ang samin sa driver’s side, didto na niya gipuspusan usab sa dala niyang baseball bat si Tiu.

Ang tanang alegasyon sa manlalaban sa iyang affidavit gisuportahan sa saksi nga si Anecito Limpag, kinsa usa ka street sweeper.

Matod niya, nakakita siya sa tanang hitabo, lakip na sa pagpuspos ni Mrs. Ungab og baseball bat ngadto sa driver sa puwa nga sakyanan, apan wa siya nagpaduol tungod sa kahadlok.

Gitumbok ni Limpag nga gawas niya, daghan pang tawo ang nakakita sa gihimo sa driver sa itom nga pick-up. Karon lang hinuon siya nasayod nga ang driver nga nagpuspos, asawa diay sa bise mayor sa Ronda.

Human sa hitabo, gipadayag ni Limpag nga dunay mga pulis nga niabot.

Cebu town vice mayor’s scandal unfolds
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/
Ador Vincent S. Mayol
12:42 AM | Sunday, March 1st, 2015


CEBU CITYâ€"The pregnant wife of Ronda town Vice Mayor Jonah John Ungab is facing charges for attacking a female lawyer with a baseball bat for allegedly having an affair with her husband.

But Pearl Ungab, 41 and seven weeks pregnant, was placed under hospital arrest because of her condition.

Jiecel Tiu, 30, filed frustrated murder charges against Ungab at the prosecutor’s office on Friday for attacking her on Echavez Extension in Barangay Cogon Ramos, this city.

Tiu said she was inside her red Toyota Vios and about to leave the parking lot of Centro Maximo Building when Ungab arrived on board a black Nissan Navarra.

Ungab’s pickup truck blocked the exit area. After a few minutes, Ungab parked her car, prompting Tiu to drive her Toyota Vios out of the parking lot.

But Ungab went down from her vehicle, approached Tiu and banged her vehicle’s window with her fist.

“She tried to open the door. Since could not do it, she ran back to her Nissan Navarra and I proceeded to exit the parking area. But then Pearl chased my car and purposely smashed the passenger window at the back of my car. I got really scared and proceeded to leave the parking area,” Tiu said.

After a few minutes, Tiu said Ungab rammed her Nissan Navarra into her Toyota Vios several times.

Out of fear, Tiu said she stopped her car near the office of the Cebu City Traffic Operations Management (Citom) on Echavez Extension.

But Ungab went down her vehicle and smashed the driver’s window of Tiu’s car using a baseball bat.

“When the window got destroyed, she then opened the lock and hit me with the baseball bat,” Tiu said.

“I still have the seat belt on, so while sitting down, I decided to move my body and head to the left. But she still hit me with the baseball bat,” she said.

Tiu said a Citom officer arrived and took the baseball bat away from Ungab.

She said Ungab tried to escape but was stopped by people in the area. Tiu had bruises on her left shoulder and a wound behind her left ear.

Tiu was brought to a hospital and released after her wounds were treated.

Tiu denied having an illicit affair with Ungab’s husband, although she worked at the Ungab Gealon and Associates, a law firm of Vice Mayor Ungab, for four years until she decided to leave because of alleged harassment by the vice mayor’s wife.

“Is this the first time she (Pearl) attacked me? No. Am I her first victim? No,” said Tiu.

“Even before this happened, she already threatened me a number of times,” she said.

Tiu said she left the vice mayor’s law office because “his wife kept on following me.”

“She has been fabricating stories and evidence against me.” said Tiu.

Nalzaro: Human sa eskandalo; magpinasayloay
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/
Saturday, March 7, 2015


TAN-AWA og mabahaw pa ang akong panagna kabahin sa kontrobersiya ug eskandalo nga namugna niadtong pagpangataki ni Mrs. Pearl Ungab, asawa ni Ronda Vice Mayor Jonah John Ungab, kang Atty. Jiecel Tiu, kinsa gidudahan ni Mrs. Ungab nga adunay relasyon sa iyang bana. Sa dihang bag-o pa ang maong hitabo, si Atty. Tiu nga maoy matod pa biktima sa pagpangukod ni Mrs. Ungab, ma-isugon kaayo nga mi-akusar sa naulahi. Iyang giakusahan ang asawa sa bise mayor nga maoy midumdol sa iyang sakyanan ug mibunal kaniya og baseball bat. Nakaangkon og bun-og sa iyang bukton ang abogada. Mipasaka kini og kasong frustrated murder apan gi-downgrade sa piskaliya ngadto sa simple physical injury. Pursigido gyud ang abogada nga mopasaka og kaso.

Apan karon nga mihupa na ang kalagot, kasilag ug pagdumot, naghisgot na sila og posibling amicable settlement basta mangayo lang og apology o pasaylo ang pipila ka mga personalidad labi pa ni Mrs. Ungab ug vice mayor nga maoy tinubdan ning tanan. Gani personal man nga mibisita ang bise mayor kang Tiu ug nangayo og pasaylo ug mitanyag og salapi aron areglohon ang kaso. Matod pa nga mitanyag og P500,000 ang vice mayor. Ug matod pa andam nga mosibog si Tiu sa iyang kaso kon mangayo og pasaylo si Ungab ug iyang asawa. Mao lagi na ang akong gi-ingon sa pagbuto ning maong isyo nga mahilot ra gihapon kini. Si Atty. Ungab maoy adunay dakong papel sa paghilot ning maong kaso.

Ma-settle

Okey, ibutang nato nga ma-settle nila ning maong kaso apan magka-uliay na kaha sila sa ilang maayong kabubut-on? Dili na kaha magselos si Mrs. Ungab kang Atty. Tiu? Mohunong na kaha siya sa pagsunod-sunod sa abogada? Kay ang ako ra bang nahibaw-an nga selosa kaayo si Mrs. Ungab ug dili lang si Atty. Tiu ang giselosan niini. Daghan pa. Mora lagi kuno siyag si Robert Jaworski nga naila kaayong hugot nga mobantay sa iyang kontra sa basketball. Magmalinawon na kahang magpuyo sila ni Bise Mayor ug Mrs. Ungab mintras ania pa gihapon sa duol magpuyo si Atty. Tiu? Ug kon aduna may relasyon sila si Vice Mayor Ungab ug Atty. Tiu, ila na kaha kining putlon? Hinuon, gipanghimakak sa abogada nga aduna silay relasyon. Pero daghan man ang dili motuo. Judgmental ra man god ning ubang tawo. Abangan ang susunod na kabanata.

Ten Commandments

Ang ika-pitong sugo sa Ten Commandments mao nga: ‘Thou shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.’ Or ‘Thou shall not commit adultery.’ Puwede man gihapon kining malutsan. Una, ayaw pangabit anang minyo mga babaye. Kanang dalaga. Ug ikaduha, kon mangabit man anang minyo, ayaw nang asawa sa imong silingan.

Kay gi-ingon man diha nga ‘Thou shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.’ Unya nakasala diay ka nga dili man na nimo silingan? Di ba? Pagkatoytoy!

(bobby.nalzaro@yahoo.com)

“It is always thrilling to find something new in the Amazon, as it reminds us just how special this rainforest is and how lucky we are to have it on our doorstep.”

Milton’s titi monkeys are found in the Brazilian states of Mato Grosso, Amazonas and Rondônia.

Like their close relatives, they live in small groups consisting of a mated pair and their offspring. These groups are territorial and use warning calls to keep others at bay â€" they are particularly vociferous early in the morning and during the rainy season.

Because they are not able to swim or cross mountainous terrain, Milton’s titi monkeys are restricted to a small area, effectively hemmed in by a number of rivers and hills.

_____

Julio César Dalponte et al. 2014. New species of titi monkey, genus Callicebus Thomas, 1903 (Primates, Pitheciidae), from Southern Amazonia, Brazil. Pap. Avulsos Zool., vol. 54, no. 32, pp. 457-472; doi: 10.1590/0031-1049.2014.54.32

Adult Milton’s titi monkey (Callicebus miltoni) eating a fruit while carrying a baby at Roosevelt River, Mato Grosso, Brazil. Image credit: A. Gambarini.

Intrigued, they headed back into the field to collect the information needed to formally describe what they believed to be a new species.

Over the course of a number of expeditions, they recorded several groups of these unusual monkeys, whose ochre sideburns, bright orange tail and light grey forehead stripe set them apart from other known species in the genus.

Based on these morphological differences, they were able to describe the monkey as a new species, the Milton’s titi monkey (Callicebus miltoni).

The species name honors Brazilian primatologist Dr Milton Thiago de Mello, in recognition of his contribution to development of primatology.

“It goes without saying that we are really excited about this new discovery,” said Dr Felipe Ennes Silva of the ISDM, who is a co-author of the paper published in the journal Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia.

The Milton’s titi monkey (Callicebus miltoni), compared to geographically neighboring species â€" the Prince Bernhard’s Titi Monkey (Callicebus bernhardi) and the ashy black titi (Callicebus cinerascens). Image credit: Stephen D. Nash.

Titi monkeys, or the titis, represent one of the most diverse Neotropical primate groups, with 32 species currently recognized.

These tree-dwelling monkeys are small â€" between 9 and 18 inches (23-46 cm) tall, but are striking due to their coloration.

They are primarily fruit eaters, have long, soft fur and live in small family groups consisting of a monogamous pair and their offspring.

These monkeys prefer dense forests near water and easily jump from branch to branch, earning them their German name, jumping monkey. They sleep at night, but also take a midday nap.

In 2011, Dr Dalponte and his colleagues from the Institute for the Sustainable Development of Mamirauá (ISDM) and the Emilio Goeldi Museum spotted an unusual looking titi monkey on the east bank of the Roosevelt River, whose coloration did not match any known species.

Callicebus miltoni: New Species of Titi Monkey Discovered in Brazil
Mar 9, 2015 by Sci-News.com


A team of scientists led by Dr Julio César Dalponte of the Institute for the Conservation of Neotropical Carnivores in Atibaia has described a new species of titi monkey (genus Callicebus) from Brazil.

The planned joint naval exercises off the Philippines are part of a security agreement signed in Tokyo in January, which also outlined regular vice-ministerial defense talks and exchanges of senior officers.

The first of 10 coastguard vessels Japan is building for the Philippines will be delivered by the year’s end. Japan might also fund infrastructure improvements around a Philippine military base on Palawan Island, one of the closest major land masses to the Spratlys, said a Japanese source with knowledge of the plan.

The Philippine armed forces spokesman, Col. Restituto Padilla, applauded Tokyo’s engagement, adding it would be “natural for Japan and the Philippines to join forces to help each other secure these sea lanes”.

Japan has not gone that far, although Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said last month that a policy of not sending patrol aircraft over the South China Sea might need to be reviewed, given the importance of the waterway to Tokyo.

Nakatani’s comments came after a top US Navy officer said Washington would welcome Japanese air patrols in the region.

Vietnam’s government did not immediately comment on Japan’s assistance, which will include six used navy patrol boats for Hanoi as well as advice on treating decompression illness as Vietnam takes possession of additional sophisticated submarines from Russia.

“There are a lot of other things the Vietnamese want,” said a Japanese Defense Ministry source, without elaborating.  - Reuters

The cooperation is also in line with a more muscular security policy advocated by Abe, who wants to loosen the restraints of Japan’s pacifist postwar constitution, and dovetails with Washington’s “pivot” towards Asia.

“The trend is becoming clear and I don’t think they (Japan) are going to back down from it, despite Chinese concerns,” said Ian Storey, a regional security expert at Singapore’s Institute of South East Asian Studies.

China’s Foreign Ministry said it hoped Japan would “speak and act cautiously” over the South China Sea, adding Tokyo was not a party to the dispute.

During World War II, the Imperial Japanese Navy operated submarines from the Spratly archipelago in the heart of the South China Sea. China is now creating artificial islands from reefs and atolls in the disputed Spratlys so fast that Beijing will be able to extend the range of its navy and air force before long, experts say.

Some experts believe the new islands will allow China to create and police an air defense identification zone (ADIZ), where planes would have to identify themselves to Chinese authorities, although Beijing has routinely denied such speculation.

China sparked condemnation from Tokyo, Washington and Canberra when it imposed an ADIZ above the East China Sea in late 2013. While the militaries from both countries have ignored that zone, it might not be so easy for smaller Southeast Asian nations to do so should one exist in the South China Sea.

“An ADIZ would be a catastrophe. It would severely limit air and maritime activity,” a senior Japanese policymaker said on condition of anonymity.

Testing Beijing, Tokyo eyes growing role in South China Sea
Philippine Star â€" 14 hours ago


TOKYO â€" Seventy years after its imperial forces were kicked out of the South China Sea, Japan is quietly moving back into the region, forging security ties with the Philippines and Vietnam as both South-east Asian nations try to cope with China’s territorial ambitions.

Tokyo’s security cooperation is broad-based: It is supplying maritime patrol boats to the two countries while Japan will hold its first naval exercises with the Philippines in the coming months.

Japanese military doctors are even advising Vietnamese submariners on how to deal with decompression sickness.

Japan is providing this help, and more, in a calibrated escalation of involvement to avoid a backlash from Beijing, said Japanese sources.

Manila and Hanoi are the two capitals most at odds with Beijing over the South China Sea. Japan itself is embroiled in a bitter row with China over uninhabited islands in the East China Sea, further to the north. Tokyo has no territorial claims in the South China Sea, but worries about becoming isolated should China dominate a waterway through which much of Japan’s ship-borne trade passes.

Japan’s assistance follows a speech last May by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who said Tokyo would help South-east Asia maintain freedom of navigation and over flight in the region.

Japan Gets Involved In South China Sea Territorial Dispute: Tokyo Offers Maritime Support To Philippines, Vietnam
By  Michelle FlorCruz @mflorcruz m.florcruz@ibtimes.com on March 11 2015 5:04 PM EDT



A Chinese coast guard vessel patrols near the BRP Sierra Madre, a marooned transport ship employed as a military outpost by Filipino marines, in the disputed Second Thomas Shoal, part of the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, on March 30, 2014. Reuters/Erik De Castro


China and several Southeast Asian nations are currently embroiled in a territorial and maritime dispute in the South China Sea over an area that includes a cluster of resource-rich islands and important trade routes. As China’s presence in the area becomes harder to ignore, Japan has quietly begun forging security ties with Chinese geopolitical adversaries.

According to a report by Reuters, Tokyo will be involved in joint training exercises with Vietnam and the naval military of the Philippines. The two countries have been China’s biggest challengers when it comes to vocalizing their own sovereignty claims in the region. Tokyo has reportedly offered 10 coast guard boats in the area ahead of what will be the first joint naval exercises between the Philippines and Japan in upcoming months. The two countries forged a security pact in Tokyo in January that also confirmed regular meetings between vice ministers regarding defense. Additionally, Tokyo military medical professionals have offered help in advising Vietnamese submariners on avoiding decompression sickness.

Though Japan doesn’t have a vested interest in the South China Sea, it does have experience in dealing with China when it comes to disputed territories. China and Japan both lay claim to a cluster of islands in the East China Sea known as the Diaoyu (Chinese) and the Senkaku (Japanese). The islands have been a point of contention between the two governments and the problem has proliferated to also become a dispute between citizens. Though it seems like China is taking on most of Asia when it comes to its territorial claims, China’s military prowess in the region outnumbers most of its neighbors by a long shot.

Japan’s increased involvement reflects calls made by U.S. military officials earlier this year. “I think allies, partners and friends in the region will look to the Japanese more and more as a stabilizing function,” Adm. Robert Thomas, commander of the Seventh Fleet and the top U.S. naval officer in Asia, said in a separate Reuters report. “In the South China Sea, frankly, the Chinese fishing fleet, the Chinese coast guard and the [navy] overmatch their neighbors.”

China’s control over the area, in the form of dredging to erect a man-made island in the middle of the disputed Spratly Islands, overshadows attempts made by the Philippines to go to international courts in The Hague, Netherlands, to settle the dispute.

Last month, another bride in Uttar Pradesh married a wedding guest after her groom-to-be had a seizure and collapsed at the wedding venue.

The groom's family had not revealed that the groom was epileptic. While the groom was rushed to a hospital in Rampur town, the bride asked one of the wedding guests to step in and married him.

Most marriages in India are arranged by the families of the bride and groom. Except for brief meetings, the couple rarely gets to know each other before the nuptials.

Associated Press
51 minutes ago


NEW DELHI (AP) â€" An Indian bride has walked out of her wedding ceremony after her groom-to-be failed to solve a simple math problem, police said Friday.

The bride tested the groom on his math skills and when he got the sum wrong, she walked out.

The question she asked: How much is 15 plus six?

His reply: 17.

The incident took place late Wednesday in Rasoolabad village near the industrial town of Kanpur in northern Uttar Pradesh state, local police officer Rakesh Kumar said Friday.

The groom's family tried persuading the bride to return, but she refused. She said the groom had misled them about his education.

"The groom's family kept us in the dark about his poor education," said Mohar Singh, the bride's father. "Even a first grader can answer this."

Local police mediated between the families and both sides returned all the gifts and jewelry that had been exchanged before the wedding, Kumar said.

The alleged perpetrator



The alleged victim

Quote from: hubag bohol on March 13, 2015, 04:42:13 PM
Authorities later revealed that Loyola had also sexually asssaulted two other cows in different areas in Cavite.

Hmm,  a serial rapist?

ANC â€" Wed, Mar 11, 2015


A man was arrested early morning on Tuesday, March 10, after he was caught in the act of sexually assaulting a cow in Barangay Biga Dos, Silang, Cavite.

Silang police said 46-year-old Andy Loyola was caught around 5 a.m. having sex with a cow, which was initially reported by its owner, Rustico Carlo, as missing.

Loyola was believed to be under the influence of illegal drugs when he was arrested. Police noted that various drug paraphernalia and several sachets containing suspected shabu were also seized from the suspect.

The suspect is now detained at the Silang municipal jail.

He is facing charges of violating Republic Act 8485, as amended by RA 10631, otherwise known as the Animal Welfare Act.

Authorities later revealed that Loyola had also sexually asssaulted two other cows in different areas in Cavite. -a report by Eric Dastas, dzMM

Ni Jojo C. Ugdol/EIM (Banat) | Updated March 13, 2015 - 12:00am


CEBU, Philippines - Patay ang usa ka 60-anyos nga lolo nga sakop sa Lupo’ng Tagapamayapa human kini napatiran sa usa ka babaye nga duna’y nakabugno nga laing babaye sa Sitio Lagtang Barangay Ocaña dakbayan sa Carcar.

Ang biktima giila nga si Cesar Fantonial, nagpuyo sa maong lugar samtang ang suspetsado naila nga si Rosarie Sarsa, 33.

Matud pa ni Police Officer 2 Madison Singco imbestigador sa Carcar Police nga nahinabi sa Banat News gikan nanugway sa iyang mga hayop ang biktima apan sa iyang pag-uli iyang nakita nga nagbugno ang duha ka mga babaye nga sila si Sarsa ug usa ka Alicia Padin.

Sumala pa ni Singco nga selos ang hinungdan sa panagbugno sa duha ka babaye nga nagbinirahay og buhok apan sa pag-uwang sa biktima napatiran kini ni Sarsa ug natumba.

Naundang ang bugno sa duha dihang ilang nakita nga nakuyapan si Fantonial ug gitabang sa mga silingan, apan patay na kini pag-abot sa Carcar City District Hospital.

Sigun pa ni Singco nga atake sa kasingkasing ang namatyan sa biktima base sa death certificate niini, apan kini resulta sa pagkatumba dihang napatiran ni Sarsa. Gibalhog na sa bilanggoan ang suspetsado ug gikatakdang pasakaan og kasong homicide. (BANAT NEWS)

by Seamus Heaney


                      in memoriam M.K.H., 1911-1984


When all the others were away at Mass
I was all hers as we peeled potatoes.
They broke the silence, let fall one by one
Like solder weeping off the soldering iron:
Cold comforts set between us, things to share
Gleaming in a bucket of clean water.
And again let fall. Little pleasant splashes
From each other’s work would bring us to our senses.
So while the parish priest at her bedside
Went hammer and tongs at the prayers for the dying
And some were responding and some crying
I remembered her head bent towards my head,
Her breath in mine, our fluent dipping knivesâ€"
Never closer the whole rest of our lives.


From New Selected Poems 1966-1987, Faber and Faber Ltd.

"Hoy, batig nawong! Wa ko magulat nimo, oi..." 

Pilyo pikoya... 

"This is a serious deviation from the neutral position ASEAN and its secretary-general ought to have on the relevant issue, and damages the image of ASEAN as a regional international organization," he added.

The secretary-general should ensure ASEAN stands by its promises of neutrality and not "use public office for private gain", Hong said.

It was not clear why China had waited so long to respond to the remarks, which were published last Wednesday.

China claims about 90 percent of the South China Sea, displaying its reach on official maps with its nine-dash line that stretches deep into the maritime heart of Southeast Asia.

Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have claims to parts of the potentially energy-rich waters that are crossed by key global shipping lanes.

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Nick Macfie)

March 11, 2015 5:20 AM


BEIJING (Reuters) - China expressed anger on Wednesday at the Vietnamese head of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for comments he made on the disputed South China Sea, rejecting Chinese claims based on the so-called nine-dash line.

Le Luong Minh, ASEAN secretary-general and a veteran Vietnamese diplomat, told the Manila Times last week that the grouping rejects China's policy of using the dotted line to assert its sovereignty over myriad islets and reefs in the sea.

ASEAN's economic integration could also be affected by "any hostility or conflict" that could break out, he added.

Vietnam has repeatedly complained about what it sees as aggressive Chinese moves in the seas.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said that China had always supported ASEAN's economic integration, but that ASEAN was not a party to the South China Sea dispute.

"Mr. Le Luong Minh is the ASEAN secretary-general, and on the South China Sea issue has many times made partisan statements that do not accord with the facts nor suit his position," Hong told a daily news briefing.

Hmm, di ba ang tinuod nimong ngalan, Aylandil, kay Wailee Go? 

Remember Monkey Jesus? The handiwork of Spanish pensioner Cecilia Gimenez, the botched restoration appeared everywhere from Saturday Night Live to the New York Times. It also resulted in the authorities in Borja considering legal action against the talentless artist.

Thanks to the global publicity, Monkey Jesus became a bona fide tourist attraction, drawing 57,000 people in its first year. Owners of the church housing the painting charged each of them â,¬1 for entry, dividing the profits evenly with Gimenez. The pensioner also got a large chunk of the merchandising rights, turning her once ill-fated painting into a money-spinner.

Even more impressively, Gimenez used the painting to launch her own semi-successful art career. A 2013 exhibition of two dozen paintings was overwhelmed with visitors, while 2014 saw her star in her own music video. The authorities of Borja now claim Gimenez saved their town’s economy. As for Monkey Jesus itself, the New York Times is now calling it a “profound pop art icon.” -- http://listverse.com/

Hmm, wa baya kaayo tuoy kalainan...

(Photo from the November 8, 1989, issue of the Manila Standard.)


On March 10, 1947, as President Manuel Roxas was delivering a speech in Plaza Miranda about the parity rights amendment to the 1935 Constitution, a man lobbed a grenade on the stage, prompting General Mariano Castañeda to kick it away and cover President Roxas with his body. The grenade landed near the audience, killing two and wounding a dozen people. The assassin, later identified as Julio Guillen, was a barber by occupation. -- https://www.facebook.com/malacanang

Rich Gulf states: a hub for migrant labor

Fifty years ago, migrants from India and Pakistan might have looked to their British former colonial overlord in their search for work.

These days, South Asian laborers are much more likely to head to the Gulf: the map shows most Indians go to the United Arab Emirates and Pakistanis to Saudi Arabia. The oil-rich Gulf has become a key destination for temporary migrant laborers, many of whom find work in construction or low-paid services, or as domestic workers. Rights abuses against such migrants â€" many of whom are working to send money back home to desperately poor families â€" are well documented.

Regional economic powerhouses attract migrants

Check out the cluster of gray countries around Germany, light blue around Argentina, dark green above South Africa, and the splash of orange on India's borders. Strong economies have always been a pull for migrants seeking a better life, but the blocks of color around regional economies say a lot about where the opportunities are today (or were in 2013, anyway).

One striking thing is that China does not appear to be ringed by migrants rushing to take advantage of opportunities in the world's second-largest economy. Language barriers and lack of freedoms under Communist rule could both come into play here, though China is slowly becoming more popular as a destination for workers from South Korea, the US, and Japan.

It's also important to bear in mind that this map is based on official statistics â€" it will not account for the tens of thousands of unauthorized migrant workers reportedly smuggled into China from Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries every year.

The legacy of European colonialism shows here

France noticeably remains the most popular destination for several French-speaking former colonies in Africa, marked in dark blue, such as Algeria, Senegal, and Cameroon.

The same is less true for former British colonies: while the United Kingdom is still the favored new home of South Africans, Australians, and Kenyans, it's no longer the choice of migrants from India â€" the former jewel in the crown of the British Empire â€" or from neighboring Pakistan.

Things have changed since the years after World War II, when hundreds of thousands of colonial workers from sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and the Caribbean moved to the UK. The legacy of that mass movement of people can still be seen in the UK's multicultural makeup today.

There are a few other interesting and surprising things it can tell us, too:


The traffic between Mexico and the US is two-way

The United States is, unsurprisingly, the most frequent destination for Mexican migrants, but the reverse is also true â€" Mexico is the most popular choice for people leaving the US.

A large share of migrants leaving the US for Mexico will likely be either Mexican nationals or people of Mexican heritage. Mexicans currently account for nearly a third of the foreign-born citizens residing in the US, but in the 2000s the huge wave of migration that brought millions across the border during the 20th century began to reverse.

A big factor in this was the economic recession in the United States. This brought a sharp drop in demand for low-skilled labor, especially in construction â€" a key source of work for unauthorized Mexican migrants â€" as the housing market crashed. Hundreds of thousands of Mexicans are also deported from the US every year.

Many migrants have also headed back to Mexico for personal reasons: a survey by the nonprofit Mexicans and Americans Thinking Together found family reasons and nostalgia were cited as top reasons for the return trip.

This map, put together by Devinn Jani, also known as Reddit user DMan9797, uses 2013 United Nations data to show migration flows around the world. The design is simple â€" each country is labeled with the most popular destination for its migrants. Some destinations are shown with color code: red represents countries whose migrants mostly go to the United States, blue to France, and pink to the United Kingdom.

Just a quick glance tells you that America is the most popular destination for migrants from most of the Western Hemisphere and some surprisingly far-flung nations; it's the top pick for countries as far apart as Iran and Japan, Nigeria and Germany.

http://www.vox.com/
Updated by Katy Lee on March 9, 2015, 10:00 a.m. ET @kjalee

Tvashtar Paterae
Io

'An Unusual Volcano'
Venus

Culann Patera
Io

Tharsis Montes
Mars

Tupan Patera
Io

Cryovolcanoes
Triton (Moon Of Neptune)

Pillan Patera
Io (Moon Of Jupiter)

Tiger Stripes
Enceladus (Moon Of Saturn)

Pancake Domes
Venus

http://listverse.com/2015/03/09/10-utterly-amazing-volcanoes-in-space/



Olympus Mons
Mars

Bwahaha!

BUCHAREST, Romania â€" Mar 9, 2015, 4:53 PM ET


Romanian officials were left red-faced after Germany's foreign minister was handed a brochure with a map of France on Monday.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier received the gift from Romanian counterpart Bogdan Aurescu at the end of a news conference to mark 135 years of diplomatic relations.

Romania's Foreign Ministry later apologized, saying it had received the brochure in the morning containing the "regrettable technical error" â€" the colors of the German flag contained within the map of France â€" from national news agency Agerpres.

Aurescu apologized to Steinmeier during a visit later to the city of Sibiu. Steinmeier responded diplomatically, saying he hadn't even noticed the gaffe, the ministry said.

Quote from: wardiflex on March 10, 2015, 10:55:05 AM
bang bang.

At least 7 kuno ka kabhang ang narekober, Bay Wards. Atong pun-an og bang5x...

SuperBalita
Ni Guam P. Logroño
Monday, March 9, 2015


ULITAWO patay human giagtang sa pagpusil sa wa mailhing mamumuno niadtong Dominggo sa alas 4:00 sa kaadlawon sa Barangay Poblacion, lungsod sa Badian.

Si David Elegeno Jr., 27, ulitawo ug way trabaho nagpuyo sa nahisgutang lugar, patay nang napalgan sa iyang mga silingan nga dunay samad pinusilan sa agtang.

Sa imbestigasyon nila ni SPO1 Dionfe Español, usa ka Leonardo Arances, nagpuyo sa nahisgutang lugar maoy nipahibalo sa kapulisna kabahin sa usa ka tawo nga napalgan diha sa dalan.

SuperBalita
Ni Guam P. Logroño
Monday, March 9, 2015


INAHAN nga nilaban sa iyang anak nga nakakitag away sa silingan gipusil-patay kagahapon sa alas 7:30 sa buntag sa dalan Lapulapu, Barangay Suba, dakbayan sa Danao.

Si Rachel Monisit, 39, way trabaho ug nagpuyo sa nahisgutang lugar patay tungod sa samad pinusilan sa iyang tuong bahin sa lawas nga milapos sa pikas habig ang bala sa kalibre .45.

Wa na igkita si Roy Sellona, hingkod ang panuigon, dunay kapuyo ug nagpuyo sa nahisgotang dapit apan lumad nga taga Barangay Dawis Sur, lungsod sa Carmen.

Gihulagway kini sa kapulisan nga badlungon sa ilang lugar.

Si PO3 Marlon Remollo, imbestigador sa Danao police station, niingon nga ang biktima nilaban sa iyang anak nga nagkaaway sa anak sa suspek.

Tungod sa paglaban sa biktima, nalabayan niinig tsinelas ang anak sa suspek.

Ang kapuyo sa suspek nagkaaway niadtong higayuna nga nakapasamot sa ilang karaang pa­nagbangi sa pamilya.

“Namahaw daw ang biktima human sa away pero wa makatiwas kay kalit lang niabot ang suspetsado gipusil kini dayon paspas nga misibat,” dugang ni PO3 Remollo.

Father Urbain Grandier was a French Catholic priest who was burned at the stake after being convicted of witchcraft. He served as priest in the church of Sainte Croix in Loudun, in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Poitiers. Ignoring his vow of priestly celibacy, he is known to have had sexual relationships with a number of women and to have acquired a reputation as a philanderer. In 1632, a group of nuns from the local Ursuline convent accused him of having bewitched them, sending the demon Asmodai, among others, to commit evil and impudent acts with them. At his trial, the judges, after torturing the priest, introduced documents purportedly signed by Grandier and several demons as evidence that he had made a diabolical pact. They were written backwards in Latin and even included the signature of Satan himself.





The text of the pact reads as follows:

We, the influential Lucifer, the young Satan, Beelzebub, Leviathan, Elimi,
and Astaroth, together with others, have today accepted the covenant pact
of Urbain Grandier, who is ours. And him do we promise
the love of women, the flower of virgins, the respect of monarchs, honors, lusts and powers.
He will go whoring three days long; the carousal will be dear to him. He offers us once
in the year a seal of blood, under the feet he will trample the holy things of the church and
he will ask us many questions; with this pact he will live twenty years happy
on the earth of men, and will later join us to sin against God.
Bound in hell, in the council of demons.
Lucifer Beelzebub Satan
Astaroth Leviathan Elimi
The seals placed the Devil, the master, and the demons, princes of the lord.
Baalberith, writer.


http://listverse.com/

Ni Jojo C. Ugdol/GMR (Banat) | Updated March 9, 2015 - 12:00am


CEBU, Philippines- Patay ang usa ka lalaki human gitusak sa bala sa armas samtang nanisko sa barangay Alegria, lungsod sa Tuburan.

Ang biktima giila nga si Jeffrey Alindao, 29, alyas Opaw, minyo nga taga barangay Kabangkalan sa maong lungsod. Matud ni PO2 Barry Entia, sakop sa alert team sa Tuburan Police, nga samtang naglingaw-lingaw sa lugar ang biktima kalit lang gipusil sa makadaghan nga higayun hinungdan nga nakabsan sa iyang kinabuhi.

Pito ka basiyo sa bala sa kalibre .45 ang narekober sa kapolisan sa crime scene nga gituohang gigamit sa mamumuno. Sa inisyal nga pagsubay sa kapolisan nasayran nga posible’ng igo lang gibaslan ang biktima sa mga gikaaway niini.

Napriso na kanhi ang biktima sa kaso’ng homicide ug nalutsan og warrant of arrest niadto’ng Nobiyembre 7 apan nakagawas human nakapiyansa.

Hinuon wala gipadaplin sa kapolisan ang uban pa nga anggulo diin posible sab nga may lain pa nga kaaway ang biktima. (BANAT NEWS)

Ni Jojo C. Ugdol/GMR (Banat) | Updated March 9, 2015 - 12:00am


CEBU, Philippines- Patay ang usa ka lalaki nga napilde sa hantak human gidunggab gamit ang gidala niya nga kutsilyo sa barangay Uling, dakbayan sa Naga pasado alas 7 sa nakalabay nga gabii.

Ang biktima naila nga si Ruben Payos samtang ang suspek naila nga si Wilfredo Ocan, 44, pulos nagpuyo sa maong barangay.

Matud ni PO3 Ken Cabrera, desk officer sa Naga City Police Station, nga gitug-an sa suspek nga igo lang siya nidepensa sa iyang kaugalingon.

Sumala pa ni Cabrera nga posible’ng gisapot niadto’ng higayuna ang biktima kay katulo na napilde sa hantak ug nagbagulbol.

Paingon na mopauli ang suspek diha’ng iya’ng giagda ang biktima nga mokuyog basin masuko ang tag-iya sa hantakan sa sige niya’ng yawyaw.

Apan nasuko na hinuon ang biktima, nanumbag ug nibunot og kutsilyo dayun dunggab ngadto sa suspek. Abtik nga nasagang ug nabawi sa suspek ang kutsilyo ug gidunggab sa biktima sa makadaghan nga higayun sa nagkadaiyang bahin sa lawas.

Dali pa unta nga gidala sa tambalanan ang biktima apan nakabsan sa iyang kinabuhi samtang gitanggong sa Naga City Police detention cell ang suspek.

Ni Bryner L. Diaz/EIM (Banat) | Updated March 9, 2015 - 12:00am


CEBU, Philippines- Nasikop sa mga sakop sa Fuente Police ang duha ka bayut human nga ang usa kanila mibalikas ug miluwa sa polis samtang ang usa mitabang og bunlot kaniya aron dili madakpan sa miaging gabii diha Mango Avenue ning dakbayan sa Sugbo.

Ang nasikop naila nga sila si Jurevel Simeni, 18, taga Iligan ug si Vivencio Rocamora, 20, taga Zapatera.

Si Chief Inspector Wildemar Tiu nga nahinabi sa Banat News miingon nga mireklamo ang usa ka langyaw sa duha ka polis nga sakop sa beat patrol tungod kay naay duha ka bayut nga nagsige og sunodsunod kaniya.

Dihang gibadlong  gisyagitan hinuon sila si PO1 Berlino Ricafort ug si PO1 Ariel Nuñeza nga: “boang ang mga polis sa Cebu City.” Tungod niini, ilang gidakop ang duha apan dihang giposasan na si Simeni giluwaan niya ang usa ka polis samtang gilabnot ‘sab ni Rocamora ang kamot ni Simeni hinungdan nga nalamba kini ug nabali ang kamot.

Si Rocamora gidala sa presinto samtang gidala sa Cebu City Medical Center si Simeni diin gisemento ang iyang kamot.

Pasakaan ang duha og kasong Direct Assault ug Disobedience to a Person in Authority ug dugang kaso kang Rocamora nga Obstruction of Justice.  (BANAT NEWS)

It should be emphasized that the above claims do not mean that we are not typically attracted to beauty and symmetry. We certainly are. It is simply that when someone is beautiful, the presence of a moderate imperfection, such as cross eyes or eye glasses, might in some cases increase the attraction.

We are indeed typically excited by anything that is incomplete, unsettled, unexplained, or uncertain, as we perceive it to be unusual and so it demands our attention and thoughts. When the situation becomes stable and normal, there is no reason for the mental system to be on the alert and invest further resources. This is usually true of love as well.

Ambiguous and imperfect states, rather than perfect and finished ones, have this kind of incomplete nature and hence offer a certain lure. Resolving ambiguity often eliminates the positive illusion, leading to less satisfying situations. In this sense, the resolution of uncertainty constitutes a negative outcome, which psychologically outweighs a potential positive outcome and therefore can lead on average to worse emotional states (see here (link is external)). These claims partly explain why courtship, flirting, and extramarital affairs are exciting. All of these experiences are incomplete.

To sum up, it is not obvious which of the above reasons can explain Descartes' love for cross-eyed women. It could be some or all of them. But these reasons indicate that his behavior was not so strange.

The above considerations can be encapsulated in the following statement that a lover might express: "Darling, I know that imperfection can be attractive against the background of too much perfection. But when the imperfections are too dominant, it makes it very hard to love you. But I will certainly keep trying."

Another relevant consideration is that although perfection and symmetry underlie our perception of beauty and attractiveness, sometimes perfection can be perceived as boring, as being too perfect. In this regard, Megan Slovak (link is external) notes: "After years of perfection in Hollywood, the backlash has begun! Suddenly we are starting to see a more casual approach to hair and make-up on the red carpet and the runway, and directors and designers are starting to look for the unique rather than the typical, perfect beauty." There are plenty of pictures of actresses flashing tooth-gapped grins, wearing sloppy clothes, or looking stressed with their kids on a day out, all providing examples of the contemporary tendency against over-perfection. Slovak adds that The New York Times reported that "dentists are seeing patients who, instead of seeking the perfect smile, opt instead for slightly stained, overlapping, or grooved veneers. Perfection, it seems, has been exhausted."

People are afraid of being with perfect people. As a woman once said: "If you were perfect, you would frighten me and I don't want that." And author Jeff Riva (link is external) claims: "I love imperfect characters; both while reading and while writing. Most of the characters I create have some or the other imperfection in them. Imperfection is actually the new perfection. The smudge of Imperfection in characters adds an unexplainable and undefinable appeal... Imperfection makes a character more real." Riva further argues that "though we look up to perfect people, they do give us a temporary sense of insecurity. We feel small in front of them. We may even secretly and subtly resent their perfection... But it's the imperfect characters we bond with. In their presence we revel in our own imperfections... Flaws or imperfection add depth and humanity to the characters. We may say that imperfection is actually the new trend of perfection, but as imperfection increases, its lure decreases."

A somewhat similar mechanism is expressed by the "attractiveness halo," in which a person, who is perceived as beautiful, is assumed to have other positive characteristics as well. In this case, we may say that Descartes had the "cross-eyed halo:" every woman who had this feature was associated with the girl with whom he had he felt been in love, and so activated a loving attitude which also involved perceiving that woman as attractive.

A somewhat similar phenomenon to that experienced by Descartes is the attraction that some men have for women who wear glasses. Here again, the attraction is for something that expresses a flaw in the sight of the women, but when combined with her other attributes it creates a very positive Gestalt. Eye glasses are often perceived to indicate that the person is educated and even wise. As Christine Whelan (link is external) argues, men do make passes at women who wear glasses. And while men are attracted to an adorable appearance, they are much more likely to be attracted if that appearance also reveals an underlying intelligence and the kind of attributes that has the potential to lead to success.

Various reasons have been suggested as to why men are attracted to women who wear glasses. One is that men once had a desire to have sex with their teachers (who, according to this theory, are assumed to have worn glasses). Regardless of the specific reason in each particular case, the situation is similar in the sense that a feature that could be regarded as a flaw is evaluated positively in light of past associations related to this feature.

It would appear that when Descartes fell in love with the young girl, he loved her whole Gestalt, which included other characteristics, but her crossed eyes were the most unique. This feature of the girl distinguished her from most other girls. It is as if he subconsciously thought that every woman who shared that distinctive feature would have the other positive characteristics of the girl with whom he had originally fallen in love and would therefore generate the same profound love. This attitude makes him perceive these women as beautiful.

A distinctive feature catches our attention and because of the considerable weight we give to it, we sometimes consider it to be also essential to our overall evaluation of other people who share it. However, the fact that the girl he fell in love had the distinctive feature of crossed eyes did not mean that her other characteristics would be shared by other women who have the same feature. In fact, however, this mistaken association set off a feeling of love when he encountered this characteristic in other women. Actually all of us tend to be attracted to someone who looks, speaks, or even has a smell similar to someone we have loved deeply. It is a kind of Pavlovian response which makes us more likely to love this person. It should be emphasized, however, that we actually perceive this person to have more positive characteristics and not merely to be associated with such characteristics.

Why Did Descartes Love Cross-Eyed Women? The Lure of Imperfection
by Aaron Ben-Zeév Ph.D.


"As a child I was in love with a girl of my own age, who was slightly cross-eyed. The imprint made on my brain by the wayward eyes became so mingled with whatever else had aroused in me the feeling of love that for years afterwards, when I saw a cross-eyed woman, I was more prone to love her than any other, simply for that flawâ€"all the while not knowing this was the reason. But then I reflected and realized it was a flaw: I am smitten no longer." René Descartes

Why did the French philosopher Descartes love a girl whose pupils migrated toward her nose? Various reasons are proposed and the most powerful one may be the attraction of imperfection-given that a certain degree of (almost) perfection is present as well.

One can explain Descartes's preference by arguing that each of us has a certain flaws; therefore, it is inevitable that we will fall in love with people with some flaws. However, this cannot be the whole explanation, as Descartes later tended to fall in love with other cross-eyed woman. In this sense, he perceived crossed eyes very positively, despite the fact that he knew it was a flaw.

Pastilan, gugma, kadaghan ba diay ang naimpas tungod sa imong ngalan...