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Gustav slams Cuba as monster Category 4 storm

HAVANA - Gustav slammed into Cuba's tobacco-growing western tip as a monstrous Category 4 hurricane Saturday while both Cubans and Americans scrambled to flee the storm as it roared toward the oil-rich Gulf of Mexico and New Orleans.



Forecasters said Gustav was just short of becoming a top-scale Category 5 hurricane as it hit Cuba's mainland after passing over its Isla de la Juventud province, where shrieking 150 mph (240 kph) winds toppled telephone poles, mango and almond trees and peeled back the tin roofs of homes.

Isla de la Juventud civil defense chief Ana Isla said there were "many people injured" on the island south of mainland Cuba, but no reports of deaths. She said nearly all its roads were washed out and that some regions were heavily flooded.

"It's been very difficult here," she said on state television.

Authorities evacuated at least 250,000 people from western Cuba, including Isla de la Juventud.

Gustav was projected to plow into the Gulf of Mexico at full force Sunday, and reach the U.S. coast as early as Monday afternoon. A hurricane watch was issued from Texas east to the Florida-Alabama border.

More than a million Americans made wary by Hurricane Katrina took buses, trains, planes and cars as they streamed out of New Orleans and other coastal cities, where Katrina killed about 1,600 people in 2005.

Forecasters warned it was still too soon to say whether New Orleans would take another direct hit, but the bumper-to-bumper traffic pouring from the city suggested residents weren't taking any chances.

Gustav already has killed 81 people by triggering floods and landslides in other Caribbean nations.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Gustav could become a Category 5 hurricane soon, with winds above 155 mph (249 kph).

Cuba's top meteorologist, Jose Rubiera, said the hurricane's massive center made landfall in mainland Cuba near the community of Los Palacios in Pinar del Rio — a region that produces much of Cuba's famed tobacco and cigars.

In Pinar del Rio, the storm knocked down power lines, shattered windows and blew the roofs off some small homes.

Rubiera said the storm would bring hurricane-force winds to much of the western part of Havana, Cuba's capital, where power was knocked out as winds blasted sheets of rain sideways though the streets and whipped angry waves against the famed seaside Malecon boulevard.

Felled tree branches and large chunks of muddy earth littered crowded roads.

Cuba grounded all domestic flights and halted all buses and trains to and from Havana, where some shuttered stores had hand-scrawled "closed for evacuation" signs plastered to their doors.

Authorities boarded up banks, restaurants and hotels, and residents nailed bits of plywood to the windows and doors of their houses and apartments.

"It's very big and we've got to get ready for what's coming," said Jesus Hernandez, a 60-year-old retiree who was using an electric drill to reinforce the roof of his rickety front porch.

The government announced it was stepping up emergency production of bread at state-run bakeries and lines formed all over the city as Cubans waited for loaves.

In tourist-friendly Old Havana, heavy winds and rain battered crumbling historic buildings. There were no immediate reports of major damage, but a scaffolding erected against a building adjacent to the Plaza de Armas was leaning at a dangerous angle.

Lidia Morral and her husband were visiting Cuba from Barcelona. She said Gustav forced officials to close the beaches the couple wanted to visit in Santiago, on the island's eastern tip. The storm also prevented them from catching a ferry from Havana to the Isla de la Juventud on Saturday.

"It's been following us all over Cuba, ruining our vacation," said Morral, who was in line at a travel agency, trying to make other plans. "They have closed everything, hotels, restaurants, bars, museums. There's not much to do but wait."

By Saturday evening, Gustav was about 65 miles (105 kilometers) west-southwest of Havana and it was moving northwest near 15 mph (24 kph).

The U.S. naval base at Guantanamo, Cuba, was hundreds of miles (kilometers) to the east, out of the storm's path.

In the Gulf of Mexico, where about 35,000 people work staffing offshore rigs and production facilities, among other tasks, oil companies wrapped up evacuations in preparation for the storm.

As of midday Saturday, more than three-fourths of the Gulf's oil production and nearly 40 percent of its natural gas output had been shut down, according to the U.S. Minerals Management Service, which oversees offshore activity.

The U.S. Gulf Coast accounts for about 25 percent of domestic oil production and 15 percent of natural gas output, according to the MMS. The Gulf Coast also is home to nearly half the nation's refining capacity.

On Friday, Gustav rolled over the Cayman Islands with fierce winds that tore down trees and power lines while destroying docks and tossing boats ashore, but there was little major damage and no deaths were reported.

Haiti's Interior Ministry on Saturday raised the hurricane death toll there to 66 from 59 and Jamaica raised its count to seven from four. Gustav also killed eight people in the Dominican Republic early in the week.

Meanwhile, the hurricane center said Tropical Storm Hanna was projected to near the Turks and Caicos Islands late Sunday or on Monday, then curl through the Bahamas by early next week before possibly threatening Cuba.

As it spun over open waters, Hanna had sustained winds near 50 mph (85 kph) Saturday evening and the hurricane center warned that it could kick up dangerous rip currents along parts of the southeastern U.S. coast.

The U.S. State Department urged Americans to be aware of the risks caused by Hanna to people traveling to the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands. It urged U.S. citizens lacking safe shelter to consider leaving while flights are still available

Vigilantes warn MILF: Stop it or else

Thursday, 28 August 2008 09:29





Armed members of the Ilaga, a Christian group known for its bloody attacks and human rights abuses in Mindanao in the 1970s, have resurfaced in this province, warning the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to stop its atrocities against civilians or face the consequences.

“If the fighting will continue, for every civilian killed, we will execute 10 Moro rebels,” Mike Santiago, spokesperson of the Reform Ilaga Movement, told reporters during a press conference yesterday.

Santiago said the Ilaga (Visayan term for “rat”) would defend not only the rights of Christians and lumad (indigenous peoples), but also of Muslims displaced by the attacks of MILF rebels in Central Mindanao.
“The civilians are suffering now. That’s why we are asking the leadership of the MILF to stop its harassment and attacks in Mindanao because it will only complicate the life of the people,” he said.

Why Are 'Mama' and 'Dada' a Baby's First Words? LiveScience Staff

LiveScience.com
Wed Aug 27, 10:25 AM ET



A baby's first words are often "mama" and "dada," much to the delight of parents. Now scientists think they know why.


Beyond the obvious - Mommy and Daddy are around a lot and babies are drawn to them - languages in many cultures have apparently made the task easy by creating words for mothers and fathers that feature patterns of repeating sounds, a new study suggests.


To arrive at this finding, brain scans were made of 22 newborns (age 2 days to 3 days) while they listened to recordings of made-up words. They heard words that end in repeating syllables, such as "mubaba" and "penana," as well as words without them, such as "mubage" and "penaku."


Brain activity increased in the babies' temporal and left frontal areas whenever the repetitious words were played. Words with non-adjacent repetitions ("bamuba" or "napena") elicited no distinctive responses from the brain.


This suggests "mommy" and "daddy" are well-chosen words to teach a baby, and it also indicates that the ability to more easily recognize these sorts of repetitive sounds is hard-wired in the human brain.


The research, led by University of British Columbia post-doctoral fellow Judit Gervain, was published online this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.


"It's probably no coincidence that many languages around the world have repetitious syllables in their 'child words,'" Gervain said, citing "papa" in Italian and "tata" (grandpa) in Hungarian as examples.


"The language center of most right-handed adults is located on the left side of the brain," Gervain said. "This is consistent with our finding with newborn babies and supports our belief humans are born with abilities that allow us to perceive and learn our mother tongue systematically and efficiently."


"The brain areas that are responsible for language in an adult do not 'learn' how to process language during development, but rather, they are specialized - at least in part - to process language from the start."

EAT HEALTHIER,NOT CHEAPER

VISUAL TALKING

Ledesma: 3 strikes and the MOA is almost out

Source : Sun Star
Monday, 25 August 2008 09:15





OVER a decade of excruciating peace negotiations. Just when we are in the threshold of peace, we slid quickly back to ground zero.

Too many confounding factors came into play. We knew that the issue of ancestral domain had been discussed for quite sometime but the MOA materialized at a bionic speed under the watch of Retired General Jun Esperon, surprising leaders of the local governments units who were taken aback when they discovered that many of their barangays were included in the proposed Bangsamoro Juridical Entity which expanded the area of the present Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao.


It was like a subterfuge even as I personally agree that the draft of the MOA on AD was not the end-all document that precedes the final talk on peace accord.

Instead of the MOA becoming an instrument of peace it triggered disenchantment on the part of the affected local government units. On the side of the MILF, adventurous field commanders thought the initialed MOA was a signal for them to intrude into the proposed barangays.

Forces under Kumander Umbra Kato for example brazenly moved into isolated barangays of Aleosan, Pikit and Midsayap in North Cotabato and Maasim in Sarrangani.

Later in Lanao del Norte, Kumander Bravo swooped right into the towns of Kauswagan, Maigo, Bacolod, Linmon and Kolambogan. They massacred and robbed helpless civilians while some were made as human shields when they retreated as military and police forces retook the towns. From being rebels they denigrated themselves into becoming brigands.

Because the MILF to echelon failed to restrain them the government has no other recourse but to take punitive action to neutralize these marauding forces.

As if the situation was not bad enough, politicians, notably those who had presidential ambitions, came into play with all their dramatics and sound bites trying to gain TV mileage in every turn. They knew that the MOA on AD would still pass through congressional scrutiny and finally the affirmation of the people in the affected barangays via the plebiscite. But they went raving all the way to the Supreme Court for a temporary restraining order. The temper and the fighting escalate.

Some interlopers cried "all-out-war" not realizing that a vast majority of the Muslim communities merely want peace. Christians and Muslim civilians are caught in the crossfire. In the melee a TV camera caught the anguish of a Muslim woman crying out loud, "tulungan ninyo kami Madam Presidente."

These faces of desperation and adversities unveil the truth that the vast majority of peace loving Muslims, Lumads, and Christians abhor war and that all they wanted is to be left in peace, never mind if life is sometimes too hard for them.

Moreover, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo made it quite clear that the military offensive is only undertaken to deal with Kumanders Kato and Bravo. It is not an all-out war. The message is clearly enunciated by the President: that the pursuit to peace will continue and that the government has not abandoned its goal to secure peace in Mindanao.

The MOA on AD however has to be "reviewed", a semantic that means the document has to be reevaluated to determine why so many had opposed it and why instead of contributing to peace it triggered war.

The sooner the MILF hierarchy impose punishment on Kato and Bravo by whatever means they said they have the better it is for the health of everybody. A protracted action against them will not redound to saving the peace process in Mindanao.

On the other hand, if they can prove that they are sincere in running after the marauding forces the MOA can still be salvaged and peace negotiation can still move forward.

But this one takes a lot of courage on the part of the MILF. In their recent statements, the MILF said they back up the adventurism of Kato, Bravo and their men.

This means that their acts had been sanctioned by the hierarchy. If this is the case how will the peace talk progress to another plane? Already the world community has condemned the atrocities committed by the wayward MILF commander.

It's strike three and there is a strong possibility the MILF might earn for itself the "terrorist" tag. Which is rather sad because we might lose the opportunity of forging a peace pact.

A gallant officer whose death would not be in vain’

A gallant officer whose death would not be in vain’
Source : Inquirer.net
Saturday, 23 August 2008 22:57





ILOILO CITY, Philippines—The way he lived is the way he will be remembered.

Visitors stream in continuously to view the remains of the fallen officer in the white casket flanked by an honor guard.

The modest home is filled with flowers of various colors, sizes and shapes strung with messages of sympathy from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, government officials, military officers and friends.

Lieutenant Colonel Angel Benitez’s death and heroism have brought grief, and pride, to the simple home in the village of Tabuc Suba, Jaro District, Iloilo City.

“We grieve for the loss of a very professional and competent officer,” said Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Alexander Yano at the wake on Thursday.

“His death is a great loss to the armed forces and the government but I know he did not die in vain. We are continuing what he fought for,” Yano said.

Benitez, 40, executive officer of the Army’s 102nd Brigade, was killed along with two soldiers when they were ambushed by Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels in Lanao del Norte on Aug. 18.

He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Conduct Star on Wednesday for bravery and gallantry in action for holding his ground after he and his men shot it out with hundreds of MILF rebels while continuously texting their location to their superiors.

It was a tragic but not surprising end for an officer who dedicated 18 years of his life to the military.

Benitez’s career took off after graduation from the Philippine Military Academy in 1990. He topped the Scout Ranger and military intelligence and psychological-operations courses he took.

Recently, he graduated at the top of his class from the General Staff College (GSC) after taking a course required for promotion to full colonel and to command a battalion.

Benitez, who was commander of various infantry and intelligence units, had also won several awards and medals including the Bronze Cross and Military Merit Medal.

Maj. Dennis Pacis, a classmate at the PMA, said officers and troops who were under Benitez were all praises for the officer.

“He got along well with his troops and led them in achieving their work and mission,” said Pacis, a member of the staff of the Army’s 301st Brigade based in Dingle, Iloilo.

“He was the perfect soldier,” said his widow Maria Elena or “Cookie.”

But despite his achievements and stature, Benitez remained unassuming and lived a simple life.

“He was so frugal and did not want any extravagance,” said Cookie.

She said she opted to hold her husband’s wake at their home instead of a more spacious funeral parlor because that was what he would have wanted.

“He always encouraged us and trained the children to only spend for the essentials and not for what they want,” said Cookie.

Benitez would only buy new school shoes for their children when the old ones could not be worn anymore.

“He told our kids that shoes did not make students excel or do good in school but hard work and intelligence did,” said Cookie.

He also stressed the importance of preparing for the future.

Their four children aged 9 to 15 have bank accounts into which they deposit savings from their allowance and birthday money.

The couple had also invested in a property from his savings after he was assigned to a peacekeeping force in Sudan in 2006.

Despite his frugality, Benitez made sure to fulfill promises he made to the children like a treat to a fast food restaurant or swimming at a resort.

“He did not want to break the trust of our children so he would make sure to fulfill whatever commitment he made,” said Cookie.

“I am happy and proud that he has not been involved in any irregularities in his long years in the service,” she added.

LIVING WITHOUT REGRET

Whatever you do in this world, do it for the glory of God. God entrusted us everything in this world and he gives us task to do. He did not expect you to do that you could not do but the things you could do to the best of your ability. Give your best. One thing we will never forget in this world, "The Principle of Ownership." God owns everything like our properties,lives and everything we have in this world, He owns all of them and we own nothing. We don't have the right to say that we own our money for example because God owns it. I know this is hard to accept but this is the reality. Our role is just a caretaker of everything for the glory of God our maker and creator.

31 MILF men surrender to AFP in Lanao del Norte

31 MILF men surrender to AFP in Lanao del Norte
Source : Manila Bulletin
Thursday, 21 August 2008 23:49





A group of Moro rebels surrendered to the military in Lanao del Norte Wednesday night, four days after the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) launched punitive action against rogue elements of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) for a series of attacks on several barangays in Mindanao.

Army 104th Brigade Chief Brig. Gen. Mark Antonio Supnet said that 31 Moro rebels, led by MILF battalion commander Alvin Cunto, yielded to the 104th Infantry Brigade headquarters in Ma. Cristina, Iligan City

"They went to our battalion commander from the mountains. Hindi na daw nila kaya yung ginagawa nina (Commander) Bravo na pumatay ng civilians," Supnet said in a phone interview.

Supnet said the group had occupied Barangay Lapayan in Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte, serving as a blocking force against government forces, while MILF’s 102nd Base Command leader Abdullah Macapaar alias Commander Bravo killed civilians in the town on Aug. 18.

The military commander added that sub-commander Cuntu, who was based in remote Barangay Rogonan in Iligan City, led six other rebels to the 104th Infantry Brigade headquarters to signify their intent to surrender earlier on Wednesday.

He added that afterwards, government troopers went to Barangay Rogonan to fetch 24 more Moro rebels who left the camp of Bravo, who is now on the run from Army soldiers for committing atrocities in Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, and Saranggani.

"The 31 were presented to Western Mindanao Command chief Lt. Gen. Nelson Allaga Wednesday evening," he said.

Supnet added that the MILF surrenderers said Bravo had ordered the attack on civilian communities in their area if the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain between the MILF and government peace panel members remained unsigned.

Military spokesman for Mindanao operations Brig. Gen. Jorge Segovia said, "This is definitely a good development beacuse this is an indication that our stepping up of our combat actions against them is causing internal problems in MILF leadership and pressure on their commanders on the ground."

"We also expect more acts of surrender from MILF rebels in the coming days," he added.

The AFP Command Center commander said that the 31 MILF surrenderees are now with Task Force Tabak, the military’s counter-terrorism group in Western Mindanao region, where they are undergoing custodial investigation. (RRR)

31 say they were badly disturbed by their conscience

ILIGAN CITY – As the AFP pressed its hunt against Abdullah Macaapar, known as "Commander Bravo," at least 31 of his followers, including a sub-commander, have surrendered to pursuing combat troops in the jungles of Lanao del Norte.

The 31 followers of "Commander Bravo" were brought to the headquarters of the 104th Infantry Brigade at Maria Cristina here.

The surrenderers, including a 15-year-old, had served as blocking force while civilians were being killed in Lapayan area, Kauswagan town, military official said.

During initial tactical interrogation by the personnel of the 104th Brigade here, the surrenderees said they were "badly disturbed by their conscience" on what they did during Monday’s bloody attack in several areas in the province.

"It seems that they cannot accept the atrocities of their leader," said one of the military officers who conducted the initial investigation.

Brig. Gen. Mark Antonio Supnet, commanding general of the Army’s 104th Brigade ordered his command staff to attend to the immediate needs of the returnees.

The PNP and the AFP are preparing criminal charges against Commander Bravo.

Meanwhile, clearing troops of the 6th Infantry Battallion encountered an undetermined number of heavily armed MILF rebels in Barangay Matilak, Kabuntalan, Shariff Kabunsuan, yesterday.

Maj. Armand Rico, spokesman of the AFP’s Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMincom), said the troops encountered the 105th Base Command of the MILF before noon. After 30 minutes of shooting, the MILF rebels retreated to a forested area. (MUC)

5 Navy vessels deployed to support troops in Mindanao

Philippine Navy flag-officer-in-command Vice Admiral Ferdinand S. Golez deployed yesterday five Navy vessels, including a patrol gunship, to secure sea approaches in conflict areas in Mindanao.

The Navy gunship, PS-20, is equipped with war weapons and would be very effective in subduing and neutralizing the enemy, Golez said.

The four Navy vessels will deliver supplies to Navymen and Philippine Marines posted in the areas of conflict, monitor the movements of the enemy, and help in evacuating the wounded and other victims.

Navy public information chief Lt. Col. E. Arevalo said the Naval Forces Western Mindanao and Eastern Mindanao headed by Rear Admiral Emilio C. Marayag and Capt. Rosauro Arnel Q. Gonzales,Jr., respectively, have been placed on full alert.

Among the casualties among government troops in the fighting was Lt. Col. Angel Benitez, executive officer (ex-o) of the 102nd Army Brigade. Benitez and his men were on their way to report to Task Force "Tabak" commander Brig. Gen. Hilario Atendido, when they were attacked by MILF rebels in Kolambugan, Lanao del Norte, early this week.

Benitez was a member of Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class 1990 and a native of Naguilian, La Union. He is survived by wife Maria Elena Benitez and four children. Elena is a native of Jaro, Iloilo City. (YM)

Loren asks Muslim religious leaders to help in peace efforts

Sen. Loren Legarda asked Muslim religious leaders yesterday to exert moral suasion on the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to make an an unequivocal statement condemning the bloody takeover by some of its units of several Lanao del Norte towns.

Legarda said that the surrender of several MILF fighters under the command of two breakaway MILF commanders was a positive development.

"Those who surrendered said their conscience bothered them and they were merely forced to follow the orders of their leaders," said Legarda. "This means there’s hope that these two rogue MILF commanders can be ostracized by even their own men."

An honorary Muslim princess, Legarda called on Filipino ulamas to help achieve peace in Mindanao and the rest of the country by praying for and preaching about the universal concept of brotherly love regardless of social status or religion.

Legarda said the MILF leadership cannot justify the actions of its men in Lanao del Norte by saying they were angered by the scuttling of the MILF’s memorandum of agreement (MoA) with the government.

"The Supreme Court (SC) ordered the setting aside of the MoA for valid reasons. The MILF must understand that the Constitution and other laws of the land must be followed and respected because no one, not one person or one group, is above the law," she stressed.

General walks out of Iligan meeting on Lanao troubles

General walks out of Iligan meeting on Lanao troubles
Source : staff
Wednesday, 20 August 2008 14:33





MANILA, Philippines -- An Army brigade commander turned emotional and walked out on a meeting of defense and local government officials in Iligan City in protest of reports that troops did not respond fast enough when Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels attacked several Lanao del Norte towns last Monday.

Television footage showed Brigadier General Mark Antonio Supnet saying he was taking "full responsibility" for what happened in the province but stressed that the troops should not be accused of "not moving."

"I was expecting them to tell me, thank you 104th Brigade for protecting Iligan City. I was not expecting that the military was not protecting [civilians]," he said as he stood up from his seat.

"I accept full responsibility for what's happening in Lanao, but don't tell me that your AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines] is not moving," he said.

Supnet only returned after he was appeased by Commodore Alex Pama, senior military assistant of Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., who presided over the meeting. He was holding back tears as he took his seat.

A combat veteran, Supnet saw action against Al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf militants on Jolo Island before his brigade was transferred to Central Mindanao.

On Monday, MILF fighters attacked five towns in Lanao del Norte, killing more than 40 people, including an Army lieutenant colonel, and burning houses and buildings before they were driven back by a military counterattack

Senate, House leaders call for ‘full force of law’ vs MILF

Senate, House leaders call for ‘full force of law’ vs MILF
Source : INQUIRER.net
Monday, 18 August 2008 16:08





MANILA, Philippines -- The leaders of the Senate and House of Representatives on Monday urged the government to come down hard on the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) for attacking five towns in Lanao del Norte province.

But other lawmakers urged caution, calling on the government and Moro rebels to immediately call a truce and resume peace talks.

The attacks came a day after the rebels ambushed an Army convoy in Mulondo town, Lanao del Sur province, leaving seven soldiers killed and 12 others wounded, and a week after military offensives dislodged hundreds of rebels from North Cotabato province.

"The Armed Forces of the Philippines should undertake punitive action against the MILF forces involved and uphold the rule of law. We cannot afford renewed armed hostilities because this will only set back efforts to bring economic and social progress to Muslim Mindanao," Senate President Manuel Villar said in a statement.

He denounced the MILF for launching the attacks despite an existing ceasefire.

At the House, Speaker Prospero Nograles, in a separate statement, called the attacks on the Lanao del Norte communities acts of “terrorism” that should be condemned by everyone, including the MILF leadership.

“These acts of criminality and terrorism by rebel Muslim groups should be dealt with quickly and met frontally with the full force of the law,” he said.

“The government and our armed forces cannot afford now to deal with kid's gloves [with] this kind of situation,” Nograles said. “We want peace but when terrorism is the result of peace negotiations, the terrorists must be stopped and subdued at all cost.”

“The rampage being done by the MILF group clearly shows criminal terrorism by any definition. It’s time to throw the statute books and enforce our laws on terrorism. There is no other way to deal with this situation,” he said in a text message.

But Anak-Mindanao Representative Mujiv Hataman called for “the immediate cessation of hostilities in Lanao.”

“We condemn the death, injury, [hostage taking] and displacement of innocent civilians. The safety and security of their lives and property must not be risked at any cost. We, therefore, call for ceasefire and resumption of peace talks,” Hataman said.

Bayan Muna (People First) Representative Satur Ocampo also said he did not believe an all-out offensive against the MILF is necessary and urged government to calibrate its responses against the Moro rebels.

“If it upholds the primacy of the peace process, the government must calibrate its responses to MILF-initiated attacks. Otherwise, it would violate the ceasefire agreement,” Ocampo said.

Villar also urged President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to immediately release money from the government’s Emergency Fund so relief assistance, like food, medicine, and counsel, be provided the affected people.

"With another war in their midst, many of our brothers and sisters in Mindanao, particularly in Lanao Del Sur and Lanao Del Norte, fear for the safety of their loved ones. Immediate resolution and a return to normalcy is urged the soonest time possible," he said.

"Let's keep in mind that peace and prosperity in Mindanao will eventually result in the welfare, stability and security of the entire Philippines," he added.

At the same time, Villar appealed to government agencies, particularly the Departments of Social Work and Development and of Health, the Commission on Human Rights, and local government officials, as well as non-government organizations, to ensure the safety of residents fleeing the areas of firefight.

"Evacuation procedures should be carried out in orderly fashion. Innocent civilians should not be caught in the crossfire between the military and forces of the MILF…Massive relief must be done now," he said.

Nograles said government cannot pursue peace with the MILF if the rebel leadership could not control their own ranks on the ground.

“We really have to know first from the MILF leaders if they are still in control. Those who are out of line should be relieved from their posts and should be punished by the MILF leadership for breaking the chain-of-command,” the Speaker said.

Filipino troops flush out rebels

Source : staff
Monday, 18 August 2008 11:14





Troops in the Philippines have retaken several southern towns where Muslim rebels burned houses and killed at least 24 people in what the guerrillas said was an outburst of frustration with the ongoing peace process.

The retreating Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels took dozens of civilians hostage in Kolambugan town as a human shield, said Brigadier General Antonio Supnet, head of an army brigade that drove away the rebels.

After retaking the towns, troops found 20 civilians were killed in Kauswagan and four others in neighbouring Kolambugan. Police said the four were passengers in buses that were shot at by the rebels.

Supnet said more than 20 houses were burned in Kauswagan alone and hundreds of displaced villagers were streaming into evacuation centres in nearby Iligan city.

Military chief General Alexander Yano said government troops launched an offensive in response to Monday morning's attack by about 300 guerrillas on the coastal towns in Lanao del Norte province.

TV footage showed mayhem in one smoldering village as residents ran for cover, jumping over the fences of their roadside houses. Burned-out vehicles littered the street.

A photographer said up to 100 people escaped in dozens of boats to Iligan because the main highway was blocked.

The escalation of fighting on Mindanao island came amid uncertainty over a fragile peace process after the Supreme Court blocked a preliminary agreement with Muslim rebels calling for an expanded autonomous region.

A military offensive earlier this month that dislodged the rebels from several villages displaced about 80,000 residents in a nearby province, but it wasn't immediately clear how many people have fled the latest fighting.

Yano blamed a local rebel commander for declaring "a virtual war against the duly constituted authority". Rebel spokesman Eid Kabalu confirmed the attack, but said it was carried out by a renegade commander, Abdullah Macapaar, also known as Bravo, and without the knowledge of the group's leadership.

2 Philippine marines killed by Abu Sayyaf gunmen

AP - Sunday, August 17MANILA, Philippines - Al-Qaida-linked militants killed two Philippine marines in an ambush Saturday on a southern Philippine island, a military spokesman said.


The two men, who were intelligence operatives, were passing through a village outside Panamao town on Jolo island when their motorcycle broke down, navy spokesman Lt. Col. Edgard Arevalo said. They were attacked by Abu Sayyaf gunmen after they stopped to fix the motorcycle, he said.

Arevalo said the leader of the gunmen wanted to avenge the recent arrest by Philippine marines of his brother, who is also a member of the Muslim extremist group.

The United States and the European Union have listed the Abu Sayyaf as a terror group because its members have been involved in kidnappings, bombings and beheadings. They were blamed for the 2004 bombing of a ferry in Manila Bay that killed 116 people.

Weakened by U.S.-backed military offensives, the Abu Sayyaf has largely been on the run in Jolo and nearby island strongholds in recent years with only about 300 fighters _ down from more than 1,000 eight years ago.

Produce: The Dirtiest and the Cleanest

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But when you stroll into the produce section, do you ever wonder which organic fruits and vegetables you should be buying? Since organic foods are often more expensive, it's important to know what to look for, so you don't end up paying extra for organic fruits and veggies that are pretty clean, even in their non-organic versions.

One useful source for this information is the Environmental Working Group. Its Web site lists 44 fruits and vegetables ranked by the amount of pesticide residue each contains. Knowing which fruits and vegetables are usually carrying the most pesticides and which are cleanest, you can decide when it would be wisest to buy organic.

The EWG's "dirty dozen" are peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, lettuce, grapes (imported), pears, spinach, and potatoes. The "cleanest 12" are onions, avocados, sweet corn (frozen), pineapples, mangos, sweet peas (frozen), asparagus, kiwis, bananas, cabbage, broccoli, and eggplants.

Think especially about buying organic when you're choosing one of the "dirty dozen." And, once you're home, your best bet is to wash all produce, even the organic ones, in warm water before preparing them. Firm produce can be scrubbed with a vegetable brush; softer, riper produce can be washed with a sink sprayer — or use one of those special washing products designed just for produce.

Peeling fruits and vegetables does reduce pesticide exposure, of course, but peeling also removes some important nutrients found in the peel, such as fiber.

MORNING ACTIVITES

Most of the times I get up early morning.. The first thing I always do early in the morning is to brush my teeth. After that, I will make a dough for biscuits. I always prepare breakfast for everybody and lunch for my hubby. When my husband is up he will take shower and change clothes for work. Everything is ready. His coffee,breakfast and lunch. I am already used to it. My little boy is still sleep during this time,so I can do a lot of works in the house. I enjoy my daily activities. I like to prepare meals everyday. I am not a very good cook,but I always try new things7 I always make it sure that everything is in order and organize. When my young boy gets up I will prepare his breakfast. After his meal, we will get out of the house and take a walk and get some exercises and sunlight. These will help us keep on going throughout the day.

Alzheimer's Memory Walk: Coming to a Town Near You : Venture Capital Blog : VC Blog : Venture Blog : Florida Venture Blog by Dan Rua

Alzheimer's Memory Walk: Coming to a Town Near You : Venture Capital Blog : VC Blog : Venture Blog : Florida Venture Blog by Dan Rua

Life in America: Alzheimer's Memory Walk - Together we can move a nation!

Life in America: Alzheimer's Memory Walk - Together we can move a nation!

Kenney - Peace and Development in Mindanao is our No.1 Priority

Kenney - Peace and Development in Mindanao is our No.1 Priority


Written by John Arnel C. Deleverio, on 03-06-2008 08:53

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Published in : The News, Events

Tags : kristie ann kenney, kenney, mindanao, usaid, gem, aurora, ramon magsaysay, amore, san miguel, alindahaw hotel, zamboanga del sur national high school



United States Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Ann Kenney in her visit to Pagadian City and Zamboanga del Sur on May 29, 2008, re-iterates that the outmost priority of the American government is to bring peace and development in Mindanao. When asked during a live interview in local radio station DXCA, why specifically in Mindanao, she answered, “Because Mindanao is the poorer part of the Philippines yet holds great promise.”

The purpose of the visit of the American ambassador here is to grace as Guest of Honor of the 1st Zamboanga del Sur Coastal Resource Management Summit and then formally turn-over projects recently instituted by the American government through the USAID (United States Agency for International Development) as assistance to the people of Zamboanga del Sur.



Ambassador Kenney during a distribution of booksIn her speeches and interviews with the local media during the entire duration of her visit, US Ambassador Kenney revealed that the American government, through the USAID and its partner agencies, has been extending help and grants to the people of the province of Zamboanga del Sur particularly in the aspects like economic upliftment, education, protection of the environment and natural resources and health care. But Ambassador Kenney emphasized that there are more assistance to come in the future especially in health care which will intensify from 2008 to 2012 and environment and natural resources protection which has an allotment of 10 million US dollars per year. The USAID’s Growth for Equity in Mindanao (GEM) is now on 3rd phase of implementation of its projects beginning this year, she added

Russia seizes Georgia base, opens second front

By MISHA DZHINDZHIKHASHVILI, Associated Press Writer
2 minutes ago



TBILISI, Georgia - Russia opened a second front of fighting in Georgia on Monday, sending armored vehicles beyond two breakaway provinces and seizing a military base and police stations in the country's west, the Georgian government and a Russian official said.




The new forays into Georgia — even as Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili on signed a cease-fire pledge — appeared to show Russian determination to subdue the small, U.S.-backed country, which has been pressing for NATO membership.

The latest developments indicate that Russian troops have invaded Georgia proper from the separatist province of Abkhazia while most Georgian forces are locked up in fighting around another breakaway region of South Ossetia.

The West has sharply criticized Russia's military response to Georgia's attack on South Ossetia as disproportionate, and the world's seven largest economic powers urged Russia on Monday to accept an immediate cease-fire and agree to international mediation.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and her colleagues from the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations spoke by telephone and pledged their support for a negotiated solution to the conflict that has been raging since Friday between the former Soviet state and Russia, a State Department official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the call had not yet been formally announced.

Nana Intskerveli, the Georgian Defense Ministry's spokeswoman, said Russian armored personnel carriers rolled into the base in Senaki, about 20 miles inland from the Black Sea port of Poti.

Georgian Interior Ministry spokesman Shota Utiashvili said Russian forces also took over police stations in the town of Zugdidi — about 20 miles from the base and also outside Abkhazia.

In Moscow, a government official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to give his name, confirmed the move into Senaki and said it was intended to prevent Georgian troops from concentrating.

The move followed Russia's warning to Georgian forces west of Abkhazia to lay down arms or face a Russian military action. Senaki is located about 30 miles east of the Inguri River, which separates Abkhazia from Georgia proper

In Beijing, a family torn asunder

In Beijing, a family torn asunder
By Josh Peter, Yahoo! Sports
9 hours, 59 minutes ago



An undated family photo released by Bachman’s Inc., a Minneapolis company, CEO Todd Bachman, right, is shown with his wife Barbara, left, and daughter, former Olympian Elisabeth, center.
(AP Photo)
BEIJING – A knife-wielding man. An unprovoked attack. A husband dead and his wife in critical condition. Their daughter, a former U.S. Olympian, at the scene of the crime where the assailant jumps 130 feet to his death and everyone is left to wonder.

Why?

The question remains unanswered in part because details of the attack remain scarce. But a portrait of the victims that has emerged after a series of interviews helps explain why a deep, personal grief has swept across pockets of the United States and rocked the tight-knight world of volleyball.

“It’s like losing part of your family,” said Nancy Metcalf, a member of the 2004 U.S. women’s volleyball team.

Their names are Todd and Barbara Bachman. Their daughter Elisabeth played for the 2004 U.S. Olympic team, and their son-in-law, Hugh McCutcheon, is the head coach of the U.S. men’s volleyball team. Their story begins when UCLA’s volleyball coaches arrived in 1995 at the Bachman home in suburban Minneapolis hoping to sign Elisabeth, then one the nation’s most coveted recruits.

The front door swung open, and so did the Bachmans’ arms. They greeted UCLA’s coaches with an embrace and took them on a tour of a home lined with family photos.

“They immediately made you feel so at ease, as it if was your home too,” said Andy Banachowski, UCLA’s head coach.

Recalled UCLA assistant coach Kim Jagd, “We were selling the Bachmans on UCLA, but they truly wanted to get to know us.”

The Bruins landed their prized recruit, and the folks in Minnesota could have told the coaches what they were getting. Elisabeth started playing volleyball as a seventh-grader and her parents turned the house into a gathering spot for the teams and chaperoned them on trips.

The Bruins weren’t getting just a star player; they were getting an entire family.


Elisabeth Bachman plays for the UCLA Bruins at Pauley Pavilion in October, 1998.
(Donald Miralle /Allsport)
Todd and Barbara Bachman showed up to UCLA’s games – virtually every one, home and away – and entrusted their large-scale Minneapolis-based floral business to other family members. At the volleyball team’s potluck dinners, they brought a special homemade confection.

“Bachman bars,” the Bruins called them, and they became as much a fixture of the program as the couple from Minneapolis.

“You knew 30, 40 minutes before the game they would be there, smiling and cheering,” said Michelle Quon, one of Elisabeth’s former teammates at UCLA.

Their disposition manifested itself when their daughter, who goes by the nickname “Wiz,” took the court.

UCLA’s coaches watched with amusement as Elisabeth soared above the net time and again, driving spikes at her opponents.

“The first thing she would do is apologize to the player for hitting somebody,” Banachowski said. “And it wasn’t sarcastic. It was a genuine remark, a reflection of Wiz’s parents.”

During every visit to the campus, they greeted the coaches and players with hugs and a fresh batch of those homemade treats. When Elisabeth graduated from UCLA in 2000, the family handed out the recipe, and the Bachman bars spread.

Elisabeth made the U.S. national team. She was part of a squad that ascended to No. 1 in the world and arrived at the 2004 games expected to win the gold. Instead, they won only three of six matches. But even after defeats, there were two grinning fans waiting for them.

“Go get ‘em next time, girls,” the Bachmans would say.

Around the holidays, the family’s countless fans received Christmas cards bearing a picture of Todd and Barbara squeezed around their daughter during the Opening Ceremony, expectations and medals be damned.


The Drum Tower was the site of the stabbing of Todd Bachman and his wife, Barbara, before the attacker committed suicide by jumping off the structure.
(AP Photo/Greg Baker)
“They had just as much fun watching Wiz play volleyball as Wiz had playing volleyball,” said Amy Hughes, who handled publicity for the UCLA teams on which Elisabeth starred.

Six years after Elisabeth graduated from UCLA, the Bruins arrived in Minneapolis for two games and Todd and Barb Bachman were in the crowd and cheering as if their daughter were still on the team. Her career ended when she retired shortly before marrying McCutcheon in 2007, and the Bachmans adopted his team as if were part of their family.

A week ago Elisabeth spoke to Metcalf, who has known the Bachmans since she first played with Elisabeth in 1999 on a U.S. national junior team. During the conversation, Elisabeth mentioned she was particularly excited about going to Beijing to watch her husband’s team compete because her parents would be joining her.

Their two other daughters live on either side of the Bachmans’ house, while volleyball has taken McCutcheon and Elisabeth to Southern California.

“She was so happy that her parents were going to be there and she was going to get to spend some time with them,” Metcalf said.

So on Friday they traveled together to the Drum Tower, a popular tourist attraction in Beijing. Then came the knife-wielding man, the unprovoked attack and as soon as officials announced that Todd Bachman, 62, was dead and his wife, Barbara, had undergone surgery and was in critical care, the frantic calls and questions began.

Of all people, why the Bachmans?

Hughes, who grew close to the family at UCLA, wrestled with her emotions. Like others, she found herself thinking of the bitter tragedy and sweet memories.

“I want to stop everything right now and find the recipe for the Bachman bars,” she said.

Muslim rebels occupy new Philippine villages

Muslim rebels occupy new Philippine villages
By OLIVER TEVES,Associated Press Writer AP - Sunday, August 10MANILA, Philippines - Muslim separatist rebels withdrew from some southern Philippine villages but allegedly occupied others after the government warned them to pull out or be removed by force, officials said Saturday.



A mayor on the island of Mindanao said Moro Islamic Liberation Front guerrillas entered three villages in his area on Saturday and raised a rebel flag over one of them.

"They are taunting the government," said Manual Rabara, the mayor of Midsayap township.

The government had given about 800 guerrillas until 10 a.m. Friday to vacate several other villages they had occupied in violation of a cease-fire agreement. Officials accused them of burning houses, destroying farms, stealing cattle and driving thousands of people from their homes.

Rebel spokesman Eid Kabalu said rebels had "community-based" forces in two of the three Midsayap villages before Saturday. He said he was unaware of any rebels in the third.

He blamed attacks by government-armed militiamen for holding up the withdrawal. The provincial governor said two civilians were wounded in an exchange of fire.

But officials on both sides said they were working to enable the pullback to resume.

The ultimatum came at a crucial point in peace negotiations between the government and the rebels, who have been waging a decades-long insurgency for self-rule.

The two sides had reached an agreement covering the territory of a future Muslim homeland but the signing of the accord was stopped earlier this week by the Supreme Court, acting on a petition filed by Christian politicians in North Cotabato, the province that includes Midsayap.

Army Brig. Gen. Reynaldo Sealana, who is overseeing the cease-fire, said rebels began pulling out of several villages early Friday only to halt the move and take "defensive positions" in one village. Sealana said they were demanding that government troops withdraw from a nearby hamlet to avoid any clash.

He said the soldiers were withdrawn Saturday and that officials including international monitors were arranging for the rebels to move out.

The government initially extended the Friday deadline for 24 hours and appeared to be giving the rebels more time.

THE ADVERTISERS

Hello to the advertisers. Good day! I am so glad to be a member of this PAYPERPOST. I am so interested to blog about your business. If you are interested for me to help your business grow, I will do the best I can to help you. Just let me know if you need help and I am ready to share my ideas,and opinions. Once again, thanks a lot.

My Sweet Family

This is my life and happiness. I am so thankful that God make our family very strong. Even if hardships will strike our relationship but we stand still. I love my family.

HOW DO YOU SHOW YOUR RESPECT TO YOUR PARENTS?

There are three ways I can show respect for my parents. First, obey them. Second, help them. Third, love them.

Parents are important to us that we need to obey them. Example of obeying your parents are: When your parents ask you to do something as long is not bad, do it for them. By listening to what they say is one way of showing obedient to your parents too.

Another way of respecting your parents is to help them. When your parents need your help and you responded them,you are showing respect to them. If you are a student, you can help your parents by doing your school papers,school projects and other school assignments.

We need to love our parents. They need our love too. We will never forget that our parents did their best they could just to make us as a person. Our parents love us and in return,we will love them back. Show your love by remembering their birthdays, giving them cards and visit them is very important.

Our parents actually need our respect. They need our love, our help in times of difficulties and also we need to obey our parents. Our parents are the foundation of our lives.

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5 Things You Must Know About Sleep Robin Lloyd

You're tired. You could put your head down on a desk right now and fall asleep immediately. You went to bed late last night, had trouble falling asleep and woke up too early. And let's not kid ourselves: Tonight will be the same unless ... well, read on.

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This is the classic not-so-shut-eye experience of many Americans who think they are sleep-deprived and possibly need pills or other treatment to fix their insomnia, teeth grinding, jet lag, restless or jerky legs, snoring, sleepwalking and so forth.


Reality is quite different.


For instance, insomnia is said to be the most common sleep disorder, but these dissatisfying sleep experiences only get in the way of daily activities for 10 percent of us, according to the National Institutes of Health. And in almost half of those cases, the real underlying problem is illness (often mental) or the effects of a substance, like coffee or medication.

Here are five recent findings that might help you rest easier:

1. We sleep better than we think we do

For most of us, sleep deprivation is a myth. We're not zombies. The non-profit National Sleep Foundation (which takes money from the sleep-aid industry, including drug companies that make sleeping pills) says the average U.S. resident gets 7 hours a night and that's not enough, but a University of Maryland study earlier this year shows we typically get 8 hours and are doing fine. In fact, Americans get just as much sleep nowadays as they did 40 years ago, the study found.

2. We need less sleep as we age

We'll die without sleep. The details are sketchy, but research suggests it's a time when we restore vital biological processes and also sort and cement memories. Last year, the World Health Organization determined that nightshift work, which can lead to sleep troubles, is a probable human carcinogen. On the upside, the latest research suggests we need less of it as we get older.

3. You can sleep like a baby (or Thomas Edison)

Multiple, shorter sleep sessions nightly, rather than one long one, are an option. So-called polyphasic sleep is seen in babies, the elderly and other animals (and Thomas Edison reportedly slept this way). For the rest of us, it is more realistic and healthy to sleep at night as best we can and then take naps as needed. EEGs show that we are biphasic sleepers with two alertness dips - one at night time and one mid-day. So talk to HR about setting up a nap room, like they have for NASA's Phoenix mission team members.

4. Animals exhibit a range of sleep habits

The three-toed sloth sleeps 9.6 hours nightly. But newborn dolphins and killer whales can forgo sleeping for their entire first month. However, the latter extreme is not recommended for humans. We grow irritable and lose our ability to focus and make decisions after even one night of missed sleep, and that can lead to serious accidents driving and using other machinery.

5. Get used to being tired, hit the desk

The bottom line is that a good night's sleep is within the reach of most of us if we follow common-sense guidelines for sleep hygiene:

Go to bed at the same time nightly.
Set aside enough time to hit that golden 7 hours of sleep.
Refrain from caffeine, heavy or spicy foods, and alcohol and other optional medications that might keep you awake, four to six hours before bed-time.
Have a pre-sleep routine so you wind down before you hop in.
Block out distracting lights and noises.
Only engage in sleep and sex in bed (no TV-watching, reading or eating).
Exercise regularly but not right before bed.


But you already know all this and you don't do it. So your realistic plan might be to surrender to the mid-day desk nap.

Humility

What is meant by humility? Each one of us has his/her own meaning of this word. It is marked by meekness or modesty,unpretentious,lowly. Jesus Christ when he was in this world, he taught us how to be humble. Sometimes as we all know that there are people who will abuse our being humble. We tried to be nice to others the best we could but,there are times that we will get aggravated. We are just human that we have an attitude that is good and bad too.
The word"humility" is a great word. It is better to be humble rather than to be sarcastic and full of pretentious.

Breakfast benefits may differ for boys, girls Mon Aug 4, 11:17 AM ET

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A new study suggests adolescents and young adults may be less attentive in school when they skip breakfast. Moreover, the effect of missing this meal is different in boys and girls, the researchers found.

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Dr. Katharina Widenhorn-Mueller of Ulm University and her colleagues note in the medical journal Pediatrics that males reported being in a worse mood when they went without breakfast, and their visuospatial memory was also negatively affected, but the same wasn't true of girls.

While parents and teachers often argue that eating breakfast is essential for school success, one review of more than 50 years of research on the topic found that "evidence in support of breakfast is equivocal," Widenhorn-Mueller and her team note.

To examine the effects of eating breakfast on learning in students' natural environment, the researchers looked at 104 boarding school students aged 13 to 20. Half of them ate a standardized breakfast on the first day of the study and half didn't, after which both groups completed several tests of cognitive function and a questionnaire designed to gauge their mood. A week later, the breakfast group fasted and underwent the tests, and vice versa.

Eating breakfast had no effect on students' ability to sustain attention, but all of the students reported feeling more alert after eating breakfast. Boys said their mood was better after they ate breakfast, while they also scored better on tests of visuospatial memory.

There are several ways that eating breakfast might be helpful, the researchers note; it could give people the energy and nutrients they need to produce brain signaling chemicals known as neurotransmitters, while the protein, carbohydrate and fat composition of the meal might also effect mood.

daddy and luke

Love Is ........: Congratulations To Our Winners

Love Is ........: Congratulations To Our Winners

BLACKWOOD, N.J. - A 44-pound cat found lumbering around New Jersey was abandoned by a woman who said her home was foreclosed, an animal shelter offici

BLACKWOOD, N.J. - A 44-pound cat found lumbering around New Jersey was abandoned by a woman who said her home was foreclosed, an animal shelter official said Thursday.

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The porky white cat found Saturday became a local media sensation and was dubbed "Princess Chunk". But the animal is really a male whose name is Powder.

Jennifer Anderch, director of the Camden County Animal Shelter, said Thursday that the cat's owner came forward to describe the animal's background.

Anderch said she's received hundreds of calls from people seeking to adopt Powder.

The cat appeared Thursday on "Live With Regis and Kelly." A veterinarian on the show examined it and determine he was indeed a male.

The largest cat on record weighed 46 pounds, 15 ounces. That cat, who lived in Australia, died in the 1980s. The Guinness World Records has since dropped the category, fearing cat owners might harm their animals in an attempt to break the record.