More Filipinos going hungry amid rising food prices -SWS

July 22, 2008

MANILA, Philippines - More Filipinos are going hungry because of soaring food prices, a new Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey results made exclusive to a business paper Monday showed.

BusinessWorld, a GMANews.TV media partner, reported that SWS considers the rise in hunger incidence as “relatively minimal" and “far from historical highs."

“With around 2.9 million Filipino families having experienced involuntary hunger in the last three months, the independent survey research institution said the increase was significant as the number of those saying they frequently had nothing to eat had risen," according to the BusinessWorld report.

SWS said the national percentage of 16.3% was still above a 10-year average.

The BusinessWorld report added: “Hunger in the survey refers to involuntary suffering due to the lack of anything to eat. It was at 15.7% in the first quarter, and 16.2% in the period before that. The historical high is 21.5%, recorded in September 2007, and the 10-year average is 12.1%."

The paper quoted an unnamed official of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as saying that rising prices of commodities were to blame. But the official assured that the government would continue to implement targeted programs.

SWS made the survey from June 27 to June 30 and covered 1,200 household heads nationwide.

According to the report, household heads were asked "Nitong nakaraang tatlong buwan, nangyari po ba kahit minsan na ang inyong pamilya ay nakaranas ng gutom at wala kayong makain? Kung oo: Nangyari po ba ’yan ng minsan lamang, mga ilang beses, madalas o palagi?" (In the past three months, was there an instance when your family experienced hunger or had nothing to eat? If yes, did it happen only once, a few times, often, or always?).

The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 3% at the national level and plus or minus 6% for regional percentages.

Do Reconciliations and Second Chances Ever Work?

July 10, 2008

In all of my experiences, the answer has been no, although I
have heard that there are exceptions.  One thing that I am fairly
certain of is that the odds are stacked against you from the
beginning of a reconciliation attempt.

Both partners must be equally willing to let go of the past, and be
willing to meet the issues that lead to the break up in the first
place head on.  If these issues can’t be resolved by BOTH
partners then there is very little chance of a happy relationship.  

Sure, you can stay in a relationship where the underlying issues
are never resolved, but will you be happy?  Will your guilts, fears,
and resentments ever fade away when the original problems
start to resurface again?

Infidelity was one of the deal breakers in my last relationship.  
The trust was broken and could not be healed with time. I did not tried
to reconcile, but this issue would not die.  Ignoring it doesn’t help.  It just stews underneath for awhile, but
surely to return.

We all have different personalities, and different capabilities for forgiveness.  How much can you honestly forgive in this
relationship?  If you can no longer feel safe and secure when they leave town for a week, how is this going to make you feel?  
When you see them again, will you be able to give them a hug without feeling the coldness of "What If" it happened again?  If
infidelity was indeed a problem, and you feel as if you can fully trust them again, then MAYBE, this is fixable for you.  In my
case it was not.

 We all deserve to be happy in this life, and so do you!  Try not to live hanging with too many
regrets and everything will work out.  This is our one shot at life, and we all deserve peace, prosperity, and happiness.

My dEar fRiendZ…

Baktas Team My dear friend weve been sharing happiness for a moment. Making gimmiks and chit chats each day. You’re quite shy but you know you made my life complete as we build our friendship you show me that you are good and made me change my mood. Willing to hear my problems and help solve my burdens solved. We keep on wandering in the most beautiful garden. No tears and pain, instead laughters we gain you’re my dear friend that GOD has given me. You lead me to the right path as we walk towards our future. With youre guiding hands ready to extend. With your open arms until the end theres nothing worth winning. But to have a friend so loving and caring. The comfort you have given. In others so hard to find again. Youre the best doctor. That I couldnt dare to hate. The sweetness and gentleness you’ve shared before. Will last in my heart forevermore…

In my 4 years in college life…

July 7, 2008

If there were ever time to dare, to make a difference, to embark on something worth doing, it is now. Not for something that thug at your heart, something that’s your aspiration, something that’s your dream. You owe it to yourself to make your days here count.

Have fun.

Dig deep.

Stretch.

 Dream big.

Know though, that things worth doing seldom come easy. There will be times when you want to turn around, pack it up, and call it quits. Those times tell you that you are pursuing yourself that you are not afraid to learn by trying.

Persist.

Because with an idea, determination, and the right tool, you can do great things. Let your instincts, your intellect, and your heart guide you. Trust. Believe in the incredible power of the human mind.

Of doing something that makes a difference.

Of working hard.

Of laughing and hoping.

Of lazy afternoons.

Of lasting friends.

Of all the things that will cross your path this year.

The start of something new brings the hope of something great. Anything is possible. There is only one you and you will pass this way only once.

Do it right!

Four Tips for the Broken-Hearted

July 6, 2008

When I broke up with my boyfriend of 1 year and 9 months, I cried so hard that the skin on my nose started peeling from blowing it so much.

Every day that passed was marked. I’d think, "I can’t believe this is the first Sunday without him as my date", or "How could 1 months have passed without us talking?"

Breaking up is more than hard to do… it feels totally unnatural, counter-intuitive, and down-right unfair to stop talking to someone you’re used to talking to daily.

Of course, if the breakup was fueled by something lousy that your partner did — or something hurtful that you did — anger and guilt can transform the mourning process. More often than not, however, people break up when they still have feelings for their partner.

1. Write down a list of your five ‘must-haves’ and five ‘can’t-stands’ for your future partner. It can be as silly as wanting to date someone who loves to dance or as serious as wanting to be with somebody of the same faith. If it is important to you, include it in your list.

2. Make new relationship resolutions.Try to identify how certain fears influenced your last relationship, and decide whether you’re prepared to take steps to face those fears. For instance, if you feared losing your independence in your last relationship, how will you cope in your next one so that you don’t feel you have lost yourself while in a partnership?

3. Ask yourself, "Why did you stay as long as you did?" Were there moments when you knew it wasn’t working? How did you deal with it? What would you do differently if you did it again?

4. Allow yourself to grieve in a way that’s comfortable to you. For some, playing sad love songs and spending many nights inside with Ben and Jerry feels best. For others, jumping into the dating game in a casual way and having fun is a good way to cope.

 

White House says ruling could free detainees in US

July 4, 2008

WASHINGTON - The White House said Thursday that dangerous detainees at Guantanamo Bay could end up walking Main Street U.S.A. as a result of last month’s Supreme Court ruling about detainees’ legal rights. Federal appeals courts, however, have indicated they have no intention of letting that happen.

The high court ruling, which gave all detainees the right to petition federal judges for immediate release, has intensified discussions within the Bush administration about what to do with the roughly 270 detainees held at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

"I’m sure that none of us want Khalid Sheikh Mohammed walking around our neighborhoods," White House press secretary Dana Perino said about al-Qaida’s former third in command.

President Bush strongly disagreed with the Supreme Court decision that the foreigners held under indefinite detention at Guantanamo have the right to seek release in civilian courts. The 5-4 ruling was the third time the justices had repudiated Bush on his approach to holding the suspects outside the protections of U.S. law.

The legal ramifications of the Supreme Court decision remain fuzzy, but it’s unlikely that a federal appeals court would order a detainee released into the United States even if a judge finds that the government was holding the detainee improperly. A court might tell the Bush administration to let a prisoner go, but it presumably would be up to the executive branch to figure out where.

Attorney General Michael Mukasey had predicted that the Supreme Court’s decision would unleash a torrent of court filings from detainees seeking their freedom. Judges, however, have been particularly wary of telling the executive branch what to do with the detainees.

Late last month, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the military had improperly labeled Huzaifa Parhat, a Chinese Muslim, as an enemy combatant. The court said Parhat deserved a new hearing or should be released. But the court deftly avoided saying where he should be released — an indication that the courts expect the executive branch to wrestle with that decision.

Glenn Sulmasy, a national security fellow at Harvard University, said if the matter remains in the hands of civilian courts, there is an element of truth to the White House warning that detainees could be released in the United States. But he said that while it’s possible, it’s not probable.

He said the legislative and executive branches should find a third legal way — not through military commissions or the civilian courts — to deal with the detainees, perhaps a national security or other type of special court. "What is needed is a hybrid court," he said.

The administration opened the detention facility shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to hold enemy combatants, people suspected of ties to al-Qaida or the Taliban.

"We are in uncharted territory, and we have never had enemy combatants afforded constitutional rights like all of us have, so anybody who thinks that they know exactly what’s going to happen if a detainee challenges his detention — his or her detention — in court, they’re not being honest because we don’t know what’s going to happen," Perino said.

"But there is considered judgment, from many federal government lawyers — all the way up to the attorney general of the United States_ that it is a very real possibility that a dangerous detainee could be released into the United States as a result of this Supreme Court decision."

Judges at Washington’s federal courthouse are moving quickly to process about 200 cases involving Guantanamo Bay detainees. Those cases would force the Justice Department to say why the detainees are being held and defend the decision to label them enemy combatants. Defense attorneys are convinced that, in many cases, the evidence will not hold up.

"The judge might say to the United States, ‘You don’t have enough evidence to hold this person,’" Perino said. "And then what do we do? … Is he allowed to leave? And if so, is he picked up by immigration? Even if that’s the case, they’re only allowed to be held for six months."

Judge Thomas F. Hogan set a hearing for Tuesday to decide how the cases will proceed. Under the schedule expected to be adopted, judges could start reviewing evidence in a matter of weeks and some cases could be decided by September.

Do you make these mistakes with your ex?

July 3, 2008

-We try to convince them we are the love of their life

-We will apologize profusely for everything

-Promise to change for good this time

-Try to get them to see that it wasn’t really our fault

-Even beg with them to take us back

 

…and of course with every word we utter, regardless of our intention, the more and more defensive, angry and distant they become.

 

But, please know…this is not your fault! You weren’t taught this in school.  You probably weren’t taught this by your parents…and there is no "get your ex back" night school…

 

Yeah?

 

And it is really a shame too because what could be more important than love? ..Cars?…Money?…Clothes?…ALGEBRA?

 

So why? Are there all kinds of books, magazines and help on fixing a car, managing money and all the latest fashions, but very little USEFUL information on how to fix a broken relationship…manage your emotions or getting the love of your life back?

 

Crazy huh?

 

But now as you will soon see…all that has changed.

If you are in pain and confused?

Did you know that most relationships CAN be salvaged? You may find it difficult to believe that almost every break up for whatever reason…infidelity, plain old lost passion, loss of interest, a stolen heart and worse…even the worst situations you can imagine…like men serving prison sentences have salvaged their relationships. Yes, even Ex-cons have got back together with girlfriends and wives after being away for years!

Palace serious in taking over firm

The government is serious about taking over the operations of Sulpicio Lines Inc. (SLI), owners of the M/V Princess of the Stars that capsized off Romblon last month, killing hundreds of passengers and crewmen, many of whom remain missing.

 

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the proposed takeover would depend on the results of the ongoing investigation of the Board of Marine Inquiry (BMI) into the accident.

 

Ermita said the findings of the BMI, as well as the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina), would serve as basis for the decision for a possible government takeover of SLI operations.

 

He said BMI and Marina could determine how the owners are managing SLI.

 

Ermita noted SLI has been involved in other major sea accidents in the past, notably the sinking of the Doña Paz in 1987 that claimed over 4,000 lives, making it the worst peacetime maritime disaster in the world.

 

Ermita said the investigation would reveal what steps had been taken to address the problems the company has faced in the past.

 

The Princess of the Stars sank off Sibuyan Island in Romblon with some 850 people aboard two weeks ago.

 

The 24,000-ton vessel is sitting upside down on a reef off Sibuyan, part of its hull jutting out from the water. Only 57 survivors have been found and it is believed that most of the bodies are trapped inside the hull.

 

Coast Guard and Navy divers, assisted by US Navy frogmen, were trying to retrieve the bodies from the ship but the already slow-moving operation was suspended after it was discovered that the vessel was carrying a shipment of endosulfan, a toxic pesticide, which might leak into the water.

 

The BMI was tasked to investigate the incident while the Marina is conducting an audit of all SLI vessels to determine their seaworthiness.

 

“We definitely have to do something, to take a look at the recommendations and prevent this debacle from happening again,” Ermita said.

 

Ermita pointed out that President Arroyo and other officials are aware that taking over the operations of SLI would require an act of Congress, as stated by the Supreme Court.

 

Since Congress is currently not in session, Ermita said the executive has started discussing the possibility of taking over the operations of SLI with leaders of Congress.

 

Talk of a government takeover came following the suspension of SLI operations in the aftermath of the Princess of the Stars tragedy.

 

The proposal came during a recent Cabinet meeting and was discussed again in another meeting in Iloilo last Tuesday that was attended by Senators Manuel Roxas and Richard Gordon.

 

The discussions focused on the effects of the suspension of SLI’s operations.

 

Officials noted that SLI handles 40 percent of the shipment of cargo in the country so the order to ground all its vessels has adversely affected the transport of various goods.

 

The government then allowed SLI to resume operations, but only to transport cargo.

 

Ermita explained the decision to allow SLI to go on with cargo operations was based on economic concerns.

 

He said they cannot wait for Congress to resume session in July before taking action to address the issue.

 

President Arroyo has ordered Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza to talk to the owners of SLI to come up with an arrangement regarding the resumption of its cargo operations.

 

The meeting was supposed to be held yesterday afternoon and, according to Ermita, was meant to work out the mechanics of government supervision.

 

Ermita said the government would be deploying safety marshals on board SLI cargo ships to ensure compliance with maritime safety rules.

 

No decision has been made yet about the resumption of SLI’s passenger transport operations.

 

The President was in Cebu City yesterday where she attended a Mass for the victims of the Princess of the Stars tragedy.

 

Over 2,500 people, mostly relatives of the victims, attended the Mass held at the Cebu City sports complex.

 

It was reported that Mrs. Arroyo personally handed out envelopes containing P10,000 in cash to some 30 individuals, relatives of the victims who were able to present the appropriate documents to concerned authorities.

 

The Department of Social Welfare and Development is expected to release more funds to the other victims’ families.

 

Most of the passengers on board the ill-fated ferry were from Cebu.

Pregnant Jolie doing well ahead of birth

By Pierre Thebault

NICE, France - Pregnant Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie is doing well in a French Riviera hospital and is expected to give birth to twins in "the coming weeks," her doctor said on Wednesday.

Doctor Michel Sussmann gave few details away during a brief news conference, declining to reveal the sex of the expected babies or give a clear indication of the likely birth date.

"What she needs now is simple surveillance by monitoring to ensure the good health of her babies in the weeks to come," Sussmann told reporters at the Lenval hospital in the southern French city of Nice.

Jolie, 33, arrived at the hospital on Sunday by helicopter and has a suite of rooms reserved for her and her partner Brad Pitt, which have been sealed off by bodyguards.

"Mrs. Angelina Jolie and … Mr. Brad Pitt, told me to let you know that she is doing just fine at the moment," Sussmann said.

"She is a patient like any other … very simple and for whom I have a great deal of respect," he added.

Jolie and Pitt, 44, already have four children, three of them adopted and the fourth, Shiloh, their biological daughter born in Namibia in 2006.

After months of speculation surrounding her pregnancy, Jolie finally confirmed she was expecting twins in an interview at the Cannes film festival in May.

Asked when the twins might arrive, the doctor said: "I cannot give you a date. Let’s say that the birth will take place in the coming weeks." He added that it was too soon to say the babies might be premature.

Jodie and Pitt moved into a 17th century villa in Provence earlier this year, with paparazzi descending on the village of Correns when news of the couple’s arrival leaked out.

Jolie, star of current hit movie "Wanted," and Pitt, of "Ocean’s Eleven" fame, went public with their relationship after co-starring in the 2005 film "Mr. & Mrs. Smith."

One U.S. celebrity magazine has said Jolie is pregnant with two girls while a rival publication had it as a boy and girl. A British tabloid published the supposed names of the yet-to-be-born children.