Category: World
Early Saturday morning was just a normal time for most people in the world, but for those in Chile, it could very well have been the worst day of their lives. Not many months have passed since the killer earthquake hit Haiti, and a lot of people the world over still live in anxiety. You can just imagine what our fellowmen from Chile were thinking when they awakened to a rocking world.
The quake that hit Chile was way stronger than the one that hit Haiti – it measured in at 8.8 on the Richter scale. Seismologists classify this as “great” earthquake, capable of incurring tremendous damages. To date, hundreds have been reported dead in Chile, with the numbers expected to rise.
The extent of the effects of this earthquake is supposed to reach far and wide, though. As a matter of fact, a tsunami was triggered by the tremor. AP reports that waves have already reached as far as Russia and Japan on Sunday – a day after the quake hit Chile. The good thing is that the waves were not as huge as was expected. People were already told to evacuate as early as Saturday, and evacuate they did. Perhaps due to the distance, the waves were a “mere” 4-feet high, which, while causing some flooding, did not really cause much damage. The Japanese government has already lifted the tsunami warning.
Most other countries who are in the path of the tsunami have also lifted their warnings.
Eating the meat of dogs is a tradition in certain parts of the world. In China, dog meat is a tradition ingredient in hot pots. With the changes that have occurred over the decades, however, this tradition is in danger.
The government has proposed jail time for people who are caught eating dog meat. The bill has been proposed in alignment with animal rights. Included in the bill’s coverage is cat meat. People who are charged and found guilty can go to jail for up to 15 days. A fine of around $700 is also part of the penalty. Businesses that are found guilty of serving dishes with dog meat or cat meat in them can also be charged under the provisions of the bill. The fine for businesses ranges from 14,000 USD to 73,000 USD.
As expected, this move has stirred up controversy. Pet lovers have taken up for the cause, while others say that the ban is quite unrealistic. On the one hand, some people see the cruelty in certain practices. One such practice is beating the animal (dogs in particular) to death. This is done to force the blood into the meat, making it tastier and richer. On the other hand, some people value the tradition of consuming the meat of cats and dogs. They think that the move to ban such meat is akin to throwing away part of the people’s history and culture.
It’s definitely a delicate situation, and I am glad I do not have to make the decision about it.
How was your weekend? The chances are that you fared a thousand times better than the Filipinos who were caught unawares by tropical storm Ondoy (international name Ketsana). The Philippines experiences typhoons on a regular basis, and Filipinos are used to constant rain. As such, Friday night even saw a lot of people out partying and welcoming the weekend.
Saturday morning was a whole different story. People in the Metro Manila area experience rainfall like never before, and the floodwaters rose at an unprecedented rate. Rich or poor, it did not matter – everyone was left at the mercy of strong currents. Even huge houses were not spared, with floodwaters covering most of the edifices.
The weekend was definitely a horrific period of time for countless people in the metro. The news of the disaster has spread all over the world, with most of the attention focused on the metro. What many might not know is that thousands more of people are also in similar situations outside of the capital. In outlying provinces such as Laguna and Bulacan, people remain stranded on their roofs and in areas yet unreached by rescue efforts. Everywhere, people are clamoring for food and water, as well as clothes and practically anything that can help them start over.
There are countless volunteers offering their assistance. The problem is the goods are not nearly enough. If you go to the big supermarkets in Manila, you will see bare shelves. Many say they went shopping to donate the goods.
The bottom line is that these people need help, FAST. Splashpress Media has launched our campaign to help in whatever way we can. If you feel that you want to pitch in, please visit our donation page and read more. The Filipino people will surely appreciate every little bit.
Animals that eat plants are a common sight, but plants eating animals? Well, there is the Venus fly trap. Then there are all those plants in fantasy and science fiction movies. In real life, though, it is rare that we hear about flesh-eating plants.
British botanists Alastair Robinson and Stewart McPherson headed over to the Philippine island of Palawan in 2007 to check out a pitcher plant they heard about from some missionaries. They discovered the plant in Mount Victoria, and published the report earlier this year in the Botanical Journal of Linnean Society.
The plant has been named Nepenthes attenboroughii, in honor of Sir David, the wildlife broadcaster. To this, Sir David replied:
“I was contacted by the team shortly after the discovery and they asked if they could name it after me. I was delighted and told them, ‘Thank you very much’. I’m absolutely flattered. This is a remarkable species the largest of its kind. I’m told it can catch rats then eat them with its digestive enzymes. It’s certainly capable of that.”
Indeed, the pitcher plant is unique in so many ways. More than catching flies and other small insects, it can devour rats! The botanists describe the plant as “immediately distinguishable from other Nepenthes by its great dimensions and trumpet-shaped lower and upper pitchers.” It is also unique in that it is the only member of its genus that “lives” at such a high elevation.
Can you imagine just how much more there is left to discover in the wild?
…and gets 56 stars for it. The story is that Kimberley Vlaeminck, an 18-year-old Belgian, went to a tattoo parlor to get stars on her face. According to her, she asked the tattoo artist, Rouslan Toumaniantz, to put three stars near her eyes. As the procedure progressed, she said that she fell asleep. She only woke up when she felt a pain in her nose as the tattoo artist started adding stars there. BBC quotes her as saying: “I woke up when he was starting to tattoo my nose… I counted 56 stars, it is frightening.”
However, according to the tattoo artist, she knew exactly what was going on. He said that she ordered stars – and lots of them, it seems – all over her face and that she got exactly what she asked for. He also disputes the teenager’s claim that he probably misunderstood her instructions. Toumaniantz says ‘She was awake and looked in the mirror several times as the procedure was being done. She agreed, but when her father saw it, the trouble started.”
The question is, who is telling the truth and who is lying? Two totally contradicting stories – one of them is surely lying. My thoughts on this piece of news…it is one thing to fall asleep while getting a massage or while at the spa, but I don’t really think it’s possible to fall asleep while getting a tattoo. And to fall asleep through 56 stars? I don’t know. What do you think?
Early Saturday morning was just a normal time for most people in the world, but for those in Chile, it could very well have been the worst day of their lives. Not many months have passed since the killer earthquake hit Haiti, and a lot of people the world over still live in anxiety. You can just imagine what our fellowmen from Chile were thinking when they awakened to a rocking world.
