#Building Disasters Philippines

[darrenwalleyconsultancy]

Building Fails Philippines – Part 2

Photo by Sami Aksu This weeks article is called building fails in the Philippines – part 2. As I mentioned in last week’s article, it is not to highlight foolishness but a collection of areas I need to think about when building your home in the Philippines. In most of my articles, I have talked about topics that are the “normal” way of building a home in the Philippines. In my mind, some of…

[westvalleyfaultph]

The Big One: Why the Philippines Must Urgently Prepare for a Massive Earthquake

Scan the QR code to get this blog on the go. Filipino communities are being urged to intensify preparations for a potentially catastrophic earthquake, often referred to as “The Big One,” which experts warn could strike anytime. As disaster readiness leaders emphasized at the recent Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR), the potential impacts of this quake could…

[scottishcommune]

To promote, push, and make moves toward freedom for the world, we must break the imposed schemes inflicted on our mentalities and in our daily life, and instead build an organised alternative to the current system. Today, we can see some steps being taken to realise this potential, from the indigenous communities organisation in Abya Yala, to the revolutionary participation of the youth from Myanmar to the Philippines, Palestine, and Mali. In several places, youth are taking the initiative and organising themselves to face their own problems and those of their society simultaneously. Likewise, in the Global North the youth has not remained still and silent in the face of the ecological disaster imposed by the North American and European capitalists. In this point it is important to emphasize the great hypocrisy of the hegemonic system. At the same time as they destroy the environment, they invest millions of dollars in summits that mask this ongoing destruction while legitimising authoritarian regimes. Nowhere is this dynamic clearer than in the fact that the next COP29 will be Azerbaijan despite its brutal occupation and invasion of the Armenian region of Artsakh. Fashionable greenwashing has become the tool with which ongoing colonial violence and ecological devastation is concealed.

- Lêgerîn Issue #13

[ravenbloodshot]

Enhypen members view of countries 🇧🇷🇮🇳🇵🇭.....Kpop Reading

Brazil 🇧🇷

They view this country as a country full of passion and energy. Like a very lively scenery in which something is always happening and a party is always around the corner. A place where you wouldn't want to be inside all day looking at a TV or scrolling through your phone, you'll actually want to go exploring

Enhypen seems to see this country as, yes a beautiful country where a lot of parties occur but they do seem to think that the place is kind of like a beautiful illusion. It's as if they know as a tourist you may getting a glamorized version of Brazil but if they were to live there, reality could hit that its a country with problems like any other country

Enhypen thinks Braizilians are very animated and expressive when they speak. the members may like how they can make ppl feel like family when they're really just strangers. I do see enhypen thinking Brazilians can be a bit overconfident and too aggressive like the type of ppl to stake claim to a person they find attractive and actively go after them (even if rejected still being persistent)

India 🇮🇳

Enhypen thinks it's a religious country with pretty buildings representing their religions. They like the land features of this country (I'm seeing some kind of rainforest). They also like the films this country produces

They may know of some of the political issues India faces (I'm not sure if acid attacks are still common there bc I got a card named "acid" so the members may think/know these attacks happen, maybe they've seen something on the news).

I'm definitely seeing these guys knowing about this countries artistic achievements. Especially when it comes to movies, music and artworks. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the members want to film a movie/music video there.

They don't think the Indian people may have a good sense of fashion/style. They may think Indians live their daily life as they please and isn't seeking to appear "put together", they just do them.

Philippines 🇵🇭

The members think Filipinos are also quite religious and that they're quite compassionate/kind ppl. Enhypen may like the restaurants and the way the people serviced them (professionally but treated them like family).

The members think the country either runs on a lot of charity (the members may have donated to a cause in the Philippines) or that the people are quite charitable (its likely both).

They may think the Philippines/Filipinos don't really solve their issues head on but kind of sweeps it under the rug in hopes it goes away. Like a country that could face a natural disaster and have the country damn near demolished but don't really rebuild the nation and they continue life as if nothing happened.

The members may view Filipinos as ppl who are happy with what they have and appreciative of life. Like ppl who may not be rich financially but their rich mindset wise.

[if-lost-please-return-to-maliksi]

WHERE THE RAINDROPS FALL - PT.1

Disclaimer: I do not own Maliksi and Makisig and other Planet Puto characters that are occasionally mentioned. Full Credit to the character and art goes to HC - @ask-emilz-de-philz Please check out their blog for amazing art and the wonderful world of Planet Puto. All involved characters in any suggestive situations within the story are adults.

TW: Maliksi has a foul mouth ((which is nothing new, really))

A/N: Agwa is my OC, she's a Naga. The Philippine Naga lore originated in Bicol and they are fresh water mermaids, but instead of having fish tails, they have the lower body of a water snake or eel and the upper body of a human female. In Philippine folklore and mythology, they are often described as having an alluring face, curvaceous body and long flowing hair. They are fond of children, but very vicious to adults. They are also known to be extremely curious that they usually take human form to explore their surroundings. They bring rain, and thus fertility, but are also thought to bring disasters such as floods and drought.

Maliksi hates humans and no one is an exception, not even children who occasionally get lost along the moonlit forest path the tamawo usually prowls at night.

"Great. A snotty little human brat." Maliksi muttered underneath his breath as he looked down the crying girl who is slumped into the forest floor, hands clasping her dress as if to soothe herself.

The kid looked up at him, her face stained with tears as she tried wiping off her runny nose using her dress.

"Annoying little brat is too dumb to speak. And your parents must also be very stupid to lose you at this time of the night." The tamawo scoffed, clearly annoyed at the kid who is still too young to be speaking full sentences. "Humans are such idiots, and you will grow up to be the same-"

Maliksi fell silent when a minasbad was suddenly pressed into his neck with just enough pressure that he knew he won't be liking the outcome incase he moves an inch. His eyes were met with two ruby orbs glinting with pure displeasure as he looked up to a taller figure infront of him. Her hair is eerily beautifully long and curly- flowing down her shoulders and cascading down her back like the gentle first rain on an afternoon of June.

"Shut. the. fuck. up." The words came out of those pretty lips, not as a simple request but rather a threat.

Everything went quiet that Maliksi is sure he can hear a single pin drop at this moment- that is until he hears the nearby river's current, slowly building up into a raging pace. This was the very first time some woman spoke to him in such cold tone. And for the very first time, Maliksi felt his heart beating out of his chest in pure adrenaline- was he scared? No, he can't be. Intimidated? By a woman, impossible, right? Unless-

It didn't took long before Maliksi was able to put two and two together, realizing he is now face to face with a naga in human form and in the worst situation possible. The naga are known to be extremely fond and protective of human children and Maliksi was caught red handed not being exactly kind to one.

Maliksi quickly extended his claws but the naga's minasbad has definitely at an advantageous range against him.

"You're...tiny for a tamawo."

This is another first time- usually Maliksi was the one throwing insults and taunting someone he's facing and not the other way around.

Agwa tilted her head as she curiously examined Maliksi, trailing her eyes along his form, looking him up and down before softly chuckling and withdrawing her blade from his neck, realizing he isn't much of a threat and it wouldn't be worth it to get in a fight infront of an already frightened human kid.

The naga then turned around and picked up the child who has now stopped sobbing. Agwa started softly humming and within seconds of hearing the naga's enchanted voice, the girl was sleeping soundly on her arms as she tenderly and protectively cradle her.

"Excuse me?!" The tamawo scoffed as he covers his ears, not wanting to risk his chances against the naga's song, but still looking very appalled and offended from the her remark about his height.

Agwa smirked as she looks down on Maliksi. "You're tiny. I thought tamawos are supposed to be tall so girls will fawn over them."

" And I thought you fishies belong on the water and not here! You human wannabes-" Maliksi retorted.

Agwa raised a brow as she looked down on Maliksi. The raging currents of the nearby river quickly rising.

She clenched her fists before taking a deep breath to calm herself down but it's not exactly working. "Careful now, boy." She spoke in a tone that sent shivers down Maliksi's spine.

He is not liking the way his mind reacts to Agwa. He is not one to feel intimidated by anyone, but hearing her speak to him like that is like a double-edged sword. It drives him crazy with rage that someone dared to speak to him in such way, but it also makes him want get her to do it again, wanting to see how far she's willing to take it with that threat of hers.

Agwa can feel herself getting more and more annoyed by Maliksi's presence, as she can sense the absolute stubbornness the tamawo possesses.

"You keep running that mouth of yours and I'm raising the tides to-"

"Agwa, please forgive my brother. He's just not good with words." Makisig's voice rang throughout the forest as his footsteps slowly grew louder as he walks towards the two. Wanting to prevent any conflict that involves his own brother and his friend.

Maliksi's demeanor quickly shifts as he saw his Kuya Makisig, quickly standing beside his kuya, clearly happy about his presence.

"Kuya-"

"This tiny boy is your brother?! He's a sassy little thing." Agwa quickly turned to Makisig who happens to be her friend for a very long time now.

"I'm older than you, and I'm not tiny! You're f*cking lucky that my Kuya is here because I'll be dicing you into sashimi if it's just the two of us. Kuya, you know this fishy girl-"

"Maliksi! She has a name. You are not being nice and it'll cause you trouble one of these days. You're lucky Agwa here is being really calm and has not decided to drown you before I arrived. Other nagas are not that forgiving."

Agwa rolled her eyes at Maliksi. "Your brother is right-"

"Of course he is right!" Maliksi gritted his teeth in an effort to keep himself quiet and not clap back with something sarcastic, not infront of his kuya atleast.

Agwa was taken aback from how fast Maliksi agreed. She thought he'll be whining about it. "I'm Agwa. I won't be drawing my blade against you incase we happen to ran into each other once again in the future since you're Makisig's brother." Agwa extended her hand towards Maliksi, wanting to settle their earlier dispute.

"But I won't hesitate to drown you a little incase I see you being mean around human children once again."

Maliksi was about to run his mouth mindlessly again, not used to being spoken to like that, and not by a woman that is. His kuya Makisig quickly covered his mouth and gave Agwa a polite smile. "Sounds fair, Agwa. I'll make sure bunso here won't be mean around kids anymore."

Agwa nodded before excusing herself to take the human girl who is still enchanted by her song earlier and is still sleeping peacefully in her arms to safety where kind humans will find her and help her find her way home.

⋆⭒˚｡⋆.

Maliksi has always been the type to get into fights very often because of his temper and foul mouth. It doesn't matter what creature you are, if he's in a bad mood then the possibility of him showering anyone with insults and sarcasm is at an all time high.

Why he's surrounded by three enraged tikbalangs after he made their big brother Lakas cry when he won against him on a fight is something Maliksi will definitely brag in this lifetime- if he survives, that is.

He's already exhausted after fighting with the older tikbalang, and now the three younger brothers are trying to make him pay. Maliksi isn't completely unscathed from the previous fight either. His chance of winning 1 vs 3 is definitely low and the odds won't be on his side this time.

Maliksi thinks of a possible way out of this mess he created when lightning struck not too far away, illuminating the forestscape for a few seconds before it was followed by a loud crakle of thunder. Rain started pouring and it's not just normal rain- it was strong, violent in a sense that Maliksi's felt a slight prickle with how heavy the water droplets are falling against his skin.

The three tikbalang approached him, cornering him at the edge of a downhill stream when he felt someone approach him from the back, covering both of his ears tightly.

Agwa who is currently on her naga form slithered her serpent tail slightly around Maliksi as if to shield him against the three, and to make sure he stays in place incase he gets affected by the naga's enchantment. "Get in the water." Agwa said, not louder than a whisper, but her tone is clearly not hiding a threat, her scarlet eyes glowing a fiery tint of red as she snapped her gaze towards the three tikbalangs.

The tikbalangs, slowly falling into the naga's enchantment and entering a trance all started to turn their heads into the stream. The tide is starting to rise and the current was turning faster and stronger by each second that passes.

"C'mon, boys. Get. in. the, water." She repeated and before she knew it, the three were already walking straight into the middle of the stream.

Agwa then let her rains fall down like fury unleashed into the three. It took less than a minute before the three are almost drowning- that's when Agwa completely stopped her torment, making the rain cease and the stream's current to steady. The three tikbalangs quickly grabbed the chance to narrowly escape their dreaded fate.

As the rain stopped, Agwa gently pulled her hands away from covering Maliksi's ears and gave him space, slithering slightly away from the tamawo.

"You okay, Makisig's lil brother?" Agwa smirked, her tone smug and taunting, much like Maliksi's usual attitude.

Maliksi, being around someone with the same brash and rude attitude like his irked him into oblivion that he even started pitying those he annoys on the regular.

Yet he wonders why exactly he's currently speechless right now, heart pounding out of his chest from when he witnessed this hauntingly beautiful naga command three strong creatures into their almost death without any effort. How she stood there without any remorse or mercy, yet looking that irresistible while threats that are definitely not empty rolled along her tongue as if it's poetry to drown men unforgivingly.

Oh. Hell naw.

I'll be damned.

It was another first for Maliksi. How can he describe someone else aside from his kuya with such adjectives is something that bothered him to the core.

Irresistible.

That might be the first and only time he had used that term to describe a woman but he'll never admit it out loud.

Art by: @ask-emilz-de-philz thankyouuu for my Agwa ;;;;; ((hngg. I can def relate kay bibilo coz those thighs))

[sixminutestoriesblog]

new years traditions around the world

Humans like their superstitions. The world is so random and abstract and there is so much that we can't, no matter how hard we try, control. And yet, its human nature not to be content to let 'Fate' decide our - well - fate. Some of our oldest stories are about heroes doing exactly that, trying to avoid what life has set down for them. Often they don't succeed but it doesn't stop the next hero's story from trying.

And - every now and then, some hero, somewhere, does win.

What better time to try to set the record straight, determine the future and ward away disasters than as the clock turns over and gives us an entirely new year? So, today, let's talk about New Year's Eve superstitions and see just how many we're willing to do, not because we believe them but because, deep down, we figure why not?

Do you want to travel in the upcoming year? In Columbia, they walk, or run, around the block carrying empty suitcases to call it into the new year.

Hoping for a baby in the new year? In Greece, hang a bundle of onions over your front door. Not only will this up your chances of fertility, but onions encourage good luck too.

Want to make sure there are no evil spirits in your house? In Ireland they use their leftover Christmas bread to bang on the house walls to drive any lingering mischief out. In Puerto Rico, they dump a bucket of water out the window to wash evil spirits away. In Japan, Buddhist temples ring their bells 108 times before midnight, each toll driving away a specific vice or sin so that the new year can start clean. Fireworks can drive off evil spirits too. According to the historic Chinese, the loud sounds scare them off.

Want some predictions for the new year? In the Czech Republic, they cut apples in half. If the apple's core looks like a star than next year everyone will meet again, happy and healthy. If it's a cross, someone will soon be very ill. In Columbia, they place three potatoes under the bed, one peeled, on half peeled and the other left alone. At midnight, grab one. If its unpeeled, you will have financial woes. Still in its skin? A year of prosperity. And half and half is - well, half and half. In Ireland, hiding mistletoe under your pillow will let you dream of your future spouse.

Had a bad year you can't wait to see go? Open your doors and windows on new year's eve to let the old year out and the new year in (I suspect this is easier for people living in warmer climes). In Ecuador, they build paper effigies of the bad, usually politicians, and set it on fire! Bonus good luck if you can jump over that fire twelve times. In Japan, they clean their house to wash away the old year and have it fresh and ready for a brand new year.

Looking for a long, healthy life? In Japan, they eat soba, noodles that are as long as the life the consumers want to have.

Aiming for prosperity? In Turkey, they smash pomegranates on their doorstep. The more pieces and the bigger the mess, the better. In the Southern US, you need to get yourself a meal of Hoppin John. Round shapes resemble coins so in the Philippines you want to eat twelve round fruits at midnight. Don't count on the fruit alone though, in the Philippines its also good luck to wear polka dots the last day of the year.

Have a wish you want to come true? In Singapore, they float wishing spheres, giant floating balls people write their wishes on, in the Singapore River. In Russia they write the wish on a piece of paper, burn it and then drink the ashes down in a glass of champagne. In Brazil, jump over seven ocean waves - you get a wish for each one.

Do you just want general good luck? There's a lot of traditions for that. Eat fish - they only swim forward and so will carry you forward into the new year. In Denmark, get your dishes and go break them on your friends' and family's doorstep. The more broken pieces, the more the luck. In Spain, they eat twelve grapes as the clock strikes midnight for good luck but make sure you pay attention to what you're doing and finish by the end of the chimes or you get the opposite in the upcoming year. In Denmark, stand on a chair and 'leap' into the new year as the clock strikes midnight for good luck. Farmers should wish all their livestock a good new year first thing in the morning. Several countries hide a coin or an almond in the new years eve's dessert and whoever finds it will have good luck in the new year. In New York, they sell candy peppermint pigs that come with their own hammers. Smash the pig, eat the candy and get luck in the new year - and help burn off some holiday stress. In Armenia, the first batch of bread baked on the new year bakes in the luck for the rest of the year's cooking. In Turkey, as the clock strikes midnight, sprinkle salt on your doorstep for good luck. In Japan, waking up early to watch the first sunrise of the new year is supposed to bring good luck. In Romania, they toss a coin into a river on new year's eve.

And finally - don't forget to dress for the occasion! In Brazil, they wear white on new year's eve to bring in a year full of peace. You can still be racy though. Apparently the color of your underwear makes a difference.

White – peace and harmony

Silver – innovation

Blue – serenity and friendship

Green – good health and hope

Red – passion

Yellow/gold – money and happiness

Pink – romance and love

Purple – spiritual connection

Orange – creativity

Black – independence

So there you have it.

Happy New Year!

[catdotjpeg]

FILIPINO YOUTH, SERVE THE PEOPLE! DONATE AND FUNDRAISE FOR RELIEF EFFORTS! FIGHT THE NEGLECTFUL US-MARCOS REGIME! On Wednesday morning, relentless rains battered parts of Luzon causing severe flooding throughout the island. The Philippine government has issued a red warning to anticipate flooding and evacuations in NCR, Rizal and Zambales due to the seasonal habagat (south west monsoon) that is further exacerbated by Typhoon Carina. The most exploited and oppressed communities; workers, peasants, and the urban poor, bear the brunt of the impact from the habagat. Every year, the Philippines is hit with worsening typhoons intensified by the climate crisis. Yet, every year, the Filipino masses face the same neglect and suffering as the government refuses to invest in reliable infrastructure and disaster relief programs that will support the most vulnerable communities. In contrast, community efforts led by BAYAN Philippines were quick to mobilize their forces by providing aid to affected areas such as distributing relief items and preparing meals for the masses of people who were relocated to evacuation centers. As Anakbayan USA, we reaffirm our committment to serving the people and organizing for national democracy, the true solution to the worsening crises affecting Filipinos! The masses must take it upon themselves to build a movement calling for pro-people development, genuine land reform, and an end to the exploitation by the ruling classes. Tulong kabataan! We call on all chapters to galvanize your members and immediate communities to direct donations to support the relief efforts led by BAYAN organizations to alleviate the hardships of the Filipino masses in the face of climate crisis.

DONATE Zelle: anakbayanusa@gmail.com Venmo: @/anakbayan-usa

-- Anakbayan-USA, 24 Jul 2024 9:22am EDT

[trustednewstribune]

4 Dead, 60 Injured As "Strongest Earthquake In 25 Years" Hits Taiwan

At least four people were killed and nearly 60 injured Wednesday by a powerful earthquake in Taiwan that damaged dozens of buildings and prompted tsunami warnings that extended to Japan and the Philippines before being lifted.

Officials said the quake was the strongest to shake the island in decades, and warned of more tremors in the days ahead.

"The earthquake is close to land and it's shallow. It's felt all over Taiwan and offshore islands," said Wu Chien-fu, director of Taipei's Central Weather Administration's Seismology Center.

Strict building regulations and disaster awareness appear to have staved off a major catastrophe for the island, which is regularly hit by earthquakes as it lies near the junction of two tectonic plates.

Wu said the quake was the strongest since a 7.6-magnitude struck in September 1999, killing around 2,400 people in the deadliest natural disaster in the island's history.

Wednesday's magnitude-7.4 quake struck just before 8:00 am local time (0000 GMT), with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) putting the epicentre 18 kilometres (11 miles) south of Taiwan's Hualien City, at a depth of 34.8 kilometres.

Three people among a group of seven on an early-morning hike through the hills that surround the city were crushed to death by boulders loosened by the earthquake, officials said.

Separately, a truck driver died when his vehicle was hit by a landslide as it approached a tunnel in the area.

Social media was awash with shared video and images from around the country of buildings swaying as the quake struck.

"I wanted to run out, but I wasn't dressed. That was so strong," said Kelvin Hwang, a guest at a hotel in the capital, Taipei, who sought shelter in the lift lobby on the ninth floor.

Dramatic images were shown on local TV of multi-storey structures in Hualien and elsewhere tilting after it ended, while a warehouse in New Taipei City crumbled.

Local TV channels showed bulldozers clearing rocks along roads to Hualien, a mountain-ringed coastal city of around 100,000 people that was cut off by landslides.

President Tsai Ing-wen called for local and central government agencies to coordinate with each other, and said that the national army would also be providing support.

The National Fire Agency confirmed the death toll, adding nearly 60 people had been treated for quake-related injuries.

Regional impact - In Taiwan, Japan and the Philippines, authorities initially issued a tsunami warning but by around 10 am (0200 GMT), the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said the threat had "largely passed".

In the capital, the metro briefly stopped running but resumed within an hour, while residents received warnings from their local borough chiefs to check for any gas leaks.

Taiwan is regularly hit by earthquakes as the island lies near the junction of two tectonic plates, while nearby Japan experiences around 1,500 jolts every year.

Across the Taiwan Strait, social media users in China's eastern Fujian province, which borders Guangdong in the south, and elsewhere said they also felt strong tremors.

Residents of Hong Kong also reported feeling the earthquake.

China, which claims self-ruled Taiwan as a renegade province, was "paying close attention" to the quake and "willing to provide disaster relief assistance", state news agency Xinhua said.

Fabrication at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company -- the world's biggest chip maker -- was briefly interrupted at some plants, a company official told AFP, while work at construction sites for new plants was halted for the day.

The vast majority of quakes around the area are mild, although the damage they cause varies according to the depth of the epicentre below the Earth's surface and its location.

The severity of tsunamis -- vast and potentially destructive series of waves that can move at hundreds of kilometres per hour -- also depends on multiple factors.

Japan's biggest earthquake on record was a massive 9.0-magnitude undersea jolt in March 2011 off Japan's northeast coast, which triggered a tsunami that left around 18,500 people dead or missing.

The 2011 catastrophe also sent three reactors into meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant, causing Japan's worst post-war disaster and the most serious nuclear accident since Chernobyl.

Japan saw a major quake on New Year's Day this year, when a 7.5-magnitude tremor hit the Noto Peninsula and killed more than 230 people, many of them when older buildings collapsed.

[takeoffphilippines]

Building sustainable communities: The future of cities

What makes a city thrive is a combination of how developers create opportunities for movement, synergy, and prosperity. It’s a combination of celebrating life to its fullest capacity with the community at its very heart.

“At SM Prime (SMPHI), we dream big for our shared future. True prosperity transcends financial success. Our commitment to developing sustainable integrated properties is matched by our efforts to foster vibrant, inclusive communities wherever we build legacy properties that weather the challenges of time and that last for generations,” said Ms. Jessica Bianca Sy, Lead Executive for Design, Innovation and Strategy for SMPHI and SM Development Corporation (SMDC).

The 7th Annual Association of Pacific Rim Universities – Sustainable Cities and Landscapes Conference and Student Symposium 2024 (APRU-SCL 2024) Conference on Advancing Sustainable Cities and Communities through Science, Technology, and Innovations is hosted and organized this year by the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB).

(L-R): Dr. Jennifer Marie S. Amparo, Dean, CHE, Dr. Jose V. Camacho, Jr. Chancellor, UPLB, Dr. Thomas Schneider, Chief Executive, APRU, Makati Mayor Hon. Abigail Binay, Ms. Jessica Bianca Sy, SMPHI and SMDC Lead Executive for Design, Innovation and Strategy, Dr. Edgar M. Reyes, Jr., Conference Director, ICHSPD, Assoc. Professor, UPLB, and Dr. Yekang Ko, Director, APRU-SCL, Assoc. Professor, University of Oregon.  

Sy joins a list of esteemed local and international professors, climate specialists, and government officials at the 7th Annual Conference of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities – Sustainable Cities and Landscapes Conference and Student Symposium 2024 (APRU-SCL 2024).

The theme for this year’s three-day conference is Advancing Sustainable Cities and Communities through Science, Technology, and Innovation.

As one of Asia’s leading integrated property developers, SM Prime’s strong track record in sustainability and disaster resilience is central to the company’s projects. In a climate-vulnerable country like the Philippines, disaster preparedness and infrastructure resilience are priorities, with a goal to scale efforts to a city level.

The rapid city growth increases energy demand, necessitating innovative and efficient renewable energy solutions. SM Prime has partnered with franchise holders to systematically manage energy use and move towards net-zero emissions.

For future large-scale master planned developments, Sy shares that SM Prime is taking a systems approach to utility infrastructure down to embedding them in the urban design guidelines at the precinct or plot level developments.

“We are developing this living framework together with our knowledge partners. Currently the ambition is to combine our efforts and actionable items under six themes of – transport, energy, water, biodiversity, built form and materials,” she said.

Sy carries this clear vision to heart as an invaluable part of the path forward. “We believe this will be the future of cities in the Philippines and we are committed to delivering it to our future generations,” she said.

SM Prime remains committed to its role as a catalyst for economic growth, delivering innovative and sustainable lifestyle cities, thereby enriching the quality of life of millions of people. SM Prime is pursuing the next horizon on integrated property development and onward to building sustainable cities of the future.  The 7th APRU-SCL 2024 is hosted and organized this year by the University of the Philippines Los Baňos, at the SMX Aura Convention Center, from August 6-8, 2024. For more information, email: hspdconf@up.edu.ph or visit the website: dcerp.che.uplb.edu.ph/ichspd.

[bopinion]

2024 / 47

Aperçu of the week

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.”

(Nelson Mandela, anti-apartheid activist and politician who served as the first president of the current Republic of South Africa from 1994 to 1999)

Bad News of the Week

They try to spin it as a success, even a breakthrough: using a newly developed telescopic robotic gripper arm over 20 meters long, it has been possible to retrieve 0.7 grams of radioactive material from a reactor at the Japanese nuclear power plant in Fukushima. The plant was damaged by a tsunami 13 years ago. No, that's not a bad joke: 0.7 grams after 13 years. 880 tons still need to be salvaged. There are so many things that upset me about this story that I don't even know where to start. So I will limit myself to two aspects.

If things continue at this rate, it will take over 16 billion years to completely decommission the plant. That won't be the case, of course. But it is a fitting image to illustrate the immense time spans that are fundamentally involved with radioactivity - keyword half-life. Specifically, the operator TEPCO expects to be able to complete the decommissioning of the reactor units by 2051. Experts consider this timetable to be completely unrealistic. In addition, there is still no suitable equipment for recovering the nuclear waste, nor is there an interim storage facility, let alone a final repository.

For me, this is precisely the core reason for being against nuclear energy: the problem of final storage. According to Wikipedia, in 2022 there were 423 reactors in operation worldwide, 56 under construction and more than 100 planned. There are already more than 250,000 tons of heavy radioactive waste awaiting final disposal. The world's first final repository is due to be completed in Finland in the next few years. In Germany - incidentally, we shut down all nuclear power plants after the Fukushima meltdown and have already dismantled some of them - almost 2,000 employees of the state-run Federal Company for Final Disposal are working on this issue. Depending on the scenario, the planned end date for the search for a site is currently 2046 to 2068. The issue is therefore obviously highly complex. And only one thing is certain: future generations will be burdened with high costs and high risks for literally eternity.

Another issue is that of site security. Since Three-Mile-Island, but at the latest since Chernobyl, everyone knows how fatal any serious system failure at a nuclear power plant is, or must be. So you have to rule out as many eventualities as possible from the outset. Therefore - please excuse the direct question, dear Japanese - I wonder how stupid you have to be to build a nuclear power plant on the coast of an earthquake-prone tectonic plate boundary? As a result of the Niigata-Chūetsu coastal earthquake in 2007, the company's largest power plant, Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, had to be shut down for 21 months due to earthquake damage. The consequences of the Tōhoku earthquake and subsequent tsunami in 2011 for the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant were therefore anything but a surprise, but rather a disaster with an announcement. The question was not if, but when the catastrophe would occur.

What have we learned from this? Nothing. In March 2022, a majority of Japanese voted in favor of nuclear energy for the first time since 2011. In 2022 and 2023, the Japanese government adopted guidelines that provide for the lifetime of existing reactors to be extended beyond the previous limit of 60 years. And the current government under Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is even planning to build new nuclear power plants: “We need to make full use of nuclear energy”. In order to reduce its dependence on oil and gas imports, avoid electricity shortages and achieve its climate protection targets more easily. But at what cost?

Four lithospheric plates - the Eurasian, North American, Pacific and Philippine plates - meet beneath Japan. At their boundaries, the permanent plate displacement creates tensions that must discharge regularly but unpredictably - in the form of earthquakes that lead to tsunamis in the sea. Three-Mile-Island and Chernobyl are hundreds of kilometers away from such influences. And the meltdowns happened anyway. In Japan, it has always been madness to build such sensitive systems as nuclear power plants. And it will always be.

Good News of the Week

Oops, they did it again. The International Criminal Court in The Hague has issued an arrest warrant for a top politician. Last time, all the staunch democrats applauded - because it was issued against Vladimir Putin for war crimes against Ukrainians. This time, far fewer apparently convinced Democrats are applauding - because it was issued against Benjamin Netanyahu for war crimes against Palestinians. At this point, I must once again make one thing very clear: I am a German. Who is fully aware of the historical guilt that our nation has for the suffering of the Jewish people. And who nevertheless refuses, as is expected of Germans and usually happens reflexively, to criticize nothing and absolutely nothing that Israel does.

Okay, now let's all take a deep breath and devote ourselves to the facts without any emotion. All kinds of independent observers - from journalists to the Red Cross to the United Nations - agree that the actions of the Israeli military in Gaza are also massively endangering the life and limb of civilians. To put it mildly, 43,972 people have been killed and 104,008 injured - according to figures released by the Israeli military itself on November 21, 2024. And according to the Geneva Conventions, this is a war crime. For which the head of state is, so to speak, vicariously liable under international law. In the past, no one has doubted this in the case of African despots, and they have not slaughtered thousands single-handedly either.

Many victims on the Palestinian side are not even in focus. This is because they live in the Israeli heartland, with many families having been resident there long before the Israeli state was founded. And they come to terms with their Jewish neighbors. After all, they are all human beings and not everyone allows themselves to be radicalized by political or ideological currents. And these Palestinians are now suffering from a tipped mood. And little Fatima wonders in the playground why little Sarah is no longer allowed to play with her. The same applies to the labor market, where low-skilled jobs were traditionally held by Palestinians. Now they are being thrown out and replaced by guest workers from India or Pakistan - “Hindus only” is the slogan of the hour.

At this point I have to take a short detour. Apartheid in South Africa shaped my political youth. In 1987, I enthusiastically sang along to white Zulu Johnny Clegg and Savuka: Asimbonanga, Asimbonang′ uMandela thina, Laph'ekhona, Laph′ehfeli khona. We have not seen him, We have not seen Mandela, In the place where he is, In the place where he is kept. “Free Mandela” was one of the first political pins I pinned to my school backpack back then. And when Nelson Mandela, Madiba, Tata, became South Africa's first truly freely elected president in 1994 and didn't spend a second contemplating revenge that would have been so well understood, I was proud to be a young man working for the South African Economic Consul to get the country back on its feet after years of sanctions.

What Israel is doing to the Palestinians is nothing less than apartheid. Part of the population is treated as second-class citizens. This has always been unjust and inhumane. And it will always remain unjust and inhumane. Condemning this has nothing whatsoever to do with anti-Semitism. It's also not automatically sexist if I think a female colleague is stupid. After all, I don't think that because she's a woman. It's because I think she's stupid.

The latest chapter is the so-called “administrative detention” that Israel has invented. In principle, this means being arrested without any concrete accusation or suspicion. Just like that. Which should not exist in a state governed by the rule of law. This is how Israel is taking action against terror suspects in the West Bank. And now there should only be detention for Palestinians. And no longer for Israeli settlers, even though they are known to be much more militant.

The whole thing makes me so incredibly sad. And I would be so incredibly happy if someone were held accountable for this. Preferably Benjamin Netanyahu. I have no illusions that one day he will actually sit in the dock, let alone be convicted. But I find it more than just symbolic value that an internationally recognized institution based in Europe has come to the conclusion, that he would deserve it. And nobody is above the law.

I couldn't care less...

...about the ridiculous results of the UN Climate Change Conference COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan. “When reality doesn't give more” is the headline of the German Tagesschau news portal. And that is exactly what happened: not enough was given. Especially from the rich polluter countries in the North to the poor countries in the global South that are suffering the most from the consequences. My hopes are now pinned on the next conference in Brazil. Because Lula da Silva is undoubtedly the most convinced ecologist of all the G20 heads of state.

It's fine with me...

...that the SPD once again wants to go into the early federal elections with Olaf Scholz as its lead candidate. A spirit of optimism and glamor may look different to the beleaguered Chancellor, who is not called “Scholz-o-mat” for nothing. But he stands with both feet in the here and now and follows a solid moral compass. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of his main rival - the conservative candidate Friedrich Merz, who is far ahead in all polls. It's rare that Russia and I are of the same opinion: Scholz is the lesser evil.

As I write this...

...as a Swede, I would be reading the booklet “When a crisis or war comes”. The Swedish Civil Protection Agency (MSB) wants to prepare the population for an emergency with this information brochure, which has been sent to all households: “The security situation is serious and we must all strengthen our resilience in order to be able to face various crises and ultimately a war”. This reminds me darkly of the Cold War era with its fear of a fatal nuclear strike.

Post Scriptum

A colorful coalition - the red-yellow-green traffic light coalition of Social Democrats, Liberals and Greens - has just collapsed at federal level in Germany and it is almost surprising how long it has lasted without a fundamental consensus. Another colorful coalition - the black-purple-red blackberry coalition of conservatives, populists and social democrats - has just come together at state level in Thuringia and it is surprising that they have found a basic consensus.

A general newcomer, and not only in this constellation, is the populist party Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht (Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht). Formed less than a year ago through a split from The Left, it is difficult to categorize, as the party is considered left-wing in socio-economic terms and right-wing in socio-cultural terms. As a protest party, the BSW was quickly accused of focusing on fundamental opposition and shying away from taking responsibility.

This is why the down-to-earth pragmatism with which the Thuringian state association has set itself apart from its eponymous founder and drawn up a coalition agreement with the CDU and SPD is surprising. And regardless of what this agreement says, it is already a democratic victory. Because the association of these three parties prevents the election winner AfD (Alternative für Deutschland / Alternative for Germany), which is classified in Thuringia as definitely right-wing extremist, from taking power. Thank you.

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 9.1

Holidays

American Chess Day

Arbor Day (Peru)

Arts Day (Bardo)

Asbestos Awareness Day (UK)

Back to Hogwarts Day

Bahti Meskerem (Eritrea)

Building and Code Staff Appreciation Day

Carrington Event Day

Chicken Boy Day

Childhood Cancer Awareness Day (Tennessee)

Constitution Day (Slovakia)

Creation Day (According to Julius Africanus; 5,508 yrs, 3 months, 25 days BC)

Daffodil Day (New Zealand)

Day of Belarusian Written Language (Belarus)

Day of Knowledge (Estonia, Russia)

Disaster Prevention Day (Japan)

Draft Horse Day

Emma M. Nutt Day (a.k.a. Nutt Day)

Entrepreneur’s Day (Ukraine)

Euphrosyne Asteroid Day

Flag Day (Honduras)

Footy Colors Day (Australia)

Ginger Cat Appreciation Day

Global Talent Acquisition Day [1st Wednesday]

Human Resources Professional Day (South Dakota)

International Day of Awareness of the Dolphins of Taiji

International Naalbinding Day

International Neil Diamond Day

International Primate Day

International Trade Union Action Day for Peace

International Women in Cyber Day

Journalist Day (Taiwan)

Juno Steroid Day

Kama Sutra Day

Kanto Earthquake Memorial Day (Japan)

Knowledge Day (Armenia, Estonia, Russia, Ukraine)

Lake Baikal Day (Russia)

Letter Appreciation Day

Lose Your Virginity Day

Mary Had a Little Lamb Day

Meteorological Autumn begins (Northern Hemisphere)

Meteorological Spring begins (Southern Hemisphere)

National Acne Positivity Day

National Boykin Spaniel Day

National Child Identity Theft Awareness Day

National Disaster Prevention Day (Japan)

National Forgiveness Day

National Homecare Day of Action

National Hotel Employee Day

National Little Black Dress Day

National Marmoset Day

National No Rhyme (Nor Reason) Day

National Police K-9 Day

901 Day (Tennessee)

No Music Day (Nigeria)

Onam (Hindu harvest festival; India)

Partridge Day (UK)

Pink Cadillac Day

Presidential Message Day (Mexico)

Random Acts of Kindness Day (NZ)

Respect the Drive Day

Rites of Moawita (Elder Scrolls)

Save Japan’s Dolphins Day

Sing A Silly Song In Bed Day

Teacher’s Day (Singapore)

Tourist Day

Toy Tips Executive Toy Test Day

Trade Union Action for Peace Day (Tajikistan)

Trout Day (French Republic)

Veteran’s Day (Poland)

Wattle Day (Australia)

White Rabbit Day

World CLL Day

World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation

World Day of the Fingerprint

World Emotional Trauma Awareness Day

World Freestyle Football Day

World Letter Writing Day

World PCOS Day of Unity

World War Two Anniversary Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Cherry Popover Day

Chop Suey Day

International Cap Classique Day (South Africa)

National Burnt Ends Day

National Gyro Day

National Oatloaf Day

National Tofu Day (UK)

Oyster Season begins

Rosolio Day (Italy)

Independence & Related Days

Alberta Province Day (Canada; 1905)

Baguio City Day (Philippines)

Baltia (Declared; 2014) [unrecognized]

Chrisland (Declared; 2015) [unrecognized]

Communist North China People’s Republic (Founded; 1948)

Gymnasium State (Declared; 2017) [unrecognized]

Jasaan Day (Philippines)

Qatar (from UK; 1971)

Revolution Day (Libya; 1969)

Saskatchewan Province Day (Canada; 1905)

Slovak Constitution Day (Slovakia)

Uzbekistan (a.k.a. Mustaqillik Kuni); from USSR, 1991)

New Year’s Days

New Year’s Day (Greek or Byzantine (Constantinople) Indication)

1st Sunday in September

Bowling League Day (a.k.a. U.S. Bowling League Day) [1st Sunday]

European Day of Jewish Culture [1st Sunday]

Father's Day (Australia, New Zealand) [1st Sunday]

Harvest Wine Celebration (Livermore, California) [1st Sunday]

Joust of the Saracen (Italy) [1st Sunday]

Mushroom Day (Denmark, Norway, Sweden) [1st Sunday]

National Commemoration Day (South Africa) [1st Sunday]

National Pastor’s Spouses Day [1st Sunday]

National Prayer Day for the Deaf (South Africa) [1st Sunday]

Pet Rock Day [1st Sunday]

Pffiferdaj (Day of the Strolling Fiddlers, or Fiddlers' Festival; Alsace, France) [1st Sunday]

Running of the Sheep (Montana) [Sunday of Labor Day Weekend]

Seven For Sunday [Every Sunday]

Snack Sunday [1st Sunday of Each Month]

Spiritual Sunday [1st Sunday of Each Month]

Start Over Sunday [1st Sunday of Each Month]

Sundae Sunday [Every Sunday]

Sunday Funday [Every Sunday]

Tales and Tallows (Elder Scrolls)

Wakes Sunday [Sunday after September 4]

Working Mother's Day [1st Sunday]

World Goddess Day [1st Sunday]

World Koesister Day [1st Sunday]

World Meditation Day [1st Sunday of Every Month]

Weekly Holidays beginning September 1 (1st Full Week of September)

International Enthusiasm Week (thru 9.7)

Legacy Week (Australia)

National Childhood Injury Prevention Week (thru 9.7)

National Nutrition Week (thru 9.7)

National Payroll Week (thru 9.7). [Week of Labor Day]

National Waffle Week (thru 9.7) [1st Week]

Self-University Week (thru 9.7)

Sobriety Checkpoint Week (thru 9.7) [1st Full Week]

Substitute Teacher Appreciation Week (thru 9.7) [1st Full Week]

Festivals Beginning September 1, 2024

Alaskan Grown Cheesecake Contest (Palmer, Alaska)

Atlanta Caribbean Jerk Festival (Lithonia, Georgia)

Bloemencorso Sint-Gillis-bij-Dendermonde (Sint-Gillis-bij-Dendermonde, Belgium)

Bloemencorso Zundert (Zundert, Netherlands) [thru 9.2]

California Wine Month (Statewide, California) [thru 9.30]

Flavor Palm Beach (Palm Beach, Florida) [thru 9.30]

Sydney Fringe Festival (Sydney, Australia) [thru 9.30]

Feast Days

Constantius (Costanzo) of Aquino (Christian; Saint)

Dalton (Positivist; Saint)

David Pendleton Oakerhater (Anglican Communion)

Drittel of Northumbria (Christian; Saint)

Ecclesiastical New Year (Orthodox Christian)

Edgar Rice Burroughs (Writerism)

Feast of Adjutor (Christian)

Feast of Macuilxochitl (5 Flower God; Mexico)

Festival of the Grapevines I: Ariadne (Pagan)

Felix, Donatus, Arontius, Honoratus, Fortunatus, Sabinianus, Septimus, Januarius, Vitalis, Satyrus, abd Repostius, 12 brothers (Christian; Martyrs)

Festival of Juno Regina and Jupiter Liber (Ancient Rome)

Fiacre (France, Ireland; Christian; Saint) [also 8.30]

Firminus II (Christian; Saint)

Gene Colan (Artology)

Gideon the Judge (Christian; Saint)

Giles (Christian; Saint)

Hilda Rix Nicholas (Artology)

Hobbit Remembrance Day (Pastafarian)

Jhonen Vasquez (Artology)

Loup (a.k.a. Lupus or Lew) of Sens (Christian; Saint)

Ludwig Merwart (Artology)

Nativity of Zoroaster (Starza Pagan Book of Days)

Nivard (a.k.a. Nivo; Christian; Saint)

Per Kirkeby (Artology)

Ramalamadingdong begins (Church of the SubGenius)

Sain (Celtic Book of Days)

Simeon Stylite (Eastern Orthodox)

Sixtus of Reims (Christian; Saint)

Sneeze-Wobbling Festival (Shamanism)

Soshana Afroyim (Artology)

Sweet Tater Festival (Cullman, Alabama) [thru 9.2]

Taddeo Zuccari (Artology)

Terentian (a.k.a. Terrence; Christian; Saint)

Timothy Zahn (Writerism)

The Twelve Brothers (Christian; Martyrs)

Uncle Ermisimo (Muppetism)

Verena (Christian; Saint)

Vibiana (Christian; Saint)

Yasuo Kuniyoshi (Artology)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Historically Bad Day (Germany invaded Poland, earthquakes in Iran & Japan & 8 other tragedies) [7of 11]

Taian (大安 Japan) [Lucky all day.]

Premieres

The Abominable Mountaineers, featuring Sad Cat (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1968)

Address Unknown, by Kathrine Kressmann Taylor (Novel; 1938)

The Aleph, by Jorge Luis Borges (Short Story; 1945)

Arsenic and Old Lace (Film; 1943)

The Autograph Hound (Disney Cartoon; 1939)

The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (Film; 1947)

Balloon Snatcher, featuring Astronut (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1969)

The Big Clean-Up (Hector Heathcote Cartoon; 1963)

Bye, Bye, Blackboard (Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1972)

Catching Fire, by Suzanne Collins (Novel; 2009) [#2]

Cat Happy (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1950)

The Cat’s Revenge (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1954)

The Charm Bracelet (Phantasies Cartoon; 1939)

Chocolates for Breakfast, by Pamela Moore (Novel; 1956)

Confessions of an English Opium-Eater, by Thomas De Quincey (Autobiography; 1821)

The Corrections, by Jonathan Franzen (Novel; 2001)

The Covered Pushcart (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1949)

Crank (Film; 2006)

Dames (Film; 1934)

The Discontented Canary (Happy Harmonies Cartoon; 1934)

Disguise the Limit (Modern Madcaps Cartoon; 1960)

Dr. Feelgood, by Mötley Crüe (Album; 1989)

Dug Days (Animated TV Series; 2021)

The English Patient, by Michael Ondaatje (Novel; 1992)

Ethan Frome, by Edith Wharton (Novel; 1911)

A Farewell to Arms, by Ernest Hemingway (Novel; 1929)

A Farewell to Kings, by Rush (Album; 1977)

The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins, by Dr. Seuss (Children’s Books; 1938)

Fine Feathered Friend (Noveltoons Cartoon; 1960)

The First Telephone (Hector Heathcote Cartoon; 1963)

Foxed by a Fox (Hector Heathcote Cartoon; 1963)

Git That Guitar (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1964)

The Good Scout, featuring Willie Whopper (Ub Iwerks Cartoon; 1934)

Gramps to the Rescue (Noveltoons Cartoon; 1963)

Happy Valley (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1952)

Harry Happy (Modern Madcaps Cartoon; 1963)

Hats Off to Hector (Hector Heathcote Cartoon; 1963)

Haydn String Quartets, Opus 10, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Quartets; 1785)

High Flyer (Hector Heathcote Cartoon; 1963)

Hobo’s Holiday (Noveltoons Cartoon; 1963)

Hold the Fort! (Hector Heathcote Cartoon; 1963)

Honorable Paint in the Neck, featuring Hashimoto (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1962)

Hook, Lion and Sinker (Disney Cartoon; 1950)

Honey’s Money (WB MM Cartoon; 1962)

Idiocracy (Film; 2006)

Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare (Play; 1599)

Lady and His Lamp (Noveltoons Cartoon; 1964)

Little Problems (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1951)

Lolita, by Vladimir Nabokov (Novel; 1955)

Love’s Labor Won (Mighty Mouse Cartoon; 1948)

The Mass Psychology of Fascism, by Wilhelm Reich (Political Book; 1933)

Messy Messenger (Hector Heathcote Cartoon; 1963)

Middlemarch, by George Eliot (Novel; 1871)

The Mighty Hercules (Animated TV Series; 1963)

Mouse Menace (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1953)

The Mysterious Cowboy (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1952)

The Old Man and the Sea (Short Story; 1952)

Old Mother Clobber (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1958)

Outer Galaxy Gazette, featuring Astronaut (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1964)

Outside Providence (Film; 1999)

Peculiar Penguins (Silly Symphonies Disney Cartoon; 1934)

Pitchin’ Woo at the Zoo (Fleischer/Famous Popeye Cartoon; 1944)

The Plastics Inventor (Disney Cartoon; 1944)

Prehistoric Super Salesman (Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1969)

Private Eyes, by Hall & Oates (Album; 1981)

The Prophet, by Kahlil Gibran (Poems; 1923)

The Proton Pulsator, featuring Astronut (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1970)

The Rain Drain, featuring James Hound (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1966)

Really Big Act, featuring Sidney (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1961)

Rear Window (Film; 1954)

Robot Rival (Modern Madcaps Cartoon; 1964)

A Room of One’s Own, by Virginia Woolf (Novel; 1929)

Search for a Symbol (Hector Heathcote Cartoon; 1963)

The Slap-Happy Mouse (WB MM Cartoon; 1956)

Solitary Refinement (Modern Madcaps Cartoon; 1965)

The Spy Who Came in From the Cold, by John le Carré (Novel; 1963)

Square Shooting’ Square (Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1955)

Steeple Jacks (Heckle & Jeckle Cartoon; 1951)

The Stepford Wives, by Ira Levin (Novel; 1972)

Swordfishtrombones, by Tom Waits (Album; 1983)

TikTok (Social Media App; 2016)

Trois Morceaux en Forme de Poire (Three Pieces in the Shape of a Pear), Erik Satie (Suite for Piano Four Hands; 1903)

Tropic of Cancer, by Henry Miller (Novel; 1934)

The Two Barbers (Mighty Mouse Cartoon; 1944)

The Two Ton Baby Sitter, featuring Sidney (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1960)

What a Wonderful World, by Louis Armstrong (Song; 1967)

When Worlds Collide, by Philip Wylie (Novel; 1932)

Which is Witch, featuring James Hound (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1967)

Wild Life (Heckle & Jeckle Cartoon; 1959)

The Women (Film; 1939)

Worth Dying For, 15th Jack Reacher book, by Lee Child (Novel; 2010)

You Can’t Take It with You (Film; 1938)

Today’s Name Days

Ägidius, Ruth, Verena (Austria)

Damyan, Damyana, Kozma, Kuzman, Simeon, Simona (Bulgaria)

Aron, Egidije, Estera, Jošua, Oliver, Predrag, Šimun, Tamara, Viktor (Croatia)

Jaroslava, Linda, Samuel (Czech Republic)

Ægidius, Theobaldus (Denmark)

Eha, Ehala, Hämarik, Ülar, Ülari, Ülev, Üllar, Üllart, Üllas, Üllo, Ülo (Estonia)

Aaro, Aaron, Pirkka (Finland)

Aaron, Esther, Giles, Goulwen, Jossué, Thierry (France)

Ägidius, Ruth, Verena (Germany)

Anargyros, Argyris, Antigone, Antigoni, Athena, Athina, Damianos, Kosmas, Margarita, Polynike, Polyniki, Symeon (Greece)

Annamária, Egon, Egyed, Tihamér (Hungary)

Caio, Cono, Costanzo, Egidio (Italy)

Austrums, Ilmārs, Iluta, Irisa, Imants, Ingars, Intars, Teobalds, Verena (Latvia)

Burvilė, Egidijus, Gytautas, Gytis, Julijus, Liepa, Tautrimas, Tautrimė (Lithuania)

Ask, Embla, Solveig, Solvor (Norway)

Aaron, Bogusław, Bronisław, Bronisława, Bronisz, Halina, Idzi, Klarysa, Marian, Niegosława, Teobald (Poland)

Dionisie (Romania)

Diana, Drahoslava (Slovakia)

Aarón, Arturo, Ester, Esther, Gil, Josué, Leonor, Oliverio, Simeón, Sixto (Spain)

Aron, Mirjam, Sam, Samuel (Sweden)

Debbie, Deborah, Debra, Edgar, Edgardo, Giles, Josh, Joshua, Josue, Ruth (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 245 of 2024; 121 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 7 of Week 35 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Muin (Vine) [Day 2 of 28]

Chinese: Month 7 (Ren-Shen), Day 29 (Wu-Chen)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 28 Av 5784

Islamic: 26 Safar 1446

J Cal: 5 Gold; Fryday [5 of 30]

Julian: 19 August 2024

Moon: 2%: Waning Crescent

Positivist: 21 Gutenberg (9th Month) [Watt]

Runic Half Month: Rad (Motion) [Day 10 of 15]

Season: Summer (Day 74 of 94)

Week: 1st Full Week of September

Zodiac: Virgo (Day 11 of 32)

Calendar Changes

September (Gregorian Calendar) [Month 9 of 12]

[catsofquezonprovince]

WE ARE DESPERATE! PLEASE HELP THE MONTEVIDEO DOGS REACH THEIR NEW HOME!

📍 Lucena City, Quezon Province, Philippines

For several months now, we have been searching for responsible fur parents to adopt the Montevideo Dogs. Unfortunately, we have not found anyone willing to adopt them, and as time passes, their situation becomes more dangerous, especially with their current living conditions near Sir Ken Apartment. Their safety is increasingly at risk due to potential circumstances that could arise.

We are now DESPERATE to save the Montevideo Dogs from any harm or disaster that may occur if they remain in their current situation.

⚠️ DISASTER ONE – There is a possibility that the Montevideo dogs could be taken to the City Pound in Lucena City, Quezon Province and it may become difficult for us to retrieve them from there.

⚠️ DISASTER TWO – As previously reported, there is no issue with feeding the Montevideo Dogs, as Sir Ken has been taking care of them. However, due to some recent complications with certain individuals in the building where they are staying, it has become difficult to continue providing for them. The actions of these individuals may put the dogs in danger, and we fear that they, along with Sir Ken and his other fur babies, could be harmed.

THE BEST OPTION AND THE ONLY SOLUTION WE HAVE

The solution we have in mind to ensure the safety of the Montevideo Dogs is to bring them to Santa Cruz, Laguna where Sir Ken grew up. He plans to take them to his childhood home, where they will have a safer and more peaceful environment. With the help of his sibling, Sir Ken hopes to provide them with a better quality of life, far from the threats posed by the individuals in the current building or the risk of being impounded.

To make this possible, we have launched a fundraising campaign to raise the necessary funds for their medical treatments, for the purchase and construction of dog cages to serve as their new homes, and for the travel expenses from Quezon Province to Santa Cruz, Laguna.

THE OFFICIAL DONATION DRIVE FOR MONTEVIDEO DOGS

Sir Ken’s GCash: ➡ 0950-935-9345 (WE*L KE**H T.)

PayPal: ➡ catsofquezonprovince@gmail.com

[westvalleyfaultph]

DILG to Collaborate on New Earthquake Assessment Tool for Buildings

Scan the QR code to get this post on the go. In an effort to enhance disaster preparedness, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) announced plans to develop a comprehensive tool for assessing buildings’ vulnerability to earthquakes. This initiative, spearheaded by DILG Undersecretary Marlo Iringan, aims to involve various government agencies and stakeholders, including the…

[sketalya]

psst! hey kid! I heard you like countryhumans!

I remember back when I was active in the fandom (it's still kind of a guilty pleasure fandom) I had a few things that happened to the Philippines and co:

-when Philippines is standing up right, he's Philippines, when he's upside down, he's Martial. there was this incorrect quote I wrote where he's doing cartwheels and shouting "I am Philippines! I am martial! I am Philippines! I am Martial!"

-America once injured his eye and had a cotton pad over it. Philippines wouldn't stop calling him "cotton eyed Joe"

nobody knows where he came from, or where he went.

-Indonesia has a giant fish tank at his house.

-there was this incident where the south east Asia gang showed up to the meeting building early to find a guy in a janitor's outfit and a box van trying to get into the building, they asked what he was doing, and the guy said that their boss had ordered some new chairs and he came to take the old chairs. so they decided to help him out by not only unlocking the doors for him, but also helped him load all of the chairs into his van.

Come to find out, ASEAN never ordered any new chairs, they just helped a guy steal all of their chairs.

-Cambodia lost both of her legs to a landmine and relies on the gang to carry her around.

-same year as the chair incident, at summer boot camp (which is just a glorified summer camp for Country humans) Indonesia and Vietnam got sick and tired of eating camp food and decided to go out and gather their own food.

it was a disaster, when they came back, Vietnam's arm was covered in bee stings and honey, and Indonesia somehow was able to catch a fish, but he had no way of cleaning it, or cooking it, so they just threw the fish back into the water and never complained about camp food ever again.

-same year, while discussing on how to get back on ASEAN's good graces after falling for the classic Bavarian fire drill routine with the chairs, Philippines flew off the swing set and accidentally took out ASEAN

-that was also the same year a squirrel broke into the male European countries' cabin, and sat on Italy's chest. and Italy freaked out thinking it was a rat resulting in every single country in that cabin to freak out because all European countries minus Poland and Iceland, are terrified of rats.

(Poland wasn't there because he and Hungary and Czech packed up their horses, and took an annual road trip that included horse back riding, and taking part in a medieval festival where Poland dresses up as a Winged Hussar, and Hungary goes as a Hungarian Hussar as well)

Yoo...That was a lot of headcanons and they all sounds interesting 👀✨✨✨

And the fact that you also made headcanons for countryhumans outside of ASEAN is very cool....So far I have only focused on Sea countries, especially Maphilvietindo TwT

Where in the AU I'm working on, their story focuses on their lives in a special school for nations (Which of course is not a regular school, it has a fantasy and mystery genre, and the school has some crazy things going on around it)...So yeah, it's like a school AU where the countries are the students while international organizations like ASEAN, UN, EU, NATO, and others are the teachers lol

And besides Maphilvietindo, I also made some headcanons for other Sea countries...Like Singapore who is secretly a gamer, Cambodia and Thailand who have a sibling rivalry, Brunei being the sanest person in the group, and other 😂

I made a little headcanon for other countries... Like Romania being a vampire and being friends with Bulgaria being a vampire hunter, and some other crazy headcanons

(I think this is my first time yapping about CH on my TTTE blog lol...But it's really nice talking about this TwT💖)

[usafphantom2]

IMAGES: USAF F-35 jets are the first 5ª generation fighters to land on the ally Brunei

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 05/03/2024 - 23:55in Military

The U.S. Air Force (USAF) F-35A fighters paid a visit to Brunei on March 1º, the first time that fifth-generation stealth jets landed in the small Pacific island nation.

Two F-35s made the journey from Eielson Air Base, Alaska, to Rimba Air Base, Brunei, a visit that coincided with a diplomatic visit by the Deputy Deputy Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs, Jedidiah Royal. The trip was also made by Major General Mark Weber, assistant to the National Air Guard of the PACAF commander.

Members of the Royal Air Force of Brunei, including Commander Brig. General Dato Sharif saw the aircraft, which was on static display, and asked the USAF aviators questions. The aircraft left for its return flight on March 2.

The F-35 visit took place 40 years after the U.S. officially recognized Brunei, after its independence from the United Kingdom, which took control after World War II, when the nation was occupied by Japanese imperial forces. The visit takes place at a time when the United States intends to strengthen cooperation with a wide range of allies in the Indo-Pacific.

Brunei and the U.S. signed a memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation in 1994 and have been conducting joint exercises regularly since then. The air forces of the two countries worked together in September 2023 as part of exercise Pacific Angel 23-3, focused on humanitarian assistance and humanitarian aid in disasters. As part of this exercise, the U.S. Air Force unfolded an HC130-J Combat King II, an HH-60G Pave Hawk and a C-17 Globemaster III to Brunei.

— PACAF (@PACAF) March 4, 2024

In December 2023, the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command received Brunei officials for bilateral talks that included the signing of a "Section 505 agreement," a prerequisite for the granting of military training or equipment to a foreign nation.

Although it has only 5,765 square kilometers - a little smaller than the state of Delaware in the USA - Brunei claims a slice of the South China Sea that is less than 1,600 kilometers from China. As China is its largest trading partner and foreign investor, according to the U.S. Peace Institute, Brunei has sought to "protect" its dependence on China by building a stronger relationship with the U.S., wrote researcher Sufrizul Husseini.

However, in the growing competition of great powers between the two, the U.S. wants to build ties with countries throughout the region and has used the visits of USAF fighters and bombers as one of the ways to demonstrate its commitment to the allies.

Just a year ago, for example, the U.S. Air Force F-22s were sent to the Philippines, becoming the first fifth-generation fighters in that country. In April, two B-1B Lancers bombers participated for the first time in an exercise with the Indian Air Force. And in June, a B-52 landed in Indonesia, another novelty. And in October, a B-52 landed in South Korea, the first landing of its kind in more than 30 years.

These strategic visits send a message about security cooperation and partnership aimed at deterring China from risking a broader conflict through expansion into neighboring territories.

Photos: USAF / Tech. Sgt. Eric Summers Jr.

Tags: Military AviationF-35 Lightning IIUSAF - United States Air Force / U.S. Air ForceWar Zones - Indo-Asia-Pacific

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Fernando Valduga

Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, he has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Dayton Airshow and FIDAE. He has works published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. He uses Canon equipment during his photographic work in the world of aviation.

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[thepastisalreadywritten]

Taipei, Taiwan CNN — Rescuers in Taiwan scrambled to free dozens of people trapped in highway tunnels after the island was struck by its strongest earthquake in 25 years Wednesday, killing at least nine and injuring more than 900 others.

The powerful 7.4 magnitude tremor shook the island’s east coast, hitting at 7:58 a.m. local time, 18 kilometers (11 miles) south of Hualien city and at a depth of 34.8 kilometers (21 miles), according to the US Geological Survey.

It was followed by several strong aftershocks with tremors felt across the island, including by CNN staff in the capital Taipei.

Taiwan’s National Fire Agency (NFA) said in an update on Wednesday that the death toll had risen to nine, while 934 people have been injured.

The NFA did not indicate the severity of the injuries.

Meanwhile, 75 people stranded in various tunnels in Hualien County have been rescued by emergency responders.

As of 7 a.m. Eastern Time, 137 people remain trapped.

Among those trapped were 50 employees of the Silk’s Place Hotel Taroko, who were traveling in four minibuses.

Authorities have been unable to reach them by phone and have listed them as trapped for the time being.

Two German citizens that were caught up earlier in a tunnel in Hualien County have been rescued, the NFA added.

All the deaths were in Hualien County, among them three hikers killed by falling rocks in the tourist hotspot Taroko Gorge, the NFA said.

Falling rocks also killed a truck driver in front of a tunnel on the east coast’s Suhua Highway, it added.

Reports of extensive damage have also emerged, with collapsed buildings in Hualien County, thousands of homes left without power and a major highway closed due to landslides and rockfalls, according to Taiwanese officials.

Most of those trapped are in two road tunnels in northern Hualien County, the NFA said.

Two German nationals are stranded in a third tunnel in the county, it said.

The 400-meter Jinwen Tunnel, where 60 people are trapped, is one of more than a dozen that thread the Suhua Highway, a scenic but treacherous and narrow road that runs for 118 kilometers (73 miles) along the east coast.

Meanwhile, rescuers were en route to 12 people, including two Canadians, stuck on a trail in Taroko Gorge.

Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration spokesperson warned that powerful aftershocks as high as magnitude 7 are expected to occur until the end of the week.

“There was really strong shaking… We quickly turned off the gas and electricity and opened the door. It was really strong. It felt like the house would fall down,” Taipei resident Chang Yu-lin said on CNN affiliate Taiwan Plus.

Chen Nien-tzu, also in Taipei, said, “It was really wild.”

“It’s been a long time since we’ve had an earthquake so it felt really scary,” she said on Taiwan Plus.

The quake prompted initial tsunami warnings in Taiwan, southern Japan and the Philippines, with waves less than half a meter observed along some coasts and prompting airlines to suspend flights. All tsunami warnings were later lifted.

In Taiwan, military personnel were dispatched to help with disaster relief and schools and workplaces suspended operations as aftershocks hit the island, according to the Defense Ministry.

Taiwan’s outgoing President Tsai Ing-wen said Wednesday she had ordered her administration to “immediately” get “on top of the situation and understand local impacts as soon as possible.”

Tsai also told the administration to “provide necessary assistance and work together with local governments to minimize the impact of the disaster.”

Taiwan, a self-ruled island east of mainland China, is home to about 23 million people, most of whom live in the industrialized cities of its west coast, including the capital.

The island is regularly rocked by earthquakes due to its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire, which runs around the edge of the Pacific Ocean and causes massive seismic and volcanic activity from Indonesia to Chile.

Wednesday’s quake is the strongest to hit Taiwan since 1999, according to the Central Weather Administration.

That year, a 7.7 magnitude quake hit south of Taipei, killing 2,400 people and injuring 10,000 others.

Hualien County, parts of which are mountainous and remote, is home to about 300,000 people on the island’s sparsely populated east coast.

A magnitude 6.2 quake hit near the area in 2018, killing at least 17 people and injuring more than 300 others.

Collapsed buildings, highway damaged

The full extent of the damage is still being assessed, with road and rail closures curtailing access to the quake’s epicenter in Hualien County.

More than 100 buildings were damaged across the island, the National Fire Agency said, with about half of those in Hualien County.

Search and rescue operations were ongoing Wednesday afternoon at the nine-story Uranus Building that had partially collapsed, trapping residents, Hualien County Magistrate Hsu Chen-wei told reporters.

So far, 22 people had been rescued from the building, according to the NFA.

More than 91,000 households are without electricity, according to Taiwan’s Central Emergency Command Center.

The government-operated Taipower Company is working to restore power, it added.

Footage posted on social media showed several collapsed buildings in Hualien and residents helping trapped people escape through the window of a damaged apartment complex.

The quake struck during the morning rush hour, with videos showing vehicles bouncing on a vigorously shaking highway, an overpass swaying in Taipei, and commuters struggling to stand inside a juddering Taipei metro train.

Meanwhile, video broadcast by CNN affiliate TVBS showed cellphone and security camera footage of the moment tremors struck homes and businesses across the island.

One clip showed power lines swaying violently above a street and another saw chandeliers shaking in a restaurant.

Large boulders could be seen strewn across the eastern Suhua Highway, with several tunnels broken — including one split in half, TVBS footage showed.

CNN affiliate SET News shows the front of a car smashed by fallen rocks.

Transport authorities recorded at least nine rockfalls and landslides on the highway, which has been closed to traffic.

Another highway connecting the west coast with eastern Taiwan was also damaged by falling rocks, with at least 12 cars hit and nine people injured, TVBS reported.

Tsunami waves

The quake sparked tsunami warnings across the region as authorities ordered evacuations.

In Taiwan’s Chenggong, about 100 kilometers (62 miles) south of the quake’s epicenter, waves reached almost half a meter.

The Central Weather Administration advised residents to evacuate to higher ground.

The Japan Meteorological Agency also issued a tsunami alert for the southern Miyakojima and Okinawa islands, warning of waves up to 3 meters (nearly 10 feet) high.

A 30-centimeter (nearly 1 foot) wave impacted Okinawa, the first tsunami observed there in 26 years, the agency said.

Several hours later, the US Tsunami Warning Center said the tsunami threat had “largely passed” but people in coastal areas should remain alert.

All flights from Okinawa and Kagoshima prefectures were suspended following the tsunami warnings in the area, Japan Airlines said.

Okinawa’s Naha airport resumed flights after the tsunami warning was downgraded to an advisory, airport spokesperson Hideaki Tsurudo told CNN.