If you don't like something, change it; If you can't change it, change your attitude. AUGUST 6, 2015
@airsoft31 in #palaceoffinearts#sanfrancisco#machoman 😙 AUGUST 10, 2015
#moab#utah#hikingadventures SEPTEMBER 28, 2016
Best hike so far 😆 #justaceleague in Utah #hiking#hikingadventures #love #trip #utah #moab@airsoft31 — with Justin Brooks in Moab, Utah.SEPTEMBER 27, 2015
Back to cold reality. 😭 — in Colorado Springs, Colorado. NOVEMBER 24, 2015
Colorado, you are one sexy beast! 😍😎🌄 Haven't explored the neighborhood since we moved. I'm in awe. 😍#morningjog — in Colorado Springs, Colorado.MARCH 29, 2016
Glad to have hiked this hidden gem. What an astounding view! 😊☺😍 At the elevation of almost 8,000 ft, it literally takes your breath away. 😂☺ Photo credit: @alphabetboi_ — at Seven Bridges Trail. JUNE 29,2016
Oral Arguments on Former President Ferdinand E. Marcos Burial Case - PM
G.R. No. 225973 (Saturnino C. Ocampo, Trinidad H. Repuno, Bienvenido Lumbera, Bonifacio P. Ilagan, Neri Javier Colmenares, Maria Carolina P. Araullo, M.D., Samahan ng Ex-Detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto [SELDA], represented by Dionito Cabillas, Carmencita M. Florentino, Rodolfo Del Rosario, Felix C. Dalisay, Danilo M. Dela Fuente vs. Rear Admiral Ernesto C. Enriquez [in his capacity as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Reservist and Retiree Affairs, Armed Forces of the Philippines], The Grave Services Unit [Philippine Army] and General Ricardo R. Visaya [in his capacity as the Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines], Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Heirs of Ferdinand E. Marcos, represented by his surviving spouse, Imelda Romualdez Marcos).-Acting on the Petition for Certiorari and Prohibition with Urgent Prayer for the Issuance of a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) and/or Writ of Preliminary Injunction dated August 12, 2016 filed by the aforementioned petitioners.
The Chilling Reason Why More Than 1,900 People Have Died In The Philippines
Rodrigo Duterte has only been in office eight weeks, but his presidency has already been a bloody one for the Philippines.
Elected in May, the 71-year-old Duterte coasted to victory on his tough-on-crime record and his inflammatory rhetoric, as well as his pledge to rid the country of drug dealers and criminals. It’s a promise he’s been keeping — with deadly repercussions.
In an address, Duterte announces a 2 million pesos ($43,000) bounty for each police officer who are protecting drug lords in his unrelenting anti-illegal drugs campaign that saw close to 2,000 killed since he took office June 30. CREDIT: AP Photo/Bullit Marquez
More than 1,900 people have been killed since Duterte took office. Many of those executions have been carried out via the Philippine National Police (PNP), who have aggressively worked to locate and punish all individuals linked to the movement of drugs under the president’s new anti-crime agenda. But vigilantes, empowered by Duterte’s rhetoric and call for citizen action, have also taken matters into their own hands, with staggering results. While the PNP have been responsible for approximately 712 deaths, individual citizens have been linked to 1,067.
Like its neighboring countries, the Philippines have struggled with the drug trade and the violence it brings for many years. Particularly prevalent is crystal methamphetamine, better known in the Philippines as “shabu.” The drug is easily made and cheap, something that heightens its appeal for low-wage laborers and other struggling citizens. A 2012 U.N. report found that the Philippines had the highest rate of shabu usage of any country in the region, and also served as a central source of drugs for neighboring nations. Even within the country, some cities have been hit harder than others. According to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, more than 92 percent of districts in Manila are impacted by drug use — the highest in the country.
Faced with a crippling drug epidemic and no end in sight, it is unsurprising that many citizens found a hero in Duterte, who promised quick results and brought with him a record of no-nonsense anti-crime vigilance.
Duterte previously served as mayor of Davao City, an urban hub on the southern island of Mindanao, and took a hard stance on the city’s struggle with drugs. Davao “death squads” popped up under his leadership,ultimately killing more than a thousand people during his time in office. Believed to have been backed and encouraged by Duterte, they targeted individuals perceived as having any ties to crime and drugs. While accumulating a disconcerting body count, these vigilantes did help to curtail drug-related crime in Davao, something that Duterte emphasized during his presidential campaign.
Eliminating the drug trade was at the center of Duterte’s candidacy. “We will not stop until the last drug lord… and the last pusher have surrendered or are put either behind bars or below the ground, if they so wish,” Duterteproclaimed in his inaugural address to the country.
But Duterte’s approach is drastic. In addition to encouraging police to crack down hard on suspected drug dealers, the president has also called upon private citizens to do the same. “Please feel free to call us, the police, or do it yourself if you have the gun — you have my support,” he told viewers in a televised speech shortly after his election. “Shoot…[dealers] and I’ll give you a medal.”
While the image of a dealer may conjure up a figure with power, the majority of those who wind up being targeted are the same low-income workers who fall prey to drug consumption in the first place. Often hunted down at night and killed in urban areas, like the sprawling metropolis offered by Manila, their bodies are left for passers-by to discover the following day — bodies that are piling up with greater regularity.
For one thing, the figures notably do not include any deaths recorded between Duterte’s election and his inauguration. For another, it is difficult to determine just how many of the deaths directly correlate to the drug war — something that makes the high death toll all the more ominous.The most recent numbers about the nearly 2,000 people who have been killed were given at a press conference held on August 22, where PNP Chief Ronald dela Rosa briefed the Philippine Senate on the progress of the anti-drug agenda to date. Still, there are a few caveats regarding the current statistics.
Five-year-old Danica May Garcia is an especially tragic example of the Filipino people affected by Duterte’s policies. Garcia was killed by two vigilantes looking for her grandfather, who had reportedly surrendered to police earlier after learning he was suspected of dealing drugs. Caught in the crossfire, the younger Garcia was shot by the intruders, to the devastation of her family.
Stories like Danica Garcia’s are becoming more and more common under Duterte, but they are doing little to dim his popularity. The president enjoys enormous support from Filipinos, who appreciate his blunt manner and aggressive outlook on problems that have long troubled the country. Shabu is blamed for much of the poverty and violence that hangs over the Philippines, and residents are excited by the prospect of a leader willing to tackle the problem aggressively. They also enjoy Duterte’s colorful character, something that hasn’t gone over well abroad. The president is a hotrod, known for inflammatory and controversial statements as much as for his policies. He famously dismissed his daughter as a “drama queen” when she spoke out about her sexual assault, and once threatened to kill a smuggler, saying he would gladly go to prison if it meant being allowed to murder a criminal.
Popularity abroad doesn’t seem to be very high on Duterte’s priority list. The same anti-crime rhetoric that has made him so adored in the Philippines has done little to endear him elsewhere.
The United States, though working to preserve ties with the Philippines as it eyes China’s movements in the South China Sea, has expressed concern over Duterte’s attitude toward human rights. The U.N. has also issued a sharp rebuke to Manila, calling for an end to extrajudicial killings and abuses. Duterte’s response? A widely-covered news conference during which the inflammatory leader suggested that the Philippines might leave the U.N., while emphasizing his lack of regard for the international community’s censure.
Presidential terms in the Philippines are six years long, which means that Duterte will have a significant amount of time to carry out his aggressive agenda. At a news conference held last week, Duterte made clear that he intends to take advantage of this timeline. “This fight against drugs will continue to the last day of my term,” he assured voters.
Death and deception in the District: The death of Alonzo Smith was a mysterious one that left many people asking questions. His killing can be traced back to a secretive private police force -- one that's killing people in our nation's capital.Meanwhile... The DEA is restricting access to drugs that could help recovering addicts. In happier news, Floridians are increasingly supportive of solar power. And, another white cisgender man has been cast as a transwoman, part of a disappointing and enduring trend in Hollywood. And, before you go: 1900 people have died in the Philippines...and the reason why is chilling.
Special police officers like the two that killed Alonzo are not quite full police officers, however they’re more than security guards. They are a private police force, empowered to make arrests and carry guns. But because they work for private contractors and not public agencies, their actions are often shrouded in mystery.
Biking cross-country through rough terrain may mean that access to fresh, drinkable water may be limited. But what if there was a device that could "pull" moisture from the air and transform it into drinking water? That's the idea behind Austrian designer Kristof Retezár's Fontus, a "self-filling" water bottle that can make water out of thin air.
The solar-powered bike accessory uses a Peltier Element to generate water. It's essentially a cooler with two chambers that facilitates condensation, and takes in air as the bike moves, which is then slowed and cooled down by barriers that allows it to condense and form water, which is channelled and collected in the bottle.
According to The Huffington Post, the gadget can produce 0.5 liters of water in an hour, and works best when temperatures are around 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit) and humidity is around 50 percent. Of course, the Fontus wouldn't be suitable in urban areas where there might be polluting particulates in the air. Though there is a filter to keep bugs out of the condensed water, there isn't one for contaminants, yet.
But Retezár has bigger visions for such a design, and believes that it can be used in water-scarce regions, especially as climate change begins to change global precipitation patterns:
Fontus can be applied in two different areas. Firstly, it may be interpreted as a sporty bicycle accessory. Useful on long bike tours, the constant search for freshwater sources such as rivers and gas stations can cease to be an issue since the bottle automatically fills itself up. Secondly, it might be a clever way of acquiring freshwater in regions of the world where groundwater is scarce but humidity is high. Experiments suggest that the bottle could harvest around 0.5 L water in one hour's time in regions with high temperature and humidity values.
SEE BELOW FOR THE 1001STTIME THE REITERATION OF DEMAND PAYMENT OF RETIREMENT PAY WHICH SHELL REFUSED TO HONOR IN THE PRESENCE AND DEEMED APPROVAL OF THE HONORABLE MAGISTRATES OF THE SUPREME COURT OF THE PHILIPPINES
