North Korea’s failed missile test sparks worldwide condemnation

Against the resolutions of the United Nations (UN,) the North Korean government went ahead of the launching of a missile test that fizzled out in the Pacific Ocean. According to Pyongyang, the missile was supposed to be a satellite, but the outside world believed it was an experiment of a weapon technology that can threaten US territories like Alaska and Hawaii.

The United States Command which observed the launch from the Pacific said the “satellite” was a failure, but the rogue government of Kim Jong II was celebratory—insisting that the launch went well.

“Given the volatility in the region, as well as a stalemate in interaction among the concerned parties, such a launch is not conducive to efforts to promote dialogue, regional peace and stability,”— Ban Ki-moon, the UN Secretary General Ban. Telegraph.co.uk (04/05/09, Foster, P)

The criticism and disappointment of Ban with North Korea is shared by US President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown who asserted North Korea’s action was “completely unacceptable.” Gordon said Pyongyang’s communist regime, a threat to world peace and security, must stop the testing and proliferation of nuclear weapons. Japan’s ambassador to the U.N., Yukio Takasu condemned the launch “a clear crime” versus U.N. Security Council demands that posed a grave threat to Japan.

The rocket launch was a violation of international agreements. The United Nations in New York went for an emergency meeting to thresh out ways (other than condemnation) to respond to the provocative action. However, it is doubtful if the world’s body of nations has the effective teeth to discipline a dangerous nation like North Korea. Since December last year, diplomatic talks on nuclear control with North Korea, Japan, China, South Korea, Russia and the US (Six Party talks) have been not pushed through. (Photo Credit: Eric Lafforgue x 2 )=0=

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Soup Kitchen Project in Penafrancia Parish

To help feed the poor residents of Naga City a group of church-goers of the Penafrancia Shrine bonded together to set up a soup kitchen. The weekly project supported by donations from friends and benefactors started last March 21, 2009 with indigents of Liboton, Penafrancia and San Felipe as recipients.

The humanitarian activity which aims to supplement the nutrition of the poor is spearheaded by Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Gerry Hernandez who serves as the spiritual director. Volunteers include Dulce de Guzman as president, Joan Padillo, secretary-treasurer; Helen Juanillo auditor; Capt. Roland Villanueva, Tony and Edna Amparado, Pacing Oriño, Josie Lumangaya, Naty Virata, Eden Agravante, Lolit de Jesus, Mameng Roñosa and Shirley Mendoza, members. (Photo Credit: Princesse_Laya) =0=

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1,310 hurdle bar tests

Of the 6,364 aspiring lawyers who took the September 2008 examinations at De la Salle University at Taft, Avenue, Manila, 1,310 passed. The successful examinees account for 20.58% of those who sat for the test.

With highest score of 85.7%, Judy A. Lardizabal who leads her class of law graduates in San Sebastian College leads as the bar topnotcher of the 108th exams. The new lawyers are expected to boost the function of the judicial system which badly needs improvement.

The list of passers is in: http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph (Photo Credit: bynthuyrpro)

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RP listed by G20 as an uncooperative tax haven

The G20 finance ministers and central bank governors who convened in London yesterday came up with countries which don’t comply with the international openness demanded to halt the shady banking secrecy practices which works against the world economy— by spuriously affecting the value of global assets.

Philippines, Uruguay, Chile, and Malaysian Territory of Labuan were blacklisted by the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) for failure to follow rules on financial transparency. The citation makes these countries among those which provide cover for tax avoiders who hide money from their home countries. Tax avoidance helps weaken the economy of the world especially those of the poor countries.

The incompatibility of the current Philippine laws to the international agreements is blamed for non-compliance. Faced with possible sanctions, the government is just about to work on reconciling local laws —something it should have done much earlier.

In 2001, Republic Act 9160, a money laundering law was passed, but was quickly revised to give protection to corrupt individuals who stash money away to avoid taxation.(Photo Credit: London Summit) =0=

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14 dead in a shooting spree in Binghamton, New York

“Our prayers are certainly with the family members. I know it was at the American Civic Society. I have a lot of very, very close and dear friends there.” —Sen. Thomas Libous, Binghamton-R http://www.pressconnects.com/article/20090403/ (04/03/09)

For reasons that were not yet known, a man of Asian descent opened fire in a civic center for immigrants and refugees in Binghamton, a quiet town in the Southern tier of New York. Thirty seven (37) people managed to scamper out of the building where citizenship classes and English language training were held. At least 13 others died in a 3 minute shooting spree on Friday morning, April 3, 2009. Armed with pistol, the mysterious gunman was found among the dead presumably by self-inflicted wounds.

There were at least 5 wounded survivors including a Chinese student were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment. Apartments and schools close to the place where the bloodbath occured were evacuated.

From the ID found in the crime scene, the suspected killer was Linh Phat Voong, 42, of Johnson City, New York. Police are still trying to determine if the ID truly matches the real identity of the person responsible for killings. The premeditated massacre which is still being investigated is just one among the five mass slayings that occurred in US recently. (Photo Credit: DJP7) =0=

UPDATE: April 4, 2009: Before the bloodbath, the Vietnamese gunman was distraught because of poor English skills and job loss.

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14 dead in a shooting spree in Binghamton, New York

“Our prayers are certainly with the family members. I know it was at the American Civic Society. I have a lot of very, very close and dear friends there.” —Sen. Thomas Libous, Binghamton-R http://www.pressconnects.com/article/20090403/ (04/03/09)

For reasons that were not yet known, a man of Asian descent opened fire in a civic center for immigrants and refugees in Binghamton, a quiet town in the Southern tier of New York. Thirty seven (37) people managed to scamper out of the building where citizenship classes and English language training were held. At least 13 others died in a 3 minute shooting spree on Friday morning, April 3, 2009. Armed with pistol, the mysterious gunman was found among the dead presumably by self-inflicted wounds.

There were at least 5 wounded survivors including a Chinese student were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment. Apartments and schools close to the place where the bloodbath occured were evacuated.

From the ID found in the crime scene, the suspected killer was Linh Phat Voong, 42, of Johnson City, New York. Police are still trying to determine if the ID truly matches the real identity of the person responsible for killings. The premeditated massacre which is still being investigated is just one among the five mass slayings that occurred in US recently. (Photo Credit: DJP7) =0=

UPDATE: April 4, 2009: Before the bloodbath, the Vietnamese gunman was distraught because of poor English skills and job loss.

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ICRC worker Mary Jean Lacaba freed by Abu Sayyaf bandits

After 78 days in captivity, Filipina hostage Mary Jean Lacaba has been freed by the Abu Sayyaf kidnappers. The fates of two of her companions, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) humanitarian workers Andreas Notter of Switzerland and Eugenio Vagni of Italy are not known.

Though Alain Aeschlimann, regional operations chief for the ICRC, disclosed he doesn’t have information on the condition of the two other hostages, Foreign Minister of Italy Franco Frattini was reported to have said the two hostages are alive.

Thirty-seven year old Lacaba who endured the hostage ordeal since her abduction on January 15, 2009 was abandoned by the Islamic extremists on April 2, 2009. The ICRC worker was fetched in Barangay Palig in the border of Indanan and Parang at about 7 P.M. and was brought to a hospital for evaluation and treatment.

The release of Lacaba comes when government authorities prepare to evacuate an estimated 21,000 residents who may be caught in a crossfire if confrontations between the bandits and the military forces occur. (Photo Credit: AFP/ ICRC) =0=

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ICRC worker Mary Jean Lacaba freed by Abu Sayyaf bandits

After 78 days in captivity, Filipina hostage Mary Jean Lacaba has been freed by the Abu Sayyaf kidnappers. The fates of two of her companions, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) humanitarian workers Andreas Notter of Switzerland and Eugenio Vagni of Italy are not known.

Though Alain Aeschlimann, regional operations chief for the ICRC, disclosed he doesn’t have information on the condition of the two other hostages, Foreign Minister of Italy Franco Frattini was reported to have said the two hostages are alive.

Thirty-seven year old Lacaba who endured the hostage ordeal since her abduction on January 15, 2009 was abandoned by the Islamic extremists on April 2, 2009. The ICRC worker was fetched in Barangay Palig in the border of Indanan and Parang at about 7 P.M. and was brought to a hospital for evaluation and treatment.

The release of Lacaba comes when government authorities prepare to evacuate an estimated 21,000 residents who may be caught in a crossfire if confrontations between the bandits and the military forces occur. (Photo Credit: AFP/ ICRC) =0=

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Jaja Bolivar—A Rising Bicolana Talent of Adobo Nation & Hollywood

Nini Ragragio who celebrates her birthday on April 1, 2009, has been a friend and neighbor in Bagumbayan Street, Naga City. (Happy Birthday, LRB!) For more than 35 years, I lost track of her until I learned (to my pleasant surprise) of her smart baby who graduated in UP, many years after I left. Her name is Angela (Jaja) Bolivar, a pretty and talented young Filipina with an earthy brown expressive face and bubbly laughter. She is now a lifestyle magazine TV host for the Adobo Nation. She extends her warm regards to her fans and friends!

With an unbridled passion for life, an artistic bent, and a lot of love to share, Jaja agreed to bring us one of her exciting musings—a glimpse of her experiences before she came to the scintillating world of Hollywood. Apart from her appearances in the Filipino Channel which air worldwide every Sunday at 6:40 PM Pacific Time, Jaja is a dazzling gem to watch on KTSF (USA) and ANC in Manila. A member of UP Harong and friend of UP Ibalon, the glowing warm lady from Bicol who inspires pride can be reached at:

http: //profile.friendster.com/13125590
freespiritjaja@yahoo.com;
jajabolivar.multiply.com;
myspace.com/jajabolivar
talentola.com
http://www.facebook.com(Jaja Bolivar)
http://www.facebook.com(lilian Mae Bolivar)

Musings of a lady on her way to Hollywood
by Jaja R. Bolivar

today, i officially signed in with The Talent House SF!

after being represented by talentola in Southern California, i had longed to be represented again by an agency, this time, here in san francisco. and today, my wish came true. i am now with the talent house sf.

YES!

it’s really not that easy to get an agency to represent you. first of all, there are lots of talents out there sending out their submissions just so these agencies could give them one bit of a chance to meet with them. secondly, with the numerous faces and talents they come across with, how on earth will you “stand out” such that these agencies would like to get you to be one of their talents?!

entertainment is a hella crazy world. and like what my professors used to say in college, even if you are on tv, “you are only as good as your last show!”. true enough, i’d had a lot of those moments where i am already supposedly a regular of this series and then the next thing i know, they axed me out on the script. i’m not doing the show anymore. but see, it happens all the time to all actors and performers. nobody is exempt from rejections and failures in this industry.

going back to the agent meeting today, the agent asked me what i had been up to. i told her about my tv show and other mainstream stuff i’d been doing in and out of the city. she then asks me to deliver the monologue that i prepared. i chose a comedic monologue from romy and michelle’s high school reunion and i would say, i kinda messed up ‘coz i was nervous. hahahaa! i always get high strung and over-the-top delivering the first few lines (which works to my disadvantage ‘coz casters don’t care. once you’re on, you’re on and there’s no turning back on the material)…

so anyways, she suggests a cold read of this monologue from the movie, as good as it gets. she explains the scenario and asks me to leave the room and study it for a few minutes. after about ten minutes, she gets back to me. i deliver the lines in front of her. and right when i finish the last line of the piece, she goes,

“i would love to represent you.” you definitely have a lot going for you.

that’s it. done deal. love ettt!

so that pretty much made my day today. after that, on my way home at about 3:30 pm, i passed by the marina and marvelled at the private yachts. the weather was charming. i sat in one of those benches and ate my chinese food that had been sitting in the car for two hours.

oh! and i met this man while i was taking pictures of the scenery on my iphone. he said he was from israel. he told me i was beautiful and i thanked him for the compliment. we ended up chatting about his life story. he said he is based in chicago and travels back and forth to cali, france, singapore and all these other countries. he seemed like a busy, well off man. what’s interesting is that he shared his life story to me as if we were this instantaneous friends, hehe. i get that a lot, though. people open up to me easily, maybe because each person simply likes to be heard. it’s great to listen because i get to learn from other people’s stories. people, in general, amaze me. regarding his life, i would say his story is quite out of the ordinary. but then again, whose life isn’t? anyways, after living in the the philippines and being in this industry, nothing shocks me anymore. oh, and of course i asked him what he thought about the israel-gaza war. he said that he used to fight for the israel army and that while he is a peace-loving man, he is undoubtedly in favor of it.

so that’s how my day went.

life’s simple pleasures nourish me. (Photo Credits: J. R. Bolivar) =0=

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Life on a balance: hostages can’t rely on the government for help?

For more than two months , Filipinos were asked to wait for the rescue of the three International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) workers, but it appears nothing tangible has come out of the attempts to free the hostages

Ramon Casiple, director of the Institute for Political and Economic Reform says the government is handling the hostage crisis badly. He speaks of “bumbling” and the lack of cohesive plan to rescue the hostages that even the military admits.

“A disgusted Marines officer hit the government for its alleged weakness in handling the hostage crisis and choosing negotiations over the military option. He said the military stands to get the blame if something bad happens to the hostages.”—Malaya (04/02/09, Reyes, V)

After a skirmish that claimed the life of 3 soldiers and wounded 19 more, the rescue of Filipina Mary Jean Lacaba, Swiss Andreas Notter, and Italian Eugenio Vagni from the hideous Al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf bandits have met a perilous impasse. No reliable word about their fates are known after the deadline on Tuesday, March 31, 2009. The Abu Sayyaf extremists’ demand that government military personnel leave the area has not been met.

Now, it is a fearful wait and see. Filipinos are told the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) soldiers are cordoning the forest where the hostages and their kidnappers are holed. Is it a preparation to attack the Abu Sayyaf’s position and free the hostages?

Those who know what transpired in the deaths of hostages Guillermo Sobero, Deborah Yap, and Martin Burnham can only hope for the best. The innocent humanitarian ICRC workers don’t merit the inhuman treatment from Abu Sayyaf. So too are the unnamed captives who languish in the bandit’s lair. The government rescue plan, branded as inutile, must do better to save them. (Photo Credit: Charlie Saceda x 2) =0=

UPDATE: Apri 2, 2009 reports suggest that the kidnappers have abandoned their position and splintered into groups in anticipation for a rescue operation. The condition of the three ICRC kidnapped victims are so far unknown.

RELATED BLOGS: “Abu Sayyaf extremists warn of beheading ICRC captives” Posted by mesiamd at 3/31/2009; “Hostage takers now demand $10 million ransom” Posted by mesiamd at 2/09/2009

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