Teh interesting (non-PHL-related) news stub thread

[Twin-Skies]

Cheese Placement: SERIOUS BUSINESS

http://www.buzzfeed.com/rebeccae/subway-...cheese-nzp

Internet victory, indeed!

---

O_O

Massive Sinkhole Opens in Guatemala City

Well, this is terrifying. After a weekend of heavy rain brought on by tropical storm Agatha, the Guatemalan government posted this picture of a giant sinkhole that opened without warning in the country’s capital of Guatemala City.

The sinkhole, which runs some 200 ft. deep, swallowed a three-story building and left one man missing when it opened on Sunday, according to the Daily Mail. Some 146 people have died across Central America in the wake of Agatha’s landfall, with Guatemala reporting the bulk of the casualties. Sinkholes like this, while frightening, didn’t cause most of the deaths — mudslides loosed by the downpour buried many in and around the capital.

I can't shake the feeling that I've seen that somewhere before...

<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Y3EC_V9A-rw&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Y3EC_V9A-rw&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

Oh shit...

Galactus is here!!!

[Grim]

Well, this is pretty riveting.

Woman Says Citibank Fired Her Because She Was Too Hot

Debrahlee Lorenzana is filing a lawsuit against Citibank because they fired her, she says, for the strangest reason: she's too hot.

She's 5'5'', 125 pounds and well, you've seen her photo.

"Where I'm from," she told the Village Voice, "women dress up—like put on makeup and do their nails—to go to the supermarket... I was raised very Latin. We're feminine. A woman in Puerto Rico takes care of herself."

Her bosses told her that "as a result of the shape of her figure, such clothes were purportedly 'too distracting' for her male colleagues and supervisors to bear," she says.

[Her two male] managers gave her a list of clothing items she would not be allowed to wear: turtlenecks, pencil skirts, and fitted suits. And three-inch heels.

The recent developments in the case make it more lol-worthy.

[NiX]

http://www.ifitwasmyhome.com/

Neat little site that shows you the scale of the oil spill by letting you place the spill anywhere on the globe. The spread is enough to cover 3/4s of Luzon.

-----

edit: To be fair, that lady truly is attractive.

[Hempire]

I guess we're gonna wear gas masks.....

[NiX]

Gary Coleman, dead.

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/cele...index.html

Epic display of "love" and "competence" by the wife.

[Sforza]

One more reason to completely lose hope that the Philippines will ever turn into a proper democratic country.

House fails to ratify Freedom of Information Act

The House of Representatives failed to ratify the Freedom of Information bill Friday after the chamber failed to muster a quorum.

Speaker Prospero Nograles adjourned the session after a roll call showed only 128 lawmakers present. At least 135 congressmen are needed for a quorum.

“Under the rules, we can’t transact business if we don’t have a quorum, and we have to adjourn sine die and proceed to closing ceremony,” Speaker Nograles said

From Ces Drilon's Twitter:

http://tweetphoto.com/25495777 There were a lot of angry and frustrated tears outside the halss of congress. The FOI advocates were in shock!

Transparency network members weep at twelve years of work down the drain. http://tweetphoto.com/25490717

[Shintetsu]

That's just dumb. Like not having class because you need at least 40/50 people in class and you have 35. Fucking dumb.

Classes are easy to re-take. 12 years of work is literally a lifetime in today's standards. What the hell is this congress I don't even

[Sforza]

Well, this isn't really "news" type of news, but it's relevant to the interests of a few people here I'm sure!

Control Impulse Spending with the 30 Day Rule

The 30-day rule is a simple method to control impulse spending. Here’s how it works:

1. Whenever you feel the urge to splurge — whether it’s for new shoes, a new videogame, or a new car — force yourself to stop. If you’re already holding the item, put it back. Leave the store.

2. When you get home, take a piece of paper and write down the name of the item, the store where you found it, and the price. Also write down the date.

3. Now post this note someplace obvious: a calendar, the fridge, a bulletin board. (I use a text file on my computer.)

4. For the next thirty days, think whether you really want the item, but do not buy it.

5. If, at the end of a month, the urge is still there, then consider purchasing it. (But do not use credit to do so.)

That’s all there is to it. But it’s surprisingly effective. The 30-day rule works especially well because you aren’t actually denying yourself — you’re simply delaying gratification. This rule has another advantage: it gives you a chance to research the item you want to purchase. This can save you from grief.

[Fox]

Relevant to me. Natamaan ako dun ah.

[wildheart]

nice article I agree on that one.
lalo na pag natutukso na kong bumili...

[Grim]

Control Impulse Spending with the 30 Day Rule

Cool! Never thought of it that way.

Although if there's a sale and the savings to be made are substantial, I'm still buying the item on the spot. I guess that works for me since I only really shop when I need to, anyway.

[clonezero]

So far only thr one piece of news I know that concerns me is the tension building up north.

About the deliberate sinking of a S.Korean warship.

Funny its not getting coverage considering its a possible sparking point for a war not to mention a nuclear one.

Though morbid as it is I am curious as to what kind of show the M.A.D. treaty would be once invoked

[Sforza]

So far only thr one piece of news I know that concerns me is the tension building up north.

About the deliberate sinking of a S.Korean warship.

Funny its not getting coverage considering its a possible sparking point for a war not to mention a nuclear one.

Though morbid as it is I am curious as to what kind of show the M.A.D. treaty would be once invoked

It's not getting coverage because it's not the first time the north has done it. The do it every now and then to remind their neighbors that they exist, and that they need to be given aid. Kim Jong-il may also be preparing to pass power on to his son, because he's been sick for a while. The general consensus is that there's going to be a lot of talking at the UN security council, which may or may not result in sanctions.

The south will not go to war because of the possible destruction to its infrastructure. They don't want to take in the northerners.

China does not want to go to war because it doesn't want to take in refugees from the north, and the effect on its growing economic output will be disastrous.

US does not want to go to war because it's busy with the middle east, and China is an important business partner.

It also got pushed out of the news because of Israel commandeering an aid vessel bound for Gaza and killing aid workers onboard. That's more news worthy.

[Twin-Skies]

^

Regarding that:

Israel is trying to justify the attack by claiming that bullet proof vests, gas masks, and NVGs were among the items found on the Gaza-bound aid ships.

http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=177169

Bullet-proof vests and gas masks I can understand, given how often the people in Gaza are shot at, and how little they bathe, but what the hell are they going to need NVGs for?

Still, this angle isn't that clear yet either.

[Sforza]

Bullet-proof vests and gas masks I can understand, given how often the people in Gaza are shot at, and how little they bathe, but what the hell are they going to need NVGs for?

Still, this angle isn't that clear yet either.

They might have expected to be boarded, or...

Diaries from Gaza, Life in Darkness

Daily power cuts in Gaza, resulting from the Israeli blockade, mean that Palestinians must now use cheap generators in their attempt to carry on with daily life. Today I will write about this problem in my diary.

Electricity is distributed in Gaza according to a schedule. It is a time table that ensures each area gets its share of electricity every day. A number of factors cause the power cuts. Israel’s refusal to give sufficient fuel is the main reason followed by the malfunctioning of distribution lines and the terrible condition of the electric network that was badly damaged during Israel’s war on Gaza last winter.

Electricity is distributed in Gaza by the Gaza Electricity Distribution Company which receives its power from three sources: Egypt which supplies to areas in Rafah; Israel which supplies electricity to eastern Gaza; and the power station in Gaza City that generates and supplies power to most of the areas in Gaza Strip.

...Maybe it was just to be able to walk around at night and not get shot at by Israeli patrols?

In any case, Gaza is a man made humanitarian disaster zone courtesy of Israel. In a way, it's a medieval castle siege situation where the invaders outwait the defenders. I can start discussing the many human rights violations at length because I did research on it for school in the past, but this probably isn't the thread for it.