Find inspiration from Immaculate Conception narrative — Marcos

BY JOSEPH PEDRAJAS

Dec 8, 2023 10:33 AM

  

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​President Marcos on Friday, Dec. 8, urged Filipinos to draw inspiration from the narrative of the Immaculate Conception in overcoming limitations.

Marcos also called on the faithful to find inspiration in gathering strength as well as to fortify their Christian faith by sharing blessings to the poor and marginalized.

"During these challenging times for our country, let us draw inspiration from the narrative of the Immaculate Conception as we overcome our limitations and draw on our strengths to see the world with grateful hearts and explore the deep meaning of our purpose in life," the President said in his message during the observance of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. 

"May this auspicious occasion allow us to fortify our Christian faith and inspire our fellow faithful to share our blessings to the poor and marginalized as a way of perpetuating peace, generosity, and kindness around us," he added.

Marcos also asked Filipinos to fervently pray for the continued guidance of the Lord Almighty and the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary for the building of the "Bagong Pilipinas" (new Philippines) that the country aspires for.

The feast of the Immaculate Conception is the belief that Mary was free of original sin from the moment of her conception.

The observance of the feast began with a Papal encyclical by Pope Pius IX when he formally defined the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, Ineffabilis Deus, on December 8, 1854.

Let’s go digital, but beware of scammers

BY MANILA BULLETIN

Dec 8, 2023 07:08 AM

  

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Nowadays, digital technology is the “in thing.”

The traditional way we live and work that we were used to may soon be of no consequence. 

And the shift to digital technology was further hastened by the Covid-19 pandemic. With governments around the world limiting movements in a bid to arrest the spread of the viral disease, everyone and everything had to turn to digital technology. We virtually lived in cyber space at the height of the pandemic — we worked, shopped, did banking transactions, and many more the digital way. 

But the convenience and efficiency that digital technology offers may have far-reaching implications — it has its advantages and disadvantages.

It has enhanced access to information and made communication more efficient. It has streamlined processes through automation, whether in business or personal concerns. Through automation, gone are the traditional manual processes. This meant less manpower. In short, digital technology has revolutionized our way of life — whether at home, at work, or in the community.

Despite its various advantages, digital technology has its own disadvantages. While it has transformed our way of life, much to our advantage, it has likewise revolutionized the way scammers and other criminal elements operate.

Breaches in our data have scaled up, more people are becoming victims of scammers — an unprecedented number never seen before the advent of technology. In the Philippines, these criminal activities intensify during special occasions, like the Christmas season.

This is why the launch of the “Holiday Watch PH” campaign on Dec. 5, 2023, is a welcome development.

The anti-scam campaign — launched by Scam Watch Pilipinas, a project of Manila Bulletin and Truth360, and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), an attached agency of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) — is an awareness initiative to help keep the public vigilant against criminal elements during the Christmas season and beyond.

In support of this public awareness drive, we are sharing the “12 scams of Christmas” discussed at the launch of the Holiday Watch PH campaign.

The 12 scams of Christmas are: fake shipping or delivery notification, which involves emails or text messages that appear to come from legitimate shipping companies that seek personal information such as addresses and phone numbers; fake online charity scam used to solicit donations via messages or emails; fake shopping websites which tempts would-be victims to links used for phishing; fake online sellers seeking payment in advance and not delivering goods paid for; free trial scams; fake Christmas gift card schemes; tech support scams; investment schemes that seek processing fees; cryptocurrency scam; foreign exchange investment scams that promise high returns; dating scams in which scammers seek monetary considerations; and loan scams promising quick cash. 

Now, let’s all go digital but remain vigilant so you won’t fall prey to scammers and other criminal elements.
 

Does German have English words?

 

Steven Haddock

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In one of the strangest examples of linguistic divergence in history, English, which is based on old German, has pretty much completely diverged from German to the point where only basic vocabulary terms are shared. Although most of the most common 5,000 English words are based on old German (including Mouse, House and Hound), when you get to vocabulary that developed after about 1100 C.E., the two vocabularies diverge wildly.

That’s largely because German and other languages based on it (the Scandinavian ones) form new words by compounding - taking existing words and stitching them together.

Swine + Flesh = Swineflesh

But English stopped doing that for new words and started introducing French words into its vocabulary

Old French Porc = Middle English Pork.

Well into the 20th century, this trend continued

Collar + Bone = Collarbone (German)

Latin Clavicle = Modern English Clavicle.

But this made many German words unwieldy.

Stroke + Screw = Strokescrew (German)

Greek Spiral + Wing = English Helicopter

Nature + Shaft = Natureshaft (German)

Latin Knowledge = English Science

As such, German has replaced some of its vocabulary with English where it’s easier (like “telephon”). However, it’s rare and rather scattershot. There might be just over a hundred English words that have been commonly incorporated into the language. Unfortunately, they don’t always mean the same thing:

HANDY - English adjective meaning “convenient”. German uses it as a noun for a mobile phone (i.e. like “cell” or “mobile”)

OLDTIMER - English for “elderly person”. German for “Classic Automobile”.

SMOKING - English for “using cigarette, cigar or pipe”. German for “Dinner Jacket” or “Tuxedo”. In English, a “Smoking Jacket” is quite different - a thick jacket designed to keep smoke off your clothes.

BODYBAG - English for a bag used to store dead bodies. In German, it’s a large messenger bag that’s slung over the shoulder with a single strap.

SHOOTINGSTAR - Informal English for “meteor”. German for “suddenly famous person”.

PUBLIC VIEWING - English for “private property that is available for public display, such as a house for sale”. In German it’s “large television screen in a public place.