The most active volcano in The Philippines ...

By Kristine Phillips, Washington Post January 22 at 12:08 PM 

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Watch: White hot lava spews from Mayon volcano

Footage captured by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology shows lava fountains shooting out of the Mayon volcano on the night of Jan. 21.(Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology)

Thousands of Filipino families have been evacuated in the Philippine province of Albay as the country’s most active volcano inches toward a possibly major eruption.

A thick gray cloud of ash billowed high above the summit of Mount Mayon on Monday, when officials raised the alert level to four, an indication that a hazardous eruption is imminent. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the volcano has been “exhibiting increased seismic unrest, lava fountaining and summit explosions.” The agency also has extended what it calls the “danger zone” to an eight-kilometer radius (nearly five miles) from the volcano’s vent.

Footage captured by the agency showed bright orange lava fountains shooting out of the volcano’s summit Sunday night.

Renato Solidum, the agency’s director, described two possible scenarios during a news conference Monday. Mayon will either continue to ooze lava with small eruptions in between — like what happened in 2006 and 2009 — or we’re seeing the early stages of a major, and far more catastrophic, blast or pyroclastic flow, a deadly combination of hot lava blocks, pumice, ash and volcanic gas that barrels down a volcanic slope and can devastate residential areas.

[Bali volcano has a history of explosive eruptions and global climate impacts]

Compounding the threat is what’s called lahar, a potentially deadly mud flow of volcanic material that can happen even without a major explosion. Solidum said heavy rain could drive mudflow in the region and cause landslides near already swollen bodies of water.

Romina Marasigan, spokeswoman for the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, told reporters last week that nearly 8,300 families — or more than 34,000 people — in Albay have been moved to 30 evacuation centers. These include families in areas far from the danger zone but who could be affected by mudflow. Marasigan said it could be weeks before families can return to their homes.

Officials have allotted about 5.5 million pesos (about $100,000) worth of assistance, some in the form of food items, for evacuees, Marasigan said.

Classes in several cities and municipalities and flights to and from some areas of the province have also been suspended, Albay Gov. Al Francis Bichara announced Monday on Facebook. Bichara also urged people to stay indoors and wear face masks.

Filipino villagers in Camalig evacuate Monday in anticipation of an eruption of nearby Mount Mayon. (Linus Escandor II/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)

Mayon first showed signs of unrest Jan. 13, when the volcano produced a grayish ash plume, about a mile and a half high, that drifted southwest and sent ash down on nearby areas. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology raised its alert level to two the following day and then to three hours later.

A state of calamity was declared last Tuesday in Albay in the southeastern part of Luzon island about 300 miles from the capital, Manila.

Mayon, which draws tourists because of its symmetrical cone shape, rises more than 8,000 feet above the Albay Gulf. It has erupted 47 times since 1616. The deadliest, in 1814, killed more than 1,200 people and buried a village. The most recent deadly eruption was in 1993, when more than 70 people were killed. The eruption continued for two months.

Perhaps a close comparison to recent events was an eruption in 2001, Solidum told reporters, according to CNN Philippines.

Mayon is one of the Philippines’ 22 active volcanoes.

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Ash cloud billows from Mayon volcano on verge of eruption

Smoke and ash erupted from the Philippines's Mayon volcano on Jan. 22. Officials raised the alert level to a four, meaning an eruption could be imminent.

Latest from Compostela Valley Province

Some of the commodities displayed during the launching of “TienDA para sa mga Bayani” where farmers will sell their products directly to consumers, particularly in military camps in Davao city and Comval.  The recent launching was held during the visit of Pres. Rodrigo Duterte at Camp Manuel Yan, 10^th ID, Mawab , Comval on January 22, 2018. (maryel lasaca/id comval)

Comval Gov. Tyron Uy joins other officials as they welcome Pres. Rodrigo Duterte who lead the turn-over of the “TienDA para samgaBayani” to farmers and fisherfolks outlet in partnership with Armed Forces of the Philippines at Camp Manuel Yan, 10^th ID, Mawab , Comval on January 22, 2018. (maryel lasaca/id comval)

Department of Agriculture Manny Piñol and Comval Gov. Tyron Uy  visit the stalls called “TienDA para sa mga Bayani” during the visit of Pres. Rodrigo Duterte at Camp Manuel Yan, 10^th ID, Mawab , Comval on January 22, 2018. The TienDA will be established in 20 camps nationwide. (maryel lasaca/id comval)

Filipina designs wedding dress for 'Fifty Shades' sequel

 (philstar.com) | Updated January 18, 2018

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Dakota Johnson as Anastasia Steele dons a custom-lace wedding gown and veil by Filipino-American designer Monique Lhuillier. United International Pictures/Released

MANILA, Philippines — Known for her romantic glamour and modern elegance, Filipino-American fashion designer Monique Lhuillier brilliantly captures in her design the alluring beauty and vulnerability of the main character, Anastasia Steele, in the upcoming romance-thriller “Fifty Shades Freed.”

Dakota Johnson as Anastasia Steele dons a custom-lace wedding gown and veil by Monique Lhuillier, renowned bridal, ready-to-wear and accessories designer, in “Fifty Shades Freed,” the all-new installment of the “Fifty Shades of Grey” series.

The long sleeve, off-the-shoulder, dégradé Chantilly-lace tulle-sheath gown—with open illusion back and trail of lace covered buttons—exudes femininity and sophistication. A Cathedral-length tulle veil with appliqués of Chantilly lace adds glamour for Anastasia’s grand entrance.

In keeping with the essence of her brand, Monique’s design evokes an enchanting and whimsical, yet sophisticated vision by weaving together sensuous and modern elements. The classic, ethereal and effortless silhouette of the dress—topped with the elegantly embellished veil—is distinctly Monique Lhuillier.

“I was so delighted to be asked to design an iconic wedding dress for the character of Anastasia Steele for this climactic chapter of the ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ series," said Monique. "Further building on the success of the show-stopping look I designed for the masquerade ball in ‘Fifty Shades Darker,’ it was a wonderful experience to be involved in this production. Once the wedding gown hits the big screen, I know this timeless design will live forever."

The Monique Lhuillier wedding gown and veil designed for Anastasia and Christian’s wedding can now be seen in the trailer for “Fifty Shades Freed.” The feature film will be released in Philippine cinemas on February 7.

Lifestyle Feature ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch:

It can be recalled that Lhuillier also designed Anastasia’s “Fifty Shades Darker" masquerade ball dress.

Lhuillier is internationally recognized as one of America’s foremost designers. Established in 1996 by Monique and her husband, Tom Bugbee, the company is considered one of the leading fashion houses in design, quality and creativity.

With a passion for creating collections that are both feminine and modern, Monique continues to design ready-to-wear, accessories and bridal collections that are luxurious, chic and true to her aesthetic.

Lhuillier’s fans include Hollywood stars Emma Stone, Blake Lively, Taylor Swift, Reese Witherspoon, Kristen Bell, Camila Cabello and the First Lady Melania Trump.

Klaus Döring ...

Global Warming

GLOBAL WARMING

While most Asian countries keep on fighting with typhoons, heavy down pours, floods and landslides, Europe faces this: Snow comes later, melts earlier, and is not nearly as deep as it was 30 years ago. EU scientists are racing to help winter tourism regions adapt to climate change — but is man-made snow the answer?

Global warming has already shut down scores of European ski hills outside the high alpine zones.

"Last year, we had about 20 days, the year before, even fewer," German mechanic Karl Oberreiter says, working on the control panel of a chairlift. "I don't think we've had a full season since the 1980's. There's a point where you can't do it anymore. After that, I don't know."

Oberreiter's concerns echo across the across the heart of the Alps in Austria and Switzerland like a mournful yodel.

Winters are 10 to 30 days shorter than during the 1960's. By 2100, there will be almost no snow below 1,200 meters — an average elevation for ski towns. The overall snow cover in the Alps will decline 70 percent, according to recent climate studies.

Preserving winter tourism and sports in the Alps beyond 2100 requires not just keeping global warming below 2 degrees Celsius, but the Paris Agreement's more ambitious — and many say, extremely unlikely — goal of 1.5 degrees.

Even if that were achieved, alpine winters are expected to grow ever-shorter, before potentially stabilizing toward the end of the century in a warmer and much less snowy state, says author Bob Berwyn.

With the future of the ski and winter tourism industry at stake, a team of international scientists, partly funded by the European Union, launched the new ProSnow research project in November.

Winter tourism and sports in the Alps are at risk! It aims to make resort towns in the Alps more resilient to climate change by accurately forecasting seasonal snowfall and temperatures. Combined with long-term climate projections, this information is hoped to help alpine communities plan for the future — even making up for nature's shortfall with snow-making and snow farming.

The sad truth for many towns and ski areas below 1,000 meters is, in the coming decades most of their white magic will come from the business end of industrial snowaking machines.

Ski resorts around the world have already installed miles of water pipes and built reservoirs and pumps so they can make their own snow. Water is vaporized by thousands of high-pressure nozzles and freezes into a crystalline form that's almost like the real thing.

Ski area operators have become snow farmers. Before the season starts, they use the snow guns to make big piles of snow in strategic spots on the mountain. Later, snow grooming machines distribute and smooth it out.

Conservation organizations like the International Commission for the Protection of the Alps (CIPRA), have fiercely criticized snowmaking because of its energy consumption and disruption of ecosystems like tundra and streams.

And some sustainably oriented mountain resort communities have rejected it in favor of a "soft tourism" path that's supported by both the German and Austrian alpine clubs.

But ProSnow project leader Samuel Morin says snowmaking is here to stay, because resorts know that natural snow will be even less reliable in the coming decades.

"Snow reacts immediately to climate change, and since the early 1990's, snow is no longer a certainty," Morin said in an interview lately.  "The project was initially triggered by long-term climate concerns. And there is more variability now. The question is, to what extent can snow-making and other technical measures counteract that?"

It’s a question that's also pertinent in California, which right now is suffering floods and slum-slides after weeks of wildfires. Close to Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, about 300 miles north of Los Angeles, skier Jamie Shectman is waiting for snow after a bone-dry fall. He says you can't take the ski industry in isolation. A summer of destructive hurricanes and wildfires shows that globally, climate change impacts are intensifying, threatening lives and food production. More snowmaking may not be the most appropriate response.

"There's a total disconnect between our sport and what's happening with climate change," Shectman told in an TV interview last night. "We know it's a high impact sport. From a karma perspective, the ski industry should be at the fore of the fight against global warming," he says.

People are thinking now about creative solutions for green winter slopes. Instead of energy-hogging sources of greenhouse gas pollution, ski resorts should become self-sufficient producers of wind, solar, biomass and hydropower, Shectman says, describing his involvement in developing a solar power project at Mt. Abrams Ski Area, in Maine.

Climate change is probably outpacing our technical capabilities to adapt, so slowing and stopping warming should be the priority. In just the past decade — the warmest in Earth's recorded history — the snow line rose between 1,200 and 1,500 feet in the northern Sierra Nevada.

Of course, there are regional nuances to global warming impacts, and for some communities in the Alps, with access to renewable energy and high-elevation ski slopes, snowmaking could be an interim option to keep skiing alive. That includes the five alpine towns in France, Italy, Switzerland Austria and Germany that are part of the ProSnow pilot project this winter. All are in the mid-elevation mountain belt most susceptible to global warming.

Austrian winters have shortened by 10 to 20 days since the 1950's, and maximum snow depth has declined at all elevations and nearly all regions of the mountainous country, with small localized exceptions.

The uncertainty, paradoxically, is also what why proponents say energy-intensive snow-making such an indispensable part of the winter ski and tourism industry — at least for the foreseeable future.

Fact is: global warming and climate change effects all of us. Worldwide. Sad to say: it's no more five minutes before twelve. It's already several minutes after twelve!

Evacuation after Mayon Volcano spews ash 2.5 km into air

A six-kilometre evacuation zone is created around the Mayon volcano, with residents sheltering in local schools.

20:43, UK,Saturday 13 January 2018

Image:The Mayan volcano in Albay. Credit: @phivolcs_dost

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By Siobhan Robbins, South East Asia Correspondent

People in the Philippines have been forced from their homes after an active volcano spewed ash thousands of meters into the air.

The "steam-driven eruption" at Mayon volcano in Albay province started around 5pm local time on Saturday.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) recorded an ash column 2,500 metres high.

Provincial disaster officials ordered the immediate evacuation of villages at the foot of Mayon due to the expected ashfall.

The lowest level one alert has been issued, meaning people are not allowed to stay within a six-kilometre "permanent danger zone", Phivolcs said.

Evacuees have been given shelter in local schools.

Image:Ashes spewing from the volcano. Credit: @phivolcs_dost

Officials said residents should protect against inhaling the ash, advising them to wear masks or cover their noses and mouths with wet clothes.

People living outside the danger zone but on the slopes of the volcano were warned to take precautions against potential roof collapses due to the weight of ash and rainfall.

More from philippines

• 20 dead after Xmas mass bus crash in Philippines

• Philippines mall fire: Dozens die as president says 'zero' survival chance

• Philippines tropical storm: 182 killed in flooding and landslides

• Donald Trump's Asia trip to be dominated by North Korea threat

• Children forced to fight alongside Islamic State in Philippines

• Police chief beheaded and others killed by IS militants in Philippines

Mayon last erupted in 2014.

It killed 1,200 people in February 1841 when lava flows buried a town.

Celine Dion will perform in Manila for the first time ever ...

Her concert in Manila is set to be in Mall of Asia Arena on July 19. Tickets are reportedly priced at P35,380, P32,210, P19,540, P16,370, P7,920, and P2,640, and will be available to the public on Jan. 18 through smtickets.com. So be sure to set your alarms!

In case you needed reminding, she’s the great voice behind Titanic’s “My Heart Will Go On” and also “Beauty and the Beast” from the animated film. And don’t forget her other hits like “All by Myself” and “It’s All Coming Back to Me.”

During an interview, Celine mentioned that she and her team will be customizing her list of songs per country, meaning she’s sure to play our favorite hits during the concert. Not only do you have to prepare for when you buy your ticket, but we highly suggest you get your vocal chords ready to sing along!

Philippines' Duterte rebounds with 'excellent' trust score ...

... in new survey

Spokesman said survey showed the public recognised Duterte was exercising political will to address security and crime problems

Image Credit: AFP

Rodrigo Duterte

Published: 18:36 January 12, 2018

Reuters

 

Manila: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s trust rating bounced back to “excellent” in December from “very high” three months before, with four of every five adult Filipinos giving him the highest score in a survey that focused on his personality.

Duterte’s trust rating in pollster Social Weather Station’s (SWS) quarterly surveys had been “excellent” from the time he took power in June 2016 until June last year, before it dipped in the third quarter, raising questions about whether he might be starting to lose his almost rock-star appeal.

Although that rating was still high, the size of the fall — 18 points — was notable for a former southern mayor who is regarded by millions of working class Filipinos as the best hope for long overdue change after a succession of Manila-centric leaders who failed to deliver.

But Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the latest survey showed the public recognised that Duterte was exercising political will to address security and crime problems and ensure sustained economic growth.

“He has promoted the rule of law against the threats of terrorism and, of course, he is winning the war against drugs,” he told reporters, referring to Duterte’s signature and deadly anti-narcotics campaign.

The firebrand leader has also been enjoying majority approval and trust ratings from surveys done by another pollster, Pulse Asia, despite drawing international criticisms for his abusive public comments and a war on drugs that has killed thousands of Filipinos.

The SWS survey, conducted from December 8 to 16 using face-to-face interviews with 1,200 respondents, found 83 per cent of adult Filipinos with “much trust” in him.

SWS said public satisfaction with Duterte’s performance was also high with a score of 58 in December, improving from 48 in the previous quart

Gohing, Gumabao to boost Creamline's 'superteam' in PVL

MANILA, Philippines – Melissa Gohing and Michele Gumabao have joined forces with Alyssa Valdez, Jia Morado and Risa Sato to form Creamline’s “super team” in the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference tentatively set on April 1.

Gohing amicably parted ways with Pocari Sweat, a team she played for five years and helped win three PVL championships, after her contract expired at the end of last year while Gumabao will jump from a Cocolife squad that wound up a surprise fourth in the Phl Superliga Grand Prix a year back.

Interestingly, Gohing and Gumabao are former teammates at La Salle in the UAAP Pocari for four years before the latter made the jump last season.

Now they’re back playing side by side again for a different team.

Gohing and Gumabao were just two of the three blue chip acquisitions by the Cool Smashers after plucking Sato from reigning Open Conference champion Bali Pure.

The three, along with Valdez, a four-time PVL MVP, reigning best setter Morado, and seasoned Rose Vargas, Pau Soriano and Cesca Racraquin, will form a stacked Tai Bundit-mentored Creamline squad that has emerged as the early title favorites with the PVL season still a couple of months away.

The recruiting coup was part of Creamline’s plan of snaring its very first title after finishing third place twice in last year’s Reinforced and Open Conferences.

Valdez has also committed to play the whole year for Creamline after missing several games a year ago.

Valdez played as an import for 3BB in Thailand and Attackline in Chinese Taipei while also committing most of her time for the national team that participated in the Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

A ridiculous fact

Mindanao Daily Mirror, January 6, 2018

A ridiculous fact

A mistaken belief accompanies us each and every second of our life. Incorrect decisions and wrong doings are part of our daily life.

It is almost a ridiculous fact that man wants to know certain truths about mundane things. But really, he seems least interested in even mundane truths as can be read many times in our daily newspapers or online for example. There seem to be too much rash judgments, and the readers absorb these and make these their own. A fatal attraction!

This is sometimes referred to as journalistic mentality wherein accusations are generously made without proof. Evolution started this trend, when scientists stated for example that man evolved from the apes -  without proof. The only proof they had was the missing link, and, if I am not mistaken, it's still a missing proof until now.

To look for proofs is a mental activity, which is no longer a common thing nowadays, because it takes really time, effort and is too serious to think about. Yet in Christian education, thinking right is very important.That's why Philosophy is important in Christian life. To avoid error in thinking, the rules of right reasoning must be studied and mastered. It is really totally neglected in today's modern education?

Thinking is actually an enjoyable activity but when one is pressured to get a good job for one's sustenance, then the other more mundane become attractive. After all, great thinkers many time do not get (good?) jobs... .

Spiritual writers like the British Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834) noticed that mankind had stopped thinking even two centuries ago. Wow. That was during his age.

Man probably stopped thinking even earlier. He has ceased many times to search for the truth. It's easier to listen to gossip and believe in it. What a sign of weak minds!

Too often are we blind to the truth. As a consequence, we easily believe in lies we only have to like it. Too bad, if people always like to close their eyes and ears especially while experiencing the delusion of error. 

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Ad multos annons? No, just for 2018: In advance: Happy New Year to all of you, my dear readers also from this corner. May our good Lord shower you with all His neve rending blessings. Sursum corda! Let's lift up our hearts!