A Repost From Karin Zeitvogel of AFP News

Apocalypse almost: World waits for Rapture

By Karin Zeitvogel | AFP News – Sat, May 21, 2011

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  Activists believing that "Judgement Day" will happen on May 21, spread their word …

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  Osvaldo Colon walks the streets of New York telling people that the world will end …

Warnings by a US fundamentalist preacher that Saturday is Judgment Day have sent some people into hiding or scrambling to repent, while others are planning parties to wave off good Christians.

Eighty-nine-year-old tele-evangelist Harold Camping's prophecy says the Rapture will begin with powerful earthquakes at 6:00 pm local time in each of the world's regions, after which the good will be beamed up to heaven.

The not-so-good will suffer through hell on earth until October 21, when God will pull the plug on the planet once and for all, he predicts.

In the United States, where Camping's evangelizing organization is based, some people have been quitting their jobs and hitting the road to urge others to repent before it's too late.

Gregory LeCorps left his job "in a medical facility" weeks ago to take his wife and five young children on the road and warn others that the Rapture is really nigh, the Journal News in New York wrote.

"We're in the final days," LeCorps, who said he hopes to be on a beach in South Carolina by Saturday, was quoted by the lower Hudson valley newspaper as saying as he handed out leaflets.

In Vietnam, thousands of ethnic Hmong converged on northwestern Dien Bien province a few weeks ago after hearing broadcasts on Camping's global religious broadcasting network, Family Radio, that Jesus was coming on May 21.

Hundreds are believed hiding in forests after security forces dispersed those who were awaiting the supposed return of Jesus Christ on Saturday, a resident told AFP.

The Vietnamese government said extremists used the gathering to advocate for a Hmong kingdom but the resident said he was unaware of such talk.

In Ciudad Juarez, one of the hardest hit cities in Mexico's drug wars, huge billboards proclaim that "Christ is coming back on May 21."

According to the authorities, the apocalyptic message hasn't provoked panic or hoarding, but one resident, Rosy Alderete, said she was "worried by the coincidence" that big earthquakes have rocked Japan and New Zealand this year.

The London-based Guardian newspaper described the looming Rapture as "the fundamentalist Christian equivalent of the last helicopter out of Saigon," referring to the US pull-out after the long Vietnam war in 1975.

The fact that Camping wrongly predicted the end of the world once before, in 1994, has left others willing to make fun of him.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg -- who is Jewish and therefore, according to Camping's prophecy, unlikely to be beamed up to sit alongside Jesus and God in heaven -- said on his weekly radio show Friday that he would suspend alternate-side parking in New York if the world ends on Saturday.

The much-reviled parking rule requires New Yorkers to move their cars from one side of the street to the other to allow street cleaning to be carried out.

And some are cashing in on money-making opportunities.

Craigslist was running tens of thousands of ads from non-believers offering to buy the worldly goods of those who think they're going to heaven, while a group of US atheists has sold hundreds of contracts to rescue people's pets.

A group of Christians, who think Camping's prophecy is bunk, will be tracking the Rapture and posting reports on the Internet each time it doesn't happen.

One of the first places to be hit, according to Camping, would be New Zealand, where 6:00 pm happens at 0600 GMT, but the prophecy received little local media attention.

Mark Vrankovich, director of the Christian organisation Cultwatch, said he was not aware of any New Zealanders preparing for the end of the world.

"Do not sell your house and give the money away, do not stop paying bills, do not say anything you will regret to friends and family, don't quit your job, don't leave your loved ones," the Cultwatch website advises.

If Camping's prediction does not pan out, one idea is gathering steam on Twitter to create an ersatz Rapture.

A tweet suggests laying out old clothing and shoes on pavements and lawns on Saturday to give the impression that someone has indeed been beamed up.

Reposted From Karin Zeitvogel of AFP News

A Repost From SPOT

Jinkee Pacquiao admitted to using birth control pills in article published January

SPOT – Tue, May 17, 2011

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(SPOT.ph) A few minutes after anti-Reproductive Health (RH) Bill advocate Manny Pacquiao said in a live interview yesterday that he and his wife Jinkee practice abstinence, an article published in January, in which Jinkee admitted to using contraceptive pills, resurfaced, reports GMA News Online.

On State of the Nation yesterday, the Sarangani congressman compared practicing abstinence to boxing, saying the act requires self-discipline. After the interview, pro-RH Bill group Filipino Free Thinkers Tweeted a link to a Philippine Star story, reports GMA News Online. In the article published January 30, the boxer's wife was quoted as saying, "Hindi pa ako nagpa-tali, pero nagpi-pills ako (ngayon)." ("No ligation, but I do take birth control pills.")

In the article, Jinkee also said she told her husband that four children are enough. However, the boxing champion said yesterday that they will have another child after Queenie, their youngest.

According to GMA News Online, the Filipino Free Thinkers also Tweeted, "If @MannyPacquiao makes a statement that Jinkee will no longer use the pill, it will show how anti women the anti #RHBill are."

Today, Pacquiao will discuss the RH Bill with members of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), reports GMA News Online. "This is his personal way of expressing support and not a celebrity endorsing the position of the Church. It is his personal initiative to be with the Church in the advocacy against RH because of his religious conviction," CBCP Secretary General Juanito Figura said in a statement.

Reposted From SPOT

A Repost From PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal)

Iwa Moto is now safe after suspected suicide attempt

PEP – Tue, May 17, 2011

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  Iwa Moto is now safe after suspected suicide attempt

Pagkatapos kalampagin ni Iwa Moto ang mundo ng showbiz noong Huwebes, May 12, dahil sa pagwawala niya in public na nag-ugat sa away nila ng dating non-showbiz boyfriend niyang si Mickey Ablan, kagabi, May 15, naman ay isinugod sa ospital ang Kapuso actress dahil sa umano'y tangkang pagsu-suicide. (CLICK HERE to read related story.)

Lumabas nga sa PEP Alerts kahapon ng umaga, May 16, na: "Kalat na ang balitang nagtangka diumanong magpakamatay si Iwa Moto kagabi, May 15, sa pamamagitan ng paglalaslas ng pulso. Nakaligtas naman daw ang young actress at kasalukuyang naka-confine sa isang ospital. Marami ang naniniwalang ang pagtatangkang ito ni Iwa sa kanyang sariling buhay ay may kinalaman sa insidenteng nangyari sa kanila ng kanyang non-showbiz boyfriend na si Mickey Ablan."

Pero kagabi sa Tweetbiz Insiders ng GMA News TV Channel 11 ay nilinaw ng isa sa mga co-host ng show at dating Survivor Philippines castaway na si Justine Ferrer sa nangyari kay Iwa.

Si Justine ay kaibigan at kasama sa bahay ni Iwa. Nakatira sila sa isang three-storey house na malapit lang sa GMA-7.

Si Justine ang nakatira sa third floor, sa pangalawang palapag naman si Iwa, at sa ground floor naman tumutuloy ang personal assistant ni Justine.

JUSTINE'S TALE. Base sa kuwento ni Justine sa Tweetbiz Insiders, lumalabas na hindi naglaslas ng pulso si Iwa kundi may mga ininom umano itong antibiotic capsules.

Kuwento ni Justine, "Bale po kagabi [May 15], pinatawag ako ng P.A. ko kasi medyo meron daw commotion sa second floor.

"Tapos, nandun yung parang friend ni Iwa at kababata na parang anak-anakan daw niya.

"Tapos, nagpunta kami sa room [ni Iwa]. Sabi ng kaibigan ni Iwa, wala raw doon si Iwa.

"Tapos sabi naman nung friend, 'Hindi, nandito siya. Alam ko nandito siya.'

"Tapos, naririnig niya raw na parang may umuungol... 'Ummm,' na parang ganyan yung boses.

"Tapos, nai-stress na siya na kailangan mabuksan yung pinto kasi naka-lock yung pinto.

"So, tinawag namin yung guard para buksan yung pinto. As in winasak yung doorknob.

"Pagbukas namin ng ilaw, nakadapa na siya [Iwa] dun sa kama. Tapos ang daming suka!

"Tapos, wala na kaming alam gawin kundi dalhin na talaga sa ospital."

Ano ang hitsura ni Iwa bago nila dalhin sa ospital?

"Namumutla tapos nangingitim yung labi, tapos nangingitim yung sa mata niya," sabi ni Justine.

Unconscious ba si Iwa?

"Hindi na siya nakakausap. Parang unconscious, pero yung mata niya parang nakaganun," ani Justine, na ang ibig niyang sabihin ay nakamulat konti."

IWA IS NOW SAFE. Ayon pa kay Justine, safe na raw si Iwa ngayon. Nakalabas na raw ito sa ospital at nakauwi na sa bahay.

"Doon po sa mga pamilya ni Iwa at saka sa mga kakilala ni Iwa, ngayon po okay na po si Iwa. Nagpapahinga siya, nagpapalakas na."

Ano naman ang reaksiyon ng pamilya ni Iwa sa nangyari sa aktres, lalo na ang mommy nito?

"Yung mother niya po talaga yung unang-unang nag-aalala sa kanya," sabi ni Justine.

"Kaya lang, medyo hindi rin makapunta yung mommy kasi medyo nerbiyosa. So, medyo delikado rin dun sa nanay."

May pakiusap din si Justine sa mga tao.

"Konting pag-intindi lang po sana kay Iwa at dasal. Sana maging maayos na rin ang lahat."

Naitanong din kay Justine kung nakuha na ba ulit ni Iwa ang cell phone niya na inagaw ng kanyang boyfriend noong May 12.

"Hindi na nakuha yung cell phone niya. Hanggang ngayon nga po hindi malinaw kung nasaan yung cell phone," sagot niya.

Ayaw pa raw magpa-interview ni Iwa kaya hindi pa makumpirman kung suicide attempt nga ba ang nangyari sa aktres.

THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM. Matatandaang una nang naospital si Iwa para ipagamot ang kanyang mga sugat na tinamo matapos nilang gumawa ng eksena ni Mickey sa GMA Network compound noong May 12.

Nagsimula ito nang dumalaw si Mickey kay Iwa sa set ng upcoming sitcom ng GMA-7 na Andres de Saya, kung saan isa sa cast ang Kapuso actress.

Nagulat na lang daw ang lahat nang biglang sumigaw at magwala si Iwa dahil inagaw raw at itinakbo ni Mickey ang cell phone niya.

Meron daw kasing lalaking pinagseselosan si Mickey kaya gusto nitong makita ang cell phone ni Iwa.

Sa paghabol nga ni Iwa kay Mickey ay nadapa ito at nagkasugat sa kaliwang tuhod.

Pero nang hindi na makita ni Iwa ang ex-boyfriend ay binalingan nito ang kotse ni Mickey na nakaparada malapit sa GMA Network.

Binasag ni Iwa ang salamin sa harap at likod ng kotse.

Nang madaanan ng GMA News reporter na si Nelson Canlas si Iwa ay iniuwi niya ang aktres sa bahay nito na malapit sa GMA, kung saan din nga nakatira si Justine.

Nang malinis ang sugat nito ay isinugod na nila si Iwa sa ospital.

Pero hindi pa rito natatapos ang lahat dahil muli ngang isinugod sa ospital si Iwa noong gabi ng May 15, Linggo, matapos matagpuang nakabulagta ang aktres sa kuwarto nito.

HAPPY & BITTER HIGHLIGHTS OF THE RELATIONSHIP. Para mas maintindihan kung bakit humantong sa ganitong klaseng gulo ang relasyon nina Iwa at Mickey, binalikan ng Tweetbiz Insiders ang "happy and bitter highlights" ng kanilang relasyon.

Nakilala ni Iwa si Mickey, isang mixed martial artist, sa isang bar through their common friend.

Apat na taon ding tumagal ang relasyon nila.

Matatandaang ipina-tattoo pa ng aktres ang pangalan ni Mickey sa kanyang katawan.

Last year, napabalitang sikreto raw silang nagpakasal sa Silang, Cavite. Isang diumano'y marriage certificate nina Iwa at Mickey ang inilantad ng press. (CLICK HERE to read related story.)

Pero kasunod nito ay inamin naman ni Iwa sa Startalk na nag-break na sila ni Mickey. (CLICK HERE to read related story.)

Third party diumano ang dahilan ng breakup ng dalawa.

Sari-saring pangalan ang naglitawan at pawang talents ng ABS-CBN ang naugnay sa issue—sina Jodi Sta. Maria at Bangs Garcia.

In a separate interview, inabsuwelto naman ni Iwa ang dalawang aktres. (CLICK HERE to read related story.)

Kahit hiwalay na, lubhang naging malapit ang loob ni Iwa sa anak ni Mickey.

Kaya nitong Holy Week lang, sinamahan ng aktres ang mag-ama sa kanilang bakasyon sa Boracay. Pero magkahiwalay raw sila ng tinuluyang hotel.

Kasunod ng kanilang diumano'y awayan at habulan sa compound ng GMA, this weekend, saksi ang kanilang followers sa Twitter sa kanilang tila masayang palitan ng tweets.

MICKEY: "I've come to realize that we never stop loving the people who leave. We just stop needing them like we used to."

IWA: "@MickeyAblan like q ung tweet mo from the notebook. Super J"

Kaya naman ang inakala ng marami ay nagkabati na rin ang dalawa.

Ang sumunod nga na mga pangyayari ay ang mga ikinuwento ni Justine sa Tweetbiz Insiders na inilathala naman ng PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal).

Reposted From PEP(Philippine Entertainment Portal)

A Repost From GMA News.TV

Report: 9 of 10 online Pinoys on Facebook

GMANews – Fri, May 13, 2011

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A whopping nine out of ten Filipinos who are online are on social networking site Facebook, an online financial news site reported this week.

24/7 Wall St said that this catapulted the Philippines to the top of a list of nations where Facebook dominates people's use of the Internet.

"Social network penetration is incredibly high in the Philippines, reaching 95 percent. Facebook is the country’s most popular website, more so than Google, and has a penetration rate of 93.9 percent," it said.

It also noted that photo sharing surged by 46 percent in the Philippines in one year, largely due to Facebook.

On the other hand, it noted that the Philippines is also the eighth most popular country for Twitter use on a global scale, with a penetration rate of 16.1 percent.

"Social networking is so popular among Filipinos, the country has been nicknamed 'The Social Networking Capital of the World,'" it said.

In contrast, the penetration rate of LinkedIn, a business-oriented social networking site, is only 1.9 percent.

Other top 10 countries where Facebook rules

Israel is second on the list of countries where Facebook is the dominant destination on the Internet, with a penetration rate of 91 percent.

Only five percent of Israeli users use Twitter; and 6.4 percent use LinkedIn.

However, the country has the highest Internet penetration rate among all others on the list, with 71.6 percent of Israel’s population being “plugged in."

"Besides having the second highest rate of Facebook usage among Internet users, Israelis spend the second most amount of time on social networking sites, behind only Russia. Israel’s social network users spend an average of 9.2 hours on social network sites a month," 24/7 Wall St. said.

Others on the list include:

Turkey, where 90.9 percent are on Facebook, 16.6 percent on Twitter, 3.4 percent on LinkedIn, and Internet use is at 45 percent. It has the highest Facebook penetration among all the Eurasian countries, the second highest being the UK, with 81.7 percent.

Chile, where 90.2 percent are on Facebook, 14.3 percent on Twitter, 5.9 percent on LinkedIn, and Internet use is at 50 percent. Chile has among the highest rates of Internet use among Latin American countries, with 50 percent of Chileans online.

Argentina, where 89.2 percent are on Facebook, 18 percent on Twitter, and 6.4 percent on LinkedIn, and Internet Use is at 64.4 percent.

Malaysia, where 88.4 percent are on Facebook, 10.8 percent on Twitter, and 2.9 percent on LinkedIn, and Internet Use is at 64.6 percent. Malaysia has the second-highest social network penetration in Southeast Asia, with 91 percent. Photo-sharing on sites such as Facebook shot up by 57 percent from 2009 to 2010.

Indonesia, where 87.5 percent are on Facebook, 22 percent on Twitter, and 1.3 percent on LinkedIn, and Internet Use is at 12.3 percent. Social network penetration in Indonesia is the third greatest in Southeast Asia as of the beginning of 2011, at 90 percent of those people online.

Peru, where 87.2 percent are on Facebook, 12.5 percent on Twitter, 4.6 percent on LinkedIn, and Internet Use is at 27 percent. However, Peru has a relatively small minority of people who use the Internet at all. As of January 2011, only 27% of Peruvians were online, one of the lowest rates among the Latin American countries.

Colombia, where 86.9 percent are on Facebook, 14.6 percent on Twitter and 3.3 percent on LinkedIn. Internet use is at 48.7 percent. Colombia is the fastest-growing Internet market in Latin America, growing 31 percent in the past year to reach 11.8 million unique visitors in September 2010, according to comScore.

Venezuela, where 86.2 percent are on Facebook, 21 percent on Twitter and 3.2 percent on LinkedIn. Internet use is at 37.7 percent. Venezuela has the third highest rate of Twitter use among Internet users.

Reposted From GMA News.TV