Australian scientists have discovered that the oldest living thing or living organism in the planet is the giant patches of seagrass found in the Mediterranean sea which is believed to be 200,000-year-old.

In a report by the Huffington Post, scientists was able to determine the age of the oldest living thing by a process called “DNA sequencing,” or ascertaining 40 different sites over a 2,000 mile range from Cyprus to Spain.

Scientifically named Posidonia oceanica or commonly known as Mediterranean tapeweed or Neptune Grass, the patches of seagrass was between 12,000 and 200,000 years old and was most likely to be at least 100,000 years old beating the current holder of the title “oldest living thing,” which is the Tasmanian plant.

The separate patches of seagrass in the Mediterranean span almost 10 miles and weigh more than 6,000 tons.

Oldest Living Thing on Planet Earth Discovered in the Mediterranean Sea originally appeared on Starmometer on February 8, 2012.

The former President and now Congresswoman is currently in hospital arrest pending trial on a charge of electoral sabotage by the COMELEC.

According to Inquirer, the COMELEC demanded that the request should be made specific.

This is because there were reports that Grace Ibuna, Iggy’s live-in partner, plans to cremate his remains in London in contrast to legal wife Aleli Arroyo‘s plan to bring home his remains.

Until there’s no clear venue for Iggy’s wake as pointed by the COMELEC, the request of Gloria Arroyo to visit his remains is deemed premature.

Gloria Arroyo Intends to Attend Iggy Arroyo’s Wake originally appeared on Starmometer on February 7, 2012.

The pets, mostly dogs and cats, that were abandoned in the Fukushima nuclear accident exclusion zone are now struggling with the extreme winter condition and they all could die from freezing if they’re not rescued as soon as possible.

Last December, some animal welfare groups were allowed by the government to enter the evacuation zone to save abandoned Fukushima pets in the upcoming winter weather. However, there were still a number of dogs and cats left in the area to date according to a report by Yasunori Hoso of the United Kennel Club of Japan, and they are in danger of hypothermia if not rescued in the couple of days.

Some of the 150,000 people who left Fukushima exclusion area area pleading to rescue their pets since March of last year, but the government only allowed the search last December.

More than 100 dogs and cats are believed to be still roaming in the area because of the found footprints in the snow and rescuers are running out of time.

Watch a video report by WESH.com here. (Warning: Graphic Images)

Fukushima Pets Saved from Freezing Winter Weather originally appeared on Starmometer on February 4, 2012.

[Check out the video link of this 14-pound baby at the bottom]

After 6 hours of labor, Kendall Stewardson gave birth to her 14-pound baby, one of the biggest baby born naturally in Iowa, without the help of surgery and epidural injection. This is because Kendall is worried that an epidural or cesarean delivery could endager either her or Asher.

Asher Stewardson measures 23 inches long and weighs about 13 pounds and 13 ounces.

According to statistics, only a tenth of 1 percent of all newborns or 1 in every 1,000 weigh more than 11 pounds at birth making Asher’s measurement of 14 pounds a rare incident.

His older brother, Judah, who is now 15 months old weighed a little more than 12 pounds at birth.

Watch the video report for the 14-pound baby here.

14-pound Baby Photo and Video originally appeared on Starmometer on January 31, 2012.

21-year-old Asia Pacific College student–Noemi Lagman–went missing last January 6, Friday, which prompted her cousin to post the following message and corresponding poster on Facebook and Twitter the next day:

“Hi, I hope you can help me find my missing cousin. Noemi Lagman (21, 4’10, mid-heavy build, morena) a student of Asia Pacific College, Magallanes left her house at Multinational Village, Paranaque yesterday (January 6) around 9am-10am to enroll carrying P33K. She was last seen at the entrance of Multinational Village near Duty Free, Paranaque. Her usual route going to school is from Multinational Village (Paranaque) to Heritage Hotel EDSA (Pasay) and to Asia Pacific College, Magallanes (Makati). Her classmates told us that she never reached school. Her mobile phone couldn’t be reached.
Please pass, please help. Thank you.”

Four days later, Noemi’s father Noel Lagman via her cousin Allan Lagman Capulong announced on the same social media site that Noemi has been found with the help of some netizens who were able to see the online poster above. They did not reveal, however, the information on how and where Noemi was found for the family’s security and privacy.

Here is the statement:

Noemi Lagman has been found and she is now safe. Our deepest gratitude to all of you who helped us. For the final time regarding this issue, I hope you can click once more your likes, comments, and share buttons. Everyone deserves to know. It was through social media where we got the first lead and it has played a vital role in connecting all of us. We were advised by the authorities that information on how and where she was found be kept confidential for her and her family’s security and privacy. We ask for your understanding on this matter. As of this writing, there are 213 likes, 111 comments, 96 tags, and a staggering 8,114 shares on my facebook wall on posts regarding Noemi. A total of 8,534 online activity. We ask the Lord to bless 8,534 times all of you who helped us during this time. This does not include online and offline activities that I could not quantify anymore. It has been an exhausting and emotionally draining 100 hours of non-stop search, the longest 100 hours of our lives, something we will never forget. Finally I want to share with all of you the lesson we learned from this experience: love your family, love them tirelessly, love them unconditionally, because at the end of the day, it’s what matters. Marami pong salamat at pagpalain po kayong lahat.

Allan Lagman Capulong
(Noemi’s Kuya Pinsan)

Noel Lagman
(Noemi’s Father)

Noemi Lagman, a Missing Student Found with the Help of Facebook and Twitter originally appeared on Starmometer on January 11, 2012.

The quake, which was measured at 7.3 magnitude, prompted the local authorities to issue a tsunami warning causing people to panic and flee their homes. This is despite the bulletin from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration discounting a tsunami threat in the region.

The local tsunami warning was lifted at 3 a.m.

According to the United States Geological Survey or USGS, the quake’s epicenter was located about 420 kilometers (260 miles) southwest of Banda Aceh at a dept of 29 kilometers.

No damage or injuries were immediately reported.

Indonesia, just like the Philippines, is part of the “Ring of Fire,” an arc of volcanoes and fault lines surrounding the Pacific Basin which make the country frequent to earthquakes.

Last 2010 alone, a 7.5 magnitude quake struck the Kepulauan Mentawai region of Indonesia leaving 113 people dead and 150 missing.

And in 2009, a 7.6 magnitude quake jolted the same area leaving more than 1,000 people dead in Padang.

It can be remembered that the great tsunami last 2004 also affected the northern Sumatra of Indonesia amongst 12 countries leaving 220,000 people dead or missing in the region.

Watch the report here:

7.3 Quake Rattles Sumatra Indonesia Again originally appeared on Starmometer on January 11, 2012.

It’s not yet confirmed if Celine Acut is a real person of just a dummy account but according to her alleged Facebook profile, she’s a Filipino living in France.

The above screen capture of her supposed Facebook posts have gone viral stirring the emotions of Filipino netizens around the world.

She said “almost all of the victims are poor families” based from what she saw in the news. She opined that that the said typhoon victims are “better dead” because according to her, “whats the point of living a life which is full of hunger, at least they are now resting with peace…they are worthless, they are unproductive and their lives has no value at all…they are just making more problems to the society…they don’t deserve a chance to live because they are poor, they are not VIP anyways.”

And here is her follow up post:

“I even wish sendong to come back and flash away those remaining poor families over there.”

As of this posting, there are several Facebook pages created to criticize and condemn Celine Acut. One Facebook page has the title “Celine Acut Must Be Burned Alive!! Yawa Ka.”

Celine Acut Angers Netizens for Rude Post About Sendong Victims originally appeared on Starmometer on December 22, 2011.

Miriam Santiago won the highly powerful seat in the elections held last Monday, December 12, in New York City. She was reportedly the first to be elected out of 18 candidates vying for six seats on the ICC, garnering 79 nods out of 104 valid votes.
The stint makes Santiago the first woman from an Asian developing state to join as a judge in the Netherlands-based international court that tries persons accused of the most serious crimes of international concern.

DFA Secretary Albert del Rosario considers Santiago’s election a “day of pride” for the country.

“We are pleased that the international community has listened to us. Indeed, it is a new day for the Philippines, a day of pride for our country and a day of honor, knowing that this is a tremendous responsibility and mandate placed upon our compatriot,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sen. Santiago shared via an interview that she would resign as senator before she take her oath in March next year.

“I’ll have to resign [as senator]. Isn’t that good news for my enemies? I would have to live in The Hague. I will look like a European and speak like a European and I will be as snooty as a European when I come back,” she said.

Miriam Santiago Elected as Judge in International Criminal Court (ICC) originally appeared on Starmometer on December 13, 2011.

With the help of some assets, Pinky was able to document the existence of a ‘aquarium’ or a showroom of young women who offers extra service along with their massage.

Anthony Taberna, on the other hand, probes on a case involving the Philippine National Police (PNP) where 387 passers weren’t allowed to take their oath to service due to an alleged cheating in the entrance examination. The results were questioned after authorities noticed homogenous answers in the test.

Meanwhile, Julius Babao discovers a new modus among riders in tandem that targets dental clinics. The act was caught via CCTV camera when a man, who pretended as a patient, robbed the clinic while his accomplice served as a lookout outside the establishment.

“XXX,” which recently won Outstanding Crime/Investigative Program at the Golden Screen TV awards, has been breaking some of the country’s important stories to date. It caught on cam former Batangas gov. Antonio leviste going out of prison this year after months of surveillance. And its expose on the maltreatment of a grandmother detained in a dog cage spurred public outrage on how the family treated its mother.

Don’t miss “XXX” tonight (Dec 12) after “Bandila” on ABS-CBN. You can also watch it at DZMM TeleRadyo the same day at 9:15 PM.

Pinky Probes on Massage Parlors Offering ‘Extra Service’ on ‘XXX’ originally appeared on Starmometer on December 12, 2011.

Time to book those promo flights and plan your much-awaited vacation for 2012 as the Philippine Holidays are declared under Presidential Proclamation 295:

Regular Holidays

New Year’s Day – January 1 (Sunday)
Maundy Thursday- April 5
Good Friday – April 6
Araw ng Kagitingan – April 9 (Monday)
Labor Day -May 1 (Tuesday)
Independence Day – June 12 (Tuesday)
National Heroes Day – August 27 (Last Monday of August)
Bonifacio Day – November 30 (Friday)
Christmas Day – December 25 (Tuesday)
Rizal Day – December 30

Special (Non-Working) Days

Chinese New Year – January 23 (Monday)
Ninoy Aquino Day – August 21 (Tuesday)
All Saints Day – November 1 (Thursday)
Additional special (non-working) day – November 2 (Friday)
Last Day of the Year- December 31 (Monday

Special Holiday (for all schools)

EDSA Revolution Anniversary – February 25 (Saturday)

Eid’l Fitr and Eid’l Adha
(These are tentative only, official dates to be announced by our Muslim brethrens)

Eid-al-Fitr – August 20 (Monday)
Eid-al-Adha – October 26 (Friday)

Long Weekends are:

January 21-23, 2012 (Chinese New Year)

April 5-9, 2012 (Holy Week and Araw ng Kagitingan)

April 28-29 (April 30) May 1, 2012 (Labor Day)

August 18-21, 2012 (Eid-al-Fitr and Ninoy Aquino Day)

August 25-27, 2012 (National Heroes Day)

October 26-28, 2012 (Eid-al-Adha)

November 1-4 (All Saints’ Day)

November 30-Dec 2 (Bonifacio Day)

December 29-Jan 1 (New Year)

2012 Philippine Holidays Declared by the Government originally appeared on Starmometer on December 3, 2011.

Janelle, together with her lawyers, are now preparing the affidavit on the Ram Revilla murder case. This was a day after being discharged from the hospital.

In an interview by ABS-CBN News and Public Affairs, Manahan’s lawyer Atty. Luke Espiritu said his client is ready to refute the allegations of Ramona Bautista, Ram’s sister one of the suspected masterminds for the crime.

“Limitado lamang ang ating gagawin na statement kay Janelle doon sa pag-refute sa mga alegasyon ni Ramona Bautista tungkol doon sa pangyayari,” Espiritu said.

Ramona claims she was in Ram’s bedroom hiding during the crime but Janelle slams this allegation by saying that they were together when the attack was taking place.

Another point that strengthens the case against Ram’s brother RJ and sister Ramona was the confirmation of Janelle that there was indeed a sibling rivalry between them and Ram. Ramona earlier claims they had no conflicts whatsoever.

“There is animosity among the siblings, which could explain the motive behind the crime,” said Espiritu.

Manahan is set to submit her application for the Witness Protection Program this Thursday. She is also request the cancellation of Ramona’s passport in order for the latter to face the case and return to the country.

Photo Credit: Janelle Manahan’s Facebook Page

Janelle Manahan Refutes Ramona Bautista’s Allegations originally appeared on Starmometer on December 1, 2011.

The high court’s decision was unanimous, 14-0, in a 56-page resolution penned by Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco and promulgated on November 23, Wednesday.

The Supreme Court stressed in the resolution that “control over agricultural lands must always be in the hands of the farmers” and pointed out that allowing the 6,296 beneficiaries to remain stockholders would never allow them “gain control given the present proportion of shareholdings.”

Cross-published in Pinoy Power

Hacienda Luisita – SC Ruled in Favor of Tenant Farmers originally appeared on Starmometer on November 25, 2011.