magical ocean hydrangea

magical ocean hydrangea There is a startling similarity between the session halls of the South Korean National Assembly (built in 1975 under Park Chung-hee) and our Batasang Pambansa (built in 1978 under Ferdinand E. Marcos), just as our license plate colors (green, black, and yellow, respectively) seem to be derived from South Korea’s. If these can be said to be a shared experience of authoritarianism manifested even in official architecture, it can be said that even when it comes to our being democracies—once upon a time, the “newly restored” kind—we are contemporaries: we both date our present constitutions to 1987. But time moved on though, even in the new, there was much to strike a familiar chord in politically active Filipinos: from music to mobilizations, to sectors organizing and expressing themselves, martial law in Seoul seemed like a glitzy, glammed up remake of Filipino memes and tropes. For Filipinos, at least those of a certain age, because these are now based on memories from 20 or 40 years ago, the glow sticks, singing, chanting, and fierce but merry resistance were all too familiar. K-pop was part of the democratic surge, as were glow sticks and ironic banners; artists, civil society, faith-based groups and scholars weighed in. The anthem of the protests became “Into the New World” by Girls’ Generation (a close second was Aespa’s “Whiplash”) which underscores how there was a feminist angle, too. Yoon Suk-yeol has been described as rising to power “in 2022 on an anti-feminist platform and has been criticized for undermining efforts to promote gender equality.” For Filipinos and other foreigners, attention (and the coverage) moved on from Seoul after the vote to impeach the South Korean president. But the drama continues, with the same president refusing to accept official summons, and genuinely worrisome questions over whether the South Korean constitutional court can effectively try and reach a verdict on the embattled (and suspended) chief executive. Meanwhile, the political battle between the President’s party and the opposition continues, with a new debate on how to impeach the unelected Prime Minister, or who will be acting president for the duration of the impeachment trial. Most interesting are discussions that try to go beyond the current political battle (which the president may still win, procedurally, but which he has utterly lost in terms of public opinion which is overwhelmingly hostile to him), in an effort to try to fix the institutional shortcomings of South Korean democracy. An interesting summary of the more frequently discussed proposals includes shifting from a five-year single-term presidency to a four-year one with one reelection possible; the adoption of a parliamentary Cabinet system; putting in place a semi-presidential system, splitting power between the President and the PM; instituting greater parliamentary oversight; and a form of emergency powers. Others, however, argue that “hanging the system alone won’t fix deeper problems in Korean politics, such as extreme polarization; lack of compromise culture; regional voting patterns; weak party system; and ... revenge politics”—which sound very familiar to us Filipinos. To what extent these discussions extend to larger South Korean society would be interesting to know. I don’t suppose we Filipinos are unique in the number actually interested—never mind being adequately informed about such things—can’t be very big. The real question is whether public opinion is conducive to institutions attempting some sort of concrete change to the existing rules. In the past, Filipinos have found it impossible to achieve a consensus on anything positive—but more easily achieved consensus when it comes to things they didn’t want. No one could forge a consensus on political change but enough were suspicious of politicians and their motives, to oppose any political-inspired proposal to change the system. Combined with the shortcoming of our present Constitution, which is that we have an operating system impossible to update, we have the added problem that because the rules themselves hardly allow it; anyone wanting to try it has to resort to pretty difficult-to-explain maneuvers that antagonize the public. And yet beyond death and taxes, if there’s anything perennial in the Philippines, it’s hope—that somehow, someway, through some miracle, things just might get better. You have to wonder if we are truly alone in this regard. —————- Email: [email protected] ; Twitter: @mlq3 Subscribe to our daily newsletter By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy .

Man arraigned on murder charges in NYC subway death fanned flames with a shirt, prosecutors sayAP News Summary at 6:07 p.m. EST

STOCK MARKET SNAPSHOT FOR 28/12/2024Dear Eric: When my only son and his wife got married and had kids, I was informed that Christmas Day would just be for them to celebrate. I said OK. For decades, I have given my son and his family (wife and two kids) really nice gifts for Christmas. We are talking about hundreds of dollars. For a while, I would receive a small gift, such as a bottle of homemade vanilla, a rose-scented tin of salve made by a friend of the wife or a coffee cup or some such as a gift from the family. Same with my birthday. I have never received a gift from the grandkids. Last year, I let them know I would no longer be “exchanging” gifts with the parents but gifts to the grandkids (who are now teenagers with jobs) will continue. That year, I got them electronics and hoodies. I got nothing from anyone. Not even an acknowledgement from the kids. I have always had to deliver the gifts or call to see if they received them. This year, it is only going to be a Christmas card. Am I being overly sensitive? — Empty Stocking Dear Stocking: No, you are not being overly sensitive. Every family has their own traditions and needs. And no one is obligated to give — or accept — a gift. But it sure does make me sad that your desire to make this holiday special isn’t being reciprocated. Part of it may be a misalignment of expectations. You’ve given generously, into the hundreds of dollars. I’m curious if your son and daughter-in-law have different values or wants around gifting that are either not being expressed or not being heard. They should tell you clearly. Similarly, when you decided to stop giving gifts to the adults, I’m curious if your expectations were that your son would realize that you weren’t getting what you wanted and make a change. It’s worth talking it through a little more but try to focus on the want behind the want. I suspect that what you’re craving is connection — and perhaps an invitation to the family Christmas. It makes sense that you’d try to show your love from a distance through gift-giving and it makes sense that it would hurt not to have it reciprocated. But perhaps the tradition of gifts is getting in the way on both sides. If you’d like to be invited or would like to find an alternate way of celebrating and being together, that’s a great gift to ask for. Dear Eric: I was riding my bicycle when, unbeknownst to me, my wallet fell out of my pocket. My driver’s license, credit cards and about $200 in cash were in the wallet. Later that day I received a telephone call from a cyclist who found my wallet on his ride and told me that I could come over to pick it up. What, if any, reward would be appropriate? I gave a $30 bottle of wine. — Grateful Cyclist Dear Cyclist: How lucky that your path crossed with such a good fellow citizen! Etiquette experts agree that the amount of a reward in situations like this is really up to you. So, the bottle of wine you gave works. My only suggestion, however, would be that, if this ever happens again (fingers crossed your wallet stays in your pocket from now on), you check with the recipient to make sure that they drink wine. It’s the thought that counts, but you don’t want your grateful efforts to put someone else in an uncomfortable or dangerous situation. Send questions to R. Eric Thomas at eric@askingeric.com . Get local news delivered to your inbox!

(Decorated) Home(s) For The Holidays: Contest shows Porterville's holiday spirit

Jerry Jones ‘proud’ of coaching staff for late-season surgeWASHINGTON — American Airlines briefly grounded flights nationwide Tuesday because of a technical problem just as the Christmas travel season kicked into overdrive and winter weather threatened more potential problems for those planning to fly or drive. Government regulators cleared American flights to get airborne about an hour after the Federal Aviation Administration ordered a national ground stop for the airline. The order, which prevented planes from taking off, was issued at the airline's request. The airline said in an email that the problem was caused by trouble with vendor technology that maintains its flight operating system. An American Airlines employee wearing looks toward quiet check-in counters Tuesday in the American terminal at Miami International Airport in Miami. Rebecca Blackwell, Associated Press Dennis Tajer, a spokesperson for the Allied Pilots Association, a union representing American Airlines pilots, said the airline told pilots at 7 a.m. Eastern that there was an outage affecting the system known as FOS. It handles different types of airline operations, including dispatch, flight planning, passenger boarding, as well as an airplane's weight and balance data, he said. People are also reading... Some components of FOS have gone down in the past, but a systemwide outage is rare, Tajer said. Flights were delayed across American's major hubs, with only 37% leaving on time, according to Cirium, an aviation analytics company. Out of the 3,901 domestic and international American Airlines flights scheduled for Tuesday, 19 were canceled. Cirium noted that the vast majority of flights departed within two hours of their scheduled departure time. A similar percentage — 36% — arrived at their destinations as scheduled. Meanwhile, the flight-tracking site FlightAware reported that 3,712 flights entering or leaving the U.S., or serving domestic destinations, were delayed Tuesday, with 55 flights canceled. It did not show any flights from American Airlines. Cirium said Dallas-Fort Worth, New York's Kennedy Airport and Charlotte, North Carolina, saw the greatest number of delays. Washington, Chicago and Miami experienced considerably fewer delays. Travelers wait in line for security checks Tuesday at the Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles. Jae C. Hong, Associated Press Amid the travel problems, significant rain and snow were expected in the Pacific Northwest at least into Christmas Day. Showers and thunderstorms developed in the South. Freezing rain was reported in the Mid-Atlantic region near Baltimore and Washington, and snow fell in New York. Because the holiday travel period lasts weeks, airports and airlines typically have smaller peak days than they do during the rush around Thanksgiving, but the grind of one hectic day followed by another takes a toll on flight crews. Any hiccups — a winter storm or a computer outage — can snowball into massive disruptions. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts That is how Southwest Airlines stranded 2 million travelers in December 2022, and Delta Air Lines suffered a smaller but significant meltdown after a worldwide technology outage in July caused by a faulty software update from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike. Many flights during the holidays are sold out, which makes cancellations even more disruptive than during slower periods. That is especially true for smaller budget airlines that have fewer flights and fewer options for rebooking passengers. Only the largest airlines, including American, Delta and United, have "interline agreements" that let them put stranded customers on another carrier's flights. An American Airlines employee wearing a Santa Claus hat walks through the American terminal Tuesday at Miami International Airport in Miami. Rebecca Blackwell, Associated Press This will be the first holiday season since a Transportation Department rule took effect that requires airlines to give customers an automatic cash refund for a canceled or significantly delayed flight. Most air travelers were already eligible for refunds, but they often had to request them. Passengers still can ask to get rebooked, which is often a better option than a refund during peak travel periods. Finding a last-minute flight on another airline tends to be expensive. An American spokesperson said Tuesday was not a peak travel day for the airline — with about 2,000 fewer flights than the busiest days — so the airline had somewhat of a buffer to manage the delays. The groundings happened as millions of travelers were expected to fly over the next 10 days. The Transportation Security Administration expects to screen 40 million passengers through Jan. 2. Airlines expect to have their busiest days on Thursday, Friday and Sunday. American Airlines employees check in travelers Tuesday in the American terminal at Miami International Airport in Miami. Rebecca Blackwell, Associated Press Many flights during the holidays are sold out, which makes cancellations more disruptive than during slower periods. Even with just a brief outage, the cancellations have a cascading effect that can take days to clear up. About 90% of Americans traveling far from home over the holidays will be in cars, according to AAA. "Airline travel is just really high right now, but most people do drive to their destinations, and that is true for every holiday," AAA spokesperson Aixa Diaz said. Gasoline prices are similar to last year. The nationwide average Thursday was $3.04 a gallon, down from $3.13 a year ago, according to AAA. Charging an electric vehicle averages just under 35 cents per per kilowatt hour, but varies by state. Transportation-data firm INRIX says travel times on the nation's highways could be up to 30% longer than normal over the holidays, with Sunday expected to see the heaviest traffic. Flight nightmare? Here's how to get compensated Flight nightmare? Here's how to get compensated "It's not the destination, it's the journey," said American essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson. Ralph clearly was not among the travellers on one of more than 350 cancelled or 1,400 delayed flights after a worldwide tech outage caused by an update to Crowdstrike's "Falcon Sensor" software in July of 2023.U.S. airlines carried nearly 863 million travellers in 2023, with Canadian carriers accounting for another 150 million, many of whom experienced lost luggage, flight delays, cancellations, or were bumped off their flights. It's unclear how many of them were compensated for these inconveniences.Suffice it to say, posting a crabby rant on social media might temporarily soothe anger, but it won't put wasted money back in pockets. Money.ca shares what to know in order to be compensated for the three most common air travel headaches.Lost LuggageBags elected to go on a vacay without you? Check off the following:Alert the airline, both in person and in writing, of any missing bags. Remember, the clock starts ticking immediately. After 21 days, the baggage is considered lost and the airline is liable for it and its contents.Contact the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) or Canadian Transportation Agency , who will query the airline on your behalf and give them a 30-day deadline to respond.Usually, the airline will resolve the issue, but if it doesn't, or if you're unsatisfied with the offer, the next level is mediation. Beyond that, the case could move to adjudication, a court-like process with a panel deciding on the outcome. On international flights, you have up to two years to file litigation.If you expect a large payout, think again. Tariffs (air carrier contracts) limit the compensation amounts for "loss of, damage to, or the delay in delivery of baggage or other personal property."In the case of Air Canada, the maximum payout is $1,500 per passenger in the currency of the country where the baggage was processed. To raise that limit, purchase a Declaration of Higher Value for each leg of the trip. The charge is $0.50 for each $100, in which case the payout limit is $2,500.For Delta Air Lines, passengers are entitled to up to $3,800 in baggage compensation, though how much you'll receive depends on your flight. Delta will pay up to $2,080 for delayed, lost, and damaged baggage for international travellers, almost half of what U.S. domestic passengers can claim.If your flight is marked delayed for more than 30 minutes, approach the gate agent and politely request food and hotel vouchers to be used within the airport or nearby.Delayed/Cancelled FlightsDifferent air carriers and jurisdictions have their own compensation policies when flights are delayed or cancelled. For example, under European Union rules, passengers may receive up to 600 Euros, even when travelling on a non-EU carrier. Similarly, the DOT states that travellers are entitled to a refund "if the airline cancelled a flight, regardless of the reason, and the consumer chooses not to travel." However, US rules regarding delays are complicated.Some air carriers, such as Air Canada, do not guarantee their flight schedules. They're also not liable for cancellations or changes due to "force majeure" such as weather conditions or labour disruptions. If the delay is overnight, only out-of-town passengers will be offered hotel accommodation.Nevertheless, many airlines do offer some compensation for the inconvenience. If your flight is marked delayed for more than 30 minutes, approach the gate agent and politely request food and hotel vouchers to be used within the airport or nearby.Flight Compensation in the U.S.In terms of cash compensation, what you'll get can differ significantly based on things like departure location, time, carrier, and ticket class.The DOT offers a helpful delay and cancellations dashboard designed to keep travellers informed about their compensation rights. The dashboard is particularly helpful because, as the DOT states on its website, "whether you are entitled to a refund depends on a lot of factors—such as the length of the delay, the length of the flight, and your particular circumstances."Flight Compensation in CanadaThe Canadian Transportation Agency is proposing air passenger protection regulations that guarantee financial compensation to travellers experiencing flight delays and cancellations, with the level of compensation varying depending on the situation and how much control the air carrier had. The proposed regulations include the following:A plane must return to its gate after three hours on the tarmac.Minimum requirements will be set for procuring food, drink, lavatories, ventilation, and access to electronic communications during the delay.For larger airlines, payouts will range from $400 for a 3-6 hour delay, to $700 for 6-9 hours, and $1,000 for more than nine hours. For smaller carriers, the compensation would be $125, $250, and $500, respectively.Here's the loophole: If the delay is related to the air carrier's maintenance problems, no compensation is required.The airline is obligated to complete the passenger's itinerary. If the new ticket is for a lower class of service, the air carrier would have to refund the cost difference; if the booking is in a higher class of service, passengers cannot be charged extra.If the passenger declines the ticket, the airline must give a full refund, in addition to the prescribed compensation. For overnight delays, the air carrier needs to provide hotel accommodation and transportation free-of-charge. Again, if you are unsatisfied, the Canadian Transportation Agency or Department of Transportation may advocate on your behalf.Bumped Off the FlightPassengers get bumped because airlines overbook. When this happens, the air carrier must compensate you.For international flights in the US, the rate is 200% of your one-way fare to your final destination, with a $675 maximum. If the airline does not make travel arrangements for you, the payout is 400% of your one-way fare to a maximum of $1,350. To qualify, you must check-in by the stated deadline, which on international flights can be up to 3 hours ahead. Keep in mind that if you accept the cash, you are no longer entitled to any further compensation, nor are you guaranteed to be rebooked on a direct flight or similar type of seat.Don't be too quick to give up your boarding pass. Negotiate for the best compensation deal that would include cash, food and hotel vouchers, flight upgrade, lounge passes, as well as mileage points. But avoid being too greedy—if the gate attendant is requesting volunteers and you wait too long, you'll miss the offer.According to Air Canada's tariff, if a passenger is involuntarily bumped, they'll receive $200, in cash or bank draft, for up to a two-hour delay; $400 for a 2-6 hours delay; and $800 if the delay is over six hours. (Air Canada was forced to raise its payouts in 2013 due to passenger complaints.) The new rules would raise the payout significantly: $900 for up to six hours; $1,800 for 6-9; and $2,400 for more than nine hours, all to be paid within 48 hours.Statistically speaking, Delta Airlines is the carrier most likely to bump. A few years ago, Delta raised its payout maximum to $9,950, while United Airlines tops out at $10,000.This story was produced by Money.ca and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock Lost Luggage Delayed/Cancelled Flights Flight Compensation in the U.S. Flight Compensation in Canada Bumped Off the Flight Be the first to know