Philippines Celebrates Independence Day

MANILA, Philippines --- On June 12, 1898, General Emilio F. Aguinaldo proclaimed at the balcony of his ancestral home on Calle Real in Kawit, Cavite, the independence of the Republic of the Philippines, and the Philippine flag was hoisted as the national anthem called Marcha Filipina was played in the presence of a huge crowd.

On September 29, 1898, the Malolos Congress formally ratified the Declaration of Independence. Then on August 6, 1898, the Revolutionary Government sent diplomatic notes to foreign nations, requesting then to accord formal recognition to the Philippines as a free and independent nation.

Spain ceded the Philippines to the United States (US) in the 1898 Treaty of Paris. It was until July 4, 1946, after nearly 50 years of American rule, and more than three years of Japanese occupation, that US recognized Philippine independence in the Treaty of Manila.

For a while, July 4 was celebrated as Philippine Independence Day. Then President Diosdado P. Macapagal decided in 1962 to have the Philippines celebrate its Araw ng Kalayaan on June 12, in commemoration of that historic day in 1898 when General Aguinaldo proclaimed Philippine independence. President Ferdinand E. Marcos, who succeeded President Diosdado P. Macapagal, later proclaimed July 4 as Philippine-American Friendship Day.

Before the Philippine Revolution of 1896, there were many uprisings in various parts of the country against Spanish colonial rule. It was the 1896 Revolution that drew the nation together like no other movement before it. Subsequent developments – the Philippine-American War and World War II – may have delayed the actual enjoyment of sovereignty, but it was on June 12, 1898, that Filipinos proclaimed to the world their desire and determination to stand as a free and independent member of the world community of nations.

The Manila Bulletin led by its Chairman Dr. Emilio T. Yap, President and Publisher Atty. Hermogenes P. Pobre, Executive Vice President Dr. Emilio C. Yap III, Editor-in-Chief Dr. Cris J. Icban Jr., and Officers, greet the entire nation on the occasion of our Independence Day today and wish us all the best and success in all our endeavors. MABUHAY ANG PILIPINAS!

INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE
Madison Avenue from 38th Street head South (downtown)

Earth Day 2012

Some say environmentalism and “going green” are little more than fleeting trends. Others even argue that so-called “eco-fads” are actually exacerbating environmental problems rather than alleviating them. But whether you’re an eco-supporter or an eco-skeptic, today is still Earth Day. So join us as we cozy up on our eco-friendly moss carpet, put on our favorite eco-friendly solar-powered fan hats and take a look at the Earth Day celebrations across the globe.

Malang, Indonesia: Environmental activists paraded through the streets to commemorate Earth Day, holding up plastic bottles in protest of environmentally unsound practices.

New York City: This weekend, volunteers gathered for a fifth-annual tree planting event organized by JetBlue Airways and an initiative known as MillionTreesNYC. Though the group hosts events throughout the year, MillionTreesNYC hoped to plant 100 trees to commemorate Earth Day this weekend.

Tokyo, Japan: As part of the city’s Earth Day festivities, residents paraded through the streets in protest of nuclear power plants. Participants carried a large carp-shaped wind sock, which symbolizes good health for children.

Manila, Philippines: Workers replaced broken LED lights on a large bronze globe outside a mall. At night, the illuminated globe will serve as the centerpiece of an Earth Day celebration, in the hopes of bringing attention to environmental concerns.

Tegucigalpa, Honduras: Volunteers participated in a reforestation program at the Rosy Walter Zoo in central Honduras. The program was part of a series of environmental initiatives across Central America to commemorate Earth Day.

Washington, D.C.: Earth Day enthusiasts hoping to “mobilize the Earth” headed to the National Mall for a day-long celebration of all things environmental. Musical acts included Ron Holloway and Cheap Trick, and other attractions included a variety of speeches and demonstrations.

Budapest, Hungary: Each year, residents take part in a Critical Mass cycling event to commemorate Earth Day. The first ride was organized in 2004 on a day deemed “Car Free Day” and eventually transformed into an Earth Day tradition. With thousands and thousands of people turning out each year, the Budapest event has broken international records.

Barcelona, Spain: Tourists and residents alike took part in a series of celebrations of La Mare Terra (“Mother Earth” in Catalan). The main event, the Fira per la Terra (“the Festival for the Earth”), didn’t necessarily promote an environmentalist agenda, but it did offer a variety of delicious Spanish meats.

http://newsfeed.time.com

Tupac Hologram Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre Perform Coachella Live 2012

This is really cool. Tupac is like really alive. I wouldn't be surprise if Coachella will make a Michael Jackson Hologram next year. For all the people who don't know Tupac, he is one of the greatest rappers and icon of the 90's.

Here are some of the comments..

tupac performs after he is dead and is still is the best rapper

barjizz

he should have said something like "fuck you justin bieber and the rest of you uncreative muthafuckers!"

seriously, this should serve as a reminder of what music is. the real shit like it use to be

CrimsonRGU 

when i heard tupac was back i thought he actually faked his death... i feel stupid yet relieved that something like this actually happened. major props to dre and snoop

jdouglasruddle 

Tupac should come back and teach these today "rappers" (drake, big sean, lil wayne, rick ross, etc.) how to rap.!

luljackson 

April Fool's Day

It's April Fool's Day! and I'm going to share 5 of the most viral Pranks in YouTube .

It's really fun to play fool once a year.