Ukrainian student dies from exploding chewing gum

This is the weirdest thing I've read today.

A Ukrainian chemistry student was killed when a stick of chewing gum apparently exploded in his mouth, Ukrainian media report.

RIA Novosoti, the Russian news agency, says the incident occurred while the unidentified 25-year-old student at Ukraine's Kiev Polytechnic Institute was working at a computer at his parents' house in the city of Konotop.

"A loud pop was heard from the student's room," ukranews.com reports, quoting an aide to the police chief . "When his relatives entered the room they saw that the lower part of the young man's face had been blown off."

The report says a forensic examination found that the gum was covered with an unidentified chemical substance, thought to be some type of explosive material.

Full story here.

Eighty Six

An 86-year-old man went to his doctor for his annual check-up.

The doctor asked him how he was feeling, and the 86-year-old said, "Things are great and I've never felt better. I now have a 20-year-old bride who is pregnant with my child! So what do you think about that Doc?"

The doctor considered his question for a minute and then began to tell a story. "I have an older friend, much like you, who is an avid hunter and never misses a season."

"One day he was setting off to go hunting. In a bit of a hurry, he accidentally picked up his walking cane instead of his gun. As he neared the lake, he came across a very large male beaver sitting at the water's edge. He realized he'd left his gun at home and so he couldn't shoot the magnificent creature. Out of habit he raised his cane, aimed it at the animal as if it were his favorite hunting rifle, and went 'bang, bang'!"

Miraculously, two shots rang out and the beaver fell over dead.

"Now, what do you think of that?" asked the doctor.

The 86-year-old said, "Logic would strongly suggest that somebody else pumped a couple of rounds into that beaver."

The doctor replied, "My point exactly."

Comelec ousts Padaca

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

======================
MANILA, Philippines—The Commission on Elections (Comelec) Tuesday ordered Isabela Gov. Grace Padaca to vacate her post to give way to former Gov. Benjamin Dy, saying the latter won in its recount by a thousand votes.

The Comelec Second Division ruled in favor of Dy almost three years after the 2007 gubernatorial election.

Commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer said Padaca should leave Isabela’s top position because Dy was the rightful winner.

“Wherefore, the Commission Second Division resolves … to grant the instant petition, to annul the proclamation of protestee, and to direct the protestee to vacate the office of the provincial governor of Isabela and relinquish the same to protestant,” the division said in its decision.

Dy received a total of 199,435 votes, while Padaca got 198,384 votes, a lead of only 1,051 votes, according to the Comelec’s appreciation of votes.

After Ferrer read the dispositive portion of the decision, Dy and his supporters clapped.

Padaca did not attend the promulgation. Her lawyer immediately left the session hall but said the Padaca camp would appeal the case.

“I am glad that the Comelec saw the basis of glaring election fraud in Isabela as shown by markings on the ballots,” Dy said in a statement distributed immediately after the promulgation.

In his electoral protest, Dy said there were thousands of ballots marked for his opponent with the same handwriting. The Dy camp protested the ballots from 13 Isabela towns, including the provincial capital of Ilagan.

Padaca was declared governor in 2007 after getting 17,007 more votes than Dy.

30-year hold ended

She ended the Dy family’s almost 30-year hold of the top leadership in the province when she defeated then reelectionist Gov. Faustino Dy Jr., Benjamin’s brother, in the 2004 election.

After graduating magna cum laude from the Lyceum of the Philippines in 1984, she worked as a radio commentator for Radyo Bombo.

Padaca, a 2008 Ramon Magsaysay awardee who is with the Liberal Party (LP), will seek a third term next year against another member of the Dy clan, Isabela Rep. Faustino Dy III, a brother of Faustino and Benjamin.

Benjamin Dy, a known ally of the Arroyo administration, is the official candidate of Lakas-Kampi-CMD in the May 2010 elections for a mayoral race in the province.
======================

So the Dy clan, who has been holding the top post in Isabela for 30 years and is a political ally of GMA lost to a woman in a wheelchair with no previous political experience by cheating to win the seat for governor of Isabela.

Makes sense.

Food Ad Tricks: Helping Kids Understand Food Ads on TV

Kind of old, but it's a behind-the-scenes look at how burgers (and fries) are made to look
their best for television. It's the reason why the food you see on TV is not the same as in person.

Funny Filipino Signs 4

So pag nag order ako nang dalawang ham burjer at isang putlong, pipti payb yun diba?