Hoax: Acid Rain from Japan Nuclear Power Plant Explosion

Several text messages from wifey that warns me not to go out due to meltdown of a nuclear power plant whose cooling system was damaged by the 8.9 magnitude earthquake last friday.

“PAALALA: 4:30 in the afternoon sumabog ung isang nuclear power plant sa Fukumi (sic). Kapag umulan daw mamaya at bukas, wala daw lalabas. Kung kung lalabas kayo,siguraduhin nyong nkakapote o nkapayong kayo dhl kpag naulanan kayo, delikado daw, may tendency na masunog balat nyo, mkalbo o mgka cancer. Pls pass"

REMINDER: 4:30 in the afternoon, a nuclear power plant exploded in Fukumi. Do not go out if it rains later and tomorrow. If you are going out, wear a raincoat or use an umbrella because if you get rained on it’s said to be dangerous. There is tendency that your skin will be burned, you will go bald or will get cancer. ”

The truth: radioactive gases don't react with water to form acid rain. it also doesn't react with water since it's metallic. gaseous substances and pollution in the air like sulphur and nitrogen react with the clouds form acid rain.

The Philippines is too far away from Japan to be affected by the nuclear problem and is really still normal radiation levels.

The sender of the text message may mean well but is really creating panic and false information

When someone forces you to withdraw from your ATM: Reversed ATM PIN Hoax Resurrected

I received this email forwarded on the Internet again for the nth time, with subject "Fwd: When someone forces you to withdraw from your ATM" and asking me to forward the email

"Subject: Fwd: When someone forces you to withdraw from your ATM

This is something worth sharing…

When a thief forces you to take money from the ATM, do not argue or
resist. You might not know what he or she might do to you. What you
should do is to punch your PIN in the reverse mode.
I.e. if your PIN # is 1254, you punch 4521.The moment you punch in the
reverse mode, the money will come out, but will be stuck into the
machine half way out and it will alert the Police (security) without
the notice of the thief. Every ATM has it; it is specially made to
signify danger and help. Not everyone is aware of this.

Forward this to all your loved ones, friends and those you care about."

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Note that this is an old hoax email circulating on the Internet and now resurrected again. There was a proposal in the US about this but wasn't approved. Coming from a banking industry "slave" this is not true. There are PINs about there that's a palindrome, meaning they spell the same backwards. And if it's true, the police would just arrive late. Just hope the ATM you're using has a surveillance camera to catch the face of your attacker.

Be safe!

DFA: Green Passport no longer valid in January 2010 a Hoax

Too many blogs posted information about this while an email is making the rounds about the passport advisory warning holders of old green passports to renew them for they will no longer be valid effective January 2010.

The typical cynical me checked the official website of the Department of Foreign Affairs for the authoritative source of news advisories and yet there are no statements nor press releases about the validity of the green passports.

I can only smell something: It's a hoax.

I suspect people from travel agencies want to cash in on the advisory for them to make money or just some misinformed souls.

Digging deeper since I found none at the DFA site, I found a statement of Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs Domingo Lucenario Jr. in a Philippine Daily Inquirer report "the two earlier passport versions would still be recognized in ports around the world until expiration."

To be really sure, I called up the DFA hotline 556-0000, something I don't usually do since I hate calling up government offices, the reply I got was that the "green passport is valid for travel until expiration date provided it's not within six months from the date of travel."

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) started issuing Machine Readable Passports (MRP) last year to be th April 2010 deadline set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for the phaseout of manually processed passports. It intends to issue more secure e-Passports this year.

Related Links:
Passport Application Requirements and Renewal
Passport Application Requirements and Passport Renewal Procedures

a copy of the supposed passport advisory is posted below, note the passport application requirements and renewal are correct. The non-validity of green passports beyond January 2010 is a hoax!
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ADVISORY
Department of Foreign Affairs
Travel Agency Section

Please be advised that effective January 2010, the green colored Philippine Passport will no longer be accepted even if it is still valid. Below are the list of new requirement for the application and renewal of Philippine Passport.

FOR RENEWAL MINOR AND ADULT

REQUIREMENTS:
1. OLD PASSPORT
2. 3 PASSPORT SIZED PICTURES W/ROYAL BLUE BACKGROUND WEARING DARK COLORED POLO/BLOUSE
3. PROPERLY ACCOMPLISHED APPLICATION FORM
4. IF 18YRS OLD & BELOW, SUBMIT PHOTOCOPY OF BIRTH CERTIFICATE AND ORIG. PASSPORT OF MOTHER (TO BE SIGNED AND THUMBMARKED BY MOTHER ON
THE APPLICATION FORM AND UNDERTAKING)

PROCESSING TIME: 12WORKING DAYS

FOR NEW PASSPORT (ADULT)

REQUIREMENTS:
1. AUTHENTICATED BIRTH CERTIFICATE, IF LATE REGISTRATION SUBMIT 2 OLD DOCUMENTS (EG. BAPTISMAL WITH DRY SEAL, FORM 137, VOTER'S AFFIDAVIT)
2. IF MARRIED WOMAN, AUTHENTICATED MARRIAGE CONTRACT
3. 3 PASSPORT SIZED PICTURES W/ROYAL BLUE BACKGROUND WEARING DARK COLORED POLO/BLOUSE
4. ORIGINAL I.D. (COMPANY, SSS, VOTER'S, DRIVER'S)
5. FILLED UP APPLICATION FORM WITH SIGNATURE IN UNDERTAKING (2ND PAGE OF APPLICATION FORM). PLS. DON'T SIGN AND DON'T AFFIX THUMBMARK ON

GREEN APPLICATION FORM

FOR NEW PASSPORT/MINOR BELOW 18 YEARS OLD

1. AUTHENTICATED BIRTH CERTIFICATE
2. AUTHENTICATED MARRIAGE CONTRACT OF PARENTS IF MARRIED. IF NOT PARENTS ARE NOT MARRIED, AFFIDAVIT OF ILLEGITIMACY
3. 3 COPIES PASSSPORT SIZED PICTURE W/ROYAL BLUE BACKGROUND WEARING DARK COLORED POLO/BLOUSE
4. DULY FILLED UP APPLICATION FORM, IF 8YRS OLD & ABOVE DON'T SIGN AND DON'T AFFIX THUMBMARK. BUT IF 7 YRS & BELOW, FORM SHOULD BE SIGNED
AND THUMBMARKED BY MOTHER
5. ORIGINAL VALID PASSPORT OF MOTHER
6. PHOTOCOPY OF SCHOOL I.D. IF STUDENT
7. IF TRAVELLING WITHOUT PARENTS NEED DSWD CLEARANCE AND ORIGINAL PASSPORT OF TRAVELLING COMPANION

NOTE:
1. FOR MINORS BELOW 8 YRS OLD NEW AND RENEWAL, MOTHER IS FOR PERSONAL APPEARANCE AT DFA
2. FOR 8-17 YRS OLD NEW AND RENEWAL, APPLICANT AND MOTHER ARE FOR PERSONAL APPEARANCE AT DFA
3. FOR 18-64 YRS OLD NEW AND RENEWAL, PERSONAL APPEARANCE IS A MUST. ONLY 65 YEARS OLD & ABOVE ARE EXEMPTED FROM PERSONAL APPEARANCE
PROCESSING TIME: 12WORKING DAYS AFTER PERSONAL APPEARANCE

Nikon Philippines!?

I received this email from a forum I've been lurking in and immediately opened it. From the moment I read it, noticed it already as a hoax, know why?

The email has lots of wrong grammar for an executive
Harry Abad, doesn't seem like he's working in HK
News like that are announced officially in Nikon's site, other official channels and not via email only!

I guess though August 10 has got to be important for the hoax mailer, probably his birthday

on a sidenote, I'm now an official Nikon user with a Nikon D80 and Nikkor 18-200 VR lens :P

btw, if you're looking for Nikon camera and lens repair service, try to contact Columbia Digital (CDSC)


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HEY NIKONISTAS !!!

Your worries will soon end ! We will be launching the* NIKON Philippines*
this year, *August 10, 2008* to be exact. It means no more CDSC... (sorry Mr
Tan). The prices of all Nikon products ( body,lenses etc) will drastically
minimize as to compete the prices from the other retailers. Rest assured
that the prices is lower than in Hidalgo or other palces that selling GREY
units.

Your continuous appreciation of Nikon products, as well as your many
feedbacks (1000 plus e-mail a day regarding AFTERSALES & LOCAL PRICES) make
us decide to finally put up NIKON Philippines sooner than we opt to.

So expect more announcements soon about NIKON Philippines.

Respectfully yours,
Harry Abad
VP for Sales and Marketing
Nikon HongKong

*** Mr. Harry Abad will soon be the GM of Nikon Philippines

Camote Tops: Cure for Dengue Hoax

I consider it a hoax, that email circulating in the Internet claiming boiled camote tops (sweet potato or talbos ng kamote) cured dengue for some Filipino dengue patients. The email is very similar to the email claiming juice of papaya cured the same disease in India.

Some officemates of mine said "nothing to lose" except my confidence and credibility for those advocating such unproven claims.

According to trustworthy medical websites and DOH, there really is no cure for dengue and alleged cures need further research for efficacy.

For now, consider it a hoax;
or like what most food supplements do it: No Approved Therapeutic Claim