Filipino Worker Loses Job For Not Using Toilet "The Australian Way"

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This juicy bit is a rip-off from the The Huffington Post. Could we call this toilet discrimination!?

A Filipino contract worker Amador Bernabe, 43, lost his job Friday January 23 for not using the toilet "the Australian way".

Bernabe works as a machine operator for Townsville Engineering Industries. He said that on Thursday, his foreman followed him into the bathroom questioning his toilet hygiene after seeing him (Bernabe) carrying a bottled water inside the toilet.

Despite Bernabe's protests, he claims the foreman followed him into the toilet saying "you can't bring water in there".

"I said it's my personal hygiene. I didn't break any law, I didn't break any rules of the company, why can't I do this, and he said he would report me to the manager.", Bernabe said.

Bernabe was summoned to the manager's office the next day where he was admonished to use the toilet the "Australian way" or he would be immediately fired. Bernabe, seeing nothing wrong with his toilet habits, replied "sir, then you better terminate me"

Link: The Huffington Post

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250,000 Filipinos to lose jobs in next 6 months

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About 250,000 Filipino workers may lose their jobs in the next six months...

Philippine labor officials said more than 30,000 workers were laid-off since last December and the figure could double by the end of January 2009.

If the trend continues, the figure could reach 250,000 displacements in six months.

Most displaced workers came from small- and medium-enterprises and companies in Southern Tagalog and Central Visayas, particularly in the central city of Cebu.

Link: Xinhuanet.com

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8 Babies in 5 Minutes

A California woman gave birth to eight babies in a span of five minutes on Monday. This is considered only the second time in history that live octuplets have been born The mother, as you've might have guessed, gave birth by cesarean section.

Six boys and two girls weighing between 1.8 pounds and 3.4 pounds. The doctors were expecting seven live births only so their obsession for methodical precision was upset with the delivery of the 8th baby. Better luck next time, I guess.

"It's a surprise," said Dr. Karen Maples.

The first live-born octuplets were born in Houston in December 1998. They were three months premature and their weights ranged from 11 ounces to 1 pound, 11 ounces. The tiniest infant died of heart and lung failure a week after being born. The surviving siblings turned 10 in December.

Link: Birth of Octuplets

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Twins study suggests that sociability, shyness might be hidden in DNA

Is it possible that traits such as shyness and sociability are dictated by our genes? To think that such traits could determine a person's attitude and material success says a lot about what we inherit from our parents. Another intriguing implication of the research is the feasibility that an individual's genetic makeup can influence the behavior of others.

MONDAY, Jan. 26 (HealthDay News) --...A new study comparing the two types of twins shows that genetics might affect social behavior, and the scientists who made the discovery say they are closing in on some of those "personality" genes...

Link: Search for Popularity Gene

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BLOG UPDATE: SOME POSTS MISSING

One horrible night I dreamed that I rebooted this blog.. and when I turned it on again my personal posts were all gone!

I was gasping when I woke up.. hurried up to the damn computer only to realize it's true!

Then it dawned on me.. slowly at first. It was I who did the ghastly crime..!?

What the f..! No, not that word. What the fluke did I do!?

In panic I got myself a freshly brewed Barako coffee.. ahh! ...the best in all possible worlds!

Having calmed down a bit, memories of the previous night came pouring in.. it happened that I opened up a personal blog and migrated all my personal posts to it.

Taking inspiration from my favorite book in the Bible (Ecclesiastes), I named the blog Time and Chance. Just so I can be properly guided I tried to reread the entire book. Then, in the dead of night.. I forgot what happened next. ('must have dozed off again and telepathically transported myself to bed.)

Mystery solved, feel free to visit Time and Chance if you have the time. Or chance. Either way is fine by me.

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