Latest news with #Lucena
Filipino Times
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Filipino Times
Kathryn Bernardo, Lucena Mayor Mark Alcala spark online buzz over alleged Australia trip
Kapamilya actress Kathryn Bernardo and Lucena Mayor Mark Alcala are once again the subject of online speculation after alleged photos of the two at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) circulated on social media. According to online sources, both were reportedly headed to Australia although they were seen at the airport at different times. There has been no confirmation as to whether they traveled together or planned to meet abroad. Rumors linking Kathryn and Mayor Alcala first surfaced in December 2023, when reports claimed the two had started seeing each other. Speculation reignited last month after a Reddit user posted on the 'Chika PH' thread that the two were allegedly spotted in Bonifacio Global City. During the ABS-CBN Ball in April, Bernardo was asked about her relationship status to which she replied that she was single. Related Articles
Asahi Shimbun
21-06-2025
- Business
- Asahi Shimbun
Hoyu develops disappearing tattoos, opening doors to body art
A design from Hoyu Co.'s Lucena temporary tattoo series representing the lunar cycle (Provided by Hoyu Co.) 'Tattoo is not taboo,' insist two hair dye company employees, and they've developed the product to prove it—vanishing tattoos made with special inks that disappear in a week. While tattoos are widely accepted as an art form and fashion statement in many countries, in Japan the stigma against them remains fierce. However, the creators of Lucena tattoos are out to challenge these negative assumptions, and hope to contribute to Japanese culture by opening a doorway to body art. Hoyu Co., the Nagoya-based leading manufacturer and distributor of hair coloring products, started selling these made-to-fade tattoos on a trial basis last summer. The Lucena tattoos are characterized by a rich variety of colors and designs. Users can choose their favorite designs from about 70 tattoo sticker sheets. After the stickers are placed on the skin and the inks are applied over the top, the designs will stay visible for about a week. Users can mix inks to create their favorite colors, according to Hoyu. The tattoo series is the brainchild of Jun Fujii, 38, a member of the company's corporate planning division, who has spent extensive time abroad. Fujii initially came up with the idea while studying in the United States. He had noticed a special tattoo showing a blood type on an American friend's arm. His friend explained that this was a medical tattoo designed to prevent transfusions of the wrong blood type in a medical emergency. Fujii began to realize that tattoos might have the potential to be more than just fashion statements. This thought continued to grow after Fujii joined Hoyu and worked in Vietnam, Myanmar and other countries where he was exposed to different cultures that embrace tattoos. About six years ago, Fujii pitched the idea of temporary tattoos to his supervisors, but was shot down. Still, he didn't give up and pitched the idea again in 2023 when an in-house program was launched to create new businesses. Fujii has teamed with a former researcher, Shingo Yamaguchi, also 38, to continue developing the Lucena tattoos, and the company is now ready to commercialize the tattoo series. In Japan, tattoos are still viewed as incredibly taboo. Recently, a tattooed woman employed at a long-established restaurant became a target for defamatory and slanderous comments on social media. One post said, 'I will never go a restaurant where inked employees work.' The vanishing Lucena tattoos are aimed at lessening this stigma and ensuring that people can safely enjoy trying out body art. In recent years, 'fake tattoos' using stickers and body paint have become increasingly popular fashion statements. However, according to the Consumer Affairs Agency, no clear standards have been set for the quality and safety of temporary tattoos in Japan. Incidents of skin irritation and other issues have been reported, the agency cautioned in 2019. Hoyu, which has been developing hair dyes for many years, has conducted extensive research on skin allergens to ensure product safety. Fujii and Yamaguchi used the accumulated research in their development process, and the company manufactures and sells the temporary tattoos as 'cosmetics,' which have established safety standards and need to be reported to local governments. 'Because we are doing everything with just the two of us, there is a limit to the amount we can produce and the places we can visit to promote them,' Yamaguchi said. Still, he said he can see the growing demand for the product, as many young people visit their booths at events and concert venues, eager to experience tattoos that disappear. Fujii added, 'As people get more autonomy over their hair color (at work), there are more opportunities for self-expression. I hope the culture of coloring skin will also spread in Japan.' The brand's Instagram account posts photos showing how to apply Lucena tattoos, and products are being sold on its official website. A set that includes one tattoo sheet and two ink tubes is available for 3,980 yen ($28), including tax.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Spectacular photo taken from ISS shows 'gigantic jet' of upward-shooting lightning towering 50 miles over New Orleans
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. A newly unveiled photo captured by an astronaut on the International Space Station (ISS) provides a rare glimpse at an upward-shooting "gigantic jet" of lightning likely extending more than 50 miles (80 kilometers) above the U.S. coast. The striking image was taken by an unnamed ISS crewmember on Nov. 19, 2024, but it was not initially shared by NASA or any other space organization. However, photographer Frankie Lucena, who specializes in capturing giant lightning sprites, stumbled across photos of the event on the Gateway to Astronaut photography of Earth website and shared them with which reshared the shots Feb. 26. "I checked the ISS database for pictures before and after the event, and found that there were 4 photos [of lightning] in all," Lucena told The images can be viewed in a time-lapse video posted on YouTube, but only one has an associated jet. The exact location of the jet is unclear because thunderclouds are covering Earth's surface in the images. However, based on the position of the ISS at the time, the jet likely occurred just off the coast of New Orleans, according to Related: ISS astronaut captures green auroras dancing over city lights (video) Gigantic jets are massive lightning bolts that shoot upward from thunderstorms when the charged layers of the clouds get temporarily inverted. They mainly give off a blue light due to the high levels of nitrogen in the upper atmosphere and usually last less than a second. Most observed gigantic jets reach the ionosphere — the part of the atmosphere that begins around 50 miles above Earth's surface and contains charged particles captured from the sun. This has earned the phenomenon the nickname "Earth's tallest lightning," according to However, the exact height of the newly photographed bolt is unclear. Gigantic jets are also extremely energetic. The most powerful recorded example of this phenomenon, which occurred during a thunderstorm over Oklahoma in May 2018, contained roughly 60 times more energy than a standard lightning bolt and reached up to 8,000 degrees Fahrenheit (4,400 degrees Celsius). These jets often terminate with tendrils of branching red lightning, which can be faintly seen in the new image. These additional discharges are very similar to "sprites," which often look like giant electric jellyfish. However, gigantic jets are a separate phenomenon from traditional sprites, which occur without jets, according to RELATED STORIES — Space mysteries: How does the ISS stay in orbit without falling to Earth? — NASA astronaut uses homemade star tracker to take incredible deep space photo from ISS — Watch Earth and space in 4K with Sen's new 24/7 livestream from the ISS (video) Gigantic jets were first discovered relatively recently, in 2001 — so only a few dozen photographs of these massive bolts have ever been captured, according to However, scientists think there could be up to 1,000 unseen jets every year. Most of these images have been taken from space, but some others, including a breathtaking image from September 2018, have also been snapped by airplane passengers flying over thunderstorms.
