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Michael Kaiser doesn't want you reviewing shows in chat rooms

2011-11-15T02:24:00.001-08:00

Michael Kaiser's Huffington Post column took a dangerous turn toward the water cooler this morning. It's usually a somewhat sleepy collection of meditations on arts management, but today the Kennedy Center president takes aim at what he calls a "scary trend": Nonprofessional critics, even audience members, reviewing shows.

In the piece, Kaiser correctly notes that in the past, "[e]very artist, producer or arts organization used to wait for a handful of reviews to determine the critical response to a particular project."

But now, he worries, "it is difficult to distinguish the professional critic from the amateur as one reads on-line reviews and critiques."

A fair point! One maybe undermined a little bit by Kaiser's contention that "younger people get virtually all of their information online, through news web sites, social media and chat rooms" (seriously, chat rooms?) but it's undeniable that the castle walls have been shaken.

So I guess, two questions. The first is whether this parade of ham and eggers through the rarified halls of capital-T theatuh is really a problem; while lousy reviews on Yelp are the bane of many restaurateurs' lives, I've yet to read about bad word of mouth on the Internet sinking a theater production but assume it's a matter of time before I do.

The second is whether Kennedy Center keeps nonprofessional critics out as a policy.

In an incredibly unscientific survey, I looked through the last month of my arts newsletter, in which I try to round up as many local arts reviews as possible, and I found only one review of a Kennedy Center show that came from an outfit that wasn't the Washington Post, Washingtonian, or Washington City Paper — Susan Galbraith's review of the Washington National Opera's Lucia di Lammermoor in DC Theatre Scene, which ran on Saturday.

I asked DC Theatre Scene's Lorraine Treanor if her site had any issues getting its critics into the Kennedy Center: "We don't," she writes in an email, "and we have been covering the Kennedy Center since at least 2006. We've been able to interview performers as well."

Joel Markowitz of Maryland Theatre Guide likewise reports no issues: "We have had no problems getting into anything," he says.

Mike Clark of ShowBizRadio.net has had less luck. "The Kennedy Center has never returned or acknowledged my requests for reviewing credentials of Kennedy Center productions," he writes in an email. "I gave up requesting credentials or press tickets a few years ago."

Stephanie O'Neill, who handles theater media requests at Kennedy Center, says "we don't have any blanket policy" on whether or not to credential a reviewer based on their publication. "It really depends on availability and what the publication is," she says. She asked me to put my follow-up questions in an email, and I'll update this post when I hear back.

Do Not Abuse the Chat Rooms

2011-11-11T17:34:00.000-08:00

There are two ways someone can abuse the chat rooms. One can be through deliberate actions and malicious intentions while the other will be done unknowingly. Regardless of the situation, it is still wrong to abuse chat rooms. People visit chat rooms with different intentions of which some are usually very important. It would be very unfair of you to try to interfere with that.

Know what is abusive

In order that we perfectly try to avoid abusing pinoy chat online, it would be best that we all try to know what would be abusive so that we can avoid it. One thing we all need to know is that there are reasons why all chat rooms exist and this must be respected. You cannot start flirting where people are discussing business.

When you do so, you would be abusing the PINOY CHAT BOX. So, in other words, when you do what the chat room is not intended for, you would be abusing it. It is just important that you try to remain within the limits of the room. Do not introduce what is not available.

At the same time, it could be that you are trying to advertise a product or market something when others are busy chatting in the room. This way, you will be interfering with the people and you will be abusing the room. Maybe the product is good but the forum is very wrong.

Mind what you do

Chatting is one of the greatest pastime activities that many are embracing today. Usually people form clicks in the rooms and they would be used to each other. You should be careful that you never interfere with others while in the chat room. Usually, you would not be barred from following conversations but you must see how you do it.

You can laugh about what is funny but you must never insult anyone in the chat room even when you have a strong feeling that what they are discussing is not important. It may not just be important to you but to them it may be something very important and enormous.

You should also not threaten anyone in the chat blog. You must never use defamatory, obscene, libelous language at all in the room. If this is found from you, you may be penalized for abusing the chat room. One of the things that will be done is to bar you from the room.

I believe that before you get to online chat, you must have found something very interesting about it. The same is the case with all those you see in the room. Do not make their lives uncomfortable. Just try to respect them and they will also respect you in return.

If you never knew what would spell abuse to the chat rooms, at least now you have an idea. It is best that you implement the idea. Never just make people quit the room or curse you for your misdeeds.

Watch American Idol Season 10 Finale Live Stream

2011-05-23T08:58:00.000-07:00

Are you ready to find out who won American Idol 2010?! Tonight on American Idol it’s the biggest results of the season and either Crystal or Lee will be crowned as the winner! Based on our latest poll results I’m thinking it could go either way. What do you think will happen when the 2-hour season finale airs tonight at 8PM

Watch American Idol Season 10 Finale

The ninth season of American Idol premiered on January 12, 2010, on Fox. Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi have all returned as judges, and Ellen DeGeneres has permanently replaced Paula Abdul as the fourth judge.Idol Gives Back also returned this season and was held on April 21, 2010, during the top seven results show.The top 24 semi-finals format used in the fourth through seventh seasons also returned this season.This will be Simon Cowell’s last season judging on American Idol. This was the second season where neither of the final 2 contestants had been in the bottom 2 or 3, the first being the seventh season.

Judges

After the season began, Paula Abdul did not return as the fourth judge on the panel, having announced in the beginning of August 2009 that she was leaving the show due to unresolved contract negotiations.[6] Victoria Beckham, Mary J. Blige, Shania Twain, Katy Perry, Avril Lavigne, Joe Jonas, Neil Patrick Harris and Kristin Chenoweth were brought in to star as guest judges during the auditions phase.

After making the decision to utilize guest judges in Abdul’s absence, Fox chairman Peter Rice stated that they would find a permanent fourth judge before the season premiere in January 2010,leading the confirmation on September 9, 2009 by Ellen DeGeneres that she would be joining the show as the new permanent fourth judge for the rounds held at CBS Television City for Hollywood Week and thereafter, onto the live shows.

In addition, Simon Cowell announced shortly before the ninth season began that it would be his last season on American Idol. Cowell will be leaving the show to begin preparations for an American version of his talent show The X-Factor.

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Watch Greys Anatomy Season 7 Episode 22 : Unaccompanied Minor

2011-05-23T08:55:00.000-07:00

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Watch Grey's Anatomy Latest Episode

Grey’s Physiology Season 7 Episode 22 Ending. Grey’s Anatomy, any Us functioning television strategy string made just by Shonda Rhimes, owns at this time used the season 6 as well as began airing on September 5, the year associated with 2010 on ABC.
Its already signed so that you can reach its expiration date on Possibly will nineteen, 2011. Grey’s Anatomy Period 6 informs the specialist performance, Grey’s Anatomy comes after the world connected with Seattle Leeway Infirmary health-related individual. Doctor. Meredith Off white (Ellen Pompeo) is actually a prominent narrator, yet simply among the list of inside the set connected with clothing placed that also includes remarkable personas which includes McDreamy (Patrick Dempsey) coupled with McSteamy (Eric Dane). Grey’s Anatomy can be described as flourishing American performance roll film getting a number vistors. Starring Ellen Pompeo (Meredith Grey), Sandra Yang (Cristina Yang), Justin Chambers (Alex Karev), Chandra Wilson (Miranda Bailey), Sara Ramirez (Callie Torres). Grey’s Anatomy Period 6 Episode 23 is known as a previous episode along with excellent artwork i just hold out until eventually around upcoming period. A number vistors are generally looking ahead to that ultimate episode.

See Grey’s Anatomy Season 7 Event 22 Finale Online. Meredith lays inside Derek’s healthcare demo then finally identified, its endangering the professions and result in unintended implications ideal for other people. Endure, critical citizen Owen announced her decision, along with Cristina along with Teddy have got a decision to make. You’ll become my apologies should you skipped the fact that. Thank you to your check out in this posting. Don’t overlook Grey’s Anatomy Period 6 Situation 23 Finale.

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Grey’s Anatomy, an American drama television series made by Shonda Rhimes, has now entered the growing season 7 and began airing on September 23, 2010 in ABC. It is signed to expire on Could possibly 19, 2011. Grey’s Function Season 7 tells the medical drama, Grey’s Physiology follows the lives about Seattle Grace Hospital health related personal. Dr. Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) is a famous narrator, but only among the list of in an ensemble cast that includes memorable characters like McDreamy (Patrick Dempsey) not to mention McSteamy (Eric Dane).

Grey’s Anatomy is an excellent American drama film making plenty of spectators. Starring Ellen Pompeo (Meredith Grey), Sandra Yang (Cristina Yang), Justin Chambers (Alex Karev), Chandra Wilson (Miranda Bailey), Sara Ramirez (Callie Torres). Grey’s Anatomy Season 7 Episode 22 stands out as the last episode and we need to wait until out so next season. Many spectators are looking ahead to this final episode.

Grey’s Body structure Season 7 Episode 22 synopsis: Meredith lies in Derek’s healthcare trial finally known, it truly is endangering the careers and also cause unintended consequences for the purpose of others. Meanwhile, chief resident in town Owen announced his alternative, and Cristina and Teddy possess a choice to make.

Watch Grey’s Anatomy Year or so 7 Episode 22 on ABC or within your favorite channel. You’ll be sorry if you missed it. Thank you for your visit we are going to. Don’t miss Grey’s Structure Season 7 Episode 22 Finale.

Ali Landry Pregnant with His Second Child

2011-05-18T07:15:00.000-07:00

Ali Landry is eating for two.

The Louisiana-bred model, 37, and director hubby Alejandro Monteverde are expecting their second child this fall, a source confirms to PEOPLE.

“They are very happy,” the source says. “And [their 3½-year-old daughter] Estela is ecstatic to have a sibling on the way.”

Landry, who is 3½-months along, wed Monteverde in April 2006.

– Dahvi Shira

Emma Watson Lancôme Trésor Midnight Rose perfume

2011-05-18T07:13:00.001-07:00

Emma Watson is blossoming as a sexy ingénue who can’t help but ignite passions with her expressive eyes and girlish figure. She was in Paris to launch her Lancôme Trésor Midnight Rose perfume, both of which, she says, are close to her heart.

But she’s really opening eyes in new outtakes from her Nov. 2010 Marie Claire photo shoot. How these photos ended up on the cutting room floor is beyond amazing.

The 21-year-old actress is filming her new movie “Perks of Being A Wallflower” in which she’ll play the romantic lead.

It’s a coming of age story about 15-year-old Charlie (Logan Lerman), an endearing and naive outsider, coping with his first love, played by Emma.

Charlie Sheen Dumped By 'Goddess' Via Text Message

2011-05-18T07:10:00.001-07:00

Charlie Sheen has been dumped by his so-called "goddess" Bree Olson via text message. Sheen confirmed that he was dumped by the adult film actress during his stage show in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday evening (23rd April 2011), according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Olson and the model NATALIE KENLY had been accompanying the actor on his 18-city 'My Violent Torpedo of Truth Tour', joining him on stage for several of the sold out dates. However, Sheen revealed his relationship troubles while performing at the weekend, telling the audience that Olson was no longer considered a 'goddess' after she broke up with him via text message. Despite the split, the 45-year-old actor was praised for another entertaining performance on his current tour. During a question and answer session, Sheen was asked whether he had any words of advice for Lindsay Lohan, who was released from a Los Angeles jail on Friday (22nd April 2011) on $75,000 bail. Sheen was full of support for the troubled actress, telling the audience member, "I would hug her and let her know it's gonna be OK".

Charlie Sheen was joined on stage by a number of celebrities at the Florida show, including breakfast show host SCOTT DOOLEY, former NBA star Dennis Rodman and the comedian JEFF ROSS.

Watch The Boondocks Season 3 Episode 12 Online

2010-07-20T02:41:00.001-07:00

Watch The Boondocks Season 3 Episode 12 Online – The Boondocks season 3 episode 12 just aired last night on television and if you happened to miss it because you wasn’t home or you forgot to DVR it then you should be able to watch it streaming online. Luckily for you guys, I found [...] Read more

Watch Entourage Season 7 Episode 3 Streaming Online

2010-07-20T02:40:00.000-07:00

Watch Entourage Season 7 Episode 3 Streaming Online – Entourage season 7 episode 3 aired last night on HBO and if you were unable to watch it because you don’t have the channel or you were out and about then you should be able to watch it streaming online. I have provided the link [...] read more

2010 WWE Money In The Bank Results

2010-07-20T02:39:00.000-07:00

2010 WWE Money In The Bank Results – If you guys didn’t get a chance to watch WWE Money In The Bank last night then you will probably be interested in who won, lost and all the details. Check out below for the 2010 WWE Money In The Bank results.

I believe there were eight [...] read more

Watch Despicable Me Full Movie Online Free

2010-07-20T02:37:00.001-07:00

Watch Despicable Me Full Movie Online Free – Despicable Me movie hit theaters last weekend and it was so popular that it was labeled as one of the best, yet, surprising animated movies this year. It was the number one movie in the box-office last weekend and I would suggest going to the theaters
[...] Read more

Watch PGA British Open Championship 2010 Live Stream Online – Day 3

2010-07-20T02:35:00.000-07:00

Watch PGA British Open Championship 2010 Live Stream Online – Day 3 – The PGA British Open Championship 2010 continues on day three at St. Andrews and if you are unable to watch it on television for whatever reason, you should be able to watch this event live steaming online. I have provided the [...]
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Vectren Dayton Air Show 2010 Complete Guide

2010-07-20T02:31:00.000-07:00

The Vectren Dayton Air Show is an annual event at the Dayton International Airport in Dayton, Ohio. The history of flight exhibitions dating back to 1910 by the Wright Company.The city is the home of the Wright Brothers and the true birthplace of aviation, Orville and Wilbur built the first powered plane in Dayton.The show is recognized as one of the country’s premier aviation events. The Air Show takes place on a weekend in mid-July each year and celebrates Dayton's aviation heritage.

Dayton Air Show 2010 begin on july 17 at 9am and will run through from july 17 to 18

Dayton Air Show 2010 usually starts in July 17 and is usually over by July 18. The Middle East, Australia and New Zealand hold their events between January and March. However, for many acts the "off season" does not mean a period of inactivity, they use time for maintenance and practice

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Mona Lisa Portrait Mystery Still Remained Unsolved And Will It Ever Be Solved Complete Details Exclusive

2010-07-20T02:29:00.000-07:00

Mona Lisa (also known as La Gioconda or La Joconde) is a sixteenth-century portrait painted in oil on a poplar panel in Florence, Italy by Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci during the Renaissance. The work is currently owned by the Government of France and is on display at the Louvre museum in Paris under the title Portrait of Lisa Gherardini, wife of Francesco del Giocondo.Arguably, it is the most famous and iconic painting in the world.

Leonardo's Da Vinci mysterious,beautiful and amazing Mona Lisa Portrait art critics call attention to the painting's mystery and harmony," says Cuzin. "But the first art historians to describe it emphasized its striking realism, pointing out 'the lips that smile' and 'the eyes that shine.'" Giorgio

Portrait Of Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre in 1911, but recovered in Italy in 1913... Some believe that the name La Gioconda is a play on "the merry woman," a reference to her smile.

So still there are so many big name who are trying to solved the mystery of this amazing portrait but no one can Leonardo Da Vinci create a great piece of portrait no doubt cause if you see the picture sometimes you feel the lady in this pic is watching you and sometimes smiling and there are so many things you can noticed Mona Lisa portrait is the world most famous portrait ever created this portrait is still a mystery and no one ever solved that mystery that what this portrait is saying there are so many things to talk about on this amazing portrait but still the mystery behind this portrait is unsolved so will it ever be solved that is the question.

Source: www.styleblips.com

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Top Gear Season 15 Episode 3 Watch Complete Online

2010-07-20T02:27:00.001-07:00

The Top Gear Season 15 Episode 3 aired on July 11 2010 This time the team drive the Aston Martin Rapide, the Porsche Panamera Turbo and the Maserati Quattroporte GTS as they try to find the world's greatest four-door supercar.

Season 15 of Top Gear aired on 27th June 2010 and according to Top Gear themselves. The 3 boys will be celebrated as Jeremy Clarkson will be hailed as Grandpa Jeremy. There will be 7 episode in season 15. The upcoming cars that will (might) be reviewed will be the Ferrari 458, new Jaguar XJ,

Top Gear Season 15 Episode 3 2010 Watch Complete Online In HD Below

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Watch True Blood Season 3 Episode 6 "Trouble" Complete Online In HD Hot And Exclusive

2010-07-20T02:26:00.000-07:00

True blood season 3 episode 6 is the most current and hot topic people are searching for right now true blood season 3 episode 6 is premiering on HBO previously 2 season was the biggest hit now every one is desperately waiting for the season 3 that what season 3 will look there are plenty of people who are searching for true blood season 3 trailer and there are plenty of others who are just interested in details but majority of the people want to watch the true blood season 3 epsiode 6 so you can watch true blood season 3 episode 6 complete in HD.

True Blood Season 3 Episode 6 "Trouble" Eric arrives at the King of Mississippi Mansion and tells him that he is looking for Bill, who has been selling vampire blood, however, the King catches Eric in his lie as Bill shows up and Eric has to admit that the Magister is holding Pam prisoner and is going to kill her unless he turns in Bill Compton.

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Prisoners were excited in Lindsay Lohan's arrival in jail

2010-07-20T02:22:00.000-07:00

LYNWOOD, California - As of today, it was said that the life of the controversial actress Lindsay Lohan will become miserable as she starts to serve her sentence in jail.

The "Mean Girls" star will be imprisoned in a jail where Paris Hilton, Lamar Odom's spouse Khloe Kardashian and Nicole Richie have been confined before.

But Lindsay is isolated from the other prisoners, which are all excited as of today in her arrival.

This is part of the security for the actress. Her meals are also the same with the ordinary prisoners and she will be taking a bath every other day.

Lohan was prohibited to bring any cellphone and she will only use the telephone inside the jail.

Source:www.allvoices.com

Dual-mode Xbox 360

2010-07-20T02:19:00.000-07:00

A Microsoft patent exposed that there is an genuine dual-mode Xbox 360 control which can operate in both wired and wireless modes, where unlike the current maneuver and charge set up, this control will be able to turn in true blue wired mode truth when plugged in for those who are highly concerned about maximizing the tools at their disposal before feeding out of self justifications when they lose a game.

Course, it remains to be seen whether your Jedi-like unconditioned reflexes will be able to take advantage of the additional msec of speed to put in the money delivering the goods blastoff. Gamers seem to get milked in more ways than one, huh?

Source:http://www.xingdo.com

Trendnet TEW-691GR

2010-07-20T02:14:00.001-07:00

The Trendnet TEW-691GR is very alike to the TEW-639GR with one major difference : it’s the first router that supports three-stream Wireless-N, with cap velocities of up to 450Mbps ; typical dual-stream Wireless-N routers have capital speeds of 300Mbps.

In examination, the TEW-691GR has. It’s the fastest 2.4 Gigahertz wireless router up to now in close-range throughput tests. In the scope trial, however, its performance is about the same as most other Wireless-N routers.
With the street range of around $180, the TEW-691GR descends a bit short of our prospects, as it doesn’t support dual-band, USB devices, or client networking. Though we love the router’s speed, there are many other Wireless-N routers on the marketplace that proffer good performance and more lineaments for less money.

Source:http://www.xingdo.com/

Login Into Multiple Google Account

2010-07-20T02:13:00.000-07:00

For you who have several Google accounts and you always use them in your daily activities, I’m sure that you always “sign in and sign out” each of them or you have to use different browser for checking one by one of them.

And this could be a helpful thing for you, according to Google Operating System, now Google is doing a test of a feature which will allow to users be able to opened multiple Google accounts in the same browser. Watch the screenshot below:

Currently, Gmail, Reader, Sites, Calendar, Code and Docs are the Google services that supported with this feature. Guys, what do you think about the “Google Multiple Accounts Sign in“? Show me what you’ve thought on comment. To find more information about it, click here.

Source: www.xingdo.com

Gmail Rich Text Signature

2010-07-20T02:10:00.001-07:00

As of today you could utilize a rich text signature in Gmail, meaning that you could append links and images to it, same as alter the text’s format, font as well as color.

To alter your signature in Gmail, you must to do click on “Settings,” and scroll down to the “Signature” part. You will know a new signature editor which covers the similar functions that are at your disposal when you write an e-mail.
If you have exceeding one e-mail address registered with your Gmail account, you will can to select a various signature for each one utilizing the drop–down menu (the menu does not emerge if you have just one e-mail address associated with your Gmail account).

Joe Montana's Son Arrested

2010-07-20T00:25:00.000-07:00

South Bend, Ind. — Joe Montana's son is facing charges following a weekend party near the University of Notre Dame campus. The football great's son, Nate Montana, and more than forty others were taken into custody for underage drinking. It happened early Saturday at a house party in South Bend. At least 11 of those arrested are Notre Dame athletes.

NBA Star Paul Pierce's Wedding

2010-07-20T00:22:00.000-07:00

Boston Celtic teammates Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen were among the guests who witnessed the wedding of two soul mates on July 17, 2010 as NBA star Paul Pierce pledged his love to Julie Landrum.

According to People magazine, 80 friends and family members watched as the happy couple’s young daughter Prianna sprinkled petals along a path which lead to a gazebo where the groom stood, looking dapper in a black and white tuxedo from Eléyee. Guests then rose from their seats on the grounds of The Resort at Pelican Hill in Newport Coast, California in honor of the bride as she made her grand entrance in a mermaid-style masterpiece by designer Ines Di Santo.

Following the nuptials, the newlyweds took their first steps as husband and wife on a carpet of fragrant flowers, their steps leading them to an indoor reception where the bride and groom swayed to the sounds of R. Kelly’s “You Made Me Love You.”

Successful Entrepreneur in the Philippines

2010-07-20T00:15:00.001-07:00

A great tip for a successful entrepreneurship in the Philippines is to make sure to put adequate time in with your business plan. Get a good idea for your area you are opening the entrepreneurship in and find out what your potential customer base is looking for. Another tip for a successful entrepreneurship in the Philippines is to always be on the lookout for new and exciting ways to successfully market and promote your entrepreneurship in the Philippines. This will help the customers flock to you and make your life easier. Many entrepreneurs in the Philippines are turning to WSI for their next business venture – check out what they have to offer today!

- Elizabeth Miranda

TOP 10 Businessman in the Philippines

2010-07-20T00:13:00.000-07:00

MANILA, April 17, 2004 (STAR) By Wilson Lee Flores - "The price of power is responsibility for the public good." – Withrop Aldrich
"Power is not revealed by striking hard or often, but by striking true."– Honore De Balzac
As the country’s most dramatic, cost-liest and hopefully not the most chaotic election for political power in years nears its crescendo, we recently conducted our annual informal survey of tycoons, bankers and corporate executives on whom they consider as the 10 most powerful business people in the Philippines.
To be a wealthy tycoon is not the same as being a powerful tycoon, in the same way that possessing political power does not necessarily confer greatness on a political leader.
Henry Sy may have made it to the cover of America’s Time Magazine and was cited as an Asian business colossus, but Sy doesn’t exert direct political influence on government or on political leaders.
John Gokongwei Jr. may be one of Asia’s wealthiest industrialists and very knowledgeable in history, but he is like most of Asia’s ethnic Chinese taipans who traditionally stay apolitical. During the martial law era, when almost all big business groups had to deal with the Marcos regime, Gokongwei kept strictly out of the political loop.
Here are the 10 most powerful business people in the Philippines based on our informal survey:
1) The Lopez clan
Despite financial difficulties in several companies of their diversified business empire, this politically astute Ilonggo family wields tremendous political clout with the country’s biggest and robustly profitable television and radio media group centered on ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation. In fact, a corporate official even once jokingly said that the "ABS-CBN Party" is actually stronger than the hodge-podge coalitions such as Lakas-NUCD or Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KNP). The country’s two leading vice-presidential bets Noli de Castro and Senate Majority Floor Leader Loren Legarda made their mark as ABS-CBN TV broadcasters before entering national politics.
Eugenio "Gabby" Lopez III of ABS-CBN is supporting President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in this election.
2) Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco Jr.
The enigmatic chairman of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) has not publicly endorsed any presidential candidate. Though his NPC has members supporting both President Arroyo and rival Fernando Poe Jr., the movie actor has a longer history of alliance with Danding, and was his active campaign supporter during Danding’s ‘92 presidential bid and was celebrity endorser of his beer products. Despite political foes criticizing him as a Marcos and Estrada crony, Danding has impressed even his bitter critics by the strong financial success and aggressive international expansion of San Miguel Corp.
3) Mike Velarde
Rags-to-riches-to-rags-to-riches Mike Velarde is more well-known as a religious leader of the massive El Shaddai Catholic charismatic movement, but he still continues to dabble in business. Assisting him in his family’s various business ventures is his entrepreneurial son Franklin Velarde.
Unlike presidential bet Brother Eddie Villanueva of the Jesus is Lord Movement who was once a communist youth leader and who has since rejected Marxism, or the Iglesia ni Cristo boss Eraño "Ka Erdie" Manalo who is no businessman, Mike Velarde started out as a real estate developer. Is it true he is still brokering unity talks between Poe and Ping Lacson?
4) The Zobel-Ayala clan
This Hispanic clan has survived the Philippine revolution against Spain, the Philippine-American War, the bloody Japanese military occupation and other crises. They are entering the 21st century stronger than ever in the most strategic industries such as telecom (Globe Telecom), banking (Bank of the Philippine Islands and BPI Family Bank) and others. They remain the biggest landlords in the Makati financial district and have recently teamed up with immigrant taipan Jose Yao Campos of Unilab to gain control of the massive Fort Bonifacio project.
Although Jaime Zobel de Ayala once served as Ambassador to Great Britain during the Marcos regime, he eventually became closely identified with the People Power regime of President Corazon C. Aquino while his cousin Enrique Zobel backed Marcos.
5) Gozon and Duavit familes
The Gozon and Duavit families control the aggressively expanding television and radio group of GMA Network Inc., which is now seriously challenging ABS-CBN’s No. 1 position. Though chairman Atty. Felipe L. Gozon’s brother-in-law Menardo Jimenez relinquished management to him and the Duavit family in 2001, the Jimenezes still retain substantial shareholdings. Jimenez is a director of San Miguel Corporation, officer of many corporations and his eldest son, PLDT official Menardo "Butch" Jimenez Jr., is being urged by top business people to someday run for high public office.
6) Manuel "Manny" Pangilinan
The big boss of the country’s largest telecom firm Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) recently led several leaders of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) and SGV Group founder Washington SyCip in a high-profile meeting with Fernando Poe on their proposed policies for whoever will become President after the May 10 election. After surviving a headline-grabbing corporate war with John Gokongwei Jr. for control of PLDT and disposing the Fort Bonifacio project at a huge sacrifice, Pangilinan seems to have reconciled with the clan of Indonesian taipan Liem Sioe Liong (Sudono Salim) and retained his top post in Hong Kong-based First Pacific conglomerate. With Pangilinan spearheading First Pacific in investing in PLDT, it may eventually become a major success.
7) The Aboitiz clan
Despite their low-profile, Cebu’s prominent Aboitiz business clan is national leader in electric power, controls the biggest shipping giant WG&A and has investments in banking and other strategic industries. The Aboitizes are perceived to be staunch backers of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. During a top-level meeting of the President with the leaders of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc. last year, Manila’s four Chinese-language newspapers published photos of then Trade Secretary Mar Roxas and Endika Aboitiz present at the Malacañang meeting. Despite the clan’s roots in the Basque region of Spain, they have close ties with the Chinese community and Aboitiz scions studied Mandarin in Beijing and Taipei. An Aboitiz executive joked that due to the Chinese-style of doing business, their surname should be "Amoytiz" – referring to the old British-style spelling of the city now called Xiamen in south China. GMA’s Presidential Social Secretary Bettina Araneta Aboitiz is the wife of tycoon Sabin Aboitiz.
8) FIRST GENTLEMAN Jose Miguel Arroyo
"Power is not an institution, and not a structure; neither is it a certain strength we are endowed with; it is the name that one attributes to a complex strategical situation in a particular society," said Michel Foucault. He might as well be explaining the perceived strong political clout of lawyer and First Gentleman Mike Tuason Aroyo, who has been a fiercely loyal political campaigner for his wife President Arroyo.
Unlike businessman Dennis Thatcher who stayed quietly out of the limelight during the tenure of his wife British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Mike Arroyo is often in the forefront of his wife’s controversial political battles. The President’s younger brother, ATR-Kim Eng Capital Partners Inc. managing director Diosdado "Boboy" Macapagal Jr., is said to be her most trusted confidant, but the extremely humble Boboy has discreetly preferred to stay out of the limelight and supports his sister behind the scenes. A summa cum laude graduate of De La Salle University with a degree in BSC Accounting, as well as a master’s degree from the Asian Institute of Management (AIM), Boboy served as Finance Undersecretary under President Aquino.
9) Luis "Cito" Lorenzo Jr.
Although former Trade Secretary Mar Araneta Roxas, former Finance Secretary Lito Camacho and Energy Secretary Vince Perez were known as the three wealthiest cabinet officials of President Gloria Arroyo, perhaps now the truly wealthiest tycoon in her cabinet is Agriculture Secretary "Cito" Lorenzo.
Unknown to most people, Cito Lorenzo’s family is one of the world’s biggest banana/pineapple exporters and does huge volumes of trade with China. Said to be one of the favorite students of GMA in the Ateneo, this Wharton graduate and devout Catholic has a lot of admirers in the business community who are urging him to someday run for Senator. His late grandfather was once political kingpin of Zamboanga City, his late father was the Ateneo’s famed basketball star Moro Lorenzo and his late aunt Mayor Maria Clara Lorenzo Lobregat was an ally of Danding Cojuangco.
10) Lucio C. Tan
Although the taipan of Philippine Airlines, Fortune Tobacco, Philippine National Bank, Asia Brewery, Tanduay and other firms has maintained a low profile – especially vis-à-vis politicians in recent years – Tan is still perceived to be influential due mainly to his legendary generosity towards political campaigns. Tan is considered the senior leader of the local Chinese business community today. His best friend Bicolano transport tycoon Robin Sy is now also president of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc.
According to Lucio Tan – who was in Xiamen City, south China during Holy Week – he was busy with educational charities. He mentioned that young people in the Philippines should learn Mandarin, because the rest of the world is doing so. Plus, China offers lots of economic opportunities. Tan, whose nickname is "Capitan" to peers and even rivals, declined to comment on the May 10 election.
* * *
Jean De La Bruyere once warned: "We should keep silent about those in power; to speak well of them almost implies flattery; to speak ill of them while they are alive is dangerous, and when they are dead is cowardly."
We do not seek to praise or disparage these top 10 most powerful businessmen, but this writer hopes that they shall wield their political clout and other power to push far-reaching economic, political and other reforms that will make the Philippines a vibrant democracy, and the most efficient globally-competitive economy.
Power is not a privilege, not a source of pride and shouldn’t be misused to amass wealth, but is a social responsibility. We agree with British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli, who once declared, "Power has only one duty – to secure the social welfare of the People."

Shipping Agency in the Philippines

2010-07-20T00:10:00.000-07:00

ADAMSON (PHILS) INC&nbspManning Agency
1101 11F SAGE HSE 110 RUFINO ST&nbspLEGASPI VILLAGE, MAKATI
Tel No/s : &nbsp8160794 / 8162316/ 8162309

Email Address : &nbspadamsonphil@eastern.com.ph
Website : &nbspwww.adamsonphil.com
Official Representative : MR MILTON A ADAMSON
Status : Good Standing
License Validity : 10/24/2007 to 10/23/2011

ADFIL SHIPMANNING & MANAGEMENT&nbspManning Agency
RMS 804 & 805 TM KALAW CENTER BLDG. TM KALAW ST&nbspERMITA, MANILA
Tel No/s : &nbsp5671834/5671835/9711417
Email Address : None
Website : None
Official Representative : CAPT. NILO V. DU
Status : Good Standing
License Validity : 06/07/2005 to 06/06/2009

ADMIMAN MANNING INC&nbspManning Agency
S1405-1406 ERMITA CTR BLDG 1350 ROXAS BLVD MANILA&nbspERMITA, MANILA
Tel No/s : &nbspNA
Email Address : &nbspNA
Website : &nbspNA
Official Representative : RAMONA G. SALCEDO
Status : Good Standing
License Validity : 09/08/2008 to 09/08/2009

ADVENT MARITIME SHIPPING AND GEN. SVCS. INC. (for. ANGELIC MARINE SERVICES &nbspManning Agency
RM. 110 G/F REGINA BLDG., 410 BURKE ST. COR. ESCOL&nbspBINONDO, MANILA
Tel No/s : &nbsp2454251/ 2454772
Email Address :
Website : None
Official Representative : MARIA B ZAPATA
Status : Delisted
License Validity : 03/26/2001 to 03/26/2003

AEGEAN MARINE PROVIDERS INC&nbspManning Agency
R3-A BPI BDG 1377A MABINI ST COR STA MONICA MANILA&nbspERMITA, MANILA
Tel No/s : &nbsp5253445/5253241
Email Address : &nbspAEGEANMAR@PLDTDSL.NET
Website : &nbspNA
Official Representative : BIBIANO O. REYNOSO IV
Status : Good Standing
License Validity : 07/15/2008 to 07/15/2009

AEGISCREW MANNING INC(FORMERLY GREAT MARITIME SHIPMANAGEMENT INC)&nbspManning Agency
4F BMH CENTRE,3963 YAGUE ST.STA.CRUZ,MAKATI
Tel No/s : &nbsp8900817/7581159 TO 64 LOC. 128/130
Email Address : &nbspmarinepersonnel@aegiscrew.com/adminaegiscrew.com
Website : &nbspwww.aegiscrew.com
Official Representative : BELEN M. AL HUMAYED
Status : Good Standing
License Validity : 08/06/2007 to 08/05/2011

AENAOS SHIPPING SERVICES INC&nbspManning Agency
3/F MACRIMA BLDG.1666ESCUELA COR.EDSA MKTI CITY
Tel No/s : &nbsp8821474 / 8821479
Email Address :
Website : None
Official Representative : CAPT DANILO P VENIDA
Status : Delisted
License Validity : 01/03/2000 to 12/23/2001

AGEMAR MANNING AGENCY INC&nbspManning Agency
U 1, 2, 3, & 4, 888 GATEWAY PLAZA 2126 A MABINI ST&nbspERMITA, MANILA
Tel No/s : &nbsp5235965/ 5235802
Email Address : None
Website : None
Official Representative : GREGORIO F ORTEGA
Status : Good Standing
License Validity : 04/16/2005 to 04/15/2009

AGILE MARITIME RESOURCES INC (FOR PII MARITIME SVCS INC)&nbspManning Agency
GF& 2BWOODLAND PARK COND.3906 HEN. MACABULOS&nbspMAKATI
Tel No/s : &nbsp7519017/ 7509019/ 8890251
Email Address : &nbspagilecrew@mydestiny.net
Website : None
Official Representative : MS IMELDA BARCELONA
Status : Good Standing
License Validity : 11/09/2008 to 11/08/2012

AIMS SHIPMANAGEMENT CORPORATION &nbspManning Agency
3F MARINE CTRL BLDG MAGALLANES ST INTRAMUROS MANIL
Tel No/s : &nbsp5268004 / 5273760
Email Address :
Website :
Official Representative : NIERESA A CABAHUG
Status : Delisted
License Validity : 07/30/1997 to 07/30/1999

ALBAR SHIPPING & TRADING CORPORATION&nbspManning Agency
2649 MOLAVE ST,UNITED HILLS VILL&nbspPARAÑAQUE
Tel No/s : &nbsp8232391 / 8232396
Email Address : None
Website : None
Official Representative : JOSE ALBAR G. KATO
Status : Good Standing
License Validity : 07/11/2008 to 07/10/2012

ALL OCEANS MARITIME AGENCY INC&nbspManning Agency
G/F MAR BACHRACH BLDG 25TH ST&nbspPORT AREA, MANILA
Tel No/s : &nbsp5257515;5237486;5251929
Email Address : None
Website : None
Official Representative : MR RICARDO T. VELOSO
Status : Good Standing
License Validity : 02/24/2008 to 02/23/2012

ALLIANCE MARITIME SUPPORT SVCS., INC.&nbspManning Agency
RM 500 L&S BLDG. 1414 ROXAS BLVD. ERMITA
Tel No/s : &nbsp5223548/ 5369863
Email Address : &nbspalliance@info.com.ph
Website : None
Official Representative : ALEJANDRO C. AQUINO JR.
Status : Delisted
License Validity : 04/19/2004 to 04/18/2008

ALLNATIONS MARITIME SERVICES INC&nbspManning Agency
2F ALL NATIONS CUSTOMS BLDG. 606 Q`RINO AVE TAMBO
Tel No/s : &nbsp8532168
Email Address : None
Website : None
Official Representative : ALICE S. HORNSHAW
Status : Delisted
License Validity : 10/09/2002 to 10/08/2004

ALPHA SHIPMANAGEMENT CORP. &nbspManning Agency
4F & 6F JEMARSON BLDG 1618 P HIDALGO LIM MALATE
Tel No/s : &nbsp5243855 / 5235568/5239542
Email Address : &nbspalphashp@eastern.comph
Website :
Official Representative : JUNEL M. CHAN
Status : Good Standing
License Validity : 08/12/2007 to 08/11/2011

ALSTER INT`L SHIPPING SERVICES INC&nbspManning Agency
M/F, 2/F & 3/F, 2053 BUILDING EDISON ST.&nbspSAN ISIDRO, MAKATI
Tel No/s : &nbsp8876010 – 12
Email Address : None
Website : None
Official Representative : CAPT FELIX G VALENZONA
Status : Good Standing
License Validity : 08/30/2008 to 08/29/2012

ALTAMAR INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING COMPANY INC&nbspManning Agency
SUITE 311 LEGASPI TOWERS 300 ROXAS BLVD&nbspMANILA
Tel No/s : &nbsp5238105 / 5238108
Email Address : &nbspqualitycrew@altamar.com.ph
Website : None
Official Representative : MANUEL MISA
Status : Good Standing
License Validity : 08/20/2004 to 08/19/2009

ALYAGA NAVIGATION CORPORATION&nbspPhilippine Registered Vessel
EASTGATE CENTRE 169 EDSA&nbspMANDALUYONG
Tel No/s : &nbsp5333928 / 5336101
Email Address : None
Website : None
Official Representative : CAPT EMMANUEL L REGIO
Status : Good Standing
License Validity : 04/01/2002 to 03/14/2004

AMAYA SHIPPING INC&nbspManning Agency
UNIT 1104 PRYCE CENTER BLDG. 1179 CHINO ROCES AVE.&nbspMAKATI
Tel No/s : &nbsp8975500/ 8975700
Email Address : &nbspmail@amayashipping.com
Website : &nbspwww.amayashipping.com
Official Representative : ENGR ANGEL B AGUILAR
Status : Good Standing
License Validity : 10/29/2007 to 10/28/2011

AMETHYST SHIPPING COMPANY INC&nbspManning Agency
GF ELENA BLG I 1806 SINGALONG COR NAKPIL ST&nbspMALATE, MANILA
Tel No/s : &nbsp5215222
Email Address : None
Website : None
Official Representative : DIONNIE P GUERRERO
Status : Good Standing
License Validity : 05/09/2008 to 05/08/2012

ANCHOR INTERNATIONAL MANPOWER SVCS INC (FOR. ANCHOR MARINE SVCS INC)&nbspManning Agency
ST.JUDE BLDG 1020 MALVAR ST COR MODESTO&nbspMALATE, MANILA
Tel No/s : &nbsp5262788 – 94/ 5238835/ 5213405/ 5220030/ 5214270
Email Address : &nbspaimsi@info.com.ph & mkzg@pacific.net.ph
Website : None
Official Representative : MR RODULFO S BALTAZAR
Status : Delisted
License Validity : 07/10/1986 to 07/10/1988

ANDROMEDA SHIPPING CORPORATION &nbspPhilippine Registered Vessel
601 L&S BLDG 1414 ROXAS BLVD MANILA
Tel No/s : &nbsp5219744
Email Address :
Website :
Official Representative : MS ANGELINA T RIVERA
Status : Inactive
License Validity : 04/18/1998 to 04/18/2000

ANGLO-EASTERN CREW MANAGEMENT PHILIPPINES INCORPORATED&nbspManning Agency
GF & 2F BLOOMINGDALE BLG 205 SALCEDO ST LGSPI VILL&nbspMAKATI, MAKATI
Tel No/s : &nbsp8442001
Email Address : &nbspaesm.mnl@angloeasterngroup.com
Website : &nbspwww.angloeasterngroup.com
Official Representative : GREGORIO B. SIALSA
Status : Good Standing
License Validity : 07/22/2007 to 07/21/2011

ANSCOR SWIRE SHIP MANAGEMENT CORPORATION&nbspManning Agency
8165 DR.A.SANTOS AVE.BGY.SN.DIONISIO,SUCAT&nbspPARAÑAQUE
Tel No/s : &nbsp8294452/ 8291658 TO 59
Email Address : &nbspinfo@anscorswire.com
Website : &nbspwww.anscorswire.com
Official Representative : EDUARDO P. PERTIERRA
Status : Good Standing
License Validity : 09/25/2007 to 09/24/2011

AP MADRIGAL STEAMSHIP COMPANY INC &nbspManning Agency
6TH FLR MADRIGAL BLDG 286 ESCOLTA&nbspMANILA
Tel No/s : 402511 / 502515
Email Address :
Website :
Official Representative : MR ANTONIO P MADRIGAL
Status : Delisted
License Validity : 09/13/1997 to 09/12/1999

APOLLO PHILIPPINE MARITIME TECHNICAL SVS INC&nbspManning Agency
6TH FLR MADRIGAL BUILDING ESCOLTA MANILA
Tel No/s : 402511 / 402515
Email Address :
Website :
Official Representative : MR ANTONIO P MADRIGAL
Status : Delisted
License Validity : 07/05/1990 to 07/05/1992

APQ SHIPMANAGEMENT CO. INC. &nbspManning Agency
2/F NFWC BLDG 962 ESCODA COR SAN MARCELINO ERMITA
Tel No/s : &nbsp5268247 /4004797-98/5268247
Email Address :
Website :
Official Representative : VICENTE ALEX P QUILLOPE
Status : Good Standing
License Validity : 11/22/2007 to 11/21/2011

AQUALINK MARITIME INC&nbspManning Agency
S-605-607 ERMITA CTR BLDG 1350 ROXAS BLVD MLA
Tel No/s : &nbsp5260271
Email Address : &nbspaqualink@info.com.ph
Website : None
Official Representative : JORGINA L. ARCADIO
Status : Good Standing
License Validity : 02/11/2009 to 02/10/2013

AQUATIC LINER INC &nbspManning Agency
4F ROYAL BAY TERRACES BLDG UN AVE&nbspERMITA, MANILA
Tel No/s : 572335 / 503707
Email Address :
Website :
Official Representative : MR JAIME B PABALAN
Status : Delisted
License Validity : 05/13/1988 to 05/13/1990

ARAW SHIPPING AGENCY INC&nbspManning Agency
2A&2C,2/F PALACIO GRDE. G. LUNA&nbspINTRAMUROS, MANILA
Tel No/s : &nbsp5270772
Email Address : None
Website : None
Official Representative : WILLIAM JOSEPH CHIONGBIAN
Status : Good Standing
License Validity : 07/28/2008 to 07/27/2012

ARCTIC SHIPPING CORPORATION&nbspManning Agency
GF GOODWILL BLG #393 SEN GIL PUYAT AVE.&nbspMAKATI, MAKATI
Tel No/s : &nbsp8201630 / 8201790/ 8202589
Email Address : None
Website : None
Official Representative : MR BARTOLOME V OLIVEROS
Status : Good Standing
License Validity : 05/04/2008 to 05/03/2012

ARKTIS MARITIME CORPORATION&nbspManning Agency
RM 1601 OMM CITRA SAN MIGUEL AVE&nbspORTIGAS, PASIG CITY
Tel No/s : &nbsp6361754

Mutual Funds Performance – 2nd Quarter 2010

2010-07-19T23:23:00.001-07:00

Most mutual funds are in positive territory at the end of the first half of 2010 and if mutual fund companies can continue this performance, the year 2010 is set to be another rosy year for Philippine Mutual Funds.

Interestingly, the year-to-date returns of Peso Balanced Funds are comparable with the returns of the Peso Stock Funds. Although balanced funds have a mixture of stocks and bonds in their portfolio, their returns are at par with stock funds, with one balanced fund (First Metro Save and Learn Balanced Fund) even outperforming all stock funds. It can be inferred then that, at present, these balanced funds invest heavily in stocks. (See Types of Philippine Mutual Funds)

The complete list of the performance returns of mutual fund investment companies in the Philippines from January to June 2010 below.

(For details on how to compute earnings in mutual funds, click here. For a primer on Mutual Funds, click here.)

Read the story »

$2.63 million steak lunch with Warren Buffett

2010-07-19T23:21:00.001-07:00

How much would you need to be able to have lunch with one of the world’s richest persons? About two million dollars, apparently.

Read the story »

How rich is rich in the Philippines?

2010-07-19T23:19:00.001-07:00

Who are considered “rich” in the Philippines?

For starters, you’re “rich” if you belong to the Top 10 Richest Filipinos list. However, even if your net worth does not run into billions of pesos yet, you may still be considered “rich” per the definition of the National Statical Coordination Board (NSCB).

Read the story »

PLDT SWUP, SPAM

2010-07-19T23:18:00.001-07:00

I don’t know if it’s some sort of online guerilla marketing by PLDT, but the PMT Forum is recently being swamped by dozens of people posting — no, spamming! — about PLDT’s newest product offering: PLDT SWUP.

There’s nothing wrong with making a post or two in the Forum to promote it, especially if they are properly posted in the Classified Ads board, but if around 5-10 posts are made by 3-5 different people EVERYDAY, that is bound to be annoying.

Read the story »

Marian Rivera Cosmopolitan Philippines Magazine June 2010 Cover

2010-07-19T23:14:00.001-07:00

Marian Rivera turns the new June 2010 cover girl of Cosmopolitan Philippines magazine. You can see a photo of the magazine below, taken from a screenshot of the magazine itself. You can see how truly beautiful and sexy she is in the said cover. Marian Rivera has also graced countless prestigious magazines in the Philippines, proof of her really effective beauty in terms of endorsements. Buy a copy of the June 2010 issue of Cosmopolitan magazine Philippines to catch her story and more of Yanyan inside. More

Bob Ong Books

2010-07-19T23:13:00.001-07:00

I’ve been hurdling my fingers over the old books on the shelf today until I found an old black book. The title of the book is “Ang Paboritong Libro ni Hudas” and it is one of the best Bob Ong books I have ever seen. Some of his works were made available online through pdf file copy or the photo copy of the book itself converted into a pdf file with the use of Adobe. More

Crazy Town Lyrics by Jason Aldean

2010-07-19T23:12:00.002-07:00

Here is our copy of the song lyrics of Crazy Town song by Jason Aldean. For the download link of this song, just go to iTunes.Com. MP3 MP4 download link is there. For your mobile and cellphone ringtone download, just go to ringtones.com. More

Jessie’s Girl Lyrics by Glee Cast

2010-07-19T23:12:00.000-07:00

Below is our copy of the complete and correct lyrics of the song Jessie’s Girl as sung by Glee Cast. I hope you also like it. You can watch the (un)official music video of this song below taken from YouTube.Com videos. A friend told me that the torrent download is already available in isohunt and piratebay but we do not recommend that you get it there. Get your audio tracks of songs only from authorized online and offline distributors. More

Cinemalaya Awards 2010 Winners

2010-07-19T23:10:00.001-07:00

Here are the winners of the 6th Cinemalaya Awards (2010) held last night, July 19 at the CCP Main Theater (Tangahalang Nicanor Abelardo):
»»» continue reading Cinemalaya Awards 2010 Winners

Rosario Movie Trailer: MMFF 2010 Entry

2010-07-19T23:09:00.001-07:00

On this page is where you will see Rosario Movie trailer from YouTube.Com videos. Rosario is another movie by Cinema Buhay which stars Dennis Trillo, Jennylyn Mercado, and Mark Anthony Fernandez. It is another movie entry for the 2010 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF). More

Sell Antique Appliances on The Internet

2010-07-19T23:04:00.000-07:00

When John Jowers went to work at his father’s appliance company, he never thought it would lead to a sideline business restoring antique refrigerators. But now their “cool” appliances are doing a hot business on the web.

Those of us who are, to put it politely, in our prime, may remember a time when a refrigerator wasn’t just a big, rectangular box in the kitchen.

It was a sleek, aerodynamic piece of industrial art. A Philco or Frigidaire looked like it had been designed with the same artistic flair as a ´57 Chevy.

Maybe we even remember the old GE generator top fridge at grandma’s house. Those were the days!

In Clayton, Georgia, a town in the Appalachian foothills an hour and a half outside of Atlanta, John Jowers is doing a brisk business keeping a piece of Americana alive.

John and his team at Antique Appliances have expanded his father’s appliance business, originally founded in 1958, to include the full restoration of vintage refrigerators and stoves for a growing number of customers who crave the style and nostalgia of a bygone era. Read More

Convergys Philippines hiring 3,600 more Workers

2010-07-19T23:00:00.000-07:00

The rapid growth overseas comes as the company seeks to change the terms of its $52 million incentive agreement with the city of Cincinnati that requires it to keep at least 1,400 workers here.

The expansion in the Philippines will raise the company’s workforce in the Southeast Asian nation to 25,000 by the end of the year, reports said.

“Drawing upon the outstanding service and support Convergys employees in the Philippines provide to our clients around the globe, in addition to the continued demand from these clients to house their customer support in the Philippines, it was only logical that we expand our existing capacities,” country manager Marife Zamora told the Manila Bulletin and other news outlets.

Convergys employs just over 1,400 at its headquarters in Cincinnati. Under the 2003 incentive agreement with the city, the company must keep at least that many workers downtown or face a $1 million fine.

Read More

Charice Botox, Why?

2010-07-19T22:15:00.000-07:00

Media was present Monday, when Charice had botox and thermage treatments by her very own (fairy) godmother Dr. Vicki Belo. She explained that it’s one of their preparations for her appearance on the TV show “Glee.”
The 18-year-old singer has had (assuming it worked!) a (signature big) round face. It may be caused by her constant chewing of bubble gum said Belo. Belo then shared that the botox will “stop the transmission of electricity to make the muscle contract.” Together with the thermage procedure, this will help improve the young singer’s face and make it look narrow. Read more

Cinemalaya movies now on HD Format

2010-07-19T22:10:00.000-07:00

RAIN or shine, the show goes on for Cinemalaya. Typhoon “Basyang” forced the six-year-old indie film fest to cancel screenings on Wednesday because of the Luzon-wide power outage. The fest resumed on Thursday and is set to present its awards ceremony tonight (Sunday night) at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. This year marks a milestone since all the competition films, shorts and features, were projected in High Definition format, said competition director Laurice Guillen.

“HD is the minimum requirement for digital films in festivals abroad,” Guillen explained. Last year, one entry was shown in HD – Pepe Diokno’s “Engkwentro,” which won two top prizes in Venice. “But Pepe did it on his own,” Guillen said. “This year, we arranged with our sponsor, Outpost, to have all our entries shown in HD.” read more

Follow MERALCO on twitter

2010-07-19T20:43:00.002-07:00

Tired of waiting for the electricity? Here is the best thing you can do if you have 3G phone. Follow Meralco on twitter. Meralco is now giving out customer support using twitter. More rains and typhoons are still to come. If you want to follow Meralco on twitter you may do so by clicking here http://twitter.com/MERALCO Good Job Meralco!

Surf Internet in your TV

2010-07-19T20:43:00.000-07:00

Smart Communications comes with the newest Smart Bro SurfTV. You now search the net, do the chatting on YM, Facebook, twitter and surf the web. You don’t need to buy a computer; all you need to have is a Television set and the Smart Bro SurfTV.
The entire kit costs 4,500 pesos, and Internet access costs 10 pesos for every 30 minutes.
The kit includes the following:
Keyboard
Mouse
Remote control
Smart Bro USB stick-type modem
Prepaid SIM (pre-loaded with Php100)

LL7 Sola Scriptura and Need Health Ministry, July 2010

2010-07-19T20:41:00.000-07:00

Learn to live healthy, happy and holy. LL7 Sola Scriptura Ministry in partnership with Need Health Ministry Presents Life Abundant in Jesus. This program will be held at Pasay Adventist Church, July 17-18, 21-25, 28-30, 2010. 7:30pm.
Speakers are Bing Alabata and Dr. Blessy Varona. For more information, you may call at (02) 831-1302.

AGB Nielsen TV Ratings July 2010

2010-07-19T20:40:00.000-07:00

Based on AGB Nielsen as of July 11, 2010, here are the TV ratings in Mega Manila, Philippines.

Kapuso Movie Festival: Lab En Kisses (GMA-7) – 8%
Party Pilipinas (GMA-7) – 7.4%
The Challenge: Lopez vs. Concepcion (ABS-CBN) – 6.5%
ASAP XV (ABS-CBN) – 5.6%
Showbiz Central (GMA-7) – 5.4%
The Buzz (ABS-CBN) – 5.2%
Lovebug: Wish Come True (GMA-7) – 4.3%
Your Song Presents Gimik 2010 (ABS-CBN) – 4%

Kap’s Amazing Stories (GMA-7) – 11.5%
Pepito Manaloto (GMA-7) – 10%
Rated K (ABS-CBN) – 8.3%
24 Oras Weekend (GMA-7) – 8%
Mel & Joey (GMA-7) – 7.9%
TV Patrol Weekend (ABS-CBN) / Goin’ Bulilit (ABS-CBN) – 7.7%
Show Me Da Manny (GMA-7) / Sunday Night Box-Office (GMA-7) – 7.2%
Twist and Shout (ABS-CBN) – 6.6%
Sharon (ABS-CBN) – 6.1%

Filipino Physical Therapy Banned in US

2010-07-19T20:39:00.000-07:00

Here comes a new dilemma for our local health care practitioners. The Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) in the United States declared to ban all the Physical Therapists (PT) from the Philippines from taking the National Physical Therapy Examinations or NPTE until fall of 2011.
What is the reason? It was due to questioners leak in some review centers.

Priests Start Using iPad in a Mass

2010-07-19T20:37:00.000-07:00

Have you seen your priests using iPad? The Vatican is now reviewing if the Catholic priest can start using iPad and other digital media on their masses. There is nothing wrong if we are going to adopt tools like this, an expert in South Korea said in a report last week.
Young people can easily relate on the church activities by giving them some familiar methods of learning, said Father John Choi Yang-ho, assistant director of the Seoul Archdiocese's Catholic Internet Center. But Father John Bosco Chang Shin-ho, secretary of the Korean bishops' Committee for Liturgy, was hesitant. "Even though we speak of a digital era, analog tools are still needed, and we need to combine both in a harmonious way," he said. How about you? What is your opinion in this matter?

Pagasa will get 12 Doppler Radars from Japan

2010-07-19T20:36:00.000-07:00

According to Dr. Prisco Nilo, Pagasa chief, The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration or Pagasa is gearing up to buy new 12 doppler radars and to place it all over the country. This will serve as an early protection guide for heavy rains and typhoons. It is clear that Pagasa wanted to give an early warning to everyone.
The radars are the latest and “one-of-a-kind”, Nilo Added. Albay Gov. Joey Salceda stressed the proximity of this plan. Salceda said it will provide Bicol region better early-warning information and will be cost-efficient.

Myphone Q21 Duo Review and Specifications

2010-07-19T20:34:00.000-07:00

Do you know that My|phone is the first and only Filipino mobile phone brand that offers dual sim mobility? Now you know. Many Filipinos now are becoming a fan of My|phone, you know why? It’s because the price is right. Recently, My|Phone introduces one of their newest phones, the Q21 Duo. Compared to its look a like E series Nokia phones, you can purchase Q21 Duo My|Phone for only PHP4750.00.

Reviews

This phone can record a video in FLV format.
Charging time is two to three hours ( 2 days of battery life)
Improve Display
Added save and send option when replying to a message
MSN already installed in Java and Games
The memory is expandable up to 2 GB
Magic Voice (my personal favorite)

Package contains the following:

Q21 Duo Unit
Battery
Charger
Manuals
Earphones
PC Sync Software Mini CD
Warranty Card

Fun in the sun at Pink Ribbon Run

2010-06-28T18:11:00.001-07:00

PINK costumes were matched by pink faces as runners and walkers braved sweltering conditions to take part in Royston’s biggest charity trek.

The Pink Ribbon Run/Walk took place last Sunday, and hundreds of entrants took to the 3km course on Therfield Heath to raise cash for Marie Curie Cancer care.

Entrants young and old took part, among them Royston’s MP Oliver Heald and town mayor Martin Beaver.

Christine Brown, from the organising committee, said it was a “brilliant day.”

She said: “We had just under 1,000 registered runners, and while we don’t know how many of them took part, there seemed a lot more people than last year when there were 700-odd.

“We had some brilliant costumes and it was a really colourful field - lots of the little girls were wearing pink fairy wings and things like that and it was a brilliant occasion.”

Cllr Beaver said: “Having experienced first hand the pain from loosing Friends and close Family to cancer, I felt a deep admiration for not only the people that took part on the day but for the organisers who yet again did an unbelievable job once again.

“To see the sea of pink on the Heath was fantastic.”

Organisers are asking participants to pay sponsorship money in at Saffron Insurance, Royston, before the end of July.

An awards night, where prizes will be awarded to the top fundraisers, will be held on Friday October 1.

Electronic Brokerage Fees

2010-06-07T07:28:00.001-07:00

Fees charged to the buy-side for electronic Asia equity (or “cash” as it’s known here in the East) flow are quite high relative to the US and Europe. For example, Japan as the second largest economy in the world and an equally large equity market can command institutional rates of 2bps a side; almost 4 times the average for the same trade in the US.
The program trading desks might get squeezed down to 1bp but that is still quite a hefty margin relatively speaking. If we look at Hong Kong and Singapore, generally regarded as business friendly and certainly hedge fund friendly markets you can expect to pay 4 to 5bps. The Hang Seng Index future, the benchmark of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong, earns around 20 to 25HKD per contract or around US$3 (ex-exchange fees). The notional value of the index is around HKD1,000,000 (~US$140,000) and has a tick size of 50 HKD (US$7) compared to say the E-mini S&P 500 Futures (US$12.50 per tick) or the Euro Stoxx 50 index future (US$14 per tick). The Japan Government Bond Future with its US$100 tick commands around US$9 per contract in commission.Then we have what is referred to as the “ID markets” – Korea, Taiwan and India. In order to trade as a Foreigner Institutional Investor (FII or FINI in Taiwan) the Regulators of these countries require that each firm obtain an Investment Registration Certificate (IRC) in Korea, a Certificate of Registration in India or an Investor ID in Taiwan. You will also have to fund those accounts locally and settle trades in the local currency. After you have gone through the documentation process you will have to pay some of the highest brokerage in Asia. 7 to 8 bps in Taiwan and Korea and 12 bps in India.Some of the junior markets like Thailand, Malaysia and The Philippines do enjoy even higher rates but are still largely voice markets. Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea, Taiwan and India represent the senior bourses where most of Asia trading takes place.Now what about China? Well its hard to gain direct access to that market but you can trade the bigger names in Hong Kong on it’s H Share list. Expect to pay the same as any other Hong Kong name.How can brokers get away with charging such high rates? There are a few reasons. First of all there is a high barrier to enter these markets especially the ID markets. Market access is a near monopoly with a price maker view. All of these exchanges are local, fragmented markets with no real pan-Asia ATS or MTF and require a large capital outlay to offer these connections to you the end customer. Additionally, trading turnover is a lot less then in the maturer western markets so more commission must be charged to justify the lower trading volumes.Keep in mind that the commission rates listed above vary from client to client and are purely electronic rates. They also exclude exchange fees and stamp duties where applicable.

Financial crisis is no excuse to stop debt repayments

2010-06-07T01:02:00.000-07:00

Abu Dhabi’s top civil court has ruled that e-mails may be used as evidence and the financial crisis does not constitute “exceptional circumstances” that would allow companies to get out of paying their debts.

The decision by the Court of Cassation came in the judgment of a lawsuit by the property brokerage Better Homes against a developer that owed the brokerage a commission for selling five towers on Reem Island in 2008.

“It is a good precedent for businesses in the country because it is good to know the judiciary upholds the word of a contract,” said Ryan Mahoney, the managing director of Better Homes. “It gives everyone a lot of comfort to know they can rely on the courts.”

Better Homes won the case in the Court of First Instance, with a judgment of tens of millions of dirhams, but the award was reduced by the Court of Appeal. The Court of Cassation in February restored the initial decision.

“It’s been a long few years and it is a relief to be clear,” said Mr Mahoney.

The judgment has still not been paid and the residential towers at the centre of the lawsuit have not yet been built.

The developer, the Abu Dhabi-based Al Odaid Real Estate, could not be contacted for comment.

The dispute goes back to late 2007, when Al Odaid contracted with Better Homes to sell units in the five apartment towers on Reem. The brokerage sold the towers in January 2008 to a consortium of investors for almost Dh1.5 billion (US$408.3 million).Source

Business Diversification: CNinsure Launches Brokerage Unit

2010-06-07T01:00:00.000-07:00

June 3, 2010 (FinancialWire) -- CNinsure Inc. (NASDAQ: CISG | PowerRating), an insurance intermediary company operating in China, said it has established an insurance brokerage business unit in an effort to expand its product offerings from retail to commercial lines.

The company said that its insurance brokerage team will focus on providing property and casualty, liability, credit and guarantee, cargo, employee benefits and specialty risk insurance and reinsurance services to corporate clients.
According to Yinan Hu, chairman and chief executive officer of CNinsure, the insurance brokerage services platform is meant to capitalize on growing demand for commercial insurance by businesses from various industries as China's economy continues to grow.
Hu said that premiums generated by insurance brokers in China increased from RMB10.6 billion to RMB24.5 billion between 2006 and 2009, representing a CAGR of 32.4%, and grew 41.9% year-over-year to RMB5.11 billion in the first quarter of 2010.source

Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Mill Valley Expands Office by Hiring 10 Agents

2010-06-07T00:59:00.001-07:00

Mill Valley, CA, June 06, 2010 --(PR.com)-- Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, the leading provider of real estate services in the Bay Area, announced today that it has expanded its Southern Marin office in Mill Valley with the hiring of 10 agents, including a number of local real estate veterans from Pacific Union Realty, Frank Howard Allen Realtors, and Avalar Real Estate.

The new hires are broker associates Jen Pennington, Bobbi Glaser and Nate Sumner; and sales associates Clark Goodrich, Julie Kennedy, Kristen Wolfe, Mark Lomas, Young Allen, Bryan Lewis and Perla Long. With the addition of these 10 agents, the Southern Marin office increases its sales force by nearly 30 percent to a talented team of 44 individuals.

"The real estate market in Marin County, especially in the luxury market, has picked up in the past several months," said Kate Hamilton, manager of Coldwell Banker's Mill Valley office. "We need strong and enthusiastic real estate professionals to support our buyers and sellers, and these new agents will help round out our solid team."

Company executives say the hiring surge in Southern Marin is just the beginning for its Marin County offices. “In this market, more and more seasoned agents are opting to join Coldwell Banker because of the marketing strength, advanced technology, far-reaching networking opportunities and the long-term stability of the nation’s largest real estate brokerage,” said Rick Turley, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage president.

Jen Pennington
A licensed broker and consistent top producer in Marin for 26 years, Pennington previously worked at Pacific Union for the last 12 years. She was awarded the Opus Award for top producing agents and the Agent’s Choice Award, voted upon by her colleagues. She may be reached directly at 415.860.5340 or via e-mail at jen@jenpennington.com.

Bobbi Glaser
Formerly with Pacific Union where she was a top producer, Glaser is a licensed broker and real estate veteran of more than 30 years. She was also a sales manager for a real estate firm in San Francisco and a newspaper journalist. Glaser may be reached directly at 415.596.5781 or via e-mail at bobbiglaser@comcast.com.

Nate Sumner
Sumner has been a high-performing real estate professional for almost 20 years. He was one of the 20 original Realtors to join Pacific Union Realty when it opened in Marin. Sumner may be reached directly at 415.377.7005 or via e-mail at nate@natesumner.com.

Clark Goodrich
Goodrich has been in real estate since 2001 after a successful career in sales management at Colgate Palmolive, Crayola, and Freeplay Energy. He may be reached directly at 415.717.0283 or via e-mail at clarkgoodrich@comcast.net.

Julie Kennedy
Kennedy has been in real estate since 2003, when she became a high-producing agent with Avalar Real Estate, followed by Prudential Real Estate. Kennedy may be reached directly at 415.497.8584 or via e-mail at julieann.kennedy@gmail.com.

Kristen Wolfe
Formally with Frank Howard Allen Realtors, Wolfe has been a Realtor in Marin County since 2000. She may be reached directly at 415.328.5431 or via e-mail at marinrealestate@gmail.com.

Mark Lomas
Lomas is a 25-year, top-producing real estate veteran who previously worked for Frank Howard Allen Realtors. Lomas may be reached directly at 415.385.7404 or via e-mail at mdlomas@gmail.com.

Young Allen
Allen developed high-end residential properties in Marin, worked as an interior design consultant and spent 17 years managing five star hotels. Allen may be reached directly at 415.717.9090 or by e-mail at young.allen@camoves.com.

Bryan Lewis
Lewis has more than 17 years experience working in marketing strategy, insurance and construction, and may be reached directly at 415.686.3572 or via e-mail at bryan.lewis@cbnorcal.com.

Perla Long
Long started her real estate career with Keller Williams, where she was one of the company’s most successful new sales associates. Long may be reached directly at 415.388.5060 or via e-mail at Perla.Long@cbnorcal.com.

About Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage is the largest residential real estate brokerage in Northern California and serves the markets from Monterey to Tahoe. The company has 58 office locations and more than 3,300 sales associates throughout Northern California. Last year the company handled more than 16% of all home sales in the Bay Area, more than double its nearest competitor. Through its internationally renowned Coldwell Banker Previews® program, the company leads the luxury home market, selling more than 27% of properties that sold for more than $3 million and more than 33% of homes priced above $5 million. Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage is part of NRT LLC, the nation’s largest residential real estate brokerage company. For more information please visit www.CaliforniaMoves.com or call 925.275.3085. Dre # 00313415.

4 loan brokerage companies shut down after Insolvency Service investigation

2010-06-07T00:58:00.000-07:00

A group of Cheshire-based companies offering debt management and loan brokerage services to financially distressed clients have been wound-up in the High Court following an investigation by Company Investigations of the Insolvency Service.

Carter & Carter Financial (Management) Limited, theloansupermarket.co.uk Limited, Easysteploans (UK) Limited and T.L.G Loans Limited were wound up on the grounds that their businesses served to operate against the public interest. Carter & Carter Financial Limited, which also formed part of the investigation, was wound-up separately on a creditor's petition.

Initially a debt management service was offered by the companies whereby they established how much disposable income a client had available to meet claims by creditors and a payment plan was agreed with those creditors on behalf of the client.

Regular payments were collected from clients for onward payment to creditors after the deduction of fees. However, the investigation found numerous complaints that monies had been collected from clients, but not paid over to creditors. The debt management business was found to have operated in breach of Office of Fair Trading guidelines aimed at protecting consumers.

Subsequently the companies moved into loan brokerage, representing that they would source loan finance on behalf of clients. Clients were recruited through advertising and when they contacted the companies they were asked to provide credit/debit card details, purportedly for an 'identity verification check'.

However, no system was in place by which a client was credit-checked or otherwise assessed during the course of the call. Instead the process was found to be a device to obtain a client's card details in order to charge unauthorised brokerage fees. In addition, clients were misled as to the likelihood of obtaining a loan.

Of some 10,000 applications made to one master broker approached by the companies, only 71 had successfully resulted in a loan being made to the client.

In addition to debt management and loan brokerage clients not receiving the services they had paid for, the investigation also revealed financial excess on the part of the company directors who made substantial cash withdrawals, leased a number of prestige cars and purchased Rolex watches which were passed to family members.

Colin Cronin of The Insolvency Services, Company Investigations said:

"Companies using deliberately misleading offers for financial gain is serious misconduct and it undermines the confidence the public have in business. I hope the action taken against these financial companies sends a clear and simple message; if you set out to rip off your clients you will be closed down.

“This action should also serve as an important reminder to anyone seeking the services of a debt management or loan brokerage company, always check the validity of any company asking for your personal banking details and quickly inform your financial provider if you notice any subsequent unusual activity.”

Delroy Corinaldi of the Consumer Credit Counselling Service (CCCS) said:

“Offering to help desperate people to repay their debts and pocketing the money is despicable and the Insolvency Service has done well to get these companies shut down. Unfortunately they are not the first and they will not be the last to prey on the vulnerable and I would urge those with debt problems to look to the charitable sector for help."

Mayor admits wrong use of council credit card

2010-06-06T16:53:00.001-07:00

Manukau Mayor Len Brown says using his council credit card for personal spending was a mistake and he won't do it again.
Mr Brown, who is standing for the Auckland super-city mayoralty, has been criticised by two councillors.
He says that there were three instances where he shouldn't have used the card and that he paid the money back promptly.

On one occasion, he says he forgot to take any money to a store;
another transaction was reimbursed because he was unsure what it pertained to; and a third expense was incurred by his office, not him.
The council's chief executive, Leigh Auton, says council rules were not contravened, but two councillors, Jami-Lee Ross and Dick Quax, say business and personal expenditure should remain separate.
Mr Brown says he won't use the card for personal spending again during the rest of his term.

Shares Of Zhongshan Utilities Suspended

2010-06-06T05:19:00.003-07:00

June 1 -- Shares of Zhongshan Public Utilities Group (000685) were suspended from trading effective May 31 as the company was connected to the investigations into Li Qihong, the mayor of Zhongshan in Guangdong province, reports caing.com, citing an informed source.

Li was arrested on May 30 on suspicion of insider trading involving shares of Zhongshan Public Utilities Group.

According to the informed source, more than 10 persons are involved in the case, of which five are family members of Li.

Zhongshan Public Utilities Group is mainly engaged in the provision of utilities such as water supply and sewage treatment.

Zhongshan Utilities Acquires Brokerage

2010-06-06T05:19:00.001-07:00

June 2 -- Zhongshan Public Utilities (000685) acquired the entire 100 percent equity of ChangAn Futures for 86.4 million yuan through the Beijing Equity Exchange, reports China Securities Journal, citing a company announcement.

Xi’an Aircraft Industry (Group) and Xi’an Aircraft Industry Aluminum previously held stakes of 75.17 percent and 24.83 percent in ChangAn Futures.

ChangAn Futures has a book value of 30.73 million yuan while the appraised value of ChangAn Futures is 42.28 million yuan.

The share price of Zhongshan Public Utilities was down 8.79 percent to trade at 17.75 yuan at 11:21 today.

Oracle to lay off more Sun workers

2010-06-05T23:57:00.000-07:00

Oracle is making further job cuts related to its acquisition of Sun Microsystems, primarily in Europe and Asia, the company said in a regulatory filing Friday.

Oracle said it will book up to US$825 million in additional charges for the acquisition this calendar year, including $550 million to $650 million primarily for severance payments.
It didn't say how many jobs it plans to cut, and an Oracle spokeswoman said the company had no comment beyond what is in the filing. Oracle said it began notifying affected employees on May 28. The cuts will eliminate redundancies and improve efficiencies, Oracle said.
Sun had already been cutting jobs before Oracle acquired the company earlier this year, and some analysts have predicted further deep cuts by Oracle. At least one analyst predicted that Oracle would lay off half of Sun's workforce to get the company back to profit.
Oracle CEO Larry Ellison dismissed that claim angrily in January, calling the reports "highly irresponsible."
"The Sun people went through enough angst without having to read this garbage that you're writing," he told reporters and analysts in January. "The truth is, we're actually hiring 2,000 people over the next few months to beef up these businesses, and that's about twice as many people as we'll be laying off.
"We're not cutting Sun to profitability, we're growing Sun to profitability," Ellison said at the time.
The remainder of the additional charges announced Friday include up to $115 million related to facilities costs and up to $60 million related to contract termination costs. They are in addition to the $325 million in charges Oracle had already announced.
Oracle announced its plan in April last year to acquire Sun for $7.4 billion. The deal was held up by regulators in Europe and did not close until January.
Sun announced plans to lay off 3,000 workers, or about 10 percent of its workforce, last October while it was waiting for the Oracle deal to close. A year before that, it announced layoffs of 5,000 to 6,000 workers.

http://www.businessweek.com/idg/2010-06-04/oracle-to-lay-off-more-sun-workers.html

Buffett bashers miss the mark

2010-06-05T23:56:00.000-07:00

Warren Buffett, the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway (BRKA; BRKB), has taken a fair amount of heat in the media and in the blogosphere over the past week. The backstory is that he was compelled to testify before the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission (FCIC) which is a government commission with a mandate to examine the causes of financial panic.
Warren Buffett testified before the commission along with Raymond McDaniel, the CEO of Moody’s (MCO). Other than the fact that Berkshire owns a 13% stake in Moody’s, I’m not sure why Buffett was forced to appear with the Moody’s CEO, but he was.
Moody’s and the credit rating fiasco
I think it was unfortunate for Buffett to be paired with a guy trying to defend the ratings agency fiasco because, in my view, rating agencies such as Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s bear a lot of blame for enabling the craziness that went on in the mortgage-backed securities business and on Wall Street. Grilling the company’s CEO seems fine to me. Having to appear alongside the Moody’s CEO may have led people to think Buffett was defending the company’s action, even though he was not. How do I know that Buffett did not defend Moody’s?
I actually listened to Buffett’s testimony
As I could not find a transcript of his testimony, I paid the price of actually listening to the testimony from start to finish. It was long. How long you say? Too long. If you want to listen also, here is the link.
As I was listening, my two sons wandered in from time to time to ask what the purpose of this video was and they occasionally offered funny remarks about a particular panel member who was being — no doubt unintentionally — amusing.

http://blogs.marketwatch.com/fundmastery/2010/06/05/buffett-bashers-miss-the-mark/

Google blames Wi-spy incident on rogue employee

2010-06-05T23:55:00.000-07:00

In an interview with the Financial Times, Google CEO Eric Schmidt blamed the Wifi snooping on an employee.
The case has been making headlines across the world and has Google in courts from Oregon to Germany. But, was it caused by one employee? (Working on his 20% time?) According to Google CEO Eric Schmidt, that employee is now the subject of an internal investigation.

In the first case, an engineer, who is now the subject of an internal investigation at the company, inserted a vital piece of code into Street View software systems "in clear violation" of operating procedures but undetected by colleagues.

I haven't really taken an interest in this case because I don't believe the information that Google would have received to be that damaging, at least if it was used by Google in the same way it uses search data. Google says it did nothing with the data.
Google is accused of (at worst) pulling extremely brief snippets of information from open routers as the streetview cars sped by.

Google has had other high profile run-ins with government agencies lately with an Italian court sentencing three Google execs to jailtime because some children uploaded some footage of bullying to Youtube. That is on appeal.
Google's recent botched Buzz rollout also had privacy watchdogs upset because of the relationships it revealled.

Hiring Recovery Sputters

2010-06-05T23:54:00.000-07:00

Private employers did little hiring last month, undermining hopes that the economic recovery was gathering pace and helping send U.S. stocks down more than 3% on the day.
The Labor Department said Friday that 431,000 jobs were added in May. But the vast majority were temporary workers hired by the government to conduct the 2010 Census. Private-sector employment rose by only 41,000, the smallest monthly increase since January. Without faster private-sector job growth, the U.S. faces a bumpy recovery restrained by households with little income to spend.

Renewed fears about U.S. growth and the financial turmoil in Europe sent the Dow Jones Industrial Average tumbling 323.31 points, or 3.15%, to 9931.97—the Dow's second slide below 10000 in two weeks. It was the blue chips' lowest close since Feb. 8 and the third-biggest point and percentage decline of 2010.
The economy's prospects are made all the more challenging by the unrelenting concerns over Europe's sovereign-debt crisis. European stocks fell sharply on concerns about Hungary's solvency, and the euro dropped to $1.1966, its lowest late-day New York level since 2006.

The U.S. jobless rate dipped in May, to 9.7% from 9.9% the month before. But that was largely due to discouraged workers giving up the job search, as well as the Census hires. Those positions added 411,000 workers.

The dim jobs report undercut President Barack Obama's attempts to call attention to the recovery. In a speech in Wednesday, Mr. Obama said, "We've now added jobs for five of the last six months, and we expect to see strong job growth in Friday's report." Although the president Friday described the new data as "a sign that our economy is getting stronger by the day," few analysts saw it that way.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704764404575286921361095484.html?mod=rss_Today%27s_Most_Popular

Bank of America Ramps Up Online Brokerage

2010-06-05T07:48:00.001-07:00

Bank of America is making a push into electronic brokerage services, a menu that includes free online trading and a new platform called Merrill Edge, set to debut in late June. Some say the new services will steal business from Merrill advisors.

Merrill Edge combines Bank of America’s online brokerage, Merrill Lynch’s retail web services and Merrill’s call center to serve investors with accounts that have less than $250,000 in assets. The rollout follows the introduction by Bank of America last October of commission-free online equity trades—30 monthly for customers who have combined account balances of $25,000 or more.

The online platform at Bank of America could “cannibalize” the clients of a core constituency of Merrill brokers who might otherwise provide them with advice, said Alois Pirker, an analyst at Aite Group. Pirker added that offering free online trading is not an unusual move in today’s brokerage industry.

The electronic ramp-up is no surprise given the industry’s embrace of the self-directed investor, one Merrill FA told Registered Rep. However, it could disproportionately hurt the several thousand former Bank of America brokers who are now part of Merrill Lynch. He said some of these former brokers have as many as 1,400 clients, compared with one or two hundred for the typical Merrill broker. Now these brokers are under pressure to dramatically reduce their customer lists, he says. “It’s practically impossible to effectively service 1,400,” he said. Presumably, they would funnel the clients they culled from their books into the online program.

Of course, Bank of America says no such thing is happening. The firm is neither pressuring advisors to give up their accounts with under $250,000 in assets, nor are they pressuring advisors to give qualifying clients commission-free stock trading, says spokesperson Selena Morris. “We are committed to providing clients with quality services that meet their financial goals and needs,” says Morris. “As always, our clients retain full flexibility and choice on the type of relationship they have with us. Merrill Edge will generally serve clients with a combined banking and investment relationship of less than $250,000, as well as clients across the entire wealth spectrum who choose to be served in part, or entirely, through this direct channel."

Bank of America executives didn’t directly address whether FAs might still lose clients to the new service. “We have 16,000 FAs and some of them are going to be nervous and say this is taking [customers] away from us,” said one Bank of America official, referring to the introduction of Merrill Edge. “I don’t think that is the way to look at it.” This official said she had not heard any dissatisfaction expressed by FAs over the introduction of the free online trading program back in October.

Norm Pappous, a former Merrill Lynch FA, said he had just spoken to some of his former colleagues. “They knew nothing about the [free online trading] program, which leads me to believe that BofA will use it as more of their mass marketing and servicing approach, rather than using it as a tool for Merrill pros to gather more assets,” said Pappous, president of online financial services firm Investment Performance Evaluations.

“That’s a pity,” he added. “If they had brought the program through the FAs and allowed them to use it for potential or current clients, I think it could have been a great tool. BofA seems committed to mass servicing and restricting Merrill guys to $1 million-plus accounts. This will make it tougher for FAs to succeed.”

Morris said that the bank is not attempting to undermine FAs with its new electronic services. On Merrill Edge, she said, “[It] is designed to complement our current offerings, providing products and services that create exciting opportunities for our advisory business and new demand for Merrill Lynch services by the next generation of affluent individuals. She added that having, “a robust direct offering is also beneficial as clients with both self-directed and full service accounts grow assets.”

Lawsuit filed against brokerage firm Morgan Keegan

2010-06-05T07:46:00.003-07:00

A class action lawsuit has been filed against Memphis-based Morgan Keegan alleging that investors in four mutual funds were not informed about risky investments that resulted in $1 billion in losses.

The lawsuit claiming violation of federal securities laws was filed in U.S. District Court in Memphis by Labaton Sucharow LLP on Wednesday.

The states of Mississippi, Alabama, Kentucky and South Carolina along with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority have previously announced administrative actions against Morgan Keegan, which is owned by Birmingham, Ala.-based Regions Financial Corp.

Kathy Ridley, a spokeswoman for Morgan Keegan, said the filing is similar to other class action lawsuits that are still pending in court and there are no new allegations.

U.S. brokerage firms sweeten recruitment deals

2010-06-05T07:46:00.001-07:00

* Morgan Stanley extending deals to more brokers

* Merrill Lynch hires Morgan Stanley manager

By Helen Kearney

NEW YORK, May 19 (Reuters) - Merrill Lynch (BAC.N) and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney (MS.N) have raised the value of their recruitment packages to attract more brokers at a time when fewer are motivated to change jobs, sources familiar with the hiring practices said on Wednesday.

Bank of America Corp's Merrill has increased its upfront cash payment to a maximum 150 percent of a broker's revenue from the prior 12 months, up from 120 percent, two sources with knowledge of the terms said.

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, a brokerage joint venture between Morgan Stanley and Citigroup (C.N), is offering 50 to 60 percent up front of brokers' trailing 12-month production to less productive brokers in the third and fourth quintiles, according to the sources, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the terms.

Morgan Stanley has generally been interested in brokers from the top two quintiles on a system that ranks brokers by fee and commission production and time in service.

Morgan Stanley spokeswoman Christine Pollack declined to comment on the company's recruiting practices, but said, "We continue to monitor the marketplace and provide competitive deals to quality financial advisers."

Merrill Lynch spokeswoman Selena Morris also declined to comment on details of the company's packages, but said, "We are always interested in hiring quality advisers with industry designations."

Rick Peterson, a Houston-based recruiter, said companies have become more flexible with recruitment packages.

Many advisers are tied to companies by retention packages that were offered to top producers to hold onto them as brokerages merged during the financial crisis. In general, these retention packages were structured to require repayment of a portion of the package if a broker left the company.

For example, Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch had offered brokers producing at least $500,000 annually in fees and commissions bonuses that were structured as loans forgiven over a number of years.

Peterson said recruitment deals had to be more attractive now because some brokers had to repay portions of retention packages after changing jobs.

"Firms are looking at their recruiting goals for the year and realizing they're way behind," Peterson said.

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney has lost several managers to Merrill Lynch and other regional and national companies. This week, Michael Simonds, an 18-year veteran based in New York, left the company for a job at Merrill Lynch, two sources familiar with the move said on Wednesday.

Simonds had supervised a complex of 150 advisors with $12 billion in assets under management. Morgan Stanley confirmed that he had left, but Merrill Lynch declined to comment.

Jimmy Tighe, who was head of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney's New York metro region, joined Merrill in February. (Reporting by Helen Kearney)

4 brokerage executives arrested in Venezuela

2010-06-05T07:44:00.001-07:00

CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuelan authorities arrested four brokerage firm executives Thursday as part of a crackdown on a sector where President Hugo Chavez says widespread currency speculation is driving up inflation.

Pedro Castillo Torcat, general director of Positiva Sociedad de Corretaje; Jose Rivero, general director of BanValor; and Marcos Siervo and Eduardo Sacco, two executives from Venevalores, will all face trial, the Attorney General's Office said in a statement. It did not elaborate.

In the past two weeks, pro-Chavez lawmakers have passed legislation letting the Central bank tighten control over the previously unregulated bond market. Authorities also halted bond trading for two weeks, and the government took over management at 31 of the country's 107 brokerage companies.

Authorities have raided 15 other brokerages on suspicion of irregularities, including BBO Casa de Bolsa and Bencorp Casa de Bolsa on Thursday, the prosecutor's office said in a statement.

Chavez is seeking to crack down on currency trading that he blames for soaring inflation and the Venezuelan bolivar's declining value on the black market. The socialist leader has ordered authorities to investigate alleged illegal trading and money laundering.

Venezuela maintains strict currency controls and sets official exchange rates, but another route for trading currency has been the bond market, where the bolivar has recently fetched about 8.20 bolivars to the U.S. dollar — almost double the official rate of 4.30 to the dollar for nonessential goods.

Eduardo Fortuny, director of the Venezuelan Association of Brokerage Firms, said Wednesday that the government's measures are forcing many brokerages to lay off employees as they struggle for survival.

Some 4,000 people are employed by Venezuela's brokerage firms, he said.

Copyright © 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Citic to Sell Broker Stake

2010-06-05T03:34:00.001-07:00

SHANGHAI—Citic Securities Co., China's largest brokerage firm by assets, said Wednesday it plans to sell a majority stake in brokerage unit China Securities Co. to comply with a request from the country's securities regulator.

Citic Securities, a unit of Chinese financial conglomerate Citic Group, is seeking to resolve regulatory compliance issues related to its plans to expand into new businesses, including a pending investment banking tie-up with France's Credit Agricole SA, analysts said.

The brokerage said it plans to sell a 53% stake in China Securities for 8.59 billion yuan ($1.25 billion) after the China Securities Regulatory Commission requested that the firm sell down its stake to avoid competing with its units in the same area of business. Once the sale is completed, it will hold a 7% stake in the smaller brokerage.

The regulator has also been urging Citic Securities to reduce its stake in wholly owned China Asset Management Co. by July 1 to comply with the country's ownership rules for fund houses and avoid punitive measures.

Chinese regulations state that firms cannot hold stakes of more than 49% in mutual fund companies unless the fund companies are joint ventures with foreign partners.

Citic Securities said it plans sell the China Securities stake on an asset exchange in two batches, a 45% stake and an 8% stake to be sold simultaneously.

The company said it expects the disposal to reduce its consolidated revenue by nearly 30%, based on its revenue for the January-September period of 2009.

But the sale, if completed at the offering price of 8.59 billion yuan, would produce a sizable one-off profit for the brokerage, which said the original cost of acquiring the 53% stake in China Securities was 1.43 billion yuan.

Citic Securities and China CCB Investment Co. founded China Securities in 2005. China CCB holds 40% of the joint venture.

Citic Securities also said it aims to develop its buy-side business, including its private-equity investment and asset management operations, to offset the lost revenue from China Securities.

Write to Joy C. Shaw at joy.shaw@dowjones.com

McDonald’s to Recall Glasses, Citing Cadmium

2010-06-05T01:05:00.001-07:00

Fears about cadmium exposure prompted McDonald’s on Friday to announce a costly recall of 12 million promotional drink glasses featuring cartoon characters from the movie “Shrek Forever After.” The paint on the glasses, which were sold for $2 each, contained traces of cadmium, which can cause cancer and other ailments.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/05/business/05recall.html?src=mv

Click here to find out more! Job growth weakens in May despite surge in census hiring

2010-06-05T01:04:00.001-07:00

Reporting from Washington —
A burst of hiring of temporary census workers helped push down the unemployment rate in May, but the nation's private-sector employers added a mere 41,000 new jobs last month, the Labor Department said Friday.

The jobless rate edged down to 9.7% in May from 9.9% in April, but that was because the federal government added 411,000 jobs for the decade population count. Those jobs were expected and will disappear quickly over the summer.

Business payrolls increased by only 41,000 in May -- a fraction of the 175,000 or so jobs that many analysts had projected. By comparison, the nation added 218,000 new private-sector jobs in April and 158,000 in March.

http://www.latimes.com/classified/jobs/sns-jobs-0604-unemployment-report,0,5660698.story

Charice records 'Pyramid' in Simlish

2010-06-03T03:08:00.000-07:00

MANILA, Philippines - International singing sensation Charice’s “Pyramid” has found its way into the popular computer game Sims 3 “Ambitions” expansion pack.

Charice has recorded "Pyramid" in Simlish, Sim’s fictional language, according to Raquel Pempengco, the singer’s mom.

"She recorded the song 2 months ago. Bago pa ang ‘Pyramid’ noon at napili ‘yong song niya," Raquel Pempengco, the singer’s mom, said.

“Pyramid’s” Simlish version is called “Kyralid.”

According to Wikipedia, the Sims is a strategic life-simulation computer game developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts.

It is a simulation of the daily activities of one or more virtual persons, called Sims, in a suburban household near SimCity.

news local-beat Burn Your MetroCard

2010-06-01T21:49:00.000-07:00

The buses and trains won't be changing much, but the way you pay for them will.

At least that's the plan for commuters on MTA subways and buses, Port Authority PATH trains, and NJ Transit buses, light rail and trains. And the instrument of change is your everyday, wallet -stuffed credit card.

Read the rest of this entry

Venezuela seizes control of 3 more brokerage firms

2010-06-01T21:47:00.001-07:00

Venezuela's government has seized control of three more brokerage firms amid a crackdown on currency trading ordered by President Hugo Chavez.
The National Securities Commission says the brokerages BBO Casa de Bolsa, Strategos Sociedad de Corretaje and Innova Capital violated regulations for the trading of government bonds.
Tuesday's takeovers bring the number of brokerages that have been brought under government control to 36.
Chavez accuses brokerages of "speculative" trading that has boosted inflation and eroded the value of Venezuela's currency.
Lawmakers approved measures last month giving exclusive control of the bond market to the Central Bank.
Over 100 brokerages operate in Venezuela.

SJ Unified chief to retire after 39 years in education

2010-05-31T22:37:00.001-07:00

Amid education's worst fiscal crisis in decades, he's convinced teachers to work longer hours for less pay. He's overseen a steady rise in test scores in some of San Jose's lowest-performing schools. He arm-wrestled the state and won, in defining which schools — not his — should be labeled the worst of the worst.

Now San Jose Unified Superintendent Don Iglesias plans to retire from the South Bay's largest school district. The charismatic career educator says he is looking toward "jumping off the bullet train and onto a stagecoach."

Those who know him expect that stagecoach to steer a fast, careening course. After all, the man who calls himself "an adrenaline junkie" fed his habit during 39 years in education and at 61, doesn't look like he's about to slow down.

Iglesias works long days overseeing the 41-school district, advocating for education and visiting campuses, while making time to mentor students and surf, bicycle and restore old cars. Parents, employees and fellow administrators admire not only his ability to analyze and synthesize information but also his level head, graciousness and quick wit.

Iglesias joined San Jose Unified when education budgets nose-dived, just as the state and Uncle Sam ramped up demands for achievement and punishment for failure. He led the charge toward mastering skills and knowledge in the diverse district stretching from Mineta San Jose Airport to the Almaden Valley. http://www.mercurynews.com/education/ci_15199729?nclick_check=1

Retire Early - Tips on Budgeting, Part One

2010-05-30T07:30:00.000-07:00

Every person has desires to retire early. Remarkably there are numerous expenses you ought to think about once your working hours are complete. The beauty with retirement is that you can basically spend less cash and do far more but only if you've applied the correct strategy through the years. So how is it possible to retire as soon as possible? Is there some magic formula that only a handful of people know? This report will go over how to manage money and various tips on budgeting to make sure you may be among the lucky few to make more of your life once you call it quits.

The Golden Years By The Numbers:

Why don't we imagine that you are going to be 60 once you decide to get the golden handshake and sail off into the sunset. If you've led the right pathway, you have saved enough over the years to make that happen. The true concern is; what is the amount of money you are going to require to retire comfortably? That all will depend on what you've thought out. If your preferred scenario is to devote your time and effort baking cookies, doing charity work and spending some time with your grand kids than your costs will probably be vastly different from somebody who hopes to purchase a boat and sail around the planet for 10 years. Either plan sounds awesome. The fantastic thing is you've got the power at this very point in time to save just as much or as little as you need by finding out all of the tips on budgeting possible. It basically means you must know how to manage money now. Read the rest of this entry

Noynoy to make fewer public pronouncements until proclamation

2010-05-18T04:43:00.001-07:00

MANILA, Philippines – President-apparent Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III will be making fewer public pronouncements until he is proclaimed winner in the May 10 elections, according to Liberal Party campaign manager Florencio Abad.

Abad said Aquino does not want to appear “presumptuous” and speak like a president when he has not yet been proclaimed and inaugurated. He said Aquino would “rather be more visible and accessible once he was proclaimed” by Congress.
“He’s not even president-elect yet, he’s just Senator Aquino at this point,” Abad told reporters. “He does not want to be interpreted or be seen as presumptuous.”
However, he said Aquino would be making statements through the media on selected issues.
Abad added that Aquino had not yet selected a barangay captain to administer his oath of office since he did not want to be sworn in by Chief Justice Renato Corona, who was appointed by President Arroyo.
Aquino maintained Corona was a midnight appointee and that Mrs. Arroyo violated the Constitution by appointing a chief justice when there was no vacancy yet and despite the two-month ban on appointments before the end of her term.
He said he would rather take his oath before a barangay captain than a chief justice whose appointment was questionable. (Phil. Star)

Filipino-Americans to Attend Aquino Inauguration

2010-05-18T04:42:00.001-07:00

Manhattan, NY- Filipino American supporters of President-apparent Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III held a mass at the San Lorenzo Chapel in New York yesterday. “This is a mass of thanksgiving because we have had a peaceful, clean election in the Philippines and the election of a working President Noynoy Aquino. Magpasalamat tayo sa Dios.” said community leader and Aquino supporter Loida Nicolas-Lewis.

Many expressed relief that the country’s first attempt at automated elections was largely successful.”We are happy that we had a smoothly executed automation,” said Reverend Joseph Marave, who celebrated the thanksgiving mass. “We are grateful because there is a line of acceptable new national officials, Thank God,” he added.

Filipino-American supporters plan to send a delegation to Aquino’s inauguration in Manila next month, and are seeking an audience with Aquino.

Supporters are still praying that Aquino’s running mate, Liberal Party (LP) vice-presidential bet Mar Roxas will defeat Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) rival Makati mayor Jejomar Binay. ABS-CBN news reports that the Philippine Commission on Elections has counted about 98 percent of the vote, with Binay leading Roxas by more than 700,000 votes. The LP believes Binay’s lead is surmountable. The PMP camp says Roxas will not be able to catch up.

During the thanksgiving mass, members of the U.S. Pinoys for NoyMar expressed their thoughts on what Aquino’s priorities should be. “Clean up our way of politics,” said Corazon Tamargo-Rivera. “(Fix) the peace and order situation and then secondly, the economy,” said Noel Gamboa. “Prioritize the educational system of our country.” said Linda Limcaco.

Inauguration of new provincial board members set

2010-05-17T05:48:00.001-07:00

By Teresa Ellera-Dulla

VICE governor-elect Genaro "Lim-ao" Alvarez is meeting with the newly-elected members of the Provincial Board for their inaugural session.

Alvarez said majority of the members of the incoming board were reelectionists.
Click here for Election 2010 updates
Those elected as members of the Provincial Board were reelectionists Renato Malabor and Nehemias dela Cruz of the first district, Miller Serondo and newly-elected Salvador Escalante of the second district, reelectionists Patrick Leonard Lacson and Manuel Frederick Ko of the third district, reelectionists Mae Javellana and Joben Alonso of the fourth district, Melvin Ibanez and Emelio Yulo III of the fifth district and newly-elected Pedro Zayco and Helen Zafra of the sixth district.
Alvarez said he will also consult governor-elect Alfredo Maranon.
All of the new members are party mates of Maranon and Alvarez in the United Negros Alliance (UNA).
Alvarez said he will consult the board members on the possibility of retaining their old chairmanships or for any changes and determine who among the board members will be identified as the senior board member.
The senior board member position will be a toss up between sixth district Board Member Zayco and his son-in-law Patrick Lacson. They both garnered the highest votes in the May 10 elections.
One of the controversial issues that will be handled by the Provincial Board when they start the session is the amendments of the ordinance on the genetically modified organisms (GMO).
Maranon is an advocate of organic farming and his brother, late governor Joseph Maranon, has the same advocacy. It was during his brother’s time when the province bid the hosting of the International Organic Conference when the controversial anti-GMO ordinance was passed by the previous Provincial Board.

'Dear Noynoy:' Aquino gets advice on Facebook

2010-05-17T05:47:00.000-07:00

MANILA, Philippines -- Filipinos have swamped a new Facebook page to offer words of advice and caution for their next president-apparent, Sen. Benigno Aquino III - telling him he should choose upright Cabinet members and also quit smoking.

Aquino's promise to wage war against rampant corruption that has plagued the Philippines has raised hopes, especially among the young who made up almost half the voters in Monday's elections.
Aquino, a 50-year-old lawmaker, was headed for a landslide victory, largely campaigning on a family name and promising to follow the legacy of his parents, who are regarded as heroes in the country's democratic struggle against the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos.

By noon Wednesday, more than 22,000 visited the Facebook wall, "Dear Noynoy Aquino," and indicated they like it, 36 hours since it was put up by Gang Badoy, founder of Rock Ed Philippines, a volunteer group of young professionals promoting alternative education. Noynoy is Aquino's nickname.
Badoy said she wanted to "catch the wave of the first reactions" to Aquino's apparent electoral victory, and compile selected "thoughtful suggestions" posted for a book to present to the new president before his expected June 30 inauguration.
She said her group plans to print two versions of the book - one for Aquino's bedside and a waterproof version "for his toilet reading."
Writing on the page, Patricia O. Loanzon warned Aquino that Filipinos will repeat the "people power" revolts that ousted Marcos in 1986 and President Joseph Estrada in 2001 "should you renege on your promises to change/erradicate corruption in our government."

Wilfred Alipat said he still had doubts about Aquino, "but I hope you prove them wrong."
Others urged him to distribute his family's vast sugar estate to landless farmers and workers, while Anna Ylagan wrote: "Quit smoking, President Noy. We need you to be healthy."
Erica Cleofe-Kononen said credit card payments of taxes and other fees should be accepted by all government agencies to prevent corrupt bureaucrats from pocketing the cash.
"It's like letters to Santa Claus," Badoy said of the Facebook effort. "We're hoping for discernment for Senator Aquino ... and hopefully with this compilation of real people and real needs he will listen to some of them."

HP TouchSmart TM2-1070US Laptop

2010-05-15T20:19:00.003-07:00

Shop Low Price on HP TouchSmart TM2-1070US. Fast Shipping, Order Now!
HP TouchSmart TM2-1070US With unparalleled versatility, the HP TouchSmart tm2 lets you touch, draw, type or move everywhere in between. This compact yet powerful notebook converts to a tablet with a simple twist. Next-generation multi-touch technology puts endless creative possibilities at your fingertips. Slim and stylish, the HP TouchSmart tm2 can make everything you do faster, easier, and way more fun.Intel Core2 Duo Processor SU7300 (1.3 GHz, 3 MB L2 Cache, 800 MHz FSB)

Acer AS5738DG-6165 Laptop

2010-05-15T20:19:00.001-07:00

Shop Low Price on Acer AS5738DG-6165 15.6-Inch 3D Blue Laptop With Windows 7 Home Premium Fast Shipping, Order Now!
Acer AS5738DG-6165 3D Notebook comes with these specs: Intel Core2 Processor T6600, Windows 7 Home Premium, 15.6" HD Widescreen CineCrystal LED-backlit Display with Integrated TriDef 3D Screen, Intel PM45 Express Chipset, 4096MB DDR3 667MHz Dual Channel Memory, ATI Radeon HD 4570 Graphics with up to 1792MB Shared system memory, 320GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive, 8X DVD-Super Multi Double-Layer Drive, Multi-in-1 Digital Media Card Reader, Intel WiFi Link 5100 802.11a/b/g/Draft-N Wi-Fi CERTIFIED, High Definition Audio Support, Integrated Webcam, 4 - USB 2.0 Ports, 1 - HDMI Port, Convenience Buttons- Multi-gesture Touchpad, Acer Backup Manager, Touchpad-lock, 6-Cell Lithium-Ion (4400 mAh), 6.16 lbs. | 2.8 kg. (system unit only), AC Power Adapter, AC Power Cord, Wireless Setup Card, Registration/ Limited Warranty Card, McAfee Internet Security Suite Trial (60-day trial),

Laptop Computers Best Prices

2010-05-15T20:18:00.000-07:00

Laptop Computers Best Prices

Published by LaptopComputersPlaza, on May 06 2010, in the categories: laptops

When a person decides to buy something, he always has a dilemma. Why? Because it is difficult to choose between quality and price. An expensive thing has a high quality because of its material, performance, way of production.

Laptop Computers Best Prices

Published by LaptopComputersPlaza, on May 06 2010, in the categories: laptops

When a person decides to buy something, he always has a dilemma. Why? Because it is difficult to choose between quality and price. An expensive thing has a high quality because of its material, performance, way of production.

Nowadays there is a “strong fight” between brand producing laptops. The customer pays attention to all aspects, the most important one being the price. Best price laptop computers varies from brand to brand.

So, according to the prices that each brand has for it`s models, I have done a classification (Acer, Lenovo and Dell laptop computers) by prices: the lowest price and the highest price.

The three lowest prices from ACER are Acer Aspire One A 110-1588 Netbook Intel Atom N270, $259.00, Acer Aspire one AOA110-1722, $285.00, Acer Aspire One 532h-2326, $299.00-$313.01, the three highest prices from the same brand, Acer are: the first is Acer Ferrari FR1100-5457 with a price of $1, 747.92, the second is Acer Aspire 6920-6422 Notebook with Intel Core 2 and Windows Vista Ultimate, at the price of 1,716.79. On the third place there is a price of 1,599.97 and the model which has this price is Acer Ferrari 5000-5832 Notebook.

Readmore

Elias Paniki

2010-05-15T19:49:00.001-07:00

NGAYONG MAGSASAMA SILA sa Agimat: Mga Alamat ni Ramon Revilla sa episode na Elias Paniki, nakatuon ang paningin ng mga tao sa nilulutong tambalan nina Sam Pinto at Jake Cuenca.

Kasi nga, nabalita na dati pa na diumano eh, nagkaroon na sila ng relasyon bago pa man mapasok sa showbiz si Jake at bago rin masalang at makilala sa loob ng Bahay ni Kuya ang dalaga.

Nilinaw ni Jake na noong mga modelo pa sila ni Sam sila nagkakilala at pawang mga bata pa sila. May panahon pa nga raw na muntik silang maging magkatambal sa isang print ad pero na-reject si Jake. Pero, matagal nga silang naging magkaibigan. Pero wala raw ligawan na nangyari kaya hindi naging sila.

Dagdag pa ni Jake, “Although kung merong isang taong masasabing nakakakilala sa akin ng lubusan, walang iba ‘yun kundi si Sam. Dahil matagal-tagal din kaming naging very close sa isa’t isa. I was sixteen then and fourteen naman siya. Imagine, dito pa pala uli kami magkakasama.”

Ito rin daw ang dahilan kung bakit hindi na naging sobrang alangan si Sam nang sumalang na sila ni Jake sa mga eksena nila sa nasabing serye. Dahil gaya ng dati, lubusan pa rin ang pangangalagang ibinigay sa kanya ni Jake sa mga panahon ng pagtatrabaho nila.

Ikinagugulat nga ni Jake na isa-isang naglilitawan sa tabi niya ang mga babaeng masasabing naging malapit sa puso niya in the past. Ang isa nga raw eh, isa nang stylist ng isa sa mga sikat na artista natin sa ngayon. Naging ex daw niya ito noong high school sila. At nagulat pa siya nang makita niya ang girl sa ASAP XV.

Ang isa naman daw na stylist to the stars na rin ngayon eh, best friend naman ni Sam Pinto.

At may isa pa raw na kaibigan din ni Sam na stylist na rin.

Naging girlfriend din niya?

“Tita, hindi. Bading ‘yung stylist, eh!”

Ask ako, sure ka, ha?

Humagalpak ng tawa ang aktor. Buti na lang, hindi nag-anyong paniki!

KASABAY NG PRESS conference para sa Elias Paniki na pinagbibidahan ni Jake Cuenca, isinabay na rin ang pagpapakilala sa bagong batch ng mga action stars na napisil ng ABS-CBN para naman siyang magsisakay sa mga karakter na ginampanan ni Ramon Revilla, Sr. sa mga ‘agimat’ series niya sa pelikula.

Kahit na marami ang nagtaas ng kilay, hindi na mababago ang pagkakalagay kay Ejay Falcon para siyang maging bida sa Pepeng Kuryente. Inusisa nga ang ilang mga tao sa likod ng nasabing produksiyon kung kaya na ba ni Ejay na magdala ng pagbibidahan niyang serye sa ngayon. Diumano, ilang direktor ang nahirapan sa proseso ng pag-improve ni Ejay sa pag-e-emote sa kanyang mga karakter na ginampanan in the past. Pero salag naman namin, baka naman dahil action naman ang tema eh, mas may maipakitang kakaiba si Ejay sa kanyang gagampanan.

Napisil naman si Enchong Dee para gampanan ang katauhan ni Boy Putik at si Jason Abalos naman ang gaganap as Bianong Bulag. Si Jolo (Revilla) na siyang nagbigay ng mataas na ratings sa mga naunang “Agimat” series na ipinalabas ang magiging finale ng ikalawang batch ng mga ‘Agimat’ ni Senior Revilla, at siya ang gaganap bilang Kapitan Inggo.

Tinanong naman si Jolo kung magiging special guest ba niya uli sa serye niya ang amang si Senator Bong Revilla, Jr., na sinasabing siyang nakadagdag sa pagtaas ng ratings ng ginawa ni Jolo before. Sabi naman ni Jolo-hindi pa siya sure. Pero kung hindi man daw makasama ang kanyang ama, magiging isang matinding challenge pa rin sa kanya na magampanan ang isa sa mga naging blockbuster na pelikula ng kanyang Lolo.

Jolo was also asked kung lilipat na ba sa Kapamilya station ang kanyang ama, ang sagot niya, “He’s staying with the Kapuso station. But I think he will do a movie here (Star Cinema).”

The Pillar
by Pilar Mateo

New business ideas paying off

2010-05-10T23:22:00.001-07:00

BAHRAIN women are proving they can compete in a sector dominated mostly by men thanks to new and innovative businesses.

Around 50 businesswomen promoted their businesses, some first of their kind in the country, at an exhibition for female entrepreneurs.

The Women's World Charity Exhibition was held yesterday under the patronage of Al Noor Charity Welfare Society president Shaikha Lamiya bint Mohammed Al Khalifa.

The one-day event was held by Bahrain-based Diva Conferences and Exhibitions at the Mšvenpick Hotel.

The objective was to promote the role of women entrepreneurs, share their experiences and inspire others to follow in their footsteps.

It showcased services and products that interest women, including mothers and brides.

Stands were decorated with cupcakes, chocolates, hand made accessories, abayas and jalabiyas among others.

Some businesswomen say they came up with ideas when they were looking for a particular service or product and found there were none in Bahrain.

Suha Sawan, with her partner Deena Al Ansari, has just opened the first mobile spa in Bahrain.

The former bankers said that after working long hours they would be craving for a massage in the comfort of their homes.

"It then clicked, why not establish a spa that is mobile and goes wherever the customer wants?" said Ms Sawan.

The idea does not target working women alone, but also those who don't have time for spa treatment or simply don't have transportation.

The Mobile Spa was opened last February and has been so far gaining many customers, said Ms Sawan.

"The whole idea is you call our number and our staff come to you with their equipment and you just relax and enjoy the treatment," she said.

"This saves you the trouble of driving to the place and not completely enjoying your massage because you need to drive yourself back home."

Bahraini mother Fatima Al Eskafi was frustrated when she couldn't find matching baby accessories and bed for her two-year-old daughter.

"I then decided to design my own and ask my mother, who is a great tailor, to make them," she said.

Thus the business started and it brought new ideas and income to the former housewife.

"I started making different designs and even designed a full room with matching bed sheets, bag and accessories for babies," she said.

Her business, called Sweet Memories, is now celebrating its first anniversary.

Meanwhile, other female entrepreneurs told the GDN they thought the market needed better quality products.

Indian Reena Gupta, owner of Lavanya collection, roamed malls and examined Indian accessories when the idea of opening her own authentic Indian boutique came to her.

"I felt there was no variety in the products sold here," she said. "So I decided to import from different parts of India and start my business."

Her mobile boutique sells Mojadi (traditional Rajasthani shoes), heavy saris, home decors and bags from different areas in India.

Though the business started only last December, Ms Gupta said it was going well.

"Bahraini women like attractive bling clothes and so Indian clothes and dŽcor attract them," she said.

"My boutique's uniqueness is that you can buy a piece and wear it for everyday, not necessary in full Indian look."

Ms Gupta was working in the banking industry in the UK when her family moved to Bahrain. She was unable to work as she was taking care of her two-year-old daughter.

"This job allows me to be with my daughter and do something I love," she said.

Offering giveaways at baby showers, wedding ceremonies or at any other occasion was the drive behind Extravaganza.

The shop, owned by Bahraini interior designer Wala'a Al Tahoo, creates giveaways for all occasions.

"As many occasions shops there are in Bahrain, there is not one specialised in giveaways," she said.

Her business, which has been blooming for the past 10 months, allowed her to have her own shop on Budaiya road.

The 25-year-old said people mostly like to purchase giveaways for baby showers.

"It's the trend now and my shop is always called for baby giveaways," she said.

One business, just completing its first year, has already started franchising in countries like South Africa and Oman.

Clever Cooks, owned by Bahrain residents Letitia Booysen and Radhika Sil, aims to bring children and adults together for cooking classes.

"Our idea is to promote healthy eating and to call families to cook with their children," said Ms Sil.

Cooking classes can also be organised for birthday parties, camps and events, she said.

"We are going to open our new headquarters in four weeks in Sa'ar," said Ms Sil.

She said their business had been franchised, promoting healthy eating and fun cooking lessons for everyone. basma@gdn.com.bh

Sneak Peek of Justin Bieber and Charice on 'Oprah'

2010-05-10T19:54:00.000-07:00

Oprah Winfrey has compared Bieber to Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder and Elvis Presley among others, calling him the heartthrob of the decade.

"The Oprah Winfrey Show" gives a glimpse of Justin Bieber's appearance on the May 11 episode. Calling Bieber as the heartthrob of the decade, Oprah Winfrey asks "Did you dream of this happening to you?" to a beaming Bieber.

Bieber taped his appearance earlier this week in Chicago. Fans who have submitted a story about "what you love about Justin Bieber and why?" were in the audience. Bieber tweeted hours after the taping, "Just got to say that Oprah is real nice down to earth person. She even came back after the show to talk with everyone. She is incredible. And she made my grandpa cry. He went all water works in the crowd."

His mother Pattie Mallette meanwhile also tweeted, "So proud!!! My son just did Oprah! @justinbieber was so charming! It airs May 11th! I was on for a minute too!! So exciting!". Later on, Bieber again wrote on Facebook to describe how honored he was. "Couldn't believe she was interviewing me. It was surreal. Thanks to everyone who worked hard to get me there. Really an honor and a testament to the incredible fans that you all are. Thank you. Really," he wrote.

Justin will not be the only guest in the episode. Another teen singing sensation Charice, whose career Oprah has observed and catapulted, would be performing there too.

Economists forecast lower RP inflation – BSP

2010-05-10T04:32:00.001-07:00

Private sector economists have lowered their projected average inflation rate this year to 4.7 percent from 4.8 percent, despite the decision of monetary authorities to raise inflation forecast on higher oil prices and expensive electricity.

A survey of private sector analysts and economists the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) did in March showed that expectations about prices of goods and services have improved.

The central bank said private economists see inflation averaging 4.7 percent this year, 4.6 percent next year, and 4.4 percent in 2012.

“Analysts noted that the firm peso as well as modest demand conditions will dampen inflationary pressures," the BSP said.

Deutsche Bank AG sees inflation this year at 6 percent followed, HSBC at 5.2 percent, Metrobank Group at 5 percent, RCBC within 4.2 percent to 5 percent, Standard Chartered Bank at 4.6 percent, ATR Kim Eng at 4.2 percent, and Banco de Oro at 3.5 percent.

The survey indicated an average forecast inflation rate of 4.5 percent in the second quarter of the year and 4.7 percent in the third quarter, the Bangko Sentral said.

The BSP has set its inflation target between 3.5 percent and 5.5 percent this year and 3 percent to 5 percent next year.

In April, the BSP’s Monetary Board raised its inflation forecasts to 5.1 percent instead of 4.64 percent this year and 3.7 percent instead of 3.45 percent next year.

But possible increases in wages, public transport fares, and pump prices of petroleum products in June or July could push the inflation rate to six percent, according to monetary authorities.

Inflation eased to 4.3 percent in the first quarter of the year from 6.9 percent year earlier. It quickened to 4.4 percent in March from 4.2 percent in February on the back of higher prices of clothes, fuel, light, water, and services.

Labor groups are pushing for a P25 wage increase across-the-board, while transport groups wants a P0.50 rise in jeepney fares and a P10 increase in the flagdown rate of taxis.

Higher wages would have to be approved by regional wage boards and the fare increase by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.—VS, GMANews.TV

Philippine shares end flat

2010-05-10T00:04:00.001-07:00

Share prices on the Philippine Stock Exchange were little changed Tuesday, as market players were in a cautious mood less than a week before the May 10 polls.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) gained 0.59 point or 0.02 percent to close at 3290.68.
“Investors were risk-averse, because it’s just a week before the elections. They’d like to play it safe," analyst
Astro Del Castillo of First Grade Holdings said.

“There wasn’t really any market-moving news, except for first quarter earnings which we expect would propel the market towards the end of the week," he said.

The PSE all-share index shed 0.26 percent or 5.4 points, closing at 2,038.57.

More than 1.43 billion shares worth P2.91 billion changed hands. Seventy stocks declined, 28 gained and 65 were unchanged.More....

Inflation steady at 4.4% in April

2010-05-10T00:02:00.001-07:00

Inflation in the Philippines was steady at 4.4 percent in April despite double-digit increases in fuel, light and water rates, the National Statistics Office (NSO) said Wednesday.

The Statistics Office said the inflation last month bought to 4.3 percent the average inflation from January to April or within the target of 3.5 to 5.5 percent set by the Development Budget Coordination Committee for 2010.

Core inflation, which excludes selected food and energy items, marginally increased to 3.9 percent in April from the revised 3.8 percent last March, the NSO said.

“Slower increases in the prices of food, beverage and tobacco (3.1 percent) in
April helped level inflation brought about primarily by the 5.8-percent
increase in non-food items," acting Socioeconomic Planning Secretary and
National Economic Development Authority Director-General Augusto B. Santos said in a memorandum for the President.

The fuel, light and water index, which rose by 17.8 percent, accounted for much of the increase in prices over the previous year, while the electricity inflation advanced by 10.3 percent in April compared to March prices, Santos noted.

“Meralco, the country’s most prominent electricity distributor, attributed
a large part of the increase in power rates during the month to higher prices of electricity purchased from the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market," Santos said.

The NSO also reported that inflation rate outside Metro Manila remained
unchanged at 4.1 percent from last month and lower than 5.8 percent last
year.

The inflation rate for National Capital Region, meanwhile, was higher at 5.3 percent in April compared to 5 percent in March and 2.2 percent in April last year. —VS, GMANews.TV

Relief for Meralco customers

2010-05-10T00:01:00.000-07:00

After hitting historic highs in April, bills of Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) customers this month will go down due to a decrease in generation charge, which represents the cost of power purchased from the utility’s suppliers.

The company said in a statement yesterday that the generation charge to be passed on to Meralco customers this month will be down P1.26 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) "because of lower electricity costs purchased by Meralco [sic] from its suppliers, notably the Independent Power Producers (IPP) and the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM)."

The generation charge accounts for over half of the cost components of an electricity bill.

Ivanna G. dela Peña, Meralco vice-president and utility economics head, said in a phone interview yesterday that the decrease this month offset the increase last month.

Households consuming 200 kWh a month, which make up the utility’s biggest customer segment at about a third of the total, will see an average decline of P252 in this month’s bill.

In comparison, these households saw an averge P239.80 increase in their April power bills, consisting of a P186 rise due to the P0.93/kWh hike in generation charge and a P53.80 increase due to a P0.269/kWh rise in distribution rates.

Ms. dela Peña said in the statement that prices at WESM declined by P3.90/kWh for the supply month of April, averaging P7.36/kWh from P11.36 the month before.

She said in a phone interview that stable power supply contributed to the lower prices at the WESM, where the utility sourced 15.5% of its power needs in April from 14% the previous month. "Definitely, the presence of more supply due to operation of power plants which were previously offline contributed to the decrease [in prices]. Law of supply and demand is what functions in the spot market," she explained.

Meralco external communications head Joe Zaldarriaga echoed Ms. dela Peña’s statement, saying that "with more plants running close to full capacity, there is more supply to cope with demand, effectively bringing down rates."

The cost of power from IPPs also dropped by P1.24/kWh to P4.59/kWh from P5.83/kWh due to the shift to natural gas by First Gas Power Corp. plants from costlier liquid fuel. "The First Gas plants reverted to the use of natural gas for the entire supply month of April, after using condensate fuel from the second week of February to early March during the maintenance shutdown of the Camago-Malampaya facility," Ms. dela Peña said.

Mr. Zaldarriaga stressed that the utility only passes on the generation cost, saying this "charge can move from month to month based on many factors beyond our control like fuel prices, working condition of the power plants and WESM prices, among others. Should there be adjustments in the generation charge, it is our duty to reflect these changes in the customers’ bills, such as this month’s reduction." -- J. B. F. Santos, BusinessWorld

Napocor eyes P15-B bond float this month

2010-05-10T00:00:00.000-07:00

State-owned National Power Corp. (Napocor) wants to offer some P15 billion worth of peso-denominated bonds this month once the issue of its ability to settle its obligations are resolved.

The issue would have to be settled with the Finance and Justice departments, Napocor president Froilan Tampinco said.

He said if the plan pushes through, the company would issue 5- to 10-year bonds.

Proceeds from the bond offer will finance its budget for the rest of 2010 and the first quarter of next year, Napocor president Froilan Tampinco said.

The company is now determining if it would offer the bonds to retail and institutional investors.

Tampinco said Napocor is firming up talks with various financial institutions for the bond offer. "We're negotiating with Land Bank as arranger. There are initial talks with Land Bank but ANZ Bank may also come into the picture and, of course, DBP and PNB."

Napocor has revived its plan to issue peso bonds to support projects in the pipeline under the small power utilities group (SPUG).

Earlier, it set aside a P7-billion bond offer after it successfully obtained a P4-billion bridge financing.

Under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA), Napocor must privatize its power plants, after which, Napocor will be left with operating SPUG and the power plants that remain unsold under the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp.– created under the EPIRA to sell the Napocor assets.

The Napocor chief earlier said Napocor is still studying if it needs to raise the entire P15 billion since it has a pending petition to collect universal charge from its customers.

The universal charge is a non-bypassable charge against end-users for purposes spelled out in the EPIRA, one of which is missionary electrification.

SPUG plans for power development in unserved areas, assessing the requirements and prospects for electrification including the program for private sector participation. It also acts as the petitioner and local administrator of the universal charge for missionary electrification.

Missionary electrification is financed by revenues from SPUG areas and the universal charge from electricity end-users as designated by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).

SPUG operates 304 power generating units with total capacity of about 129 megawatts, including a hydroelectric plant and a hybrid wind turbine farm. It serves 78 island grids and eight isolated grids with 39 electric cooperatives and three local government units as customers. –VS, GMANews.TV

RP stocks continue to slide

2010-05-09T23:59:00.000-07:00

Local share prices continued their decline on the last trading day before the May 10 polls,with analysts expecting market sentiment largely to be driven by developments after the elections.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) lost 0.82 percent or 25.77 points to finish at 3,142.06.

"Investors are still jittery about Greece and the elections. If elections on Monday will be orderly, then that will be one less worry for the market," Astro Del Castillo of First Grade Holdings said in an interview. more....

Europe tries to douse debt crisis

2010-05-09T23:57:00.001-07:00

BRUSSELS – French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel say EU leaders have agreed to a European intervention mechanism to calm markets that have been rattled by the Greek debt crisis.

Sarkozy and Merkel spoke early Saturday following an emergency summit of eurozone nations that are worried the problems in Greece could spread to other countries, including Spain and Portugal.

Sarkozy also says European finance ministers will hold an emergency meeting Sunday to work out a plan to fight speculation against their joint currency, the euro.

European leaders also have agreed on a series of strong steps to stamp out the spiralling debt crisis, including consolidating public finances, bringing in the European Central Bank to ensure eurozone stability and possibly set up a European mechanism to preserve financial stability and prevent future crises like the one that has engulfed Greece. — AP

Star ng Pasko

2009-12-27T22:49:00.003-08:00

Tau Gamma Phi 41st Anniversary - CA, USA

2009-10-10T03:19:00.001-07:00

Triskelions' Grand Fraternity -
National Council USA -
Central & Northern California Region
(October 4 1968 - 2009) by: Bobette Ebreo (SSC-85)

Suicide car bomb kills 49, wounds 100 in Pakistan

2009-10-09T04:57:00.001-07:00

By RIAZ KHAN, Associated Press Writer Riaz Khan, Associated Press Writer

PESHAWAR, Pakistan – A suicide bomber blew up his vehicle near a crowded market in northwestern Pakistan on Friday, killing 49 people and pushing the country closer to an offensive against militants in their main stronghold along the Afghan border.

The attack, which wounded more than 100 people in Peshawar, was Pakistan's deadliest in six months and was a reminder of the ability of insurgents to strike in major cities despite operations against them and the death of their leader in a U.S. missile strike.

The blast left a charred skeleton of a bus flipped on its side in the middle of the road, with the twisted remains of a motorbike nearby. Passers-by rushed to cover the bodies of victims whose clothes were burned off, while a man carried an injured woman. One man staggered from the scene, his face covered with blood.

"I saw a blood-soaked leg landing close to me," said Noor Alam, who suffered wounds to his legs and face and was at a hospital overrun with casualties. "I understood for the first time in my life what doomsday would look like."

Peshawar Police Chief Liaqat Ali Khan said the attacker was in a car packed with a "huge" amount explosives and artillery rounds. There was no claim of responsibility for the bombing, the target of which was not immediately apparent. Militants typically attack government, military or Western targets, but blasts have taken place in public places before.

Zafar Iqbal, a doctor at the main Peshawar hospital, said 49 people were killed and more than 100 wounded. Seven children were among the dead.

"Death has to come one day, but we will keep chasing these terrorists, and this attack cannot deter our resolve," Provincial Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain said as he visited the scene.

The United States is pushing Pakistan to take action against insurgents using its soil to fuel the insurgency in neighboring Afghanistan. The army has carried out some offensives in the northwest this year, killing many militants and earning it measured praise in the West, but the insurgents have responded with scores of suicide attacks.

The army has confirmed it is prepared to launch a major offensive in South Waziristan, a region along the Afghan border consider the fountainhead of suicide attacks and other militant activity in Pakistan. It has not given a date for the launch.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik said the attack meant the country now "had no other option but to carry out an operation in South Waziristan."

"We will have to proceed," he told a local television station. "All roads are leading to South Waziristan."

The bombing came just days after a Taliban suicide attacker evaded tight security to kill five people at the office of the U.N.'s World Food Program in the capital, Islamabad and two weeks after another explosion killed 11 in another part of Peshawar.

Malik said authorities had arrested a man alleged to have been the "handler" of the U.N. bomber. He gave no more details.

Also Friday, militants ambushed a tanker carrying fuel for U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan at a gas station near Peshawar, torching it, said Fazal Rabi, a police official. No deaths or injuries were reported in the attack, which highlighted the vulnerability of the American-led mission in landlocked Afghanistan as Washington debates sending more troops.

Pakistani Taliban have often targeted U.S. and NATO supply convoys passing through northwest Pakistan for Afghanistan, though there have been less attacks reported recently. Most of the nonmilitary supplies for foreign troops in Afghanistan are unloaded at Karachi sea port and are then trucked in through the northwest.

Pakistan's army has launched three operations in South Wazirstan since 2001 but each time has been forced to abandon the push amid fierce resistance. U.S. missile strikes and Pakistani mortar and jet bombings have hit targets there over the last year, but no ground operations have been launched.

One such U.S. attack in the region in August killed Pakistani Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud. The group has since named a new leader, Hakimullah Mehsud. He has threatened suicide attacks and said his men were preparing to repel any push into South Waziristan.

US forces leave isolated Afghan base after attack

2009-10-09T04:55:00.001-07:00

KABUL – U.S. forces have withdrawn from an isolated base in eastern Afghanistan that insurgents attacked last week in one of the deadliest battles of the war for U.S. troops, the NATO-led coalition said Friday.

The pullout from the Kamdesh outpost near the Pakistani border is likely to embolden insurgent fighters in the region. The Taliban swiftly claimed "victory" for forcing the coalition to leave and said they had raised their flag above the town.

The withdrawal, however, had been planned well before the Oct. 3 battle and is part of a wider strategy outlined by the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who has said for months he plans to shut down such isolated strongholds to focus on more heavily populated areas in an effort to protect civilians.

The firefight in Kamdesh left eight Americans, three Afghans and an estimated 100 insurgents dead, according to NATO. Insurgents fought their way into the base during the battle, a rare breach of security that underscored how thinly manned the post was. It was the largest loss of U.S. life in a single skirmish in more than a year.

The Kamdesh base was largely burned down during the violence. But U.S. Master Sgt. Thomas Clementson said the damage did not affect the timing of the withdrawal and the U.S. was "just days" away from pulling out when the attack happened.

Clementson said coalition forces destroyed what was left of the outpost. The action was likely taken to prevent insurgents from using the base.

Speaking by telephone from an undisclosed location, Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said the U.S. bombarded the outpost with airstrikes after leaving, as well as the local police headquarters.

"This means they are not coming back," Mujahid said. "This is another victory for Taliban. We have control of another district in eastern Afghanistan."

"Right now Kamdesh is under our control, and the white flag of the Taliban is raised above Kamdesh," Mujahid said.

In a statement Friday, the NATO-led force said troops and equipment were moved "to other locations in eastern Afghanistan in preparation for future assignment to more populated areas."

The move comes days after the war entered its ninth year and as the Obama administration debates a way forward as the conflict deepens. President Barack Obama, who on Friday won the Nobel Peace Prize, is considering a request from McChrystal for up to 40,000 more troops to boost the 65,000 who are already in the country along with 40,000 from other NATO nations.

In the latest reported coalition death, the NATO-led force said one of its soldiers died in a bomb strike Thursday in southern Afghanistan. It gave no other details.

On Thursday, a suicide car bomber detonated his vehicle outside the Indian Embassy in Kabul, killing 17 people in the second major attack in the city in less than a month. The Afghan Foreign Ministry hinted at Pakistani involvement — a charge Pakistan denied.

Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao arrived in Kabul on Friday and visited the embassy compound to assess the damage.

The Press Trust of India said she was expected to hold talks with Afghan authorities. The agency said India would remain committed to development work in Afghanistan.

Over the last decade, India has poured nearly $1.2 billion into Afghanistan, helping fund projects such as a new Parliament building in Kabul, roads and power plants.

On Friday, Gen. Jalander Shah Bahnam, the Afghan army commander responsible for western Afghanistan, said a joint Afghan-coalition force launched an operation in the region overnight, killing 20 insurgents including a senior Taliban commander.

Bahnam identified the slain commander as Ghulam Yahya Akbari, who served as the mayor of Herat from 2003-04 before joining Taliban forces. He said Akbari was responsible for a wave of kidnappings for ransom of a businessman in Herat, as well as beheadings, suicide attacks and roadside bombings.

The coalition said in a statement that as troops approached the area, they were attacked with small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire. Helicopters accompanying the troops returned fire, killing "a number" of insurgents.

The troops searched the compound and found an array of weapons that they destroyed.

Several other militants were killed in similar operations in Wardak on Friday, the coalition said.

In the eastern province of Paktia, a suicide car bomber rammed a convoy of road construction workers in Wazi Zadran district on Friday, killing five people and wounding four others, said provincial police chief Gen. Azizudin Wardak.

In Kunar, another eastern province bordering Pakistan, around 100 insurgents attacked a series of checkpoints and the police headquarters in Chapadura district, said the region's police chief Khalilullah Zaiyi. Seven of the attackers were killed in the ensuing gunbattle, and four police were wounded, Zaiyi said.

On Thursday, the U.N. Security Council voted unanimously to extend U.N. authorization for the NATO force in Afghanistan for a year, underlining the importance of protecting civilians at a time when the U.S. and international commitment to the war is under review. The resolution calls for more personnel, equipment and other resources for NATO's International Security Assistance Force.

Associated Press Writer Rahim Faiez contributed to this report.

Aquino, Estrada meet over 2010 polls

2009-10-08T04:06:00.001-07:00

Maila Ager
INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines – The meeting between former president Joseph Estrada and Senator Benigno “Noynoy’ Aquino III finally pushed through Sunday night in an attempt to come up with a common candidate in the 2010 presidential race as the “best scenario.”

Aquino said the meeting, held in an undisclosed house in Metro Manila, was also attended by his sisters – Ballsy, Pinky and Kris, and Estrada’s son, Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada, and the host, whom he did not also identify.

There was discussion on the issue of who should give up their presidential bid but the senator refused to elaborate.

Aquino has formally declared his presidential bid while the former leader publicly expressed his desire to return to power.

“That’s a detail that I’m not at liberty to discuss,” Aquino said, describing the atmosphere of the meeting as a “very, very light,” and “very productive.”

He admitted, however, that there was initial discussion of having common candidates in all slots.

“Yung best case scenario siyempre magkaroon kayo ng [The best case scenario of course is for you to have] common candidate in all slots,” he said. “Mag yu-unite nga kami to one candidate, may mag gi-give way as a best scenario [We will unite with one candidate, someone will give way as a best scenario].”

Uniting the opposition, Aquino said, was “not that essential” as he expressed confidence that the opposition would win the presidency next year even if it would field four candidates.

Other potential candidates from the opposition aside from Aquino and Estrada were Senators Manny Villar and Francis “Chiz’ Escudero.

“Yung [The] emphasis on the opposition uniting is not that essential. 80-20 e. Eighty ang [for the] opposition, 20 kay [for] GMA [President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo] at its best. And 20 are not sure come election time so mag-divide into 4 yung 80, 20 pa rin yun di ba [so even if the opposition is divided into four, the 80 will still be 20, right]?” he pointed out.

“[So those who are saying that the opposition is not united], will not triumph? I don’t think so. That’s just the wishful thinking of the administration,” he further said.

In that meeting, Aquino said he and the former leader had a “meeting of minds” on activities we have in common that we should be fostering” like the automation and pooling of resources to prevent a possible no-election scenario.

He said they also re-affirmed that they both belonged with the opposition group.

Imelda Marcos' shoe collection saved from floods

2009-10-08T03:57:00.000-07:00

When a powerful storm inundated the Philippines last month, most people rushed to save their homes or their lives. Employees of one museum, however, grabbed the shoes.

The museum houses more than 800 pairs donated by former first lady Imelda Marcos, and many were threatened on Sept. 26 by knee-deep water levels inside the Marikina Shoe Museum in Marikina city, capital of the Philippine shoe industry.

But curator Dolly Borlongan said the staff quickly moved the collection to the top shelves of display cabinets, and only around 100 got wet. Those were cleaned and are drying.

Marikina, east of Manila, was one of the hardest hit areas of the country when Tropical Storm Ketsana swept in, killing nearly 300 people in and around the capital and leaving thousands homeless.

The flamboyant widow of dictator Ferdinand Marcos will forever be remembered for her dazzling jewels and the 1,220 pairs of shoes she left behind in the presidential palace after a popular revolt toppled her husband in 1986. Marcos returned from U.S. exile in 1991.

The shoes include pairs made in Marikina as well as intricately beaded or gold-trimmed imported ones from such luxury houses as Charles Jourdan, Gucci and Ferragamo. -AP

Taliban claim Afghan bomb, say embassy was target

2009-10-08T03:55:00.001-07:00

The Taliban have claimed responsibility for Thursday's suicide car bomb in the Afghan capital, saying their target was the Indian Embassy.

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said in a statement posted on the group's Web site that the attacker was an Afghan man who blew up his a sporty utility vehicle laden with explosives just outside the embassy.

Afghan officials have said at least 12 people were killed and more than 80 wounded in the morning blast. The explosion occurred in an area that is also full of shops and near the Interior Ministry. -AP

Typhoon Ondoy UERM campus

2009-09-28T02:35:00.000-07:00

This video was taken 09-26-09, during the typhoon Ondoy, the voice at the background are the students stranded on UERM campus. This video was also aired at local news.

Music Video: Ako Ang Simula - Philippine Election 2010

2009-09-24T02:49:00.000-07:00

This video is made by ABS CBN network for its campaign for honest and clean 2010 election. Official Video of Boto mo i-Patrol mo.

Noynoy Aquino Still Hangs In the Shadows of Ninoy and Cory

2009-09-22T18:43:00.000-07:00

Noynoy Aquino Still hangs In the Shadows of Ninoy and Cory