Thursday, May 31, 2012

Bianca King Says Career Decision Is Not About Money


MANILA, Philippines — TV host and director Bianca King said she has all the right reasons to remain a loyal Kapuso.

Reports have it that Bianca is being groomed as the network’s next big star. She is at the moment the female lead actress of the soon-to-end soap opera “Broken Vow” and “Luna Blanca,” GMA-7’s newest primetime series. With her contract expiring in one year, rumors have it that she might be eyeing transfer. But Bianca was quick to deny: “I have all the right reasons to stay with GMA-7. It is not a question of money. It’s a question of values and integrity also.”

She added that as a Kapuso actress, she was well taken care of with TV projects.

“Kahit siguro triple pa ang i-offer nila in the future. Siguro na lang kapag wala na akong projects. Pero kung patuloy ang ganito, that every show iba ang ginagawa ko, I have all the right reasons to stay,” stressed Bianca King whose career is managed by GMA Artist Center.

“From playing a rape victim or a battered wife, my role in ‘Luna Blanca’ is a stretch because I’m painted black. It’s also the first time that my character is bubbly and cheerful despite her looks,” she remarked.

Painted black also meant making sure her facial expressions are recognized amidst her dark skin. Confident with her acting from years of portraying various TV roles, Bianca challenges herself even more in “Luna Blanca” especially since she’ll be working with actress Heart Evangelista in a lot of scenes.

“I’m excited and honored to work with Heart Evangelista na lumaki akong pinapanood sa TV and when I was still in school. Sobrang surreal na makaka-eksena ko na siya for the first time,” Bianca remarked.

Bianca said that she and Heart will be having a harmonious working relationship. There won’t even be future issues about “sapawan” because for her, she’d rather focus on delivering what’s needed to make the show interesting and enticing to watch and the same is expected from Heart.

source: mb.com.ph

Piolo Pascual Denies Romancing Cristine Reyes


MANILA, Philippines – Piolo Pascual is too busy for love.

According to the actor, he is juggling far too many projects of late to be able to explore matters of the heart.

"I was segueing from one set to another. I finished shooting for ‘Every Breath [You Take’]. And then the TV show [‘Dahil Sa Pag-ibig’] and we’re also doing Star Magic movie to segue to Kris’s [Aquino] movie [‘Undo’]. So, I hardly have time for anything else," said he in a recent interview with PEP.

Because of his loaded schedule, rumors romantically linking him to “Dahil Sa Pag-Ibig” co-star Cristine Reyes is just that though he admits that they have gotten to know more of each other in the course of work.

"You know what, inevitable naman 'yan [his closeness with Reyes] sa trabaho, especially when you’re together every day sa soap," he said. "[Pero] hindi natin puwedeng bigyan ng malice yun.”

He added, “You know, I’ve always been a friend [to Reyes].”

The 35-year old hunk pooh-poohed the odds of this friendship blossoming into something more intimate, saying he respects Reyes’ beau, Rayver Cruz.

“I’m Rayver’s friend before I became Cristine’s friend. Matagal na kaming magkatrabaho ni Rayver. Mag-Kapamilya, magkapatid kami sa Star Magic,” he said.

Candid as he was in discussing seemingly inconsequential worries, Pascual was quick to lose himself in rhetoric when it comes to questions relating to his ex-girlfriend, KC Concepcion.

Asked if he is bothered with his name being constantly dragged into issues involving Concepcion, Pascual said, "I’m good. I mean I shouldn’t complain. It’s a blessing. It’s a blessing to be alive every day… to be waking up to a new day and having something worthwhile to do. So, it’s a blessing."

He went back to being outspoken when talking about the movie he is set to do with Aquino.

"We already had a preliminary meeting with Kris and Direk Chito [Rono] and Star Cinema. So we hope to start rolling in June," he said.

Pascual described the film as “serious.”

“A lot of people think it’s horror but it’s not," he said hinting that he and Aquino will have some steamy scenes for the movie.

"Mag-asawa [kami dito], so it’s quite legal," he explained.

source: mb.com.ph

Now smoke-free for 10 years, Davao hailed as international example on World No-Tobacco Day


On Thursday, May 31 - marked internationally as World No-Tobacco Day - Davao celebrates ten years as a "smoke-free" city, and as an internationally-acclaimed example of a community successfully kicking a deadly habit.

According to the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA), the metropolis is "one of the most successful and pioneering smoke-free initiatives in the ASEAN."


Davao City's campaign against smoking began in 2002, spearheaded by then Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

While previous ordinances were already in place to combat smoking in public places, these were so-called "sleeping ordinances," and were thus consolidated into what would become the Comprehensive Anti-Smoking Ordinance passed by the city council in July 2002.

Duterte then formed the Anti-Smoking Task Force to execute the ordinance, which took effect in November of the same year.

His daughter, the present Mayor of Davao City Sara Duterte-Carpio, has continued the crusade against smoking, saying their policy is being implemented to "protect public health."

Public places including schools, hospitals, government offices, playgrounds, and restaurants have since become smoke-free in Davao City.

"Davao is fortunate to have government leaders who prioritize the health of the people and have the political will to support and enforce a comprehensive and stringent anti-smoking ordinance," SEATCA Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Program Manager Dr. Domilyn Villarreiz said.

According to Villarreiz, Davao City has garnered three Department of Health Red Orchid Awards for "100% smoke-free environments," as well as the Global Smoke-free Partnership Award to a Governmental Body for "exceptional leadership and commitment to further smoke-free policies."

Following in Davao City's footsteps are other Southeast Asian locations, including UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Malaysia's Malacca, known for its 17th century Dutch buildings; Laos' Luang Prabang, recognized for its traditional architecture; and Cambodia's Angkor Wat, famed for its ancient temples.

More than 40 locations in the Philippines are also looking to become smoke-free, according to SEATCA.

The organization has published Your Guide to a Smoke-free City: Lessons learned from Davao City, Philippines, which documents the city's successful crusade against smoking.

source: interaksyon.com

Ex-finance chief de Ocampo receives award from Queen Elizabeth II


MANILA -- Former finance secretary Roberto de Ocampo has been awarded by Queen Elizabeth II an honorary OBE (Order of the British Empire) for his efforts to promote relations between the United Kingdom and the Philippines for over four decades.

According to the UK embassy here, British Ambassador Stephen Lillie recently hosted a special dinner in de Ocampo’s honor and presented him with the medal from Her Majesty The Queen for his appointment as an honorary Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. Among the guests were business leaders and high-level government officials.


The Order of the British Empire recognizes distinguished service to the arts and sciences, public services outside the civil service, and work with charitable and welfare organizations of all kinds.

“This award is not only an immeasurably precious one to me for my lifetime but a treasure for my family to have and keep and to pass on to the next generations. The fact that this is all taking place during the Queen’s Jubilee Year, the London Olympics, and the 250th anniversary year of the first British presence in the Philippines makes the memory of this event more compellingly special to me,” said de Ocampo when he accepted the award.

Ambassador Lillie acknowledged de Ocampo as “a tireless and influential advocate for friendship, business, and cooperation between our two island nations.” He also paid tribute to de Ocampo’s “unstinting and unpaid service” as chairman of the British Alumni Association (BAA) in the Philippines, which he has led for more than 12 years.

“Under his chairmanship, the BAA has become much more than an alumni association, but a truly effective body for the promotion of bilateral friendship and understanding,” said Ambassador Lillie.

“In particular, under Bobby’s leadership, and with his very personal and hands-on involvement, the BAA has developed the annual UK-Philippines Friendship Day into an annual week-long celebration of the links between the UK and the Philippines… This has significantly raised the reputation and prestige of the UK in our host country. The Friendship Week also has a strong charitable component, involving annual fundraising and outreach to disadvantaged communities in the Philippines,” he added.

De Ocampo acknowledged that his “association with and affection for the UK” started in 1971 when he was accepted to a post-graduate program in Development Administration at the London School of Economics.

“I benefitted from being there at a time of substantial historical significance for the UK as it was in the process of transitioning from a longstanding Welfare State System towards the Margaret Thatcher era. The experience was both an exciting one and a profound influence on me,” he explained.

A former secretary of finance during the presidency of Fidel Ramos, de Ocampo is a product of both De La Salle and Ateneo Universities. He received his MBA from the University of Michigan, a post-graduate diploma from the London School of Economics and has been conferred four Doctorates (Honoris Causa) different universities in the Philippines.

source: interaksyon.com


For Some, Exercise May Increase Heart Risk


Could exercise actually be bad for some healthy people? A well-known group of researchers, including one who helped write the scientific paper justifying national guidelines that promote exercise for all, say the answer may be a qualified yes.

By analyzing data from six rigorous exercise studies involving 1,687 people, the group found that about 10 percent actually got worse on at least one of the measures related to heart disease:blood pressure and levels of insulin, HDL cholesterolortriglycerides. About 7 percent got worse on at least two measures. And the researchers say they do not know why.


“It is bizarre,” said Claude Bouchard, lead author of the paper, published on Wednesday in the journal PLoS One, and a professor of genetics and nutrition at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, part of the Louisiana State University system.

Dr. Michael Lauer, director of the Division of Cardiovascular Sciences at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the lead federal research institute on heart disease and strokes, was among the experts not involved in the provocative study who applauded it. “It is an interesting and well-done study,” he said.

Others worried about its consequences.

“There are a lot of people out there looking for any excuse not to exercise,” said William Haskell, emeritus professor of medicine at the Stanford Prevention Research Center. “This might be an excuse for them to say, ‘Oh, I must be one of those 10 percent.’ ”

But counterbalancing the 10 percent who got worse were about the same proportion who had an exaggeratedly good response on at least one measure. Others had responses ranging from little or no change up to big changes, seen in about 10 percent, where risk factor measurements improved anywhere from 20 percent to 50 percent.

“That should make folks happy,” said Dr. William E. Kraus, a co-author of the study who is a professor of medicine and director of clinical research at Duke. He was a member of the committee providing the scientific overview for the Department of Health and Human Services’ national exercise guidelines, which advise moderate exercise for at least 150 minutes a week.

The problem with studies of exercise and health, researchers point out, is that while they often measure things like blood pressure or insulin levels, they do not follow people long enough to see if improvements translate into fewer heart attacks or longer lives. Instead, researchers infer that such changes lead to better outcomes — something that may or may not be true.

Some critics have noted that there is no indication that those who had what Dr. Bouchard is calling an adverse response to exercise actually had more heart attacks or other bad health outcomes. But Dr. Bouchard said if people wanted to use changes in risk factors to infer that those who exercise are healthier, they could not then turn around and say there is no evidence of harm when the risk factor changes go in the wrong direction.

“You can’t have it both ways,” Dr. Bouchard said.


The national guidelines for exercise are based on such inferences and also on studies that compared the health of people who exercised with that of people who did not, a weak form of evidence often said to be hypothesis-generating rather than proof.

“We do not know whether implementing exercise programs for unfit people assures better outcomes,” said Dr. Lauer of the heart institute. “That has not been established.” And so, he said, “there is a lot of debate over how strong the guidelines should be in light of weak evidence.”

Authors of the study say people should continue to exercise as before, but might also consider getting their heart disease risk factors checked on a regular basis. No intervention, including drugs, works for everyone, Dr. Kraus said. So it should not be surprising that exercise does not work for some.

“I am an exercise guy; I believe in exercise for health,” Dr. Kraus said. “I would rather have everyone exercise. But you can’t ignore the data.”

Still, he added, even if someone does not get the expected benefit in some heart risk factors, there are other reasons to exercise: for mental health and to improve physical functioning.

And while the researchers would like to spare people from adverse exercise effects, Dr. Bouchard said, “It is not possible yet to make more specific recommendations because we do not understand why this is happening.”

Dr. Bouchard stumbled upon the adverse exercise effects when he looked at data from his own study that examined genetics and responses to exercise. He noticed that about 8 percent seemed to be getting worse on at least one measure of heart disease risk. “I thought that was potentially explosive,” he said.

He then looked for other clinical trials that also examined exercise under controlled conditions, making sure that participants actually exercised and did not change their diets, and carefully measuring heart risk factors and how they changed with an exercise program. He found five studies in addition to his own. In all the studies, a proportion of people, about 10 percent, had at least one measurement of heart disease risk that went in the wrong direction.

Then the researchers asked if there was some way of predicting who would have an adverse effect.

They found it was not related to how fit the people were at the start of the study, nor to how much their fitness improved with exercise. Age had nothing to do with it, nor did race or gender. In some studies subjects were allowed to take medications to control their blood pressure or cholesterol levels. In others they were not.

Medication use did not matter. The study subjects exercised at a range of intensities from very moderate to fairly intense. But intensity of effort was not related to the likelihood of an untoward effect. Nothing predicted who would have an adverse response.

Some experts, like Dr. Benjamin Levine, a cardiologist and professor of exercise sciences at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, asked whether the adverse responses represented just random fluctuations in heart risk measures. Would the same proportion of people who did not exercise also get worse over the same periods of time? Or what about seasonal variations in things like cholesterol? Maybe the adverse effects just reflected the time of year when people entered the study.

But the investigators examined those hypotheses and found that they did not hold up.

Dr. Kraus said researchers needed to figure out how to tailor exercise prescriptions to individual needs. For example, people with good cholesterol and insulin levels but worrisome blood pressure would want to know if exercise made their blood pressure rise. A rise in blood pressure would not be compensated by improvements in already good cholesterol or insulin levels.

Dr. Lauer said that if nothing else, the study pointed out the need to know more about what exercise actually does. “If we are going to think of exercise as a therapeutic intervention, like all interventions there will be adverse effects,” he said.

He said, “There is a price for everything.”

source: nytimes.com


Wednesday, May 30, 2012

U.S. Football Star Remembers Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — SINCE I’m not a sports enthusiast, I didn’t recognize the name of football star Tim Tebow and was unaware of his strong ties to the Philippines, until I read an article by Seth Mydans in the International Herald Tribune.

Born in Mindanao, where his father served as a missionary, Tim was only three years old when the family returned to the United States, but he has kept up his ties to the Philippines and helps his father, Bob Tebow, fund an orphanage in Davao, called “Uncle Dick’s Home” after a loyal contributor. The orphanage currently provides a home for around 40 children, who attend a nearby elementary school and high school. On a visit to the orphanage three years ago, Tim Tebow showed the children how to handle a football, although football is not a popular sport in the Philippines, and left them a ball to play with. Recently, his father, who visits the orphanage several times, showed the children a video of Tim playing a game. The orphans, coached by the NFL star himself, are among the few Filipinos who know how to throw a football.

A college football player at the University of Florida, who won the Heisman trophy as the top player in college football in the United States, Tim Tebow shares his father’s missionary spirit and founded the Tim Tebow Foundation devoted to evangelical work.

In his autobiography, “Through My Eyes,” Tim Tebow wrote: “I truly believe that the God who loves me also looks at orphans as extremely special. Over and over, my parents showed me how the Bible talks about taking care of women and orphans.”

On his last visit to the Philippines, Tebow announced that he plans to build a 30-bed children’s hospital in Davao, to serve the children of Mindanao.

source: mb.com.ph

All out for Brigada Eskuwela

MANILA, Philippines --- A few days before school opening, people from the academe, government, corporate sector and even embassies are once again reviving the Bayanihan spirit to support the nationwide Brigada Eskuwela campaign.

The Department of Education initiated-program, are banking on the collective spirit of the various sectors in helping physically prepare the country’s thousands of schools in time for the opening of classes this June.

Volunteers from the Ateneo de Manila University, for instance, helped prepare 10 public elementary schools in Quezon City for the resumption of classes on June 11. A project of the Ateneo Center for Educational Development (ACED), the Ateneo fielded about 475 volunteers to help clean, beautify and prepare the General Roxas, Payatas B and its annex, Culiat, Lupang Pangako, Manuel L. Quezon, Old Balara, Balumbato, Payatas C and Fairview Elementary Schools.

The volunteers, composed of Human Resources Management Office (HRMO), Facilities Management Office (FMO), Residence Halls, Ateneo Human Rights Center, Associate Dean for Student Affairs, Graduate School of Business (GSB), as well as teachers and students of the Ateneo Grade School cleaned and repainted classrooms, chalkboards, libraries, building facades, corridors and murals in these schools.

Jano Cadiz, an 11-year-old student of the AGS who helped clean some classrooms at the Payatas B Elementary School, said that he wanted to have the experience of helping to become a habit.

Mel Oracion, ACED director specifically requested volunteers to paint chalkboards this year. She said that “only teachers understand how satisfying and motivating it is to write on freshly painted chalkboards.” She added that this is because writing on chalkboards “is an important part of the memories teachers form during the school year.”

Couple for Christ, ACED’s partners in their program called Cornerstone, will also be conducting its own Brigada Eskwela activity and focusing on donating chalk and painting chalkboards.

MORE LGUs UNITE FOR BRIGADA

Meanwhile, General Trias Cavite Mayor Luis ‘Jon-Jon’ Ferrer IV, his brother Congressman Antonio Ferrer, and Cavite Councilors Morit Sison and Kerby Salazar led the Brigada Eskwela project in their locality.

The group was joined by DepEd Superintendents Dr. Edna Bayot and Dr. Cantada, teachers, non-teaching personnel, parents, students and non-government organizations in cleaning up the Governor Ferrer National High in Barangay Pinagtipunan.

Mayor Ferrer is aiming for a 100-percent compliance of the municipality for the program to benefit the thousands of school children who will be enrolled this school year.

Rizal Governor Junjun Ynares lll also led the Brigada Eskuwela kick-off activity at the Old Bosoboso Elementary School, Barangay San Jose in Antipolo City recently. It was participated in by teachers, parents, policemen, barangay tanods, and local officials.

The Australian government, on the other hand, has provided approximately Php4.7 million (A$109,000) to support Brigada Eskwela activities in 80 public schools –30 in Metro Manila and 50 in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

AUSTRALIA REACHES OUT

Australia provided each school with at least Php60,000 worth of materials and supplies for minor repairs repainting and cleaning.

The Australian Embassy is likewise participating in the Brigada Eskwela activities at the Silangan Elementary School in Taguig City. Its staff will also participate in the painting and cleaning of classrooms this week in five schools in the city.

Australia and Taguig City are key partners in piloting a disaster risk management program called BRACE (Building the Resilience and Awareness of Metro Manila Communities to Natural Disasters and Climate Change Impacts). Australia, through the BRACE program, will assist urban communities “brace” for the impact of natural disasters. BRACE will demonstrate that by “building back better”, the damage bill for future disasters – both in human and economic terms – can be significantly lessened.

Australia is also helping to coordinate Brigada Eskwela activities in schools where there are large populations of indigenous learners through the Philippines’ Response to Muslim and Indigenous Peoples’ Education (PRIME) program.

“Our participation in Brigada Eskwela is part of Australia’s significant commitment to helping improve the quality of teaching and learning in the Philippines,” Ambassador Tweddell said.

Finally, one of the fastest growing developers, the Property Company of Friends Inc. (PRO-FRIENDS) has led in the kick-off of Brigada Eskuwela activities in the Pal-Agon, Amparo Elementary School in Pavia, Iloilo.

Volunteers from the company partnered with teachers, barangay officials and Mayor Arcadio Gorriceta in rehabilitating the school stage and re-painting classrooms. The volunteers also donated new reference books and materials for the school clinic. They also conducted a story-telling session to encourage the kids’ love for literature. One other integral part of their program is propagating a new vegetable garden to promote a healthy and nutritious diet to the students and volunteer parents.

source: mb.com.ph

New Condo Project Earmarked P4-B


CEBU CITY, Cebu — Owing to the bullishness in Cebu’s real estate landscape, Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) and affiliate Cebu Property Ventures Development Corp. (CPVDC) have earmarked P4 billion for five-tower condominium development spread in the next four to five years at the Cebu IT Park.


The new condominium development dubbed Avida Riala is an expansion of the Avida Towers Cebu, which has 1,045 units launched in 2010.

Avida Riala, siting on a 21,000 square meter property, will have a total of 3,300 condominium units of studio-type and one and two bedroom units. The rooms are priced between P1.8 million to P5.5 million.

It is located right across eBlock Tower 1, home building of JPMorgan & Chase Co.

The projects’sTower 1 to cost an estimated P800 million, will have 621 units and is set for groundbreaking in November this year. Completion target is set first quarter, 2016.

“Our success of the Avida brand in Cebu has prompted us to boost expansion with this new project, Avida Towers Riala,” said Avida Land Corp. president Christopher Maglanoc told local media.

He said the shift to a bigger residential community is due to the increasing demand for condominium properties in the area, which has a rapidly growing outsourcing sector.

Avida Riala project is a mixed-used development in partnership with the landowners, VH Properties.

On top of the residential amenities, the company will also add shopping and dining outlets to the property and a 5,000-square meter amenity area including a grand lawn, lounge pool, shooting court and jogging trail.

source: mb.com.ph

Angeline Tests Acting Chops Versus Coco


MANILA, Philippines — Star Cinema, together with Cinemedia, proudly presents “Born to Love You” as the second offering to its 19th anniversary celebration. The romantic comedy teams up an awarded veteran actor, Coco Martin, with newcomer Angeline Quinto. Directed by Jerome Chavez Pobocan from a screenplay and story by Rondel Lindayag, “Born to Love You” opens today (May 30) in more than 100 theaters nationwide.

He’s been around for quite some time (having started several years ago in bold indie films) but this is Coco’s first time to do a light romance movie and he expressed excitement about it. “This is the first time na magpapa-in love sa pelikula. Sabi ko nga, matagal ko na talagang pangarap ito. Bata pa ako, mahilig na ako manood ng mga love story movies. Ang dami ko na nagawa na pelikula – action, drama, pero sabi ko gusto ko makagawa ng love story. And ito na nga ang katuparan ng pangarap na ito.”


If Coco is excited about ‘Born to Love You,” Angeline is doubly excited since it is her first time to do a movie, and with Coco yet. “Noong una, akala ko biro lang sa akin ng mga kasama ko sa ABS na nagsabi may binabalak na pelikula para sa akin, at the Coco Martin nga ang magiging ka-partner ko. Hindi ako makapaniwala noong una, pero nung si Sir Deo Endrinal na ang nagsabi sa akin, talagang sabi ko ‘Wow!’ totoo pala.”

This is Direk Jerome’s first mainstream movie, after directing teleseryes for more than 10 years already. “Having Coco and Angeline in the cast made me accept the project,” he said. “Because it’s a challenge for me as a director na timplahin at magkaroon sila ng chemistry. And believe me, maganda ang rapport ni Angeline and Coco. Malakas ang chemistry nila.”

Direk Jerome said he saw in Angeline great promise as an actress. “I saw that immediately.” In the movie, Angeline plays Joey, a tourist guide while Coco is Rex, a photographer. For Joey, every time she deals with tourists is a way to find her long-lost father whom she has neither seen nor known, and is said to be in Korea. On the other hand, for Rex, every click of his camera is a way of making clear what’s in store for him.

Also in the cast of “Born to Love You” are Albert Martinez, Eula Valdez, Tonton Gutierrez, Al Tantay and Malou de Guzman.

source: mb.com.ph

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Pinay filmmaker Lea Dizon set to produce her first film in Hollywood

Just two months after finishing her masteral degree at the University of South California (USC) in the United States last year, independent Filipina filmmaker Lea Dizon received an offer to produce her first feature film in Hollywood.

Dizon, 32, a graduate of the University of the Philippines (UP) in Diliman, Quezon City, took up a masteral course on film and television production at the USC.

Dizon told GMA News Online that two USC alumni — Matthew Breault and Alex George Pickering of the Fifth Floor Balcony Pictures — broached to her the idea of producing a science fiction film.

“I met both of them while taking my Masters at USC. We were all in the same class. I have worked with Matt before and I think he is a talented director. When he pitched me the idea which he co-wrote with Alex, I thought it was fantastic,” she said.
“It was just a no-brainer to decide to work with two of the most talented and most hardworking people in my class,” she added.
The movie “Impulse Control,” to be filmed in late 2012, is set in a world where a new disease greatly reduces the ability of humans to control their anger, a report of the Asian Journal said.
The movie will revolve around the life of a family who made their home a fortress as they try to survive the onslaught of people from the “outside world” who are affected by the strange disease. The family is torn-apart as members start getting infected by the disease.

The team expects the movie to be ready by December 2013.
“We are certainly planning to get it distributed everywhere. Of course the Philippines is on top of my list!” Dizon said.
“I thought it was a great idea! If you accidentally give someone the stink eye, you might just get killed. Isn’t that just so interesting?” she asked.
She said her favorite character in “Impulse Control” is Rain, the wife of one of the main protagonists and one of the millions who were afflicted by the disease.
“As a woman I relate to her. She is the type of character who has to balance vulnerability while still having to be strong in pulling everyone together,” Dizon explained.
“We always have to know when to be strong and when to reign it in and let go and have others be strong for us--that in itself is a strength,” she added.

Life after "Impulse"
Dizon said, after “Impulse Control,” her “goal is to always have projects that are in the works."
“Ideally at any given time, I'd have one that's finishing , one that's in production, and one that is being developed, and so that is what I'm trying to constantly do,” she said.
Dizon was originally from Angeles City and after graduating from UP Diliman, went on to work in the Philippines for a couple of years.

She then decided to chase her dream of working in Hollywood and moved to Los Angeles.
“I kept thinking how wonderful it would be to be able to tell stories that have the potential to reach as many people in the world as possible,” she says.
She found living in the US challenging and missed some things in the Philippines.
”Mabilis ang buhay sa Amerika. Walang time for drama, you just have to keep going and moving forward kundi maiiwan ka sa biyahe,” Dizon said.
”I miss the food and my family of course, and to be honest I miss having someone taking care of the house for me. Here, life gets so hectic that most of the time there's hardly time to see people,” she added.
She is thankful for her family and friends who have believed and supported all her projects all these years and would like to invite everyone to watch “Impulse Control”.



“To everyone reading this, please support our film! We definitely need more Filipino representation in the international scene. Let's do this. All together we can make this happen! To infinity and beyond!!!” - VVP, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Corona convicted

With 19 votes cast so far, 16 members of the Senate sitting as the impeachment court have convicted Chief Justice Renato Corona for betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Philippine Constitution.
The following senators voted to convict Corona:

Edgardo Angara
Alan Peter Cayetano
Pia Cayetano
Franklin Drilon
Francis Escudero
Jinggoy Estrada
Teofisto Guingona III
Gregorio Honasan II
Panfilo Lacson
Lito Lapid
Loren Legarda
Sergio Osmeña III
Francis Pangilinan
Aqulino "Koko" Pimentel III
Ralph Recto
Ramon Bong Revilla Jr.
Meanwhile, the following lawmakers voted to acquit the chief justice:
Joker Arroyo
Miriam Defensor-Santiago
Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
As of posting time, other senators have yet to cast their votes: Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Vicente Sotto III, Antonio Trillanes IV and Manuel Villar.

The verdict came at the end of a grueling five-month trial that captivated the nation, with
scenes of dramatic flare-ups and surprising revelations spicing up weekday television
viewing and Internet livestreaming for media watchers.
Corona’s conviction is likely to be seen as a triumph for President Benigno
Aquino III, who has never fully recognized his appointment as chief justice by then-
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo a few weeks before she stepped down in 2010.
Aquino’s allies at the lower house impeached Corona in December last year by virtue
of Section 3 (1), Article XI in the 1987 Constitution, which provides that the House of
Representatives shall have the exclusive power to initiate all cases of impeachment. A
total of 188 legislators signed the articles of impeachment against Corona.
The case was immediately transmitted to the Senate, which has the sole power to try and
decide all cases of impeachment under Section 3 (6) of the Constitution. A two-thirds
vote from the Senate, in this case 16 out of its 23 members, is needed to convict any
impeachable official.
According to the charter, “judgment in cases of impeachment shall not extend further
than removal from office and disqualification to hold any office under the Republic of the
Philippines.”
Background on the senator-judges
The defense panel had earlier asked Drilon and Angara to inhibit from the trial, citing
bias and alleged conflict of interest, but both senators refused to heed the request.
Drilon, Pangilinan, Recto, and Guingona are members of the administration's Liberal
Party, which is headed by Aquino.
Osmeña and Escudero, although independent, are also known supporters of the
administration. On the other hand, Trillanes owes his freedom to the President for
granting him amnesty and obtained his freedom from years of detention.
The terms of Angara, Arroyo, Lacson, Pangilinan, and Villar are also expiring next year,
but they cannot seek reelection as they are already on their second terms.
Escudero, Legarda, Pimentel, Trillanes, Cayetano, and Honasan are expected to seek re-
election next year, when their terms expire.
The impeachment complaint
The House of Representatives impeached Corona last December 12 for alleged graft and
corruption, culpable violation of the Constitution, and betrayal of public trust.
The Articles of Impeachment were transmitted the following day to the Senate, which
The impeachment trial began last January 16, when the Senate began hearing evidence on
the following Articles of Impeachment:
Article I: Partiality of Corona to Mrs. Arroyo in Supreme Court decisions
Article II: Non-disclosure of properties in Corona’s statements of assets, liabilities and
net worth or SALN
Article III: Lack of probity, integrity, and independence in the FASAP vs. PAL case
Article IV: Irregularities in the issuance of the status quo ante order on the impeachment
proceedings of former Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez
Article V: Gerrymandering in the creation of 16 new cities and the declaration of Dinagat
Island as a province)
Article VI: Improper investigation of Associate Justice Mariano del Castillo’s plagiarism
case
Article VII: Irregularities in the issuance of a temporary restraining order for Mrs. Arroyo
during her attempt to leave the country last November
Article VIII: Failure and refusal to account for the Judiciary Development Fund and
Special Allowance for the Judiciary
However, the prosecution team later decided to rest its case and drop Articles I, IV, V,
VI, and VIII.
According to the Senate impeachment rules, the senators shall vote on each of the
Articles of Impeachment. If the vote of two-thirds of all the members is sustained on any
of the articles, then the accused shall be convicted.
Corona’s properties: From 45 to 21 to five
Much of the trial revolved around Article II, which accuses Corona of failing to publicly
and properly disclose the extent of his assets in his SALN.
The prosecutors asked the Senate to subpoena members of the Corona family in
connection with 45 pieces of real estate in the cities of Makati, Parañaque, Marikina,
Taguig, and in Quezon City.
However, the prosecution team later denied claiming that Corona owned 45 properties,
saying the figure was merely based on a list provided by the Land Registration Authority.
In the formal offer of evidence, the prosecution accused Corona of owning 21 properties,
and said many of these are not declared in his SALN.
But the defense team and Corona maintained that he only owns five properties, and all
are declared in his SALN. His lawyers also presented witnesses to prove that the other 15
properties have been sold or are actually owned by other people.
The 'small lady' and Corona's bank accounts
The prosecution team also asked the Senate to subpoena documentary evidence in
connection with Corona's alleged undeclared dollar accounts.
They made the request after Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali, one of the prosecutors,
claimed that a “small lady” handed over records from the Philippine Savings Bank
(PSBank) that supposedly showed Corona having $700,000 in deposits.
However, the manager of PSBank-Katipunan said the records were fake and did not
come from them. She also revealed that Quezon City Rep. Jorge Banal, a member of the
prosecution’s secretariat, had asked for her help in authenticating the same documents.
The controversy prompted PSBank to seek the help of the high court in preventing the
Senate from examining the dollar accounts, citing Republic Act 6426 or the Foreign
Currency Deposit Act. The SC issued a temporary restraining order that the Senate voted
to follow, putting a lid on Corona’s dollar records.
Ombudsman's testimony
When the trial resumed this month after the congressional recess, the issue on the dollar
accounts was revived when Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales asked the chief justice
to respond to complaints from civil society groups and explain how he managed to
accumulate millions of dollars despite his modest government salary.
Saying the move was part of a well-orchestrated plan to discredit Corona, defense
lawyers asked the Senate to summon Morales to the witness stand. The move appears
to have backfired, with Morales presenting a report from the Anti-Money Laundering
Corona.
Last week, Corona branded the Ombudsman a liar when he finally took the witness stand,
the money came from dollar investments that grew over the years, and explained that he
did not declare the cash in his SALN because it is covered by the secrecy clause in the
Foreign Currency Deposit Act.
Corona also admitted that he has P80 million in three peso accounts, which he also did
not declare because they were commingled funds from his mother and his children.
Copies of Corona’s SALNs from 2003 to 2011 showed that he only declared between
P2.5 million to P3.5 million in cash assets.
(Click here for a summary of the evidence presented during the impeachment trial)
Drama in the courtroom
For most viewers, however, the trial will be remembered for its dramatic scenes. And no
doubt, many of them will feature Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, whose tirades often
livened up the boring proceedings.
There was Harvey Keh of the Kaya Natin! Movement, whom she admonished for
giving Enrile an envelope containing Corona's alleged bank records from unverified and
anonymous sources.
Santiago also had a run-in with Vitaliano Aguirre II, a former private prosecutor, who
covered his ears in full view of the public while the senator was speaking at the trial.
And then there was the side show involving the long-running conflict between Corona's
wife Cristina and her relatives on the Basa side. The family feud came to public attention
after the chief justice declared an P11-million loan from the Basa Guidote Enterprises Inc
in his SALN.
Last week, the Corona family was seen on live television reconciling with the Basa in a
tearful display of hugs and kisses.
But the most controversial scene in the trial was the surprising sight of Corona abruptly
rising from the witness stand and walking out of the Senate session hall without the
court's permission after delivering his three-hour testimony last week.
Corona’s lawyers attributed the hasty departure to a bout of hypoglycemia, and the chief
justice was brought to the Medical City after his appearance at the Senate.
Three days later, Corona returned and apologized to the Senate, and the defense team
rested its case.

Monday, May 28, 2012

Travel Writer-Director Gabby Malvar Campaigns For ‘Responsible’ Traveling


MANILA, Philippines – If it were up to travel writer-director Gabby Malvar, he would much rather have Boracay, the country’s prime beach destination, closed-down for at least ten years.

During an exclusive interview with Bulletin Entertainment at the press screening of his travel documentary show “Islands Insider” at Greenbelt 3 cinema on May 21, Malvar good-naturedly explained that Boracay desperately needs rehabilitation, whether a lot of people agree with it or not.



Malvar insisted that the island has greatly depreciated over the years after its has openly accommodated multitudes of visitors, a fact proven by the disturbing algae deposit and trash that have now littered the once-pristine white sandy beaches of Boracay.

Malvar appealed to other travel junkies like him as well as to vacationers to explore other sites in the country instead of going to overly-visited spots like Boracay, Bohol and the underground river of Puerto Princesa in Palawan. He believes that aside from giving the aforementioned destinations ample time to regenerate its resources by reducing the the number of tourists populating the areas, opting for less-explored places could also help spread out the boost to the local tourism industry, which is something that the country has been targeting for the longest time.

“Please consider not going to Boracay first. Consider not going to Bohol, surely the people from Bohol and Boracay would hate me, but please, try other places,” he urged.

According to him, while it’s greatly overwhelming that foreigners have started noticing the country’s inherent beauty, on a local level, we Filipinos are yet to fully-recognize our country’s potential by supporting and promoting less-marketed yet equally beholding destinations like Mt. Pulag in Benguet and the Batad Rice Terraces in the Cordilleras.

As someone who have seen these places first-hand, Malvar stressed that, in truth, the duty of promoting the country isn’t and will never be the government’s job alone. Instead, he pointed out that it is also the travelers' responsibility to spread the word about it.

“You cannot be travelers and just say that, ‘Okay I’ve been there done that, I’m off to my next destination.’ You have a responsibility and that is to tell people, to educate,” said Malvar.

More, he also added that, at the very least, these self-styled travel junkies who put up travel blogs and post photos of their experiences in one place also need to recognize that they have accountability, too.

“You have some responsibility to the next person to be able to preserve it—the heritage,” he enthused.

On ‘Islands Insider’

After talking about traveling and the responsibilities it involves, Malvar then tackled his latest work that he actually considers to be the “visual version” of his upcoming book.

Malvar, prior to becoming the show’s director, is actually a travel columnist (Viajero Chronicles) who dreams of having to tell travel stories in a certain “experiential” way.

“Ginggay [Hontiveros, the show’s host] and I have just talked about it. Because I write, I was really writing a book and then as I was finishing… I thought maybe I can do not just [the] book, [but do something] not just in written words but, you know, with more visuals. I thought it would be something better,” he related as to how he came to make “Islands Insider.”

According to him, he picked the word “Insider” because it connotes “a point of truth that an outsider would not know”

“Parang there seems to be more insight. Insiders, they know something that other people wouldn’t know. We called it ‘Islands Insiders’ because the stories are told by people who actually live there; by the Ifugaos, the Ibaloys, by a Shaman in Siquijor. [The stories all] told by the locals,” he shared, adding that as locals to those places, “they can best tell the story rather than us.”

During the event, they screened the first two episodes of the show: “Batad Rice Terraces” and “Coron,” respectively. The show, apart from showcasing the breathtaking sceneries of a location, notably digresses from typical travel shows by giving attention to the dilemmas currently faced by the natives of a certain province.

To this, Malvar noted that the said aspect—the fact that every area has problems that need to be addressed—was actually part of their requirements in picking a place to feature.

“I think we’ve always been aware. Maybe it’s the way we approach things, the way we look at things, there’s always something that can always be improved. There’s always something that’s needed to preserve a place. And maybe we also gravitate towards stories like that,” he shared.

“Islands Insider” will feature six episodes that seek to reveal the cultural and historical bases of some of the most compelling sites in the country. Hosted by Ginggay Hontiveros, the show will premiere this June on the National Geographic Channel.

source: mb.com.ph

Sotto: No bloc voting in Corona impeachment

Senate Majority Floor Leader Vicente Sotto III on Tuesday said there will be no bloc voting in the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona, especially for the so-called "Enrile bloc."

"The Senate president has made it very clear to us and to many others who he talked that his vote is his vote, he is not influencing anyone, he does not want to influence anyone, even the so-called Enrile bloc," Sotto told reporters.

He issued the statement after some political analysts have poined out that the so-called Enrile bloc, composed of the Senate president, Sotto, Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada and Sen. Gregorio Honasan, will be crucial in deciding Corona's fate.

Sotto, however, said that Enrile told them that he will only tell them his vote if they ask and want to know. He said the Senate president hasn't told him what his vote was.

As for his own vote, he said "more or less" he knows what his decision is.

"I decided after I prayed last night, I consulted my family," Sotto said.

Vote based on conscience, evidence

Sen. Edgardo Angara, for his part, said he will base his decision on his conscience and the evidence presented during the trial.

"My decision to either acquit or convict centers on his fitness to decide as the chief magistrate. The issue of the impeachment of the chief magistrate centers on that factor," Angara said in a statement released Tuesday.

Angara's son, Rep. Sonny Angara, is one of the spokespersons for the prosecution. The elder Angara, however, has inisted that his being a senator-judge has nothing to do with his son's role in the impeachment trial.

The senators are expected to vote on Corona's case later in the day. Sixteen votes are needed to convict him.

Sotto said that if ever Corona is convicted, they will have the order drafted after the trial, which he said is basically immediately executory.

"More or less, yun ang sinasabi ng Constitution," he said.

The senator said that if ever the defense panel brings the case to the Supreme Court, it would not be their problem anymore.

"Whatever happens after is not our problem anymore unless they bring it up with us," he said. — Kimberly Jane Tan/RSJ, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Kim Kardashian Tweets Dismay Over "Stolen" Luggage Goods


Kim Kardashian is tweeting mad over some "sentimental" items she said were stolen from her luggage.

The Keeping Up With the Kardashians star hit Twitter Sunday to vent about the loot she said was lifted on a British Airways flight.

MORE: Cannes 2012: Five Things We Learned From Kim Kardashian, Robert Pattinson, Brad Pitt and More!

"Very disappointed in British Airways for opening my luggage & taking some special items of mine! Some things are sentimental & not replaceable," Kim tweeted Monday. "What happened to the days when you could lock your bags! We need to get back to that. There's no sense of security & no trust!"

"Shame on you," Kim went on.

Prior to the supposed theft, Kim and Kanye West were making their rounds at the Cannes Film Festival, even smooching on the French Riviera while celebrating the premiere of West's new film, Cruel Summer.

No word just yet on if the airline has contacted the E! reality star about the alleged luggage-lifting snafu.


source: eonline.com

Epson Is Manchester United Partner

MANILA, Philippines — Global imaging and innovation leader Epson has agreed to an additional three-year contract with Manchester United as the club’s Official Office Equipment Supplier.

Having already benefitted from both increased customer interaction and engagement, as well as enhanced global brand awareness, Epson sees the relationship as a key initiative in enhancing its global visibility and business growth.

The sponsorship renewal runs through to the end of season 2014/15, and Epson will continue to benefit from stadium advertising rights and hospitality while supplying Manchester United with core office and front-of-house printing and imaging equipment.

Epson is proud of the synergies between the two historic organizations and continuation of the partnership is a reflection of a shared commitment to performance and innovation.

Epson General Manager of Global Communications, Ian Cameron, commented: “We are delighted to have concluded this new agreement.

This is an exciting partnership and we see it as an opportunity to strengthen connections with our customers around the world, particularly in emerging markets.”

In addition to contractual rights such as stadium advertising at Old Trafford, the agreement sees Epson continue to supply Manchester United with its award-winning office products. MUTV has benefited from state of the art, ultra-short throw Epson projectors, allowing for projected images of the stadium to be used as a studio backdrop, instead of having to light the actual stadium for filming.

Projected installations in the players’ gym make training more engaging, while Epson printers produce all match day information, including team sheets, and Epson photo printers are used to produce all official photography.

Manchester United’s Commercial Director, Richard Arnold, comments: “We are delighted to continue the relationship with Epson and to further develop the shared benefits it brings.

“Like Manchester United, Epson is a global brand and its innovation in new technologies keeps it at the forefront of its industry.”

“Recently Epson celebrated our record 19th league title with our fans by taking the Epson Champ19ns Experience to Beijing, Shanghai, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore.

Over 20,000 fans visited the museum exhibition covering the history of the 19 titles, culminating in a state of the art 3D Epson projection of the current squad.”

“They have shown great creativity and enthusiasm in their marketing work with the club and their state-of-the-art equipment has been fully integrated in the day to day running of Manchester United and we are pleased to be associated with the brand.”

source: mb.com.ph

Memorial Day: Cat Cora, Padma Lakshmi Share Healthy Eating Tips for Summer


Memorial Day marks the start of the summer grilling season, and what better way to spend the holiday that with your family and friends – outside.

Celebrity chef Cat Cora – and star Bravo's Around the World in 80 Plates – says including your children in your meal planning can lead to fun and, most importantly, healthy dining experiences.

In Smart Chefs Stay Slim: Lessons in Eating and Living from America's Best Chefs, by PEOPLE senior editor Allison Adato, Cora is just one of many celebrity chefs (including Tom Colicchio, Wolfgang Puck, Rick Bayless) with nutritious tips to share.

Cora's big suggestion? Eat with your kids outside!

The Iron Chef and wife Jennifer are outnumbered by their four young sons. But the grown-ups still eat the healthy dinners they enjoy – and refuse to cave to kiddie food like buttered noodles or chicken fingers. At their home they'll grill fish, chicken and vegetables, appealing to the boys by making skewered versions.

Anything on a stick, says Cora, "the kids love it. We'll do a salmon skewer and romesco sauce [nuts, garlic, olive oil and peppers] or lamb with a mint-yogurt sauce and pita bread."

Looking for more ideas? PEOPLE recently surveyed many more chefs for their best healthy summer eating tips and tricks. Here is some more creative advice:

• "Make coconut water into ice cubes for drinks, or just suck on them like mini popsicles." – Melissa d'Arabian, host of Food Network's Ten Dollar Dinners

• "Slice chilled cucumbers, leave the skin on and sprinkle them with sea salt. They're a great potato chip alternative." – Geoffrey Zakarian, judge on Food Network's Chopped



• "Try mango chutney with apple and cheddar grilled cheese sandwiches." – Padma Lakshmi, host of Top Chef

• "Agave nectar is perfect to add to sweet tea or a cocktail!" – Patrick and Gina Neely, hosts of Food Network's Down Home with the Neelys (Agave nectar is natural syrup from the agave plant, which is sweeter than sugar.)

source: people.com

Building her brand from scratch


Name it and Adora Adora-Penn will fashion it into a lovely cake. A Louis Vuitton bag, a stiletto shoe, Rayban shades, a bottle of wine.

She even demonstrated on YouTube how to make a pregnant lady using two molds to scoop out the cake “boobs” and two layers of rounded cakes for the “bump.” The technical part was easy. It’s how she festooned the cake with tiny pink roses, making motherhood look really nice and dainty. The cake was for a baby shower. With a hearty laugh, she remembered how the guests admired the strawberry cake, not wanting to slice it and “do a Caesarian.”

The pregnant lady cake video has generated more than 105,000 views since it aired on YouTube a year ago. Adora still raves about it. She has no bakeshop, her website is under construction, and while she’s received some orders online, baking remains, for the most part, a hobby.



Recommended Reading: In addition to YouTube, there are also numerous colleges offering online baking and pastry classes for the uninitiated.

“I think I now belong to a community of people who cook and bake,” said Adora, a marketing professional determined to make her Adorable Chef brand into the Filipino American Betty Crocker.

“I just like to cook,” she said, regaling The FilAm with stories of how growing up in Zambales to a family with modest means she whipped up ‘hamburger’ using ‘malunggay’ leaves and lots of chopped onions, garlic and pepper. “When you don’t have enough (in life) and come from a poor family, you become creative.”

Adora’s YouTube life has come full circle. She began watching videos on baking and cake decorating then enrolled at Wilton to learn about trends and theories. Before long, she began posting her own baking and decorating demos online, with husband Bruce, a technology teacher with the Wyandanch School District in Long Island, cheering her on.

While her baking method is old-fashioned – “everything from scratch” – her marketing is New Media, from YouTube to her Adorable Chef fan page on Facebook, which has an album of all her cake designs.

“I have 1,600 fans, and I don’t know many of them,” she said.



When she received an email from a minister’s wife ordering a birthday cake, Adora’s creative genes kicked in. The result was no standard sheet cake, but a Louis Vuitton red velvet cake with cream cheese filling coated with chocolate fondant — complete with the brand’s signature logo and gold trim handle.

“I make sure I have a presentable cake, and that people eating my cake get the correct, precise measurement. No instant, from-the-box cake for me,” she said.

While waiting for orders to trickle in, Adora is in talks with two TV networks for a cooking show. She is also slated to do a cooking demo for FilAm children to teach them simple recipes they can try at home. It was an idea triggered by a similar project she did in Florida recently for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

Is destination “Cupcake Wars” any closer?

“Yeah, I think I can do that,” she said.

source: thefilam.net



Golden Gate Bridge marks 75th anniversary


The Golden Gate Bridge was a larger than life engineering project undertaken against dangerous odds and it opened 75 years ago yesterday against vehement protest, at the cost of 11 lives.
One of the most astonishing and admired man-made wonders of the world, gracing millions of postcards, featured in countless films, the bridge was not at first welcomed with open arms.
Ferry operators and environmentalists opposed it, and many engineers doubted such a daring leap over a treacherous Pacific Ocean strait could be built. The military worried a collapsed Golden Gate span could block access to the Bay in war time.

Some San Franciscans even fought against it because they thought a bridge might ruin the view, according to historians.

Kevin Starr, author of Golden Gate: The Life and Times of America’s Greatest Bridge, said 2,000 related court cases were filed over nearly a decade.

But Starr said litigation and regulatory scrutiny largely concluded in the 1920s allowed builders to move quickly once bank funding was nailed down in 1932, in an early form of public-private cooperation.

“President Obama talks about shovel-ready projects,” Starr said in a phone interview. “This was shovel ready.”

The less than two decades between conception and completion means the Golden Gate compares well with the new quake-proof second span of the Bay Bridge a few miles away, he said. That $6.2bn project is due to be done in 2013, 24 years after a deadly earthquake literally jolted the authorities into action.

Yet building the Golden Gate, at an estimated cost of $1.2bn in current dollars, was a Herculean task. While the idea took hold in the prosperous 1920s, by the time ground was broken the Depression had left many people desperate for jobs.

“Launched midst a thousand hopes and fears; Damned by a thousand hostile sneers,” was how the head engineer for the bridge, Joseph Strauss, described the bridge in a poem he wrote to mark its completion in 1937. He died less than a year later.


Even the bridge’s arresting dark orange colour was an accident, first used as a primer while designers decided what to paint it. The Navy had argued for black with yellow stripes, to ensure it could be seen in a strait hostile to mariners, with dense fog, heavy winds and strong ocean swells.

In the end, bridge authorities decided they liked the color - known as International Orange - and stuck with it.

Starr speculated that some early opposition from locals may have been due to the original styling, which was likened to an “upside-down rat trap”, before it was altered to the sweeping suspension bridge design.

“Its elegance is derived from its structural efficiency,” Paul Giroux, from the American Society of Civil Engineers, said at a panel discussion hosted by San Francisco’s Commonwealth Club. “It’s a perfect blend of form and function.”

Construction began in 1933, 14 years after Strauss was first approached. Bank of America archivist David Mendoza said it took a personal appeal from Strauss to Amadeo Giannini, founder of the then-San Francisco-based bank, to secure funding.

“Strauss was worried it might not get built,” Mendoza said of that fateful meeting, now commemorated on a plaque.

After opening on May 27, 1937, thousands of people walked, roller-skated and stilt-walked across. Cars came the next day.

Celebrations for the 50th anniversary became infamous for the frightful swaying of the bridge under the weight of 300,000 people. This time round, the bridge was be closed to cars and pedestrians during a fireworks show that will cap a day of festivities along the bay waterfront yesterday.

Beyond the revelry and Tributes, the bridge’s dark side will lurk in the background: An estimated 1,400 people have jumped off the bridge to end their own lives, a grim reality brought to the attention of many people with a 2006 documentary film, The Bridge, by Eric Steel. The film-maker secretly captured more than 20 suicides from the bridge.

“Four seconds drop and you’re done,” Starr said. “A few people have survived, but not many.”
The Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District is now studying the costs and feasibility of draping nets along it to catch any jumpers, a twist on the nets deployed during construction, which saved the lives of 22 workers.

Of the 11 men killed from falls during construction, ten were killed after a net failed under stress from a fallen scaffold when the bridge was near completion.

Safety was a serious concern during construction, with hard hats widely used for the first time and workers forced to drink sauerkraut juice if they arrived at work hung over, Starr said.
Living memory is limited. The San Francisco Chronicle reported the last two known surviving builders, Jack Balestreri and Edward Ashoff, died in April, within a week of each other.

source: gulf-times.com

For Ian Somerhalder, the environment is everything


“Filipinos are some of the most underappreciated people in the world. You guys are leading the change into our green future. And I think the rest of the world should know about this.”

That’s Ian Somerhalder, who plays hunky vampire Damon Salvatorre in the hit TV series “The Vampire Diaries”, talking about his Philippine experience, which included a photo shoot at El Nido Resort in Palawan for the fashion retail brand, Penshoppe.

The 33-year old actor started out as a model at the very young age of 10 before pursuing acting by the time he’s 17. His other best known roles are that of bisexual Paul Denton in the film “The Rules of Attraction” and the ill-fated Boone Carlyle in the first season of “Lost.”

During a press conference at the Peninsula Manila Wednesday afternoon, Somerhalder admitted that he was deeply touched and amazed at the efforts being made by big corporations such as Penshoppe’s Golden ABC in making what he describes as “massive strides” in promoting environmental causes.

Before Somerhalder took the stage, Golden ABC’s Bernie Liu announced that the company will be supporting the Ian Somerhalder Foundation that the actor founded in 2010.

Although it was not specified how exactly the company will support his foundation, Ian gratefully acknowledged it and said he’s excited about his partnership with Penshoppe, which he describes as an “organic marriage.”

“I feel as though I’m part of something special here and this partnership, what it means, what it’s going to get back is we’re going to see concrete changes and real results. I’m going to use this exposure for the greater good,” Somerhalder told TV5 news anchor Paolo Bediones, who hosted the event.

Citing another example, the actor recalled how much he was fascinated with International Transvoyager, Inc. (ITI), the air charter service that took him to El Nido.

“To offset carbon emission generated by their flights, ITI actually plants six trees for every passenger. How cool is that?” the actor enthused. ‘I mean I fly so much it’s awful. So it’s good to see one company finding ways to offset all those CO2s.”

In describing his work with his foundation which, he said, “aims to empower, educate and collaborate with people and projects to positively impact the planet and its creatures,” the actor himself sometimes wonder how he finds all the time for his causes.

“Most of the time, I just scribble all my ideas on my iPad which is always beside me in my bed. Then when I wake up, I ask myself, ‘What the hell is this all about’?” he joked.

Turning serious, Somerhalder revealed that he has around 100 people in his team. “A hundred people may not be a lot but a hundred people doing all these things for the environment, that’s very cool.”

He admitted that while his father, an independent contractor, visited the Philippines many years ago, it was his first time in the country, and he described Palawan in particular as “one of the most beautiful places on the planet.”

In describing his recent photo shoot, Somerhalder narrated, “I’m just running around in a secluded island, drinking coconut, photographed by an amazing photographer (Darren Tieste) and surrounded by all these incredible people.”

As for appearing on the big screen again, the actor, who was earlier announced to star in the gothic film “Cradlewood” scheduled for a 2013 release, said he is still looking for the right project but would like to work with a lot of outstanding filmmakers and actors.

“Doing ‘The Vampire Diaries’ means nine months of straight shooting for 22 episodes in one season,” he pointed out. “Making a film is more about the filmmakers. Among the people I’d like to work with are Clint Eastwood, Sean Penn and Ed Harris. There’s something to be said about these people who do not compromise their craft. So if I suck as an actor, I might be able to bring myself up to their level someday.”

Somerhalder also doesn’t see the big deal about admitting his real age. “There’s something amazing about aging. Turning 30 plus is such a powerful number. I find it bizarre that people can still lie about their age in 2012, in this age of Google.”

And while Ian did not discuss his personal life, including the status of his reported relationship with “Vampire Diaries” co-star Nina Dobrev, he did talk about the role that’s making millions of girls swoon every week.

“Ripping people’s heads off and seducing women are not exactly the worst things in the world,” Somerhalder quipped with a wink.

source: interaksyon.com

China’s Huawei, ZTE face EU action on telecom subsidies: FT


The European Union is set to launch a major trade case against China’s biggest telecom equipment makers, arguing that they have benefited from illegal government subsidies, the Financial Times said.

The EU told member states it had been gathering evidence for an anti-dumping case against Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and ZTE Corp, saying that they had obtained illegal government subsidies and sold products in the EU below cost, the newspaper said, quoting unidentified EU officials and executives.

Once the EU determined that China was acting illegally, Huawei and ZTE, the world’s No.2 and No.5 telecom equipment makers, could be subject to punitive EU tariffs, the FT said.

ZTE declined comment, while Huawei had no immediate comment.

Huawei and ZTE compete globally in the telecom equipment business with European vendors such as Ericsson, Alcatel-Lucent and Siemens-Nokia.

Earlier in May, the EU’s Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht said the EU was planning new trade defenses to counter subsidies and dumping by trading partners, such as China.

China is the European Union’s second biggest trading partner after the United States and the bloc is China’s biggest trade partner, with trade between the two forecast to hit a record high of 500 billion euros ($397 billion) this year.

But the relationship is tense. De Gucht has in the past complained that China subsidies “nearly everything”, making it hard to compete.

article source: interaksyon.com


Sunday, May 27, 2012

HSBC launches ‘Mena bonds, sukuk platform’ for Qatar customers


HSBC has launched “Mena bonds and sukuks platform” offering relatively easy access for the bank’s retail customers in Qatar.

The offer provides a “comprehensive” wealth management proposition to HSBC customers and allows them to achieve a more balanced investment portfolio and diversify their investment risk.



“We have had a number of requests from our customers, our Qatari national customers in particular, to offer access to investment opportunities with potential for steady income streams from products such as bonds and sukuks. This offer addresses an important need in the Qatar market and provides our premier customers a new opportunity to diversify their investment portfolios,” said Kris Werner, HSBC Qatar head for retail banking and wealth management.

HSBC offers a comprehensive range of over 200 bonds and sukuks issued by governments and corporates in the Mena Region.

Bonds are typically issued in a minimum denomination of $100,000.

Bonds and sukuks offer customers an opportunity to potentially earn regular income through coupon payments.

source: gulf-times.com

Global economy week ahead: US tiptoes around the euro crisis

WASHINGTON - The US employment report for May will measure America's economic resilience to the political turmoil in Europe that is weakening the global growth outlook.
Manufacturing slumped in both China and the euro zone in May, Britain is in recession, Brazil is stagnating and India's growth is faltering, leaving the United States as a relative bright spot in an uncertain world.
Home sales in the United States are perking up, consumer sentiment reached a four-year high in May, and the pace of job layoffs has slowed over the past month, all pointing to a gradual healing in the US economy.
Falling gasoline prices also are pumping up spending power into consumers' pockets. While there are some soft spots—capital goods orders are weak and manufacturing eased in May—it is not enough to derail a plodding US economic recovery.
The government's closely watched monthly jobs report due out on Friday could prove pivotal.
If employment gains accelerated in May to 150,000, the consensus in a Reuters poll and up from the 135,000 monthly average over the past two months, it would suggest the economy has regained internal momentum and has greater ability to withstand the headwinds from Europe.
"The global economy is struggling. There is recession in Europe, a slowdown in emerging markets that hasn't fully run its course and China decelerating. To offset this trend, you have modest growth in the United States and Canada," said Craig Alexander, chief economist at TD Economics.
"Political risks are high but if Europe muddles through, a risk that has not yet fully run its course, we should see moderate US growth continue," he said.
A weaker jobs number and a rise in the unemployment rate from the current 8.1 percent level, however, would suggest that businesses are growing increasingly wary as financial markets display unease over Europe and the rest of the world slows.
Narim Behravesh, chief economist at IHS Global Insight, said he sees little evidence yet that Europe's problems have spilled over to the United States. He said he is tempted to think that the slowdown in emerging markets is temporary, reflecting the lagged effects from their monetary tightening in the latter half of 2011. Additionally, a fresh round of stimulus measures promised by China should prevent a serious slump.
"We will probably see another couple of months of mixed data and then a firming, as long as Europe steers clear of crisis," he said.
European high-wire act
But Europe is casting a long shadow.
European Union leaders are playing a high-wire act in trying to convince the Greek public ahead of fresh elections on June 17 that they must stick to their austerity program if they wish to remain in the euro zone monetary union.
But as governments and banks draw up contingency plans to handle a possible Greek euro-zone exit, and polls show the leftist anti-austerity camp holding a lead in Greece, investors' hopes are diminishing for a happy ending in Europe.
Further complicating the picture is Spain, where the banking system needs recapitalizing and regional governments are running short of cash. This makes Spain highly vulnerable to market attack if Greece were to leave the euro. Italy, Portugal and Ireland could then be in the line of fire.
"The situation in Europe is becoming more uncertain," Michelle Meyer, a Bank of America economist, warned clients.
Lacking a clear road map for how EU leaders plan to stabilize the financial system and shore up monetary union, investors are fleeing the euro. It has lost more than 5 percent of its value in less than a month to reach a 22-month low against the dollar.
The weakening euro raises concern about spillover effects to the United States economy, even if Greece stays in the euro zone.
A costlier US dollar makes US exports more expensive in world markets, and if Europe sinks into recession, the United States will lose one of its primary export markets.
But the trade impact on the US economy would be quite small. Trade with Europe accounts for only a sliver of total US output, or 1.3 percent, and Bank of America said that recent research shows that exchange rates are far less of a factor today in determining import prices than they were in prior decades.
The International Monetary Fund, Bank of International Settlements and the US Federal Reserve have found that the pass-through effects of exchange rates to import prices have declined to about 20 percent from 50 percent in 1970s and 1980s. And the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development found it would take a 10 percent depreciation of the euro against the dollar over one year to shave 0.1 percentage point from annual US growth in gross domestic product.
The primary impact on the United States from a worsening European crisis would be from financial markets turmoil.

If global stock markets plunged and the banking system in Europe seized up, Craig Alexander at TD Economics said, "It would be a mess. It would be welcome back to Lehman Brothers in 2008." –Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

San Antonio Spurs handle Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of West Finals


SAN ANTONIO – Entering the Western Conference Finals, the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder shared one definitive characteristic—they were playing like offensive juggernauts throughout the season and beyond. The Spurs were the second-ranked offense in the NBA this year, and came into this series on an 18-game winning streak during which they averaged 109.3 points per game. Oklahoma City had the third-ranked offense and was averaging 100.0 points per game in the playoffs.

But if you were looking for an offensive explosion here in Game 1, you were disappointed. It was defense that ruled the day, for the first 36 minutes, at least—the two teams shot 40.3 percent combined through three quarters.



In the fourth quarter, though, San Antonio’s offense was able to pull away from the Thunder, paving the way to a 101-98 win here at the AT&T Center.

For the Spurs, Manu Ginobili led the way with 26 points (11 in fourth quarter) on 9-for-14 shooting. Tim Duncan had 16 points and 11 rebounds, and Tony Parker scored 18. The Spurs yielded 27 points to Kevin Durant, but forced Oklahoma City’s other two top scorers, Russell Westbrook (17 points, 7-for-21 shooting) and James Harden (19, 7-for-17), into inefficient games. Each had four turnovers, too,

In the first half, the two teams were clearly feeling each other out, each going on mini-spurts but failing to establish any significant advantage—there were six lead changes, three ties and neither team led by more than six. The most notable feature of the first 24 minutes was the play of the oldest guys on the floor.

For the Thunder, 37-year-old Derek Fisher started 4-for-4 and had nine first-half points (he would finish with 13 on 6-for-8 shooting). For the Spurs, Duncan, 36, had six points and five rebounds, and 34-year-old Ginobili led his team with 10.

Oklahoma City seemed to take control of the game in the third quarter, holding the Spurs to just 16 points in the period on 6-for-24 shooting, surging to a 71-62 lead. But after Harden put Oklahoma City up, 73-64, with 11:18 to go in the fourth, the Spurs began to shift the momentum, driven in part by the raucous home crowd. They went on an 18-3 run over the next 6:13, capped by a 3-pointer from Gary Neal , that staked the Spurs to an 82-76 lead.

The Thunder kept hanging in, though, until guard Stephen Jackson all but sealed the win with a 3-pointer that put the Spurs up by seven with 3:02 to play. San Antonio fended off Oklahoma City from there.

The Spurs outscored the Thunder, 39-27, in the fourth quarter, shooting 12-for-16 from the field and 13-for-18 from the free-throw line.

source: http://aol.sportingnews.com/nba/story/2012-05-27/spurs-okc-thunder-game-1-score-derek-fisher-manu-ginobili-kevin-durant