Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Private sector takes out more dollar loans in 3Q


MANILA – Foreign currency deposit units (FCDU) of banks issued more loans in the third quarter, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

In a statement, BSP Governor Amando M. Tetangco, Jr. said FCDU loans grew by 2.6 percent to $10 billion at end-September from $9.7 billion at end-June.

Sixty-three percent of those loans are medium- to long-term, or those maturing in more than a year, with the remaining 36 percent pertaining to short-term credit.

Eighty-one percent of the loans was taken out by the private sector.

The major beneficiaries were public utilities at 21.3 percent; merchandise and service exporters, 15.4 percent; and producers or manufacturers, including oil companies, 14.7 percent.

Gross disbursements during the third quarter increased to $11.6 billion from the previous quarter’s $8.1 billion. The bulk of loan releases had short-term maturities, 74.3 percent of which was for working capital requirements.

FCDU deposit liabilities increased by two percent to reach $26.2 billion at end-September from $25.6 billion at end-June. The loans to deposit ratio slightly improved to 38.1 percent from 37.9 percent in the second quarter.

Ninety-eight percent of the deposits were held by residents.

source: interaksyon.com

Study ties thicker brain sections to spirituality


NEW YORK -- For people at high risk of depression because of a family history, spirituality may offer some protection for the brain, a new study hints.

Parts of the brain's outer layer, the cortex, were thicker in high-risk study participants who said religion or spirituality was "important" to them versus those who cared less about religion.

"Our beliefs and our moods are reflected in our brain and with new imaging techniques we can begin to see this," Myrna Weissman told Reuters Health. "The brain is an extraordinary organ. It not only controls, but is controlled by our moods."

Weissman, who worked on the new study, is a professor of psychiatry and epidemiology at Columbia University and chief of the Clinical-Genetic Epidemiology department at New York State Psychiatric institute.

While the new study suggests a link between brain thickness and religiosity or spirituality, it cannot say that thicker brain regions cause people to be religious or spiritual, Weissman and her colleagues note in JAMA Psychiatry.

It might hint, however, that religiosity can enhance the brain's resilience against depression in a very physical way, they write.

Previously, the researchers had found that people who said they were religious or spiritual were at lower risk of depression. They also found that people at higher risk for depression had thinning cortices, compared to those with lower depression risk.

The cerebral cortex is the brain's outermost layer made of gray matter that forms the organ's characteristic folds. Certain areas of the cortex are important hubs of neural activity for processes such as sensory perception, language and emotion.

For the new study, the researchers twice asked 103 adults between the ages of 18 and 54 how important religion or spirituality was to them and how often they attended religious services over a five-year period.

In addition to being asked about spirituality, the participants' brains were imaged once to see how thick their cortices were.

All the participants were the children or grandchildren of people who participated in an earlier study about depression. Some had a family history of depression, so they were considered to be at high risk for the disorder. Others with no history served as a comparison group.

Overall, the researchers found that the importance of religion or spirituality to an individual - but not church attendance - was tied to having a thicker cortex. The link was strongest among those at high risk of depression.

"What we're doing now is looking at the stability of it," Weissman said.

Her team is taking more images of the participants' brains to see whether the size of the cortex changes with their religiosity or spirituality.

"This is a way of replicating and validating the findings," she said. "That work is in process now."

Dr. Dan Blazer, the J.P. Gibbons Professor of Psychiatry at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina, said the study is very interesting but is still exploratory.

"I think this tells us it's an area to look at," Blazer, who was not involved in the new study, said. "It's an area of interest but we have to be careful."

For example, he said there could be other areas of the brain linked to religion and spirituality. Also, spirituality may be a marker of something else, such as socioeconomic status.

Blazer added that it's an exciting time, because researchers are actively looking at links between the brain, religion and risk of depression.

"We've seen this field move from a time when there were virtually no studies done at all," he said.

Weissman said the mind and body are intimately connected.

"What this means therapeutically is hard to say," she added.

SOURCE: bit.ly/1jYo6ro JAMA Psychiatry, online December 25, 2013.

source: interaksyon.com

Queen guitarist Brian May undergoing cancer tests


LONDON - Queen guitarist Brian May underwent a scan on Monday as part of a series of urgent tests sparked by fears he could have cancer, the rock star revealed on his website.

The 66-year-old suffered agonizing back and hip pain earlier in December which left him barely able to stand, and MRI scans revealed "some abnormalities in the bones -- things that the report said needed urgent attention," he wrote.

"So around Christmas I've been having a succession of blood tests, ultrasounds, and various kinds of scans, to see if they could rule out various kinds of cancer," he wrote.

One of the scans was due on Monday, he said in the blog posting on brianmay.com dated December 28.

May said he was trying to be optimistic, as his doctors had told him that any cancer they might find would likely be treatable with success.

"Now, on hearing the 'C' word something happens inside you... of course. I've seen so many of my dear friends fighting it... and my dad lost his battle at age 66, exactly the age I am now," he wrote.

"So over the last few days I've been in various states of unrest."

But in a blog update on Monday, May said he was "overwhelmed by the amazing messages" of support from fans, adding: "I thank you all from the bottom of my heart."

May was a founder member of Queen, the world-famous rock group fronted by Freddie Mercury until the singer died as a result of AIDS in 1991. May penned the hit single "We Will Rock You."

source: interaksyon.com

Monday, December 30, 2013

F1 legend Michael Schumacher in coma, critical after skiing accident


GRENOBLE – Michael Schumacher, the retired seven-time Formula One champion, was in a critical condition on Monday after suffering severe brain trauma in a skiing accident in the French Alps, doctors said.

The German racing legend, who turns 45 on Friday, had been skiing off-piste with his 14-year-old son in the upmarket Meribel resort when he fell and hit his head on a rock.

He was “suffering a serious brain trauma with coma on his arrival, which required an immediate neurosurgical operation”, according to the hospital in the southeastern French city of Grenoble where he is being treated.

“He remains in a critical condition.”

Shortly after the accident Meribel resort director Christophe Gernigon-Lecomte said Schumacher, who had been wearing a helmet, was “conscious but a little agitated”.

But when Schumacher fell into coma, doctors realised the damage was worse than initially feared.

Two mountain police officers who gave first aid to Schumacher said he was suffering “severe cranial trauma” when they got to him and a helicopter was brought in to evacuate him within 10 minutes.

A renowned Parisian neurologist, doctor Gerard Saillant, arrived at the Grenoble hospital in a police car to help take charge of the famous patient.

Schumacher’s wife Corinna was at his side with his two children, the hospital said.

The hospital statement was signed by the facility’s neurosurgeon, the professor in charge of its anaesthesia/revival unit, and the hospital’s deputy director.

Schumacher a ‘crazy daredevil’

News of Schumacher’s accident stunned the Formula One community and his former teammates joined thousands on Twitter in wishing him a speedy recovery.

“My thoughts are with Michael Schumacher at this tough time.. Michael more than anyone has the strength to pull through this,” tweeted British F1 driver Jenson Button.

Schumacher’s former teammate at Benetton Martin Brundle wrote on Twitter: “Come on Michael, give us one of those race stints at pure qualifying pace to win through, like you used to. You can do it.”

He added that the German was “a crazy brave skydiving/bike racing daredevil”.

Brazilian Formula One racing driver Felipe Massa said he was “praying for God to protect you my brother!! I wish you a speedy recovery Michael”, the former Ferrari driver wrote.

The next update on Schumacher’s condition would be given at 1000 GMT on Monday, a hospital spokesman said.

Police kept guard at the hospital’s entrances as journalists and fans, some wearing the colours of the Formula One legend’s former stable Ferrari, gathered outside awaiting news of his health.

Police have opened an investigation into the circumstances of the accident, the ski resort said.

Schumacher, who won the last of his world titles in 2004, definitively retired in 2012 in the Brazilian Grand Prix, in which he finished seventh, after an abandoned attempt to quit six years earlier.

Since his debut in 1991, the German towered over the sport, winning more Formula One world titles and races than any other. He had a record 91 wins and is one of only two men to reach 300 grands prix.

Schumacher’s duels in his heyday with Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve, fired by an unquenchable competitive spirit, have gone down in Formula One lore.

Schumacher was born in January 1969 near Cologne, Germany, the son of a bricklayer who also ran the local go-kart track, where his mother worked in the canteen.

By 1987, Schumacher was the German and European go-kart champion and was soon racing professionally. In 1991 he burst into Formula One by qualifying seventh in his debut race in Belgium and a year later he was racing for Benetton, where he won his first Formula One grand prix in 1992.

After joining Ferrari in 1996, Schumacher achieved infamy by trying to ram Villeneuve off the road at Jerez in the last race of 1997, and was disqualified from the championship as punishment.

Over the next decade, he went from strength to strength, dominating the podium, before trying to retire the first time aged 37.

During his retirement he survived a horror accident that knocked him out when racing a motorbike in Spain.

That time he was released from hospital after just five hours.

But the father of two could not resist the lure of the track and in 2010 he signed a three-year deal with Mercedes.

But slower reflexes and a less competitive car meant Schumacher could not reproduce his former glory and he quit for good in 2012. His helmet had a message for fans: “Life is about passions — Thank you for sharing mine.”

source: interaksyon.com

Oil prices rise in Asian trade amid falling US inventories


SINGAPORE - Oil prices edged higher in thin Asian trade Monday as investors focused on a fall in US crude inventories, indicating robust demand in the world's top consumer.

New York's main contract, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for February delivery, was up two cents at $100.34 in afternoon trade while Brent North Sea crude for February gained 19 cents to $112.37.

The US Department of Energy on Friday reported that crude inventories for the week to December 20 fell by 4.7 million barrels, more than the 2.2 million expected by analysts in a Wall Street Journal survey.

The decline was the fourth consecutive drop after a 10-week run of rises that added 35 million barrels to total stockpiles.

Desmond Chua, market analyst at CMC Markets in Sydney, said the falling inventories in the world's biggest economy underscored "stronger demand as the global outlook brightens".

The upbeat stockpiles report released on Friday, delayed due to the Christmas holidays, is supporting WTI prices above the "psychologically important" $100 mark, Chua said.

The report came amid other signs the US economy is picking up. Data released last week showed new home sales, durable goods orders and jobless claims also bested expectations.

Investors meanwhile continue to monitor developments in South Sudan, where violence in a key oil-producing region has dented crude output and led to numerous oilfield staff evacuations.

More than 1,000 people have died since fighting between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and former vice president Riek Machar broke out on December 15.

The United Nations said in a statement that the number of people who have taken refuge in its bases around the country has grown to 75,000.

Analysts say the fledgling producer usually exports about 220,000 barrels of crude oil a day to Japan, Malaysia and China.

source: interaksyon.com

Synchronize your watch with DOST on New Year's


MANILA - Welcome 2014 by synchronizing your timepieces with Philippine Standard Time (PhST), the Department of Science and Technology Secretary Mario Montejo is inviting Filipinos as the department partnered with telecoms giants in this endeavor.

“We urge Filipinos to synchronize their watches with PhST in welcoming New Year’s Day,” said Montejo.

The effort is in connection with Republic Act 10535, or the Philippine Standard Time Act of 2013, requiring all national and local government offices as well as broadcasting organizations to display PhST as provided by the DOST’s Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), the country’s official timekeeper.

The new law, together with its recently published Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR), also provides for the observance of the National Time Consciousness Week, set to make its debut on New Year’s Day, 1 January 2014, with the theme “Juan Time: PinoyAko, On-Time Ako!”

 “Our Juan Time campaign seeks to reverse the negative connotations of Filipino Time from tardiness to punctuality, discipline, and utmost regard for other people’s time. Lateness often leads to missed opportunities. What we want is for Filipinos to arrive on time as the new norm,” Montejo added.

For his part, DOST Assistant Secretary Raymund Liboro noted that the New Year is the right time for Filipinos to start following PhST. He added that the leading telecommunications service providers have already been synchronized with PhST.

"Smart is pleased to be an active partner of the ‘Juan Time’ Philippine Standard Time Campaign of DOST,” said Ramon Isberto, head for Public Affairs of Smart Communications.

“The theme ‘PinoyAko, On Time Ako’ is very appropriate in the context of keeping our diverse country of more than 7,000 islands in step with the world. Smart is committed to do its part in making sure that its 50 million subscribers will benefit from this Philippine Standard Time campaign," he added.

According to Globe Telecom Corporate Communications Head Yoly Crisanto, "Globe actively supports the observance of the National Time Consciousness Week by activating various initiatives through the power of our modernized network and social media to reach out to all Filipinos, enjoining them to observe a common reckoning of time across the country. With the implementation of the Philippine Standard Time, we are one with our countrymen in starting 2014 on time and observing thereafter Filipino Time as being Juan Time, On Time."

Join Juan Time. Synchronize your watch with the Philippine Standard Time (PhST) via: http://bit.ly/SyncPhST. Like Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PhilippineStandardTime. Follow us on Twitter: @PhST_DOST.

source: interaksyon.com

Saturday, December 28, 2013

India seeks possible US tax violations as row over diplomat's arrest worsens


NEW DELHI -- India has sought details about staff in American schools in the country for possible tax violations and revoked ID cards of US consular officials and their families, retaliatory steps for the arrest of an Indian diplomat in New York.

The measures suggest that the two countries are no closer to a resolution of a diplomatic dispute over the treatment of Deputy Consul General Devyani Khobragade this month on charges of visa fraud and underpayment of her housekeeper.

Khobragade, who has denied the charges, was handcuffed and strip-searched while in custody, sparking outrage in India.

An Indian government official said on Friday that New Delhi had asked the US embassy to provide details about people working in American schools and other US government facilities to determine if they had permission to do so and if they were paying taxes that are mandatory under Indian law.

Diplomats' spouses who take up work in schools or other embassy facilities are supposed to inform the host country.

Violations of this kind had often been ignored, but now India would not turn a blind eye, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The US embassy declined to comment on the latest steps.

India had also withdrawn some privileges that US diplomats and their families enjoy and would treat them as Indian officials are treated in the United States, the Indian official said.

US Ambassador Nancy Powell has been refused special privileges at New Delhi airport.

"We have said all access is on a reciprocal basis," the government official said. "She is not going to get the benefits that the Indian ambassador in the US doesn't get."

US consular officials and their families have been asked to surrender identity cards that gave them a degree of immunity. Under a new regime, consular officials -- but not their families -- will be given identity cards with fewer privileges.

"Spouses and children have no more immunity. So if there is a parking offence or ... something else happening in Bangalore etcetera, they would be held liable," the Indian official said.

Khobragade was released in New York on $250,000 bail after giving up her passport and pleading not guilty to visa fraud and making false statements about how much she paid her Indian housekeeper. She faces a maximum of 15 years in prison if convicted on both counts.

US Secretary of State John Kerry expressed regret over the case in a phone call to India's national security adviser last week, but India is still demanding that the charges be dropped and that the United States apologize. US prosecutors have defended the investigation against Khobragade and her treatment. Before this diplomatic blowup, US-Indian relations were seen as cordial and improving.

UN accreditation

In a new twist, India now argues that Khobragade was accredited to the United Nations at the time of her detention, giving her immunity from arrest.

She was temporarily moved to India's UN mission in August to help with the workload ahead of the General Assembly session and a visit by the prime minister. A copy of her accreditation, made available to Reuters, lists her as an adviser for a period from August 26 until December 31.

"At no stage we were told by the US side what was going on. We were kept in the dark. A lot of these things could have come out had we been informed then," the official said, explaining that India had not been warned she might be arrested.

According to the UN Manual of Protocol website (www.un.int/protocol/3_6.html), UN accreditation alone does not appear to grant diplomatic immunity, it simply gives Khobragade access to UN headquarters in New York.

The manual says a country's UN ambassador must write to the UN secretary-general to request privileges and immunities for individual diplomats. The United Nations then submits this to the US mission to the United Nations for approval.

Separately, India did ask the United Nations earlier this month for Khobragade to be officially registered as a member of the country's UN mission in the hope she would be granted more sweeping immunity than she was entitled to as India's deputy consul general in New York.

That request has been approved by the United Nations, a UN source said on Monday. A State Department official confirmed that the United States had received paperwork from the United Nations and was reviewing the application.

source: interaksyon.com

Friday, December 27, 2013

Andrew Bogut the center of attention in physical Warriors-Clippers duel


OAKLAND – Australian big man Andrew Bogut was the focus of a physical Christmas match-up between his Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Clippers that featured two ejections and two flagrant fouls.

“They are a physical team in the middle,” Bogut said. “Sometimes that’s how it gets. Neither of us backed down and that’s how it should be.”

The Warriors edged the Clippers 105-103 in a game that ended with irked Clipper Chris Paul grabbing the ball out of Bogut’s hands.

As the two exchanged heated words, the Clippers’ Matt Barnes shoved Bogut from behind and that escalated into yells from coaches and players from both teams at each other as they left the floor.

Bogut scored 10 points, grabbed 14 rebounds and goaded Clippers star Blake Griffin into making his second technical foul of the game in the fourth quarter to receive an ejection.

“I was trying to box him out,” Bogut said. “He’s a tough offensive rebounder. Just a little physicality. I think it should have been a foul on each of us and just move on.”

Bogut was issued a flagrant foul for grabbing Griffin, who accused the Warriors of “cowardly basketball” for their physicality.

“I didn’t do anything and I got thrown out of the game,” Griffin said. “(Referees) fell for it. To me that’s cowardly basketball.”

To NBA president of basketball operations Rod Thorn, who issued a statement on the incident Thursday, it was a mistake to eject Griffin.

“After a league review of the Clippers-Warriors game, we have come to the conclusion that Blake Griffin should not have been ejected,” Thorn said.

“A common foul should have been called on Griffin for initially attempting to dislodge the Warriors’ Andrew Bogut and a technical foul should have been assessed to Bogut for grabbing Griffin by the shirt and wrestling with him.”

The statement was some vindication for Clippers coach Doc Rivers, who was irate at Griffin’s ejection.

“I thought we were kicking their butt and they went to something else,” Rivers said. “We have to have better composure and keep playing.”

The NBA did issue a $15,000 fine Thursday to Golden State’s Draymond Green for failing to leave the court in a timely manner after being ejected, Thorn said.

In their first meeting on Halloween night, Bogut and DeAndre Jordan of the Clippers were involved in a shoving match.

The teams play again January 30 at Los Angeles.

source: interaksyon.com

With selfies, the world turns the camera on itself


WASHINGTON - Stuck on a ledge halfway up a 3,000-foot (1,000-meter) cliff in Oman, his climbing rope sliced in two by sharp rocks, Jimmy Chin did what anyone else would have done in his predicament.

He took a selfie.

"I had some time to figure out what I was going to do," said Chin, a National Geographic photographer whose images of extreme climbing by the Straits of Hormuz appear in the magazine's January issue.

"That's when I took the selfie," he told AFP. "It was one of those moments when, 'Well, I'm a Nat Geo photographer'. I had to document (the moment). It was pretty classic."

Self-portraiture has been around for centuries, but the global proliferation of smartphones with built-in digital cameras -- plus the ability to share photos instantly on social media -- has taken the genre to a new level.

With 2013 coming to a close, the publishers of the hallowed Oxford English Dictionary, arguably the final authority in anglophone lexicography, declared selfie to be their "word of the year."

"Selfie: noun, informal. A photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically one taken with a smartphone or webcam and uploaded to a social media website," according to Oxford. "Also: selfy. Plural: selfies."

Internet search provider Yahoo meanwhile estimates that in 2014, about 880 billion photographs will be taken. That's 123 photos for every man, woman and child on Earth. Many will be selfies.

In Britain, a survey for Samsung found that 17 percent of men, and 10 percent of women, take selfies because "they enjoy taking good-looking photos of themselves."

"I think 'selfie' is a term of endearment for the self, in a way," said Sarah Kennel, curator of photography at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, who admits to taking the odd selfie herself.

"It does reflect a kind of narcissism in our culture," she told AFP.

US President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron got tongues wagging when they took a selfie with Danish leader Helle Thorning Schmidt at Nelson Mandela's memorial service in South Africa.

"What an incredible sign of the times," children's photographer Sarah Sloboda, author of the e-book "How to Take the Best Selfies," told AFP.

"That's the kind of thing you can put in a time capsule to represent this period."

No one knows if Obama and friends had even heard of Selfies at Funerals, an equally controversial Tumblr compilation of, well, selfies taken at funerals, mainly by young people.

"When a teen tweets out a funeral selfie, their friends don't castigate them," its founder Jason Feifer explained in Britain's Guardian newspaper.

"They understand that their friend, in their own way, is expressing an emotion they may not have words for. It's a visual language that older people -- even those like me, in their 30s -- simply don't speak."

The year also saw Pope Francis in a selfie with teenagers at the Vatican, as well as pop diva Beyonce turning up in a smiling fan's selfie in Australia, to cite a couple of Time magazine's "11 most memorable selfies of 2013."

From Los Angeles, gossip blogger Perez Hilton declared a pink-haired Miley Cyrus posing for herself in a skimpy Lil' Kim Halloween costume his favorite among countless celebrity selfies over the past 12 months.

But there's no need to be famous to become famous for a selfie.

Thanks to Reddit and other social media websites, goofy selfies of a proud twentysomething dad in the Pacific Northwest state of Oregon mimicking the faces of his newborn baby daughter went viral overnight.

"We just watched the camera screen and copied whatever face she was making," explained Eddie Wheeler to his fellow Reddit users.

In Norway, popular fitness blogger Caroline Berg Eriksen snapped herself in a mirror, wearing bra and panties, showing off a firm flat tummy just four days after she gave birth.

Critics branded her selfie a "disservice" to women, but Eriksen struck back, saying she took it -- and shared it -- "because I'm proud of myself and my body for something as tough as a pregnancy/birth."

And then there was the young woman in New York who snapped a selfie with the Brooklyn Bridge -- and an attempted suicide leap -- in the background. That image caused a stir when it made page one of the New York Post.

"A selfie is a sort of perversion (and) a conquest of social virtual terrain," said Paris-based travel photographer Jean-Francois Vibert, who blogs at www.macandphoto.com.

"Happily, perversion is not prohibited," added Vibert, who namechecks the flamboyant pop star Nicki Minaj for selfies "so 'trash,' it's self-mockery. On that level, the selfie is decadence for a totally decadent era."

Kennel said self-portraits are as old as photography itself.

The National Gallery's current exhibition of the work of Charles Marville features selfies of the 19th century French photographer in which he styles himself as a suave Parisian boulevardier -- the hipster of his day.

Meanwhile, in London, the National Portrait Gallery has just put out a call for selfies to be included in a panel discussion on January 16 entitled "The Curated Ego: What Makes a Good Selfie?"

In announcing the event, organizers identified Russian Grand Duchess Anastasia as "one of the first teenagers to take a selfie." That was in 1914, when she was 13. Alas, she had no Facebook or Twitter account to share it on.

source: interaksyon.com

Red Hot Chili Peppers to headline music fest in Pampanga for benefit of Yolanda survivors


The Red Hot Chili Peppers, the legendary American rock band that was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012, will headline the 7107 International Music Festival that will take place in Clark, Pampanga on February 22 and 23 next year.

Formed in 1983, the Chili Peppers or RHCP as they are best known to fans, rose to prominence with their unique fusion of rock and funk with occasional elements of psychedelia, metal and punk rock thrown in for good measure.

The band reached the peak of their popularity in 1991 with their fourth studio album “Blood Sugar Sex Magik”, which was certified seven times platinum in the US, and the anthemic hit single, “Under The Bridge”. RHCP’s following never actually declined since then as all studio albums (“One Hot Minute”, “Californication”, “By The Way”, “Stadium Arcadium” and “I’m With You”) that followed all made the top 5 of the Billboard Hot 200 album chart in the US.

Aside from “Under The Bridge”, the band’s other best known songs include “Give It Away”, “Soul To Squeeze”, “Scar Tissue”, “Otherside”, “Californication”, “By The Way”, “The Zephyr Song”, “Can’t Stop”, “Dani California” and their covers of Stevie Wonder’s “Higher Love” and the Ohio Players’ “Love Rollercoaster”.

The current line-up consists of founding members and high school classmates Anthony Kiedes and Flea on vocals and bass respectively, longtime drummer Chad Smith, and Josh Klinghoffer, who officially replaced founding guitarist John Frusciante in 2009.

Aside from RHCP, other performers that are confirmed to perform at the music festival include Australian electronic duo Empire of the Sun, Danish pop band The Asteroids Galaxy Tour, American alternative group Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, who previously performed in Manila, the UK-based pop-rock outfit the Natives and local favorites Up Dharma Down and Radioactive Sago Project.





“Part of the proceeds will be used to rebuild, rehabilitate and fund relief projects for Typhoon Yolanda victims, a fantastic cause, which we’re proud to be a part of,” The Natives posted on their Facebook page.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers are already doing their share for the calamity victims. The band is part of the all-star album “Songs for the Philippines” released last month to raise money for the typhoon victims in Leyte, Samar and other affected areas in the South. RHCP’s contribution to the compilation is the song, “Factory of Faith”.

The two-day outdoor music festival will officially commence at noontime of February 22 at the Global Gateway Logistics City in Clark, Pampanga. According to the event’s official website at 7107imf.com, the concert will consist of “two stages present(ing) a spectacular lineup of both international and local artists carefully handpicked to satisfy every musical craving”.

“In this world of live music, thrills, adventure, good eats, and people from around the globe, the only way to transcend the different cultures is through one language called music. Make sure to be there once the clock strikes noon,” the site also posted.

In addition to pre-selling tickets that are good for the entire duration of the festival (priced at P8,500 for general admission and P20,000 for VIP access), the event’s official site are also accepting cash donations for typhoon Yolanda survivors.

source: interaksyon.com

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Justin Bieber flirts with retirement in Christmas Eve tweets


NEW YORK | Teenage pop star Justin Bieber sent out a series of mixed messages over his Twitter feed on Tuesday night, one of which said he was retiring, on the eve of the Christmas Day release of the latest film chronicling the life of the Canadian singer.

The tweet to the 19-year-old’s nearly 48 million followers – “My beloved beliebers I’m officially retiring” – was quickly followed by another message: “I’m never leaving you, being a belieber is a lifestyle.”

And then: “IM HERE FOREVER.”

Representatives for Bieber did not immediately respond to a request for clarification.

The Canadian singer has been involved in a series of headline-grabbing incidents over the past year.

In March, the singer scuffled with a photographer outside a London hotel during a European tour. Later that month, police were called to his Los Angeles area home after a neighbor claimed he had been threatened and struck by Bieber.

In June, Bieber struck a photographer with his Ferrari sports car while driving away from a comedy club in Los Angeles, though police said the accident was not considered a hit-and-run.

The movie, “Justin Bieber’s Believe,” which takes the name of Bieber’s third studio album, could help repair his image after the difficult year.

“I think people forget that it’s a 19-year-old kid, trying to figure it out,” Bieber’s manager, Scooter Braun, told ABC News, adding the film shows Bieber as “a human.”

At one point in the film, director Jon Chu suggests Bieber’s life could become a “train wreck.”

The “retirement” message went out on the night of Christmas Eve and by the following morning had nearly a quarter million retweets and over 185,000 favorites.

Twitter user @theycallmejerry tweeted: “A life without Justin Bieber. A life without my idol, hero, inspiration, my everything. Not the best thing to think about on Christmas Eve.”

On the other end of the spectrum, Twitter user CozImAGuy said, “Justin Bieber retiring is the greatest Christmas gift EVER.”

source: interaksyon.com

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Santa Claus cleared for entry to US: official


WASHINGTON - Santa Claus was officially cleared for entry into the United States on Monday as federal agriculture officials waived stringent livestock checks on his nine reindeer.

The US Department of Agriculture announced in a light-hearted statement that a "Mr. S.Claus" of the North Pole was free to enter the United States with his reindeer from December 24 to December 25.

"During this season of giving, USDA wants to do everything in its power to help Santa," said John R. Clifford, USDA's Chief Veterinary Officer.

"We agreed to waive the normal application fees and entry inspection/overtime costs, provided he winks his eye and wishes port personnel a Merry Christmas at the time of crossing."

Authorities also waived the normal health checks for Santa's reindeer -- provided they met certain alternative conditions.

"As a condition of entry, the reindeer must be certified by Santa Claus as never having been fed anything other than hay, sugar plums and gingerbread," the statement said.

"The reindeer must also be individually identified with microchips or official eartag identification, and must respond to the names 'Dasher', 'Dancer', 'Prancer', 'Vixen', 'Comet', 'Cupid', 'Donner,' 'Blitzen' and 'Rudolph' when interacting with port personnel.

"No more than one reindeer in the group may be visibly affected by 'Rednose Syndrome', and upon entry, port personnel will visually inspect the reindeer to ensure they are healthy and fit for continued travel."

The reindeer would also be required to be "pulling a wooden sleigh that has jingling bells attached and is filled with brightly-wrapped gifts."

"Port personnel will clean and disinfect the runners and underside of the sleigh at the time of entry," the statement said.

The USDA's festive statement was in keeping with agencies who acknowledge the existence of Santa Claus, albeit with tongue firmly in cheek.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), which polices the skies above Canada and the United States, regularly tracks the progress of Santa Claus and his reindeer in real time on its NORAD Santa Tracker (www.noradsanta.org).

source: interaksyon.com

Monday, December 23, 2013

‘Smart ring’ now in the works


MANILA, Philippines — A crowdfunded device wearable on one’s finger and is able to act as a remote control and notification platform to one’s smartphone is now set to be manufactured.

The developers behind “Smarty Ring” has so far raised $241,483 at Indiegogo, way past the developer’s fundraising target of $40,000.

“Spending more than eight months of technical research, we have finalized the feasible prototype model,” the group wrote in their status update.

“We have confirmed the possibilities of manufacturing micro-components with the manufacturing companies and we are all set to go,” they added.

The ring is compatible on both iOS and Android, enabling its to receive notifications on calls, text, email, and social media updates from the smartphone it is hooked up with, which could either be inside a bag, pocket, or any place nearby.

It could also be used a remote control on basic smartphone functions such as accepting or rejecting calls, using the camera, and controlling the music player.

It’s default LED display is a clock and could also be used a tracking device in case of theft.

Depending on the functionality, the device can be currently bought from $50 to $175.

source: interaksyon.com

Without injured Gareth Bale, Real Madrid maintains chase of leaders Barcelona, Atletico


MADRID – Real Madrid shrugged off the loss of the injured Gareth Bale as they beat Valencia 3-2 on Sunday to move back to within five points of Barcelona and Atletico Madrid at the top of La Liga.

Barcelona were also victors as an eight-minute hat-trick from Pedro Rodriguez helped them come from 2-0 down to win 5-2 away at Getafe.

Bale’s replacement Angel di Maria put Madrid in front with a fine left-footed drive on 28 minutes, but Pablo Piatti headed home an equaliser for the hosts six minutes later.

Cristiano Ronaldo then headed home Di Maria’s free-kick to put Madrid back in front five minutes before half-time, only for Valencia to level once more when Jeremy Mathieu met Dani Parejo’s corner.

However, Madrid were not to be denied as substitute Jese Rodriguez grabbed the winner with a low drive that beat Vicente Guaita at his near post 10 minutes from time to condemn Nico Estevez to defeat in his first league game in temporary charge of Valencia.

“When a team changes its coach they always play with a lot of desire so it was a difficult game,” said Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti.

“In general I thought we did very well. We maybe needed to maintain a higher tempo after the first goal, but we had the will to win until the last minute and the result is a very important one.”

With Bale sidelined for a second consecutive game by a calf injury, Di Maria made his presence felt in style as he controlled Marcelo’s cross-field pass before firing past Guaita into the far corner.

Valencia, buoyed by the news earlier in the day that Singaporean businessman Peter Lim may be on the verge of taking over the club, responded almost immediately as the diminutive Piatti found space inside the area to head home Juan Bernat’s cross.

Madrid were back in front six minutes later in somewhat controversial circumstances as Ronaldo’s goal was allowed to stand despite the Portuguese appearing to be slightly offside as Di Maria delivered a free-kick from wide on the right.

The hosts were level once again, though, just after the hour mark when Mathieu outjumped Sergio Ramos to flick home Parejo’s corner.

However, Madrid found the goal they desperately needed to keep their title hopes alive as Luka Modric picked out Jese inside the area and his fiercely driven effort slipped through the grasp of Guaita.

Barcelona were also made to work for their victory as goals from Sergio Escudero and Lisandro Lopez had given Getafe a 2-0 lead inside 14 minutes.

However, the Catalans responded like champions as Pedro scored three times in quick succession before the break.

Cesc Fabregas then gave Barca breathing space when he volleyed home Pedro’s cross and the former Arsenal captain doubled his tally from the penalty spot moments later.

“I am just happy for the victory, the goals and to help the team,” said Pedro, who also overtook Lionel Messi and Alexis Sanchez to become Barca’s top scorer in La Liga with 10.

“It was important to finish the year well. It is always difficult coming here due to the way they play, the pitch and the fans.

“We didn’t start how we would have hoped, but we turned the game around which is the most important thing.”

Without the suspended Neymar and injured Messi, the spotlight was on the Catalans’ fringe players in attack to make their claim for a regular starting spot.

Barca boss Gerardo Martino hailed Pedro’s impact having previously seen his opportunities limited this season.

“Pedro has a great eye for goal, everyone in Spain knows that,” said the coach.

“He has a great attitude, he never gives up and he understands that he is an important player, even if he does play in an area of the field where Barcelona have other great players.”

The Barca revival began 10 minutes before half-time when Fabregas released Pedro in behind the defence and his chipped finish had just enough elevation to take it past Miguel Angel Moya.

Pedro then curled home into the top corner from the edge of the area and pounced on a defensive error by Juan Valera to give his side the lead at half-time.

Fabregas made the game safe 22 minutes from time when he finished off a wonderful team move involving Pedro and Sergio Busquets.

Pedro was also involved in Barca’s fifth as was clipped inside the area by Borja Fernandez and Fabregas sent Moya the wrong way from the resultant spot-kick.

source: interaksyon.com

Paul George, Roy Hibbert lead Pacers to rout of Celtics


INDIANAPOLIS – Paul George scored 24 points and Roy Hibbert added 15 points and 12 rebounds Sunday to power the Indiana Pacers to a 106-79 NBA rout of the Boston Celtics.

Indiana’s Lance Stephenson achieved his third triple double of the season with 12 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.

No other NBA player has more than one game with double digits in three statistical categories this season.

The Pacers, with the best record in the Eastern Conference at 22-5, also has 12 points off the bench from Danny Granger, who made his season debut Friday against Houston due to patellar tendinosis that limited him to only five games last season.

The Celtics, who fell to 12-17, lost their third game in a row despite 13 points from Avery Bradley and 11 each from Jeff Green and Courtney Lee.

The Pacers broke open a deadlocked game with a 19-3 run midway into the second quarter for a 42-26 edge. Granger hit two 3-pointers in the spurt and the Celtics never came so close again.

source: interaksyon.com

Swatch wins compensation from Tiffany's in contract row


GENEVA - Swiss watchmaker Swatch Group has won a lawsuit against US jewellery group Tiffany & Co over a failed joint venture to jointly design and market luxury watches.

Tiffany was required to pay Swatch 402 million Swiss francs (327 million euros, $449 million) under the ruling by the Netherlands Arbitration Institute, Swatch said in a statement.

The case stemmed from a 2007-2011 cooperation deal that Swatch said Tiffany had systematically obstructed.

Swatch Group had sought 3.8 billion Swiss francs from its erstwhile partner, while Tiffany had counter-sued for 541.9 million Swiss francs from Swatch.

Swatch said the Netherlands Arbitration Institute had rejected Tiffany's counter-suit.

Tiffany chief executive Michael Kowalski said the company was "shocked and extremely disappointed with the decision" and was reviewing its options with its lawyers.

He said the company had "sufficient financial resources" to pay the award, and that its books would reflect the payment as an after-tax charge of $295 million to $305 million in the fourth quarter.

source: interaksyon.com

Smart releases new app for Web surfing


MANILA, Philippines — Smart Communications, Inc. has released a new mobile apps that gives users mobile access to social networking applications even without Wi-Fi access.

“PowerApp is the world’s first mobile Internet storefront which gives users the ability to access their favorite mobile apps and sites without the need for a Wi-Fi connection, making the experience truly mobile,” Smart said in a press release.

Available applications that can be viewed through PowerApp are Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, Google Plus, LinkedIn, Path, and Waze.

The service, according to Smart, will be made available until January 15, 2014 to prepaid and postpaid subscribers of Smart and Talk ‘N Text.

Aside from the social media use, PowerApp also offers other bundles such as Email, Chat, and Photo packages.

Android users can download the application via Google Play and register for the Free Social Package, originally priced at P20 for one day (Social20) or P10 for 3 hours (Social10).

iOS and feature phone users can also text FREE SOCIAL to 5555 (for Smart Prepaid, Postpaid, Infinity and Talk ‘N Text) 9990 (for Smart Freedom Plan subscribers) or 7577 (for Smart Postpaid All-In users) to avail of the promotion.

source: interaksyon.com

Sunday, December 22, 2013

Looking forward to Christmas


At the end of every year, just like everyone else that I know — I look forward to gifting myself with something special.

For this year, I have my sights on that new iPhone 5S, dubbed as the forward-thinking iPhone. Through the years, I have seen every new incarnation of the iPhone that Apple has had to offer. And each time I am a little more impressed with the new model than I was with the last.

And so it is with the iPhone 5S. Fingerprint scanning is an innovation that got the techie in me really curious. Sure, well-meaning friends have told me that aside from the new color that is gold and the fingerprint scanning, nothing much is new with the iPhone 5S.

I still remember it was in 2008 when I got my first iPhone from Globe Telecom, then the exclusive network carrier of the iPhone in the Philippines. After all, I have been a Globe subscriber for almost 15 years now and when they offered it back then, I just had to have one.

Several iPhones later, I have been lucky get my hands on the latest iPhone year after year. Each new iPhone definitely offered something different from any of the other smartphones, and every iPhone fanatic knows exactly what I’m talking about.

Today, with technology changing faster than Superman’s speed of light, there are so many other smartphones in the market that have and continue to spark my techie interest.


But, old habits die hard — and so it is with the iPhone.

There is always something new about the iPhone that captures the world’s attention. Clear sign of this are the thousands of people around the world who line up to be the first to own one.



What’s under the case

For starters, the most notable has to be the new Touch ID fingerprint scanner, which is embedded directly into the home button. I also noticed the dual-LED flash on the back,  as well as the word iPhone in a slightly lighter font near the bottom of the rear to match the look of iOS 7.

When it comes to technology, the 5s steps up from Apple’s A6 chip to the A7, the first smartphone processor with 64-bit support. Rounding up the specs list, the iPhone 5s features Bluetooth 4.0, GPS and GLONASS for navigation, dual-band and options for 16GB, 32GB or 64GB of built-in storage. It also comes in three color options such as silver (just like the iPhone 5), space gray (gunmetal gray with black highlights on the top and bottom) and gold.

I wonder though why the gold-colored one has received the lion’s share of the attention. All that glitters is gold?

I really believe that it was a stroke of genius for Apple to add a state-of-the-art capacitive fingerprint sensor into the home button itself and protected it with a sturdy sapphire crystal overlay. It’s embedded so well, in fact, that the giveaway that it’s a fingerprint reader is the silver ring encircling the sensor. That steel ring acts as a trigger, which detects your finger and then initiates the scan. Once it’s activated, the sensor is capable of taking high-resolution pictures of your fingerprint from any angle, which it then sends back to the A7 chip for analysis.

The setup process is simple: it took me less than a minute to get scanned. The phone can memorize up to five different fingers (or thumbs), and they can belong to the same person or multiple people, depending on how many friends and family members you’d like to grant access. The training process may sound cumbersome at first, but it gets easier after just a few tries.

First, you start by placing your finger on the home button several times — it usually took us six or seven repeats — and then, once the phone has enough information, it asks you to put your finger on the button at different angles. This can be done by rolling your finger from one side to another, or lifting your finger on and off a few times. After that, you’ll see the final version added to your list of learned prints — you could rename each one so you don’t forget which one is which.

The Touch ID is a great added layer of protection while shaving a couple seconds off the unlock process. It also comes in handy for purchasing iTunes content: you can buy apps, music, books and more without having to type the entire password each time.

Get rolling

One of the first activities I tried with my iPhone 5S is video camera feature. The camera is armed with larger image sensor, larger aperture, and increased light sensitivity.  I have to say that I am more than happy with the video clips I took with the iPhone 5S. A friend asked me to video a concert she was a part of.

I had never taken a video of anything. But, I took the task at hand to heart, and armed with my iPhone 5S, I did the best I could.

No one was more surprised than me to watch just how well the sound of the choir and solo singers had come out and just how steady my hand was in capturing the video.  Pat on the back for me.

Connections matter

After I took the video, sharing it on Instagram and Facebook was my next project.

Using my Globe LTE connection, which offers  great Internet speeds, I was able to upload the video in a matter of seconds and read comments almost instantaneously. In this age of social media, it is considered a crime to store your photos and videos in your phone. With a reliable data connection, we are now empowered to share the things we see, hear, taste, smell, and feel to the rest of the world in just a quick click or tap of a finger.

And speaking of data connection, Globe launched its iPhone Forever program perfect for iPhone fans like me. With the iPhone Forever, subscribers can get a new iPhone year after year, allowing them to swap their current devices with the latest iPhone models for free or with a one-time cashout.

In the case of the iPhone 5S, subscribers can get it for free at iPhone Forever Plan 1999, which already comes with one gigabyte (GB) of LTE surfing and a monthly consumable amount for call and text combo services. The postpaid plan is already bundled with one-month free subscription to Globe Gadget Care and free access to Facebook until Jan. 2014.

If you are an iPhone Forever subscriber, you are bound to get a new iPhone every year. Who gets a new iPhone every year even without finishing the required contract? Only Globe subscribers are given this privilege, and I’m happy to be part of its almost two million postpaid subscriber base.

The forward-thinking iPhone is best paired with a forward-thinking postpaid plan that only Globe can offer with iPhone Forever. Like the millions of others who watch out for every new tweak that Apple adds to its iPhone, in the same way that Globe ups the ante when it comes to its innovative postpaid plan offers, I am there holding my breath and looking forward to see what these will be.

source: philstar.com

A simple recipe for a sensational party food


Bacon-wrapped scallops are one of the most luxurious appetizers you can serve, not to mention one of the easiest to prepare. And for me, that's a great combination.

I like using big, plump Alaskan sea scallops and apple wood smoked bacon. Because there are only two main ingredients in this dish, you need to make sure you use the best quality — the biggest, freshest sea scallops you can find, and the most flavorful bacon. After that, they are so easy to grill that you hardly need a recipe.

There are two types of scallops, but only one of them is appropriate for the grill. Tiny bay scallops are so sweet, you can eat them raw or just lightly sauteed. But they also are more expensive and not suited for grilling. What you want are the larger, less expensive sea scallops.

This all-protein finger food appetizer is perfect for holiday entertaining. It's simple to prep and quick to cook. You even could prepare them in advance. I pre-cook the bacon to render some of the fat and make it soft and pliable for wrapping around the scallops. Then just refrigerate until your guests arrive and pop them on the grill when you want them.

We've also paired these with a simple maple-mustard sauce that is delicious dolloped on top of the scallops just before serving. But feel free to leave that off.



GRILLED BACON-WRAPPED SCALLOPS

Everything tastes better with bacon! And it doesn't get any better than fresh-from-the-ocean sea scallops wrapped with bacon. The scallops take very little time to cook, so I cook the bacon in the oven or microwave for a couple of minutes before I wrap it around the scallops. That way, I am guaranteed to get crispy bacon and tender scallops. The best sea scallops I've ever had are from Alaska, so ask your fishmonger for them.

Start to finish: 20 minutes

Makes 12 to 14 scallops

2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 pound jumbo sea scallops

1/2 pound center-cut bacon

Salt and ground black pepper

Round wooden toothpicks, soaked in water for 30 minutes

Heat the oven to 400 F. Set a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Heat the grill to medium-high.

In a small bowl, mix together the mustard and maple syrup. Set aside.

Use paper towels to blot dry the scallops. Arrange them on a plate, then set aside.

Arrange the bacon in a single layer on the rack over the baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until just starting to cook. Do not fully cook the bacon. Remove the bacon from the oven. If too hot to handle, let cool for several minutes. Once the bacon can be handled, wrap one slice of bacon around each scallop. Secure in place by threading one of the toothpicks through the bacon and scallop.

Use a pastry brush to lightly brush the tops and bottoms of the scallops with bacon fat from the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Serve with the sauce for dolloping a bit onto each.

Nutrition information per scallop: 120 calories; 70 calories from fat (58 percent of total calories); 8 g fat (2.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 25 mg cholesterol;3 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 2 g sugar; 8 g protein; 320 mg sodium.

source: philstar.com

Chilling out in Germany’s Christmas markets


It’s a Filipino fantasy: snow-covered trees, horse-drawn carriages, and chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Many from this tropical paradise imagine a different kind of paradise — a snowflaked paradise — so it’s not so surprising that some Filipinos dream of a white Christmas.

Of course, Filipinos and snow may seem like an odd match: like fire and ice, oil and water, or James Franco hosting the Oscars.

But Insight Vacations makes that particular fantasy a reality. Thanks to tour sponsor Rajah Travel, we were able to experience an eight-day journey through history, rich in Christmas tradition. Imagine snowy castles in the Tyrols, or driving through the Black Forest, or ice-skating in Mozart’s city of Salzburg. With an eight-day coach ride through the Christmas markets of Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the “Winter Wonderland Tour” is a unique way for Filipinos to explore — or get over — their fascination with snow.

The Christmas markets are another treat for Pinoys. Imagine all the handcrafted items you can stuff into maletas — nutcrackers and stuffed animals, train sets and wooden toys, intricate snowflake ornaments, beautiful handmade jewelry. The Philippines has its Christmas bazaars, but Germany has centuries of tradition behind it: the Christmas markets are places where everyone, young and old, gathers in town squares to listen to youth choirs, drink warmed wine or cider, ride on carousels and eat, eat, eat.

First thing to realize about an Insight Winter Wonderland Tour is that it is going to be cold: offered between mid-November and mid-December, it’s the “ber” months for real: temperatures in Germany, Austria and Switzerland can drop below zero Celsius, so bring lots of layers, warm footwear (avoid high heels because you’ll be clambering over snow and ice at times), and wool hats to preserve body heat.




DAY 1 & 2: BRATWURST IN FRANKFURT

AND ROTHENBURG

Start in the city of Frankfurt, where the local Christmas market in Mainz is warmed up by glühwein (or “glow wine”), served at helpful kiosks every five feet or so: it’s mulled wine, usually red port heated up with sugar, cinnamon, cloves and other spices. The glühwein comes in a ceramic cup that you can return for the two-euro deposit or keep as a souvenir.

Around the Mainz market, enjoy the larger-than-life wooden belen display, or take in the many handcrafted ornaments. Artisan candles and German versions of parol lanterns are on display. Everyone’s eating and drinking; some are buying. It’s charming, and instills a warm feeling of Christmas. In our travels, we even encountered a German schoolgirl choir singing and collecting money for Yolanda typhoon victims. If that doesn’t warm the cockles and put you in the spirit of giving, nothing will.

Heading southeast, we traveled to Rothenburg, a walled city with a charming town center (it was particularly charming to Adolf Hitler, who urged Germans to visit the preserved town to see what “true” Germany looked like). Walking through the market square of Alstadt, you are quickly transported back to the 16th century: listen to public performers, load up on bratwurst or schnitzel and try the area’s favorite schneeballen, or snowball pastries (which, to us, tasted like baseball-sized day-old donuts).

DAY 3: MUNCHIN’ IN MUNCHEN


It’s the place where Palestinian terrorists shattered the 1972 Olympic Games, killing nine Israeli athletes. It’s the place where Hitler staged his Munich beer hall rally at Hofbräuhaus Am Platzl to gain support for the National Socialist Party. On the other hand, Munich (or München) is home to Oktoberfest, BMW’s high-tech headquarters and lovely Marienplatz, with its Glockenspiel Tower tolling the noon hour daily. In short, there’s a lot to see in Munich, the capital of Bavaria, and a lot to buy: the Christmas market here is particularly beautiful at night, with store windows showcasing elaborate teddy bear dioramas in motion. An enormous pine tree is hauled in and lit up for the holidays. Head over to the university plazas and stop in at Hofbräuhaus for a taste of pig knuckles and sauerkraut, and a tankard of its patented beer (it still functions as a state brewery). It also operates one of the biggest beer tents during Oktoberfest. If you haven’t been, this involves tens of thousands of people drinking beer simultaneously, and constantly, for 16 days, at the chant of “Einz, Zwei, G’suffa” (“One, two, down the hatch…”) Naturally, such festivity involves a lot of daily cleanup and hosing down of the streets, as people pass out wherever (“Beer corpses”) or toss their cookies.

While still in Bavaria, our Insight Tour took us to one of Mad King Ludwig’s castles — not the one that inspired Walt Disney, but a smaller summer palace up in the snowy hills called Linderhof. Old Ludwig II wasn’t mad, exactly; just a tad eccentric, a lonely figure who loved peacocks and swans (he was known as the Swan King as well as the Moon King). His only completed castle is a cozy, restrained affair, a homage to his favorite ruler, King Louis XIV and his Sun King domain at Versailles.

Our Mercedes-Benz coach next took us to Oberammergau, a truly unique town in the Bavarian hills that stages a Passion play in its town center once every 10 years. (The next is in 2020, if you’re planning ahead.) The reason? Local clerics and townspeople during the late 1600s made a promise to God that, if He spared Oberammergau from the Bubonic Plague, they’d stage a passion play every decade. God apparently came through, so the townspeople hold an elaborate performance in a local theater called Passionspielhaus that lasts for up to seven hours. The town itself is quiet and charming, with its population of about 800 (the Passion Play cast of thousands is largely imported); its houses are decorated in Passion motifs, and stores sell the most ornate hand-carved crucifixes I’ve seen outside of Bethlehem. After a series of tourist complaints in 2000 and 2010, though, the town reportedly struck numerous anti-Semitic references from its play, which were apparently inserted at Hitler’s insistence and never quite excised. Hopefully, Mel Gibson won’t be directing the next staging.

DAY 4: THE HILLS ARE ALIVE…

AND A CUP IN MOZART’S FAVE CAFÉ

We cross over to Austria, and while winter is perhaps not the ideal time to explore the hometown of the Von Trapp family and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, it is a perfect time for Christmas shopping and ice skating near the Mozart statue. A UNESCO Heritage Site, Salzburg has much more to offer than its old claim to fame as “salt city” (the surrounding salt mines made the town rich in pre-Frigidaire days). Visit Mirabell Gardens where Maria taught the Von Trapp kids how to “do-re-mi” (and maybe do your own poses with the statues there), travel by funicular up to Hohensalzburg Castle for a grand view of the town below. Or, if you’re like me, start your Christmas shopping in the town square, then feast on a hot bowl of goulash before repairing to Café Tomaselli, a place that Mozart frequented daily, though he reportedly disliked the “moldy” lemonade there. Inside, it evokes old-world charm despite its obvious tourist clientele. Sit in a corner booth and enjoy coffee culture the Austrian way: with a rich froth, strong brew, and a spoon resting on the adjacent glass of water.

In the evenings, Insight offers optional excursions (these are paid for separately during the tour, ranging from 39 to 60 euros, so bring extra cash) that can range from a horse and carriage ride in the Tyrols, to a sunset cruise on Lake Lucerne, to a special dinner in a typical Austrian chalet that doubles as a dairy farm. We were pleased to dine with such a family, and it was a great opportunity to sit in a cozy chalet and try the local elderberry wine, home-baked bread and homegrown lamb, plus see how the family maintains its organic lifestyle.





DAY 5: STEP INTO INNSBRUCK’S TIME MACHINE

Still in Austria, we go for a bit of schnapps and cured beef in Innsbruck’s Christmas market. Other than its famed Golden Roof in the town center, decorated with 2,783 fire-gilded copper tiles for Emperor Maximilian I’s wedding, Innsbruck is nestled between majestic mountains and offers gorgeous views of the countryside and gabled houses from the Old Inn Bridge (crossing the river Inn). So many German and Austrian towns have preserved their old-world charm, despite heavy bombing during the Second World War; it’s a rare treat for Filipinos to take in life pretty much as it was 200 years ago (well, except for the modern street mimes and yoga cultists who contort for spare change on the cobblestoned streets).

On our way to Switzerland the next morning, our Insight coach passed through Liechtenstein, which is the sixth smallest country in the world. Honestly, I’ve been to Liechtenstein twice now, and I’ve yet to detect anything charming about it. Certainly, its secluded climes and airtight bank accounts have been attractive tax havens in the past, according to our Insight tour director, Rob Lintott. The city center has little to recommend it, other than public art that seems like an afterthought, and the chance to take a few quick snaps and say “I set foot in the sixth smallest country in the world.” It’s a place that, at the end of the day, doesn’t really want to be noticed; yet tour buses pass through it every day, for about an hour, before packing up and moving along.

DAY 6 & 7: LUCERNE’S LAKES AND STONE LIONS

Lucerne has a tragic story, about its Swiss Guards being hired to protect the French monarchy during the French Revolution, only to be sacrificed and massacred by angry crowds as King Louis XVI and family escaped unharmed. True, the Swiss were hired mercenaries, but that doesn’t detract from the overall effect of the Lion Monument (Löwendenkmal) carved in a sandstone cliff near the town’s center. Mark Twain called it  “the most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world,” with its lion figure (representing the Swiss soldiers) in death throes, protecting the French fleur-de-lis as a spear stabs its back. A more modern symbol of Swiss protection can be found at Bucherer, a nearby luxe shop that sells Victorinox Swiss Army knives (not to mention Rolexes) to eager tourists. The Christmas markets here are smaller, more social events than proper shopping venues; so perhaps instead spend the afternoon buying chocolate and enjoying a sunset cruise on Lake Lucerne, with Mt. Pilatus looming majestically in the background. Glimpse Richard Wagner’s lakeside house as you drift by, savoring the biting early December air while you quaff a local Eichoff beer, or perhaps a Lowenbrau. If the weather’s clear, take a cable car ride up the snow-capped Jungfrau and Eiger peaks. Nearer town, explore the Chapel Bridge, a 14th-century wooden structure that crosses the lake. Few photo ops are as pristine as this, capturing the beauty of this part of Europe.

If you happen to be in town on Dec. 5, Lucerne offers one of the stranger Christmas pageants I’ve encountered: the Santa Claus Parade here involves townspeople dressed in white hoodies clanging on barrels strapped to their waists in an almost sinister procession; behind them strides St. Nicholas, or Santa Claus, followed by black-faced and black-attired folk who represent “dark forces”; periodically, these figures streak out into the watching crowds and smear the children with charcoal. Still, it’s not as bizarre as Klausjagen (“Chasing the Claus”), held in nearby Kussnacht the same night, in which townspeople clang cowbells all night long and chase Santa through town with whips. Different strokes for different folks, as they say.

DAY 7 & 8: BLACK FOREST CAKE AND CUCKOOS

Our tour winds up passing through the Black Forest, famous for its cuckoo clocks and carvings and cherry-layered chocolate cake. It’s this pine-covered countryside that led the Brothers Grimm to head into the woods, pen quills in hand, to collect local folk beliefs and lore and compile them into fairytales that are as dark as the forests themselves.

Our Winter Wonderland landed us finally in Heidelberg, which of course has a Filipino connection: Jose Rizal studied here, and also wrote poems such as “Flowers of Heidelberg” during his stay. There is reputedly a statue of Rizal somewhere in this university town, though you’d have to work your way through a lot of schnitzel, carousels and Christmas markets to find it in snowy December.

source: philstar.com

With Fed out of the way, what's next on Wall Street?


NEW YORK - With the U.S. Federal Reserve finally announcing it will start tapering its stimulus, removing a big uncertainty in the market, can Wall Street expect a stronger finish to the year? Not really.

The "Santa Claus rally" is a seasonal anomaly that describes a rise in stock prices in December, generally over the final week of trading prior to the new year.

The benchmark S&P 500's average gain during the last five days of December and the first two of January is about 1.5 percent since 1950, according to Stock Trader's Almanac. The equities market has gone up in December about 80 percent of the time for the past 20 years.

Although the S&P 500 is up just about 1 percent so far this month, the index is up about 27 percent for the year and is on track for its biggest gain since 1997.

"It's been a strong year, and I wouldn't be surprised if investors closed out their year today," said Doug Foreman, co-chief investment officer of Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management.

"There isn't much room or news to move higher from here until next year."

Stocks rallied sharply this week, with the Dow and the S&P 500 closing at records on Friday, following the Fed's mid-week announcement it will reduce its $85 billion monthly bond purchases by $10 billion.

For the week, the Dow gained 3.1 percent, the S&P 500 was up 2.5 percent and the Nasdaq added 2.6 percent.

Trading volume this week was also below average as many investors had already locked in their gains for the year ahead of the holidays.

"There's a lot of transparency in the market, but most of the noise has already been made. We should expect to continue seeing light volume and not much selling as we go into next week," said Mark Martiak, senior wealth strategist Premier Wealth/First Allied Securities in New York.

"We're selling our winners and looking to see what sectors could be the ones to be in next year. I like cyclical and industrials. I want to see the news post-holiday season before I start to recommend defensive names."

With Christmas and New Year's holidays in the middle of the week, trading volume is likely to be lower than previous years. The New York Stock Exchange will close early at 1 p.m. ET on Tuesday and will remain closed for Christmas day.

Analysts say next week will be a start of investors finally shifting focus to the fundamentals of the economy, like economic reports and corporate earnings.

"With the Fed out of the way now, the market is going to move back to making more rational decisions and focus on what really matters in the economy," said Scott Clemons, chief investment strategist at Brown Brothers Harriman Wealth Management.

"Fourth-quarter earnings will start coming in January and the market's full focus will be on those numbers and outlooks."

Economic data due next week include personal income and outlays at 8:30 a.m. ET on Monday. Tuesday's data include durable goods orders at 8:30 a.m. ET and new home sales at 10:00 a.m. ET. On Thursday, weekly jobless claims will be released at 8:30 a.m. ET.

source: interaksyon.com

Saturday, December 21, 2013

After 75 years, Mexico reopens oil industry to foreign investors


MEXICO CITY - Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto signed a controversial law Friday opening the country's oil industry to foreign investment for the first time since it was nationalized in 1938.

Pena Nieto approved the bill after it passed Congress and a majority of Mexican states voted to ratify it.

He called the measure "one of the most transcendent bills in the past half-century," arguing that it has the potential to radically and quickly improve Mexico's economic fortunes.

The reform aims to attract foreign investment with profit and production sharing contracts that would break a 75-year-old monopoly held by state oil company, Petroleos Mexicanos or Pemex.

Oil output has dropped from 3.4 million barrels per day in 2004 to 2.5 million today because of what the bill's supporters say is underinvestment and Mexico imports half the gasoline it consumes.

The government hopes to use foreign and local investment to reverse that trend, increase production, expand refining capacity and drill for shale gas and deep-water oil deposits.

The reforms met few obstacles in the Congress and state legislature because it had the support of the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party and the conservative National Action Party.

But they sparked virulent protests on the left, led by the Democratic Revolution Party, which called the legislation a national betrayal.

Many in Mexico look back with pride at the expulsions of foreign companies by president Lazaro Cardenas in 1938.

The left says that rather than letting foreign companies drill its most precious national resource, the country would be better off cracking down on the rampant and costly corruption and waste at Pemex.

But even though opening the oil and gas industry to private investment is a highly sensitive issue in Mexico, backers of energy reform say it is necessary to save the state-run industry.

They point to aging refineries, lack of deep-water drilling technology and dwindling oil production.

But analysts say it will likely take years before international oil giants such as Exxon Mobil or Shell make a foray into the Mexico.

The left hopes to organize a referendum in 2015 to repeal the legislation.

The "production-sharing" agreement envisioned in the reforms will allow allow private firms to take a cut of the crude they find.

The law also aims to modernize the highly inefficient state electricity sector and make Pemex a more viable and competitive entity.

Supporters argue that without the technical knowhow from foreign energy firms, Mexico will probably be unable to exploit hard-to-reach deep-water oil reserves and shale rock gas deposits.

As oil production declines and shallow-water wells dry up, some experts had predicted the country could become a net importer of oil by 2020 were the measure not enacted.

source: interaksyon.com

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Vertu expands in PH, releases latest phone model


MANILA, Philippines — Vertu, a provider of luxury mobile phones has just expanded in the Philippines, opening their own store at the ground floor of the new East Wing of Shangri-La Mall in Ortigas.

The high-end brand also launched a collection of smartphone models dubbed as Constellation. The phones are said to be handmade in England using the “finest luxury materials”, including high-quality European calf leather as part of the casing.

“We have designed a modern, minimal phone that is sleek and understated,” said Ignacio Germade, head of Total Product Offering at Vertu. “While Constellation takes Vertu in a new design direction, materially it embodies everything that the brand has been renowned for—tactile materials, outstanding engineering, and craftsmanship, and modern technology.”

The Constellation boasts a 5.1 inch piece of sapphire crystal weighing more than 100 carats to cover its entire front, where a 4.3 inch 720p high definition screen sits. This scratch-resistant screen should virtually remain untainted for the phone’s entire life.

It’s also equipped with a Grade 5 titanium casing, a material stronger than stainless steel but weighs half as much, making the phone durable and light.

The Vertu model runs on Android 4.2 Jellybean and powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon dual core 1.7 GHz CPU; also equip with a 32GB internal memory, a 13MP rear-facing camera with full HD video (1080p), a front-facing Skype compliant 1.3MP camera, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and NFC.

Even more compelling are the ringtones, which have been especially composed for Vertu by the London Symphony Orchestra.

As for battery life, the Constellation can last up to two days after a single charging session.

Until June 2012, Vertu was owned by Nokia, wherein the Finnish mobile phone maker sold the majority stake of its luxury phone business to a private equity group EQT for a reported $250-million.

source: interaksyon.com

Beyonce album sets iTunes sales record, tops Billboard chart


LOS ANGELES | R&B star Beyonce’s latest self-titled album surpassed 1 million copies sold worldwide in six days on Wednesday and set a record for iTunes, Apple Inc. and Columbia Records said.

“Beyonce,” the fifth solo studio album from the singer, unexpectedly released in the early hours of December 13 without any prior fanfare, contains 14 new songs and 17 videos, and swiftly topped the iTunes album charts across the world.

The album also debuted at the top of the weekly Billboard 200 album chart on Wednesday, with 617,000 copies sold in the United States by the week ending December 15, according to figures from Nielsen SoundScan.

The deluxe digital album, exclusively available on iTunes, can only be purchased as a complete set of songs and videos, and retails for $15.99 at the U.S. store. A physical version will be made available for sale in time for the festive holiday period this month.

The surprise release of the album caps a year in which Beyonce, 32, made a carefully choreographed return to music after taking time out to give birth to her first child, daughter Blue Ivy with rapper husband Jay Z. Both Blue Ivy and Jay Z feature as collaborators on the new album, and appear in accompanying music videos.

Releasing an album without any prior fanfare or publicity is rare, especially for one of the top players in the current music industry. But Beyonce’s success does not necessarily mean other artists will be able to copy her stealth release strategy.

The singer has numerous factors in her favor, including a loyal online fanbase of more than 53 million Facebook fans, 13 million Twitter followers and 8 million Instagram fans, and a year performing in the spotlight that has created buzz for an album release.

Beyonce’s album has outperformed some of this year’s other most-anticipated new releases, selling more copies than new albums from Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and Britney Spears.

Currently, the year’s top-selling album is Justin Timberlake’s first part of “The 20/20 Experience,” which was released in March with 968,000 copies sold in its opening week, and has topped 2.3 million sales in the U.S. to date.

Nielsen SoundScan compiles sales in the week ending Sunday, meaning that Beyonce’s new album only showed three days of sales in the Billboard chart.

source: interaksyon.com

Emerging Ginebra star Japeth Aguilar is NBA material, declares Asi Taulava


Japeth Aguilar provided one highlight after another for Barangay Ginebra San Miguel on Wednesday against Air 21, blocking eight shots and finishing several rim-rattling dunks.

He finished with 22 points and 12 rebounds and left his opponents a little starstruck.

“I have to tell the other guys to help me out to stop him. They’re enjoying watching him do those dunks,” said veteran Air 21 center Asi Taulava. “I have to tell them quit watching, it’s not film. He’s our opponent.”

The 40-year-old slotman, who played with Aguilar in the national team in the past, noted the huge improvement in the athletic forward’s psyche.

“He’s NBA material. A big guy who can run, block shots, making those dunks,” said Taulava. “His confidence is through the roof.”

For now, Aguilar is plying his wares in the PBA, and Taulava figures he will be a big headache for just about any team.

“We just have to figure out (how to play) against him. We cannot let him roam around the paint like that and block shots.”

source: interaksyon.com