Yahoo! wins case vs Yaahoo biscuit

MANILA, Philippines -- Internet portal Yahoo! Inc. has won its case before the Court of Appeals against a biscuit company that supposedly used its trademark name "Yaahoo" in its food products.

In an 11-page ruling written by Associate Justice Franchito Diamante and concurred in by Associate Justices Ricardo Rosario and Melchor Sadang, the CA's Special 15th Division denied the petition for review filed by Valenzuela City-based Sam Lim Corporation questioning the ruling dated January 9, 2012 of the Office of the Director General of the Intellectual Property Office against the biscuit company.

Yahoo! opposed SLC's application for registration of the trademark "Yaahoo" under classification for goods before the IPO which covers biscuits and other food products.

The American multinational internet corporation argued SLC's "Yaahoo" is confusingly similar to its well-known trademark "Yahoo!".

The SLC intends to register "Yaahoo" for its peanut butter products.

The IPO's Director of the Bureau of Legal Affairs sustained on Jan. 16, 2008 Yahoo's opposition holding that the two, Yahoo! and Yaahoo, are visually and aurally similar.

The SLC sought reconsideration but was denied, prompting it to elevate the case to the CA.

However, the CA said the SLC's petition lacks merit.

It said "[Yahoo!] was able to present overwhelming evidence proving that it is the true owner and prior user of the mark Yahoo! And that it has passed the criteria laid down in Rule 102 of the IPO's Rules and Regulations on trademarks, among others."

source: interaksyon.com

Police confirm explosion at Serendra, Taguig; two reported killed

Police on Friday evening confirmed that an explosion rocked Two Serendra building at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig around 8:07 in the evening. Twitter users said the explosion caused "considerable damage".

A delivery van was damaged as a result of the explosion, reported Radyo Singko 92.3 News FM. Posts on Twitter suggested that a portion of a wall fell on the delivery van, which had body markings for "Abenson's". At least two people were reported killed with an undetermined number of people injured.

Radyo Singko reported that a portion of 11th Avenue, near SM Aura, had been closed off by the police. The cause of the blast was not immediately known.

A resident of Two Serendra Building B told cable news channel ANC that the explosion, from his vantage point at the 6th floor of the building, occurred below his unit's level. Radyo Singko said the blast may have emanated from a condominium unit on the 4th floor. Video posted on Twitter showed an ambulance on site.

The blast took place when Bonifacio Global City had a lot of foot-traffic owing to a pay-day Friday. The Taguig City administrator said fire and police teams were on top of the situation, and were already on site to establish crowd control, as well as to conduct initial investigations.

The explosion appeared to emanate from the residential zone of Two Serendra, but Twitter users said the blast was felt at the commercial areas on the ground level of Bonifacio High Street.

source: interaksyon.com

Google coming out with two new Android phones

SAN FRANCISCO — Google revealed Thursday that it has two new sophisticated Android smartphones in the works, one of which will have the unprecedented distinction of being made in the United States.

An HTC One smartphone customized to be “Google’s take on Android” will make its US debut on June 26 at a price of $599, the head of Android, Chrome and Google Apps said at an AllThingsD conference in California.

“It’s a great device,” Google executive Sundar Pichai said during an on-stage interview.

Google Edition handsets by Taiwan-based HTC will be compatible with carriers AT&T and T-Mobile.

Pichai made the disclosure a day after Motorola Mobility head Dennis Woodside said on the same stage that the company’s was preparing to release its first smartphone since being bought by Google.

The smartphone would be called Moto X and be made in a facility near Fort Worth, Texas, Woodside said.

“It is the first smartphone that is going to be built in the United States,” Woodside said, noting that the plant would employ about 2,000 people by August.

“We think that it is going to allow us to innovate and iterate that much faster.”

Components for Motorola smartphones will come from Taiwan, South Korea, the United States and elsewhere with about 70 percent of the assembly done in Texas, Woodside said.

Moto X would set itself apart from other smartphones with advanced use of sensors such as gyroscopes and accelerometers to make devices adapt to the conditions or circumstances in which they are being used, Woodside said.

“It knows it is in my pocket or out of my pocket, and can anticipate use cases so it knows when I may want to take a picture and fires up the camera,” Woodside said, declining to show the smartphone on stage.

“Imagine you are in the car,” he continued. “The device will know, whether on or off, it is driving at 60 MPH (96 kilometers per hour) and it will act differently.”

Google makes its Android operating system for mobile devices available free to electronics manufacturers.

The company completed its $12.5 billion purchase of the Motorola unit — which makes smartphones and other devices — a year ago, eyeing both its mobile phone line, which uses Google’s Android platform, and some 17,000 valuable patents.

Motorola Mobility was created in 2011 when US-based Motorola Inc split the company into a mobile devices unit and a government and public safety division known as Motorola Solutions.

source: interaksyon.com

EU proposes end to roaming charges in radical mobile shake-up

BRUSSELS — Europe’s Digital Agenda commissioner Neelie Kroes on Thursday proposed a radical shake-up of the mobile phone services market, including an end to roaming charges long denounced by consumer groups.

Kroes said the EU should show the way forward, creating a real single market for telecoms to deliver benefits which will boost economic growth and jobs.

Looking ahead to the 2014 EU elections, Kroes called on European Parliament lawmakers to show “citizens that the EU is relevant to their lives.

“I want you to be able to go back to your constituents and say that you were able to end mobile roaming costs,” she said, referring to the surcharges levied by telecoms operators when a customer uses a mobile phone or tablet outside their home country.

Kroes said she would also be pressing for “real action on cybercrime” and guaranteeing Internet neutrality.

The measures if agreed, would be implemented by 2015 or 2016.

“Markets must function, devices must function, networks must function and investment needs to happen … we can’t afford today’s countless, needless, artificial obstacles placed in the way,” Kroes said.

source: interaksyon.com

3 Filipinas to compete for Miss Universe 2013 crown

At least three Filipinas will be competing for the Miss Universe 2013 crown later this year.

Besides the Philippines’ official bet, Binibining Pilinas-Universe 2013 Ariella Arida, the representatives from Canada and Gabon both have Filipino ancestry.

The Canadian bet is a familiar face to Filipino audiences. Riza Santos — a former “Pinoy Big Brother” housemate and FHM Philippines cover girl — was born to Filipino parents in the Philippines but grew up in Calgary, Alberta in Canada.

Santos already had two national beauty titles tucked under her belt — Miss Earth Canada 2006 and Miss World Canada 2011 — before she won the Miss Universe 2013 crown under unusual circumstances over the weekend.

In an embarrassing gaffe, organizers crowned the wrong winner, Denise Garrido, on Saturday but discovered later that a typographical error had caused a mistake in the tabulation of the scores.

The corrected tally sheets revealed that Garrido was only good enough for a third runner-up finish and Santos was the rightful winner.

“I would like to say thank you to God, my family, friends, and all of my supporters during this humbling yet rewarding journey to become Miss Universe Canada,” Santos said on her webpage after being informed of her victory.

“I can’t begin to express my gratitude and excitement to represent Canada on the international stage. It’s an honour to represent our country and I ask you for your continued support and prayers,” she added.

Ruth Jennifer Ondo Mouchita — the representative from the western African state of Gabon — is half-Filipina, born to a full-blooded Filipino mother. Her Wikipedia entry says she stands half an inch shy of six feet.

Ariella Arida is a Chemistry graduate of the University of the Philippines Los Banos. She stands almost 5’8″.

source: interaksyon.com

Crocodile eats Indonesian, head found in river

KUPANG, Indonesia--A crocodile devoured a man as he fished in an eastern Indonesian river but left his head floating in the water where it was discovered by his distraught family, police said Thursday.

Sam Sem Ledo, a father of 11, set off on Tuesday to go fishing for crabs in the Amabi river in Kupang district on Timor island.

But the 53-year-old had not returned home by the following day, so several of his family members accompanied by police began searching for him.

At first they spotted a basket of crabs, his fishing gear and flip-flops -- but then came face to face with his head floating in an estuary, said local detective Bonifasius Rumbewas.

"We were able to identify him because of the head," added local police chief Mochammad Slamet, who said that other body parts, including intestines, were also found in the water.

Police did not say which of the man's family members were involved in the search

Slamet said Ledo had been killed by a saltwater crocodile, and that the area was infested with them.

source: interaksyon.com

Razer connects gamers worldwide

Razer recently announced the open beta release of Razer Comms, an all-in-one communications solution for gamers.

Applying feedback gleaned from a community-based closed beta program, Razer Comms now combines VoIP client, instant messaging and IRC-chat features, allowing gamers the world over to connect with one service, free of charge. It also features an in-game overlay and seamlessly integrates with PC games, providing for uninterrupted gameplay while at the same time typing or talking with friends.

Razer Comms uses complex audio algorithms and an ultra-fast server infrastructure to deliver precise, crisp and clear communication with no timeouts or lag spikes, and it features advanced noise reduction and echo cancelation, a boon to millions of PC gamers worldwide.

Razer Comms originated as an internal project built on the spare “10 percent passion time” of a couple of engineers. After receiving many fan requests to make it widely available, Razer Comms has now become a fully supported project with a designated team working on it.

Razer encourages every user to continue submitting feedback to help determine the most sought after features and improve Razer Comms further. For more information on Razer’s latest free-to-download software, including how to submit ideas, go to www.razerzone.com/comms.

source: interaksyon.com

Videogame console icon turns mobile play god

SAN FRANCISCO — Videogame industry legend Peter Molyneux says the time is right for people to play God on smartphones.

The former Lionhead Studio chief and Microsoft Game Studios executive has teamed with Japan-based DeNA to get his latest project — GODUS — on the array of mobile devices powered by Android or Apple software.

“There is something incredible happening on these devices,” Molyneux said while hefting a smartphone in one hand. “This is where the home of gaming should really exist.”

Molyneux, whose background in the computer game industry stretches back to the early 1980s, left Microsoft Studios last year and founded startup 22Cans.

He revealed his latest project, which 22Cans is building and DeNA will distribute, the same week that Microsoft unveiled a new Xbox One console designed to be at the heart of home entertainment in the Internet Age.

“When I decided to leave Microsoft and come to this space, the first thing I had to do is think in a completely different way,” Molyneux said of the shift to play on smartphones and tablets.

“Console games are the equivalent of making films, whereas mobile is much more like television soap operas,” he continued.

“In one you design for a defined time spent sitting, while in the other you design to keep the person coming back to see what happens next.”

GODUS puts a mobile Internet spin on a “God game” genre pioneered by Molyneux decades ago.

Players can shape and mold their in-game worlds with brushes, taps or strokes of touchscreens.

“At the heart of the genre is the ability of people to create and engage with their own unique world; being able to feel like this world is yours and that what you do in this world has amazing effects,” Molyneux said.

The more players get inhabitants to believe in his or her godliness, the more powerful they become.

GODUS also allows players to direct their wrath in the form of tornadoes, earthquakes or volcanic eruptions at the followers of rival gods in battles for dominion, according to Molyneux.

“You can take some of your precious followers into these battles; that is more edge-of-the-seat stuff,” he said.

Victory is rewarded with more followers or personalized gifts, such as additional powers or in-world items.

When GODUS is released later this year, it will be free to play, with revenue based on in-game sales of virtual items or abilities.

Molyneux praised mobile devices for the intimacy of touchscreens and rapid-fire innovation compared to years-long cycles for generations of videogame console hardware that put space between players and television screens.

“I would give up the big screen forever as long as I could keep touch,” Molyneux said as he sculpted landscape in GODUS with light strokes of his smartphone screen.

“It destroys this barrier between the audience and the gaming experience.”

Microsoft and Sony are set to release new-generation videogame consoles later this year. Nintendo launched a Wii U console last year that featured a tablet-style second screen, but sales have been dismal.

“Seven years it has taken us to get to the next Xbox and PlayStation, but in that time every three months there is a revision of this technology,” Molyneux said of the smartphone in his hand.

“This device is creating millions of new consumers enjoying games every day, and that is why the opportunities are massive.”

Molyneux said that veteran game industry giants understand the potential of mobile games but equated the firms to “supertankers” that take a while to change direction and remain anchored in the practice of selling game software disks.

“They all, Microsoft included, mistakenly thought that mobile games were just another iteration of Facebook games,” Molyneux said. “These games are more than that.”

Mobile games are on the verge of becoming hobbies, with people playing for free but investing in items, accessories or experiences that expand on their passions, according to the videogame wizard.

“Mobile is about designing a game around engagement instead of spectacle,” said DeNA West chief Clive Downie.

“You are designing something that has to engage people every day versus a packaged entity for a $60 price,” he continued. “That is something the Activisions and the Electronic Arts of the world don’t have.”

source: interaksyon.com

Storm brews over control of key US newspaper group including LA Times

WASHINGTON - With a sale likely of a prominent group of US newspapers, the interest of a potential buyer tied to right-wing causes has galvanized opponents fearing the dailies could become political tools.

The Tribune Co. dailies, including the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Baltimore Sun and five others could be sold in what may be one of the biggest newspaper deals in US history.

Although no official bids have been announced, the mere hint of interest from billionaire industrialists Charles and David Koch -- famous for bankrolling conservative causes -- has some activists in a frenzy.

Protests have taken place in Los Angeles, Chicago and Baltimore, and more are planned.

"It's unlikely the Koch brothers would take over these papers and not try to use them to advance their conservative agenda," said Angelo Carusone of Media Matters, a watchdog group with the avowed mission of countering "conservative misinformation" in the news media.

"These are not just run-of-the-mill papers," Carusone said. "We are talking about eight publications which are either exclusive or influential in the local communities."

Rick Jacobs of the progressive advocacy Courage Campaign, which has organized some of the protests, said the group is working on a coalition to block a sale to the Koch brothers.

"We want genuine journalists to have good jobs and be free to report the news," Jacobs said.

"The Koch brothers have never been involved in newspapers," he said. "The only reason they would be interested is to further their political goals."

According to a report in the Chicago Tribune, some 40 potential buyers have expressed interest in one or more of the newspapers, but the company would like to sell the group in a single transaction.

Dan Kennedy, a journalism professor at Northeastern University, said that by selling the newspapers in a single deal, "you end up with only very wealthy potential buyers," such as the Koch brothers or Rupert Murdoch's News Corp.

"Local people who are more invested in their communities are likely to be better stewards of community journalism in the long run," Kennedy said, noting that "people buying newspapers to advance a political agenda is nothing new."

He said the furor over the Koch brothers owes to the fact that "not only are they extreme libertarians, but because they seem to hate the media."

Murdoch, on the other hand, despite criticism over his political views, has a long history in the newspaper industry in Australia, Britain and the US, where he owns The Wall Street Journal and New York Post.

"If I were at one of those newspapers, I would find myself rooting for Murdoch rather than the Koch brothers," Kennedy said.

The intense reaction to the Koch brothers highlights a bitterly partisan political landscape, with the family in focus for backing policy groups such as the libertarian Cato Institute think tank in Washington.

The Koch brothers also were behind the formation of the Americans for Prosperity political action group, which supports many causes backed by the ultra-conservative Tea Party, although they are not formally affiliated.

Koch Industries, which focuses on petroleum refining and chemicals and pipelines, said in a statement that it was "constantly exploring profitable opportunities in many industries and sectors."

Critics of the Koch brothers accuse them of funding efforts to quash labor unions, especially in a highly contentious battle over public sector unions in Wisconsin.

Koch Industries' Melissa Cohlmia said in a statement that about 30 percent of the company's employees are represented by a union.

"Koch has mutually respectful and productive relationships with the unions that represent its employees -- this has been true for more than 50 years," she said.

Some civic organizations have been seeking to raise funds for alternative bids. A group called "The Other 98 Percent" has launched a crowdfunding effort for the newspapers.

"This is a way for Americans to say that they're tired of billionaires fighting over who gets to control our media," said the group's Nicole Carty.

Politics aside, the economics for any buyer of any of the newspapers will be daunting.

The publishing operations had been valued at $623 million during Tribune Co. bankruptcy proceedings, but media analyst Ken Doctor said "the value of these properties is dropping month by month, year by year."

"We know revenue is down, and they are struggling with circulation.

"If they are maintaining their profits they are only doing that by significant cutting," including of newsroom staff, Doctor said.

There could be pitfalls for any new owners, be they politically motivated investors or civic organizations.

"There is a three- to five-year turnaround at this point," Doctor said, as newspapers find a way to manage a transition to digital. "They will need to beef up news coverage and digital innovation."

But if the Koch brothers make the newspapers "plainly partisan," it would drive away subscribers "and they turn more quickly into irrelevance."

source: interaksyon.com

Cannes auction of space trip with DiCaprio raises 1.2 million euros for charity

CANNES – A trip to space with Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio raised 1.2 million euros ($1.5 million) for charity at a glitzy fundraiser at the Cannes film festival on Thursday.

At the 20th annual event organized by amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research, DiCaprio emerged as the mystery guest to accompany the winner on a Virgin Galactic flight into space.

Actress Sharon Stone said the winner would spend three days in training with DiCaprio in Mexico before blast-off.

“You don’t get to go to outer space every day with a handsome movie star,” said Stone, dressed in a tight-fitting white dress with a gold snake trim down the back.

The bidding started at 1 million euros ($1.29 million).

The auction brochure for the star-studded gala held at the five-star Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes, France, near Cannes, said DiCaprio and the winning bidder would be among the first 1,000 people to leave the planet.

The winning bidder, Vasily Klyukin, 37, a Russian living in Monaco, said he had always wanted to go into space.

“I want to be a bit daring,” Klyukin, who works in real estate, told Reuters. “I will have to give up smoking now for sure!”

After the winning bid from Klyukin — who also bought a gold and diamond necklace for 400,000 euros ($517,000) — Stone announced two other tickets were available on the flight. They raised another 1.8 million euros ($2.3 million).

The auction raised 25 million euros ($32.3 million) in total, more than double last year’s sum of 11 million euros($14.2 million).

The amfAR gala is the biggest fundraising event at the world’s largest film festival. The benefit was first hosted by Elizabeth Taylor.

The list of stars attending Thursday’s event included DiCaprio, Cannes jury members Nicole Kidman and Christopher Waltz, singers Kylie Minogue and Janet Jackson, and actors Adrien Brody, Jessica Chastain and Goldie Hawn.

The evening featured performances by gold-clad Shirley Bassey singing “Goldfinger” and British pop band Duran Duran.

Introducing the event, supermodel Heidi Klum said it raised more than 10 million euros ($12.9 million) a year for AIDS research.

Other auction items included tickets to Hollywood events, a Damien Hirst painting, an Annie Leibovitz family portrait, the chance to star in four movies and a private performance from Simon Le Bon and John Taylor of Duran Duran.

source: interaksyon.com

Google, Facebook in bidding war to buy Waze for $1 billion: report

Google Inc is considering buying Israeli mobile satellite navigation start-up Waze Inc, which may lead to a bidding war with Facebook Inc, Bloomberg news reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

Waze is seeking more than $1 billion and is fielding expressions of interest from multiple parties, said Bloomberg, citing a source.

Other media have reported that Facebook Inc has held talks to buy Waze for as much as $1 billion.

Google and other parties approached Waze after the Facebook talks became public but none of the bidders are close to clinching a deal, Bloomberg said, adding that the start-up might decide to remain independent.

Waze could not immediately be reached for comment. Google did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Waze uses satellite signals from members’ smartphones to generate maps and traffic data, which it then shares with other users, offering real-time traffic info.

source: interaksyon.com

U.S. gospel singer sues McDonald's, claims glass in sandwich ruined her voice

MANILA, Philippines – A gospel singer from New York sued McDonald’s after she bit a chicken sandwich she bought from the fast food giant, the New York Post reported recently. The sandwhich allegedly contained a piece of glass bigger than a penny.

Jacqueline Simpson, 52, who filed the suit before the Brooklyn Supreme Court, told the Post that she had bought the glass-laden sandwich from a McDonald’s branch near the World Trade Center in May 2010.

After eating the sandwich, Simpson, who works as a clerk for the state Attorney General’s Office, said her voice became "hoarse" and "rattly,” according to The Post.

“I still sing alto, but I can’t sing soprano like I used to,” The Post quoted Simpson as saying.

“I have to make a lot of calls for work, and I have to tell people that I’m not a man.  “Before, that never happened,” added Simpson.

source: interaksyon.com

Pacman remains richest congressman

MANILA, Philippines -- Manny Pacquiao may have lost his boxing crown but the Sarangani representative remains king in the House of Representatives, remaining the wealthiest of the chambers’ 278 members according to the summary report of filed Statements of Assets Liabilities and Net worth for 2012.

Pacquiao's net worth even jumped from P1.352 billion in 2011 to P1.770 billion in 2012, according to the document released by the Office of the House Secretary General. 

In 2010, the boxing champion posted a net worth of P1.130 billion. For 2012, he had a total of P258 million liabilities.

For the third straight year, Anakpawis party-list Representative Rafael Mariano was the poorest, with a net worth of only P92,507.

ALE Representative Catalina Bagasina emerged as the richest party-list member with a net worth of P113.77 million.

The 10 richest members of the House remained the same as last year, except for Ilocos Norte Representative Rodolfo Farinas, who fell to 16th spot, and Rizal Representative Joel Roy Duavit, who joined the ranks of the wealthiest.

The top 20 richest House members are:

    1.   Manny Pacquiao (Sarangani) - P1.770 billion (net worth)
    2.   Imelda Marcos (Ilocos Norte) - P 922.80 million
    3.   Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. (Quezon City) - P 817.54 million
    4.   Alfredo Benitez (Negros Occidental) - P 702.06 million
    5.   Julio Ledesma IV (Negros Occidental) - P 590.55 million
    6.   Martin Romualdez (Leyte) - P 474.18 million
    7.   Mark Villar (Las Pinas) - P 361.78 million
    8.   Augusto Syjuco (Iloilo) - P 301.57 million
    9.   Enrique Cojuangco (Tarlac) - P 214.83 million
    10. Joel Roy Duavit (Rizal) - P 195.92 million
    11. Rodolfo Antonino  (Nueva Ecija) - P 189.00 million
    12. Danilo Suarez  (Quezon) - P 188.72 million
    13. Lucy Torres-Gomez  (Leyte) - P 179.60 million
    14. Ferjenel Biron (Iloilo) - P 173.39 million
    15. Lani Mercado (Cavite) - P 169.14 million
    16. Rodolfo Farinas (Ilocos Norte) - P 159.48 million
    17. Aurelio Gonzales (Pampanga) - P 158.30 million
    18. Rodolfo Valencia (Oriental Mindoro) - P 150.64 million
    19. Joseph Violago (Nueva Ecija) - P 121.26 million
    20. Gloria Arroyo  (Pampanga) - P 120.51 million


(Click to download the list of House members according to net worth)

Among the House members who ran for senator, Aurora Representative Juan Edgardo Angara was the wealthiest, with a net worth of P99.48 million.

He was followed by Zambales Representative Mitos Magsaysay with P82.61 million, Cagayan Representative Jack Enrile with P78.71 million, San Juan Representative Joseph Victor Ejercito with P72.62 million, and Bayan Muna party-list Representative Teddy Casino with P446,389.

Angara and Ejercito made it to the top 12 in the Senate race.

source: interaksyon.com

Microsoft unveils Xbox One with Spielberg, Activision tie-up

EDMOND, Washington — Microsoft Corp gave the world a first look at its new Xbox One on Tuesday, announcing that its first gaming console in eight years will come with exclusive video and software content, including a “Halo” series produced by Steven Spielberg.

The Xbox One, which will be available later this year at a price to be announced, will also be the first platform to release the next installment in Activision Blizzard Inc’s blockbuster shooter franchise, “Call of Duty”.

Microsoft hopes its third-generation console will attract video game fans who are increasingly sampling games on mobile devices, while also becoming a hub for living room entertainment.

The console took four years to develop and will launch worldwide “later this year,” games unit chief Don Mattrick told reporters at an event at the software company’s campus near Seattle, without providing details on timing or pricing.

The device’s launch came after months of intense speculation on industry blogs about what new features it might sport.

The new device interacts with a television, responds to voice and gesture commands, and includes Skype video calling, 15 exclusive game titles and original programming content.

The Xbox One will chiefly compete with Nintendo Co’s new Wii U and Sony Corp’s forthcoming PlayStation 4 for a bigger slice of the $65 billion-a-year computer game market.

Lion’s share

Console gaming still takes the lion’s share of a growing gaming market – about 42 percent of the $65 billion world market, according to Microsoft. But playing games on smartphones and tablets, or as an offshoot to online social networks, is gaining ground fast.

The world’s largest software company also sees the Xbox One as a broader strategic piece in the battle with Apple Inc, Google Inc and others to control consumer entertainment in the age of tablets and smartphones.

To that end, Microsoft presented the new box as more than just a video game console.

Acclaimed movie maker Steven Spielberg will be executive-producing a television series based on Microsoft’s blockbuster sci-fi game “Halo” for the Xbox One, the company said.

The new console will offer exclusive National Football League content and eight new game franchises, executives said.

Activision Blizzard Inc will launch “Call of Duty: Ghosts” later in 2013, first for the Xbox.

The device will have 8 gigabytes of memory, with an updated controller and new-generation Kinect sensor that communicates a user’s voice and gesture commands to the console. The technology is built on the Xbox operating system and the kernel of Windows software to handle Internet-based content.

Moreover, the device will let users store entertainment content, including movies, games and music, on cloud servers, the company said.

Despite its strong brand and ‘cool’ factor, the Xbox itself is not a key financial factor for the world’s largest software maker. Its Entertainment & Devices unit is set to break $10 billion in sales for the first time this year, but that’s half the sales of its Windows unit, and a lot less profitable, averaging less than 15 percent margin compared to 60 percent or higher for Windows or Office.

The company has more than 46 million members who subscribe to its online gaming and digital entertainment service Xbox Live, but that’s still a fraction of the people who pay for its software.

Microsoft’s stock was up slightly at $35.02 in afternoon trading on Nasdaq.

source: interaksyon.com

London attack mirrors plot to behead Muslim soldier

London (CNN) -- The attack on a soldier hacked to death on a London street has echoes of other plots on British soil in recent years.

The victim of Wednesday's attack in Woolwich was a serving soldier based at a nearby barracks, London police say, and the UK government is treating it as a suspected terrorist attack.

In 2007 four men were imprisoned over a plot to kidnap and kill a British Muslim soldier on leave and behead him in a Birmingham garage. The group's ringleader Parviz Khan intended to behead the soldier "like a pig" and release footage of the killing on the internet.

Khan was later imprisoned for life and must serve a minimum of 14 years before he will be considered for release. Three other men, Basiru Gassama, Mohammed Irfan, and Hamid Elasmar, were handed down sentences of between two and seven years for their roles in the plot.

High Court judge Mr Justice Henriques said Khan's aim was to deter any Muslim from joining the British army.

"So rampant are your views, so excitable your temperament, so persuasive your tongue and so imbued with energy are you, it's quite impossible to predict when, if ever, it will be safe for you to be released into the public," the Guardian quoted the judge as saying.

"It was a plot whose purpose was to undermine democratic government, to demoralize the British army and to destabilize recruitment, and to cause anguish to the then prime minister of the day and the loyal citizens of the country," the judge said.

Prosecutors said Khan hoped to kidnap the Muslim soldier in Birmingham's Broad Street entertainment quarter with the help of drug dealers.

This is not the only recent example of serving soldiers being the targets of terrorist attacks. Last month three British-born men were imprisoned for between four and nine years for preparing acts of terrorism. The men, who pleaded guilty had discussed targeting Royal Wootton Bassett, a town that became a focal point for parades by UK troops returning from service in Afghanistan.

The judge, Mr. Justice Simon, said they had shown themselves to be "committed fundamentalists" ready to kill. Muslim convert Richard Dart, a former BBC security guard, and co-defandant Imran Mahmood had discussed how to make explosives, with the western English town as a potential bombing target.

source: CNN

Oklahoma tornado victims astounded at how they survived

MOORE, Oklahoma - Tornado survivors thanked God, sturdy closets and luck in explaining how they lived through the colossal twister that devastated an Oklahoma town and killed 24 people, an astonishingly low toll given the extent of destruction.

At least one family took refuge in a bathtub and some people shut themselves in underground shelters built into their houses when the powerful storm tore through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday.

While rescue workers and body-sniffing dogs sifted through the ruins on Wednesday, those who escaped told their stories of survival while trying to salvage what was left of their belongings.

"Yesterday I was numb. Today I cried a lot. Now I'm on the victory side of it," said Beth Vrooman, who hid in a shelter in her garage in Moore during the storm.

The tornado's winds exceeded 200 miles per hour, flattened entire blocks and demolished two schools and a hospital on the storm's 17-mile (27-km), 50-minute rampage through central Oklahoma.

Of the 24 people killed, 10 were children, including seven who died at Plaza Towers Elementary School. About 240 others were injured. The youngest victim was four months old. The oldest was 63.

Listed as the highest category of storm - an EF5 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale - the twister damaged or obliterated 12,000 to 13,000 homes and affected an estimated 33,000 people, said Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett.

President Barack Obama was due to survey the damage himself on Sunday, a White House spokesman said.

After rescue workers pulled more than 100 survivors from the debris, authorities said six people remained unaccounted for in Moore, a town of 55,000 people.

"They're not sure if they've walked off or if they are in the rubble," Albert Ashwood, director of Oklahoma's Department of Emergency Management, told a news conference.

Experts explaining the low death toll cited a relatively long advance warning of 16 minutes for the tornado and high awareness of the dangers in a region known as Tornado Alley.

Even so, some survivors were astounded they made it.

Tonya Williams, 38, said she still felt in shock after surviving the tornado, as so many did, by taking shelter in a closet.

She put bicycle helmets on her 8-year-old daughter and 6-year-old son, collected her three dogs and pushed them all into a hall closet.

"We prayed. I could feel pressure, and being sucked. I put my body over them to try to protect them," Williams said.

Neighbors dug them out. The roof and upper story of the house had collapsed into and around the closet. Williams and her children suffered only minor injuries.

A large wooden cross that had been hanging on an upstairs wall was found on top of them, she said.

"If you weren't a religious person before, you are now," Williams said. "No word can describe it but a miracle."

Most of the victims died of blunt force injuries and five of the children died from mechanical asphyxiation, when a person's chest is compressed so that it cannot take in air, the state medical examiner said.

Jessica Parmenter, 26, and her three small dogs were at home and directly in the tornado's path. Neighbors rushed to a nearby storm shelter but she did not make it in time and took refuge in a closet. Afterward, a neighbor found Parmenter inside with her dogs. The rest of her home was gone.

"The only thing standing was the closet," said Parmenter's mother-in-law, Lori Blake. "There is a hole in the closet. It kept trying to suck her out and she kept holding on."

Tornado Alley

Some ascribed the relatively few deaths to "storm safe" shelters, but only 2.5 percent of homes in Oklahoma County were so equipped, officials said.

Moore, which has seen four tornadoes since 1998, had experienced the fury of the strongest category of tornado previously when an EF5 twister devastated the region on May 3, 1999, killing more than 40 people.

The National Weather Service had been issuing alerts for days ahead of the latest storm.

"As much as any place on earth, folks who live in Moore know what severe weather alerts mean," said Bill Bunting, chief of operations for the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma.

Still, the largely conservative state so far has resisted government imposing requirements that new homes or schools come equipped with storm shelters.

"We're going to have that discussion as a state as well as a community," US Representative Tom Cole, a Republican whose district includes the area hit by the tornado, told MSNBC.

Kraig Boozier, 47, took to his own small shelter in Oklahoma City and watched in shock as a fan in the wall was ripped out.

"I looked up and saw the tornado above me," he said.

In Oklahoma City, Jackie Raper, 73, and her daughter, sought shelter in the bathtub.

"The house fell on top of her," said Caylin Burgett, 16, who says Raper is like a grandmother to her. Raper suffered a broken arm and leg as well as bruised lungs, Burgett said. (Additional reporting by Alice Mannette, Lindsay Morris, Nick Carey, Brendan O'Brien, Greg McCune, Jane Sutton and Susan Heavey)

source: interaksyon.com

Latest trailer of ‘Man of Steel’ reveals more of Superman’s new enemies

And it’s not Lex Luthor. In fact, the most famous nemesis of the DC Comics superhero is not even in “Man of Steel”, Zach Snyder’s highly anticipated reboot of the Superman film franchise.

But the filmmaker who specializes in the science fiction genre (“Watchmen”, “300”) is bringing back another famous villain that became a household name from “Superman II”. Yes, General Zod, that pesky Kryptonian who held a grudge against Superman’s old man, Jor-El, is back to wreak havoc in the new film.

Originally played by British actor Terence Stamp, the megalomaniac Kryptonian general with the same superpowers as Superman will now be essayed by acclaimed character actor Michael Shannon, who received an Academy Award nomination for Sam Mendes’ “Revolutionary Road” in 2008.

Aside from Shannon, the trailer dubbed as “Fate of Your Planet” also includes a glimpse of Lawrence Fishburne as Perry White, the editor-in-chief of The Daily Planet newspaper where Superman’s alter ego Clark Kent works as a reporter. (British actor Henry Cavill plays Clark Kent, as well as Kal-El and Superman himself.)

There’s also a close-up of German actress Antje Traue who plays Faora, a member of Zod’s surviving Kryptonian army. In “Superman II”, Zod’s lone female follower Ursa was played by Sarah Douglas.

Also starring in “Man of Steel” are Amy Adams as Lois Lane, Kevin Costner and Diane Lane as Jonathan and Martha Kent and Russell Crowe as Jor-El. Christopher Meloni, Harry Lennix, Michael Kelly and Richard Schiff round up the rest of the cast.

In “Man of Steel”, a young man embarks on a journey after he learns that he has extraordinary powers and is not from this Earth. But with the world on the brink of annihilation, he must find the hero in him and become the symbol of hope for all mankind.

Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, the film opens in the Philippines on June 12 in IMAX 3D, Digital 3D and regular theaters nationwide.

trailer

source: interaksyon.com

Existing home sales in US highest in almost three-and-a-half years

WASHINGTON - Home resales rose in April to the highest level in nearly 3-1/2 years as surging prices lured sellers back into market, which should support the housing sector and the overall economic recovery.

The National Association of Realtors said on Wednesday existing home sales advanced 0.6 percent to an annual rate of 4.97 million units, the highest level since November 2009.

The March sales pace was revised up to 4.94 million units from the previously reported 4.92 million units.

The increase, however, was below expectations for a rise to a 4.99 million-unit rate last month. Compared to April last year, home resales were up 9.7 percent.

Tight supplies in some parts of the country are slowing down the pace of sales, but sellers are starting to wade back into the market, attracted by rising house prices.

The housing market is one of the bright spots in the economy, which has been hit by higher taxes and deep government budget cuts.

In April, the median home sales price increased 11 percent from a year ago to $192,800, the highest level since August 2008. With prices rising, more sellers put their properties on the market, lifting the inventory of unsold homes on the market 11.9 percent from March to 2.16 million.

That represented a 5.2 months' supply at April's sales pace, up from 4.7 months in March.

Still, it remained below the 6.0 months that is normally considered as a healthy balance between supply and demand.

A very accommodative monetary policy by the Federal Reserve, which has held mortgage rates near record lows, is helping to lift the housing market off the floor.

source: interaksyon.com

Japan hospital tests powerful breast cancer therapy

TOKYO  - A Japanese cancer specialist said Wednesday she has started the world's first clinical trial of a powerful, non-surgical, short-term radiation therapy for breast cancer.

The National Institute of Radiological Sciences has begun the trial using "heavy ion radiotherapy" which emits a pinpoint beam that can be accurately directed at malignant cells, said Kumiko Karasawa, radiation oncologist and breast cancer specialist.

The study was launched amid renewed global interest in breast cancer and its treatment after Oscar-winning actress Angelina Jolie revealed she had undergone a preventative double mastectomy.

Heavy ion radiotherapy has proved effective in combating other forms of cancer that have not spread, Karasawa said.

"We are able to conduct this trial because we have greater understanding of what types of breast cancer can benefit from this pinpoint treatment," Karasawa told AFP.

Development of medical apparatus that keeps soft breast tissue immobile for this treatment has also helped, she added.

Japan is a leader in the technology used in the treatment, and is home to three of the world's six medical centres that have the gigantic 10-billion-yen ($97.2 million) facilities, Karasawa said.

The therapy has proved its worth on other forms of cancer, including prostate and lung, Kyodo News said, but has never before been used on breast cancer.

Conventional radiotherapy uses X-rays and gamma rays that are most potent at the surface of the body, but weaken as they travel deeper into the tissue.

Heavy ion particle beams maintain their strength to a much greater depth.

In the trial, Karasawa will treat a total of 20 patients aged at least 60 and with small tumours that have not spread.

The patients will go through an hour of therapy per day for four days, much shorter than conventional radiation therapy that may last for months, Karasawa said.

The trial will follow the patients for five years to assess the outcome, she said.

"Ultimately, this could provide an option for patients who do not want surgery and who cannot go through (common radiation therapy) requiring regular visits to clinics for months," she said.

Japan, which has a high-quality medical system, has a good track record with breast cancer, giving patients a 90 percent five-year survival rate.

Localised and less invasive medical treatments are increasingly important as ageing Japan tries to reduce the physical burden for patients, the national institute said in a statement.

source: interaksyon.com

Dole Philippines starts banana exports to US next month

MANILA - Dole Philippines next month will start shipping Cavendish bananas to the US, an official of the Department of Agriculture (DA) said yesterday.

Clarito Barron, DA-Bureau of Plant Industry director, said 3,000 metric tons of bananas would be shipped to US military bases.

“The initial export will be 3,000 metric tons, which will be shipped by June,” he said.

The Philippines has pursued alternative export markets after China imposed stricter sanitary and phyto-sanitary restrictions on Manila's bananas. Besides the US, the Philippines is also eyeing more shipments to Japan, Korea and the Middle East.

source: interaksyon.com

Netizens take sides after Jake Ejercito slams Georgina Wilson for anti-Erap tweet

For posting a rather nasty tweet against former President and now Manila mayor-elect Joseph Estrada, model and TV host Georgina Wilson got a mouthful of response from Estrada’s young son and rising matinee idol Jake Ejercito.

Georgina’s tweet, which she has since deleted went, “ugh i hate politics – but I only have one thing to say: Anyone that votes for Erap is a f***ing idiot.”

The young Ejercito’s retort? “Ms. Wilson, social media might be a free world but I think it’s quite irresponsible to express such an opinion unless you are well-versed with the current situation of the city of Manila and how the present local administration has failed to handle it. Moreover, to call 325,288 Manileños, including the 9.4 million Filipinos who voted for him in 2010, ‘fucking idiots’ is harsh and truly uncalled for. Don’t hate without knowing the facts.”

Jake’s tweet immediately drew responses from several netizens on Twitter who either took his side or that of Georgina. An expected word war between the two did not materialize as Georgina did not respond to Jake’s post and did not tweet anything more about the matter.

source: interaksyon.com

5 Things We'd Change About Facebook Mobile

At the beginning of this year, Facebook overtook Google Maps as the most-used mobile app in the U.S. The social network giant also recently introduced a controversial new mobile interface, Facebook Home. Earlier this week, Home hit 1 million downloads. Love it or hate it (or both), Facebook is a cornerstone of the mobile experience.

But being in the spotlight means taking your share of criticism. And if the Facebook app represents our smartphone-centric lives ... well, it has a few issues. None of them are deal breakers, but Mashable loves to tinker. Read on to see our list of things we would change about the Facebook app.

1. Embrace Line Wrap

 

Facebook frequently truncates the longer titles of shared content in its mobile News Feed. Instead of making reasonable space for posts that need a little more explanation, Facebook disregards the practically ancient technology of line wrapping in favor of this lazy shortcut. Abbreviating your friends' posts not only makes them instantly less appealing — it makes Facebook's mobile experience noticeably inferior to Facebook on the desktop.

2. Chat Head Support Outside the iOS App

 

When Mark Zuckerberg revealed Facebook Home for Android, he also showed how chat heads would work — namely, across all apps. Playing a game or scrolling through Instagram? Chat heads can pop in and make communication more fluid.




On iOS, however, the little chat bubbles are strictly confined to the Facebook app, and mostly serve to crowd the screen and obscure posts. Alleviating this problem and mimicking Android seems against Apple's modus operandi, but it's something we'd like to see.

3. Load Links Faster in Safari

 

If you're running the Facebook app on iOS, you're used to staring at a blank white screen bordered by indifferent blue as Facebook struggles to connect with Safari. It is a cruel screen, and we'd prefer never to see it again.

4. Smoother Gestures on Pictures

 

Facebook's photo viewing has grown more beautiful and intuitive over time. But we still accidentally close photos on a regular basis, and the "double-tap to like" feature from Instagram would be a welcome addition now that the two networks are so intertwined.

5. Faster, Faster, Faster

 

The perennial truth of the Facebook app: it could stand to be faster. We want to see what friends are up to, but we get tired of sitting at the top the news feed watching a wheel spin. Don't tempt us with the promise of new posts if you can't deliver, Facebook. Increased speed across the entire app would be appreciated.


source: mashable.com

Perfect colorless diamond auctioned for record $23.5M

GENEVA - A new colorless, pear-shaped diamond weighing 101.73 carats raked in a record 23 million Swiss francs ($23.5 million, 18.5 million euros) at a Christie's auction in Geneva late Wednesday.

The price, which does not include tax or commission, is the highest ever paid for a flawless colorless diamond, according to the auction house, which had hoped the gem would go for $30 million.

"Twenty-three million (Swiss) francs! Your last chance! Twenty-three million, sold!" Francois Curiel, the head of Christie's jewelry division shouted, clinching the deal before some 150 people gathered for the auction at a luxury Geneva hotel.

Including tax and commission, the total ticked in at $26.7 million, Christies said after the sale of the stone, which is the largest diamond in its category ever to go under the hammer.

The American Institute of Gemology has handed the gemstone the top colorless grade "D" and the best clarity grade, "flawless", which is characterized by its "absolute symmetry", according to Christies.

In the rough, the diamond was 236 carats when it was extracted from the Jwaneng mine in Botswana, before it was meticulously sculpted for 21 months, Christie's said.

Wednesday's auction marked the first time the rock goes on sale, and the buyer will have the privilege of naming it.

Wednesday's sale marked the highest price ever paid for a flawless colorless diamond at auction.

The previous auction-price record-holder in this category was the 84.37-carat Chloe round diamond, snapped up at a Sotheby's auction in Geneva in 2007 by Guess Jeans founder Georges Marciano.

A diamond merchant sold the new diamond, the centerpiece of Christie's traditional May jewelry and luxury watch sale, but it was not immediately clear who the deep-pocketed buyer was.

In the "colorless, flawless" category, the reigning world champion in terms of size is meanwhile the Cullinan Diamond, a gem weighing 530.2 carats that is part of the British crown jewels.

Last November, Christie's sold the 76-carat Archduke Joseph Diamond, in the initially flawless category a notch below flawless, on auction in Geneva for $21.5 million.

And in May 2011, a heart-shaped 56-carat diamond was auctioned off for $10.9 million.

The Elizabeth Taylor Diamond, which is in the same D-colour category but weighs in at only 33.19 carats, was meanwhile sold for $8.8 million on auction in New York in December 2011.

source: interaksyon.com

Google launches streaming music service ahead of Apple

SAN FRANCISCO — Google Inc launched a music service on Wednesday that allows users to listen to unlimited songs for $9.99 a month, challenging smaller companies like Pandora and Spotify in the market for streaming music.

With its new service, announced at its annual developers’ conference in San Francisco, Google has adopted the streaming music business model ahead of rival Apple Inc, which pioneered online music purchases with iTunes.

Google’s “All Access” service lets users customize song selections from 22 genres, ranging from Jazz to Indie music, stream individual playlists, or listen to a curated, radio-like stream that can be tweaked. It will be launched for U.S. users first, before being rolled out to several other countries.

Google unveiled a string of improvements to other services, including new mapping features and a voice-activated search, at the conference. The focus was on giving more options to users of mobile devices using its Android software, the operating system that now runs three out of every four smartphones sold.

Shares of Google, the world’s largest Internet search company, jumped more than 3 percent while Pandora Media Inc shares were down more than 1 percent on Wednesday afternoon.

Google’s new music service amps up the competition in the nascent market for subscription-based, streaming music. Amazon.com Inc and Apple are among the Silicon Valley powerhouses sounding out top recording industry executives, according to sources with knowledge of talks.

Pandora is spending freely and racking up losses to expand globally. Even social media stalwarts Facebook and Twitter are jumping onto the streaming-music bandwagon.

All these companies see a viable music streaming and subscription service as crucial to growing their presence in an exploding mobile environment. For Google and Apple, it is critical in ensuring users remain loyal to their mobile products.

With a music service, Google further “locks” consumers into its sphere of products and services, said Chris Silva, an analyst with Altimeter Group.

“They’re trying to sell an ecosystem,” he said. “The more things I’m doing, the more things that tie me to Google services.”

At $9.99 a month, Google’s service is costlier than the $3.99 required for Pandora, but on par with Spotify.

The music service features millions of tracks from Universal Music, Sony Entertainment Group and Warner Music Group, as well as from thousands of independent labels, according to a Google spokeswoman.

Some analysts said the new service allowed Google to catch-up to offerings from the likes of Spotify, but did not offer anything unique. Forrester analyst James McQuivey said combining the service with video or game content might have made it stand out.

“You don’t dismiss Apple, you don’t dismiss anyone. But that is not the point,” said Rich Tullo, an analyst at Albert Fried & Co. “Pandora is the market share leader in the space and their platform is so disruptive — it’s very hard to disrupt them. When you have 70 million people use it – they are the disruptors.”

CEO appearance

A procession of Google executives described and showed off a litany of new features and software updates at the annual “I/O” developers’ conference, from picture touch-ups on Google+ and re-designed Maps that spot when a user is walking or driving, to Star Trek-like voice-activated search that understands a users’ sentences and figures out what he or she is looking for.

“We haven’t seen this rate of change in computing for a long time — probably not since the birth of personal computing,” said CEO Larry Page, who began his address reflecting upon a significant moment in his life, when his father got him into a robotic science fair.

“We’re really only at 1 percent of what’s possible,” said Page, whose on-stage appearance came a day after he acknowledged suffering from a rare nerve problem affecting his vocal cords. The problem, which affects his breathing and makes it difficult for him to speak at length, sidelined Page from public speaking engagements last summer, though Page spoke for 45 minutes on stage on Wednesday.

Decrying a “negativity” in the technology industry which he said impedes progress, Page singled out competitors Microsoft Corp and Oracle Corp, criticizing the companies for not being sufficiently collaborative with Google and other companies. Google was sued by Oracle last year, and companies affiliated with Microsoft have complained about Google’s practices to European antitrust regulators.

“Most important things are not zero sum,” Page said.

Lack of Glass
The conference comes as Google’s Android software has become the most popular operating system in both smartphones and tablet PCs. Executives said Wednesday that some 900 million smartphones and tablets running Google Android software had been activated since the platform’s inception in 2010

Google’s popular mapping service, a mainstay of Android devices, features tighter integration with reviews off Zagat, the popular dining-reviews brand that Google bought last year. It also sports more pictures from inside important buildings, sourced from user-uploaded photos. It can now even display the earth realistically as viewed from outer space, something Page said he personally requested.

Shares in Yelp Inc, which like Zagat is built off users’ personal reviews, slid 3.8 percent to $29.80 in the afternoon.

Conspicuously absent from the more than three-hour opening keynote session was any mention of Google Glass, the wearable computing device that the company began distributing to a limited set of early users and developers last month.

The futuristic-looking device has elicited admiration from many technology-lovers, but some have questioned whether the stamp-sized electronic screen mounted on eyeglass frames will appeal to mainstream consumers.

While many enthusiastic attendees and Google staffers strolled about the conference center sporting the Glass devices, executives spent little time discussing it on stage.

Google missed an opportunity to “show that they think they’re onto something big,” said Forrester’s McQuivey.

source: interaksyon.com

Lamborghini-driving Ayala Alabang resident sued for tax evasion

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) today sued a Lamborghini-driving resident of posh Ayala Alabang for tax evasion.

In a statement, the BIR said it filed criminal charges before the Department of Justice (DOJ) against Napoleon Segui Villapando "for willful attempt to evade or defeat" tax payments for the year 2007 -- a violation of Section 255 of the National Internal Revenue Code.

A resident of 301 San Juanico St in Ayala Alabang, Muntinlupa, Villapando bought from his employer, Norsophil Metal Resources Inc, a Lamborghini 2-door Coupe sports car worth P20 million in 2007. [See Lamborghini commemorates 50th year anniversary] This even though he declared a gross income of only P225,078.60 for that year, according to BIR records.


The bureau's investigators found that Villapando failed to file any income tax return for the years 1992-2002 and 2005, declaring a combined income of P718,575.78 in 2003-2004, 2006 and 2007.

The BIR said his income for those years were withheld and remitted by his employer, indicating that Villapando earned only compensation income and thus had no capacity to acquire the luxury sports car.

"Thus, his acquisition must have been made possible by income he earned from other sources aside from his compensation as an employee," the agency said.

Based on its computation, the BIR said Villapando failed to report P19.77 million in income, thus representing an under-declaration of 8,786 percent of income.

Under Section 248 of the Tax Code, under-declaration of taxable income by more than 30 percent constitutes a prima facie case of fraud tantamount to tax evasion.

According to the BIR, Villapando owed the government P15.84 million in taxes, inclusive of surcharges and interests.

This is the bureau's 165th case under the Run After Tax Evaders (RATE) Program filed under the leadership of Commissioner Kim Jacinto-Henares.

source: interaksyon.com

Mobile phone calls can cause blood pressure spikes

WASHINGTON DC - Got high blood pressure? Try hanging up your cell phone.

A study released Wednesday at the annual meeting of the American Society of Hypertension in San Francisco found that talking on a mobile phone causes systolic blood pressure - the higher number in a blood pressure reading and the number doctors pay more attention to as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease - to rise significantly.

Researchers from the Guglielmo da Saliceto Hospital in Piacenza, Italy, took 12 blood pressure readings at one-minute intervals from 94 patients with mild hypertension. The patients’ mean age was 53.

Patients were seated in a comfortable armchair in a doctor’s consulting room and left alone after the first blood pressure reading was taken using an automatic device.

Researchers phoned the patients at least three times and found that when the patient was on the phone or receiving a call, their blood pressure reading jumped from 121/77 on average to 129/82.

The American Heart Association says less than 120/80 is a healthy reading for adults age 20 and older.

Data compiled by the US Census Bureau using the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Study on Global Aging and Adult Health show hypertension to be “by far one of the most common health conditions for those age 50 and older in Russia,” with nearly half of 50- to 69-year-olds and almost two-thirds of people over 70 suffering from hypertension.

Other data, gathered by Wireless Intelligence, an Atlanta-based mobile technology research and analysis firm, show that Russia is Europe’s largest mobile phone market by connections, or the number of active mobile devices that are connected to a network.

A report by Wireless Intelligence found that, as of June last year, there were 227.1 million mobile connections in Russia, where the population is 141.9 million. That’s a mobile phone penetration of 160 percent.

In the United States, where the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says around 30 percent of adults have high blood pressure, the ratio of mobile phone connections (321.7 million) to population (311.6 million) is 103 percent.

During the blood pressure study, neither diastolic blood pressure - the lower number in a blood pressure reading, which is a measure of the force of blood in the arteries when the heart relaxes between beats - nor heart rate increased significantly when patients received a call.

Oddly, though, the researchers found that patients who got more than 30 calls a day seemed to have developed a form of immunity to the blood pressure spikes seen in the study. Beta-blockers also seemed to help stave off blood pressure spikes.

The researchers concluded that phone calls received when a mildly hypertensive patient is having a blood pressure reading could cause systolic pressure to spike, and advised that they turn off their phone, at least for the duration of the blood pressure test.

source: interaksyon.com

1-0 lead over Ginebra a huge deal for Alaska, say veterans Dondon Hontiveros, Sonny Thoss

The Alaska Aces rode a hot start to cruise to an 87-70 victory over Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in the opening match of the Commissioner’s Cup championship round Wednesday at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.

For Alaska’s veteran players, the 1-0 advantage is a huge deal in a short series.

“Sobrang laking bagay ng Game One sa best-of-five series kasi kapag nanalo ka ulit sa Game Two isa na lang champion ka na,” said guard Dondon Hontiveros.

“It’s huge winning first game of best-of-five series,” added center Sonny Thoss. “Game Two is going to be just important so we need to stay focused.”

Hontiveros said that Alaska was the fresher team heading into the series, and it showed in the opening period of Game One, which saw the Aces outscore the Gin Kings, 28-6.

“I think fatigue factor has something to do with Ginebra’s slow start. They’re coming off five games versus Talk ‘N Text which loves to run. Pero we played good defense on [Ginebra import Vernon] Macklin early in the game,” said Hontiveros.

The two men are wary of Ginebra’s trademark never-say-die spirit, which has allowed the Gin Kings to rebound from a 0-4 start in the conference before winning four do-or-die playoff games to reach the finals.

“Hindi pa rin dapat mag-relax kasi yung Ginebra capable of coming back just like they did in the third and fourth quarter,” said Hontiveros.

“Ginebra is gonna come out strong in Game Two,” added Thoss.

source: interaksyon.com

‘Iron Man’ beats strong ‘Gatsby’ in box office showdown

LOS ANGELES – Tony Stark’s superpowers lifted blockbuster “Iron Man 3″ back to the top of movie charts in the United States and Canada, beating out a strong debut over the weekend for lavish Jazz Age drama “The Great Gatsby.”

Coming off a gigantic opening a week earlier, “Iron Man 3″ commanded $72.5 million in ticket sales from Friday through Sunday in its second weekend. “Gatsby,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio as millionaire Jay Gatsby in the classic F. Scott Fitzgerald tale, earned a strong $51.1 million, according to studio estimates.

Domestic ticket sales for “Iron Man 3″ dropped 58 percent from a week earlier, when the film hauled in $174.1 million for the second-biggest movie opening of all time. The film from Walt Disney Co’s Marvel Studios stars Robert Downey Jr. as Stark, a billionaire businessman with a superhero alter ego.

International sales for “Iron Man 3″ reached a massive $664 million through Sunday after adding $89 million from the weekend, Disney said. The film’s worldwide take now stands at $949 million.

“Gatsby” outpaced pre-weekend forecasts for an opening of up to $45 million. Directed by Australian filmmaker Baz Luhrmann, it is the latest Hollywood rendition of Fitzgerald’s classic American novel, “The Great Gatsby.” A 1974 version starring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow fared poorly at the box office.

DiCaprio stars in the title role, a millionaire pining for a lost love, played by Carey Mulligan, during the height of the hedonistic 1920s. Tobey Maguire and Joel Edgerton also star. Rapper Jay-Z produced the soundtrack.

“We never expected to open this picture at this level,” said Dan Fellman, president of theatrical distribution for Warner Bros., the Time Warner Inc unit that distributed the film.

Fellman said the picture, which has been accorded the prestigious opening night slot at this week’s Cannes Film Festival, was now well-positioned for a long run into the summer as an alternative to traditional action movies.

The majority of ticket buyers were female by 59 percent to 41 percent, and 31 percent of ticket buyers were under age 25, Warner Bros. said.

“We’re going to have a nice, long healthy run,” he told Reuters.

DiCaprio’s performance was widely praised, but the movie, which cost about $105 million to produce, received a mixed reception from critics. As of Saturday, 48 percent of reviews recommended the film on the Rotten Tomatoes website.

But in its opening weekend, the film very nearly eclipsed the total $57.4 million take of Luhrmann’s most successful film, “Moulin Rouge,” which went on to win several Academy Awards.

Elsewhere over the weekend, dark action comedy “Pain & Gain” starring Mark Wahlberg placed a distant third with $5 million at U.S. and Canadian theaters.

Comedy “Peeples,” the other new nationwide release, finished fourth with $4.9 million. Produced by Tyler Perry, the film stars Craig Robinson and Kerry Washington in the story of a well-off family’s reunion that is interrupted when a man arrives to seek their daughter’s hand in marriage.

Baseball drama “42″ finished in fifth place with $4.7 million.

“Star Trek Into Darkness,” which opens domestically on Wednesday, took in $31.7 million in seven international territories including Britain, Mexico, Australia and Germany, Paramount Pictures reported.

“Pain & Gain” was released by Paramount Pictures, a unit of Viacom Inc. Lions Gate Entertainment distributed “Peeples,” and Warner Bros. distributed “42.”

source: interaksyon.com

Enchanted Kingdom plans hotels, water parks for expansion

MANILA - Enchanted Kingdom plans to build hotels and water parks in the next three to five years to attract more visitors.

Cynthia Romero Mamon, chief operating officer of Enchanted Kingdom Inc said the company plans to double the size of the theme park from the current 15 hectares to accommodate the hotels and water parks.

"We are actually doing the master plan for now and we are designing it already. As soon as the designs are made before the end of the year then we are ready to start," Mamon said.

She said the company expects to launch a major attraction by next year and the construction of the hotels may start in two years.

Enchanted Kingdom is open for partnerships to expand its operation in other parts of the country, Mamon said, adding that the company is in talks with new investors and existing shareholders for the planned expansion.

"Our goal is to help boost tourism both domestic and foreign. At present, the number of foreign visitors is very little that's why we need to do more major attractions that would be appealing to foreign tourists," she said.

Enchanted Kingdom recorded over two million visitors last year.

"We have experienced impressive growth. We are very, very happy," Mamon said.

Homegrown Enchanted Kingdom was opened to the public on October 1995 and is considered the Philippines' "Disneyland."

source: interaksyon.com

Does Paying Rent Improve Your Credit Score?

Not too long ago, paying rent didn’t have much to do with your credit score. Not paying rent could (and still can) wreck your credit score. If you were behind enough to have your account sent to a collections agency, your past-due rent would likely be reported as negative information to the credit bureaus.

Rental rates in the United States are skyrocketing because of foreclosures, an unstable housing market, and the general hesitance of younger Americans, especially, to buy homes. While renting can be a good option for many, historically it has not been helpful in building a credit score.


For renters who are rebuilding credit after a foreclosure, or those who are renting until they can afford to buy a house, that’s a problem.

For many of us, rent is the biggest check to hit the bank account every month, and not getting some acknowledgement for paying that important bill on time is frustrating.

Luckily, some of the major credit bureaus are beginning to take rent into account on credit scores.

Experian and TransUnion now allow renters to include their positive payment information in their credit histories, according to the Wall Street Journal. But because this is relatively new, there are some caveats. Here’s what you need to know about your rent’s effect on your credit score:


Not All Companies Use It

At the moment, Experian and TransUnion will include rental information in your credit file; Equifax will not.

Also, not all credit score calculations are set up to include rental payments. The VantageScore calculation may incorporate rent into your score, but the more popular FICO calculation will not. This means that rent will affect certain scores based on the information from certain credit files.

Here’s how it works: Each credit reporting bureau keeps a file of credit history information on you. Your credit history is the basic facts of your payments, account inquiries, balances and such. It doesn’t automatically have a numerical score assigned to it.

In order to get a credit score, a credit scoring formula is applied to the raw information in your credit history file. This means that you could get three very different FICO scores – one for each credit bureau – or even three very different VantageScore results. And lenders can choose which score they use.

Most lenders use the FICO score, but VantageScore is starting to be used more often. To keep up, FICO may change its formula to include things like rent and utilities payments.


 It’s Not (Usually) Automatic

 

Experian is working with property managers through its RentBureau system to have rental payment data automatically updated for renters. Even though the company works with landlords across the country, only a fraction of renters have their information automatically reported to RentBureau. 

 

Also, the other information in your credit file may determine whether your rent is weighed in your overall credit score. According to CNN Money (emphasis is ours):

“VantageScore’s new model will also weigh rent and utility payment records, and public records like bankruptcies for people with very limited credit histories. This will allow it to score as many as 30 million people who previously couldn’t get a credit score and potentially help them qualify for more competitive credit rates.”

So even if your landlord does report your rental information to Experian or TransUnion, and even if you do pay your rent on time, you may not see a huge credit score boost. The inclusion of rent in a credit score calculation is mostly meant to benefit those who otherwise wouldn’t have much – or any – information in their credit files.

Of course, as more Americans opt to rent instead of buy, these standards could change.


How to Get Rent Counted in Your Credit Score


Now that you know these caveats, you may still be interested in having your rent reported in your credit history. It’s a good idea if you’re trying to repair bad credit, or if you don’t have much credit history. But how do you get it done? Here are four options:

1. Talk to your landlord. According to Experian, you can ask your landlord or property management company to join the RentBureau program. Your landlord has to sign up with a rental payment service that works with RentBureau, and then you can opt to have your rental history reported to Experian.

2. Use WilliamPaid to pay rent. WilliamPaid is one of the services that Experian, in particular, uses. Your landlord doesn’t have to sign up for you to use it. Basically, you use the service to pay your rent with a credit card, debit card, bank account or cash, which is accepted at certain retail locations. WilliamPaid also has an automatic payment option.

The fees for using various WilliamPaid payment options vary. It’s free to have your bank account electronically debited, but it costs 2.95 percent of your total payment to charge it on your card. You can also use a combination of payment methods for a 2.95 percent fee. Also, you can use the service to split rent payments between roommates, tracking who has paid and who hasn’t.

With WilliamPaid, you can have your rental payments reported to Experian. If you’re responsible with your payments and have them drafted from your bank account, it’s an excellent, free way to include rent on at least one of your credit reports. And if you use a credit card, you get the added benefit of having your credit card payments reported to the credit bureaus by your credit card company.

3. Try Rent Reporters. Rent Reporters is another rent reporting service, but it is not free. To get started, you enroll in the service, and the company verifies your information. Then, you’ll get an online account where you can track what information is being reported to credit bureaus.

You can sign up with Rent Reporters for free, and they’ll verify your information. Then, you pay $9.95 a month to have your rental information reported to the bureaus. For an additional $34.95, Rent Reporters can send up to two years of your rental payment information, as well. This could be a good option if you’ve always paid your rent on time and are trying to boost your credit score.

4. Check out Rental Kharma. Rental Kharma is similar to Rent Reporters. Again, you create an online account, but with this service, you’ll pay a one-time $10 fee for reporting up to two years of rent payments.

Rental Kharma provides information only to TransUnion, but Cullen Canazares, the company’s founder, said via email that Rental Kharma hopes to begin working with Experian soon.

One interesting thing about how this service works is that it makes rent appear as a tradeline on your TransUnion credit report. A tradeline is an account, according to Experian. So, essentially, TransUnion treats your rent payments like a credit card account or another installment type loan.


 Are These Services Right for You?

Whether these services are right for you depends on your credit situation and needs. Because rent is meant to be part of the credit scoring process for those with bad credit history or no credit history, these options are best for those on the low end of the credit ladder.

Experian representatives told CNN:

“Through the addition of rental data, one in three consumers falling in the lowest rung of Experian’s VantageScore credit scoring model (receiving a letter grade of an F and scoring between 501 and 600) will move up at least to the next level (with a D grade and a score between 601 and 700).

However, remember that you’re not guaranteed to receive better loan offers, even if your rent is reported to Experian and TransUnion, since you never know which score from which bureau a potential lender will pull.

Still, with services like Rental Kharma, costing $10 (or $20 if you’re married because you’ll have to apply separately), and with potentially free options like WilliamPaid, it doesn’t cost much to get a potential credit score boost. Plus, FICO may make some changes soon that could broaden the impact of having your rental income on your credit report.

Would you ever use one of these services to have your rental payment history reported to a credit bureau?

source: doughroller.net