Trump home alone for Christmas

WASHINGTON – An angry US President Donald Trump complained on Monday that he was “all alone” in the White House as the US government shutdown hit a third day, even plunging the nation’s main Christmas tree into darkness.

With Congress out of town and the debate over Trump’s demand for a $5-billion US-Mexico border wall at an impasse, the president sat holed up, tweeting no less than 10 times by early afternoon to lash out at opponents and reject responsibility for a plummeting stock market.

“I am all alone (poor me) in the White House,” tweeted Trump, who had to delay his annual Christmas holiday in Florida because of the crisis in Washington.


Trump said he was “waiting for the Democrats to come back and make a deal on desperately needed Border Security.”

However, the Democrats – and some Republicans – have made clear they will not vote for Trump’s cherished border wall. In retaliation, Trump is refusing to sign a broader spending bill, triggering a standoff that has left swathes of the US government temporarily without funding.

Outside the White House, Washington’s National Christmas Tree became a forlorn symbol of the dysfunction gripping Trump’s presidency two years after his surprise election.

The National Park Service tweeted that the tree would remain unlit and closed to the public “until further notice,” with checks being made for damage following an attempt by an intruder on Friday to climb the tree.

The parks service is one of the many federal institutions suffering from the funding suspension.

The budget standoff could drag on into January, when the new Congress is seated, including a House controlled by Democrats. Negotiations, however, were planned for Thursday, offering a glimmer of hope of resolution.

Trump made a Mexico border wall one of his main campaign promises and the idea is popular with many Republicans backing the president’s message that illegal immigration is out of control.

Democrats and some Republicans in Congress oppose the plans as impractical, unnecessary and fuelling xenophobia against Central Americans.

The government shutdown adds to uncertainties spooking global stock markets after a tumultuous week in which respected Defense Secretary James Mattis resigned and the president stepped up attacks on the supposedly independent chairman of the Federal Reserve.

On Monday, in a session shortened for Christmas Eve, the Dow Jones dropped more than 650 points, or 2.9 percent.

But Trump, who has repeatedly taken credit for good days on the markets, blamed the Fed for the growing sense of disarray.

Last week, the central bank hiked rates, infuriating Trump, who has ignored a traditional respect for the Fed’s independence, calling it “crazy,” “out of control” and a greater economic threat than China.

In a tweet Monday, Trump compared the Fed to a blundering golfer “who can’t score because he has no touch – he can’t putt!”

In other tweets, Trump praised Saudi Arabia for pledging money to rebuild Syria (“Thanks to Saudi A!”), denied lashing out at acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker (“This is a made up story, one of many, by the Fake News Media!”), and took another swipe at his newly departed defense secretary James Mattis for failing to worry about the financial cost of maintaining military alliances (“We are substantially subsidizing the Militaries of many VERY rich countries all over the world”).

Believing in Santa at 7 is ‘marginal’

President Trump and first lady Melania Trump on Christmas Eve took calls from children anxious to find out where Santa was on his gift-giving journey.

In one conversation, Trump asked a 7-year-old named Coleman, “Are you still a believer in Santa?” He listened for a moment before adding, “Because at 7, it’s marginal, right?” Trump listened again and chuckled before saying, “Well, you just enjoy yourself.”

Mrs. Trump told a caller that Santa was in the Sahara. Several minutes later, she reported that Santa was far away in Morocco but would be at the caller’s home on Christmas morning.

Mrs. Trump later tweeted that helping children track Santa “is becoming one of my favorite traditions!”

The NORAD Tracks Santa program became a Christmas Eve tradition after a child mistakenly called the forerunner to the North American Aerospace Defense Command in 1955 and asked to speak to Santa.

The program wasn’t affected by the government shutdown. It’s run by volunteers at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado using pre-approved funding.

The Trumps later traveled to Washington National Cathedral to attend the Solemn Holy Eucharist of Christmas Eve. The cathedral’s website said the program included readings from Holy Scripture, favorite congregational hymns and seasonal choral and instrumental music as well as Holy Communion. Passes were required.

Trump most likely would have been attending Christmas services at a church near his estate in Palm Beach, Florida. But he scrapped plans to head to Florida for the holidays after parts of the government were forced to shut down indefinitely in a budget stalemate with Congress.

source: philstar.com

LeBron vs Warriors headlines NBA's Christmas lineup

There's no NBA Finals rematch this year on Christmas. Not technically, anyway. It's LeBron James vs. the Golden State Warriors for the fourth consecutive year on December 25, though James will be wearing a Los Angeles Lakers uniform this time.

It was a predictable matchup.

It isn't, however, a break from tradition.


That's one of the biggest misnomers about the NBA and the schedule. An NBA Finals rematch is not common, not the norm, not a guarantee for the last two teams that were standing the previous season. The league has crowned a champion every year since 1947, and the tradition of Christmas Day games started later that same year. (They've been an annual fixture since, with the exception of 1998, when a lockout didn't allow that season to begin until February.)

But there have been only nine NBA Finals rematches on December 25. The recent Golden State-Cleveland history may make it seem like more.

James has been in five Finals rematches on Christmas, all since 2011: Miami vs. Dallas that year, Oklahoma City vs. Miami the following year, and Cleveland vs. Golden State in each of the last three years.

The other four rematches on the holiday: Orlando vs. Houston in 1995, Philadelphia vs. the Lakers in 2001, San Antonio vs. Detroit in 2005 and Boston vs. the Lakers in 2008.

So instead of a Cavs-Warriors rematch, getting Lakers vs. Warriors — for the first time in the LeBron L.A. era — makes perfect sense.

"Bron is Bron," Warriors forward Draymond Green said. "They're going to be tough, a tough matchup on Christmas Day, but we're looking forward to it."

Inevitably, so will James. Even with the Lakers having lost four of their last six games, they're off to a 19-14 start — their best since the 2011-12 season.

"We've got a long way to go to get to Golden State," James said in September.

He's about to get his first look at how the Lakers measure up with the champs.

Christmas lineup

Tuesday's slate starts with Milwaukee at New York, followed by Oklahoma City at Houston, Philadelphia at Boston, the Lakers at the Warriors and then Portland at Utah. It's Milwaukee's first Christmas game since 1977, which will end what was by far the league's longest December 25 drought. Utah hasn't played on Christmas since 1997.

A look at each of the five games:

Bucks at Knicks

Congratulations to the schedule-makers, because there's no way they could have known this Christmas game would be wrapped in animus. Giannis Antetokounmpo was peeved at New York forward Mario Hezonja — who dunked on him, stared at him and then stepped over him when the teams last met on December 1.

Thunder at Rockets

A rematch of a game from Christmas 2017, which the Thunder won 112-107. Oklahoma City is 6-2 on Christmas since the team moved there; when the franchise was in Seattle, it was 0-11 on the holiday. Rockets star Chris Paul will miss Christmas for the third straight year — with the Clippers, he had a left hamstring strain and missed their game with the Lakers in 2016, sat out last year's Houston-OKC game with a groin strain and this year, it's another left hamstring issue that will keep him out.

76ers at Celtics

These are heated, historic rivals, but they've met on Christmas only once before — in 1961, when the 76ers were the Syracuse Nationals. Boston, which famously avoided home Christmas games forever (the Celtics played their first 30 such games away from Boston), will be at home on the holiday for the second consecutive season.

Lakers at Warriors

It's the 20th consecutive Christmas appearance for the Lakers, and with LeBron James there now don't expect that streak to end anytime soon. Warriors star Kevin Durant apparently loves playing on the holiday; he's averaging 31.1 points in his eight previous Christmas games.

Trail Blazers at Jazz

Portland is 14-3 all-time on Christmas, and could tie Miami (10-2) for the best winning percentage on the holiday if it tops the Jazz. Meanwhile, for Utah, it's a chance for Jazz star guard Donovan Mitchell to get his first — but almost certainly not his last — look at playing on Christmas.

Christmas history

The NBA's five-game Christmas lineup is back for an 11th consecutive year, and that may seem like a lot of matchups but has been exceeded plenty of times in the past. There were seven games on the holiday in 1949, 1971 and 1977, as well as six in 1970 and 1976.

And there were some years where everybody played on Christmas.

In 1952, the league had 10 teams so that meant five Christmas games. In 1956, the league's eight teams got together for two Christmas doubleheaders — two games at Madison Square Garden, two others at the War Memorial in Rochester, New York. And in 1959, eight teams meant four games on the holiday again.

With Milwaukee playing, the league's longest Christmas drought will belong to the Atlanta Hawks, who haven't appeared on the holiday since 1989. After the Hawks, the longest droughts will be held by Charlotte (no appearances in 29 seasons), Memphis (no appearances in 24 seasons), Toronto (2001), Sacramento (2003), Indiana (2004) and Detroit (2005).

Everyone else has played at least one Christmas game since 2009.

Year of the 3

Houston set the NBA record for 3-pointers made in a game with 26, doing that against Washington last week.

It cemented that, without question, 2018 in the NBA was the year of the 3-pointer.

So far this season, 11 franchises — Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Golden State, Houston, Milwaukee, Minnesota, New Orleans, New York, Sacramento and Utah — have set or tied team records for 3-pointers made in a regular-season game. That doesn't even take into account Brooklyn, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Oklahoma City and Philadelphia also doing it in 2018, albeit last season.

Maybe the craze hasn't caught on in Canada.

The longest-standing team record for 3s in a game is held by the Toronto Raptors, who made 21 on March 13, 2005. Orlando's mark of 23 has stuck since Jan. 13, 2009 and Phoenix's record of 22 came on Nov. 14, 2010.

Meanwhile, Zaza Pachulia's quest for a 3 continues.

Pachulia has the NBA record for most 3s attempted in a career without a make — the Detroit backup center is now 0 for 29 in the regular season, 0 for 31 when including playoffs. He's 0 for 3 in 2018, though all those tries in this calendar year were desperation heaves from midcourt or deeper. And in fairness, only six of his career 3-point tries have been shots inside of 30 feet.

source: philstar.com

US govt lurches to shutdown as Trump, Democrats spar over wall

WASHINGTON, United States — Donald Trump and congressional Democrats stood at stark odds Thursday as the president balked at a spending stopgap that contains no border wall funding, leaving the US government on the verge of a Christmastime shutdown.

The unpredictable leader's rejection of a measure that unanimously passed the Senate and was under consideration in the House plunged Washington into political chaos barely 24 hours before a midnight Friday deadline for funding to expire for key agencies.

Trump appeared to harden his demand for $5 billion in funding for the wall on the US-Mexico border, something he has fought for since he began campaigning for president in 2015.


Republican leaders had planned to pass a so-called continuing resolution (CR) that would fully fund the government until February 8 to allow time for debate about issues including border security.

But with ultra-conservative lawmakers and media personalities effectively demanding that the president stick to his campaign promises, Trump doubled down.

"I've made my position very clear. Any measure that funds the government has to include border security," he said at a White House event.

"Walls work, whether we like it or not," he added. "They work better than anything."

Democrats have refused to budge, saying they will not support a spending measure that funds Trump's wall.

"That's a non-starter," said top House Democrat Nancy Pelosi. "I think they know that."

Republicans nevertheless soldiered on, crafting a new measure that would appease the president's demands. It includes $5.7 billion in border wall funding, and $7.8 billion in disaster relief.

The bill passed the House, but with no Democratic support.

"Thank you to our GREAT Republican Members of Congress for your VOTE to fund Border Security and the Wall," Trump tweeted Thursday night.

"The final numbers were 217-185 and many have said that the enthusiasm was greater than they have ever seen before. So proud of you all. Now on to the Senate!"

But the bill will be dead on arrival in the 100-member Senate, where bills need 60 votes to advance and Republicans control 51 seats.

Trump also taunted Pelosi over comments she made last week that Republicans would not have the necessary votes in the House of Representatives.

"Nancy does not have to apologize," he said. "All I want is GREAT BORDER SECURITY!"

Senate Democrats were united in opposition as the likely Friday showdown in that chamber loomed. Many senators from both parties have already left Washington for the holidays.

"President Trump is plunging the country into chaos," warned Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, citing shutdown fears, fresh economic woes, and the shock revelation that Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, a stabilizing force in Trump's administration, was stepping down.

"The bottom line is simple," he added. "The Trump temper tantrum may produce a government shutdown. It will not get him his wall."

- 'Meltdown' -

Fears of a shutdown -- which could send thousands of federal employees home without pay just before Christmas -- helped send US stocks tumbling, with the Dow closing down 2.0 percent.

Trump had backed off his shutdown threat earlier this week, but it roared back to life as he accused Democrats of "putting politics over country" by not supporting a wall, which he insists will curb illegal immigration.

His move may have been influenced by members of the House Freedom caucus, some of whom have publicly called on the Republican president to stick to his guns on wall funding.

"Mr. President, we'll back you up," caucus chairman Mark Meadows said on the House floor late Wednesday. "If you veto this bill (with no wall funding), we'll be there."

With conditions fluid on Capitol Hill, it appeared that a retreat by Trump was the only path to averting a shutdown.

However, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders suggested that was unlikely.

"We urgently need funding for border security and that includes a wall," she said.

Pelosi, the likely new speaker of the House when Democrats reclaim the majority on January 3, accused Republicans of having a "meltdown" over whether to pass the stopgap measure or force a shutdown.

The news of Trump's rejection caught many Republican lawmakers flat-footed.

Senator Roy Blunt said worry is likely to set in on Friday.

"It's hard to come up with politics that are worse than shutdown politics," he told Politico. "Unless it's shutdown at Christmas politics."

The US government endured two brief shutdowns in early 2018. A far more crippling shutdown in 2013 lasted 16 days, with about 800,000 federal workers furloughed amid a fight over funding Barack Obama's healthcare reforms.

source: philstar.com

British pop star George Michael dies aged 53

LONDON - British pop singer George Michael, who rose to fame with the band Wham! and sold more than 100 million albums in his career, has died aged 53, his publicist said on Sunday.

"It is with great sadness that we can confirm our beloved son, brother and friend George passed away peacefully at home over the Christmas period," the publicist said in a statement.

"The family would ask that their privacy be respected at this difficult and emotional time."

Thames Valley Police said the ambulance service had attended a property in Goring in Oxfordshire, where the singer lived, at 1342 GMT on Sunday and a 53-year-old man was confirmed dead at the scene.

"At this stage the death is being treated as unexplained but not suspicious. A post-mortem will be undertaken in due course," the police said.

Singer Elton John published a picture of himself with Michael on his Instagram account.

"I am in deep shock. I have lost a beloved friend - the kindest, most generous soul and a brilliant artist," the British star wrote.

Michael was due to release a documentary in 2017 after a period of living as a virtual recluse in which he hit the headlines for a series of bizarre incidents linked to drugs.

Earlier this month it was also announced that producer and songwriter Naughty Boy, whose real name is Shahid Khan, was working with Michael on a new album for next year.

Michael was best known for his 1980s hits "Last Christmas", "Freedom", "Careless Whisper" and "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go".

Dreadful year

Many tributes to Michael referred to other music world deaths in 2016, starting with David Bowie in January and including Status Quo guitarist Rick Parfitt who died on Saturday.

"2016 - loss of another talented soul. All our love and sympathy to George Michael's family," the band Duran Duran, which were 1980s contemporaries of Wham!, said on their official Twitter account.

Former BBC Radio One disc jockey Tony Blackburn said: "Unbelievable, GeorgeMichael has died at the age of 53. RIP. This dreadful year goes on and on. So sad, a real talent".

Canadian musician Bryan Adams tweeted: "I can't believe it. Such an incredible singer and a lovely human being, far too young to leave us."

US singer La Toya Jackson wrote on Twitter: "You have given the world an amazing gift! What a talent! What a loss!".

Tributes poured in from outside the music world too.

Football presenter and former England captain Gary Lineker tweeted: "No, not GeorgeMichael as well. Another musical great leaves us this year. 2016 can just sod off."

"Star Trek" actor George Takei wrote: "Rest with the glittering stars, George Michael. You've found your Freedom, your Faith. It was your Last Christmas, and we shall miss you."

Drug charges, health scares
Michael was born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou to a Greek Cypriot father and English mother in north London in 1963.

He met Andrew Ridgeley at high school and the pair went on to form Wham! in 1981.

With their good looks, perma-tans, highlighted hair and hedonistic image, the duo captured the go-getting spirit of the age and fast became one of Britain's biggest pop acts.

In 1985, Wham! became the first major Western band to perform in China as it was slowly beginning to open up to the outside world under reformist leader Deng Xiaoping.

Following years of speculation over his sexuality, Michael came out as gay in 1998 after being arrested for committing a lewd act in the public toilet of a Los Angeles park.

It was the first of several incidents that were to overshadow his musical career in his later years.

He notched up police cautions for cannabis and crack cocaine possession and in 2010 was sentenced to eight weeks in jail after crashing his car into a London shop while under the influence of cannabis and prescription medication.

In 2011, he spent several weeks in hospital in Vienna after contracting pneumonia, later saying that he had been close to death.

There were fresh concerns in 2013 when he had to be airlifted to hospital after falling out of his chauffeur-driven Range Rover as it travelled at high speed on a motorway.

source: interaksyon.com

Justin Bieber lets UK doctors and nurses beat him to top of Christmas charts

LONDON | A choir of doctors and nurses beat Justin Bieber to the Christmas number one spot in Britain’s pop music chart Friday after the heartthrob urged his fans to buy their song.

The Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Choir’s charity single, “A Bridge Over You”, outsold Bieber’s “Love Yourself” to snatch the coveted festive top spot.

That came after Bieber wrote on Twitter Wednesday: “So for 1 week it’s ok not to be #1. Let’s do the right thing & help them win. It’s Christmas. @Choir_NHS good luck”.


The southeast London-based choir is made up of staff who work for the state-funded National Health Service.

Their song is a mash-up of “Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Simon and Garfunkel and Coldplay’s “Fix You”.

Other songs in this week’s top ten which it has beaten include two other hits by Bieber plus Adele’s “Hello” and One Direction’s “History”.

Harriet Nerva, a junior doctor in the choir, decided to start a social media campaign to get the song to number one after a particularly tough day at work.

“A patient with cancer that I had been looking after for quite a number of weeks died,” she told the Guardian newspaper.

“I was listening to the song and it dawned on me that a great way of translating how I was feeling and how proud I was to work for the NHS would be getting (the song) to number one”.

Britain’s NHS is the fifth largest employer in the world, providing health care which is largely free at the point of delivery.

It is widely respected, with pollsters YouGov rating it the institution which most people view positively, and Prime Minister David Cameron’s attempts to reform the service are highly politically sensitive.

source: interaksyon.com

Mississippi declares emergency as storms in US South kill 11 on Christmas Eve

Southern US states began digging out on Thursday after severe storms killed at least 11 people, and Mississippi declared a state of emergency in areas pounded by tornadoes.

With about 100 million Americans expected to travel over the Christmas holiday, the National Weather Service forecast isolated severe thunderstorms from the mid-Atlantic region to the Gulf Coast and record warmth in New York.

The storm system packed high winds and triggered more than 20 tornadoes in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Michigan on Wednesday, authorities said.

A large tornado tore a 100-mile (160-km) path through northern Mississippi, demolishing or heavily damaging more than 100 homes and other buildings before plowing into western Tennessee, authorities said.

Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant declared a state of emergency in areas affected by the storm, saying 14 tornadoes had touched down in the state. Bryant said seven people were killed and one person was missing.

"Everybody is pulling together here in Mississippi today to help respond to this disaster," Bryant said on CNN.

He said shelters had been set up and the full extent of the damage would not be known for several days. Mississippi authorities said some 40 people were injured and a 7-year-old boy was among those killed.

Three people died in Tennessee and an 18-year-old woman was killed in Arkansas when a tree crashed into her house, authorities said.

Thirteen counties in Tennessee suffered severe damage, with a post office destroyed and a state highway washed out.

Emergency crews in Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee were searching for several people reported missing. Scores were injured in the region.

A rare tornado touched down in Canton, Michigan, and about 15,000 homes in the state and neighboring Wisconsin were without electricity. The weather service issued a gale force wind warning for Lake Michigan, where waves could reach 15 feet.

About 500 flights were delayed or canceled at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson airport as the area was hit by a thunderstorm.

Meanwhile, much of the northeast enjoyed balmy weather on Thursday, including New York, which surpassed its record for the warmest Christmas Eve reaching 71 degrees Fahrenheit (22 C).

Cold and snow were forecast on Christmas Day for the US Northwest, including temperatures in the teens in Montana and snow likely in Washington, Oregon, northern California, and Nevada.

Of the 100 million Americans traveling over the holiday, 91 million will use cars, according to the American Automobile Association.

source: interaksyon.com

Western countries issue rare Christmas security alerts for Beijing

BEIJING - At least four Western countries took the unusual step on Thursday of issuing Christmas security warnings for Westerners in a popular Beijing diplomatic and entertainment district as police stepped up patrols.

Beijing is generally safe and criminals rarely target foreigners, although the fashionable Sanlitun bar and restaurant area occasionally sees fights. In August, a lone attacker stabbed a French man and a Chinese woman there. The woman died.

The US Embassy said in a brief statement it had "received information of possible threats" against Westerners in Sanlitun, also home to many embassies, on or around Christmas Day, December 25.

The French Embassy, Britain's Foreign Office and Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs issued similar warnings. None of them elaborated.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said he was aware of the reports and that the government paid great attention to foreigners' safety.

Beijing police, in a statement on their official microblog, said they had issued a "yellow" security alert for Christmas and New Year, the second lowest level, focused on areas like malls, which are likely to see more people visiting during the festivities.

"Beijing police are planning ahead and taking many measures ... to ensure good public order," it said.

Christmas is not a holiday in officially atheist China, but more and more young people celebrate it as they view it as a sophisticated Western custom and excuse to give gifts.

A Reuters photographer saw police commandos with guns in front of Sanlitun's main mall. Regular police tend not to carry guns in China, and gun crime is in any case uncommon.

The city overall has been on much higher alert, with patrols by armed police in popular shopping and tourism sites, since a fatal car crash in 2013 at the top edge of Tiananmen Square in which five people died.

The government blamed that incident on Islamist militants from China's unruly far western region of Xinjiang, where hundreds have died in unrest in recent years.

While the violence has generally been limited to Xinjiang, last year at least 31 died in a knife attack at a station in China's southwestern city of Kunming, also blamed on militants from Xinjiang.

source: interaksyon.com

Doctors warn: Christmas is happiest but deadliest time of the year

MANILA - More people suffer from heart attack and stroke during the Christmas season, and sufferers are more likely to die during this period than at any other time of year. The phenomenon is called Merry Christmas Coronary, Happy New Year Heart Attack.

This was the warning issued by the Philippine College of Physicians (PCP) Foundation as the holidays brings more traffic, overcrowding, and stress.

“Cold weather is not the only cause of the spiking of cardiovascular cases. Study after study shows the culprits to be holiday stress, pollution, and most of all, food and alcohol binging. Eating and drinking sprees send them to emergency rooms for palpitations and light-headedness - symptoms of ‘holiday heart,’” said Dr. Anthony Leachon, President of PCP Foundation.

“For lucky ones the abnormal heart rhythm, usually atrial fibrillation, fixes itself within 24 hours. But others would require admission for monitoring and in extreme cases, electric shock to normalize heart rates. It’s certainly not a fun way to spend the holidays,” he added.

Deadliest days

A 26-year (1973-2001) charting of 53 million deaths in the US reveals a 5-percent jump in natural-cause demise during the holidays.

Christmas Day was the deadliest, followed by December 26, then January 1, according to the study.

Research by sociologist Dr. David Phillips also noted increases in hospital admissions for cardiac and non-cardiac causes. Published in the Journal of the American Heart Association in December 2004, Phillips study excludes suicides, homicides, and accidents.

Could many of the deaths have been caused by lack of specialist attention, as doctors are on holiday too? No, according to a study of 127,959 patients hospitalized for heart attack in 1994-1996 by cardiologist James Jollis at Duke University.

Treatment was basically the same for all patients during the holidays and off-season. Still, according to Jollis, the 30-day mortality of patients in December is higher, with over-indulgence singled out as the culprit.

Cardiologist Robert Kloner’s 1999 report further discounted mere cold weather and pointed to the “holiday effect.”

Focusing on hospitals in Los Angeles, where winters are milder, he noted that change of diet rather than temperature leads to more heart attacks and strokes.

Merrymakers of all ages tend to eat fatty stuff, with adults drinking more alcohol in parties. Pollutants from wood-burning fireplaces further trigger cardiovascular irregularities.

All three studies by Phillips, Jollis, and Kloner exhibit annual 5-percent rises in heart attacks and strokes -- and deaths – during Christmas.

But the situation in the Philippines seems to be worse.

Leachon, who is a cardiologist in the Manila Doctors Hospital, recalled a 2004-2008 survey of Metro Manila hospitals to show a tripling of emergencies and admissions in Christmastime.

Patients were taken in for heart attack, stroke, and diabetes due to overeating and overdrinking.

Usually about 30-50 cases occur from January to November. But this rose to 153 in December 2004, 163 in 2005, 172 in 2006, 170 in 2007, and 170 in 2008.

Half of the holiday patients died.

So for the coming holidays, Leachon gave these health tips to remind the people on how to prevent life-threatening medical condition:

    Stop smoking.
    Eat low-fat low-salt diet. Stick to healthy habits and help your family too.
    Exercise daily for 30 minutes.
    Observe moderate alcohol drinking.
    Don’t skip regular appointments with the doctor.
    Have enough of your usual medications to allow for holiday business or pharmacy breaks and travel.
    Check out the medical facilities where you will be traveling; ask your physician who you could see if you 
    need a doctor away from home.
    If you have symptoms, don’t ignore them.

source: interaksyon.com

Boracay named top 'hookie' destination for Chrismas

MANILA, Philippines - Aside from the clear waters and white sand that Boracay has to offer, the island is also famous for its vibrant nightlife, which is why travel dating site MissTravel.com has ranked it as the top destination for people who want to skip family gatherings during the holidays.

A recent study showed that many youngsters are opting for romantic getaways, rather than dealing with the stress and anxiety brought on by the awkward family encounters during Christmas season.

“Family get togethers can be a source of anxiety for many people, especially those who have a hard time answering questions about their personal lives,” said Brandon Wade, founder and
CEO of MissTravel.com.

According to a recent poll conducted by the Las Vegas-based site, out of the 6,036 trips planned by its users between December 20 and 27, most are going to Boracay.

Top December Hookie Destinations (6,036 Trips Planned Between December 20 and 27)

1. Boracay Island, Philippines ­ 689
2. New York, NY ­ 488
3. Las Vegas, NV ­ 187


"The Philippines is famous for its festive celebration of Christmas, making Boracay Island a traveler favorite," the website said.

Boracay has consistently been part of the list of the best beaches in the world. Early this year, it has been declared as the "Favorite Beach Destination 2015" by the Malaysian Association of Tour & Travel Agents for its annual MATTA Fair. Moreover, TripAdvisor listed Boracay as seventh best beach in the world for 2015.

source: philstar.com

Wall Street ends at record in second straight weekly gain

NEW YORK - U.S. stocks ended higher on Friday, with both the Dow and S&P 500 closing at records in a broad rally, though trading was light with many market participants still out for the Christmas holiday.

Major indexes closed out their second straight weekly gain, continuing an advance that has lifted the S&P 5.9 percent in seven sessions. The benchmark index hit its 52nd record close of the year on Friday, the most since 1995 and the fourth-best annual record ever, while the Dow rose for a seventh straight day, its longest streak since March 2013.

"The overall trend remains higher, but we're reaching a point where we're overbought. Six percent since last Tuesday is such a strong move in such a short period of time, even if bulls have the upper hand in the longer term," said Adam Sarhan, chief executive of Sarhan Capital in New York.

Recent gains have come on strong economic data, including a bullish read on economic growth earlier this week, as well as accommodative measures from central banks.

The day's gains were broad, with eight of the S&P 500's 10 primary sectors ending up on the day and no sector ending more than 0.1 percent lower. The utility sector was the day's strongest, up 1.2 percent, while healthcare rose 0.8 percent.

Healthcare stocks were boosted by biotechs, which jumped 2.3 percent. While the Nasdaq biotech index was one of the day's strongest sectors, it fell 3.2 percent in a week marked by heavy volatility. Celgene Corp rose 3.4 percent to $113.35 as the S&P 500's biggest percentage gainer, followed by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, up 3.3 percent to $413.48.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 23.5 points, or 0.13 percent, to 18,053.71, the S&P 500 gained 6.89 points, or 0.33 percent, to 2,088.77 and the Nasdaq Composite added 33.39 points, or 0.7 percent, to 4,806.86.

For the week, the Dow rose 1.4 percent, the S&P rose 0.9 percent and the Nasdaq rose 0.9 percent. It was the ninth positive week in the past ten for the Dow and S&P.

The S&P Retail index rose 0.5 percent in the first trading session after Christmas. Among notable names, Best Buy Co rose 0.6 percent to $39.14 while Macy's Inc dipped 0.3 percent to $64.05. Amazon.com Inc rose 2 percent to $309.18.

"Things are looking positive since the shopping season coincided with a big drop in crude oil, which means lower gas prices," Sarhan said. "That translates to more disposable income, which could mean stronger retail sales."

Advancing issues outnumbered declining ones on the NYSE by 2,032 to 1,011, for a 2.01-to-1 ratio on the upside; on the Nasdaq, 1,792 issues rose and 934 fell for a 1.92-to-1 ratio favoring advancers.

The benchmark S&P 500 index was posting 70 new 52-week highs and 5 new lows; the Nasdaq Composite was recording 133 new highs and 28 new lows.

About 3.06 billion shares traded on all U.S. platforms, according to BATS exchange data, compared with the month-to-date average of 7.39 billion.

source: interaksyon.com

Sierra Leone declares 5-day Ebola lockdown in north

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone -- Sierra Leone's government has declared a five-day lockdown in the country's north to step up efforts to contain the Ebola epidemic, while making an exception for Christmas.

"Muslims and Christians are not allowed to hold services in mosques and churches throughout the lockdown except for Christians on Christmas Day (Thursday)," Alie Kamara, resident minister for the Northern Region, told AFP.

The lockdown announced Wednesday is designed "to intensify the containment of the Ebola virus," he said, adding: "We are working to break the chain of transmission."

Deputy communication minister Theo Nicol said "the lockdown for five days ... is meant for us to get an accurate picture of the situation," adding: "Other districts will carry on with their own individual lockdown after this if they deemed it necessary."

Ebola has killed more than 7,500 people, almost all of them in west Africa.

Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea are the three nations worst-hit by the epidemic, and Sierra Leone recently overtook Liberia as the country with the highest number of Ebola infections.

Kamara said shops and markets would be closed throughout the period, and "no unauthorized vehicles or motorcycle taxis" would be allowed to circulate "except those officially assigned to Ebola-related assignments."

Among "key objectives" is to allow health workers to identify patients, Kamara said.

Sierra Leone declared a state of emergency on July 31 after the Ebola outbreak and imposed restrictions on the movement of people.

As of Wednesday six of the country's 14 departments have these restrictions in place.

On December 12, the government announced a restriction on large Christmas and New Year gatherings.

Several residents in the country's north told AFP by telephone that locals had largely been conforming to the new strictures.

'Bleak Christmas'

"The streets are deserted and people are staying indoors or sitting in their backyards," said Felix Koroma, in Makeni, in the district of Bombali.

"Although the district is predominantly Muslim, it is traditional for Muslims to join with Christians to celebrate Christmas but from what I can deduce, it’s going to be a bleak occasion," he added.

Sarah Tucker, in Port Loko district said the only activity she could see was "medics moving from house-to-house" looking to remove the sick from their homes.

But some residents said they had not been given adequate warning to stockpile supplies.

"The notice given was too short and it was difficult for us to keep food in the house," a resident of Magburaka, in Tonkolili, who wished to remain anonymous, told AFP.

"The lockdown is good but we are worried over what to eat until it ends."

The lockdown came after it was announced that a fourth member of the UN mission in neighboring Liberia had been hospitalized after testing positive for the virus.

The UN employee tested positive on Tuesday and was immediately transferred to an Ebola treatment unit, Karin Landgren, the special representative of UN chief Ban Ki-moon, said.

"UNMIL is taking all necessary measures to mitigate any possible further transmission -- both within the mission and beyond," Landgren said, referring to the United Nations Mission in Liberia.

A UN statement said its mission had stepped up surveillance "to ensure that all people who came into contact with the staff member while symptomatic are assessed and quarantined."

Liberia tops the number of Ebola deaths in the world with 3,376 fatalities but has seen a clear decrease of new transmissions in the past month.

source: interaksyon.com

6 killed as garbage truck ploughs into Glasgow Christmas shoppers, driver possibly had heart attack

LONDON - Six people were killed and eight others injured in Glasgow, Scotland on Monday when a garbage truck ploughed into crowds of Christmas shoppers in what appeared to be a tragic accident.

One eyewitness described the vehicle knocking people down "like pinballs" as it veered out of control over a distance of around 300 meters (about 1,000 feet), only stopping when it crashed into a hotel.

"Sadly six people have died as a result of the George Square major road incident," read a tweet on the Scottish police force's official account.

Police superintendent Stewart Carle told reporters at the scene that people were killed over "a number of sites."

He said the driver, who reported by some British media to have slumped at the wheel and perhaps to have suffered a heart attack, was being treated in hospital.

An investigation was under way to establish exactly what had happened, police said.

"The bin lorry just lost control. It went along the pavement, knocking everyone like pinballs," eyewitness Melanie Greig told Sky News.

"People were trying to run out of the way but when something was coming out behind them like that, how can they run out of the way?" she said.

She added: "There was noise, bangs, screams and everything. It was just horrific."

The rubbish truck, owned by Glasgow City Council, mounted the pavement and hit the first pedestrian outside the Gallery of Modern Art on Queen Street at about 2:30 p.m. (1430 GMT), police said.

It struck several more as it continued at speed for another two blocks, crashing at the Millennium Hotel on George Square, near Queen Street station.

Emergency services cordoned off the normally bustling area in what is Scotland's biggest city.

The incident took place the day after a driver with psychiatric problems in the French town of Dijon ploughed into pedestrians, injuring 13.

'Sad day for Scotland'

Scottish police said there was nothing "sinister" about the Glasgow incident, calling it an accident.

"It is a road traffic collision with multiple fatalities," Carle said, adding: "It does not look to be a criminal or deliberate attack."

The accident happened near the Scottish city's main shopping hub, where shoppers filled the streets just three days before Christmas Day.

Residents began leaving floral tributes at the scene, and a note attached to a bunch of pink roses read "To all those who lost their lives and witnessed this horrible tragedy."

The accident occurred just over a year after another tragedy in the city in which ten people died when a police helicopter crashed onto the roof of a pub.

Prime Minister David Cameron said he was being kept informed of developments.

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon called it a "sad day for Glasgow and Scotland" and urged anyone who was in the area at the time of the accident to contact their loved ones.

"My thoughts are with everyone involved in this tragic incident, and especially with the friends and families of the six people who lost their lives," she said in a statement.

source: interaksyon.com

Beyonce tops U.S. Billboard album chart for third straight week

LOS ANGELES | Beyonce’s self-titled album claimed the top spot on the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart for the third week running with 310,000 copies sold during the Christmas week, according to figures released Thursday from Nielsen SoundScan.

The pop star’s fifth solo album has sold a total of 1.3 million copies in the United States in the 17 days from its surprise release through December 29, the final day for tallying this week’s chart.

‘Beyonce’ is the first album to remain at No. 1 for three weeks since Justin Timberlake’s ‘The 20/20 Experience’ did the same in April, Billboard said.

The album, Beyonce’s first since 2011, was released December 13 exclusively through Apple’s iTunes digital music store and was not available in other retailers until December 21.

British-Irish boy band One Direction’s ‘Midnight Memories’ moved up one notch to No. 2 with 142,000 copies sold in the week, while rapper Eminem moved to No. 3 from No. 6 with ‘Marshall Mathers LP 2′ selling 122,000 copies. Billboard said both titles likely benefited from redemptions of gift cards for download stores.

With Christmas albums like country pop singer Kelly Clarkson’s ‘Wrapped in Red’ and ‘Duck the Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas’ both dropping down in the chart, the soundtrack from the animated movie ‘Frozen’ and Katy Perry’s ‘PRISM’ moved up to round out the top five.

Week-over-week album sales dropped 11 percent for the week ending December 29. Sales last week were down 3 percent from the same period last year and album sales for the year were 8 percent lower than 2012.

Pitbull’s ‘Timber,’ a song featuring Ke$ha, retook the No. 1 spot on the digital track list with 442,000 downloads last week.

source: interaksyon.com

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

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

Double the Christmas fun with Globe

MANILA, Philippines -Celebrate the upcoming Christmas season and double the fun with the latest double deals from Globe Telecom, the no. 1 in postpaid and preferred partner of the world’s leading device manufacturers, with its double device-tablet bundles, a postpaid plan with double the value of prepaid load, and double plan freebies, giving you the biggest double treats this time of the year.

“As part of our wonderful Christmas gifts, we offer subscribers the Globe Double Deals with our full-range of device and tablet bundles, a next-generation postpaid plan where they get double the value of their chosen plan, and freebies for double the fun and double the excitement, something that only Globe can give,” said Raul Macatangay, Head of Globe Postpaid Business and Devices.

Looking for a gift for yourself and a loved one? This Christmas, you know you don’t have to wait for Santa for your present as you can check out the latest device-tablet bundles from Globe with its affordable offers. The Samsung Galaxy S Duos and Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 bundle is yours at only P1,099 a month at Plan 999 with P100 monthly cashout for a 24-month contract period. You can also avail of the Lenovo A516 and Lenovo IdeaTab A1000 bundle free at P999 a month for a 24-month contract period.

Already have a device but you still want to get a postpaid line? You can get the mySuoerplan line-only Plan 499 with P900 worth of monthly consumable amount for calls, texts and surfing combos. You get the postpaid line – contract-free, hassle-free as you only need an ID to be Globe-connected.

And speaking of a postpaid line, pair up your brand-new device or tablet with the Globe mySUPERPLAN, a fully-customizable postpaid plan that gives you double the value of what you pay for in a plan and lets you create and customize your call, text and surfing combos, unlimited services, gadget of choice, and a range of contract periods from six to 24 months — giving you the full flexibility in a postpaid plan.

Get free subscription to Globe Gadget Care for one month. With Globe Gadget Care, your devices are protected against accidental damage and theft or robbery. It also guarantees hassle-free handset replacement, easy claims processing, and worldwide protection coverage. For as low as P89 per month, subscribers can continue reaping the benefits of Globe Gadget Care after the free  one-month coverage.

source: philstar.com

It’s a season of hope and celebration with Ocampo’s Fine Jewellery

MANILA, Philippines - We’ve all gone through so much these past few months. This Christmas season is a time for hope and celebration. Ocampo’s Fine Jewellery ushers in the season with a diverse collection of accessories that revives vintage glam, ignites sparkly modern designs and romance.

Ocampo’s Fine Jewellery’s collection of diamonds and pearls in gold will bring you back to the days of gangster movies and jazz.  This December is also the month when most weddings happen. December brides and brides-to-be can check out Ocampo’s  array of engagement rings and wedding bands and get started on that journey to forever.

Ocampo’s Fine Jewellery stores are located at Robinsons Galleria (634-78-32); SM Mall of Asia (556-03-96); SM North Edsa Annex (441-12-30); Ocampo’s Olongapo (0920-903-1134); Ocampo’s Bataan (0920-903-1071); Ocampos Ayala in Harbor Point Mall (0920-918-4657).

source: philstar.com

Holiday makeup for every budget

It’s the second week of December and the Christmas spirit is in full swing. Calendars are filled with parties and meetups, carols are playing everywhere, and eating big meals seems to be norm. In the beauty world, holidays usually translates to a bright red lip, smoky eyes, and lots of glitter—preferably worn one at a time. Has your makeup look gotten into the Christmas spirit yet? Here are four looks you can try as suggested by some of our well-loved cosmetic brands.



1. Jewel tones and high shine
Revlon Global Artistic Director Gucci Westman created The Evening Opulence collection for Fall/Winter 2013 which plays with rich purples, violets, and emeralds for the eyes and plums and fuchsias for the lips. Nails are decked out in graphite and matte sparkles. “I pictured a luxurious and polished woman, who looks to makeup to accessorize and enhance her look using bursts of color,” Westman said. “She is sensual, sexy and smart; modern, yet a little over-the-top. She makes each look her own, and her style is timeless.” Well, don’t we all want to be that woman?



Play up both your eyes and lips with this collection, as modeled by Emma Stone and Olivia Wilde. Try out the Revlon ColorBurst Lipgloss in Embellished, Bejeweled, or Adorned. They can either amp up your existing lipsticks or tone it down, and the lacquer-like finish isn’t the annoying sort of gloss. It has lots of color and subtle shimmer, and stays for a decent amount of time before it needs a retouch. Another winner from this collection are the nail polishes in Divine, Elusive, Rich and Seductive. All say “opulent” and “holiday” and if you stock up on all four, that’s enough week-long manis to cover you for the whole month of December!

Perfect for: Dinner celebrations in neutrals, if you’re the low-key type, or in jewel toned sequins just like Revlon’s ambassadors Stone and Wilde. The holidays are the best excuse to pile on the shine, if that’s your style. Keep your hair sleek and simple so as not to go overboard. Emphasizing your eyes than your lips when lots of eating is involved will lessen the chances of makeup faux pas mid conversation.

2. Plums and pinks, and mauves
The Body Shop’s Winter Trend collection for 2013 recommends a smoky purple eye with a pink or mauve lip, for morenas. The 4-step Smoky Palette in Icy Plum carries different shades and finishes of violet, and the darkest shade, a matte plum, is a great break from the expected black smoky eye for the holidays. The brand’s new lipstick formulation, Color Crush Lipstick, is a shot of color with a creamy finish and Peachy Pink is the collection’s shade for those who prefer pale lips to a smoky eye. Feeling bolder and adventurous? Swipe on The Right Mauves for deep berry lips.



Nothing says happy like radiant skin, and The Body Shop’s latest Radiance range can enhance your complexion. Try Illuminate with Brush On in Sunlight or Shimmer Waves in Coral after foundation and before finishing or loose powder for that “lit from within” glow.

Perfect for: Brunch or lunch gatherings, where the natural sunlight will bounce of your extra radiant skin. Pull away your hair from your face if you truly want to highlight your skin, and don’t forget to sweep the extra on your decollete and shoulders, if they are exposed.

3. Old Hollywood glamor
Got the perfect little black dress and feeling a little classic? Bobbi Brown’s Old Hollywood collection pays tribute to the Golden Era of cinema and its American screen sirens. Perfectly lined cat eyes played up with shades of brown, gold, and champagne, and of course, a classic red lip, is Bobbi Brown’s Holiday 2014 look.



Check out the Old Hollywood eye palette which carries nine eyeshadows, from soft silver sparkle, subtle metallic gold, to rich chocolate and charcoal shimmers, these shades will define your eyes and create a great back drop for a precise winged eyeliner. Complete your glamor girl look with a bold red lipstick, also named “Old Hollywood” encased in a retro-gold case. And who says this look is just for an LBD or an LWD? Make it modern by donning red on red, like Katie Holmes’ on the ad!

Perfect for: Cocktails, where the low lighting, candles, and wine will really make you feel like a hobnobbing movie star, and you won’t have to worry about your red lips fading. Set your hair in Veronica Lake-esque waves, just like Holmes did, and opt for fine jewelry or smaller, classic accessories for a ladylike look.

source: interaksyon.com