Wiseguy

APPLE CEO Resigns

2011-09-03T20:25:00.001+08:00

APPLE CEO (Steve Jobs) Resigns

This marked the end of an incredible era for Apple as Steve Jobs resigned as Chief Executive Officer, citing that he is no longer fit or able to serve as the head of the company. With his resignation, the CEO role will be filled by Tim Cook, Apple’s Chief Operating Officer.

In a press released that seems to be directed both to Apple’s Board of Directors and the world at large, Jobs gracefully stepped out of the CEO role while asking to remain as Chairman of the Board, as well as an Apple employee. Unsurprisingly, his wish was granted and Jobs will remain with the company to assist in the transition. Commenting on behalf of Apple’s Board of Directors, Art Levinson said that “Steve’s extraordinary vision and leadership saved Apple and guided it to its position as the world’s most innovative and valuable technology company,” and that Jobs had “made countless contributions to Apple’s success, and he has attracted and inspired Apple’s immensely creative employees and world class executive team. In his new role as Chairman of the Board, Steve will continue to serve Apple with his unique insights, creativity and inspiration.”

Apple’s board members wasted no time in approving Tim Cook as the company’s new Chief Executive Officer. Cook has been with Apple for well over a decade, rising through the ranks to his previous position as COO. Cook was widely rumored to be next in line for the CEO position, although many expected Jobs to hang on for a bit longer. Although Jobs has been on medical leave since the start of the year, he has kept up with his normal schedule of public appearances for Apple, including delivering the iOS 5 keynote at the WorldWide Developer’s Conference in June.

Jobs has kept his health matters private since word broke that he was dealing with some form of cancer some years ago. The letter that he issued to the public to announce his resignation (posted below) didn’t shed any light on a possible decline in his health or whether it was related to his resignation. It is our sincere hope that Jobs’ battle with cancer has not taken a turn for the worse.

Below is Steve Jobs’ resignation letter as released today, in its entirety. Our many thanks go out to Mr. Jobs for the brilliance he has brought to Apple, taking the company from the brink of disaster to having the largest market share of any corporation in the world in just over a decade.

Nobody really knows if this will effect the iPhone 5 Release Date or not, but Apple likely already has a strict launch plan.

To the Apple Board of Directors and the Apple Community:

I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come.

I hereby resign as CEO of Apple. I would like to serve, if the Board sees fit, as Chairman of the Board, director and Apple employee.

As far as my successor goes, I strongly recommend that we execute our succession plan and name Tim Cook as CEO of Apple.

I believe Apple’s brightest and most innovative days are ahead of it. And I look forward to watching and contributing to its success in a new role.

I have made some of the best friends of my life at Apple, and I thank you all for the many years of being able to work alongside you.

2011-09-03T11:38:00.003+08:00

The Most Hated Villains in Philippine Movies

It is always been said that the most heroic characters in film is always paired with the most feared and hated villains of them all. In Philippine cinema, movie villains or kontrabida play the crucial role in transforming the simple lead character into a heroic one. These bad boys have forever captured our imagination because they are cold, heartless, and merciless.

However, at the end of the film, the hero will always find the strength and will power to use his special skills to foil the enemies’ plan and defeating them in the end. We are on the edge of our seats as the hero gets beaten by the kontrabida but jump in joyous celebration as he makes his ultimate revenge.

We rejoice at the hero’s final triumph over evil thereby assuring ourselves that the hero once again saved the day knowing full well that in real life criminals and their henchmen are not always punished and brought to justice. But just the same, we heave a sigh of relief seeing the hero reunited with his love interest and his murdered, raped, abused relatives finally avenged. Here are the ten most hated villains in Philippine movies:

1. Paquito Diaz

Love him or hate him, this half-Mexican American Francisco Bustillos Diaz has made villainy his middle name as he transformed himself as one of the most hated man in Philippine movies. Under the screen name of Paquito Diaz, he played serialized roles of all the vilest and despicable criminals in society. Yet in real life, he is not the man that you think he is. Despite that, he never became type casted as the ultimate villain because he ventured into comedy as well. He remained to be one of the most popular actors in a career spanning four decades.

2. Max Alvarado

Gavino Maximo Teodosio in real life, this is the man that we always love to hate because of his endless portrayals of Fernando Poe’s evil villains. He is best known for his role of Lizardo in the Ang Panday movie and he also portrayed countless criminal and henchmen roles in the past. This mustachioed bad guy has captivated the hearts of moviegoers that it is even said that some people would fire their guns on the screen when FPJ is in deep trouble.

3. Eddie Garcia

Simply called “manoy,” the Bicolano Garcia always play a corrupt public official or rich haciendero that always oppress the people. He may be considered as the villain with a diverse personality in the roles he played. No wonder Garcia has able to reach a long career in the old, worn out staple of action films.

4. Dick Israel

Though not to be categorized as a head villain, Israel is considered as the ultimate henchmen because he always serves second in command to leading villains like Paquito Diaz and Eddie Garcia. He is the ultimate nemesis of the hero’s sidekick like Dencio Padilla.

5. Johnny Delgado

This guy reminds me of Forrest Whitaker with weird sense of humor. This man always plays the crooked politician or shady underworld leader. Later in his career, he ventured into more serious roles as a father figure rather than the crime boss with a menacing laugh.

6. John Regala

When I see his face, there is the bad guy image written all over him. He plays his role well as a hired gun or a professional assassin.

7. George Estreegan

He is the women’s worst nightmare because he usually portrays the vilest sexual predator and sadistic rapist all in one.

8. Rez Cortez

Sometimes a loyal and a turncoat, this guy always makes me mixed up with Dick Israel as the ultimate henchman.

9. Roi Vinzon

When it comes all out action scenes, Roi Vinzon is the name. Unfortunately, he plays the bad guy roles all the time as he serves as the ultimate villain when it comes to action sequences against Robin Padilla or Ian Veneracion.

10. Romy Diaz

A least-known brother of Paquito, Romy Diaz is known for his evil and sometimes maniacal laugh that may perhaps make other bad guys look like little boys. He always accompany his brother as a loyal henchman.

Divine Mercy of Marilao, Bulacan

2011-07-30T15:07:00.003+08:00

Divine Mercy

How to treat Sore Eyes faster?

2010-11-04T21:19:00.005+08:00

Eyes are considered the window of our soul. They are one of the precious gifts God has given to us. This is why we should take care of our eyes while we can. There are some instances wherein we experience eye problems no matter how much we take care of them. One of the many eye problems we experienced is sore eyes or conjunctivitis. This article will tackle some concerns like its causes, common symptoms and how to cure it fast.

Symptoms of Conjunctivitis?

The symptoms include eye pain, your eyes are red and tired, you can feel something strange as if there is some sand in it, and pus may be visible.

Causes of Conjunctivitis?

Bacteria, virus and chemical are the causes of conjunctivitis. These can get into your eyes when you are in dusty and dirty environment.

How to Treat Sore Eyes Faster?

Conjunctivitis is painful so it is necessary to learn about how to treat it quickly. You can try home remedies or medicine as a treatment for this eye problem.

Remedies:

Coriander. Boil dried coriander and use an eye wash. It reduces swelling, burning and pain.

Warm compress. Place the hot compress on your affected eyes to ease the pain --Tea bags. Steep a tea bag in hot water then squeeze out some tea from it, and then place it on to the freezer until its cold. Then place the teabag on the affected eyes. If these home remedies didn’t help you to get rid of those sore eyes you can seek doctor’s advice. Your doctor will prescribe the right medicine that you can take to cure them fast.

It is said that prevention is better than cure. So prevent conjunctivitis from getting into your lovely eyes by staying away from dirty environment, avoiding eye strain and trying to relax your tired eyes.

Remember your eyes are precious gifts from God so take care of them.

Torque Mobile Phone Price in the Philippines

2010-10-09T21:20:00.002+08:00

Torque Mobile is one of the affordable line of mobile phones in the Philippines. Here’s a list of prices for their units:

Torque Dual SIM Phones:

Torque DS1 Dual: Php5,999

Torque DTV 100: Php4,999

Torque DQ 500: Php4,399

Torque D80: Php2,399

Torque D 100: Php2,999

Torque D 90: Php2,999

Torque Single SIM Phones:

Torque C110: Php2,399

Torque C100: Php2,399

Torque E100: Php1,199

Torque E50: Php999

GPS in the Philippines

2010-10-09T10:20:00.005+08:00

There's a whole line of GPS devices that are being sold in the market specific for the Philippines. That’s turn-by-turn GPS navigation available for the entire Greater Metro Manila and all national highways from Abra to Davao.

AVT introduced their most affordable GPS device, the Navigator A800, for an introductory price of Php18,500. The device has a 4.3″ LCD touchscreen, pre-loaded with maps of greater Metro Manila, has turn-by-turn voice direction, 2D/3D map display with some multimedia capabilities (photo, video and music player).

Powered by a Samsung ARM 400MHz, the A800 stores all data on a memory card (up to 32GB) that you can switch anytime if you want to add more maps or multimedia files for playback. AVT will provide updates to your device every 3 months for 2 years for free. A minimal fee per update will be charge after that. Updates can be downloaded on their site and saved to the SD card.

Maps are developed and provided by Accu-Map Philippines. It covers 100% of Metro Manila and National Highways Road Network and has 12,869 points of interest for Metro Manila and 40,276 nationwide.

Top 5 Foods for Flat Belly

2010-06-05T18:58:00.010+08:00

Incorporate these 5 good-for-you ingredients into your diet to transform your body and lengthen your life. Their secret is in their MUFAs (monounsaturated fatty acids)—good-for-you fats that not only protect you from chronic disease, but also have been scientifically proven to break down belly fat.

How it works

Designed by a US dietitian, the Flat Belly Diet is based on research showing that eating a kilojoule-controlled, Mediterranean-style diet that’s rich in monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) may help your body store less fat in your belly and reduce your risk of disease. Each of the four 1,600 kJ (about 400 cal) daily meals contains a specific portion of a MUFA-rich food—oils, olives, nuts and seeds, avocados or dark chocolate (yes, dark chocolate!).

Top Flat Belly Foods

If you’ve been unsuccessful in losing weight around your middle, here’s some good news! The key ingredients in the Flat Belly Diet—monounsaturated fatty acids, or MUFAs (healthy fats!)—hold the power to truly change your body and specifically target hard-to-lose belly fat. Pair these fab foods with a reduced-kilojoule eating plan and you’ll soon slim that stubborn tum

Olive Oil

Olive oil is the best all-round oil for cooking and salads because it contains mostly MUFAs, which lower ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol without affecting ‘good’ HDL cholesterol. The greener the oil, the more antioxidants it offers, so go for extra-virgin.

Almonds

The MUFAs and vitamin E in almonds work together to cut cholesterol. Almonds are also a great source of vegetable protein and fibre.

Avocado

Choc-full of heart-healthy MUFAs, contain more of the cholesterol-smashing plant sterol beta-sitosterol than any other fruit does.

Sony 3-day Big Sale

2010-05-28T07:07:00.005+08:00

Sony 3-Day Big Sale: Up to 50% off on Electronics, Home Entertainment, etc. from May 28 to 30

Sony Xperia X10

2010-03-23T22:08:00.004+08:00

Mini is the new trend in mobile phones these days. Makers in the Big Five are keen to have a diminutive version of a popular handset but if there is one to be the definitive repack, it would be the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 mini.

X10 mini shows how a mini phone should live up to its name – sheer smartphone power in a half-size package. There’re always sacrifices involved to fit the new cut but if size is what matters it’ll hardly get any better than that.

Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 Mini at a glance:

General: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, UMTS 1900/2100 MHz, HSPA
Form factor: Touchscreen bar
Dimensions: 83 x 50 x 16 mm, 86g weight
Display: 2.55" 16M-color TFT capacitive touchscreen with QVGA resolution
Platform: Android OS 1.6 with Sony Ericsson Timescape UI
CPU: 600Mhz processor
Memory: 128MB internal memory, microSD card slot, 2GB card included
Camera: 5-megapixels auto-focus camera, LED flash, geotagging
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g, Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP, standard microUSB port, GPS receiver with A-GPS, digital compass, 3.5mm audio jack
Misc: Accelerometer for screen auto rotate, FM radio with RDS, TrackID music recgnition
Battery: Non-removable Li-Po battery

But there are downgrades in most departments compared to the original XPERIA X10 but those are never too painful, especially if they’re reflected in the price.

Some might argue that the 600 MHz processor is nowhere near as impressive as a 1GHz Snapdragon but the X10 mini doesn’t seem underpowered at all – screen resolution makes quite a difference. In fact, it is the most capable handset with a QVGA screen to date and we have seen those kinds of devices perform admirably on weaker CPUs.

Know what your gadget really costs

2010-02-15T00:52:00.005+08:00

Apple iPhone 3GS

Retail price: Starting at $199

Cost of components: $179.16

The cost of components goes down from one generation of a product to the next. The iPhone 3G, released in July 2008, cost $53 less to build than the original iPhone, released in 2007. But costs rose by about $5 for the iPhone 3GS.

One reason is that the price of memory hasn't declined as quickly as in the past. The newest iPhone comes in two flavors, 16 gigabytes and 32 gigabytes, while the high-end version released in 2008 had 16GB of memory. An improved 3-megapixel camera with auto-focus costs more than the camera used in the previous generation.

How much do you spend every payday?

2010-02-14T19:06:00.002+08:00

What kind of meals do you usually eat? Do you have any favorite budget-friendly recipes?

1. If its not a sale, don't buy it

2. if you run out of money don't buy food

3. If you run out of food don't eat... pretty simple strategy.

Thus, reducing serving sizes as 'gravity' takes over the waistline. =)

Quote for the day!

2010-02-14T19:03:00.002+08:00

Kapag ang Palay ay naging Bigas, may Bumayo! :-)

Shell Unleaded vs. Petron Xtra Unleaded vs. Caltex Techron Unleaded

2010-02-14T00:13:00.004+08:00

Shell Unleaded with fuel economy formula is specially designed to give you extra miles at no extra cost by helping combat efficiency losses caused by deposits and friction in your engine.

It contains Shell’s Synthetic Viscous Friction Improver (SVFI), designed to help improve engine efficiency by reducing friction, together with cleaning agents, formulated to prevent the build-up of fuel system deposits.

Using Shell Unleaded with fuel economy formula can help make a difference to your car and your drive. Discover the key benefits of Shell Unleaded with fuel economy formula.

Shell's unique Synthetic Viscous Friction Improver is designed to help improve engine efficiency by reducing friction.

Designed to give you extra miles at no extra cost

Petron Xtra Unleaded is an environment-friendly, premium motor gasoline recommended for high compression engines. Petron Xtra Unleaded is improved and reformulated to contain high-performance additives that provide excellent engine cleaning. This ensures optimum vehicle performance and a unique catalyst that “conditions” the fuel, which promotes more efficient combustion and lower fuel consumption.

It is Environment-Friendly.
It is powered with gas saving boosters that promotes better fuel economy.
Its unique additive system allows a more efficient combustion thus producing more energy for maximum power.
It has enhanced detergent additive that promotes cleaner engine.

Caltex Unleaded has unbeatable cleaning power that can deliver important from both you and your vehicle. Most oil companies use deposit control additives that do an adequate job in the engine's intake system. However, many of these additives contribute to combustion chamber deposits which can cause an engine to need a higher octane fuel to avoid knock and run-on, or loss in performance. These excessive deposits can also cause higher emissions of harmful substances such as nitrogen oxides. Nitrogen oxides cause acid rain and ozone smog. In contrast, Caltex Techron unleaded, exclusive to family of brands, Caltex, Texaco and Chevron, not only provides unbeatable performance in fuel system deposit control, it also minimizes build-up of combustion chamber deposits.

Techron unleaded is a special ingredient in all Caltex petrol, makes them unbeatable at keeping vital engine parts clean, helping your car perform at its best. Lower quality fuels can leave harmful deposits in your car's engine. As these deposits accumulate over time, your car may begin to hesitate and stumble during acceleration, knock or lose power. Caltex fuels with the Techron additive are unbeatable at cleaning up and avoiding deposits. There's no better way for you to protect and maintain your engine's performance than by using Caltex with Techron

Prevents build up of harmful deposits in your car's engine. A clean engine means more efficient combustion and greater performance
Economy
Cleans vital fuel system parts such as your intake valves as you drive, this helps minimize rust and corrosion
Fewer emissions
Smooth ride

Wireless Printing

2010-02-06T20:14:00.008+08:00

I have a PC and a laptop with no printer attached but i do have a network at home. Let me show you how i can print over a wireless network from a laptop to a PC connected to a printer.

It seems like printing over a wireless network requires come special magic, it's really no different than printing with a regular wired network. It doesn't matter if you connect your laptop to the network router in your home with a network cable, or if you use an invisible wireless beam to connect. (If you need help setting up a home network, see my illustrated Home Networking tutorial.)

If one of the computers on the network has a printer attached, all of the computers on the network should be able to access it -- as long as your printer is designated as a "shared" printer for the network.

To make sure your printer is network shared, open the Control Panel (on the computer that has the printer), click Printers and Other Hardware, then View installed printers.

Select your printer from the list of installed printers, then smack the Share this printer button. Now click the radio button next to Share this printer, enter a Share name, then press OK. (The example below shows the Lexmark 3100 printer on my desktop computer... yours will most likely be different.) Mac users, make sure the printer is shared in the Mac OS Sharing control panel.

Press Next and the necessary printer software will be copied from the desktop to your laptop. In some cases, you may need to insert the CDROM with the printer driver, but usually not. The Printers and Faxes window should show your newly configured printer.

If you're connecting to a printer on a Mac computer, you'll need to download Bonjour for Windows so your Windows computer can access the Mac-connected printer.

If you have more than one printer defined, take note of which is the default printer. When you print from the laptop, the print job will go to whatever printer you have defined as your default printer. To change the default printer, right-click on the desired printer and select the Set as default option, or just select the printer you want to use from the application that you're working in.

Sony Ericsson price list

2009-11-22T22:52:00.004+08:00

Sony Ericsson Phones Philippine Price List The following prices for Sony Ericsson phones are taken from cellphone shops in Metro Manila and are subject to change depending on new models or units being introduced by Sony Ericsson in the Philippines.

Please use this price list as a form of guide but do not consider any of these prices as final.

Sony Ericsson K530i – Php8,500
Sony Ericsson T200 – Php4,900
Sony Ericsson R300 – Php4,900
Sony Ericsson W350i – Php7,900
Sony Ericsson W200i – Php5,200
Sony Ericsson G502 – Php8,500
Sony Ericsson W380i – Php9,500
Sony Ericsson K770i – Php10,900
Sony Ericsson W580i – Php10,900
Sony Ericsson K810i – Php11,500
Sony Ericsson T700 – Php11,900
Sony Ericsson W910i – Php13,900
Sony Ericsson C905 – Php29,500
Sony Ericsson G700 – Php14,900
Sony Ericsson W595 – Php14,900
Sony Ericsson W890i – Php14,500
Sony Ericsson W760i – Php15,500
Sony Ericsson C902i – Php18,900
Sony Ericsson G900 – Php19,900
Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 – Php42,500
Sony Ericsson T306 – Php5,600
Sony Ericsson T303 – Php5,700

Prices indicated above are in Philippine peso. You may visit the cellphone stores in SM Megamall Cyberzone, SM Mall of Asia, SM North EDSA, Trinoma and Gateway for reference.

SAMSUNG JET

2009-09-03T18:57:00.003+08:00

SAMSUNG JET demonstrates the dominant performance that full touch users expect centering around multimedia. Speedy processor and ultra brilliant display maximize user satisfaction. The mobile of tomorrow offering consumers’ real wants in a full touch mobile.

Smarter than smartphone

sleek design
ultra brilliant display, AMOLED
intuitive 3D user interface
QWERTY keypad

Rapper Francis Magalona passed away

2009-03-07T00:54:00.003+08:00

Rapper-TV host Francis Magalona died Friday at the Medical City in Pasig City, his co-hosts at the GMA Network’s noontime show “Eat Bulaga” said. He was 44.

Magalona succumbed to multiple organ failure “secondary to severe sepsis and secondary to pneumonia,” according to a doctor who was not authorized to talk to media.

He passed away at 12 noon. The acclaimed rapper-musician was rushed to the Medical City on Thursday night, He was “intubated” upon admission and placed in the Intensive Care Unit at 3 a.m. Friday.

He was described as “toxic” during the early hours of Friday, the Inquirer sources said.

Doctors still managed to administer chemotherapy on Magalona. He expired before a bone marrow transplant could be scheduled, they said.

Magalona had been undergoing several chemotherapy sessions since he was diagnosed with leukemia in August last year but was too weak to fight the infection.

Magalona is the son of popular 1950s movie tandem Pancho Magalona and Tita Duran.

“I don't want a media circus. I want privacy with my family,” Francis said in a phone interview with the media after reports of his illness broke out.

“What I'd rather talk about is how we can solicit blood donations to replace the supply that I have consumed in the hospital,” said Magalona, the father of eight children.

Francis' wife, Pia Arroyo-Magalona, said her husband started exhibiting symptoms in March this year. “It was very gradual, hindi siya biglaang lumabas [it didn't manifest right away].”

Magalona was supposed to perform “Superproxy” with the Eraserheads in the band’s reunion concert, “The Final Set” at the SM Mall of Asia grounds in Pasay City on Saturday.

He had been in collaboration with Eraserheads and Pupil frontman Ely Buendia for an album to be released this year.

Telecommunications giant PLDT also scheduled in April a golf tournament fund-raiser for Magalona.

Magalona is survived by his wife Pia, and children Maxene, Saab, Unna, Nicolo, Francis Jr., Elmo, Arkin, and Clara.

Magalona started his career as a break dancer in the early 1980s before appearing in several movies, including a lead role in Viva Films “Bagets 2.” He then worked as a disc jockey for the defunct radio station DMZ in the late 80s and then ventured into TV hosting, as a regular of the noontime show “Eat…Bulaga!” and a VJ for MTV Asia. He was also a judge in “Philippine Idol” the original local franchise of the international Fremantle reality singing talent search.

At the same time, he took the musical route as the well-known rapper-songwriter, with his ground breaking hit “Mga Kababayan Ko” in his debut 1990 album “’Yo” that also spawned the hit ballad “Cold Summer Nights.” Several albums followed, “Rap is FrancisM,” “Meron Akong Ano?,” and “Freeman” that further proved his mastery of the genre.

Magalona’s remains lie in state at the Christ the King church in Greenmeadows, Quezon City. According to wife Pia, Magalona’s wake will be open to the public starting at 6 a.m. Saturday.

Ateneo student killed on campus

2009-03-02T13:13:00.004+08:00

A 10-year-old Ateneo grade school student was killed while his nanny was injured when they were hit by a van inside the school campus on Katipunan Avenue, Loyola Heights, Quezon City, on Tuesday afternoon.

Julian Carlo Miguel “Amiel” Alcantara, a Grade 4 student, was declared dead on arrival at the New Era Hospital due to head injuries.

His nanny, Tata Suarez, 65, was treated at the school infirmary for leg injuries.
Supt. Rudie Valoria, head of the Quezon City Police District’s Traffic Enforcement Unit, identified the driver of the van that hit the victims as Ma. Theresa Torres, 37, an interior designer and a resident of Charbel Executive Village on Mindanao Avenue.

She surrendered to the police and remains in detention pending the filing of charges of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and physical injuries against her.

Valoria said the accident happened at around 4 p.m. Tuesday as students were dismissed from their classes.

Based on witnesses’ accounts, Alcantara, who was with his older brother and sister, were walking with Suarez toward their vehicle when a speeding Toyota Hi-Ace (CRW-705), driven by Torres, hurtled toward them.

Suarez, apparently sensing that the van was going to hit them, pushed Alcantara’s older brother and sister safely out of the way. “She could not reach the other boy because he was far away from her and then they got hit by the van,” a witness said.

The van struck Suarez in the legs, hit Alcantara and then ran over him. Despite this, witnesses said the driver of the van did not slow down. It only stopped when it hit a Honda CRV and a Kia van, they added.

Bystanders who rushed to the boy’s aid had to lift the van to get his body from under the vehicle. Still, it took some time before he was taken to the hospital.
“The parents who witnessed the accident were probably in shock because it took a while before another mother volunteered to take the boy in her car and bring him to the hospital,” a witness told.

Wrong pedal Valoria said there was a possibility that Torres might have stepped on the wrong pedal, which led to the accident.

“Maybe as she was moving forward, she was shocked to see the children in front of her vehicle. Then instead of stepping on the brakes, she stepped on the accelerator,” he speculated.
The boy’s father, Jose Fernando Alcantara, told the Inquirer, that what happened was “unthinkable.”

“My Amiel was the youngest of three sons, the most outdoor loving and gentle. He [swam] in Taal Lake. He would rather swim there than any swimming pool. He [subscribed] to National Geographic magazine,” he said.

Jose is the chief executive officer of Figaro Coffee Corp. and vice president for business development of the Philippine Stock Exchange.

He also wondered how it was possible for his son to be run over by a speeding car in the school’s parking lot.

A statement issued by the Ateneo Grade School through its headmaster, Fr. Norberto Bautista, and the Ateneo de Manila University through its president, Fr. Bienvenido Nebres, expressed their deep sorrow and condolences to the victim’s family.

Belo's quip on Abunda

2009-02-24T22:10:00.003+08:00

Vicki Belo can’t understand what the fuss is about.

Asked about her professional rivalry with cosmetic surgeon Manny Calayan on “Showbiz Central” last Sunday, Belo quipped: “If you want to look like Piolo Pascual and Dingdong Dantes, you go to Belo. If you want to look like Boy Abunda, you go to Calayan.”

Belo told that she wasn’t being mean, that it was said in jest: “Boy is Calayan’s main male endorser, in the same way that Piolo and Dingdong are my main male endorsers. Why people are making a big deal out of that? Calayan put Boy on his billboard because he is proud of him, right?”

Boy ‘hurt’ Abunda said he was “shocked” and “hurt.” He also told Inquirer: “I never had illusions that I’m Miss Universe material. Perhaps Calayan saw a different kind of beauty in me, the same one that Vicki saw before, because she also once asked me to endorse her.”

The TV host, who used to help in Belo’s media relations, added, “I am … blessed [but] I’m not immune to pain, especially since Vicki is a friend. We had more good times than bad. This is not the Vicki I know.”

Asian shares to fall while Dow at 6-yr low

2009-02-20T09:00:00.004+08:00

Asian shares are set to fall on Friday, as US stocks were hurt by the twin fears of recession and the health of the financial sector.

Wall St indices finished up to 1.7% lower, with the Dow Jones industrial average at a six-year, bear market low, as US jobless benefit numbers hit a record high and concerns about government plans to mop up bad assets from banks.

The US dollar fell against the euro on hopes Germany may shore up its weaker euro zone partners, while fears about Japan's economy kept the yen under pressure.

Japanese shares are likely to fall, with Nikkei futures traded in Chicago last trading at 7,540 points, 70 points below the last traded level in Osaka.

Crude oil prices jumped 14% after an unexpected fall in US inventories, while the dip in the US dollar boosted commodity prices.

Great Gas Hike!

2009-02-18T08:04:00.003+08:00

Remember the soaring gas price soaring at $4 per gallon. Despite the economic slump, gas prices continue to spike across the country while the oil is going down. Everybody is driving less.

In Californina, last December it was $1.74 to $2.30 today.

The barrel is going down, economy is bad and the gas price is going up someone's making a profit out of here. :( How can that be?!?!? That doesn't make sense!

Merrill Lynch bonuses made 600+ millionaires

2009-02-12T08:13:00.001+08:00

Merrill Lynch quietly paid out at least $1-million bonus each to about 700 top executive even when the investment house was bleeding with losses last year, a probe has revealed.

They were part of $3.6 billion in the firm's bonus payments in December before the announcement of its fourth quarterly losses and takeover by Bank of America, the investigation by the New York state Attorney General's office showed.

"696 individuals received bonuses of $1 million or more," New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said of the Merrill scandal in a letter to a lawmaker heading the House of Representatives financial services committee.

Cuomo said "these payments and their curious timing raise serious questions as to whether the Merrill Lynch and Bank of America boards of directors were derelict in their duties and violated their fiduciary obligations," according to a copy of the letter.

Bank of America said recently it was aware of the amounts and timing of the bonuses even though previous reports had suggested the top bank was surprised by the payout.

Cuomo said in his letter to Democratic lawmaker Barney Frank that his office was also examining whether senior officials at both companies "violated their own fiduciary obligations to shareholders.

"If they did, this raises additional serious issues with regard to the inappropriate use of taxpayer funds," he said.

"Merrill Lynch's decision to secretly and prematurely award approximately $3.6 billion in bonuses, and Bank of America's apparent complicity in it, raise serious and disturbing questions," he said.

Shareholders and experts had expressed concern over Merrill's $15.3 billion fourth-quarter loss, which caused Bank of America to request a second round of government bailout on January 16.

Bank of America's shareholders voted to approve Merrill's takeover on December 5.

Former Merrill Lynch chief executive John Thain, Bank of America chief administrative officer J. Steele Alphin and other top executives have been summoned to provide testimony in the probe.

"One disturbing question that must be answered is whether Merrill Lynch and Bank of America timed the bonuses in such a way as to force taxpayers to pay for them through the deal funding," Cuomo said.

Cuomo said the Merrill Lynch bonus payment was "nothing short of staggering."

While more than 39,000 Merrill employees received bonuses from the pool, the vast majority of these funds were "disproportionately distributed to a small number of individuals."

"Indeed, Merrill chose to make millionaires out of a select group of 700 employees."

Teenager Undergoes Sex Change

2009-02-10T07:23:00.005+08:00

A German teenage boy who always wanted to be a girl underwent a sex-change operation last month, according to Britain's The Sun newspaper.

At age 16, Kim Petras -- born Tim Petras -- is believed to be the world's youngest transsexual. She began undergoing hormone therapy when she was 12.

German -- Kim Petras, a 16 year old teen, now a "she" is believed to be the world's youngest transsexual after undergoing a sex-change operation last month. He has worked as a model and released a CD, is shown here in her bedroom in Hennef, Germany, in October.

Petras said she had to wait until her 16th birthday for the operation to be legal.

Petras can now enjoy swimming, and bikinis, go in the changing rooms without a problem, everything has changed because of this operation. She can't wait to put on her favorite bathing suit and go swimming like she has never done before.

Stimulus Payment Information

2009-02-09T10:07:00.000+08:00

Stimulus Payment Info.

"This year, taxpayers will receive an Economic Stimulus Payment. This is a
very exciting new program that I will explain using the Q and A format:

Q. What is an Economic Stimulus Payment?
A. It is money that the federal government will send to taxpayers.

Q. Where will the government get this money?
A. From taxpayers.

Q. So the government is giving me back my own money?
A. Only a smidgen.

Q. What is the purpose of this payment?
A. The plan is that you will use the money to purchase a high-definition TV set, thus stimulating the economy.

Q. But isn't that stimulating the economy of China ?
A. Shut up.

Below are helpful advice on how to best help the US economy by
spending your stimulus check wisely:
If you spend that money at Wal-Mart, all the money will go to China .
If you spend it on gasoline it will go to the Arabs.
If you purchase a computer it will go to India .
If you purchase fruit and vegetables it will go to Mexico , Honduras , and
Guatemala (unless you buy organic).
If you buy a car it will go to Japan .

And none of it will help the American economy.
We need to keep that money here in America . You can keep the money in America by spending it at yard sales, going to a baseball game, on beer and wine (domestic ONLY), or tattoos, since those are the only businesses still in the US .

Cebu's Finest

2009-02-05T08:20:00.002+08:00

People says that if you’re a foreigner in the Philippines and you accidentally end up in some strange bar in the bad side of town and you fear for your life, just buy a round of drinks for everyone in the bar, and instantly, you’d have made lifelong friends.

“This round’s on me.” These words are guaranteed to bring a genuine ear-to-ear smile to people’s faces. There’s nothing like an evening of drinking with friends, and even after an evening of drinking with strangers, when you see each other in the same bar the next day, it’s like you were childhood playmates.

Such is the case in Cebu where weekends are best spent catching up with friends you’ve missed during the week. Here’s the lowdown on the best places to go to catch up on good conversation and excellent drinks.

Treff
Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino
Salinas Drive, Lahug
(32) 2326888

Treff, the all-glass and white sensation at Waterfront Hotel, is easily the classiest bar in Cebu. From stark white walls accented with wenge wood and aluminum inlays to Philippe Starck chairs, soft Italian mood lighting and lounge music, Treff is the place to chill for Cebu’s well-heeled set. Waterfront general manager Marco Protacio, who collaborated with J. Anton Mendoza on the interiors, likens an experience at Treff to making a toast to the stars—that’s how close to the sky one feels.

“Inventive” best describes Treff’s menu, which ranges from eclectic pizzas to exclusive desserts—they are not your typical calamari and nacho grub. The baked scallops wrapped in bacon and togarashi puff with tomato compote and garlic ice cream make great tongue ticklers. The grilled Texan baby back ribs with Jack Daniel’s-coke sherbet and roasted corn salsa is curiously delightful.

Treff has an impressive selection of luxury spirits and cocktails, and a page on the menu dedicated to martinis makes a quote from James Thuber ring true: “One martini is all right, two is too many, three is not enough.” Treff makes a really mean dry martini, and the Lemon Drop Martini, a mix of Absolut Citron, lemon liquor and juice, is phenomenal, as is the Chocotini, Absolut Vanillia and Bailey’s with a trickle of chocolate syrup.

For those wanting a head start on the evening, Treff’s daily happy hour (5-9 p.m.) is the perfect bargain—50-percent off on all cocktails and local beers. This round’s on me!

Bellini
Cebu Veterans Drive
Nivel Hills, Lahug
(32) 2360097, 2334679

Bellini, the newest al fresco champagne and cocktail bar in the city, has changed the nightscape of Cebu with its tasteful blend of Old World European décor and casual scaled lounge seating with Dedon furniture in an outdoor setting. The atmosphere is softly sophisticated and welcoming with a great view of the city, a vertical garden waterfall on the far end, plants and giant illuminated planters. The lighting is very flattering, and it’s not the heady cocktails that make everyone look beautiful.

Aside from its signature drink, the Bellini, six kinds of champagne and 12 kinds of sparkling wines, the bar offers the new trend in champagne cocktails and rose sparkling concoctions. The cool breeze constantly reminds you you’re living it up in the tropics, and that you haven’t died and ascended to bubbly heaven.

Wednesdays are Women’s Night, and it’s all about manicures, pedicures and champagne. Happy-hour moments on Sundays offer seven-course degustation cocktails with drinks from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Bellini promises to unveil a series of events that will change Cebu’s night scene—flaming bars, waitresses on wheels and ice parties.

The Outpost
976-A Veterans Drive
Nivel Hills, Lahug
(32) 4172929

With outdoor sporting gear and equipment hanging on the walls of an old house, The Outpost was obviously designed as a hangout for those who love the outdoors. Its laid-back vibe, Filipino and Caribbean-inspired menu, and live music, however, have drawn a jam-packed crowd consisting of just about anybody wanting to find his inner sunshine.

Slaves to the corporate world, friends of the earth, poets, orphan-panda relocators alike revel in the no-dress-code-no-entrance-fee-no-pretensions bar with cult followings for their events: Blues Nights on the last Friday of every month, Lucky Doobie Production featuring ska and reggae music on the third Saturday of every month, Latin Nights on the second Saturday of every month, Acoustic Wednesdays, and Open Mic Sessions and Songwriters’ Night on Thursdays.

Cowrie Cove
Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa
Punta Engaño, Mactan
(32) 2310288

Cowrie Cove is undeniably the best place to wrap up a lazy Sunday afternoon. Locals swarm the chill-out bar, which is adjacent to the seafood restaurant right by the ocean, for the buy-one-take-one Happy Hour promotion (5-7 p.m.). Bar stools allow for easy access and a good view to the speedy bartenders who serve excellent Cebuana Coladas and mean Mactan Long Island Iced Teas, which are sure to keep the sound of the waves directly below the deck ringing happily in your ears.

Z Bar
The Tinderbox Restaurant
Banilad
(32) 2341685

Literally a breathtaking exhibit of global design star Kenneth Cobonpue’s first full-scale organic architecture design, Z Bar is simply stunning.

Light from the solid onyx floor casts a chic glow throughout the tapas lounge, and in what is true functional art, bamboo branches and steel are hand-tied with rattan to form a cocoon-like structure. This woven sculpture morphs into the furniture in the bar, where you may sit contentedly and sip from an impressive selection of wines and champagnes.

A trained sommelier is in the house to make food and wine pairings, and he can take you to the wine cellar below, where you can choose from an even more extensive selection of wines. Easy-to-eat pizzas make great nibblers especially Pizza Bianco, mozzarella and sheep’s milk cheese with olive oil and garlic.

Formo
Banilad Town Center
(32) 4161990

The place to be on a Saturday night with its Disco Deluxe Party—glam ’80s and ’90s nostalgia music in hyper drive with Cebu’s Gap Mobile DJs Gilbert Go and Ronald Tan. A city favorite for the past few years, the newly renovated Formo has new colors, textured walls and lit bars that not only bring warmth, but also add dimension and opulence to the resto-lounge.

Good food, exceptional drinks, efficient service and great music all make for an excellent time.

Electronics Industries seeks help

2009-02-05T07:52:00.006+08:00

Just recently, Semiconductor and Electronics Industries of the Philippines Inc. (SEIPI) is asking for more help from the government — mainly in the form of lower power rates and funds for retraining, to prevent companies from shutting down.

Many semiconductor and electronics companies are suffering from the global economic slowdown, as well as with the demand for their products falling or growing less.

For some, downsizing and retrenchment are the logical route, but these could be prevented with a little help from government, to minimize layoffs in which the companies could have trained (government sponsored) and keep them as long as they can.

High power prices also continue to be an issue for electronics firms, as the rates and discounts they get are not enough to keep them from downsizing.

Government should consider cutting royalties on local natural gas, as this could drastically bring power rates down.

They should reduce the natural gas royalties to lower electricity cost that is specially needed in these trying times when the costs of production inputs are beginning to undermine the viability of Philippine industries due to the soaring price of oil.

Toyota Otis 10th Gen 2.0V Launching

2009-02-04T21:35:00.002+08:00

Toyota Otis will be launching the 2.0 variant of the 10th gen corolla on Feb. 6 friday at 6pm. In line with this event, they are inviting the members of Altis Club to bring and display their Altis at the said event since they would like to show the heritage of the Altis.

The theme would be the The Fast and The Furious so those with JDM and bling bling ZZ would fit right in. This would be a big exposure for the club so join in guys. I am encouraging all the newbies to show off your rides, pakita nyo ganda ng mga auto nyo.

Before Google Earth, Now, Google Ocean

2009-02-04T08:19:00.005+08:00

Search engine Google launched a new service Monday to allow Internet users to explore the depths of the world's oceans from the comfort of their homes on dry land.

The "Ocean in Google Earth" feature will allow users to "dive beneath the water surface, explore 3D underwater terrain and browse ocean-related content contributed by marine scientists," a Google statement said.

"Google Earth is equipping itself with a new dimension: depth," Jean-Francois Wassong, an engineer at Google France, told a news conference.

Nearly four years after Google Earth enabled users to zoom in to view streets, and later explore galaxies in the sky, the latest version of the software allows virtual travellers to dart across miles of unchartered territory underwater.

"Oceans cover more than 70 percent of the planet's surface but only a little bit has been explored," said Florence Diss, head of Google's geographical partnerships, referring to findings that humans have examined just five percent of world's seas.

By allowing users to explore underwater volcanoes, hunt for whales and learn more about shipwrecks, Google says "Ocean in Google Earth" offers a platform for everyday Internet browsers to link up with the scientific community.

The feature includes 20 different layers of content contributed by leading ocean explorers, scientists and researchers, such as photos and videos of "hot spots" around the world and information on marine protected areas.

It also has an animal tracking device in which users can follow animals that have been tagged by satellite.

Diss said the decision to expand Google Earth to cover the world's oceans "is not about making money". But she would not reveal the project's cost.

Since its launch in June 2005, Google Earth has been downloaded more than 400 million times.

The free software gives Internet users access to satellite images and maps around the world.

Super Bowl XLVIII

2009-02-03T23:19:00.003+08:00

There was much discussion in yesterday's Freedom Rock about Tom Petty's enjoyable, workmanlike halftime performance.

Everybody are thinking about next year and who would grace the makeshift stage at midfield of Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.

If it was up to you, who would be playing a medley of hits while the Browns and Cowboys regroup in the locker room?

Era of Rock "The day the music died"

2009-02-03T08:21:00.006+08:00

After 1 a.m. February 3, 1959, a three-passenger Beechcraft Bonanza went down about five miles northwest of Mason City Municipal Airport, near Clear Lake, Iowa. The plane crash took the lives of the pilot, Roger Peterson, and three musicians: Charles Hardin Holley, better known as Buddy Holly, 22; Ritchie Valens (originally Valenzuela), 17; and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, 28.

It has become famous, in Don McLean's "American Pie" formulation, as "the day the music died."

The event has echoed through rock 'n' roll history for 50 years, representing, if not the end of rock 'n' roll itself, the close of an era, the end of the first bloom of rock anarchy and innovation.

"It was like a curtain coming down," said Terry Stewart, president of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, which is co-hosting a series of events in Clear Lake for the anniversary, including classes putting the event in historical context.

As they have for decades, visitors have been making the pilgrimage to the resort town about 110 miles north of Des Moines. On Monday night, the 50th anniversary of the trio's deaths, the city's Surf Ballroom and Museum will host a huge concert in conjunction with the Rock Hall.

Expected are luminaries including Graham Nash, whose 1960s British band was named for Holly; the Smithereens' Pat DiNizio, who wrote the song "Maria Elena" for Holly's widow; Los Lobos, who followed in the Hispanic-rock tradition begun by Valens; Texans Delbert McClinton and Joe Ely; and Tommy Allsup, who was a Holly sideman at the show 50 years ago.

"The visionhas has always been that we go back to the roots," said Laurie Lietz, the Surf's executive director. "There were so many who were influenced by [the trio]. So the tribute concert is really a tribute to each individual."

The Surf, which was refurbished in 1995 by a local family (it's now run by a foundation), includes the original stage, the telephone where Holly and Valens placed their last calls, guitars, photographs and a green room with hundreds of autographs.

They all pay tribute to the last show for three men.

Holly, Valens and Richardson were part of the Winter Dance Party, a ramshackle tour that had started in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and headed to small cities in Minnesota and Iowa.

The tour, which also included Dion and the Belmonts and members of Holly's backing band, had lumbered along in subfreezing temperatures in unheated buses; two days earlier, one bus had stalled out on a lonely Wisconsin road. By the time the group reached Clear Lake, Holly in particular was ready to bolt.

The trio's deaths coincided with a period of dark events in rock 'n' roll history, including Elvis Presley's induction into the Army, Jerry Lee Lewis' blacklisting, the record industry payola scandals and Chuck Berry's Mann Act conviction, not to mention the rise of manufactured teen idols such as Frankie Avalon and Fabian.

Partly thanks to McLean's lingering phrase, the ensuing years have been painted as a rock Dark Ages, rescued only by the Beatles' arrival in 1964 at the vanguard of the British Invasion.

Monday, he and the others will simply be remembered at the ballroom where it's always February 2, 1959, and they're putting on another great show.

"When I come to these things, I don't think about [that] this is the last time I talked to him was from here. I think, I'm meeting the fans who have kept his memory alive," said Maria Elena Holly, who admits to getting "a little bit teary" when she hears "True Love Ways."

"And that's really what Buddy wanted to happen with his music: He wanted people to enjoy the music, to listen to it and make them happy," she said. "And when I think of it that way, I think at least his dream came true.

5 year college courses plan

2009-01-30T23:44:00.006+08:00

Philippines—The proposal to add one more year to courses in college is not yet final since the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) is still studying it, CHEd chair Emmanuel Angeles said Friday.

Angeles said a technical committee is still reviewing the proposed reform to add another year to college courses to put the country’s tertiary education system at par with that of other countries.

“There is nothing definite yet. We are not even sure if we would be able to implement this. It is not yet final,” Angeles said.

He said the technical committee would finish its review by next month and, stating in March, CHEd would conduct wide-ranging consultations among the major stakeholders in the country’s education system.

Under the reform program dubbed the “Philippine Main Education Highway,” existing courses requiring licensure exams by the Professional Regulation Commission would last for five years starting this coming school year. And starting 2010, even non-board courses would also be extended by one year.

The program aims to reform the baccalaureate curriculum in the college level and would be implemented following the “10+2+3 formula” or 10 years of basic education, a two-year pre-university program, and then a final three years of specialization.

This means that after completing 10 six years in elementary and four years of high school, students could either proceed to vocational training or take a two-year “pre-university program” before finally taking their specialized courses.

The reform program was supposed to be rolled out in two phases with Phase I beginning this coming school year (2009-2010) and affecting courses with PRC licensure exams.

Engineering and Architecture programs would follow the 10+2+(3 or 4) scheme in accordance with the standards set by international accrediting bodies for these fields. The other courses that would be affected during Phase I include Accounting, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Pharmacy.

Angeles added that nursing actually now takes five years since nursing students are required to take summer classes.

Phase II, which was supposed to take effect starting school year 2010-2011, would require all four-year board and non-board programs to follow the 10+2+3 system, which is in accordance with the Bologna Accord, a sweeping educational reform program in Europe that would take effect also in 2010.

All of these, however, might be put on hold depending on the results of the review by the CHEd technical committee and the consultations that would be held later this year.

Wall Street gives Bonus for 2008

2009-01-30T10:49:00.002+08:00

Just imagine Wall street gives of $18 billion in bonuses for the year 2008

A lot of people were outraged to read new details about the big bonuses going to those Wall Street bankers.

You know, the guys whose companies we are all bailing out at the moment.

Despite the enormous damage created by the Wall Street failures, we now know Wall Street awarded itself $18 billion in bonuses for 2008.

We would normally take this moment to take a shot at them, but frankly, the president did it for us, and said it pretty well.

President Obama: "When I saw an article today indicating that Wall Street bankers had given themselves $20 billion worth of bonuses, the same amount of bonuses they gave themselves in 2004, at a time when most of these institutions were teetering on collapse and they are asking for taxpayers to help sustain them and when taxpayers find themselves in the difficult position that if they don't provide help that the entire system could come down on top of our heads, that is the height of irresponsibility.

It is shameful for the others. There will be time for these people to make profits and get their bonuses but this not the right time.

Bill raising PDIC coverage to 500,000 pesos

2009-01-29T12:04:00.001+08:00

THE Senate, voting 13-0, passed on third reading on Monday a bill amending the charter of the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. to raise PDIC’s maximum insurance coverage to P500,000 from P250,000 per deposit.

Sen. Edgardo Angara, its principal sponsor, said the enactment of the PDIC bill will “help regain and further increase public confidence in the local banking system amid the global financial crisis.”

“These are extremely confusing times where panic can only make matters worse,” Angara acknowledged. “Maintaining, if not restoring, confidence in the banking system should be our priority.”

At the proposed level of Maximum Deposit Insurance Coverage (MDIC), he estimated that 97.23 percent of the more than 31 million deposit accounts in the country will enjoy the benefits of deposit-insurance cover.

Meanwhile, PDIC president Jose Nograles said the deposit insurer has targeted the middle of February as the start of payout of deposit-insurance claims in 12 banks placed by the Monetary Board under PDIC receivership in December 2008. These banks combined have estimated deposit accounts of over 135,000 in 50 locations all over the country.

These accounts have to be examined prior to payout, and PDIC has undertaken several measures to speed up the examination and payout process. Among these measures is the deployment of more than half of PDIC’s personnel on field.

Another is the engagement of a Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas-accredite d external auditor to assist in the presettlement examination.

“The presettlement examination is a prerequisite to claims payout. PDIC’s paramount concern is to pay valid claims of depositors at the soonest possible time to provide them immediate relief. However, as in any claim for insurance, we need to examine bank records and evaluate these to verify their validity before we can begin payout in order to safeguard the Deposit Insurance Fund [DIF] and to protect depositors by ensuring that payments are made to the right persons,” Nograles said.

The DIF is the source of payout for claims for deposit insurance. PDIC is mandated by law to safeguard the DIF. Nograles assured that the DIF is sufficient to pay all valid claims for deposit insurance.

“The outsourcing of presettlement examination will speed up the process and will enable PDIC to start payout by middle of February. Our priority is to service the claims of small depositors with deposits of P100,000 and below. Based on available data, they represent about 62 percent of deposit accounts in these 12 closed banks,” Nograles said

Hard times in America - From $80,000 a year to eviction

2009-01-29T08:31:00.005+08:00

Amber Easton has gone from $80,000 a year in salary to scrambling for work. At a time in her life when she should be scaling the corporate ladder, she has instead spiraled into a deep depression. She recently lost her car and now faces eviction from her apartment.

Just last week, the 35-year-old longtime working professional attended two job fairs with friends in the Detroit area. They stood in line for over three hours with hundreds of professionals of all types.

"It was a real eye-opener to see the caliber of people we were in line with -- very educated with vast skill sets," Easton said in an e-mail. "Afterwards, we went to the restaurant located in the same hotel and it was filled with unemployed professionals sharing their story, from engineers to graphic designers to marketing professionals."

Easton's saga began in July 2007 when she traded in her job as a corporate compliance officer to attend law school, what she thought would help advance her career. But after a year of law school, she decided it wasn't for her. By then, her old job was gone and the job market had shrunk.

It's hard not to be depressed during a time like this, she said "I never imagined in a million years that I would be in such a situation at my age and at this point in my career. I am humiliated. I am praying for everyone else out there is who are facing the same problems."

She has applied to 70 different companies but gotten few leads. She recently went through a rigorous interview process for one job in another state, but to no avail.

Every day, she searches for new job possibilities and every day results in more desperation. She estimates she's making $20,000 -- "if that" -- as a contract employee working from her home. "I just haven't made enough to keep up."

Her Detroit neighborhood a couple years ago was booming, she said, but now "it's like a ghost town around here. It's bad everywhere, but it's so, so bad here"

Across the nation, people like Easton are feeling the pinch. Good jobs have evaporated. Former full-time employees are now working part-time contract positions just to get by.

Nearly 2.6 million jobs were lost during 2008, the highest yearly total since the end of World War II in 1945. This week alone, major corporations have announced more than 80,000 jobs cuts, bringing this year's total to almost over 200,000.

Here are several tips for people out of work:

• Don't panic;

• Find a support group, even if it's just an informal group of friends;

• Seek employment counseling when available;

• Be professional in your job hunt;

• Network with other professionals;

• Take time to exercise during hard times;

• Spend valuable time with your family.

On a practical note, she said people should contact their creditors to let them know the situation. She also advises people to do volunteer work and to cultivate a "spirit of optimism."

Bad times pass, and it's sometimes hard to see that when you're in the throes of a terrible place,I think we do need to hold onto a spirit of optimism and a sense of confidence.

In Detroit, Easton said she knows America will bounce back at some point, but "in the meantime, people are losing everything."

Toyota recalls 1.35 M cars worldwide

2009-01-28T23:07:00.005+08:00

TOKYO, Japan -- Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday it was recalling more than 1.35 million cars worldwide because of seatbelt and exhaust defects.

The world's biggest automaker is recalling 525,000 Vitz, Belta and Ractis vehicles in Japan made between January 2005 and April 2008.

About 830,000 Vitz and Belta vehicles sold in North America, Europe and other markets are also subject to the recall, a Toyota spokeswoman said. The cars are called the Yaris Hatchback and Sedan in some markets.

The recalls are mostly due to problems linked to the seatbelt tensioner that may cause a fire in the case of a collision, the company said.

Some of the vehicles sold in Japan may also have problems with a pipe in the exhaust system that could crack due to heat, it said.

Dead People - Suspected LA murder-suicide

2009-01-28T08:23:00.005+08:00

LOS ANGELES, CA -- A mass slaying father who may have recently been fired from his job shot dead his wife and five young children this Tuesday, Los Angeles police said.

A Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) spokeswoman said the family of 7 was found dead at a home in the suburb of Wilmington, south of Los Angeles.

Police believe the man killed his family and then committed suicide. The identities of the dead have not been released.

"Right now we're investigating if the father killed his wife and five kids and then turned the revolver on himself and killed himself," LAPD Deputy Chief Ken Garner told KFWB radio.

Garner said police were originally contacted by a local television station, which apparently received a telephone call and a fax from a man saying he was going to kill his family and himself.

Garner said the fax indicated the man may have recently lost his job. According to the radio station, the dead included an eight-year-old girl, five-year-old twin girls and two-year-old twin boys.

The Los Angeles region has seen several high-profile mass shootings in recent months.

In December, a gunman dressed as Santa Claus stormed into the home of his former in-laws on Christmas Eve and opened fire on his ex-wife and her family before setting the house alight.

Nine people were killed in the rampage before the gunman took his own life.

Last October, a 45-year-old man shot his wife, three children and mother-in-law before killing himself, reportedly because of financial woes.

Metrobank seeking China license

2009-01-28T08:04:00.002+08:00

Philippines--Metropolitan bank and Trust Co., the country’s biggest bank in assets, is seeking approval of regulators in China to set up a wholly owned subsidiary there in line with efforts to increase and diversify overseas revenues amid the global economic downturn, said bank chairman Antonio Abacan Jr. said.

“Even before this worldwide problem, our intention really has been to expand the business,” Abacan said. “But with the problem now in Hong Kong, Japan and Taiwan, the bread-and-butter remittance business is slowing. Filipinos are losing jobs overseas.”

“We see good opportunity in China,” he added. “That’s why we are developing this business in China.”

Metrobank has a branch in Shanghai and a representative office in Beijing. It wants to establish a full subsidiary that can put up branches across the mainland.

At present, Allied Bank Corp., which will soon merge with Philippine National Bank, is the only Philippine bank that can put up branches in China, where a foreign bank is usually required to put up capital of at least one billion yuan (P6 billion) to get a license to expand across mainland China.

Metrobank has 37 branches, subsidiaries and representative offices in 21 countries.

Job losses of Filipinos

2009-01-28T07:56:00.002+08:00

Philippines — A figure of 23,000+ Filipinos here and abroad have lost their jobs as a direct result of the global financial crisis said by the Philippine Department of Labor and Employment.

Since the crisis started taking its toll in October, 19,443 workers have lost jobs in the Philippines and 4,042 overseas, department spokesman Jay Julian said.

Among the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), "most of those who lost their jobs abroad are from Taiwan," he said. OFW job cuts attributed to the crisis were also reported in South Korea, Macau, Brunei, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Russia, Poland and Australia, he added.

In the Philippines, 33,936 workers have been asked to take flexible work hours as a way of coping with the crisis, Julian said.

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) said Tuesday that 6,233 of its members had been directly affected by economic downturn — 2,933 were laid off and 3,300 were given flexible hours.

"This is separate from the government figures. We are doing our own headcount," TUCP spokesman Alex Aguilar said.

When asked whether the TUCP, one of the biggest labor groups in the Philippines, had an estimate of total job losses in the next couple of months, Aguilar said, "We are not in a position to make any projections."

Most of the workers affected are in the garments, electronics and furniture industries, Aguilar said. "We lost a union in Cebu and three factories closed shop in Valenzuela, all in the furniture business," he said.

The TUCP was calling on the labor department to fast-track its short-term and long-term safety-net programs for displaced workers, the spokesman added.

It welcomes a tripartite summit — with the government, the employer sector and the labor sector to be represented—that has been called by the labor department for this Thursday and Friday.

"This summit is important so that we are able to generate information and data on how many were really affected,” Julian said. “It is important that everyone is on the same page."

Petron Shares up by 8%

2009-01-27T11:30:00.003+08:00

Shares of oil refiner and retailer Petron Corp. surged on Monday by 8.33 percent on the stock market as investors anticipated beverage and food group San Miguel Corp.'s exercise of its option to take Petron over and a subsequent tender offer to minority shareholders.

San Miguel, in compliance with a query from the stock exchange, said Monday it had the option to acquire up to 100 percent of a company that owns majority of Petron at any time until Dec. 23, 2010.

San Miguel said all it had to do would be to serve a written notice on SEA Refinery Holdings BV (SEA BV), a unit of the London-based Ashmore group, to exercise its option to acquire up to 100 percent of the outstanding capital stock of SEA Refinery Corp. which owned the majority stake in Petron.

"Completion of the acquisition shall take place 30 days after the date of issuance of the call option notice and San Miguel shall on completion pay to SEA BV the exercise price for the Option Shares in such manner as San Miguel and SEA may agree upon," said San Miguel spokesperson Ferdinand Constantino.

Petron closed at P5.20 on Monday, from Friday's close at P4.80 per share. Some 4.9 million Petron shares were traded, accounting for 3.96 percent of the market turnover on Monday.

San Miguel shares were also up, by 1.26 percent, to close at P40 ahead of an anticipated boardroom entry in another blue chip, power distributor Manila Electric Co.

Analysts said that despite a potential wait for up to two years for San Miguel to exercise its option, Petron shares were attractive given San Miguel's estimated strike price of P6.86 on the option.

Joseph Roxas, president at stock brokerage Eagle Equities Inc., said the market was looking forward to a tender offering by San Miguel should it exercise the option to buy into Petron.

He said Petron was still attractive to the market even if the Securities and Exchange Commission had indicated that the tender offer requirement would not be enforced until after San Miguel had exercised its option on Petron.

Others were betting that San Miguel would not wait for two years to exercise the option.

For $10 million, San Miguel recently acquired the option to buy a SEA Refinery, lock, stock and barrel.

SEA Refinery owns 50.1 percent of Petron. To date, the Ashmore group owns about 90 percent of Petron, after buying out the remaining stake privatized by the government.

The tender offer rule intends to protect minority shareholders by giving them the opportunity to sell their shares at the same price that a new investor is buying a significant block. On the Philippine Stock Exchange, the trigger is if the purchase exceeds 35 percent of a company's total shares.

San Miguel's position is that because it has yet to exercise the option in the first place, it is not covered by the tender offer rule.

San Miguel has already named its chairman Eduardo Cojuangco Jr., president Ramon Ang and director Estelito Mendoza as directors of Petron. Ang has been elected as chairman and chief executive of Petron.

4 San Miguel members got Meralco board

2009-01-27T11:17:00.004+08:00

Philippines -- Beverage and food group San Miguel Corp. on Jan. 26 Monday, won key boardroom and management representation at Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), marking the entry of a powerful new voting block in the country's largest electricity retailer, which has long been controlled by the Lopez family.

Using voting rights acquired from divesting government financial institutions, San Miguel obtained four seats on the 11-member Meralco board and installed its president Ramon Ang, chairman Eduardo Cojuangco, director Estelito Mendoza and financial consultant Aurora Calderon as directors.

Meralco elected five new board members but San Miguel claimed only four as part of its voting block. Ang confirmed that San Miguel clinched four board seats previously held by nominees of the state-run pension fund Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).

The fifth new director, Jose de Jesus, was also elected as president and chief operating officer of Meralco effective Feb. 1, to replace the current head, Jesus Francisco who is retiring at the end of the month.

Industry sources said De Jesus was "mutually acceptable" to both the San Miguel and Lopez groups. He is a former president and chief executive of Manila North Tollways Corp.

Francisco will remain as a member of the Meralco board.

Ang was officially named as vice chairman, replacing Felipe Alfonso, who stepped down as director along with GSIS president Winston Garcia, GSIS chairman Bernardino Abes, government nominee Daisy Arce who is a director at Philippine Telegraph and Telephone Corp. director and Jeremy Parulan who is a director at Philippine National Construction Corp.

Meralco chairman and chief executive officer Manuel Lopez said that with the entry of San Miguel, stakeholders could expect the same high level of management expertise that Meralco provides.

"I am sure that many in the business community view these changes as a positive development since the new members of the board bring with them a wealth of experience in ensuring the continued strength and viability of Meralco," Lopez said.

The board revamp suggested that Meralco would retain control of five seats on the board, with the remaining two would be for independent directors.

At the much-awaited meeting on Monday, Meralco also "reconstituted" the composition of key management committees. San Miguel representatives were installed on all five committees — executive, nomination and governance, audit and compliance, finance, and compensation and retirement.

Ang also confirmed via a text message to the Philippine Daily Inquirer that San Miguel chief financial officer Ferdinand Constantino, who was installed as an ex-officio member of the finance committee for now — would soon be appointed as chief financial officer of Meralco.

Although Monday's meeting appeared amicable, some analysts are anticipating a tug-of-war between the San Miguel and Lopez blocks.

"Investors' reactions are muted considering this boardroom war," said Astro Del Castillo, managing director at local fund First Grade Holdings. “They anticipate a corporate struggle because San Miguel is usually is hungry for majority stake in most of the companies it invests in.”

"So it seems that the uncertainties will linger. It will take time before interest in Meralco will be energized especially because there are a lot of other stocks out there at bargain prices," Del Castillo said. "So, Meralco is standing on a shaky ground in corporate direction. If management will be distracted by a brawl in the boardroom, it can affect earnings."

The price of Meralco shares closed unchanged at P58.50 on Monday, ahead of the much-anticipated board revamp.

"At this point,” said Jose Mari Lacson, head of research at stock brokerage Campos, Lanuza & Co. Inc., “the fact that both camps have already agreed to certain terms of their relationship, it may mean that some trust, while only partial, is being given by the Lopezes to San Miguel. If both camps do manage to cooperate and actually execute a better business strategy, we just might consider making Meralco a turnaround buy story. It is too early to conclude, however, that this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

San Miguel acquired a 27% voting block in Meralco via a staggered payment scheme with the GSIS in October 2008.

Ahead of the board meeting Monday, a local fund believed to be allied with San Miguel, Global 5000 Investment Inc., took control of an additional 7% block from the state-run pension fund Social Security System and state-owned Development Bank of the Philippines.

These transactions bring the estimated voting rights of the combined San Miguel-Global 5000 at par with the Lopez family's 34 %

Recession getting worse

2009-01-26T21:55:00.004+08:00

Economists expect a deeper recession this 2009 , according to a survey.

Companies will lay off more workers and hoard more cash during the next 12 months, according to the National Association for Business Economics survey, a quarterly take from a panel of economists at private-sector companies in various industries. Most economists polled believe the country's gross domestic product will continue to sink in 2009.

If business conditions worsen this year, they will be sinking from already historic lows. The survey's measures of consumer demand, profit margins and capital expenditures all hit their lowest-ever levels in January's edition of the 27-year old survey.

Nearly half - 47% - of surveyed economists said overall industry demand was falling, compared with 35% who said so in the October survey. Just 10% of respondents said profit margins were rising, compared with 52% who believe they are falling. And 38% of economists said capital expenses are falling, up from just 15% in October.

Credit conditions hurt businesses, according to the economists, as customers had less leverage to buy discretionary products. 78% of respondents said tightening credit conditions affected customers, and 52% said the credit crunch directly hurt businesses in their industries.

Pessimistic outlook on weak environment

With business conditions souring, the outlook for jobs has grown increasingly negative. 39% of economists believe their industries will lay off employees in the next six months, compared with 32% in October.

The forecast was particularly poor for the goods-producing sector, in which 69% of economists saw layoffs in the future, and no one believed the industry would be adding jobs. Service-sector economists were the most optimistic, with only 9% seeing layoffs and 29% saying their industry would be hiring in the next six months.

Companies will likely curtail spending in the coming months as well, according to the survey. 44% of the economists believed capital spending in their industries would fall off in the coming year, compared with just 16% who believed their businesses would increase spending.

Rising unemployment, tightening credit conditions and a difficult lending environment led economists to give a more pessimistic outlook on growth for 2009.

Just 22% believed the U.S. economy would expand this year, down from 62% who thought so in October. Although 26% now believe the economy will shrink less than 1% this year, 52% now think the economy will shrink by more than 1%, which no one predicted in October.

Green Tech - Investment Bubble?

2009-01-26T08:54:00.000+08:00

Kung Hei Fat Choi! World events have shown in stark relief how financial speculators hype industries up, only to scare and scatter when a bubble bursts leaving the value of stocks and shares to tumble.

We've seen it in the property sector, in hedge funds. Before that it was dotcoms. It seems to be a cycle as old as banks and financial markets. But could the next victim be green technology?

Recently, many millions of dollars have been invested in new eco-friendly technology companies offering solutions to the twin threats of runaway climate change and declining fossil fuel stocks.

But is there too much money going, too quickly, into companies that won't deliver?

Blogs and financial sites have been full of speculation. Is it all talk? A jittery community of investors burned by their failure to spot the housing bubble, now seeing trouble everywhere? Or is there really something to worry about?

Despite the financial crisis, the green tech sector looks set to be on the verge of a boom. Over the last few months trillions of dollars of investments have been liquidated and many speculators are now looking for something to do with their cash.

investors looking for a solid, government-backed sector are likely to suddenly discover a new interest in all things green.

But in many ways recent events have only steepened the upward trend of investment going into the sector, and things have been looking good for green for sometime.

This boom is being felt most acutely in Silicon Valley where a new generation of high-tech businesses are transforming the region, just as the information technology sector did in the 1980's and 1990's. Another hotspot is Austin, Texas.

But it is important to remember that many of the companies proving so attractive to circling capital only exist in the laboratory. Despite the huge, even revolutionary potential of many, they have yet to provide an actual, commercially-viable product. Never mind take it to market.

Apple on it's 25th year

2009-01-25T20:56:00.004+08:00

Apple Macintosh, the first personal computer to draw masses, introduce the mouse and incorporate a graphical user interface, relying on images instead of text.

The Apple Inc. watershed product entered American consciousness amid fanfare, with a $1.5 million commercial, made by Ridley Scott, wowing audiences during Super Bowl XVIII. The piece's title, "1984," invoked author George Orwell's message and stood as a warning against conformity.

Two days after the ad ran, the Macintosh became available and life, as people knew it, changed. No longer were computers viewed as toys with which to play primitive games or as untouchable tools reserved for degreed engineers. We began to think different.

"The Macintosh demonstrated that it was possible and profitable to create a machine to be used by millions and millions of people," said Alex Soojung-Kim Pang, research director for the Institute for the Future, a Palo Alto, California, think tank, and chief force behind "Making the Macintosh: Technology and Culture in Silicon Valley," an online historical exhibit. "The gold standard now for personal electronics is, 'Is it easy enough for my grandmother to use it?' People on the Macintosh project were the first people to talk about a product in that way."

Pang, 44, remembered being "mesmerized" by the computer when he first saw it up close in his college bookstore.

British economy in recession

2009-01-25T20:35:00.005+08:00

British economy now in recession.

The British gross domestic product declined by 1.5 percent in the fourth quarter of 2008, the British government announced. That followed a decline of 0.6% in the third quarter.

The traditional definition of a recession is two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth.

There were already hints the British economy was heading toward a recession before the fourth-quarter results emerged, because second-quarter results for 2008 had showed no change in the GDP.

"The increased rate of decline in output was due to weaker services and production industries output," Britain's Office for National Statistics announced.

Manufacturing output fell by 4.6% in the fourth quarter and was the biggest contributor to the slowdown in production, the government said.

Large declines also occurred in construction; the services sector, especially hotels and restaurants; and transport.

40 die in Vietnam boat mishap

2009-01-25T19:45:00.003+08:00

HANOI -- Almost 40 people drowned in a river boat accident in Vietnam on Sunday when a crowded vessel sank while taking people to a market for lunar New Year shopping, a senior provincial official said.

The wooden boat sank amid strong currents and cold winds 20 meters from shore on the Gianh River in central Quang Binh province when passengers scrambled to get off before it reached the pier, the official said.

"More than 80 people were on the boat," provincial Communist Party chief Luong Ngoc Binh told Agence France-Presse (AFP), adding that the boat was licensed to carry just 20.

"We have recovered 40 bodies and we will continue to search until we have found the last body. About 36 people have been rescued."

At least two or three people remained missing and were feared dead hours after the accident on the river south of Vinh city, he said.

"We have mobilized soldiers, fishermen, anyone who has experience on the river, to join the rescue effort," Binh said by telephone.

"The survivors are now back at home or in local clinics."

The tragedy happened around 8 a.m. (0100 GMT) on the eve of the Tet lunar New Year, the biggest annual festival in Vietnam, when extended families reunite for traditional feasts and to pray for good luck in the year ahead.

"The passengers didn't obey the law, and they rushed to shop for Tet, to buy new clothes and goods," said Binh. "That's the reason the accident happened."

He added that "the waves on the river were big, the wind was strong and it was cold, so it was very difficult for people to survive."

"We have used dozens of fishing nets to recover bodies and find the missing, but we are afraid that the two or three people who are still missing are dead already," he told AFP.

Binh said the captain was detained because the boat had been overloaded with passengers. Earlier news reports said the vessel was licensed for 40 to 50 passengers.

Online news site VnExpress identified the detained captain and owner of the boat as 44-year-old Nguyen Xuan Quy.

Binh said that "there were some lifebuoys on the boat, but the accident happened so quickly that the buoys weren't of any use."

Brazilian model died at 20

2009-01-25T18:50:00.001+08:00

Brazilian model Mariana Bridi da Costa, whose hands and feet were amputated in a bid to save her from a deadly and little-known illness, died early Saturday, two friends of the model told.

Brazilian model Mariana Bridi da Costa died Saturday after undergoing multiple amputations.

Brazilian model Mariana Bridi da Costa died Saturday after undergoing multiple amputations.

"Unfortunately Mari couldn't resist any longer. She passed away at 3 a.m. today," Henrique Fontes, executive director of Miss World Brazil, said in an e-mail to CNN.

Renato Lindgren, a friend of the model who runs a blog dedicated to her, confirmed da Costa's death.

On his blog, Lindgren wrote that he and other friends were going to the hospital.

"On behalf of all the family, we are grateful for the support and the affection that the entire world has sent to us," he wrote.

Da Costa, 20, had fought a pernicious disease that has ravaged her body and forced doctors to perform the amputations and extract part of her stomach as well as both kidneys.

She had been breathing through a respirator, officials at Dorio Silva Hospital in the Brazilian state of Espirito Santo said Friday.

Da Costa suffered from necrosis, or the fast deadening of tissue, caused by septicemia. Septicemia, triggered by a bacterial infection, causes insufficient blood flow that can lead to organ failure.

Da Costa first sought medical advice after feeling ill in late December. Hospital officials said she was transferred to Dorio Silva on January 3 in "septic shock," a serious medical condition caused by an inflammation.

Da Costa was first diagnosed as suffering a urinary tract infection. By the time the infection was detected, it had developed into septicemia.

Doctors decided to amputate first her hands and then her feet after the condition reduced the amount of oxygen being delivered to her limbs.

Just less than one month ago, da Costa was a healthy young woman well on the way to achieving her dream of becoming a world class model.

She placed sixth in the Miss Bikini International competition in China last year and took first place for the "Best in Swimsuit" category. In 2007 and 2008, she came fourth in the contest to become Brazil's entrant for the Miss World pageant.

Thiago Simoes, da Costa's fiance, said she was on her way to international stardom, signing with prominent model scout Dilson Stein, who brought Brazilian models, including Gisele Bundchen and Luize Altenhofen, to the world stage.

"All the agencies were very interested in knowing her. I know for a fact that they would have loved her because Mariana is beautiful," Stein told Brazil's Tribuna newspaper.

Simoes told CNN that da Costa woke up from a coma 10 days ago and told him how much she wanted to be alive.

"She told me she was praying to stay alive, that she still had a lot to do on this earth, that she wanted to go on with her plans," he said.

"She comes from a humble family and she was the main breadwinner," said Simoes, who refuted rumors that da Costa was dieting and that might have affected her health.

"She never dieted, never took pills...she is a very simple, very warm human being," he said.

A doctor who recently published an article in The New England Journal of Medicine on the disease, told CNN that little was known about the illness, although it is the tenth leading cause of deaths in the United States.

"We know a lot about what happens once a patient contracts the illness but we know very little about what causes it," said Dr. Greg Martin of Emory University in Atlanta.

"It is a leading health threat in this country, killing at least 800,000 people a year," he said.

"The whole world, I repeat, the whole world is touched by the case of Mariana," it said.

The message said they had received "e-mails of solidarity from all corners of the world: Australia, Ukraine, Czech Republic, France, Italy, USA, Russia, etc."

Microsoft to cut 5,000 jobs

2009-01-23T09:53:00.000+08:00

The US software giant Microsoft announced the most sweeping job cuts in its history on Thursday as a worsening economy and weak spending on technology sent quarterly profit sharply lower.

Releasing its results for the second quarter of its fiscal year, Microsoft said it was cutting up to 5,000 jobs, or 5.5% of its workforce, over the next 18 months.

Microsoft, a Redmond Washington-based company said net profit fell by 11% in the quarter from a year ago to $4.17 billion on a revenue of $16.63 billion, a two percent rise from a year ago.

It said earnings per share were 47 cents for the quarter that ended on December 31, less than the 49 cents per share forecast by analysts.

"While we are not immune to the effects of the economy, I am confident in the strength of our product portfolio and soundness of our approach," Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer said in a statement.

"We will continue to manage expenses and invest in long-term opportunities to deliver value to customers and shareholders, and we will emerge an even stronger industry leader than we are today."

Ballmer's reassuring words failed to prevent Microsoft's shares from plunging on Wall Street, where they lost 11.71 percent to close at $17.11.

"In light of the further deterioration of global economic conditions," Microsoft said it was eliminating "up to 5,000 jobs in R&D (research and development), marketing, sales, finance, legal, HR (human resources), and IT (information technology) over the next 18 months, including 1,400 jobs today."

Microsoft employs some 91,000 people and rumors of job cuts at the world's biggest software firm had been circulating for weeks.

The company said the move was among various steps designed to manage costs, "including the reduction of headcount-related expenses, vendors and contingent staff, facilities, capital expenditures and marketing."

"These initiatives will reduce the company's annual operating expense run rate by approximately $1.5 billion and reduce fiscal year 2009 capital expenditures by $700 million," Microsoft said.

Global consulting firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas said Microsoft's move "is further evidence of the recession's increasing impact on the technology sector, which first appeared less susceptible to the weakened economy.

"However, Microsoft's announcement is particularly remarkable in that it is the first layoff event of this size and scope in the company's history," it added.

Ballmer, in a memorandum to employees obtained by the AllThingsDigital technology blog, said "consumers and businesses have reined in spending, which is affecting PC shipments and IT expenditures.

"Our response to this environment must combine a commitment to long-term investments in innovation with prompt action to reduce our costs," he said, adding that "the decision to eliminate jobs is a very difficult one."

In a conference call with reporters and analysts, Ballmer said he does not expect a "quick rebound" for the economy. "The economy shrinks and then it grows from a lower base. So no, I'm not expecting a bounce," he said.

The company founded by Bill Gates declined to release an outlook for the remainder of the fiscal year, citing the "volatility of market conditions going forward."

"Economic activity and IT spend slowed beyond our expectations in the quarter, and we acted quickly to reduce our cost structure and mitigate its impact," said Microsoft chief financial officer Chris Liddell.

"We are planning for economic uncertainty to continue through the remainder of the fiscal year, almost certainly leading to lower revenue and earnings for the second half relative to the previous year."

Reflecting the overall weakness in personal computer sales, Microsoft said revenue from software sales fell eight percent to $3.98 billion in the quarter.

Revenue from the server and tools sector grew 15%, the company said, while revenue from the entertainment and devices division rose three percent, driven by strong holiday demand for Xbox 360 consoles, which sold a record six million units in the quarter.

Earthquake hits Indonesia

2009-01-23T08:16:00.000+08:00

A 6.2-magnitude earthquake hit the Kepulauan Barat Daya region in Indonesia on Friday, according to the US Geological Survey.

The quake, which occurred at 5:16 a.m. (2016 GMT Thursday), was centered some 316 kilometers (196 miles) off Saumlaki in the Tanimbar Islands at a depth of 141 kilometers under the sea, a USGS statement said.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage and no tsunami warning was issued.

The Indonesian archipelago sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire where continental plates meet, causing frequent seismic and volcanic activity.

A 7.7-magnitude earthquake in July last year on the south coast of the main island of Java killed more than 600 people.

A series of dozens of powerful tremors hit Indonesia following 7.6 and 7.5 magnitude quakes that struck off the West Papua provincial capital Manokwari earlier this month.

Around 14,000 people flooded into camps on high ground in the aftermath of those quakes fearing deadly waves after authorities issued and then withdrew a tsunami alert.

The tremors re-awakened bitter memories of similar deadly quakes that hit Manokwari in 2002, as well as the Asian tsunami that killed 168,000 people in Indonesia's Aceh province and Nias island in 2004

Philippines fears 60,000 IT Job losses

2009-01-22T23:31:00.004+08:00

Job seekers apply at an employment agency during a local and international job fair in Manila Thursday while semiconductor firms are laying off employees due to the impact of global financial crisis.

Malaysia Bans hiring of Foreign workers

2009-01-22T23:25:00.002+08:00

Malaysia has banned the hiring of foreign workers in factories, stores and restaurants to protect its citizens from mass unemployment amid the global economic downturn.

The government has also ordered companies to lay off foreign employees first if they must slash their work force, a Human Resources Ministry official said.

The Cabinet has approved an indefinite hiring ban for the key manufacturing and services sectors, which currently employ nearly half of the 2.1 million legal foreign workers in Malaysia, the official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to make public statements.

The official was confirming a decision announced late Wednesday by Human Resources Minister S. Subramaniam.

Local media reported the minister as saying Malaysia "can put a stop to hiring" foreign workers if they are not needed.

Foreigners currently working in both sectors can continue until their contracts expire or until they are laid off, but no new non-Malaysian workers will be approved, the official said.

"We want to make sure that all locals who have been laid off can get a new job," he said.

The official said exemptions might be given to skilled foreign workers who are needed for some of country's service industries and factories, most of which produce electronic and electrical goods, textiles and furniture.

More than 10,000 Malaysians and 3,000 foreigners lost their jobs between October and January because of a slowdown in Malaysia's export-dependent economy. The government has predicted another 45,000 Malaysians could be out of work by the end of the year.

Foreigners can still be hired in sectors such as plantations and construction, where it is tough to find Malaysians to employ because of the low salaries and arduous work, the official said.

Eka Suripto, an official at the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, said Indonesia expects one-third of its 300,000 nationals working in Malaysia's manufacturing industry to lose their jobs this year.

"Certainly what they will sacrifice first are the foreign migrants," he said.

Adding to the number of legal foreign workers, there are an estimated one million illegal migrants employed mainly at plantations, construction sites and restaurants. Most come from poorer Asian nations such as Indonesia and the Philippines.

Malaysia's government has struggled to assure the public that the country won't slip into recession. Authorities have forecast that Malaysia's economy will expand by 3.5% in 2009, but some economists have warned that growth could fall below 2%.

A Letter from HR ...

2009-01-22T12:35:00.001+08:00

I received a message from our HR and i just want to share it with you, so please be quiet and don't tell anyone.

Here it goes:

Dear employee,

Due to the current financial situation caused by the slowdown of economy, Management has decided to implement a scheme to put workers of 40 years of age and above on early retirement. This scheme will be known as RAPE (Retire Aged People Early).

Persons selected to be RAPED can apply to management to be eligible for the SHAFT scheme (Special Help After Forced Termination) . Persons who have been RAPED and SHAFTED will be reviewed under the SCREW programme (Scheme Covering Retired Early Workers). A person may be RAPED once, SHAFTED twice and SCREWED as many times as Management deems appropriate.

Persons who have been RAPED can only get AIDS (Additional Income for Dependants & Spouse) or HERPES (Half Earnings for Retired Personnel Early Severance). Obviously persons who have AIDS or HERPES will not be SHAFTED or SCREWED any further by Management.

Persons who are not RAPED and are staying on will receive as much SHIT (Special High Intensity Training) as possible. Management has always prided itself on the amount of SHIT it gives employees. Should you feel that you do not receive enough SHIT, please bring to the attention of your Supervisor. They have been trained to give you all the SHIT you can handle.

Sincerely,
The Management

Asian shares to jump on Wall St.

2009-01-22T11:25:00.000+08:00

In WELLINGTON, New Zealand -- Asian shares are set to surge on Thursday after Wall Street rebounded on a solid performance from the technology sector, as well as a recovery for beleaguered financial stocks.

The main US indexes closed as much as 4.6 percent higher, led by a strong earnings reported from IBM Corp., while Apple Inc. also posted a better-than- expected result after the market had closed.

Japanese markets are set for a solid start, with Nikkei Futures traded in Chicago closing at 8,100, up 235 points and 270 points higher than the last traded level in Osaka.

Japanese markets will be looking to the Bank of Japan's interest rate decision at the end of its two-day meeting, with rates expected to remain on hold at 0.10 percent.

Financial stocks also recovered some of the steep losses incurred in recent sessions, also on better than expected results.

Intel to close down Philippine Plant

2009-01-22T10:47:00.001+08:00

Intel Corp. in Manila, one of the biggest foreign operations in the Philippines, has told employees that it will close down its over 20-year-old testing and assembly plant outside Manila.

The announcement was made via email around 10 a.m. Wednesday. No final date for the closure but Officials of the US-based chipmaker and its local public relations agency told that they were not ready to give an official statement at the time of this writing.

The plant in General Trias town, in Cavite province, has about 1,800 workers, down from about 3,000 in November.

The sources said the announcement was half-expected after Intel announced in November a first wave of layoffs and the remaining employees were informed of succeeding layoff waves. The employees were told that they could get their severance packages in three months' time.

Slumdog Millionaire

2009-01-21T08:28:00.002+08:00

Directors: Danny Boyle
Loveleen Tandan (co-director in India)

Writers: Simon Beaufoy (screenplay) and
Vikas Swarup (novel)

The story of the life of an impoverished Indian teen Jamal Malik, who becomes a contestant on the Hindi version of "Who Wants to be A Millionaire?", wins, and is then suspected of cheating.

The story of Jamal Malik, an 18 year-old orphan from the slums of Mumbai, who is about to experience the biggest day of his life. With the whole nation watching, he is just one question away from winning a staggering 20 million rupees on India's "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?"

But when the show breaks for the night, police arrest him on suspicion of cheating; how could a street kid know so much? Desperate to prove his innocence, Jamal tells the story of his life in the slum where he and his brother grew up, of their adventures together on the road, of vicious encounters with local gangs, and of Latika, the girl he loved and lost. Each chapter of his story reveals the key to the answer to one of the game show's questions.

Each chapter of Jamal's increasingly layered story reveals where he learned the answers to the show's seemingly impossible quizzes. But one question remains a mystery: what is this young man with no apparent desire for riches really doing on the game show? When the new day dawns and Jamal returns to answer the final question, the Inspector and sixty million viewers are about to find out. At the heart of its storytelling lies the question of how anyone comes to know the things they know about life and love.

Young Jamal Malik is having an amazing answering streak on the Indian version of the television game show, "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire".

He's only one correct question away from the big prize. However, some, including those associated with the game show, question how someone like Jamal, a self confessed non-genius who grew up in the slums of Mumbai, can be doing so well on the show when others who are brighter, more educated and wealthier than him have failed.

Is Jamal cheating? Is it purely luck that they have asked him the questions to which he knows the answers? Seeing Jamal's life journey to this point ultimately answers these questions.

His life journey includes being orphaned at an early age; growing up with an older brother, Salim, who was both his guardian/protector and antagonist; and having a relationship since childhood with another orphaned child, a girl named Latika.

His motivation for being on the show also may provide some answers to his success. Perhaps it was all just meant to be.

The 44th President Inauguration

2009-01-19T08:10:00.002+08:00

Inauguration revelry began Sunday afternoon as thousands of people packed the National Mall in Washington for a free concert featuring big stars.
Thousands gather Sunday afternoon on the National Mall in Washington.

Thousands gather Sunday afternoon on the National Mall in Washington.

President-elect Barack Obama addressed a roaring crowd after 90 minutes of high-energy acts such as U2, Mary J. Blige, Usher and Beyonce.

"Welcome to this celebration of American renewal," he said.

"In the course of our history, only a handful of generations have been asked to confront challenges as serious as the ones we face right now."

"I stand here today as hopeful as ever that the United States of America will endure," Obama said. "That it will prevail; that the dream of our founders will live on in our time."

Obama spent the morning visiting Arlington National Cemetery and attending church before heading to the "We are One: Opening Inaugural Celebration" at the Lincoln Memorial. It was nothing but good vibes -- a brief respite for an incoming president who will face huge problems after he takes office Tuesday.

Bruce Springsteen opened the concert with his song "The Rising," singing, "How far I've gone/How high I've climbed/On my back's a 60 pound stone/On my shoulder a half mile line."

Along the National Mall, between the Capitol and the Washington Monument, people watched the concert on massive screens and sang along with "America the Beautiful" and "This Land is Your Land."

Work is about "dignity" and "respect," Obama said, praising the ethic of hard-working Americans. "We owe them the chance to go to work each day knowing they have the thanks of a grateful nation."

Obama replied, "The notion that I will be standing there and sworn in as the 44th president, I think, is something that hopefully our children take for granted. But our grandparents are still stung by it and it's a remarkable moment."

VULs vs. UITFs (Mutual Funds)

2009-01-18T22:59:00.007+08:00

Unit investment trust funds (UITFs) and mutual funds have become popular investing vehicles for Filipinos. Insurance companies have jumped on the bandwagon with variable unit-linked life insurance products, or VULs (not the Stock Exchange Product of VUL hehehe), which have been driving the growth of their industry, thanks to potentially higher returns than traditional policies. Unit-linked insurance (also called variable universal life insurance) offers the security of insurance protection via term coverage, together with the opportunity to participate in potentially unlimited growth via mutual fund investments.

Life insurance has been given a face-lift of sorts, becoming more attractive to more and more consumers. But with mutual fund companies and trust departments vying for your savings, which one should you choose? The main selling point for variable life insurance is that “you get the best of both worlds.” That is, you get protection coverage and capital appreciation through the convenience of just one product. Ironically, this can be a double-edge sword – the advantage can be a disadvantage.

There are two arguments to consider:

Mutual funds and UITFs, the entire sum, save for the sales load in front-end transactions, is invested in the fund of choice. With variable universal life insurance your money is allocated towards paying for the insurance coverage and purchasing shares of the investment fund you wish to participate in. Under this setup, it would appear that investing purely in pure investment funds has an edge, as everything is put in the pot for growth and appreciation.

Argument against VULs: You get the best of both worlds … but your money doesn’t work as hard. If your premiums pay for insurance and investment, this then begs the question of whether you should even bother with the protection element instead of simply putting your money in standalone investment funds.

Argument for VULs: You get the best of both worlds … and can actually produce higher returns. However, there’s another way of looking at this. While VULs may split your resources in two, resulting in a smaller amount being diverted to the investment portion, if for some unforeseen event, you suffer from a disability or accident or – heaven forbid – you lose your life, your insurance benefits will kick in. It may sound morbid and insensitive, but the return on your investment can’t be matched by any other pooled investment.

If you avail of a host of benefits known as riders, such as critical illness or accidental dismemberment, you get sums over and above the basic life insurance coverage for the treatment of dreaded diseases or compensation for a disability resulting from an accident.

In the long run, a dedicated fund for such contingencies may be one of the most economical hedges against unforeseen health-related expenses. Such need-specific riders are only available as add-ons to unit-linked products – something that cannot be done with pure mutual funds. Being said, what you stand to earn in a mutual fund placement may only wind up depleted by the very same contingencies the above riders can help provide for.

The bottom line is that there's a place for both unit-linked products and standalone investment funds. We need to remember one of the basic principles of investing, and that is diversification. Whether you are single, married, with or without dependents, there is merit in investing in life insurance products that offer both protection against various contingencies as well as competitive returns. Beyond that, there's also an argument for investing in pure growth instruments such as mutual funds. One does not necessarily take the place of the other. Instead, both are sound alternatives to take advantage of in the constant fight against uncertainties, inflation, and catastrophic events.

Tan Group of companies to acquire US Bank

2009-01-18T22:41:00.004+08:00

The Lucio Tan group is set to take full control of San Francisco-based Oceanic Bank in the first quarter to clear a key stumbling block to the merger of Philippine National Bank and Allied Bank.

Allied Bank, which owns a 28-percent stake in the US bank, was required by American banking regulators to divest its stake in Oceanic before giving its nod to the PNB-Allied Bank merger. With the need to comply with the requirement, the completion of the merger then pushed back to the middle of this year from the original target of end-2008.

PNB wanted to buy Oceanic Bank but the US Banking regulators didn't want to because PNB is a filipino bank.

Mier said Oceanic, which has been operating for a long time, is already majority owned by the family of Lucio Tan, his brothers and some business partners.

“What will happen is the existing shareholders of Oceanic will buy the shares (owned by Allied Bank). We want to finish it by the first quarter of the year and after that we can proceed. The existing shareholders or in their individual capacity can buy the shares and they (US regulators) said that’s okay,” Mier said.

Oceanic Bank is headquartered in San Francisco, has total assets of about $168 million or about P8 billion. It’s a medium-sized bank catering to Asian-Americans.

“It’s a profitable bank. It’s not affected by the (US) subprime crisis,” Mier said. “As soon as the shares are disposed, we can merge.”

The union will create the country’s fourth biggest bank with combined resources of P388 billion, boosting PNB’s position, which is currently at number six. It will result in a combined distribution network of 626 branches and 614 automated teller machines nationwide, the third biggest network in the country.

The merger is also seen boosting the bank’s overseas remittance business given its international footprint of 124 branches and offices across the Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and North America.

The Tan group will end up with 80.7-percent control of the merged bank while the remainder will represent the public float.

Peralta -- Newly appointed Supreme Justice

2009-01-17T00:33:00.000+08:00

Newly appointed Supreme Court Associate Justice Diosdado Peralta called on government officials and workers to “always act in accordance with morality and ethics" as he took his oath Friday morning before Chief Justice Reynato Puno.

Peralta, who becomes the 15th magistrate of the high court, said that contrary to speculations, he will always be an independent-minded person.

"I always tell my friends, ‘My friendship ends where my work begins,’ and even when I was a judge and justice, lawyers and litigants can attest to that, that I have been an independent-minded person," Peralta said.

He also dismissed criticisms his appointment is payback for being one of the three Sandiganbayan anti-graft court justices who convicted former President Joseph Estrada of plunder.

"Those are hypothetical and conjectures. A magistrate is a judge by his ponencia [authored decision], and so far as my ponencias are concern, [these] will always be for the country," Peralta said.

He said he only met President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on June 14, 2002 when he received the Judicial Excellence Award in Malacanang for being a outstanding Regional Trial Court Judge.

Peralta is one of the three justices who convicted former president Joseph Estrada for plunder. The chair of the Sandiganbayan Special Division that heard the Estrada case, Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo De Castro was already appointed to the Supreme Court.

Peralta is married to Court of Appeals Associate Justice Fernanda Lampas-Peralta.

Justice Peralta is an alumnus of the University of Santo Tomas who he finished his Bachelor of Laws in 1979. In UST he was also a Professor, Reviewer and Lecturer in Criminal Law.

Hitachi Holiday Promo: Win Apple iPhones and Hitchi products

2009-01-16T08:04:00.000+08:00

You may win Apple iPhones, Nintendo Wii, Hitachi External Harddrives and more!

Debenhams Sale!

2009-01-15T08:58:00.000+08:00

More Year End Sale at Debenhams this month and early next month!

So what are you waiting for?!?

Debenhaums at the following:

3/F Shangri-la Plaza Mall
Level 3 - Glorietta 4
Level 2 -Trinoma

Manels Inventory Clearance Sale!

2009-01-15T08:42:00.000+08:00

A 3-day mega sale of up to 50% off on great selected items mallwide!

January 14-18 2009

There will be an annual Inventory Clearance Sales on Manels. Manels welcomes year 2009 giving 50% off all items, plus 70% off on other selections up to January 18, 2009 in all Manels branches nationwide.

Every time you purchase any item during the sale, you will receive a P100 cash coupon. You may use these coupons for a minimum net purchase of P500.00 at any Manels branch nationwide from February 1 to April 1, 2009. Use of two or more coupons in one transaction is allowed, but coupons are not transferable or convertible to cash.

Shang 4 day Mall wide sale

2009-01-14T23:01:00.000+08:00

Starting January 15-18, 2009 Shangrila Mall will have a 4 day MALL-WIDE SALE up to 70% OFF on selected items.

Come to the Shang where endless pleasures are in store for you.

Obama to shut down Guantanamo Bay prison

2009-01-13T09:42:00.000+08:00

President-elect Barack Obama plans to order the shutting down of the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay as early as his first week in office to show a break from the Bush administration's approach to the war on terror.

Obama is expected to sign an order shutting down the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Obama has repeatedly said the legal framework at Gitmo has failed to successfully and swiftly prosecute terrorists," said one of the officials close to the transition, who was not authorized to speak publicly about private deliberations.

Officials said it would be in keeping with Obama's campaign promise to shut down the prison through executive order, a move which was also being pushed by Republican presidential nominee, Sen. John McCain last year.

Such a move would reassure those concerned after Obama's recent public comments suggested that he may not immediately shut the prison down.

Obama also said he was trying to develop a process that "adheres to rule of law" but "doesn't result in releasing people who are intent on blowing us up."

"It is more difficult than I think a lot of people realize and we are going to get it done, but part of the challenge that you have is that you have a bunch of folks that have been detained, many of whom who may be very dangerous who have not been put on trial or have not gone through some adjudication," Obama said on ABC's "This Week" on Sunday when asked whether he would close the prison in his first 100 days.

"I think it's going to take some time and our legal teams are working in consultation with our national security apparatus as we speak, to help design exactly what we need to do," Obama said.

"But I don't want to be ambiguous about this. We are going to close Guantanamo and we are going to make sure that the procedures we set up are ones that abide by our Constitution," he said.

The military prison at Guantanamo Bay is a major issue because for critics of the Bush administration, it has become a symbol of mismanagement and overreach in the war on terror.

At his final White House press conference on Monday, President Bush was asked whether the military prison and harsh interrogation tactics have damaged America's standing in the world.

"I strongly disagree with the assessment that our moral standing has been damaged," Bush said. "It may be damaged amongst some of the elite. But people still understand America stands for freedom; that America is a country that provides such great hope."

Manny Pacquiao vs Ricky Hatton

2009-01-13T09:07:00.000+08:00

Manny wants 65-35 or at least 60-40 purse deal against Hatton

There will be no equal sharing of the total prize purse and revenues when Manny Pacquiao tangles with British “Hitman” Ricky Hatton on May 2.

If the camp of Hatton is not amenable to this agreement, Pacquiao's team will junk the British battler for a new opponent willing to agree to the Gen. Santos City southpaw’s terms.

As per Mr. Wakee Salus a close friend of Pacman -> “It’s time for Manny to call the shots” on the phone Monday. “After all, he’s the world’s undisputed best pound-for-pound fighter now.”

Pacquiao deserves to get the same deal Oscar De La Hoya (65-35 percent) received when the 10-time world champion fought and lost to the Filipino in their “Dream Match” showdown last Dec. 6 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Pacquiao’s lawyer Franklin Gacal aka "Gheng" bared in a television interview, also Monday, that the fighter is willing to settle for a 60-40 sharing scheme for the Hatton bout, which has already been slated in Las Vegas, Nevada.

After spending two weeks with wife Jinkee and his children Michael, Emmanuel Jr., Mary Divine Grace and newborn Queen Elizabeth, at their Palazzo residence in Hollywood, Pacquiao returned to Manila early Monday morning.

Manny's wife and kids were left behind in LA, California but will follow soon, according to Pacquiao, who took a connecting flight to Gen. Santos City.

The 30-year-old Pacquiao, acclaimed by Ring Magazine and other boxing award-giving bodies as the 2008 Fighter of the Year, intends to catch up with his studies at Notre Dame University and to honor previous commitments.

Earlier reports said Pacquiao would play for his team, GenSan MP, when the Warriors take on the Ilocos Bravehearts at the opening of the 2009 Liga Pilipinas in Gen. Santos this January 14.

According to Salud, Pacquiao will also grace the amateur boxing summit slated Jan. 17 in Bacolod City.

If Pacquiao-Hatton pushes through as scheduled, Pacquiao might start training early in March at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood

Gold

2009-01-12T23:24:00.000+08:00

In the old days, gold happens to be particularly well suited as a medium of exchange – it's easily divisible and doesn't tarnish. You can exchange precious metals for cash at thousands of pawnshops or coin dealers in any major (or minor) city in the United States and around the world. You can also sell coins from almost any location around the world on eBay.

If you're outside the U.S., you can exchange gold for currency (and vice versa) at major banks. (And I'd bet soon many U.S. banks will once again offer this service because it will become more and more in demand.)

Gold is much easier to hide and a much better store of value than paper dollars. Just make sure you put it in a place where the jackboots aren't likely to find it. Oh... one more thing... If you want to make it as easy as possible for the government to steal from you, just keep holding dollars or Treasury bonds.

Fixed Home Loan

2009-01-12T23:07:00.000+08:00

Large banks in the U.S. are starting to offer fixed home loans below 5 percent after the government began buying mortgage securities to bolster the housing market.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. is advertising 30-year mortgages as low as 4.75 percent on its Web site, Bank of America has 5%, Wells Fargo & Co. is offering 4.875%. These are offers for borrowers with excellent credit/or a good payor and who puts 20% downpayment.

The lower rates offering to individuals may lead more borrowers to refinance, though it may not spur home buying in the 2nd year of recession after a lot of people lost their jobs in 2008.

Subaru Tribeca

2009-01-11T22:43:00.000+08:00

256-hp 6-cylinder SUBARU BOXER engine
247 lb-ft of torque at 4,400 rpm
Symmetrical All Wheel Drive
MPG: (automatic) 16 city / 21 highway
4-wheel anti-lock brakes ABS with Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD)
4-wheel independent raised suspension
18 x 8.0-inch 5-dual-spoke aluminum-alloy wheels
XM or SIRIUS - Satellite Radio capacity
Auxilary audio jack for portable media players
100-watt 6-speaker audio system with single-disc in-dash CD player and MP3 compatibility
8-way power driver seat and 4-way power front-passenger seat
Steering wheel-mounted audio controls
Rollover sensor
Premium cloth upholstery
Anti-theft security system with tailgate unlock and answer-back electronic chirp

The Tribeca look luxurious. Clamber up its cabin and some of the most posh materials used in automobiles are found in there. Okay, let’s not get too excited; the Tribeca ain’t no Bentley nor a Mercedes-Benz or an Audi A8 or a BMW 6 or 7 series. It slots in at least two notches lower than those aforementioned cars. The fact the Tribeca’s interior is capable of evoking the feel of the cabins from such hallowed marques should account for a lot.

It’s a styling treatment that’s applied to other Subaru vehicles, a welcome break from the boring dreariness and austere budget-car look that characterized Subaru interiors of yore. The Tribeca’s leather seats are supple and in light cream color—aspire for Old World luxury.

Dark patches of trim, most of which are also covered in cowhide, provide accent that polish up the interiors. A prominent swath of metallic garnish that cuts across the dashboard and extends to the doors not only provide glitz but highlights the sweeping contours of the dash and center console as well.

That’s even if the console’s contours are reminiscent of Salvador Dali’s “soft watches,” with dials and buttons that are mounted at funny angles.

Subaru’s newfound approach to opulence is taken to a level that’s well above the mundane and very nearly comes close to the sublime.

Subaru Forester

2009-01-11T22:02:00.000+08:00

2008 Subaru Forester 2.5 X 4dr Wagon AWD (2.5L 4cyl 5M)

This car is absolutely fantastic! This is an All Wheel Drive or 4x4 vehicle that could handle our tough winters. Along with that, it can outhandle snowy roads/ slushy roads/ muddy roads better than any truck or sports utility vehicle I know of. And the fact that it average around 28 mpg and it's quite the vehicle. It's built with extreme quality, which in itself makes it look expensive.

It is the best AWD system in the world, can handle bad weather with ease, boxer engine, excellent transmission, dual sunglasses holders.

Subaru Impreza WRX STi

2009-01-11T21:23:00.000+08:00

Subaru is produced by the Japanese automaker. In the 80's, Subaru created the Subaru Tecnica International (STI) division to participate and/or coordinate development for the FIA World Rally Championship and other motorsports activities.

The company had grown, and create high performance consumer versions of the Subaru Impreza WRX, it's an all wheel drive with a turbo charged flat 4 engine, leading to the development of the Imprexa WRX STi

All about Credit

2009-01-11T20:38:00.000+08:00

How much credit can you afford?

If you do not make your credit card or loan payments on time, there will be serious implications for you. Defaulting on a loan or credit card is serious business, and can affect your ability to take out new loans in the future. It may even lead to legal action.

Set a realistic budget and stick to it

The first step in using credit is knowing how much you can afford to borrow. Take a long hard thinking and look at your current and future financial situation before you take on any new debt.

Set a realistic budget for debt repayment by computing your debt ratio in order to prevent problems to occur. It is very important to use credit wisely.

Look for Long-term success

2009-01-10T21:07:00.001+08:00

Real value from investments is realized overtime, products promising quick gains may expose the investor to unnecessary risks. During these times when the industry is being battered by the bears, an investor requires more of their trusted fund managers than merely providing them with quick fixes. It is easy to make money over the short-term by going the easy route of conservative guaranteed vehicles. A true fund management expert will, however, find that this will sacrifice the long term growth prospects of the client.

Get your money's worth

2009-01-06T21:58:00.000+08:00

As the price of everything from rice and meat to eggs and gasoline reaches record highs, people can wail in despair:

If i couldn't save anything before when everything was cheaper, how can i start saving now? but in reality yes you can. What's more, most people already know what they should do but don't exert the effort to be consistently saving. Having the discipline to follow the through with your plan is the great challenge.

Here are some pointers for freeing needed cash and achieving financial stability and saving for your future.

For Budget Challenged People

Review your finances Go over your income, assets, expenses, and liabilities. See how you can align your finances to come up with huge solutions. For example, Pay off accumulated credit card debt by borrowing from your insurance policy or Social Security System or Pag-ibig fund.
Find out the cause of your financial hardships Enumerate or itemize every expense you will make for the next month's and classify whether a want or a need.
Scan your needs list See which can be altered or adjusted without affecting the quality of your family's life. As an example, To cut your electric bill , turn off lights and pull the plug of your appliances when not in use, this saves 25% of electricity.

Tips to handle money in 2009.

2009-01-06T09:45:00.000+08:00

It's been a challenging year for 2008. Oil soared high, triggering an increase in commodity prices from rice, sugar, vegetables, fruits to canned goods and bread.

It also slumped, resulting to rollback of prices at the gas pump and in transportation fares.

Inflation reached double-digit levels but recorded its lowest low at the latter part of the year. Year 2008 was then that the world felt the effects of a global financial crisis.

Thousands and thousands of workers in other countries lost their jobs and financed homes, as corporations and financial institutions buckled under the financial crisis. We filipinos are not exempted.

Crisis is in the air and many are taking stock and preparing for what may lie ahead. That includes managing finances better.

Let me share with you how i handle finances in the midst of a global financial crunch:

Question: What have i done this year to manage my finances better?

- I use a credit card or check to easily track my transactions

- I'm all for a little belt-tightening and some sacrifice, but cost cutting goes only so far (plus it's not a lot of fun). So i'm focusing on increasing the income aside. It's not enough to diversify the income sources, working with different companies on ongoing projects.

- I have also continued being diligent in saving, and have taken steps to diversify my investments. I hope to increase my savings rate this 2009.

- I used to think twice about spending for wants, now I think thrice, even four times, until I convince myself not to go ahead.

This is something I will keep doing even when the crisis is fully contained and we start to see a turnaround.

Israel destroys Hamas homes

2009-01-02T23:49:00.000+08:00

Israel bombed a mosque and it claimed that it was used to store weapons and destroyed a dozen homes of Hamas operatives last Friday. The government allowed hundreds of Palestinians with foreign passports to leave besieged Gaza.

Honda City 2009 Philippines

2008-12-30T00:05:00.000+08:00

Discover the all new Honda City!

A breakthrough with strength to open a new era and with a sleek styling with a strong performance, swiftness and responsive to the driver's pedal action.

World class, spacious with an outstanding comfort and relaxing ride. The pride of owning a compact sedan with it's distinctive new generation design.

The All New Honda City 2009 will be released here in the Philippines.
The latest incarnation of Honda's sedan - The all new Honda City 2009 will be launched on early January 2009.

It is a combination of a different models here in the Philippines. Looks like a BMW tail light, it has the eyes/headlights of a Corolla Altis '08 and the size of the vios.

Though, the interior design was taken from the old City, this is rival of the all new Vios.

Christnas Gifts for Moms

2008-12-27T23:29:00.000+08:00

Entering the Christmas shopping season, children starts wondering what to give mom. here's a list of the hottest creative gifts for mom this Christmas season. They are definitely out of the ordinary but indeed cool.

Jewelry
Collectible Figurines
Appliances
Television
Kitchenware
Cellulr Phone

Christmas Gifts for Dads

2008-12-27T22:41:00.000+08:00

Entering the Christmas shopping season, children starts wondering what to give their dad. here's a list of the hottest creative gifts for dad this Christmas season. They are definitely out of the ordinary but indeed cool.

Multi Tool Pen
Punching Bag
Sand Box
Collective Miniatures
Pro Thumb Wrestling
Monopoly
Sky and Land Telescope
Stadium Miniatures
Talking Pedometer

Christmas Gifts for 2008

2008-12-23T12:18:00.000+08:00

Christmas Holidays are coming and have you ever thought of what to give your loved ones? Here are some suggestions:

Fruit Baskets
Cookies
Food for the Gods
Toys
Gadgets (Cellphone, PDA, PSP)
Laptop
Chocolates
Stuff Toys
Cash ??
Kitchenware
Iron
TV
Jewelries
Auto Accessories

Survivor Philippines Winner

2008-12-14T23:30:00.000+08:00

John Carlo "JC" Tiuseco, a varsity basketball player from San Sebastian College was named the first Pinoy Sole Survivor on it's first season of "Survivor Philippines" on GMA7. A reality TV franchise.

Also known as "JC" won over Rob Sy on the initial final vote of cast offs. JC won a total of P3 million tax free and a brand new car (Honda civic 1.8V) from the competition which was held in Thailand.

Long drive

2008-11-28T17:14:00.000+08:00

Things to check when planning for a long drive.

Radiator coolant

Always make sure the proportion of coolant and water ratio in your radiator is at least 50-50.

Engine Oil / Transmission Fluid / Steering Fluid / Brake Fluid Top it all if necessary.

Tires Refer to your car’s manual for proper inflation of your tires. Don’t forget also to check your spare tire and tools needed in changing a flat tire.

Battery Have your battery checked to see if it’s functioning at its maximum efficiency. You’ll be depending on its ability to deliver power to a starter engine in cold-weather. Clean off carbon deposits on the terminals, if any.

Pacquiao vs. Dela Hoya

2008-11-28T16:59:00.000+08:00

Pacquiao has a chance but Dela Hoya's size and reach advantage might pose a problem for Pacquiao. Though both fighters have excellent track record.

Dela Hoya, who lost some weight, and is getting a bit older may lost some power & stamina that he had few years ago. He may not handle the fight efficiently for a longer period. Pacquiao on the other hand, who added some weight, may decrease his speed and agility but more powerful than ever. One solid punch will knock out Dela Hoya but Pacquiao should be aware that Dela Hoya is still super fast!

Honestly nobody could tell who will win in this fight because this is a very close match and of course my vote still goes to Pacquiao. :) Who else will love the Philippines and the Filipino if not the Pinoys themselves?

Importance of Saving...

2008-11-28T13:49:00.000+08:00

Building wealth requires consistently save money over the months and/or years. One of the most effective ways to achieve true wealth is to know three important reasons why every Filipino needs to save.

Survive a financial crisis

Sooner or later every family has to face some sort of financial crisis. This financial crisis could be in the form of accidents, , loss of employment, illness, failure of a business or sudden death of the family’s breadwinner. The amount of savings the family has will ultimately determine how well they can cope with a financial crisis. You may survive with little savings but chances are you will get into debt that could take years or even a lifetime to wipe out.

Sometimes the lack of savings can even make the situation worse, like a family member dying unnecessarily due to lack of funds for proper medical care. “Saving for the rainy days” will spare your family from huge financial losses and ensure your survival when a crisis strikes. You will have peace of mind and you can sleep better at night knowing that whenever a financial emergency comes your way, "You can do it!"

Improve the economy and the lives of your family

It is nearly impossible to buy anything of high value if you do not have any savings. Adequate savings can help you buy a nice, decent house and a car, pay for your child's quality education or even invest in a business. Though, it’s true that money cannot buy happiness, it can certainly buy things that will improve the quality of life of your family. It also allows you to indulge in occasional simple pleasures that promote family bonding.

It can also do wonders for your marriage, many couples quarrel and even break-up over money matters. With a healthy level of savings there would be one less important thing to argue about. It is alright to aspire and work hard to become wealthy so you can give your family a good, but not extravagant life. It is not greed; it’s Tender loving care for the family.

Enjoy Retirement Years

With great advances in medical & health care and greater awareness about fitness & healthy living, many of us can expect to live to a ripe old age. It would be a pity if you just leave it up to the government to take care of your needs once you have retired. It is also unfair to your children and relatives to obligate them to support you when you grow old. The money you’ll get from Social Security or GSIS in the Philippines will barely feed you and could find yourself working way past the age of 65 (or totally dependent on your children) if you do not prepare well for your retirement.

Nowadays, seeing people at their late 60s or 70s still working for a living. A lifetime of saving would have spared them from going through this ordeal in their twilight years. The only way to ensure that your golden years will shine is for you to start building TODAY the funds you will need for the future. Starting early will allow you to retire early, giving you more time to enjoy the fruits of your hard work. And if you choose to work after retirement, it’s because you like it and not because you need it!

Brand New vs. Second Hand Cars

2008-11-27T12:39:00.000+08:00

Nowadays, when you wanted to have your first car, will you go for a brand new or 2nd hand? Things you have to consider before purchasing.

Brand New

Advantages

Reliable
No Worries on Parts
Warranty with the Dealers

Disadvantages

High Monthly payment
Depreciation - the moment you drive it out of dealership, the car price depreciates by 20-40%
High Insurance
Longer payment terms

Second Hand

Advantages

You get top of the line at a much cheaper price than a new one
Monthly payment is lower
Shorter terms

Disadvantages

You don’t know the history or background of the car (maintenance and parts). Though people are aware that secondhand cars are much cheaper, the main reason that people choose a brand new car over a secondhand car is because of the maintenance and the warranty services provided by the dealers.

Another reason why some customers prefer to look for older models from second hand car dealers is because they are less computerized or carburated. Mostly the young people prefer the computerized cars but the older generation are comfortable with the cars being simple.

People want a car that has no history and they know that is under warranty so they can take it back if anything goes wrong. The moment you buy a secondhand car, you have to be more careful, like how the previous owner used the car, and the parts that is possibly wrong and so on.

WIseguy

2008-09-21T22:13:00.001+08:00