Daredevil skydiver Felix Baumgartner breaks records

Austrian Felix Baumgartner has become the first skydiver to go faster than the speed of sound, reaching a maximum velocity of 833.9mph (1,342km/h).

In jumping out of a balloon 128,100ft (24 miles; 39km) above New Mexico, the 43-year-old also smashed the record for the highest ever freefall.

He said he almost aborted the dive because his helmet visor fogged up.

It took just under 10 minutes for him to descend. Only the last few thousand feet were negotiated by parachute. (Source: BBC News)

Black Out Protest for RA 10175

Earthquake in Kuwait

Earthquake in Kuwait

Well, apparently..I didn't feel a thing, to think that I was already up that time (7:32 local time)..I just came to know about it because some of my friends in Facebook were talking about it this morning..the above link confirmed its true, I can just hope and pray that there won't be any repeat....I mean, Kuwait is not known to be in an earthquake zone (or so I thought), so even if I am in the construction industry myself, I am not quite sure about the structures of most of the buildings here.

Salamat Dolphy (1928-2012)

Kahit ngayong kabi-kabila na ang pag-alala at pakikisimpatiya ng lahat ng Pinoy saan man sa mundo sa pagkawala ni Mang Dolphy, pakiramdam ko kelangan ko ring makapagsulat ng kahit munting tribute para sa kanya. Ewan ko ba..hindi naman ako kaano-ano, ni hindi naman kakilala pero kagaya ng karamihan sa atin, bahagi ng aking kabataan si Dolphy...may isang bahagi sa sarili ko na nalungkot..nakakalungkot naman talaga yung mabalitaan na wala na yung isang kakilala, yun bang para akong namatayan ng malapit na kamag-anak. At bakit naman hindi..sa ilang taon rin namang kasa-kasama natin sa ating mga tahanan si Dolphy..sa telebisyon..sa sine..

Naalala ko pa dati nung bata pa ako, wala pa kaming TV, ni wala pa ngang kuryente sa barangay namin pero kilala ko na si Dolphy. Halos laking sinehan ako. Ninong sa kasal nina Tatay yung may-ari ng dati'y nag-iisang sinehan sa bayan namin. Makinista pa sa naturang sinehan ang isang kapatid ni Tatay. Tindera naman ng kakanin ang Lola ko-buchi, kamote cue. Madalas nilalako nya ito sa oras ng sine at madalas kapag nakahabilin ako kay lola, kasa-kasama rin nya ako paglalako.Nakakabisado ko na nga ang palabas, sa araw-gabi ba naman halos na labas-masok ako sa sinehan ..lalo na kung Tagalog ang palabas. ..Nino Muhlach. FPJ. Lito Lapid. at syempre Dolphy. Kahit ulit-ulitin,ayos lang.

Isa naman sa kinakasabikan ko pag napapaluwas ng maynila ay ang makapanood ng TV sa bahay ng mga tiyahin ko. Kapanahunan ng Channel 13 at 9 noon, kasikatan yan ng EAT Bulaga, Iskul Bukol, TODAS at siempre John en Marsha..sino bang hindi nakakaalala sa pinakakagiliwang pamilya sa telebisyon..ang mag-asawang si John Puruntong at Marsha, ang matinis na boses ni Matutina at ang walang kamatayang linya ni Donya Delilah.."Kaya John..magsumikap ka"..

Grade 5 na yata ako ng magkakuryente sa lugar namin. Siempre isa sa mga sinadyang maipundar nina Tatay ang TV. Black and white na de-pihit ang channel at laminated wood ang katawan. Wala pang cable noon kaya antenna lang sa bubong na madalas mawala ang signal lalo na kung umuulan at mahangin. Pero ayos lang. Ang importante sa amin noon, may TV na kami. Makakapanood na ng mga paborito naming palabas. Makakapanood na ng John en Marsha.Ilang taon pa bago kami naka-afford ng Colored TV. Wala ng John en Marsha pero may Home Along Da Riles na. Wala na si John pero ganun pa rin ang sayang dala ng pamilya ni Mang Kevin (Dolphy), ni Aling Ason (Nova Villa) at ni Richie (played by Babalu). Walang kupas.

Iba talaga ang karisma ng isang Dolphy. Palibhasa puro ordinaryong tao ang kinatawan nya sa mga naging palabas kaya masang-masa talaga ang dating. May nakikita ang bawat nanonood na bahagi ng pagkatao nila sa kanya, sa bawat eksena, sa bawat sitwasyon. Sinalamin nya ang tipikal na Pilipino na may prinsipyo, masayahin, may respeto at pagmamahal sa pamilya...Masayahin daw kasi ang mga Pilipino, laging tumatawa, laging nakangiti kahit sa harap ng mga pagsubok. Kaya naman hindi nakakapagtakang minahal at pinatuloy natin sa ating mga tahanan ang isang Dolphy..At lalong hindi rin nakakapagtakang ganito na lamang ang pagsimpatiyang pinadarama ng sambayanan sa kanyang pagkawala..

Gayunpa man, mawala man ang isang Hari ng Komedya, alam ko na hindi mawawala ang kanyang alaala..Malalim ang iniwan niyang puwang hindi lamang sa industriya ng Pelikulang Pilipino, kundi sa lipunan at kasaysayan. Marami pang magagaling na komedyante, marami pang susunod, marami pang magpapatawa.. Pero hindi na siguro mapapantayan ang kanyang mga naiambag sa ating kultura. Hindi sapat ang pagkilala at parangal pero alam ko na alam nya, walang makakapantay na tropeo at medalya sa pagmamahal at respetong ibinibigay sa kanya ngayon ng sambayanan..Mawala man ang Hari ng Komedya, mananatili ang ngiti at saya sa bawat tahanang Pilipino dala ng alala ng isang Dolphy.

Hindi man ako kapamilya o kakilala, pero para sa yo Mang Dolphy, maraming salamat po mga tawa at sayang naidulot ninyo sa amin..Masaya na siguro kayo ngayon...may reunion sa langit si John at Marsha pati si Donya Delilah. Kasama pa si Richie. si Panchito. si Chiquito. si FPJ. at iba pa. Masaya ang all-stars na sitcom sa langit.

LeBron James and the Miami Heat, NBA Champs 2012

After 9 seasons with 2 teams, 3 Regular Season MVP, 3 Finals appearance and 1 Decision, LeBron James is finally crowned King of the basketball world as he lead the Miami Heat in capturing the 2012 NBA Championship.

Story:  NBA
           Yahoo Sports
         

40 Richest People in the Philippines

MANILA, Philippines -- SM tycoon Henry Sy tops this year's Forbes list of 40 richest people in the Philippines, which includes the head honchos of some of the largest companies in the country.

With an impressive net worth of $9.1 billion, Lucio Tan is at a rather far second with a net worth of $4.5 billion.

Notables include port entrepreneur Enrique Razon Jr., Senator Manuel Villar, and others.

The top 40 richest in the Philippines are:

1) Henry Sy - $9.1 billion (SM Prime)
2) Lucio Tan - $4.5 billion (Phillip Morris Fortune Tobacco)
3) Enrique Razon Jr. - $3.6 billion (International Container Terminal Services)
4) John Gokongwei Jr. - $3.2 billion (JG Summit)
5) David Consunji - $2.7 billion (DMCI)

6) Andrew Tan - $2.3 billion (Alliance Global)
7) Jaime Zobel de Ayala - $2.2 billion (Ayala Corp.)
8) George Ty - $1.7 billion (Metropolitan Bank)
9) Roberto Ongpin - $1.5 billion (Atok-Big Wedge)
10) Eduardo Cojuangco Jr. - $1.4 billion (San Miguel)

11) Roberto Coyiuto Jr. - $1.3 billion (National Grid)
12) Tony Tan Caktiong - $1.25 billion (Jollibee Foods)
13) Lucio and Susan Co - $1.2 billion (Puregold Price Club)
14) Iñigo and Mercedes Zobel - $1.15 billion (Ayala Corp.)
15) Emilio Yap - $1.1 billion (Philtrust Bank)

16) Jon Ramon Aboitiz - $955 million (Aboitiz Equity Ventures)
17) Andrew Gotianun - $825 million (Filinvest Development)
18) Manuel Villar - $720 million (Vista Land and Lifescapes)
19) Beatrice Campos - $700 million (Unilab)
20) Vivian Que Azcona - $690 million (Mercury Drug)

21) Alfonso Yuchengco - $570 million (Rizal Commercial Bank)
22) Mariano Tan Jr. - $420 million (Unilab)
23) Enrique Aboitiz - $400 million (Aboitiz & Co.)
24) Eric Recto - $365 million (Alphaland)
25) Jose Antonio - $300 million (Century Properties Group)

26) Gilberto Duavit - $270 million (GMA Network)
27) Menardo Jimenez - $265 million (GMA Network)
28) Frederick Dy - $260 million (Security Bank)
29) Manuel Zamora Jr. - $255 million (Nickel Asia)
30) Alfredo Ramos - $$250 million (Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development)

31) Oscar Lopez - $245 million (ABS-CBN)
32) Felipe Gozon - $240 million (GMA Network)
33) Betty Ang - $235 million (Monde Nissin)
34) Wilfred Uytengsu Jr. - $230 million (Alaska Milk)
35) Juliette Romualdez - $200 million (Banco de Oro)

36) Bienvenido Tantoco Sr. - $195 million (Rustan Commercial)
37) Jacinto Ng Sr. - $190 million (Rebisco)
38) Tomas Alcantara - $160 million (Alsons Consolidated Resources)
39) Michael Cosiquien - $150 million (Megawide Construction)
40) Edgar Sia II - $140 million (Mang Inasal)

Source: ABS-CBN News

Obama sings Call Me Maybe

This is way too funny :)

Jeremy Who?!

Jeremy Lin. That's who.

Seems like his name is everywhere these days..Linsanity. Lincredible. Linsational. Call him any Lin nickname you can think of.. And why not?

Everybody knows his story. He is the surprise star of this lockout-shortened NBA season. A perfect story line for a made-for-TV series...even a feel-good Hollywood movie.

A player of Asian descent, who did not receive any athletic scholarship, went undrafted out of college, signed by his hometown team to be used sparingly in NBA games, occasionally sent out to the D-League before being waived off to clear salary space. He eventually landed with the New York Knicks.

And the rest, as they say, is history. Or maybe... the legend is just beginning.



You don't have to be basketball fan..not even a New York Knicks fan..to like this guy. I mean, come on. We all have this fantasy that one day, all our dreams will come true, right?

Then here is one man living out his dreams and enjoying every moment of it. So better believe it.



Suddenly, the NBA is not just about Kobe, LeBron,Wade and Griffins anymore. But definitely, it is becoming a better place.

At the 2012 Grammy Awards

 

Album of the Year: 21, Adele

Record of the Year: "Rolling in the Deep," Adele

New Artist: Bon Iver

Country Album: Own the Night, Lady Antebellum

Song of the Year: "Rolling in the Deep," Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth, songwriter

R&B Album: F.A.M.E., Chris Brown

Rock Performance: "Walk," Foo Fighters

Rap Performance: "Otis," Jay-Z and Kanye West

Pop Solo Performance: "Someone Like You," Adele

Pop Vocal Album: 21, Adele

Traditional Pop Vocal Album: Duets Ii, Tony Bennett and Various Artists

Pop Duo/Group Performance: "Body and Soul," Tony Bennett and Amy Winehouse

Short Form Music Video: "Rolling in the Deep," Adele

Long Form Music Video: "Foo Fighters: Back and Forth," Foo Fighters

Rap/Sung Collaboration: "All of the Lights," Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi and Fergie

Rap Song: "All of the Lights," Jeff Bhasker, Malik Jones, Warren Trotter and Kanye West

Rap Album: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Kanye West

R&B Performance: "Is This Love," Corinne Bailey Rae

Traditional R&B Performance: "Fool for You," Cee Lo Green and Melanie Fiona

R&B Song: "Fool for You," Cee Lo Green and Jack Splash

Pop Instrumental Album: The Road From Memphis, Booker T. Jones

Country Solo Performance: "Mean," Taylor Swift

Country Duo/Group Performance: "Barton Hollow," The Civil Wars

Country Song: "Mean," Taylor Swift

Folk Album: Barton Hollow, The Civil Wars

Hard Rock/Metal Performance: "White Limo," Foo Fighters

Rock Song:  "Walk," Foo Fighters, Songwriters (Foo Fighters)

Rock Album: Wasting Light, Foo Fighters

Alternative Music Album: Bon Iver, Bon Iver

Producer of the Year: Non-Classical: Paul Epworth

Read more: E!Online

Filipino Boxer Casimero attacked by Argentinian boxing fans

From Vavel.com, translated:


The fight between Luis Lazarte and Johnriel Casimero ended in scandal. The Filipino won the flyweight interim title of the IBF. Minutes later the victory was marred by the outbreak of a pitched battle. The triumph of Asian boxer on the Mar del Plata by KO in the tenth round drew the ire of many viewers who got into the ring.

The overwhelming victory of Casimero could not formalized, as hundreds of people invaded the ring. The attackers, who were identified with flags of the Teamsters Union, to hurt the Filipino boxer whizzed chairs, bottles and punches. Meanwhile, the policeman at Club Eleven States of Mar del Plata could not contain the clutter. Even the journalists who were in the area fled terrified by the brutality of the incident.

In the fight itself, the process was very smooth and sloppy until the end of the ninth assault, Casimero clearly impacted on the face of Lazarte. The Argentine felt the blow and fell on the ropes. Later, the fall was repeated. This time by a combination of blows of Asia.

Prior to the completion of combat, Lazarte had committed several offenses and made ​​the podium gestures that warmed the air. Among other things, the Argentine bit the ear of his opponent and hit him in the neck. In fact, this latter action led the referee to deduct a point. Meanwhile, visitors also had disqualifying actions over his rival and was punished twice in the fourth and the eighth round.

From scandal to harsh penalties await the authorities of the organizing committee of the evening. Even Lazarte itself could be punished very harshly. In the coming days will be released an official report with the final decision.

Recognize this guy?

No?
Look again.

Still no?
You don't have any clue?
Look at the hair, the eyes.
Still no?


Okay.This might help.

Yes! It's him.
He is Macaulay Culkin of Home Alone film series fame.

Tsk. tsk. Poor guy, huh?

Whitney Houston (1963-2012)

(REUTERS) Grammy-winning singer and actress Whitney Houston, one of the most talented performers of her generation who lived a turbulent personal life and admitted drug use, died on Saturday in a Beverly Hills hotel room. She was 48.


A Beverly Hills police officer told reporters they were called to the Beverly Hilton, in Los Angeles, at around 3:20 p.m. PST and that emergency personnel found Houston's body in a fourth-floor room, and she was pronounced dead at 3:55 p.m.

North Korea restores order to Kim funeral with Photoshop

The funeral procession for Kim Jong-Il was carried out with military precision and when a handful of dawdlers messed up those regimented lines, they were eliminated. From the photo, that is.

A photo released by the North Korea's state news agency and transmitted by the Germany-based European Pressphoto Agency is slightly different from a photo taken at nearly the identical moment and released by Japanese agency Kyodo News.

The Japanese picture captured a half-dozen men near a camera on a tripod lingering behind the line of mourners on the left side of the boulevard as the motorcade passed by.

In the photo by the North Korean Central News Agency, those men, their camera and their footprints have been digitally removed, restoring absolute order to the crowds lining the boulevard as the cortege passed by.
The alterations were discovered by the New York Times with the help of digital forensics expert Hany Farid of Dartmouth College.

The European Pressphoto Agency, which distributed the doctored North Korea photo, issued a "mandatory kill" for its clients, meaning they were not to use the picture.

The agency granted an exception to ABC News "for the sole purpose of being able to show and explain what had been altered before the picture was provided to international news agencies by KCNA [North Korean Central News Agency]. We consider this as part of a transparent and responsible clarification process."

A European Pressphoto Agency spokeswoman told ABC News, "Any kind of digital manipulation violates EPA's code of ethics."

Source: Yahoo news

Images 2011: The top stories of the year in pictures | 2011 Yearend Special ABS-CBN News

Source: ABS-CBN News

"Sendong" World's Deadliest Storm in 2011

Source: ABS-CBN News

Photo by mindanaoan.com

Deaths reach 927, hundreds still missing

MANILA, Philippines - Tropical storm "Sendong" (international name Washi) is the world's deadliest storm this year, latest data shows.

The storm, which struck Northern Mindanao, the Visayas, and Palawan over the weekend, has now killed at least 927 people, the country's disaster management chief said Monday night. National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) Director Benito Ramos also said they have also lost count of the number of people who have gone missing following the flashfloods spawned by the storm.
American meteorologist Dr. Jeff Masters, citing data from insurance broker AON Benfield, said 902 people died during a storm in Brazil in January. Meanwhile, 657 people died during the massive floods in Thailand from June to November.

Masters, who explained how the tragedy may have happened, said Sendong carried an unusual amount of rainwater, which came from a large stream of tropical moisture over the Pacific Ocean. "Aiding the heavy rains were sea surface temperatures that were nearly 1 degree Celcius above average off the east coast of Mindanao, one of the top five warmest values on record," he said in a Weather Underground report.
A US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) report December 15, a day before the storm struck, said Sendong was carrying as much as 50 millimeters of rainwater, which is almost the same amount that storm Ondoy was bringing in 2009.

"Washi hit a portion of the Philippines that does not see tropical storms and typhoons very often. Mindanao is thus hit only about once every twelve years by a significant tropical storm or typhoon," Masters added.
"Since the rains fell on regions where the natural forest had been illegally logged or converted to pineapple plantations, the heavy rains were able to run off quickly on the relatively barren soils and create devastating flash floods. Since the storm hit in the middle of the night, and affected an unprepared population that had no flood warning system in place, the death toll was tragically high," he said.
National government not to blame?

Ramos, meanwhile, told ANC Primetime that the national government should not be blamed for the disaster.
"Hindi naman nagkulang government sa preparasyon. Unang-una, abiso sa kanila [affected communities] signal number 2, Northern Mindanao kasama Central Visayas," he said. "Tama [state weather bureau] PAGASA. They were forewarned. Ang mga kababayan alam ang landslide-prone area at flood-prone area. Nangyari ito sa riverbank," he said.

"We expect to rise because there are casualties in Negros, Sibula, tsaka Zamboangita," Ramos said.
Ramos said people struck by the disaster were not used to heavy rains similar to "Sendong."
"Experience natin dito, hindi kasi ito dating dinadaan ng bagyo itong Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, Misamis provinces hanggang Zamboanga del Norte," he said. "Hindi ito dinadaan kay experience nila kung mahagip sila, ma-sidesweep lang, 3 millimeters per hour lang ulan. Eh... Umabot  181mm."
Ramos told ANC's The World Tonight that coffins and cadaver bags in disaster-stricken areas in the south are now running out. He believes that local governments should be responsible for the tragedy.

"With due respect sa mga local na pamahalaan, mukhang may pagkukulang pa rin (sila) sa response," he said.
More bodies being found
More bodies are still being retrieved in Cagayan de Oro City and Iligan, even as coffins and cadaver bags are running out. Cagayan de Oro Mayor Vicente Emano tols ABS-CBN News' Karen Davila on Monday that they have put some dead bodies in an open dumping ground for now. He said the stench from the cadavers "has become unbearable."

Emano said they have just retrieved 17 dead bodies from Jasaan, with at least 40 more bodies still floating in floodwaters. In Iligan City, the large number of dead bodies has overwhelmed morgues and funeral parlors.
Many of the victims remain unidentified.

Over 100 bodies were brought to one funeral home, but because of the overwhelming number of cadavers, some bodies had to be placed beside the building.

The growing number of cadavers in the city has left a foul stench, as well as sought for an immediate need for formalin.

Some evacuation centers have been converted into venues for wakes.

About 47,000 people have also sought shelter in temporary evacuation sites, where food and water are running out.

Hundreds still missing in Iligan

The death toll from "Sendong" may still rise in Iligan because hundreds of people are still missing.
 
The Philippine National Police is still conducting rescue and retrieval operations to look for survivors.
Chief Supt. Dominador Aquino, police deputy director for eastern Mindanao, said they are not losing hope of finding survivors.

The local government has dug up a mass grave in Pala-o to temporarily dispose of unidentified remains.
Iligan City Mayor Lawrence Cruz said the shallow graves will help victims' relatives to identify bodies.
Forensic experts from the National Bureau of Investigation have arrived in Iligan to help identify the cadavers.

 - with reports from Karen Davila and Jeff Canoy, ABS-CBN News; ANC

FOR DONATIONS, go to:

Sagip Kapamilya
Philippine Red Cross

Pinoy Artist won Red Bull Art of Can Competition in Kuwait

Everlito Villacruz and his winning entry
(Photo courtesy of 360 Mall Official FB page)

Reblogged from Pinoy Online Chronicles:


Everlito Villacruz, a Filipino OFW based in Kuwait, won the top prize in the Red Bull Art of Can competition and exhibit which opened on December 3 and will run until December 17 at the 360 MALL Exhibition Hall, Kuwait.

Villacruz’s winning work, entitled “Scorpion,” bested 120 other art pieces submitted to the competition, which includef a variety of creations from sculptures to paintings as well as photography and unique handmade mock ups. Of the total entries, 63 made it to the exhibit.
All in all, the competitors used around 20,000 cans of Red Bull energy drink and Red Bull sugar free drink to create their innovative work.

Six judges from Kuwait selected the winners based on three criteria: creative concept, execution, and construction.

The art of creating masterpieces out of Red Bull cans started in 1999. Exhibitions have been held all around the globe from Europe to New Zealand. In countries like Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Singapore and the USA, artists have been inspired to create artworks made from aluminum.

Villacruz, an OFW for the last five years, works as Project Design Coordinator at Warba Group in Kuwait. He also writes for the Philippine Online Chronicles’ Buhay Pinoy Channel.

**Credits to the author**

RIP Steve Jobs, 1955-2011

Steve Jobs, the Apple founder and former CEO who invented and masterfully marketed ever-sleeker gadgets that transformed everyday technology, from the personal computer to the iPod and iPhone, died Wednesday. He was 56.

Source: AP

posted from Bloggeroid

Apple set to launch iPhone 5 today

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Apple Inc. is unveiling a new, more powerful version of its wildly popular smartphone — more than a year after it launched the iPhone 4.Last week, Apple Inc. e-mailed invitations to a media event at its headquarters in Cupertino on Tuesday morning. The invite says "let's talk iPhone," implying the secretive company intends to show off the latest version of the device.

The first iPhone came out in 2007, and the phone's signature slick looks, high-resolution screen and intuitive software has gained millions of fans over the years. There were 39 million iPhones sold just between January and the end of June.

Beyond the iPhone itself, the Tuesday event is anticipated as Apple's first major product unveiling in years that won't be led by Steve Jobs, who resigned from the CEO post in August after being out on indefinite medical leave since January. The Apple co-founder is now its executive chairman. And though Jobs did emerge from medical leave twice this year to present Apple's innovations — most recently in June to show off its new mobile software and iCloud content storage service — his successor, Tim Cook, is expected to take the lead this time.

Though not nearly as recognizable as Jobs, Cook, formerly Apple's chief operating officer, has been running Apple since January. For years, he has been in charge of Apple's day-to-day operations, and he has long been seen as the natural successor. He also served as Apple's leader for two months in 2004 while Jobs battled cancer and again for five-and-a-half months in 2009 when Jobs received a liver transplant.

Perhaps more important to Apple fans than who is presenting is what the company will reveal on Tuesday. A new iPhone is expected to have a number of changes, the biggest of which will likely be under the hood: the inclusion of Apple's latest iOS mobile software, iOS 5, which has been slated for release this fall.

IOS 5 will include things such as wireless device setup and content syncing, and beefed-up camera, email and Web-browsing apps. A new service called iMessage will allow iOS 5 users to send text messages to each other over Wi-Fi or wireless carriers' data networks, while a folder called Newsstand will corral newspaper and magazine app subscriptions in one place to make it easier to find them. When it comes out, the software will also be available for Apple's iPad, iPhone 4 and 3GS and the two most recent generations of the iPod Touch.

A new iPhone is also expected to include Apple's forthcoming iCloud service, which will store content such as music, documents, apps and photos on Apple's servers and let you access them wirelessly on numerous devices.

As for hardware, a new iPhone isn't expected to look that much different from the iPhone 4, though it could be thinner and have a bigger screen. The existing iPhone is 0.37 inches thick and has a display measuring 3.5 inches at the diagonal.

An improved rear camera is anticipated, too. The existing iPhone has a 5-megapixel camera on its rear. A number of recently released smartphones have moved to 8-megapixel cameras.

One of the most notable hardware changes many industry watchers are predicting is the inclusion of a more powerful chip: Apple's dual-core A5 processor, which is the same chip it uses in its current iPad. The iPhone 4 runs on Apple's older A4 chip, and the move to a more capable chip should improve things such as multitasking, opening apps and gaming.

Analysts also believe Apple could also use the event to trot out new iPods and updates to its iTunes music software, which it usually does in the fall anyway. Last September, Apple announced updates to iTunes and a line of revamped iPods, which included a version of the iPod Nano with a touch screen.

posted from Bloggeroid

Jollibee buys Burger King franchise in the Philippines

Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN

Philippine fastfood giant Jollibee Foods Corp. has cemented its leading position in the highly competitive quick-service restaurant industry by taking over the Philippine operations of American chain Burger King.

The deal allows JFC to gain a foothold into the premium segment of the hamburger category in the fast-food business as the group was expecting the premium price segment of the market "to grow appreciably in the years ahead as the Filipino consumers' standard of living rises from the growing economy."

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange Friday, Jollibee announced that it has signed an agreement acquiring a 54-percent stake in BK Titans Inc., owner of PERF Restaurants that, in turn, is the sole franchisee of the Burger King brand in the Philippines. The deal was priced at 65.5 million pesos (US$1.49 million).

Burger King has 23 restaurants in the country, mostly located in Metro Manila. It generates annual revenues of P800 million and has recently turned profitable despite its much smaller store network compared to Jollibee's.

The American fastfood chain, which is based in Miami, Florida, has similar products to Jollibee such as hamburger, fried chicken and fries in its core menu. However, Burger King's products are priced about 30 percent higher than comparable Jollibee products in the Philippines.

The entry into higher-end fast food products will allow Jollibee to harness the growing mass affluence of Filipino consumers and capture a niche market that is less sensitive to economic cycles. At the same time, its entry is seen allowing Burger King to scale up operations in the country.

With the entry of Jollibee into BK Titans, the fast-food giant will still have as minority partners the groups of businessmen Manuel V. Pangilinan (13 percent) and Alberto Lina (33 per cent).

Founded in 1954, Burger King is the second-biggest fastfood hamburger chain in the world operating more than 12,300 locations and serving 11 million guests daily in 78 countries. Most of its restaurants are owned and operated by independent franchisees. In Asia, the business is managed by Singapore-based BK Asiapac Pte. Ltd.

For its part, Jollibee operates the Philippines' biggest fastfood network with 1,941 stores in the country under the brands Jollibee (733), Chowking (395), Greenwich (209), Caffe Ti Amo (2) and Mang Inasal (393). It has 437 stores overseas under the brands Yonghe King (235), Hong Zhuang Yuan (52), Jollibee (71), Red Ribbon (39) and Chowking (40)

posted from Bloggeroid

Planking: Not just an internet craze but a sign of protest?

What is planking? 


Planking is a prank that involves lying face down in a public place, with photos posted on social networking sites.


It was invented by two friends in Somerset who called it the Lying Down Game


But it also emerged later in Australia and was nicknamed planking.


It recently gained national attention in the Philippines when protesters "planked" on the streets as a sign of protest against the rising fuel prices.


The action prompted a congressman to file a bill in the Congress to ban planking, which ultimately became a trending online topic. 


Since then, planking has been a part of every protest.