WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU

Explanation of GMA doctors sought

COURT PERMISSION was sought yesterday to determine the medical condition of Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo from her private physicians over claims that she needs to undergo treatment abroad for a deteriorating spine disorder.

The Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) requested in its urgent motion filed with the Supreme Court for the former president’s three doctors from St. Luke’s Medical Center in Taguig City to “appear and testify and bring before the honorable court the latest medical abstract” on her condition.

The three doctors -- Mario R. Ver, Juliet Gopez-Cervantes and Roberto C. Mirasol -- have been asked to appear in today’s oral arguments on travel ban orders issued against Mrs. Arroyo and her husband Jose Miguel “Mike” T. Arroyo. Mr. Arroyo’s name, however, has been taken off from the watch list order.

In his petition, the OSG noted that during oral arguments on Nov. 22 the justices raised questions “relative to the medical condition of petitioner.”

“There has likewise been a lingering question as to whether the current condition of petitioner GMA (Mrs. Arroyo’s initials)places her life in danger thereby necessitating her travel abroad,” it stated.

For her part, Justice Secretary Leila M. de Lima said the subpoena will settle the issue on Mrs. Arroyo’s real medical condition, citing the point raised by Chief Justice Renato C. Corona during Tuesday’s hearing.

“[The point that Justice Corona raised on the] right to life, which is supposed to be the highest human right under both our Constitution and under the Universal Declaration of Human Right, my opinion on that is if the right to life is being invoked, the premise should be that the former president’s condition should be life threatening,” Ms. de Lima told reporters in an ambush interview.

Meanwhile, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday filed its comment on the order of the Pasay Regional Trial Court for Mrs. Arroyo’s temporary hospital detention, court clerk Joel T. Pelicano said in a telephone interview.

The camp of the former president, he added, also filed yesterday a motion for a hospital arrest.

The Pasay court issued on Tuesday a temporary hospital arrest order for Mrs. Arroyo pending the submission of a medical abstract to help determine her stay in the hospital. The Comelec also filed a motion to determine the former president’s medical condition and for the issuance of subpoena requiring Mrs. Arroyo’s three doctors to appear before the court in tomorrow’s hearing.

The Palace, meanwhile, supported the subpoena of physicians and medical records relating to Mrs. Arroyo’s medical condition.

“We believe it is necessary... that we be able to determine the propriety of the hospital arrest... and... the real basis for the request to travel abroad...,” Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said in an interview yesterday.

In a related development, the Senate Blue Ribbon committee has also asked for a similar explanation from Mrs. Arroyo’s physicians.

“We will summon Ms. Arroyo’s doctors because the root of this controversy is the former president’s medical condition described as urgent and life-threatening,” committee chairman Teofisto L. Guingona III told reporters in a briefing yesterday.

The inquiry is based on a joint probe of the Blue Ribbon and electoral reforms committees on alleged fraud in the 2007 midterm elections. -- A. E. Barrameda and A. S. O. Alegado

(courtesy: Business World)

WHERE ARE THEY?

Two years after killings, 101 suspects still roam free

Since the first anniversary of the Maguindanao massacre last year, the authorities have arrested only 12 more suspects—or an average of one suspect every month for the last year.

Data obtained by GMA News Online from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the Philippine National Police showed that so far only 95, or still less than half of the 196 massacre suspects, are in police custody.

A day before the first anniversary of the massacre in November 2010, the PNP announced the arrest of an 83rd suspect, Misuari Ampatuan, an alleged member of the private army of the Ampatuan clan, some members of which are accused of masterminding the carnage.

If the PNP now says that their latest tally stands at 95 arrested suspects, that would mean that for the next 12 months since November 23, 2010, policemen only collared 12 others, the last one—the 95th—being Fahad Utto, who was arrested in Purok Minanga, Barangay Buayan in General Santos City on August 18 after being identified by a supposed witness.

The arrested man's wife, however, asked a local court in General Santos City to issue a writ of habeas corpus for her husband, saying he was a victim of mistaken identity. She said her husband's name is Richard “Rey" Gofel and not Fahad Utto.

Gofel, however, remains an accused as Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221 denied Gofel’s motion seeking a “judicial determination of identity."

Last May 20, authorities said they arrested the 90th suspect in the massacre, Kamper Silongan alias Jun at the Queen Tuna Park along P. Acharon Boulevard in General Santos City.

Police, however, released the man a week later after confirming that he was not Silongan but vegetable vendor Dadtungan Ampatuan Mamasapano.

Constraints

CIDG's Chief Superintendent Benito Estipona, head of Task Force Maguindanao probing the massacre, said despite the considerably small turnover of arrested assailants, they are still considering it an accomplishment, given that the task force has recently faced new hurdles in their search for the suspects at large.

"We found out recently that some of the suspects have assumed new identities," Estipona told GMA News Online in an interview.

As a result, Estipona said they have doubled their efforts to carry out intelligence work to verify the real identities of arrested suspects.

"Mabusising intelligence work ang kailangan para ma-double check. Kina-counter namin ito through intelligence," he said.

Estipona said to further intensify the search for the missing suspects, the PNP has printed over a thousand copies of an updated "Wanted" poster, the bulk of these to be posted this month in Maguindanao and surrounding provinces, as well as in major ports and bus terminals.

He expressed hopes that the massive poster campaign will help increase awareness of the missing suspects. "Minsan kasi iyong mga tao doon [sa Mindanao], hindi nila alam kapitbahay na pala nila ‘yung hinahanap namin," he said.

Estipona said he has not set a deadline for all the remaining wanted suspects to be arrested but added they are giving their "best effort."

"We really have very dedicated tracker teams trying to expedite the search given the problems we encounter," he said.

He added: "Sa totoo lang kasi, nagle-level up pa kami kaya nagkakaroon tayo ng reconstitution ng tracker teams."

Clan members, killed suspect

A total of 196 suspects are facing 57 counts of murder before the QC RTC Branch 221 under Judge Solis-Reyes. Of the 95 arrested suspects, eight are considered prominent members of the Ampatuan clan, including clan patriarch Andal Sr and his sons Andal Jr, Rizaldy, and Sajid.

The patriarch was a former Maguindanao governor while his sons are a former mayor of Datu Unsay (Andal Jr), a governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Rizaldy), and a Maguindanao governor-in-charge (Sajid).

The other prominent clan members in jail are Andal Sr's son-in-law and former Maguindanao vice governor-in-charge Datu Akmad "Tato" Ampatuan Sr, Shariff Aguak Mayor Datu Anwar Ampatuan Sr., Jimmy Ampatuan, and Norodin Ampatuan.

Andal Jr turned himself in to police authorities three days after the killings, on November 26.

Of the 95 so far arrested, 30 are alleged members of the clan's private army, while 53 belong to the local police force.

Rounding out the list of detained suspects are four more individuals not belonging to the private army or to the local police but are classified as "other allies." One of them, Parido Zangkala Gogo, was killed in a firefight as authorities tried to arrest him, according to Estipona.

At large

Around 20 of the 101 suspects still being hunted have a P300,000 bounty each on their heads, while a P200,000 reward each is being offered for the arrest of the remaining suspects at large.

At least 10 other prominent Ampatuan clan members remain at large. Three of them were reportedly seen roaming free in the province and even playing basketball with local soldiers in Maguindanao.

They were identified as Andal Sr.'s grandsons Bahnarin, Anwar Jr or "Ipi," and Ulo, who was said to have resumed mobilizing the remaining members of the clan's private army.

Apart from these at-large Ampatuan clan members, authorities are also looking for 70 other private army members, 10 local policemen, and seven "other allies."

Four members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines personnel were likewise implicated in the massacre, namely Sergeants Abdullah Abdul, Alnor Ampatuan, Abdullah Falcon, and Banzar Maulan. None of them have been arrested yet. – MARK MERUEÑAS, KG/HS, GMA News

THE WAIT IS OVER

One of three photos of ex-President Arroyo that were submitted Monday to the Pasay City RTC to be used as mug shots. GMA News

Arroyo mugshots released in Philippines

Ex-Philippine president Gloria Arroyo's lawyer expressed outrage Tuesday that police mugshots taken of her in hospital after she was arrested on election cheating charges were leaked to the media.

The three photos show a tired-looking Arroyo, who says she is suffering from a life-threatening bone disease, wearing a bulky neck brace and head strap with her unbrushed black hair showing flecks of grey.

"The former president does not deserve this and neither should an ordinary person be subjected to this because everyone is entitled to a presumption of innocence," an Arroyo lawyer, Ferdinand Topacio, said on GMA television.

"Every person should be treated with dignity, be they former presidents or ordinary laborers. Our judicial system is supposed to operate on that principle."

The photos were taken on Saturday at an exclusive Manila hospital, a day after she was charged with conspiring to rig the 2007 senatorial election.

Although court officials and the government said the mugshots would not be released to the media, they appeared on the front page of one of the Philippines' biggest-selling daily newspapers on Tuesday.

They also appeared on the www.mugshots.com website and were quickly shared around social media sites such as Facebook.

Court officials and local police who were meant to be in charge of the photos denied Tuesday on local television that they had leaked them.

Arroyo, 64, who served as president from 2001 until the middle of last year, could face life in jail if she is found guilty.

Her successor, President Benigno Aquino, has also vowed to have her charged for a wide range of other corrupt acts she allegedly committed while in power.

Aquino won the presidential elections last year in a landslide after promising to stamp out corruption that is rampant across all sectors of Philippine society.

He has made pursuing Arroyo the top priority of his anti-graft campaign.

Arroyo has denied all the allegations and her lawyers have asked the Supreme Court to throw out the vote rigging charges.

The Supreme Court justices ruled on Tuesday that they would hear the case on November 29. — Agence France-Presse

YOUTUBES' NEW FACE

Good news to all the netizens, well especially to those who always wanted to share videos to all, YouTube reveals it's new look!

Well this time, it's a lot easier to see your videos, search them and even you can easily look back to them.

Well I hope this will be appreciated :-)

TRANSFORMATION

It was a talk-of-the-town when I decided to left ABS-CBN for GMA7. For some reason I don't know why it is a big deal.

Friends asked me why, even netizens did send me hate mails, although some did understand and appreciate my decision.

For so many months now, still people keep on asking me why did I move out, thanks to some media-bloggers for the interviews, they did the explanations.

What is important is that, I'm happier now not because I do get the exposure that I never thought I could get, but I'm happier now because people do recognize me and do appreciate my works which is an honor for me and really keeps me going.

I don't have anything against my former station, honestly I am so thankful for they introduced me to the real world of media. The discipline that I have right now, partly learned from them and that makes me indebted to them.

Now that I'm a KAPUSO reporter, I would say that it is God's gift that I should value most.

I just hope and pray that people will stop sending me mails asking why I moved.

Let's just be happy now and just let things the way it should be.

CONGRATZZZZZZ!!!

MINI LAOAG TOUR!

Last night was like an island-hopping! We went for a night-walking at Laoag, kind of a mini tour where we enjoyed watching some old buildings like the Footstep building with a 1930's-like design while eating isaw (chicken intestines, marinated, cued and grilled) w/c you can only appreciate at night.

Then we went to Ilocostops for a coffee, the first and only (I guess) 24-hour convenience store in the province, then a Roller-coaster ride at the Ang Saya-saya carnival w/ some friends, then after that a night w/ some alcoholic drinks at Mario's (I was dissapointed because they don't have Tanduay Ice :-(), then we bought "mulawin pandesal" near vice gov. Barba's house in San Nicolas, then another coffee under the mango tree at Dimple's place. Hehehe thanks to Mikel, our resident-kabituka-loi driver (hehehe peace :-)).

We suppose to watch the sunrise at Suba, but Mikel is too sleepy hehehe Till next mini tour!

MAKE WAY FOR THE MANILA MACHINE

It feels so proud that a group of Filipinos living in Los Angeles, California is currently hitting the American tongue, you know why? Well they're selling Filipino foods.
Chicken Adobo (chicken braised in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, bay and black pepper), Longsilog (longganiza, a Pinoy style sausage, sinangag or fried rice & itlog or sunny side up egg).

But the their best seller, is the MANNY PACQUIAO SISIG SANDWICH.
(calamansi-marinated pork cheeks, onions, and chicharon)



Want to know more? Visit their website: www.themanilamachine.com

Courtesy: The Manila Machine

PNOY IS NOT "NOY"

"NOY" an eye opener documentary-film about what's the real score behind a politician's dream to win the heart of the people. This is not actually a story of PNoy, but a story of Manolo a.k.a. Noy, who faked his credentials, to fulfill his dream to become a real journalist. He lives on a swamp area with a dysfunctional family, especially his brother who can't walk. Courtesy: www.noythemovie.com

DETECTIVE IN 40 MINUTES

Title: Detective in 40 Minutes aka. 4th Period Mystery,

The Clue Release Date: 12 August 2009

Country: Korea

Genre: Thriller, Mystery

Starring: Yoo Seung-ho, Kang So-ra, Jo Sang-geun, Jeon Joon-hong, Jeong Seok-yong, Park Cheol-min

Producer: - Director/Sutradara: Lee Sang-yong

Production: - Writer: Sin Dong-yeop

Plot / Sypnosis: During fourth period, high schooler Da-jeong finds his classmate Tae-gyu dead in a classroom and Jeong-hun standing in front of him with blood on his clothes. In order to stop Jeong-hun from becoming the prime suspect, Da-jeong must help him find the real murderer, who is still inside the school building, under 40 minutes before period four ends.


Courtesy: Han cinema

STATE OF CALAMITY IN BICOL, VISAYAS & MINDANAO

NDRRMC: Floods affect over 600K people, kill 29 others

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said the floods and landslides brought about by continuous rains in Bicol, Visayas, and Mindanao have affected over 600,000 people and killed 29 others. According to the 6 a.m. update of the NDRRMC on Friday, the rains have affected at least 131,780 families (or 684,153 people) in 843 villages in 21 provinces. Most of the affected people were from:

the CARAGA region in Mindanao with 76,078 affected families (or 399,403 people);

Eastern Visayas with 30,889 families (or 163,888 people); and

Bicol with 14,966 families (or 71,569 people).

The floods caused by heavy rains in past days have begun to subside as the weather finally improved in the Caraga region in Mindanao on Friday but residents there are not fully out of danger yet.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) warned of possible rains on Monday, especially over the Bicol region.

PAGASA forecaster Jori Loiz said this was despite the slight improvement in weather conditions over the region, which was also affected by heavy rains.

"Inaasahan natin by Monday lalakas ang ulan dito (We expect rains to intensify over Bicol by Monday)," Loiz said in an interview on dzBB.

On the other hand, he said the rains will not be heavy over Metro Manila.

"Inaasashan nating mahinang pagulan (We expect relatively moderate rains over Metro Manila during the weekend)," he said.

Flood, landslide victims

The NDRRMC said the latest fatalities were from Agusan del Sur and Davao del Norte in Mindanao.

The latest fatalities included:

Eserio Daniel of Barangay Popongon, Sto. Tomas, Davao del Norte;

Armando Batilaran of Barangay Caimpugan, San Francisco, Agusan del Sur; and

Bryl Jake Mondejar of Barangay Don Alejandro in San Luis, Agusan del Sur.

The NDRRMC said the number of injured had gone up to eight, with three people reported hurt in Sogod and Libagon in Southern Leyte. The victims included Rowen Libres and Stephanie Libres of Sogod and PO3 Noel Talisic of Libagon, Southern Leyte

The damage to property also went up to P183.264 million:

P62.471 million in agriculture and

P120.762 million in infrastructure.

At least 135 houses were also completely destroyed while 199 others were partially damaged.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) prepositioned P30.38 million in standby funds, family packs and food and non-food items.

Courtesy: GMA News, gmanews.tv

SLOW-COOKER BRISKET SANDWICH

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 5-to-6-pound first-cut or flat-cut brisket, cut into 3 pieces
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
• 1 12-ounce bottle stout beer
• 4 stalks celery, cut into large pieces
• 2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup tomato paste
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup dijon mustard
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 2 brioche or other rolls, split open and toasted
• Coleslaw, for serving

Directions

Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the brisket with salt and pepper, then brown on all sides, about 10 minutes, adding the garlic in the last 2 minutes. Transfer the meat and garlic to a 5-to-6-quart slow cooker. Pour the beer into the skillet and simmer 30 seconds, scraping up the browned bits from the pan; add the beer mixture to the slow cooker.

Nestle the celery around the meat and add the brown sugar, tomato paste, vinegar, mustard, soy sauce, bay leaves and paprika. Stir, then cover and cook on low 8 hours or on high 6 hours. Transfer the meat to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes, then thinly slice.

Serve on brioche halves with coleslaw; drizzle with the cooking liquid.

Per serving: Calories 474; Fat 16 g (Saturated 7 g); Cholesterol 128 mg; Sodium 265 mg; Carbohydrate 18 g; Fiber 0 g; Protein 61 g

Notes

You'll have plenty of leftover brisket: Use it in tacos, quesadillas, chili or even on a pizza.

Courtesy: Photograph by Antonis Achilleo; Food Network

MAN WITH SHOCKING FACE

A victim of horrific facial disfigurement - known as "the man with no face" - has been given new hope by the advancement of medical science.
Jose Mestre, from Lisbon, Portugal, has been losing his face to a huge growth for the past 35 years, distorting it out of all recognition - and it's still growing. Jose has one of the most extreme facial tumours ever seen in medical history. The tumor on 51-year-old Jose's face is a collection of blood vessels that have expanded, producing a raised red area on the skin.
Jose Mestre was born with a strawberry-coloured birthmark on his upper lip. At puberty it began growing, eventually smothering his lips, nose and one of his eyes. Now it is 33cm long and weighs 3kg. But Jose's religious faith - as a Jehovah's Witness he refuses to accept a blood transfusion - has prevented him from having surgery to remove the growth. Unemployed Jose is blind in one eye as a result of the giant weeping growth that has consumed his features. Jose's rare condition was the subject of a Discovery Channel TV documentary 'The Man With No Face', part of the 'My Shocking Story' series. It reveals how top medical experts in London have now held out hope of helping Jose, a well-known figure around the streets of Lisbon. A leading British surgeon has offered to treat Jose using ultrasound waves to coagulate the blood before the operation. This should remove the risk of heavy bleeding - satisfying his religious beliefs about blood transfusions in the process. Dr. Iain Hutchison, of St Bartholomew's in London, is confident an operation with a harmonic scalpel could make him look a lot more normal.
Discovery Channel said: "Surrounded by a loving family, it seems incredible that he has not been treated and his face was allowed to grow so big. However, through years of medical misinformation, some misdiagnosis, lack of finances, and reluctance to undergo treatment due to religious beliefs, the growth has continued to obliterate his face." My Shocking Story follows Jose on a journey through Europe to seek medical advice for one last chance to stop his face from suffocating him. In this journey of a lifetime he travels by train, via Paris to Britain to meet the top experts in London. He goes through a series of tests, consultations, and meets other patients with a similar affliction. In London he also spends time with his sister Guida and the rest of his family, enjoys being a tourist in London, while making the biggest decision of his life.
Jose's dream is to live a long and normal life. Following the showing of the Discovery documentary he continues to adhere to his 'no blood transfusion' religious principles. But he has agreed to go back to the London hospital, when doctors hope to carry out specialist surgery to begin removing parts of his tumor, without the need for blood transfusions.

Courtesy: Mrugesh Mudi

MAN SURVIVES SUICIDE TRY ON MRT TRACK

MANILA, Philippines – A man tried to commit suicide yesterday morning by jumping and lying on the tracks just as a train pulled in at the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Ortigas station in Mandaluyong City.

Jesus Mendoza, 43, a resident of Barangay Rosario, Pasig City, survived the attempt with only minor injuries when train driver Raymond Mendoza stepped on the brakes upon seeing him lying on the MRT tracks.

Security guards and male commuters pulled Mendoza from the tracks.

MRT public information officer Liza Blancaflor said Mendoza was among the commuters waiting for a ride at the Ortigas station at around 11:50 a.m. yesterday.

Security guards brought Mendoza to the Mandaluyong City police station for investigation. According to Blancaflor, Mendoza told the guards that he wanted to kill himself because he had just lost his job, his wife had left him, and his mother was suffering from an illness.

Courtesy: Philippine Star

TOP 5 GADGETS TO BE WATCHED

For gearheads, the holiday celebrations don't end after Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and New Year's. Many new tech toys are unwrapped not just in December but in early January, at a not-so-little event in Las Vegas, Nevada.

It's the annual Consumer Electronics Show, and it's a six-day gathering (including pre-show events and news conferences) where some 120,000 tech-industry types come to see gadget makers show off their newest wares.

CES usually brings a few surprises -- like Palm's much-hyped unveiling of the Pre phone two years ago, when the technology world thought it had its iPhone killer.

But thanks to corporate leaks, enterprising tech blogs and the hundreds of not-so-subtle e-mails flooding our inboxes, we have an educated idea of what to expect in Vegas this week.

Some of these gadget themes (the explosion of tablets) build on trends we saw at last year's CES. Others (connected appliances) appear to be emerging now. All may impact your gift-giving decisions next holiday season.

Here are five gadget trends we expect to see at this year's show.

1. Tablets

Whispers that Apple was preparing to unveil a touch-screen tablet computer dominated much of the chatter inside the Las Vegas Convention Center during CES 2010.

Attendees wanted to see tablets, and they especially wanted to see what would become known as the iPad. But Apple, a notable CES holdout, unveiled its popular tablet on its own terms -- three weeks later in San Francisco.

Instead, people at last year's CES mostly got glimpses of tablet prototypes. In his CES keynote, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer previewed several tablet devices, none of which have hit the market.

That will change this year as hardware makers, eager to stake a claim in a hot new gadget category, are lining up to take on the iPad. As many as 80 tablets, some perhaps running a flavor of Windows, will be showcased at CES this week, said Gary Shapiro, head of the Consumer Electronics Association.

Motorola Mobility is expected to debut its long awaited Android 3.0 tablet through a tight-knit partnership with Google. Engadget reports that Toshiba will kick off CES with its new unnamed 10.1-inch Android tablet, and Vizio, the maker of flat-screen TVs, will jump into the tablet market.

Other contenders will emerge as well. CES 2011 could bring the dark horse that narrows Apple's early but wide tablet lead.

2. Smartphones

Cell phones have long peppered CES booths, but the increasingly high-tech communication devices may have a bigger presence than ever in 2011. That's because cellular providers, which generally skip CES, will be there in full force this week.

Verizon Wireless, the top U.S. carrier, is not likely to announce a network-ready iPhone at CES. But Verizon will host a keynote and subsequent press event at which it will likely unveil smartphones compatible with its new, faster 4G data network.

Among them may be HTC's Thunderbolt, a large touch-screen Android phone, photos of which have already leaked to the Web.

AT&T and T-Mobile USA also are each holding press events in Las Vegas just before the CES show floor opens.

And Vizio didn't wait for CES to unveil an Android smartphone Monday with a 4-inch touch screen, HD video camera and a front-facing camera for video chat.

3. 3-D and internet-connected TVs

Television in three dimensions, with eye-popping visuals and bulky glasses, was all the rage at last year's CES. Attendees and the media were intrigued, but consumers have yet to embrace the expensive technology.

While 3-D will be back again this year, along with some mobile versions and sets that don't require glasses, many observers feel the technology still has a ways to go before it catches on.

So in the meantime, get ready for a wave of so-called "smart" TV sets, with built-in operating systems and software for streaming content from the internet.

Between, Apple TV, Roku, Boxee, TiVo and other so-called "set-top" devices, the idea of being able to access Netflix, YouTube and Hulu on a flat-screen in your living room is gaining traction. Google says its TV software won't have a big presence at CES, but Intel and plenty of competitors will fill those holes.

Expect new internet-connected TVs from LG, Samsung and other manufacturers.

4. Connected appliances

Beyond TVs, expect to see more unusual electronics getting outfitted with Wi-Fi or cell chips.

Cell carriers and appliance makers are pushing the idea of machine-to-machine -- that is, washing machines, refrigerators and energy readers that have the ability to access wireless data networks.

South Korean-based LG Electronics is promoting a line of home appliances that can send messages to your phone if, say, your refrigerator door is open.

Can a tweeting toaster be far behind?

5. Video gaming

Excluding a few weird, virtual-reality gizmos, video gaming is usually not a big focus of CES. Games have their time to shine in the summertime at E3, the year's big gaming show.

But gadgets are becoming a bigger part of mainstream console play, thanks to the recent excitement over gaming systems that react to players' motions instead of buttons on a controller. Microsoft and Sony are expected to showcase their Kinect and PlayStation Move, respectively at their massive CES booths.

Even Nintendo, which usually skips CES entirely, has reserved meeting rooms to privately demonstrate its hand-held 3DS device, which displays games in 3-D and is expected to hit U.S. stores in March. No glasses are needed, but let's hope the device doesn't mess with our eyes.

Courtesy: CNN

Farmers in Benguet, started to cultivate their vegetable plants to sell in the market, or else it will be all destroyed due to frost.

As to Department of Agriculture in Benguet, there were already reported cases on cabbages as victims of frost.

The condition is brought by the continuous lowering of temperature in the province. As of PAGASA, 9.6 degree celcius was recorded yesterday, the lowest temperature in the province since the start of this year.

SHOW YOUR PRIDE!

Here are some t-shirt designs that I (seventhconcept) made. These shirts show my pride to be part of Northwestern University.

Hope you guys like it!

I dare you to show your pride too!

GMA7 to launch its first 24/7 news channel

Just heard from friends that GMA7's News and Public Affairs will be having a 24/7 news channel just like ABS-CBN's ANC to be launched 1st quarter of 2011.

The difference is ANC is in cable channel while that of GMA will be on free-air.

Well if this is true, another battle will start.

Cops, to be visible in shopping centers

LAOAG – Christmas trade fairs are now open for public in down-town, just like at the Heroes Hall.

Items being sold are much cheaper compared to those in malls, it is then expected that hundreds of shoppers will arrive anytime.

Meanwhile PNP gave tips for these shoppers to help them prevent becoming victims of Las-las gang and pick-pocketers.

According to the police, shoppers should not be just alone they should be accompanied by someone they trust to. Shopping lists should also be prepared before they run to trade fairs and they should always be attentive.

Police visibility were also intensified to prevent any crimes committed. HADJI RIETA

BOTO MO, IPATROL MO in LAOAG

BOTO MO, IPATROL MO will be here in LAOAG on SEPTEMBER 21, 2009 for the registration for the 2010 NATIONAL ELECTION. Sugod na sa Amphi Theater, Laoag City to register!

www.botomoipatrol.multiply.com