Us asian post december 24, 2014 by Balita Media Inc

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Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year!

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INMENT

Ara Mina gives birth to baby girl See PAGE 7

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Vol. 3. No. 14

LOS ANGELES

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US Marine asks court to dismiss murder case Manila, Philippines | AFP | Monday 12/22/2014 – A US Marine facing trial for the murder of a Filipina transgender woman urged the Philippine Department of Justice on Monday to dismiss the case against him. In a petition filed with the department, the lawyer for Private First Class Joseph Pemberton argued that prosecutors did not present enough evidence to charge him with the killing of Jennifer Laude. The body of Laude 26, also known as Jeffrey, was found at a cheap hotel in the red light district of the northern port of Olongapo in October after she checked in with Pemberton, police in that city said.

But the petition argued that the evidence linking Pemberton to the killing was “based on nothing but conjectures and speculations”. “There was no evidence presented as to the details of the purported assault during the preliminary investigation other than the surmises and conjectures of the supposed witnesses and the baseless conclusions of the (Olongapo) police,” the petition argued. The murder case against Pemberton was filed with an Olongapo court which issued a formal arrest warrant for him last week. However a petition to the justice department is also an option for the accused in such criminal See US MARINE, page 3

Marilou Laude, sister of slain Filipino transgender Jeffrey ‘Jennifer’ Laude, shows a picture of USMC L/Cpl. Joseph Scott Pemberton, from her cellphone at the Olongapo City Regional Trial Court on Friday, December 19. The press was barred from the court hearing where court officials said Pemberton’s camp asked the judge to suspend proceedings. (MNS photo)

Binay, Poe, Roxas top poll Survey reveals who may be in 2016 presidential race

SWS poll lists possible 2016 presidential contenders MANILA, Dec 22 (Mabuhay) – Vice President Jejomar Binay, Sen. Grace Poe, and Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II topped a new poll taken by the Social Weather Stations as the three most likely to succeed President Benigno Aquino III once his term ends in 2016. The poll was taken from November 27 to December 1, and asked, “Who do you think are the good leaders who should suc-

ceed Pres. [Benigno III] Aquino as president? You may give up to three names.” The poll results, posted in the Business World website, found that 37 percent of respondents believed Binay should succeed Aquino in 2016; 21 percent named Poe, and 19 percent named Roxas. The other personalities named by the respondents included: Sen. Miriam Santiago (10 percent) Sen. Francis Joseph “Chiz” Escudero (9 percent) former President and Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada (9 percent)

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte (5 percent) Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV (5 percent) Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (3 percent) Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano (3 percent) Former senator Manuel Villar Jr. (2 percent) Sen. Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. (2 percent) Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery Panfilo Lacson (2 percent) Sen. Loren Legarda (1 percent) See TOP POLL, page 3

Fil-Am from Cavite is California Teacher of the Year By Nimfa U. Rueda

Quezon City Police District P/SSupt. Joel Pagdilao wraps tape around the muzzle of a cop’s pistol during the simultaneous gun-sealing activity at Camp Karingal on Monday, December 22. The Philippine National Police annually orders the nationwide sealing of weapons to prevent indiscriminate firing during the New Year. (MNS photo)

Cops ‘seal’ guns for Christmas holidays

MANILA, Dec 22 (Mabuhay) – The firearms issued to Manila and Quezon City policemen were sealed with tapes on Monday morning to ensure that cops will not fire their guns during the New Year’s Eve revelry. Manila Police District Director Sr. Supt. Rolando Nana said the sealing of the nozzles of police service firearms symbolizes their commitment against indiscrimi-

nate firing during the holiday celebrations. Nana said any cop caught firing their weapons without authorization may face administrative or criminal charges. Meanwhile, Quezon City Police District Director Sr. Supt. Joel Pagdilao encouraged the public to always have their cellphones ready so they could take a video

LOS ANGELES – When Filipino-American Lovelyn MarquezPrueher was a young immigrant student struggling to learn English, her teacher thought she had a learning disability. She also got bullied by classmates because of her foreign accent. “Those challenges have made me a strong advocate for immigrant students who are English learners,” said Marquez-Prueher, the first Filipina to become a California Teacher of the Year. A 34-year-old English teacher at Dodson Middle School in the Los Angeles Unified School District, Marquez-Prueher has recently been selected as one of the top five among the nearly 300,000 public school teachers in the state. As a California Teacher of the Year, she serves as a standardbearer for the teaching profession statewide. See FIL-AM TEACHER, page 3

See SEALED, page 3

PNP wants answers why guns in convict’s cell MANILA, Dec 20 (Mabuhay) – The original owners of the firearms found in the prison cell of Peter Co will be held liable after the guns were discovered in the possession of the drug convict. The Philippine National Police (PNP) Firearms and Licensing Division said it will write to the original owners and ask them to explain why the pistols ended up with Co. The owners are expected to

reply within 10 working days. A PNP board will then decide on appropriate sanctions. “Basically may liability yung may-ari ng mga pistol na yan at napunta sa ibang possession,” said Sr. Supt. Rolando Anduyan, chief of the PNP Firearms and Licensing Division. “Ang aim namin dito is for the revocation of the firearms license,” Anduyan added. See CONVICT’S CELL, page 3

Lovelyn Marquez-Prueher with Los Angeles County Superintendent of Schools Arturo Delgado.

President Benigno S. Aquino III delivers his speech during the Youth Summit 2014 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City on Friday (December 19, 2014). This year’s theme is “Fearless”. The Kristiyanong Kabataan para sa Bayan (KKB) Movement is the youth Life Group Network of the Jesus Is Lord Church Worldwide (JILCW). The KKB Mission is to inspire the youth to live for Jesus Christ and to offer the prime years of their lives in service to God and Country. (MNS photo)

Palace insists no ‘pork’ in 2015 budget MANILA, Dec 22 (Mabuhay) – Malacañang insists that there is no pork barrel hidden in the P2.6trillion national budget for 2015. This, after the Social Watch Philippines (SWP) claimed that as much as P47 billion in PDAF were hidden in the national budget that was ratified by both houses of Congress. “The bicam basically crafted and approved a budget that skirts around the SC decisions,” the groups lead convenor, former National Treasurer Leonor Briones, said. But Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said the group might have had a dif-

ferent view on the budget, its structure and the process it goes through before getting the nod of the Congress. “Wala pong batayan ‘yung sinasabi nilang ‘yan, maliban na lang po siguro sa pagkakaroon nila ng ibang pananaw hinggil sa istruktura at nilalaman ng pambansang budget,” he said in an interview over government radio dzRB. Coloma explained that the executive, in coordination with the Congress, made sure that they followed the constitution and, more importantly, the recent rulings of the Supreme Court. See NO PORK, page 3

Filipina-American teen on the Tournament of Roses Royal Court

The 126th Rose Parade is just days away, and one Filipina worthy of a mention is on the Royal Court. Gabrielle Current, who lives in Pasadena and is a senior at Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy was selected from over 800 young women who competed for the honor of serving as a member of the 2015 Tournament of Roses Royal Court. Gabrielle is a member of the National Honor Society and the California Scholarship Federation. As the President of Vivace & Friends, she was responsible for producing a benefit concert this summer that raised $5,000 for Youth Gabrielle Current Orchestra Los Angeles. She is a model and is currently signed with LA MODELS and has been featured in ad campaigns for Pottery Barn, Macy’s, Target, Ross, Kohls, among many others. Gabrielle loves musical theater and has performed in Phantom of the Opera, Titanic, God Spell, West Side Story, 9 to 5, and Xanadu. She hones her voice by studying Classical Voice at the prestigious Colburn School of Music in Downtown LA. Her plan is to attend college after graduating in 2015 and to major in music management. The Royal Court is comprised of seven girls who were chosen based on a number of criteria, including poise, personality, pubSee ROYAL COURT, page 3

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Pope to meet Muslim, Buddhist leaders in PHL visit Manila, Philippines | AFP | Monday 12/22/2014 – Pope Francis will meet with leaders of various religions when he visits the Philippines next month, pushing a mes-

sage of tolerance in order to combat global religious conflicts, a church official said Monday. The pontiff will hold a 10 to 15-minute dialogue with the dean

of the Philippines’ largest Islamic studies centre and a Taiwan-based Buddhist leader on January 18, according to Father Carlos Reyes, a member of the committee organising the Pope’s visit. He will also meet with the Hong Kong-based regional head of the Greek Orthodox Church, as well as a Hindu leader, Protestant bishops, and a Manila-based rabbi, Reyes told reporters. The dialogue will be held at the 400-year-old church-run University of Santo Tomas in Manila, where the pontiff will also address a crowd of 25,000 youths.

“The church is Catholic, it is universal, we are in dialogue with the world,” Reyes said. “It is our job as men and women of religion not to allow the fundamentalists or extremists to hijack the religion.” The event comes as the largely-Catholic Philippines is implementing a peace deal signed last March with its main Muslim rebel group to create an autonomous area for the Muslim minority in the southern islands. It also comes as the government fights a small band of hardliners that have reportedly pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, which has taken control of a swathe of territory across Iraq and Syria. The military has in re-

cent weeks intensified offensives against the Al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf, which is holding several hostages, including foreigners, in the troubled south. Pope Francis will arrive in the country amid tight security on January 15 for a four-day visit highlighted by a mass in Tacloban City, ground zero for Super Typhoon Haiyan last year. Haiyan’s monster winds spawned tsunami-like storm surges that wiped out entire towns and left more than 7,350 killed or missing. The pontiff’s visit has the theme “mercy and compassion” and is expected to draw millions of the faithful to the public events.

3 papal visit days declared special non-working days

MANILA, Dec 23 (Mabuhay) – President Benigno Aquino has declared special non-working days next month to allow more Filipinos to witness the visit of Pope Francis to the Philippines. Under Proclamation No. 936, three of the five days the Supreme Pontiff will spend in

the country will be be non-working days in Metro Manila. They are January15, 16, and 19. January 17 and 18 fall on weekends. “In view of the visit of the Pope, the Head of State of the Vatican City, I Paquito Ochoa Jr., Executive Secretary, by authority of His Excellency, Benign S. Aquino III, do hereby declare January 15,

16 and 19, 2015, as special (nonworking) days in the National Capital Region,” according to the proclamation dated December 22. Francis is set to arrive on January 15 in Manila where Aquino will welcome him at the Villamor Air Base. The formal welcome will take place the following day at the Kalayaan grounds of the Malacañan Palace to allow more people to see the Pope. Francis will meet with Aquino and other top government officials, including members of the diplomatic corps, at the Rizal Centennial Hall of the Palace before proceeding to the Manila Cathedral for a Mass. Later in the afternoon, the Pope will have a meeting with families at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. (MNS)

Over 150 flights to be affected by Pope Francis’ arrival MANILA, Dec 23 (Mabuhay) – The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) said over 150 flights will be affected by the flight suspension during Pope Francis’ arrival in Manila on January 15. That involves around 23,000 passengers, the MIAA said. MIAA will suspend the arrival and departure of flights from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. on January 15. The same policy will be implemented on January 19 when the Pope departs Manila from 6 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. “That is why the NOTAM (notice to airmen) was earlier issued to the airlines... So that passengers can give it a thought whether to still fly yung kanilang flights or just cancel and do a refund or magpa-rebook na lang,” said MIAA media affairs head Consuelo Bungag. Meanwhile, roads near the airport will also be closed for the Pope’s arrival and departure: • Sales Avenue • Andrews Avenue • Domestic Road • MIAA Road “We highly encourage the public, yun pong mga maghahatid at magsusundo, kung maaari lang po limitahan na yung pupunta ng airport. We’re going to implement a drop and go system sa departure so that we don’t get people crowded in these areas at hindi sila mahuli sa pagsara ng mga kalye,” Bungag said. “We also advise the passengers...na magpunta na sa po sa NAIA ng mas maaga. If you can come 5-6 hours ahead para po siguradong hindi niyo mamiss yung flight niyo on that day. Because we expect traffic to be really heavy,” she added. (MNS)

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FIL-AM TEACHER From page 1

“This is not just an award but an opportunity to talk to students, parents and fellow teachers all over California about what it’s like to be an immigrant…and to be suspected of having a learning disability because of language needs,” she said. “This is about overcoming obstacles by working really hard and not settling for being average.” Cultural gap Marquez-Prueher, whose family is from Cavite, came to the United States when she was nine years old. As a newcomer, she had a tough time in the classroom, having to overcome not just the language barrier but also the cultural gap. When she was in third grade, her teacher asked which in the group didn’t belong in a drawing of a spoon, fork, knife and drinking glass. She confidently answered: “the knife.” As the teacher corrected her, explaining that the first three were utensils for eating and the last was for drinking, the young Marquez-Prueher nearly broke down in tears. “I wanted to explain that in the Philippines, we don’t use a knife to eat,” she said. “That was my earlier recollection of feeling different.” “This shows how I have come full circle from being an English learner who was suspected of having a learning disability sim-

ply because of my language needs to becoming an educator who can make a positive difference in the lives of immigrant students,” she added. About a quarter of the student population in Los Angeles County – including 3,695 Filipinos – are English learners, statistics show. Marquez-Prueher has been training colleagues on effective approaches in teaching students who – just like her when she was growing up – are not native English speakers. As her school’s volunteer bilingual coordinator, she monitors the progress of English learners. A model teacher When she was in her early teens, Marquez-Prueher was hired to tutor a neighbor, who just arrived from the Philippines. “After I read with him everyday for weeks, he started to read with more ease and confidence,” she said. “At that moment, I felt an inexplicable joy…I knew then I wanted to become a teacher.” Besides advocating for English learners, Marquez-Prueher is also a leader in promoting partnerships with parents and the community, said Dodson Middle School Vice Principal Agnes Pitlik. “She is an exemplary model for other teachers,” said Pitlik, adding that Marquez-Prueher is wellloved by her students and their parents. “She genuinely cares about her students and wants the best for them,” said Dannielle Holloway,

NO PORK From page 1

“Sinikap ng administrasyon, sa pakikipag-ugnayan sa ating mga mambabatas, na makabuo ng isang pambansang budget na sumusunod sa prinsipyo ng Konstitusyon at ayon na rin sa mga pinakahuling pagpasya ng ating Korte Suprema,” he said. Earlier this year, the Supreme Court declared the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) and the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) unconstitutional. (MNS)

SEALED

US MARINE

From page 1

cases. Pemberton also wanted court hearings suspended pending a decision on his petition. But Philippine prosecutors argued that this would delay proceedings, which under a USPhilippine agreement must be completed in a year. In Olongapo a lawyer for the Laude family, Harry Roque, said Pemberton’s petition was “not a basis for suspension, especially for cases like this”. The high-profile case has inflamed anti-US sentiment in the Philippines and strains in rela-

mother of one of her students. Filipino upbringing Marquez-Prueher’s father worked as a seaman and was often away from home. “My lolo and lola helped my mom take care of me,” she said. “It took a village to raise me.” This type of Filipino-style partnership in caring for children is the core of her advocacy for teacher mentorship and a strong school-family link. “Teachers who help each other get better at their craft and become more effective in providing the best education for their students,” she said. “Parental support is critical in making sure the children are mentally and emotionally prepared to learn.” Marquez-Prueher said her Filipino upbringing helped shape her teaching style. “My parents, who are very religious, taught me to be honest, so

tions between the longtime allies, which both sought custody of the suspect. The US government has refused to hand over custody to Philippine authorities even after prosecutors charged Pemberton with murder. Critics and even senators have called for the immediate transfer of custody of the US Marine. Sen. Miriam Santiago said Pemberton, just like any criminally charged individual must be locked up in a local jail. He is currently under US military guard at a Philippine military base in Manila.

of any cop who would dare use their guns during the prohibited period. Based on a record from the Department of Health, there were 19 stray bullet incidents during the New Year’s Eve celebration last year. (MNS)

LOS ANGELES I’m very sincere and open with my students,” she said. “I tell them heartfelt stories about the challenges I faced as a child, how I was bullied because I didn’t speak English well.” In response, her students become more engaged and they come up with “really powerful” writing projects, she said. Making history In September this year, Marquez-Prueher and another Filipina, Maricar Fortuno Catalan, were selected as LA County Teachers of the Year. It was the first time in LA County’s history that two Fil-Am teachers made it to the county’s top 16, said Susan Bishop, coordinator of the countywide competition. The top 16 LA County teachers were considered for the statewide competition, and Marquez-Prueher was selected as one of the top

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five who will be honored at a special event in Sacramento in February. The competition is part of the National Teacher of the Year program, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious recognition program that shines a spotlight on excellence in teaching. It is designed to honor educators for “exemplary dedication, compelling classroom practices, positive accomplishments and professional commitment,” Bishop said. Marquez-Prueher, who has been teaching for 11 years, obtained a bachelor’s degree in English from Mount St. Mary’s College in Los Angeles and a master’s in Education from California State University, Los Angeles. She is currently in the Philippines with her family to celebrate Christmas with relatives in Cavite.

ROYAL COURT From page 1

lic speaking ability, academic achievement, and community and school involvement. They serve as ambassadors for the Tournament of Roses - It is a very prestigious honor, but not an easy feat to pull off with grace. Gabrielle has attended over 100 public and media functions since

October, all while maintaining a rigorous class schedule at school, completing her college applications, and working as a lead singer/actor on two musicals. She will reign as a Royal Court Princess over the Rose Parade and the Rose Bowl Game on January 1st, 2015.

CONVICT’S CELL From page 1

The PNP said it is also intensifying its Oplan Katok to impose stricter rules on processing firearms licenses. The Firearms and Explosives Division of the PNP on Thursday said six guns were confiscated by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) from Co in a raid at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP). Documents showed politicians, including an incumbent congressman are registered as the owners of the guns. One caliber .22 gun is regis-

tered under the name of Guimaras Rep. Joaquin Nava. Another is under the name of politician Carlitos Tiquia, who ran and lost for congressman of Valenzuela. A 9mm Taurus pistol is under the name of Vicente Alindada Jr., a barangay councilor in Sangandaan, Caloocan. Another gun is allegedly owned by Avelino Nicanor, a government employee. It was not clear if he works at the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor). (MNS)

“Manny” Pacquiao (1 percent). Some eight percent of respondents had no one to recommend, while 15 percent could not give an answer. The SWS survey interviewed

1,800 respondents nationwide, with sampling error margins of ±2% for national percentages; ±6% each for Metro Manila, “Balance Luzon” and Mindanao; and ±3% for the Visayas. (MNS)

TOP POLL From page 1

Senate President Franklin Drilon (1 percent) Presidential Assistant for Food Security and Agricultural Modernization Francis Pangilinan (1 percent) Sarangani Rep. Emmanuel

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UTREACH

Hackers may have exploited Sony’s weakest link: humans By Glenn Chapman

San Francisco, United States | AFP | Friday 12/19/2014 – Hackers who forced Sony Pictures to abort release of a comedy about North Korea likely slipped past the entertainment titan’s defenses by exploiting a weak spot – humans. That suspicion prevailed on Thursday among cyber security specialists piecing together clues about an attack that led Sony to cancel the release of “The Interview,” a movie about a fictional CIA plot to kill North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un. The attack, branded by White House officials as “a serious national security matter,” was seen as vindictive or even personal, with hackers out to cause Sony extreme pain instead of being driven by the typical profit motive. Sony workers may have been targeted with “spearphishing” attacks that sent specific workers bogus email messages that appeared to come from trustable sources, according to Usher online identity platform senior vice president Guy LevyYurista. Such deceptive missives typically include web links or attached files which, if opened, result in computers being secretly infected with malicious software. “The weakest link in any security system is always the human being,” LevyYurista told AFP. “My guess is that North Korea made a decision to go after Sony; started a quick spearphishing campaign aimed at Sony Pictures or other parts of the company and then gained access to the system.” Once hackers get footholds, they take advantage of security holes to seize control and data. The malicious code that infected Sony Pictures was identified as a customized version of Destover. A similar hacker tool has been used in cyber attacks on banks in South Korea and corporations in the Middle East, including Saudi Aramco. The virus spreads quickly, sucks up data and then destroys computer hard drives to cover its tracks. “It literally shreds the hard drives of all those machines so they are useless,” said Levy-Yurista. “It is quite impressive what they have done. It is also quite horrific.” Out to hurt Sony CloudFlare principle security researcher Marc Rogers, who is chief of security at the notorious annual Def Con hacker gathering in Las Vegas, is studying leaked Sony

files for insights into the attack. Rogers found that once past the perimeter of Sony’s computer system, data was scantly protected with “egregious” flaws such as unencrypted files and passwords stored in plain text. Hackers could have pillaged financial accounts or even tried extortion, he reasoned. “It seems clear that whoever was behind this wasn’t after money, they were out to hurt Sony,” Rogers told AFP. “It feels more like an insider job to me.” A disgruntled employee could have opened a path for hackers, and then lax security inside the system let them run amok in the network, according to Rogers. In addition to receiving threats, Sony has seen the release of a trove of embarrassing emails, scripts and other internal communications, including information about salaries and employee health records. The mountain of stolen data indicated attackers were inside Sony’s network undetected for a while, or even had physical access to machines. Whoever attacked Sony could have used off-the-shelf hacker tools, and appeared to be savvy in ways of distributing stolen data online. Spearphishing is a standard tactic used for targeted cyber attacks, although it remained unclear whether the ruse was used on Sony Pictures, according to Symantec security response team director Kevin Haley. “I can pick out a name, do some social engineering in the email, entice them to an attachment or link, and it goes to malware,” Haley said. Hackers are also known to use a watering hole attack in which a website popular in an industry is broken into and rigged with code that pounces when prey visits, according to Haley. “The idea is that the lion doesn’t have to search around the jungle looking for food; it just sits at the water hole and waits,” Haley said. Film climax leaked Sony defended its decision to cancel the release as footage leaked onto the Internet showing the film’s climax was to have been a graphic close-up of the North Korean leader’s fiery death. White House spokesman Josh Earnest declined to confirm reports that North Korea had attacked the movie giant, which pulled the film after hackers invoked 9/11 in threatening attacks on cinemas.

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Death of Joe Cocker, ‘great soulest voice of Britain’ By Shaun Tandon

New York, United States | AFP | Monday 12/22/2014 – Joe Cocker, whose intense, gritty voice won him wide acclaim that spanned both rock and blues, has died at age 70, his agent said Monday. Cocker, who started off playing to small audiences in pubs in his native England, made a breakthrough when he jolted the 1969 Woodstock festival by playing the Beatles’ “With a Little Help From My Friends” – one of the rock era’s most successful covers. Cocker, whose singing was accompanied by a flailing of his arms that led uninitiated audiences to wonder if he had neurological problems, later topped the charts with the love ballad “You Are So Beautiful.” “He was without doubt the greatest rock/soul voice ever to come out of Britain,” his agent, Barrie Marshall, said in a statement announcing his death on Sunday evening. “Hugely talented – a true star – but a kind and humble man who loved to perform,” he said. “His iconic performance of ‘With a Little Help From My Friends’ continued to thrill audiences across the decades. He was simply unique,” he said. Cocker’s label, Sony Music, said that he was suffering lung cancer. The Yorkshire Post, the singer’s hometown newspaper in England, said that he died in the US Rocky Mountain state of Colorado where Cocker and his wife settled in a small town two decades ago. Cocker moved to Colorado

as he gradually cleaned up his act after a notoriously hardpartying youth, when his love for alcohol and drugs brought fears that he would be the latest rock star to die young. In one incident, Cocker and his bandmates were arrested in Australia in 1972 for possession of marijuana and then ordered to leave the country due to a hotel brawl, triggering a debate in Australia about its drug laws. ‘A way of carrying emotion’ At Woodstock, the carnival of counter-culture, Cocker took the stage twice and also performed a cover of Ray Charles’ post-addiction song “Let’s Go Get Stoned.” Cocker’s popularity came amid the rise of what was known, sometimes pejoratively, as “blue-eyed soul” of white artists embracing a musical style identified with African Americans. Asked in an interview last year with Britain’s Guardian newspaper on how he feels the spirit of the blues, Cocker said: “It’s an emotion – a way of carrying an emotion. It’s a very simple format but I find myself leaning that way as I get older.” Cocker’s other well-known hits include 1982’s “Up Where We Belong,” an impassioned duet with Jennifer Warnes that won a Grammy and figured prominently in the movie “An Officer and a Gentleman.” He also sang Ray Charles’ “Unchain my Heart,” notably at the mammoth 1988 concert at London’s Wembley Stadium

Embattled New York mayor calls for end to protests By Jennie Matthew

New York, United States | AFP | Monday 12/22/2014 – Embattled Mayor Bill de Blasio urged New Yorkers to put aside politics and protests Monday to mourn two murdered police officers as he sought to head off furious criticism of his conduct. Wenjian Liu, 32, and Rafael Ramos, 40, were shot in the head through the window of their patrol car in broad daylight in Brooklyn on Saturday following weeks of anti-police protests. Police named the shooter as Ismaaiyl Brinsley, 28, whom officers said had a clear anti-police bias and who shot himself dead on a subway station platform just minutes after the murders. The killings have rocked America’s largest city and plunged its largest police force into mourning, triggering comparisons with policecommunity tensions not seen in the city since the 1970s. “I think it’s a time for everyone to put aside political debates, put aside protests and put aside all of those things we’ll talk about in due time,” de Blasio told a police charity lunch. “It was an attack on our democracy, it was an attack on our values and attack on every single New Yorker,” he said of the murders. Police unions lashed out at de Blasio, accusing him of creating a dangerous mood by allowing demonstrators to shut down New York streets in protest at recent police killings of unarmed black men. Cities across the United States have seen weeks of protests over the killings and decisions not to prosecute white officers responsible for recent deaths in New York and Ferguson, Missouri. Funerals first, debate later De Blasio, who has biracial children, has fended off mounting criticism for wanting to reform police tactics and allegedly not being sympathetic enough to the problems police face. On Monday, he praised the force unstintingly and called for a temporary lull in protests until after the funerals take place. “I would ask that any organizations that were planning events or gatherings for politics or protests, that could be for another day,” de Blasio said. “Let’s accompany these families on their difficult journey and see them through the funerals. Then debate can begin again.” De Blasio described Brinsley as a “deeply troubled, violent individual” and called on people to take stock of what unites them as Americans and as New Yorkers, and focus on the families. At one point seeming to wipe his eye, he went onto urge the community and police to come closer together. “We all need to understand each other better, we all need to hear each other better,” he said. Police Commissioner Bill Bratton admitted earlier that de Blasio had lost the trust of some officers, but came swinging out in his defense. “I think he has lost it with some officers,” Bratton told NBC television, comparing the tensions to New York in 1970. Partisan lines He said that he doesn’t believe “at all” that de Blasio increased the threat to police officers by allegedly not expressing enough sympathy for them by siding with demonstrators. And he criticized police officers who turned their backs on the mayor at the hospital where the two cops were pronounced dead.

Joe Cocker

that drummed up support to free South Africa’s anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela on his 70th birthday. More surprisingly, Cocker performed in 1989 at the inauguration of US president George H. W. Bush. Cocker later said that he did not side politically with the Republican president but had hoped – unsuccessfully – that Bush would pardon him for US-based drug offenses. Cocker’s image as a voice of his

generation was enhanced when “The Wonder Years,” a popular US television show launched in 1988 that looked back fondly at the 1960s, chose his version of “With a Little Help From My Friends” as its theme song. “Goodbye and God bless to Joe Cocker from one of his friends – peace and love,” Beatles drummer Ringo Starr wrote on Twitter. The song was also inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and

Cocker was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. But despite the acclaim, Cocker never made it into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, an omission that some fans saw as a snub. Billy Joel, performing “With a Little Help from My Friends” at New York’s Madison Square Garden in September in a tribute to the ailing Cocker, said he was “amazed” that the singer was not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

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Reach out to brethren in need, CBCP head asks faithful in Christmas message MANILA, Dec 19 (Mabuhay) – Make Christmas truly meaningful by reaching out to people in need – even after celebrating the occasion. This was the message of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines president and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas, one week before Christmas. “God is asking us to cross over from where we are into where He really wants us to be. And where does He want us to be? With our brothers and sisters. Make a meaningful christmas by crossing over, reaching out, because a reaching hand is also a sharing hand. And a sharing hand is the hand of Jesus for us,” Villegas said in his Christmas message. Villegas likened Jesus Christ’s birth in a manger to God “crossing over” to earth, to live among people. But he also said the faithful must continue to reach out to those in need, even after Christmas. “At pagkatapos ng Pasko, ano ang dapat natin gawin? Kailangan mula sa ating pangkasalukuyang katayuan, tumawid din tayo ng marami pang ilog, marami pang dagat, marami pang bundok. Tumawid din tayo at hanapin ang bawa’t isa at ipakita sa bawa’t isa na tayong lahat ay magkakapatid,” he said. “Ang ibig sabihin ng Pasko, tumawid na ang Diyos at ang hamon ng Pasko, tumawid din tayo,” he added. (MNS)

Aquino tells youth: Don’t just spend time on selfies, be involved in gov’t MANILA, Dec 19 (Mabuhay) – President Benigno Aquino III on Friday enjoined the Filipino youth to be involved in government instead of spending too much time on fads in the Internet age. Speaking before youth members of the Jesus is Lord Church Movement, Aquino said indifference among young Filipinos would put his administration’s reforms to waste. “Kung pipiliin ninyong magwalang-bahala, mapepeste ang ating pinaghirapan at mababalik tayo sa lumang kalakaran,” he said in his speech. He further encouraged the youth to discuss politics among their friends. “Ngayong panahon po ng selfie at Internet, napakadali na ng pag-uusap tungkol sa pulitika at pakikisangkot sa lahat ng aspeto ng pamahalaan,” the President said. “Malinaw ang papel na ginagampanan ng ating mga kabataan sa pag-abot ng mga adhikain. Bilang mga magmamana ng bunga ng ating mga pagbabago, di hamak na mas matagal matatamasa ng mga kabataan bunga ng ating mga pagsisikap,” he added. A government census in 2010 showed that three in every ten Filipinos are below 15 years old, which means that the country has a young population. The same census showed that in 2010, half of the household population was younger than 23 years old. Be critical At the same time, Aquino reminded young Filipinos to be critical about what they see online. “Huwag ninyo sanang kalimutang maging mapanuri. Hindi porket nakalagay sa Internet ay totoo lahat. Hindi porket viral o trending ay dapat pagkaabalahan,” the President said. Describing himself as “young at heart and young looking,” Aquino even made reference to current trends, such as taking selfies and mobile applications. He even described these fads as “distractions.” “Huwag puro selfie at pagpapalakas ng town sa Clash of Clans ang inyong aatupagin,” the President quipped, drawing loud applause from the audience. Interestingly, Aquino agreed to take a selfie with a member of the audience who flew all the way from Canada after the event. (MNS)

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Lives of danger, poverty on PHL’s typhoon coast By Cecil Morella

Taft, Philippines | AFP | Saturday 12/20/2014 – Life is a constant throw of the dice for farmer Nilo Dilao and other residents of the Philippine island of Samar, the ground zero for many of East Asia’s deadliest storms. Homes, boats, crops, livestock and jobs are all on the line each time the monster winds roar in from the Pacific Ocean, leaving survivors to mourn their dead and pick up the broken pieces, year in and year out. “Life is a struggle here,” Dilao, 43, told AFP a few days after Typhoon Hagupit destroyed his shanty and killed more than 20 people this month. He likened the plight of local people to those of stray chickens. “We’re scratching at the soil non-stop in hopes of finding a scrap to eat,” he said. Hagupit came a year after Super Typhoon Haiyan, the strongest ever storm recorded on land, killed 7,350 people on Samar and neighboring islands. Samar, about half the size of Belgium, is often the first major Asian landmass hit by the more than 20 tropical storms or typhoons that are born in the Pacific Ocean each year. With much of the mountainous island stripped by deforestation, most of its 1.8 million residents live on narrow, sea-level strips along the coast, at the mercy of the storms’ ferocious winds and tsunamilike ocean surges. Living in the town of Taft on Samar’s east coast, the Dilao family survived both the storm surges of both Hagupit and Haiyan by fleeing to a nearby hill, waiting them out under a raggedy tent made of bamboo frames and a tarpaulin sheet. In nearby San Julian, small-scale farmer Benjie Baldenero was also struggling to cope with having lost his home in Haiyan when it happened again in Hagupit. The 40-year-old spoke of pledging the next harvest as collateral so he could borrow money to rebuild his grass hut again and replace flooded rice seedlings. “We have not even repaid last year’s debts and here we are needing to take out more loans,” Baldenero told AFP. Typhoons and guerillas The vicious cycle ensures Samar and the neigh-

boring island of Leyte are among the poorest regions of the Philippines, accounting for just 2.2 percent of national economic output. “Bad weather plays a major role in shaping our economy because typhoons destroy practically everything in their path,” Ben Evardone, a congressman and former governor of Eastern Samar province, told AFP. Six in 10 people on Samar’s east coast are poor, according to government data, fuelling a decades-old communist insurgency that has largely petered out across the rest of the Philippines. Samar is one of only five regions of the country where New People’s Army rebels are still active, Philippine Army spokesman Colonel Noel Detoyato told AFP. “They continue to attract followers due to the poverty,” he said. Typhoons and guerrillas also mean the island attracts few outside investors, Evardone said. There are few jobs available except farming and fishing, which are among those most vulnerable to the extreme weather. Those in the few other industries also suffer during the storms. Jaime Caballa, 53, saw his restaurant in the university town of Can-avid ripped apart by Hagupit, then ransacked by looters. With banks unwilling to lend without collateral and his modest savings gutted by Haiyan, the father-of-four now has to deal with loansharks to finance repairs. “The restaurant was shuttered for a week after Haiyan. This time, we’ll likely be out of business for months,” he told AFP. The extreme weather leaves the island with coconuts, also the Philippines’ principal export crop, as the main source of income. Farmers also plant much less valuable sweet potatoes, cassava and taro to supplement their ricebased diet. But even coconuts are no match for the strongest winds. Haiyan destroyed most of the island’s coconut industry last year, felling more than 33 million trees across the central Philippines according to official estimates, while Hagupit took care of much of what was left.

With Cuba and immigration, Obama takes a new look at Latin America by Ramon SAHMKOW

Washington, United States | AFP | Friday 12/19/2014 – President Barack Obama has – in just a few weeks and in spectacular fashion – turned the tables on US policy toward Latin America, neglected by Washington for much of this century. In quick succession, he has responded to the desires of many in Latin America first with changes in immigration and then this week’s stunning detente with Cuba. “The president is looking seriously at US policy and how it impacts Latin America and has taken very strong decisions,” said Eric Olson, an expert on the region at the Wilson Center, a Washington think tank. Obama had raised high hopes for a new relationship with Latin American on coming into office six years ago, only to watch US influence in the region seep away. But in announcing the normalization of relations with Cuba, severed since 1961, Obama exceeded all expectations and opened the way for a major repositioning of the United States throughout the region. In the words of a senior US official, Washington hopes Latin American countries will see the gesture on Cuba as “a very positive step.” “It’s clear that we have delivered on something that had been desired and pushed by many friends in the Americas,” the official said. A celebrated decision It followed other recent steps by Washington that have been cheered in the region, like the relief from deportation for more than four million undocumented immigrants, most of them from Latin America, or the transfer to Uruguay of prisoners from the controversial US detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. “There’s no question that those are decisions that are going to improve US relations with the region,” Olson told AFP. But the change in policy toward Cuba, announced Wednesday by Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro, had special resonance for regional relations hardened by the decades-long ideological duel between Washington and Havana. The president accused by Brazil of “spying” and by Venezuela of leading an “imperial government” is now being praised by his Latin American counterparts.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro highlighted Obama’s “courage.” “The blockade has fallen,” exulted Uruguayan President Jose Mujica, comparing Obama’s announcement to the fall of the Berlin Wall – “but from the other side.” For Peter Schechter, Latin America director at the Atlantic Council, the change toward Cuba is a “hugely important thing in terms of US relations with the rest of Latin America.” The Cold War confrontation was the “pebble in the shoe of Us-Latin America relations for a long time,” Schechter said. Obama “is taking the pebble out.” “People are going to be able to talk about Cuba without talking about the US and Cuba,” he said. The impact impact of the decision is likely be on prominent view at the Summit of the Americas next April in Panama, which Obama is attending. Cuba also has said it will go – the first time since the gatherings began two decades ago – setting the stage for a Castro-Obama encounter. There will be a “different vibe,” said Julia Sweig, a Cuba expert at the Council on Foreign Relations. Guantanamo and the OAS The Cuba overture could be the catalyst for resolving other pending issues. “The remaining issue is Guantanamo,” said Olson, referring to Obama’s promise to close the detention center, which is located on a US naval base on the southeastern tip of Cuba. Cuba, for its part, should re-examine whether to return to the Organization of American States, which suspended the island in 1962 but lifted the suspension in 2009. Nevertheless, other US actions could cause consternation in Latin America. A day after announcing a detente with Cuba, Obama signed a law authorizing sanctions for senior Venezuelan officials linked to human rights violations against protesters and members of the opposition, a measure roundly rejected by the region’s other leaders. Maduro immediately questioned how Obama could “on one side recognize the failure of the policies of aggression and blockade against our sister Cuba... and on the other initiate an escalation in a new stage of aggressions” against Venezuela.

Iran hails US-Cuba thaw as proof sanctions don’t work

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Tehran, Iran | AFP | Sunday 12/21/2014 - Iran has seized on Washington’s historic rapprochement with Cuba after five decades of Cold War standoff as proof that big power sanctions do not work. “The defense by the Cuban government and people of their revolutionary ideals over the past 50 years shows that policies of isolation and sanctions imposed by the major powers against the wishes of independent nations are ineffective,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Akfham said. The statement, released late Saturday, was Iran’s first official reaction to the rapprochement announced by the two governments on Wednesday. Washington and Havana said they would launch measures to ease a five-decade US trade embargo as well as a prisoner exchange. First official talks are scheduled for January. Cuban President Raul Castro on Saturday hailed the thaw with Washington and said he was ready to discuss any topic with the United States. Iran and the United States severed diplomatic ties after the November 1979 takeover of the US embassy in Tehran, along with 50 American hostages,

which lasted 444 days. A year later Washington slapped a trade embargo on Iran and since 2006 the Islamic republic is also facing UN sanctions over its controversial nuclear program. Further international sanctions on Iran were announced in 2012, including US and European Union sanctions on oil exports and financial transactions. Iran denies it is seeking a bomb and says its nuclear program aims to produce atomic energy to reduce the country’s reliance on fossil fuels. A historic 15-minute telephone call between US President Barack Obama and his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani in September 2013 marked the first contact between leaders of the two nations since 1979. The call was a tentative step towards a thaw between the two countries, who have been engaged in tenuous nuclear talks along with other world powers. The talks between Iran and the P5+1 -- Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States and Germany – have been extended until June 30 after the two sides failed to meet a November 24 deadline.

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Cosplayer Alodia cast in Japanese film Filipino cosplayer Alodia Gosiengfiao excitedly announced that she will be doing a Japanese movie next year. “I’m very glad na may mga opportunities po para sa akin na still related to what I’m doing, which is cosplay and Japanese culture,” Gosiengfiao said. However, she refused to give more details about the “heartwarming” and “very meaningful” project, although she did say that she will be playing a Filipina character in the movie. “But I’m not sure if I’m going to speak Tagalog, Japanese or English so we’ll see about it,” Gosiengfiao said. “I think it’s a governmentsupported film, so it’s very educational film at feeling ko maraming mata-touch sa film na yon,” she added. The Filipino cosplayer said she was offered to do the project after she attended a convention in Singapore. The cosplayer, who shuttles between Japan and Manila for work, is being represented by a Japanese management company. Dubbed as the “Cosplay Queen” in the Philippines, she has already recorded an album in Japan in 2012. “Right now I live both in Manila and in Japan so every two weeks nagta-travel po ako back and forth,” she explained. “I have projects here, I still do TV work, I still host events, I do guestings in conventions and in Japan naman po I do almost the same thing, I guest in events, I do magazines,” she said. (MNS)

Why Andi turned down Bret Jackson Actress Andi Eigenmann finally opened up about the reason she called things off with former “Pinoy Big Brother” housemate Bret Jackson, whom she has been romantically linked with back in September. The 24-year-old explained that she simply was not ready to enter a new relationship, despite Jackson confessing his love for her. “At that time, yes, of course, marami akong pinagdadaanan sa buhay ko nun, relationship-wise or not,” she said. Eigenmann lost her father, actor Mark Gil, in the same month. She was also reeling from her break up with Jake Ejercito, the son of Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada with former actress Laarni Enriquez. The two have reportedly reconciled since. “Ayoko nang nagmamadali. I don’t want to jump into something that I know I’m not ready for,” Eigenmann added. She also clarified that she remains good friends with Jackson. Eigenmann and Jackson are set to star in a currently unnamed project, marking the their first big screen team-up. (MNS)

Mag

Tayo!

Ara Mina gives birth to baby girl Ara Mina has given birth to a healthy baby girl, her partner, Bulacan, Bulacan Mayor Patrick Meneses, revealed. In his Instagram post, Meneses “formally introduced” their daughter to the public, who they named Amanda Gabrielle. According to Mina, their daughter was born at exactly 11:35 a.m. on December 17, weighing 7.4 pounds. “The perfect gift this Christmas! Our Mandy... Thank you Father for the safe delivery of our healthy baby girl. There’s nothing more I can wish for. We are truly blessed. A very merry Christmas indeed,” the actress said. In a previous interview, Mina said she is excited to be a handson mother, adding that she intends on breastfeeding her baby. “Oo, magpapa-breastfeed ako. Para kasing ang sarap ng feeling na ikaw yung nagpapa-dede sa

Ara Mina

anak mo. Iba yung attachment ng mother and child kapag ganu’n. Ako, gusto ko ‘yung ma-experience,” she said. Amanda Gabrielle is Mina’s first born child. (MNS)

Dimples pregnant with second child It’s a boy, says Dimples Romana, who is now six months pregnant with her second child. Her firstborn is a girl. She and her husband, an engineer, have a ten-year-old daughter. “Kaya, like us, tuwang tuwa siya sa pagkakaroon finally ng kapatid,” Dimples revealed, beaming, “Ang tagal din naman naming hinintay na magbuntis akong muli. Kaya I plan to be extra careful, until my due date. Hiling din ito sa akin ng asawa ko.” Dimples is grateful that she has a Christmas presentation before taking a break from showbiz. She admits that she has been quite busy before her pregnancy. She is in the “Gift Giver.” She last hosted the reality show, “Promil Pre-School I-Shine Talent Camp3.” (MNS)

app Viber last Friday. “Um.. So.. Yeah.. This is happening ..” read part of KC’s message. He continued, “If ever there was such thing as a digital awkward moment, this is it.” Mo replied, “Nah, years pass and awkwardness – as with everything – fades.” According to Mo’s caption, it was their “first conversation in years.” The post almost immediately amassed a thousand likes. “The past is the past. Thumbs up to the both of you,” commented one follower. KC MO messageThe reconciliation of Mo and KC

Dimples Romana

Solenn wants to do more

Filipino cosplayer Alodia Gosiengfiao

Mo Twister, KC Montero bury the hatchet It seems that DJ Mo Twister and actor-VJ KC Montero have already renewed their friendship. Recall that Mo used to date Rhian Ramos until they had a very public breakup. In 2012, Mo and KC’s friendship was challenged when the latter started dating the actress. KC and Rhian have since parted ways. On Instagram, Mo posted a screengrab photo of him and KC’s conversation on messaging

followed that of John Prats and Jason Francisco, who reportedly smoked the peace pipe during the rehearsal of “Pinoy Big Brother: All In” finale last August. “Okay na kami ni Kuya John,” Jason was quoted as saying on ABS-CBN News. “Sapat na ’yun. Wala na masyadong usapan. Basta kumamay sa ’yo, okay na ’yun.” It was March last year when Jason punched John in the face during a “Banana Split” rehearsal. He admitted that he did so out of spite with John supposedly teasing his then girlfriend Melai Cantiveros incessantly. (MNS)

Already one of the industry’s more popular multi-hyphenated stars (an actress, singer, songwriter, TV host, VJ, fashion designer and painter), Solenn Heussaff still wants to do more. On top of her list is writing a Tagalog song and posting it on YouTube. “Kahit anong kanta okay lang… feeling ko naman hindi masyadong halata (’yung accent) ‘pag kumakanta ng Tagalog,” she said in an interview. Solenn is still not happy with her Tagalog and continues to study the language. “Akala ko kasi ’pag nag-stay ako dito nang matagal eh magiging fluent ako. Pero hindi pala. Pero paunti-unti natututo ako,”

she said. She also said she now understands Tagalog films better. “Pero minsan may mga words akong hindi maintindihan,” she said. The French-Filipina beauty didn’t mince words when asked to comment on her brother Erwan’s supposed impending marriage to girlfriend Anne Curtis. According to Solenn, his brother isn’t ready yet being only 27 years old. “Para sa akin 35 pa ang age na alam mong mature na ang lalaki,” she said. Solenn stressed, however, that it doesn’t mean she disapproves of Anne, whom she considers one of her closest friends. But, she’d rather that both focus on their respective careers at the moment.

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MOTORING 2014, the year car brands and consumers got hooked on customization One of the standout automotive trends of 2014 has been carmakers’ increasing focus on personalization. But what is driving this trend, is it just a fad, and if not, where is it going? The end of mass consumption is nigh. In fact, according to Philippe Claverol, director of brand strategy and experience for DS, Citroen’s new premium marquee, in many areas it’s already over. “People want personalization and consideration. People want to feel more and more that they are an individual,” he says. It’s a growing, increasingly global trend that Citroen has been tracking for over a decade and is one of two key trends that informed

the development of the DS3. The other, Claverol explains, is consumers’ growing appetite for investing in things that are important and they care about: “Customers are making strong choices in favor of products where there’s a strong connection.” That’s why when the DS3 rolled out in 2009, it was both a premium car in its supermini segment, but also one that offers a host of personalization possibilities – from roof and wing mirror colors, to custom wheels, paint finishes and graphics and interior tones and materials. Although the DS3 has taken things to another level in terms of adding personal touches – the latest option for French buyers is a choice

of regional flag patterns, from Breton to Basque on the roof – Claverol concedes that his wasn’t the only company to identify and seize upon these trends and points to the Mini as the car that first tested these waters when the brand started offering customized roof finishes and graphics. According to Emma Begley, Business and Finance Communication, Mini, 30-40% of new Minis are currently built to order. “That means the customer specified before it was built how the car should look and what equipment it should contain. Even in the USA, where cars are usually bought from showroom stock, around 25% of Minis are built-to-order.”

Most powerful Cadillac in history heading to Detroit (Relaxnews) – You wait 112 years for a seriously fast Cadillac to show up and then two arrive in the space of a few months. At the La Auto Show in November, Cadillac launched the 455bhp, 185mph, BMW M4beating ATS-V, and next it’s going after pretty much every sporty car to hail from Germany with the ATS-V’s big brother, the CTSV, which will debut in Detroit in January. And, like the ATS-V, the new car’s performance figures are nothing short of blistering. Its 6.2-liter supercharged V8 engine has a top speed of 200mph, a 0-60mph time of 3.7 seconds and can serve up 640hp. All of which

Cadillac CTS-V

means that when Cadillac claims the CTS-V is the most powerful car in its history, it’s not hyperbole. It’s a luxury sedan that, on paper at least, can run rings around the BMW M5 and M6, the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG, Audi RS6 and even a Bentley Continental GT. And as impressive as that is, the best thing about the CTS-V is that it is a promise of what to expect from a new, energized Cadillac. “V-Series represents the very best of the Cadillac brand – d technical capabilities,” said Johan de Nysschen, Cadillac president. “The new CTS-V is the most compelling example of Cadillac’s product substance and brand trajectory. The new CTS-V soars into the stratosphere of the most exhilarating luxury cars.” In the past, soupedup US sedans and coupés have been phenomenal in a straight line but disappointing in every other aspect when judged by European criteria. Cabin trim levels leave a lot to be desired, as does ride quality and, as for cornering, the least said, the better. However, in a concerted effort to take the fight to the European GT car and luxury sedan establishment, US carmakers in general and Cadillac in particular have made huge improvements in every area in an incredibly quick time. The CTS-V was developed on a racetrack, rather than a drag strip so it should take bends in its stride. It also uses a magnetic damper setup similar to that used by companies like Ferrari and Mercedes so that a swift change in direction won’t result in giving rear passengers motion sickness. The reworked chassis and suspension also mean that when driven gently, the ride will be equally genteel and, thanks to huge Brembo brakes that will come as standard, it should stop as quickly and as surely as it goes. “With the stronger body structure – and more than a decade of V-Series production models and the CTS-V racing program experience – engineers tuned the CTS-V to deliver greater body motion control for a more agile feel, while maintaining excellent ride quality,” said David Leone, Cadillac executive chief engineer. “The result is class-leading capability on the highway or track, balanced with luxury and refinement.” The CTS-V will be unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit on January 17 and will be going on sale in the US this summer. Cadillac is yet to announce if it will be going on sale in Europe.

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Ibuprofen use could extend lifespan An over-the-counter pain-relieving and fever-reducing drug could lead to a longer and healthier life for many species and possibly humans, too, according to a new study at Texas A&M University (TAMU) in the US. “We first used baker’s yeast, which is an established aging model, and noticed that the yeast treated with ibuprofen lived longer,” says lead author Dr. Michael Polymenis, a biochemist at TAMU’s AgriLife Research station, “Then we tried the same process with worms and flies and saw the same extended lifespan. Plus, these organisms not only lived longer, but also appeared healthy.” The yeast, worms and flies were treated with ibuprofen at doses proportionally comparable

to the recommended dose for humans and increased their lifespan by 15 percent. If human lifespans increased by that amount, it would add an extra dozen years of healthy living, according to Dr. Polymenis, who says his experiments on worms indicate good health would be part of the package. Measurements of worms’ thrashing and the pumping movements they made while swallowing under treatment indicated they were thriving in their extra years and not suffering. Over the course of the threeyear study, Dr. Polymenis observed that ibuprofen hinders the ability of yeast cells to pick up an essential amino acid found in every cell of every organism called tryptophan.

Less tryptophan being dissolved into yeast appears to make a difference, but Dr. Polymenis said he isn’t sure why yet. Drugs other than ibuprofen are working too, according to Dr. Brian Kennedy, the president and CEO of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging in Novato, California, who collaborated with Dr. Polymenis. “Our institute is interested in finding out why people get sick when they get old,” says Dr. Kennedy. “We think that by understanding those processes, we can intervene and find ways to extend human health span, keeping people healthier longer and slowing down aging. That’s our ultimate goal.” The study was published in the journal Public Library of Science, Genetics.

Could a simple medicine like ibuprofen increase human lifespan? A new study says signs point to yes. ©Anthony DiChello/shutterstock.com

Beauty: The most memorable campaigns of 2014

Kate Moss and Cara Delevingne pose for Burberry. ©@

(Relaxnews) – Once again this year, several beauty campaigns set the web abuzz – whether thanks to in-vogue models, celebrity brand ambassadors, famous photographers or controversial images. Here is a recap of some of the campaigns that left their mark on 2014. Gisele Bündchen for Chanel N°5 This was without a doubt the year’s most anticipated beauty campaign, and it lived up to all the hype. In October, Chanel revealed the first N°5 campaign featuring the world’s most famous Brazilian supermodel. Shot by Baz Luhrmann (“Moulin Rouge!,” “The Great Gatsby”), the short film places Gisele Bündchen in the role of a modern, active woman in love. The object of her affections is played by Dutch actor Michiel Huisman. On the soundtrack, Lo-Fang’s downtempo

version of “The One That I Want” (from the musical “Grease”) contributes to a sensual atmosphere. Watch the video: youtu. be/8asRWe5XNw8 Kate Moss and Cara Delevingne for Burberry The former is well established as one of the world’s most famous models, and the second is well on her way to the same level of renown. The mere presence of these two icons makes the British brand’s My Burberry campaign one of the most unforgettable of 2014. Shot by photographer Mario Testino, the two models once again show just how unafraid they are of provocation, posing in a sensual embrace while wearing nothing but Burberry’s iconic trench coats. Watch the video: youtu.be/u1OwrDmO8mY

Lara Stone for Stella McCartney To promote the new version of her perfume Stella, the designer of the same name called upon Dutch model Lara Stone, who appears nearly naked and more sensual than ever in the campaign. Shot by the famous duo Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott, the campaign is based on two main visuals: the first showing Lara Stone “dressed” in nothing but flacons of the fragrance, and the second with a close-up of the supermodel’s lips biting the perfume. Watch the video: youtu.be/cOTpuwIdr4 Harmony Korine and Sasha Luss for Dior With this campaign, the star is not so much the model – though Sasha Luss has posed for all the leading names in fashion and even for the illustrious Pirelli Calendar for 2015

-- as the director. For its Dior Addict campaign, the French brand hired Harmony Korine, the director and screenwriter behind “Mister Lonely” and “Spring Breakers,” to film a sensorial journey between fantasy and reality. The stills for this campaign were shot by American photographer Ryan McGinley. Watch the video: youtu.be/ gdbr_2yY3tw Cara Delevingne for Tom Ford In the spotlight once again, Cara Delevingne is the latest face of Black Orchid by Tom Ford. While the mere presence of the supermodel makes the campaign noteworthy, photographer Mario Sorrenti took things to a new level by shooting her in her birthday suit. Cara Delevingne is seen half submerged in dark water and surrounded by floating orchids.

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PRAYERS

PRAYER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

PRAYER to the BLESSED VIRGIN

Holy Spirit Thou who make me see everything and show me the way to reach

(Never known to fail)

my ideal, You who give me the divine gift to forgive and forget the wrong that

Oh most beautiful Àower of Mt. Carmel, fruit wine splendor of Heaven.Blessed

is done to me and who are in all instances of my life with me. I, in this short dialogue, want to thank You for everything and con¿rm once more that I never want to be separated from You no matter how great the material desires may be. I want to be with You and my loved ones in Your perpetual glory. Amen. A

Mother of the Son of God, Immaculate Virgin, assist me in my necessity. Oh Star of the Sea. Help me and show me here you are my Mother. Oh Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and Earth, I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to succour me in my necessity. (make request). There are none that can withstand your power. Oh Mary conceived without sin, pray for

person must pray this for three consecutive days without stating his wish. After

us who have recourse to Thee (3 times). Holy Mary, I place this prayer in your

the 3rd day the wish will be granted, no matter how dif¿cult it may be. Promise to

hands (3 times). Say this prayer for three consecutive days and then you must

publish this as soon as your favor has been granted. Grateful Thanks -GEMMA

publish and it will be granted to you.Grateful Thanks.-ADDY

BY E-MAIL editor@balita.com Press releases should include your signature, full name and complete address (as well as telephone number). Letters that do not meet these requirements will not be used. All contributions are subject to editorial standards. Articles are printed subject to space availability and at no cost to the sender.

The Editor

FIGHTING ANIMAL TESTING

THE US ASIAN POST Wednesday - Tuesday, December 24 - 30, 2014

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KITCHENOMICS Crispy Roast Duck with Giblet Gravy Servings: 8 2 Maple Leaf Farms Whole Ducks (5 pounds each), thawed if frozen 2 cups chicken broth 1 cup water 1 onion, unpeeled and quartered 2 large carrots, cut into 1/2-inch chunks 2 small sprigs fresh sage 1 large bay leaf 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns 3/4 cup dry vermouth or dry white wine 1/4 cup all-purpose flour Salt and pepper, to taste Remove giblets and orange sauce packets from ducks and reserve for another use. Rinse ducks; pat dry with paper towels. Place breast sides up on rack in large shallow roasting pan. Roast according to package directions. Place remaining duck giblets and necks in large saucepan. Add broth, water, onion, carrots, sage sprigs, bay leaf, thyme and peppercorns. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat; simmer gently uncovered 1 hour. Strain broth; set aside giblets and discard remaining solids. If broth measures less than 2 cups add water to equal 2 cups. Remove roast ducks from oven and transfer to rack of broiler pan. Preheat broiler. Pour off and reserve drippings from roasting pan. Add vermouth to pan and cook over medium high heat, stirring constantly with wooden spoon, until mixture is reduced by about half, 2–3 minutes. Spoon off 1/4 cup fat from reserved drippings; transfer to medium saucepan. Add flour; cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat 1 minute. Add 2 cups strained duck broth and wine mixture to saucepan. Add drippings to saucepan. Cook, stirring frequently, until gravy thickens. Chop reserved giblets and add to gravy. Simmer 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Broil ducks 5–6 inches from heat source until skin is well browned and crispy, 6–8 minutes. Cut each duck into quarters and transfer to serving plates. Pass gravy separately. Garnish with sage sprigs, if desired. For more recipes, visit www.mapleleaffarms.com.

Creamy Scalloped Potatoes

FAMILY FEATURES

memorable holiday meal always comes down to the mouthwatering meals served

by the host. This season, impress family and friends with three traditional courses many come to expect at such a gathering: a juicy bird, a hearty side and a sweet ending. Featuring flavor-packed herbs, spices and the freshest ingredients, these recipes allow you to serve up the very best of the season to those you love.

Prep time: 45 minutes Servings: 14 2 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed 1/4 cup butter 1/4 cup chopped onion 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 cups 2 percent milk 1 cup Daisy Sour Cream 1 1/2 cups shredded Asiago cheese 1/8 teaspoon paprika Butter 11-by-7-inch (2 quart) baking dish and set aside. Slice potatoes to 1/8-inch-thick circles. Place potatoes in large saucepan or Dutch oven; add water to cover by 1 inch. Cook until tender and cool slightly. Heat oven to 350°F. In 2 1/2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook 1 minute. Stir in flour and salt. Cook until mixture bubbles. Gradually stir in milk and cook until mixture boils. Reduce heat to low. Stir in sour cream and cheese. Cook on low until cheese is melted, stirring constantly. Layer half of potatoes in baking dish. Pour half the sauce over potatoes. Repeat with remaining potatoes and sauce. Sprinkle potatoes with paprika. Bake for 30–35 minutes or until bubbly and top starts to brown. For more recipes, visit www.daisybrand.com.

Brown Sugar Pecan Pie Prep time: 35 minutes Chill time: 1 1/2 hours or overnight Bake time: 15–20 minutes Cook time: 40–45 minutes Servings: 8 Crust: 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup (2 ounces) ground pecans 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup vegetable shortening, cold 1 egg yolk 3–4 tablespoons ice water, divided 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice Filling: 3 eggs 1 cup packed dark brown sugar 1/2 cup sugar 1/3 cup butter, melted 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup pecan halves To make crust, mix flour, nuts and salt in large bowl. Cut in shortening with pastry blender until pieces are size of small peas. Mix egg yolk, 3 tablespoons ice water and lemon juice in small bowl. Add to flour mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring lightly and tossing with fork until moistened and dough just holds together. Add remaining ice water, if needed. Gather dough and shape into 1-inch-thick disk. Refrigerate, wrapped in plastic wrap, 1 hour or overnight. Heat oven to 425°F. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface, rolling from center to edge, to form 12-inch circle. Fold into quarters; ease and unfold into 9-inch pie plate. Press pastry gently against bottom and sides of pie plate, easing out any air. Trim edge leaving 1/2-inch overhang. Fold overhang under; flute edge. Refrigerate, covered, at least 30 minutes. Line piecrust with aluminum foil; fill with pie weights.

Bake in oven until pastry is set, 8–10 minutes. Remove foil and weights; pierce pastry all over with fork. Bake until pastry is golden brown, 5–7 minutes longer. Cool completely on wire rack. Heat oven to 350°F. Beat eggs, brown sugar, sugar, butter, vanilla and salt in medium bowl until well blended. Arrange pecan halves evenly in bottom of piecrust. Carefully pour egg mixture over pecans. Bake in center of 350°F oven until knife inserted midway between center and edge of pie comes out clean, 40–45 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Note: Pastry dough can be made in food processor. Also, ground almonds, walnuts or hazelnuts can be substituted for pecans. For more recipes, visit www.IncredibleEgg.org.

Wednesday - Tuesday, December 24 - 30, 2014

Visit www.usasianpost.com

THE US ASIAN POST

Only 2 bidders for P2.5-B transport terminal project

President Benigno S. Aquino III interacts with the participants during the Pasko ng Batang Pinoy 2014 at the Kalayaan Grounds of the Malacañan Palace on Friday (December 19, 2014). The Pasko ng Batang Pinoy Project is part of The DSWD’s program to provide the street children a venue for self-enhancement through various activities to enjoy the spirit of Christmas while impede them from going out the streets especially this yuletide season. Also in photo is Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman. (MNS photo)

Aquino: Gov’t won’t commit same mistakes in handling disasters MANILA, Dec 22 (Mabuhay) – After his administration drew flak last year for its supposedly slow response after Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), President Benigno Aquino III said Monday his government properly handled preparations for Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit) this time around. In a speech before Ruby-affected residents in Borongan in Eastern Samar, Aquino pledged that his government will not commit the same mistakes in handling disasters. “Talagang malaki na ang pinagbago ng kakayahan nating tumugon tayo sa panahon ng bagyo. Sinisiguro nating hindi na mauulit ang kamalian ng nakaraan dahil buhay ang nakataya,” the President said. He added that his administration’s preparadness for Ruby, which hit central Philippines earlier this month, paid off. “Nagkaroon ng positibong bunga ang puspusan nating paghahanda. Agad nat-

ing natugunan ang mga pangangailangan noong kasagsagan at pagkatapos ng bagyo,” he said. Aquino particularly said that the state weather bureau, PAGASA, is now better equipped to forecast the path and the amount of rainfall of typhoons. He commended government agencies and local officials who properly prepositioned relief goods and implemented evacuations before Ruby unleashed its wrath. Speaking in Waray, Aquino also thanked residents for their cooperation. “Saludo ako sa tatag ninyo. Kagaano man kalakas ang bagyo, ang mahalaga magkakasama tayo,” he said. Ruby left 18 people killed when it ripped through central Philippines earlier this month, based on the official government count. The typhoon affected over four million families, and caused damage to infrastructure and agriculture worth P5.09 billion. (MNS)

MANILA, Dec 22 (Mabuhay) – Just two of 12 prospective applicants have bid to build and operate a P2.5 billion transport terminal in Manila, one of the Philippine government’s private-public partnership (PPP) projects aimed at speeding economic growth. Filinvest Land Inc and Megawide Construction Corp subsidiary MWN Terminals filed necessary documents for the Integrated Transport System Southwest Terminal Project ahead of the Monday deadline, Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) spokesman Miguel Sagcal told reporters. But 10 companies that bought application papers - including Ayala Land Inc, Ayala Corp, San Miguel Corp, Metro Pacific Investments Corp and Robinsons Land Corp - did not submit bids. The transport department will review the two bids for the 4.6 hectare (11.3 acre)

terminal over the next 40 days. The terminal is part of a PPP program involving the upgrade or roads, railways, ports and airports, aimed at helping lift economic growth to as much as 8.5 percent by 2016 from 7.7 percent in 2010 when the scheme began. The government has so far awarded eight PPP projects worth P127.5 billion. In October, President Benigno Aquino gave the go-ahead for a further $3.7 billion worth of infrastructure developments. The National Economic and Development Authority’s Investment Coordination Committee is set to discuss on Monday eight PPP projects worth P625 billion. Those projects include the P35.4 billion Cavite-Laguna Expressway, the P19.3 billion Motor Vehicle Inspection System, the P177.2 billion North-South Railway Project, and the P374.5 billion Makati-PasayTaguig Mass Transit System Loop.(MNS)

Sen. Grace to DOTC: Stop MRT fare hike until service improves, safety upgraded MANILA, Dec 22 (Mabuhay) – Sen. Grace Poe on Monday asked the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) to defer the “unnecessary and untimely” Metro Rail Transit (MRT) fare increase effective Jan. 4 amid “unmet” public expectations to improve even the basic facilities of the train system. “We must remember that a mass transport system such as the MRT is an essential government service. The fare increase is an added insult and an injustice to the suffering riding public whose very lives are put on the line every day,” Poe said in a news release. “The sorry state of the MRT brought about to a large extent by government mismanagement and ineptness cannot justify an increase. The government is obligated to maintain the subsidy until the system’s services and safety are upgraded,” the senator added. Based on the new fare matrices issued by DOTC on Saturday, rates for end-to-end trips in MRT-3 will increase to P28 from P15 (from North Avenue to Taft Avenue and vice versa); P30 from P20 in LRT-1 (from Baclaran to Roosevelt and vice versa); and P25 from P15 in LRT-2 (from Recto to Santolan and vice versa). The announcement came at a time when the MRT-3 and LRT Lines 1 and 2 are accorded substantial government assistance in the soon-to-be signed General Appropriations Act, which includes the amounts of P4.65 billion in subsidy: P7.94 billion for MRT rehabilitation and P4.67 in unpaid MRT taxes. The newly approved bicameral version of the Supplemental Budget, which will be immediately carried out in 2015, has the following items: P1.21 billion for MRT rehabilitation and capacity extension and P728 million rehabilitation fund for LRT 1 and 2. “While the MRT and LRT is in Metro Manila, the riders of these trains are mostly wage earners whose contribution to the national economy is far reaching and impacts productivity,” Poe stressed. Poe led a public hearing of the Senate public services subcommittee on transportation on the pressing need to rehabilitate MRT’s rail system, calling on officials and stakeholders to lose no time to discuss solutions to the MRT challenges that imperil commuters’ safety.