Asian stocks lower on renewed worries about banking sector

SEOUL, South Korea—Asian stock markets were lower on Friday as investor sentiment was dented by overnight losses on Wall Street and renewed worries about the health of Deutsche Bank.

KEEPING SCORE: Japan’s Nikkei 225 slumped 1.5 percent to 16,449.84 and South Korea’s Kospi fell 1.1 percent to 2,045.43. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index sank 1.7 percent to 23,334.07. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 dropped 0.7 percent to 5,435.90. China’s Shanghai Composite Index was up 0.3 percent to 3,005.86. Stocks in Singapore and other Southeast Asian countries were also lower.

ANALYST’S TAKE: “Risk sentiment waned overnight as worries about global banks weighed on markets,” said Alex Wijaya, senior sales trader at CMC Markets in Singapore. “Stock markets worldwide are rattled by the latest development at Deutsche Bank.”

BANK WOES: US authorities are seeking $14 billion from Deutsche Bank to settle legal claims over its sales of mortgage securities in 2007 and 2008, which helped kick off a global financial crisis. The bank said it had struck a deal to sell a subsidiary and stressed that it was not seeking government help but investors are worried what will happen to Germany’s biggest lender and to the broader financial system if Deutsche Bank runs low on capital. Analysts said the troubles at Deutsche Bank are raising scrutiny over other banks in Europe, which are also in talks regarding mortgage settlement with the US authorities.

CHINA OUTPUT: The Caixin monthly purchasing managers’ index, which is closely watched for insights into China’s economy, ticked up to 50.1 for September from the previous month’s 50.0 reading. The tiny expansion in activity and gains in overall new orders for the third straight month offered a glimmer of hope for the world’s second-largest economy that has been grappling with a prolonged slowdown. But the private survey result was not strong enough to relieve investors outside China.

WALL STREET: US stocks finished lower on Thursday as drug companies and banks absorbed large losses. The Dow Jones industrial average lost 195.79 points, or 1.1 percent, to 18,143.45. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index sank 20.24 points, or 0.9 percent, to 2,151.13. The Nasdaq composite dropped 49.39 points, or 0.9 percent, to 5,269.15.

OIL: Benchmark US crude lost 54 cents to $47.29 per barrel in New York. The contract gained 78 cents, or 1.7 percent, to close at $47.83 a barrel on Thursday. Oil prices surged earlier this week after the nations of OPEC, which collectively produce more than third of the world’s oil, agreed to a small cut in production in a surprise decision Brent crude, the international benchmark, fell 67 cents to $49.14 a barrel in London.

CURRENCIES: The dollar fell to 100.93 yen from 101.16 yen while the euro fell to $1.121 from $1.122./rga

source: business.inquirer.net

WATCH: Man turns mirror into gigantic touchscreen iPhone

A YouTuber has transformed his simple mirror into a touchscreen Apple iPhone.

On Wednesday, Sept. 28, YouTuber Rafael Dymek uploaded a two-minute-thirty-second clip demonstrating how he engineered and operated his astounding mirror phone. He could select and use his installed apps while beaming at his own reflection. Moreover, he could chat on his messenger apps and skim through news sites.

“Created a fully functioning smart touchscreen mirror based on Apple’s iOS 10,” he captioned his video. “Design includes the time and date in the upper right-hand corner and weather in the top left. All apps can be moved around and placed [anywhere].”

When the YouTuber streamed an episode of Netflix’s “House of Cards” on his phone, it looked fascinatingly transparent that he could still see his reflection. Lastly, his huge prototype goes inactive after 45 seconds and quickly “wakes up” when he taps the home screen.

Social media praised the man for his unique skills. “Useful for people who spend all day in front of a mirror,” one user commented.  Gianna Francesca Catolico

source: technology.inquirer.net

Tom Petty to be honored as MusiCares Person of the Year

NEW YORK — Tom Petty will be honored as the MusiCares Person of the Year next year days before the Grammy Awards.

The Recording Academy announced Wednesday that Petty will receive the prestigious honor in Los Angeles on Feb. 10, 2017. Performers set to pay tribute to Petty will be announced at a later date.

Petty’s career includes inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Lionel Richie was this year’s MusiCares Person of the Year.

The Grammy Awards will air live Feb. 12, 2017, from the Staples Center in Los Angeles. TVJ

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Woman auctions off virginity online to pay for schooling abroad

The price of good education nowadays is expensive and this Russian woman is willing to give “everything” of herself away just to achieve it.

Twenty-year-old student Ariana is auctioning off her virginity on an escort site in order to raise money to study abroad.

The bidding, which starts at £130,500 (P8.2 million), went online last week on the Russian-based escort site Sinderella, according to a report from The Sun.

Although she looked at other ways to raise the money, Ariana decided to sell her innocence since she says it’s the quickest and easiest way to raise her money.

“Many students have the issue that during their studies they have to deal with multiple problems. You have to go to work in order to pay for your education,” she said in the report.

“I want to move to another country for my studies in medicine. The university will be very expensive; the rent will also be high and I imagine that living in another country will be very hard. Therefore, I want to get the financial burden out of the way so I can focus on my medical studies,” she elucidated.

Her parents have no idea of her novel way to raise money, but she said she was open to explain it to them if and when they do discover what’s going on online.

The hopeful scholar added that that selling her virginity was her own choice, and described herself as an “independent woman” in her auction profile.

She also attributed her decision to her cynical approach on love, adding that she has waited so long to give her virginity to the right person, but it’s never worked out in the past.

“Why should I wait any longer?” she said. “Why should I lose my virginity to someone who could then break my heart later?”

Despite her seemingly rash judgment, Ariana admitted that she is looking at the sale as an investment, and hopes that whoever wins the auction will deal with her respectfully.

Aside from Ariana, her best friend Lolita is also auctioning her virginity, with bids also starting at £130,500. Khristian Ibarrola

source: technology.inquirer.net

A Miss Universe insulted by Trump steps up for Clinton

WASHINGTON— Alicia Machado says that when she gained weight after being crowned Miss Universe for 1996, Donald Trump labeled her with a sexist nickname — “Miss Piggy” — that caused her shame and humiliation.

Two decades later, Machado’s dealings with Trump, her one-time beauty pageant boss, are reverberating through the 2016 campaign as the Republican businessman and reality TV star seeks the White House.

Democratic rival Hillary Clinton told Machado’s story toward the end of Monday’s first presidential debate, scolding Trump for referring to the Venezuelan-born actress as “Miss Housekeeping,” as Clinton said, “because she was Latina.”

“Donald, she has a name,” Clinton said, prompting Trump to ask, “Where did you find this?”

Clinton said, “Her name is Alicia Machado and she has become a U.S. citizen, and you can bet she’s going to vote this November.”

Asked about the exchange during an interview Tuesday with “Fox and Friends,” Trump said Machado was “the worst we ever had,” adding: “She gained a massive amount of weight. It was a real problem. We had a real problem.”

On CNN Tuesday night, Machado said she thinks Trump believes women are “a second class of people.”



“I love this country,” Machado said. “I don’t want to have some misogynist president.”

Clinton’s embrace of Machado brought comparisons to her campaign’s defense of Khizr Khan, whose son was killed while protecting other U.S. soldiers in Iraq. Khan spoke at the Democratic National Convention, holding up a copy of the U.S. Constitution while accusing Trump of smearing the character of Muslims.

Clinton’s campaign is trying to mobilize Latinos and women in November’s election and has assailed Trump for derogatory comments about women in the past. It quickly released a web video detailing Machado’s story, portraying her as a mortified pageant winner whom Trump called “fat” or “ugly” and blindsided by inviting reporters to watch her work out.

Machado went on a diet in 1997 after saying she gained at least 15 pounds. Trump said during Machado’s workout in front of the media that year that “she likes to eat — like all of us” and supported her weight-loss efforts.

She was embroiled in controversy of a different sort one year later, after a judge in Venezuela accused her of threatening to kill him after he indicted her then-boyfriend for attempted murder. The boyfriend, Juan Rafael Rodriguez Regetti, was accused of shooting and wounding his sister’s husband, whom he blamed for his sister’s suicide. The victim’s family accused Machado of driving her boyfriend’s getaway car, but she denied any involvement and apparently was never indicted, due to lack of evidence.

Now a U.S. citizen, Machado told reporters Tuesday in a conference call arranged by the Clinton campaign that her experience with Trump could “open eyes” in the presidential election. She said she was “really surprised” to hear Clinton refer to her story during the debate — she said she was overcome with emotion and started crying — but wanted to help Clinton in the election.

After the debate, Machado tweeted her thanks to Clinton, writing in Spanish: “Thanks Mrs. Hillary Clinton. Your respect for women and our differences makes you great. I’m with you.”

In June, Machado appeared at a news conference in Virginia held by immigrant advocacy groups to encourage Latino voters to support Clinton.

“I want to keep working on my campaigns for women’s equality, for respect for women and that our physical appearances do not define us productive or intelligent beings,” Machado told reporters in Spanish. “We are more than what we look like physically, that’s my point.”

source: lifestyle.inquirer.net

Scientists discover seaweed that tastes like bacon

There is no such thing as the perfect food, but a group of scientists from Oregon State University (OSU) is trying to come up with one.

Researchers from the Hatfield Marine Science Center claim they’ve come up with the next superfood—a new type of seaweed that tastes exactly like bacon and could rival kale in terms of health benefits.

According to a TIME report, the tasty creation of red marine algae called “dulse” appears much like the typical red lettuce, but is actually packed full of minerals and protein.

The patented underwater herb usually grows in the wild along the Pacific and Atlantic coastlines and is harvested, dried and normally sold as a cooking ingredient or nutritional supplement.

“Dulse is a superfood, with twice the nutritional value of kale,” said Chuck Toombs, an OSU faculty and member of the team working to develop the product into a foodstuff. “And OSU had developed this variety that can be farmed, with the potential for a new industry for Oregon.”

The team intended to focus its research on farming the new strain of dulse to feed abalone, but quickly shifted direction after realizing its potential to do well in the human-food market.

“There hasn’t been a lot of interest in using it in a fresh form. But this stuff is pretty amazing,” said chief researcher Chris Langdon.

“When you fry it, which I have done, it tastes like bacon, not seaweed. And it’s a pretty strong bacon flavor,” he added.

The Oregon Department of Agriculture is backing the idea of exploring dulse as a “special crop” and has already provided Langdon’s group with a sizable grant. The team is currently working with the Food Innovation Center in Portland, as well as several chefs, to find out ways to incorporate dulse in everyday cooking.

The US currently has no commercial operation that sanctions dulse for human consumption, but the team is optimistic that their product would be sold commercially in food markets in the near future.  Khristian Ibarrola

source: technology.inquirer.net

Blue Man Group ends exhilarating season today

The worldwide phenomenon known as Blue Man Group, in partnership with the Philippines’ #1 mobile brand Globe Telecom, has successfully brought their comedy, theatre, rock concert and dance party into our shores, much to the delight of Manila audiences, Blue Man Group opened on Thursday last week, Sept. 14, to a full house, rave reviews and standing ovations, and the show continued to astound Filipinos night after night since then.

Now the Blue Man Group ends their exhilarating Manila season this Sunday, September 25. Tickets are still on sale for the final shows.

Comprised of three bald and blue performers, Blue Man Group is well-known for their unique brand of techno color entertainment. Blue Man Group 2016 World Tour has already made its stops in Singapore, Macau, and finally they’ve made an indelible blue mark on Manila.

The Blue Man name was chosen to evoke the word Human and is all about the colorful celebration of life.

Phil Stanton, co-founder of Blue Man Group, recalls how it all started: “We were three very close friends interested in finding our own voice through performance while exploring our various interests such as music, comedy, performance and fine art, as well as pop culture”. That was 25 years ago.

“We were living in a time of emerging digital technologies that had the potential to greatly bring people around the world closer, but also had the potential to alienate, and it seemed to beg the question: “What is essentially human?” Though we were not necessarily conscious of it at the time, we landed on three main areas: that people have the need to explore their own individual creativity through life; they need to continue to be curious; and that they need to feel part of a community,” he shares.

The performance that centered on the curious, innocent, Blue Man character turned out to be a groundbreaking performance that left audiences awed.  To date, they’ve played to over 35 million people across more than 20 countries and even have permanent shows in Las Vegas, New York, Orlando, Boston, Chicago and Berlin.

Other interesting numbers to digest – during one week of performances the Blue Man relies on 32 pounds of Jell-O, eight boxes of Cap’n Crunch cereal, 96 pieces of white chocolate Toblerone, 240 marshmallows and 40 boxes of Twinkie Lights (don’t worry — each Twinkie has just 130 calories!).

Whether eaten or used in the show, that is for you to find out at the Blue Man Group 2016 World Tour now on in Manila until September 25.

The tour also relies on 25 drum heads, 14 cymbals, 24 drumsticks, 50 gallons of paint, 27 bald caps, and 9 cakes of proprietary ‘Blue Man Blue’ coloured makeup specially made for the trio.

The creative collective has become part of the pop culture zeitgeist with a “Megastar World Tour”, a rock concert parody hitting 100 US cities and ten countries, and two million fans. The group boasts five music albums, collaborations on film scores and performances with prestigious orchestras as well.

Despite the absence of spoken dialogue, the Blue Man Group keeps audiences mesmerized during its show with a fully immersive audio-visual experience complete with electrifying music, state-of-the-art technology, an enthralling live band and its signature interactive, audience experiences.

When asked what he considers the group’s best show yet, Stanton says: “Our best show is the one audiences will see right here in Manila. We are continually honing our brand of stagecraft to finding the best expression of that original voice. The show they will see incorporates all we have learned, and represents our most up-to-date show in terms of the character’s unique fresh take on the way we all live today,” he enthuses.

It is brought to Manila by Blue Man Productions Ltd, Lunchbox Theatrical Productions Ltd and Concertus Manila. In partnership with the Philippines’ #1 mobile brand Globe Telecom. Special thanks to Mind Museum.

source: lifestyle.inquirer.net

PlayStation VR game lets you tutor a Japanese schoolgirl

Virtual reality is about immersing the user into a digitally created fantasy world, be it on the battlefield or a roller-coaster ride. But one virtual reality game for the PlayStation VR dares to offer a different kind of experience for users—one that focuses more on human interactions than grand explosions and scary ghosts.

Previewed last year and again featured at the Tokyo Game Show 2016, “Summer Lesson” is a VR game that puts the user in the shoes of a tutor who will be working with a cute Japanese schoolgirl named Hikari Miyamoto over the course of seven days.

The user will have a 360-degree view of Hikari’s room and will also be able to interact with her through head gestures such as nodding for yes and shaking the head for no for a more immersive and intuitive experience. There will also be certain instances wherein Hikari will ask the user to lean forward such as sharing an earpiece to listen to music or biting down on an offered piece of cake.

source: technology.inquirer.net

Steamed fish with lime sauce

For readers who like a tangy broth with their steamed fish

Several years ago, in a Thai restaurant somewhere in Pasig, my friends and I had a fish dish which I thought was absolutely heavenly.

The fish was laid over a simmering broth that was bewitchingly sour, spicy, sweet and savory all at the same time—a rare, perfect balance of flavors.

Made with limes, chilies, garlic and a touch of sugar, the broth was kept bubbly hot by a flame placed underneath the fish platter.

The restaurant has since closed, unfortunately, but I’ve never forgotten that dish. Whenever I dine in a Thai restaurant I look for it in the menu, hoping to recapture once more that enchanting tangy flavor.

Perhaps the best one I’ve tasted so far is the one at Tamarind—a Thai restaurant in SM Aura, where it’s listed on the menu as “pla manao.”

Other Thai restaurants also serve pla manao, but the taste of the broth is different. Maybe it’s because, lacking a supply of limes, these restaurants use lemon or calamansi instead, which isn’t the same at all.

Real limes have an emerald green interior, contain no seeds and have a unique flavor all their own. Even their fragrance is so inviting, their whiff hinting not of sourness but, strangely, of sweetness.

Limes are so enticing and can be used to enhance so many recipes that I wonder why nobody imports them to Manila. Or, for that matter, why we can’t grow our own limes here, like they do in Thailand. A substitute for lime would be dayap, but there doesn’t seem to be an abundance of dayap in Metro Manila, either.

To get my supply of limes, I buy them whenever I travel, or I cajole friends and relatives living overseas to bring me some whenever they come to visit (the limes from Australia are particularly good).

Recently, during a trip to Hong Kong, I swiped some limes from the breakfast buffet which were scattered nonchalantly around a bunch of fruits (if they knew how rare these are in the Philippines!).

As a result, I was able to cook pla manao at home, using those precious limes.

Here’s the recipe, for readers who like a tangy broth with their steamed fish. I hope they’ll be able to find their own source of limes like I did.

Steamed Fish with Lime Sauce
1 large whole apahap (seabass)
Coarse salt
1 whole head garlic, peeled and crushed
8-10 stems wansuy (coriander)
Water, for steaming

For the lime sauce:
1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
5 tbsp white sugar
5 tbsp patis (fish sauce)
½ c fresh lime juice (from 3 to 4 limes, see tips)
1/3 c water
1-2 siling labuyo (bird’s eye chilies), optional
For garnish:
Wansuy leaves
Chopped garlic
Bird’s eye or long chilies

Clean the apahap well, removing the gut and the scales (you can ask the fish monger to do this for you when you buy the fish). Cut two diagonal slits on both sides of the belly and near the tail of the fish. Rub the fish with coarse salt, then rinse well.

Insert some garlic cloves and wansuy leaves inside the fish. Prepare the steamer, making sure there’s enough water in it. Arrange the fish in a heat-proof plate and place it in the steamer. Cover the steamer tightly.

Steam the fish over medium heat for about 15 minutes (depending on the size of the fish). Check the fish after around 15 minutes.

The fish is cooked when the eyes have bulged and the flesh of the fish is white and flaky (should not be glassy). If it is not yet cooked, continue steaming for a few more minutes.

When the fish is cooked, take it out of the steamer and remove the garlic and wansuy leaves.

Transfer the fish to a clean plate. Pour half of the lime sauce over it and garnish with wansuy leaves, garlic and chilies. Serve the remaining lime sauce on the table. Serve immediately.

To make the lime sauce:
Combine the garlic, sugar, patis, lime juice, water and chilies (if desired) in a saucepan. Heat for one to two minutes. Pour half over the cooked fish and serve the remaining sauce on the table. Garnish the fish with wansuy leaves.

Cook’s tips:

Green lemons are not the same as limes, but they can be used in this recipe, too (though the taste will be slightly different). A better substitute would be dayap.

Make sure you use wansuy, not kinchay, which may look similar to wansuy but has a very different taste and aroma.

You can also cook this with lapulapu, mayamaya or any whole white fish.

source: lifestyle.inquirer.net

Zuckerberg fund pledges $3 billion to banish disease

SAN FRANCISCO, United States – Mark Zuckerberg and his wife on Wednesday pledged $3 billion over the next decade to help banish or manage all disease, pouring some of the Facebook founder’s fortune into innovative research.

“This is a big goal,” Zuckerberg said at a San Francisco event announcing the effort of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative established by the couple.

“But we spent the last few years speaking with experts who think it is possible, so we dug in.”

Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, had their daughter Max late last year. Shortly after, they pledged to donate 99 percent of their Facebook holdings or some $45 billion to “advance human potential and promote equality.”

At Wednesday’s event, Zuckerberg said their goal is to cure all disease, or at least turn catastrophic illnesses from terminal to manageable or preventable within their daughter’s lifetime.

While the funding effort is for the next decade, Zuckerberg and his wife said they hope to achieve their objective of by the end of this century.

Chan, fighting back tears at times, said that curing all disease within Max’s lifetime will not mean children won’t ever get sick, but it would happen less often and be less severe.

New tools for researchers
The first investment being made as part of what the Zuckerbergs hoped would become a “collective” effort will be $600 million for the creation of a Biohub in San Francisco where researchers, scientists and others will work to build tools to better study and understand diseases.

“Throughout the history of science, most breakthroughs have been preceded by the invention of some new technology that lets you see things in new ways,” Zuckerberg said, mentioning the microscope and DNA sequencing as examples.

“Tools also create breakthroughs in how we treat diseases.”

The Biohub will bring together engineers and scientists from three prestigious California universities to help the effort.

“We plan to invest billions of dollars over decades,” Zuckerberg said.

“But, it will take years for these tools to be built and longer to put them into full use. This is hard and we need to be patient, but it’s important.”

Renowned neuroscientist Cori Bargmann of Rockefeller University and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute was brought on to lead the project.

Zuckerberg took an engineering approach to the challenge, reasoning that there were a handful of big health culprits including cancer and neurological disease so it was “pretty easy” to imagine what types of tools are needed.

He spoke of the potential to put artificial intelligence to work imaging brains or having machine learning tackling analysis of genomes.

Zuckerberg and Chan also hoped that their project would power a movement to fund more medical research around the world.

Taking part in the event on Wednesday was Microsoft billionaire turned global philanthropist Bill Gates, who has made improving health around the world a top goal at the foundation he created with his wife.

Gates praised Zuckerberg and Chan for taking on a “very bold, very ambitious” challenge.

“I have no doubt they will make progress,” Gates said.

“Mark and Priscilla, they are inspiring a whole new generation of philanthropists who will do amazing things.”

Priscilla Chan, a pediatrician, stood by her husband as she assured the gathering, which included prominent medical researchers and local politicians, that her “heart is full of hope” and that all involved were eager to get started.

source: technology.inquirer.net

New Polaroid digital camera with built-in printer ships October

Polaroid is a brand synonymous with instant-print photographs as well as the “retro feel” that goes with it. With the success of the Polaroid Snap, the company follows through with an updated version of its digital camera, which comes with a few nifty features.

The new camera is called Snap Touch and, like the original Snap, is equipped with an inkless printing system that lets users print out physical photos instantly like the Polaroid Instax camera. The main difference with this new model is its touchscreen panel and Bluetooth sensor, reports Engadget.

Snap Touch is more than just another digital version of Polaroid’s Instax camera. The Bluetooth connection allows the device to also act as a portable printer. Photos can be sent from a smartphone over a dedicated app through Bluetooth and have them printed on the Snap Touch.

Pre-orders are now available over at the Polaroid website and shipments will begin in October. Do keep in mind that Polaroid’s inkless printing system accepts only ZINK inkless paper, which costs about $10 a pack.  Alfred Bayle

source: technology.inquirer.net

NY Times teams with Google parent to tame comments

NEW YORK, United States — The New York Times said Tuesday it was teaming with Google parent Alphabet in an effort to help filter its online reader comments to maintain a “civil and thoughtful” atmosphere.

The newspaper said it would work with Jigsaw, a technology incubator at Alphabet, to improve and expand its comments section.

The move comes amid frustration at many media organizations which have been seeking to boost reader engagement without allowing abusive and offensive comments.

“Maintaining a civil and thoughtful comments section is no easy undertaking, as evidenced by the number of publishers who have shut down their comment capabilities in recent years,” said Kinsey Wilson, the editor for innovation and strategy at the Times.

“But the Times has been and will continue to be dedicated to providing our readers with a safe online community to discuss the most important issues.”

Currently, the prestigious daily employees a team of 14 moderators who manually review some 11,000 comments each day. Only about 10 percent of Times articles are open to comments because of the time required for review.

Jigsaw uses algorithms to help this process, based on the moderated comments in the newspaper’s archives. The open-source system will also be made available to other online publishers, according to the statement.

“We believe open sourcing nearly a decade of Times comment archives will benefit the entire journalism industry and potentially make it easier for other publishers to manage comments on their sites,” Wilson said.

The Times “hopes that the project will expand viewpoints, provide a safe platform for diverse communities to have diverse discussions and allow readers’ voices to be an integral part of nearly every piece of reporting,” according to a Times statement.

In 2014, The Washington Post and The New York Times agreed to work together on a project funded by the Knight Foundation to create open-source software that can be adapted for news websites to get a better handle on online discussions.

source: technology.inquirer.net

SanDisk introduces 1TB memory card at Photokina 2016

One terabyte hard drives are nothing new and have actually started getting cheaper what with 4TB drives being made available. But a 1TB memory card is sure to catch anyone’s attention.

This monster capacity memory card was just announced Tuesday at Photokina in Cologne, Germany. Officially tagged as the SanDisk 1TB SDXC, it is a prototype memory card that was developed to address the growing trend of 4K and 8K resolution multimedia content.

Back in 2014, SanDisk also made headlines as it first introduced the 512GB SanDisk Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-I memory card, also at Photokina. It’s remarkable how the company has been able to double the capacity of its memory card in just a couple of years.

Apart from the storage of ultra-high-resolution multimedia, SanDisk also sees application of this high-capacity storage media in the growing virtual reality industry.

No word yet has been made available regarding price and availability, and it may still be a few months before the memory card becomes available in the market.  Alfred Bayle

source: technology.inquirer.net

George H.W. Bush said to be voting for Clinton

WASHINGTON  – A prominent member of the Kennedy family says former Republican President George H.W. Bush told her that he plans to vote for Democrat Hillary Clinton for president this fall.

Former Maryland Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend posted a picture of herself with Bush on Facebook Monday and added, “The President told me he’s voting for Hillary!!” Townsend later confirmed the conversation she had while meeting Bush in Maine to Politico, which shared a screengrab of the Facebook post.

Bush’s spokesman, Jim McGrath, says in a statement that the 92-year-old former president’s vote is private and Bush isn’t commenting on the race. McGrath later said on Twitter that he’s “still checking” if anyone was there to verify Townsend’s conversation.

Bush hasn’t offered support for GOP nominee Donald Trump, who defeated his son, Jeb Bush, in a testy Republican primary.

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

EU to provide free public 100Mbps Wi-Fi in 28 member states

The internet is one of the most indispensable   conveniences of the 21st-century lifestyle and yet access to it is not exactly free or affordable for many around the world. The EU plans to change this for European citizens through a program that will grant free public Wi-Fi for everyone.

Jean-Claude Juncker, current president of the European Union’s executive body, is pushing to provide free public Wi-Fi that reaches everywhere by 2020, reports ExtremeTech.

The public Wi-Fi project, or Wifi4EU, will have a minimum download speed of 100Mbps for all European households. Hospitals, administrations and other public services reliant on digital technologies will have a minimum of 1 GBps for upload and download. Finally, 5G access will be made uninterruptible on all major roads and railways.

Juncker’s plan also includes expenditure from the commission amounting to a maximum of €120 million to install the necessary equipment. It is presumed that municipalities will be shouldering maintenance costs and other ancillary expenses. However, it is worth noting that the EU has 28 member states and dividing €120 million will result in each country receiving only a little over €4 million from the commission to set up the facilities.

Apart from the infrastructure plan, Juncker also talked about having copyright protections for creators and artists whom he claims to be their “crown jewels.” He did allude to a set of controversial copyright laws  such as “Google tax” and the “YouTube rule.”

The vision for Wifi4EU is a grand one despite questions on how it can actually be done. If and when it does get implemented, it could prove to be a major development in the move to provide internet connectivity to every person on the planet.

READ: Terabit fiber optic technology gets closer to commercial use

On another note, researchers have made strides in making Terabit fiber optic technology more viable for commercial use. Perhaps Wifi4EU can benefit from this in the future.  Alfred Bayle

source: technology.inquirer.net

List of Primetime Emmy Awards winners

List of winners at the annual Primetime Emmy Awards, announced Sunday by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

Drama Series: “Game of Thrones.”

Directing, Drama Series: Miguel Sapochnik, “Game of Thrones”

Actor, Drama Series: Rami Malek, “Mr. Robot.”

Actress, Drama Series:  Tatiana Maslany, “Orphan Black.”

Supporting Actor, Drama Series: Ben Mendelsohn, “Bloodline.”

Supporting Actress, Drama Series: Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey

Writing for a Drama Series: David Benioff and D.B. Weiss “Game of Thrones.”

Comedy Series: “Veep.”

Directing, Comedy Series: Jill Soloway, “Transparent.”

Actor, Comedy Series: Jeffrey Tambor, “Transparent.”

Actress, Comedy Series: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “Veep.”

Supporting Actor, Comedy Series: Louie Anderson, “Baskets.”

Supporting Actress, Comedy Series: Kate McKinnon, “Saturday Night Live.”

Writing for a Comedy Series: Alan Yang and Aziz Ansari, “Master of None.”

Limited Series: “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story.”

Directing for a Limited Series, Movie or Drama: Susanne Bier, “The Night Manager.”

Actor, Limited Series or Movie: Courtney B. Vance, “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story.”

Actress, Limited Series or Movie: Sarah Paulson, “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story.”

Supporting Actor, Limited Series or Movie: Sterling K. Brown, “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story.”

Supporting Actress, Limited Series or Movie: Regina King, “American Crime.”

Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series, Movie or Dramatic Special: D.V. BeVincentis, “The People v. O.J. Simpson American Crime Story.”

Variety Talk Series: “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.”

Variety Sketch Series: “Key & Peele.”

Directing for a Variety Special: Thomas Kail and Alex Rudzinskifor “Grease Live.”

Writing for a Variety Special: Patton Oswalt, “Talking for Clapping.”

Television Movie: “Sherlock: The Abominable Bride.”

Reality-Competition Program: “The Voice.”

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

8 people injured during stabbing attack at Minnesota mall

ST. CLOUD, Minnesota — A knife-wielding suspect who was dressed in a private security uniform and made references to Allah while attacking at least eight people during a mass stabbing incident at a Minnesota shopping mall was shot dead by an off-duty police officer, authorities said.

St. Cloud Police Chief Blair Anderson said during a news conference that eight people were taken to St. Cloud Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries following the attack first reported about 8:15 p.m. Saturday at the Crossroads Center. One person was admitted. No further details were released.

Anderson said an off-duty police officer from another jurisdiction shot and killed the unidentified suspect, who was armed with a knife and wearing a private security firm uniform at the time of the attack. Anderson did not say where the off-duty officer serves.

Anderson also said the suspect made at least one reference to Allah during the attack and asked at least one person whether they were Muslim.

But Anderson declined to call the attacks an act of terrorism, saying the motive for the attacks isn’t known yet. “We will be diligent and get to the bottom of this,” Anderson said. “Starting tomorrow, things won’t be the same here.”

Local police had three previous encounters with the suspect, most for minor traffic violations, Anderson said, adding that the FBI had offered to help with the investigation.

Authorities “have no reason to believe” anyone else was involved in the attacks, Anderson said. He said the stabbings occurred in several places within the mall, including corridors, businesses and common areas.

“The entire mall is an active crime scene,” Anderson said.

The mall remained on lockdown following the incident, but authorities expected those remaining inside to be released early Sunday. Photos and video of the mall taken hours after the incident showed groups of shoppers waiting to be released, including some huddled together near a food court entrance.

Harley and Tama Exsted of Isle, Minnesota, who were in St. Cloud to watch their son play in a college golf tournament, were in the mall when the incident occurred.

“All of a sudden I heard pop, pop, pop,” Harley Exsted told the St. Cloud Times. “I thought someone tipped over a shelf. All of a sudden these people started running. I just saw everybody running our way.”

There also were reports of some shots fired during the attack.

The couple were unharmed and said they helped another woman who was running from the scene to her car.

Adonis Samuels, 42, of St. Cloud, was outside the mall where his wife Roxanne is employed as a manager at Clinique at Macy’s.

“She called me on the phone and told me she was hiding under the counter with a customer,” Samuels said. She later called and said she was safe in a secured area.

Samuels remained outside, watching for her. He said he’d seen her through the glass doors at one point so he knew she was safe./rga

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

French teen Dodin reaches first WTA semifinal

French teen Oceane Dodin advanced to her first WTA semifinal on Friday by defeating Belgium’s Alison Van Uytvanck 6-2, 6-4 in Quebec City.

The 19-year-old from Lille, who is ranked 132nd in the world, took only 76 minutes to win her quarterfinal and will now play for a place in Sunday’s final against 125th-ranked Julia Boserup.

Boserup eliminated fellow American Catherine Bellis 7-6 (7/0), 6-4 in an all-Californian quarter-final.

US qualifier Lauren Davis, the highest-ranked player remaining in the field at 104th, ousted Russia’s Alla Kudryavtseva 6-3, 7-6 (7/4).

Davis will next play Czech qualifier Tereza Martincova, who held on to beat American Jessica Pegula 6-3, 7-6 (9/7).

Kudryavtseva had been the only remaining player in the field with a WTA title, having captured the 2010 Tashkent Open.

source: sports.inquirer.net

iPhone launch generates crowds, queues worldwide

SAN FRANCISCO, United States – Apple’s global iPhone launch Friday was marked by excitement and frustration as fans queued to find scarce models of the coveted smartphone.

Scenes in Apple stores around the world on Friday were reminiscent of days before online ordering became a norm and people camped out for days to be first to get hands on the California company’s iPhone 7 and 7 Plus.

Enthusiasm was peppered with disappointment due to shortages of the large-screen iPhone 7 Plus and a jet-black iPhone 7, but it was unclear if the shortages were the result of strong demand or limited supply.

“These initial sales will be governed by supply, not demand,” Apple said in a released statement which noted that the company would not provide launch weekend sales figures.

Investors evidently weren’t certain of what to make of the launch as well, with Apple shares down about a half-percent to $114.92 at the close of trading on the Nasdaq exchange.

BTIG research said in a note to investors that, despite a lack of lines, analysts there expected iPhone sales in the final quarter of this year to grow 3.6 percent to 77.5 million.

At the Apple Store in the Georgetown district of the US capital Washington, dozens of consumers were still waiting in line hours after the store opening to get the new handsets.

“I tried to order it online, but I would have had to wait five to six weeks, so standing in queue was the only option,” said Naval Chopra, who was visiting from India at the time of the launch and joined the waiting group at 5:30 am for an iPhone 7.

“If you’re an Apple fan, there is something special about getting the new phone on the launch day.”

‘Essential part of life’

Washington resident Isaac Combs said he had being hoping to get the large-screen iPhone 7 Plus but learned on arrival they were sold out. Still, he opted for the iPhone 7, despite the smaller display.

The iPhone, Combs said, “is an essential part of life, it’s something I use every day.”

Apple sold of out the larger models quickly and had limited availability of the iPhone 7, with the new jet-black color especially scarce.

The devices chart a new path for the tech giant by eliminating headphone jacks, a move seen as setting a trend for a wireless future.

Apple is seeking to regain momentum and set new trends for the industry, but it remains to be seen if it can generate the same enthusiasm that surrounded previous versions of the iPhone.

While the company has touted total iPhone sales of one billion, the number sold in the quarter ending June 25 fell 15 percent from a year earlier, highlighting concerns over growth for the key profit driver.

Growth has become challenging with many mobile phone markets saturated and Chinese firms including Huawei increasingly popular.

Apple also faces stiff competition from traditional rival Samsung, although the South Korean giant is currently on the back foot after being forced into a massive recall because of exploding batteries of its flagship Galaxy Note 7.

Analyst Michael Walkley at Canaccord Genuity said his brokerage group’s surveys suggest the new handsets will boost Apple’s fortunes.

“With the iPhone 7 off to a strong start, we anticipate improving replacement sales versus the 6S and a return to iPhone unit growth,” he said in a research note.


Tight control on supply 


Analysts were divided over the cause of the shortages, with some saying the handset was more popular than expected, while others suggested the tech titan may be deliberately limiting supply or could be experiencing supply problems.

“Apple clearly controls supply tightly,” said Matthew Kanterman, an analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence.

“They’re possibly keeping supply artificially low, or at least lower than demand, so as to avoid having the oversupply of previous years.”

As Asia woke up, consumers in Sydney who had camped out in the rain were among the first in the world to get their hands on the new phones – though others were left bitterly disappointed.

Bishoy Behman, 17, had been sitting outside the Apple store since Wednesday morning but said he and others in the queue found out on Thursday that some models were already sold out.

“I really wouldn’t have lined up if I had known that,” he told AFP. “For them to have not allocated some stock is ridiculous.”

In Hong Kong, some customers were seen near the Apple store in the Causeway Bay shopping district, reselling new phones at a profit.

In mainland China, a key market for Apple, scenes were energetic as crowds of customers tested out the new handsets.

Apple faces a complicated picture in China, where it ranked only fourth in the Asian giant’s smartphone market in the first half of this year, facing strong competition from low-cost manufacturers.

source: technology.inquirer.net

NYC museum invites viewers to use 18-karat gold toilet

NEW YORK — A New York City museum is offering visitors a chance to sit on a golden throne, but only in private.

As part of his “America” exhibit at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan replaced the toilet in the museum’s fourth-floor restroom with a fully functional replica cast in 18-karat gold.

Viewers are invited to use the solid gold toilet just as they would any other facility.

It’s the first piece Cattelan has exhibited since his 2011 retrospective at the Guggenheim. It opens on Friday.

The museum says on its website that the exhibit “offers a wink to the excesses of the art market but also evokes the American dream of opportunity for all.”

source: lifestyle.inquirer.net

iPhone 7 Plus and jet black variants sold out

Despite the negative reactions to the missing earphone jack on the iPhone 7, Apple still managed to sell a generous amount of its new smartphone, so much so that people who didn’t pre-order the jet black version will have trouble picking one up from Apple stores.

According to an Apple statement, the company has already allocated all of its iPhone 7 Plus stock and sold all of the jet black iPhone 7 versions, reports Engadget.

“Beginning Friday, limited quantities of iPhone 7 in silver, gold, rose gold, and black will be available for walk-in customers at Apple retail stores. During the online pre-order period, initial quantities of iPhone 7 Plus in all finishes and iPhone 7 in jet black sold out and will not be available for walk-in customers,” Apple told TechCrunch.

Apple partners as well as carriers will have differing stock levels and may be better equipped to handle customer orders.

Even online orders are indicating a 2-3 week waiting time so customers may need to exercise some patience until backlogs get cleared up and more supply is made available.  Alfred Bayle

source: technology.inquirer.net

Samsung to cap battery charging for Galaxy Note 7 at 60%

The issue of defective and exploding batteries inside the Galaxy Note 7 is perhaps one of the worst setbacks that Samsung has experienced so far. While recalls are still underway, the company will be releasing a software update that will limit battery charging to 60%.

This temporary solution is said to prevent the batteries inside Note 7s from overheating and eventually exploding, reports KitGuru.

Samsung plans to roll out the update in South Korea by Sept. 20. Once installed on Note 7, the devices will only be able to charge up to 60% of their battery capacity. So far there has been no word on a global release.

It is far from being a permanent solution and Note 7 owners who have failed to participate in the recall could potentially still be in danger. At the very least this quick fix may help prevent further damage to property.  Alfred Bayle

source: technology.inquirer.net

Apple iOS 10 update causing problems for some iPhone users

Apple had been heavily marketing the new iOS update a couple of months back but when the time came for it to be released, trouble brewed as multiple complaints about the update streamed over social media.

For some users, the update process would fail and would be accompanied by a message asking them to plug the iOS device into a PC or Mac for complete system restoration, reports The Verge.

A spokesperson from Apple said in a statement to The Verge, “We experienced a brief issue with the software update process, affecting a small number of users during the first hour of availability. The problem was quickly resolved and we apologize to those customers.”

Although the initial installation bug proved to be a major headache for a number of affected users, Apple says this has been fixed and that their customers will now be able to safely update their iOS 10 devices. But just in case, it would be wise to keep a backup for an iOS device before proceeding with the update.  Alfred Bayle

source: technology.inquirer.net

Zayn to publish life story post-One Direction

NEW YORK—Zayn Malik, who found superstardom as a teen heartthrob with One Direction before a heated falling out, is publishing an autobiography at age 23.

Publisher Penguin Random House on Tuesday announced that “Zayn,” described as the British singer’s “first autobiography,” would come out worldwide on November 1 and feature his thoughts, drawings and personal photographs.

“I’m going to show you as much as I can so that you can judge me on my own terms, not on what the press or anyone else says,” Zayn, who has gone just by his first name as a solo artist, said in a statement.

Zayn quickly became a celebrity with One Direction, five squeaky-clean lads discovered on the reality television show “The X Factor” who went on to fill stadiums full of ecstatic girls around the world.

But the carefully crafted image was shattered in 2015 when Zayn left One Direction, leading to open, nasty exchanges on social media with his ex-bandmates.

Zayn has found success on his own as a solo artist and has taken on a persona that would have been unthinkable with One Direction, with R&B-tinged songs full of lust.

Despite his fame, Zayn has been sparing in his public statements since One Direction. He told Beats One radio host Zane Lowe when he released his solo album that he had been craving a more challenging artistic life.

The publisher said Zayn’s book would also explore his “normal childhood” in Bradford, an industrial hub in England with a large South Asian community.

Zayn, who is partially of Pakistani origin, is one of the most prominent Muslims in Western pop culture.

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Pokémon Go update released for Android and iOS

Just when people thought that the Pokémon Go hype has waned, Niantic releases a new update that may get some of the players that have grown bored with the mobile game to become active again.

The new 0.37.0 update includes the activation of the previously announced Buddy Pokémon system wherein trainers are able to assign one of their Pokémons as a “buddy.” By doing so, trainers can earn candy for their buddy Pokémon by walking a certain distance.

Other parts of the update include several fixes for known issues such as eggs hatching without displaying the animation. Smaller Pokémon are also made easier to select. Players may notice improved performance whenever their devices switch networks where the previous version would sometimes hang or stop updating.

Niantic is continuing its crackdown on bots and scrapers. Jail-broken and rooted devices will also no longer be supported by the game to help stem the number of game-hacking incidents.

Finally the update adds support for the Pokémon Go Plus accessory that will alert trainers to nearby Pokémon without the need to constantly watch their screens while walking.

The Pokémon Go craze has died down just as quickly as it had gained initial popularity. It is hard to predict whether or not the new update will be able to win back the players that had gone inactive. Alfred Bayle

source: technology.inquirer.net

Latest PlayStation 4 update now ready for download

Early on Sony announced that a major update to the PlayStation would be forthcoming, which includes HDR output capabilities. This update is now live and ready for download.

The update, codenamed “Shingen,” is by far the biggest that Sony has put out for the PlayStation console. Apart from the promised HDR output, the update also tweaks the menu screens and adds folders, reports The Verge.

Streaming in 1080p on Twitch, YouTube and remote play has also been enabled as preparation for the soon-to-be available PS4 Slim and PS4 Pro.

The UI changes were done so that the quick menu screen will no longer cover up games, videos and apps, and occupy only a portion of the TV screen. Folders will also offer more organization options for users while a new LAN connection function helps in transferring data from one console to another.

Sony also streamlined info screens for games, DLCs, videos and trending images. Lastly, users can now play songs from Spotify without needing to launch the app.  Alfred Bayle

source: technology.inquirer.net

Ways A Second Mortgage Can Help Your Financial Situation

Life happens – and there are things that may crop up that may put a serious damper on your financial situation. Owning your home can help mitigate these problems through the use of a second mortgage.

 Consolidating debt, for most people, is a reality in this economic climate. Homeowners with at least 20 per cent equity in their homes can apply for a second mortgage, which is a great way of working away at reducing your debt. It’s also an option when you need extra cash for things like medical expenses or renovations.

Do I qualify?
The interest rates on second mortgages are often higher than first mortgages, yet carry lower interest rates than credit cards. If you pay other debts on time and choose to get a second mortgage, you may find your credit score improving, a definite bonus!

Here are a few things lenders will look for in those who apply for second mortgages:

    Income. Are you gainfully employed? Or have a consistent source of income? Lenders will want proof that you’ll be able to make payments
    Equity. The more you have invested in your home, the better. A larger down payment for those buying a home is also a plus. The less risk a lender has to take, the better for you
    Credit score. A higher score equals lower interest rates
    The property. The investment needs to be secured by the lender if you are unable to make mortgage payments

The good and the not so good

On the plus side:


    Your first mortgage doesn’t need to be discharged, so you’ll have no penalties or fees
    Most carry a term of one year with only interest payments
    There are many choices of lending institutions, so financing can be more easily arranged
    If you’ve got a mortgage and a positive credit history, chances are you’ll be an ideal candidate
    You can use up to 80 per cent of your home’s value to arrange for the mortgage.

On the not-so-plus side:

    You’ll face higher interest rates
    Second mortgages may carry longer terms but repayment may be required sooner depending upon the terms of the loan
    There is a possibility of default, in which case the second lender has the option of purchasing the home


If you’re thinking a second mortgage may be an option for you, speak to the experts at Northwood Mortgage about your situation. Schedule an appointment and have all your questions answered.

source: northwoodmortgage.com

Efficient effort in NFL opener has Patriots’ confidence high

FOXBOROUGH, Massachusetts — The New England Patriots expected their biggest test during quarterback Tom Brady’s four-game suspension at the start of the new NFL season to be their season-opening game at Arizona.

That task was complicated by the absence of tight end Rob Gronkowski, as well as two more missing pieces on an offensive line that had already went through an offseason makeover.

But after leaving Arizona on Sunday (Monday Manila time) with a narrow victory that featured lots of late-game poise by quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, New England is feeling confident heading into a much-less-daunting schedule over the next three weeks, beginning with a Miami Dolphins team that hasn’t won in Massachusetts since 2008.

The confidence is also high for a team that continues to have lots of regular-season success in the rare times Brady hasn’t been the starting quarterback.

The Patriots are 11-5 in regular-season games without him since he went down with a torn ACL in the season opener in 2008. Matt Cassel played the rest of that season, going 10-5. After Sunday’s performance, the prospect of Garoppolo giving New England a 4-0 start seems more possible.

Team captain Matt Slater said preparation played a big role in the Patriots adjusting with key players sidelined.

“That ‘next man up’ motto has been real big around here in my time here,” Slater said. “I’ve seen it time and time again. And obviously, I’ve seen it with a couple of quarterbacks in my time here.”

Much of the Patriots’ offensive success Sunday came in part because of their command on third down, when they converted on 10 of their 16 opportunities for the game.

Garoppolo was certainly a big part of it. He displayed calmness in the pocket throughout, and used both his arm and feet to extend drives. He also had five throws that went for 10 yards or more on third down, and also scrambled for 10 yards on another.

His biggest throw of the night came in the fourth quarter after the Cardinals had taken a 21-20 lead. The Patriots found themselves facing in a third-and-15 right off the bat on their ensuing possession.

Garoppolo dropped back and initially couldn’t find an open receiver. He spun in the pocket and gave receiver Danny Amendola enough time to find a crease on the left side of the Cardinals’ zone.

Garoppolo stepped up and delivered a dart for a 32-yard gain that put the Patriots in Arizona territory. The drive ended in Stephen Gostkowski’s 32-yard field goal for the winning points.

“I would say, going back to the preparation, the coaches did a great job giving us the game plan going into it on third down, breaking it down for us, simplifying it,” Garoppolo said. “It makes it a lot easier on us when you have good coaches like that.”

He also had his pick of targets to throw to. Without Gronkowski, held out because of a sore hamstring, Garoppolo spread his 24 completions to six receivers. Seven if you count a ball tipped at the line of scrimmage that he caught himself and was able to turn into a 3-yard gain.

It’s probably why Belichick scoffed at the idea that the offense was at all watered down for Garoppolo in his first regular-season start.

“I think Jim does a good job in the pocket. He’s got good vision,” Belichick said. “He doesn’t hang onto the ball. He gets it out of there on time. But if things are covered, he’s made good decisions.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

New Sony action cam arrives on US soil in late September

Last week’s IFA 2016 saw a fair share of new gadgets from different companies and one of these was Sony’s FDR-X300R. A press release from the company announced pricing and availability for the US market.

The highlight for the X300R action cam is the optical image stabilization technology that Sony also uses in its camcorders. The company said it was the most requested feature by the users of its Action Cam line, reports Engadget.

Sony didn’t hold back when it designed the X300R. It features a redesigned Zeiss Tessar wide-angle lens that works hand in hand with a 1/2.5-type 8.2M Exmor R CMOS sensor and Bionz X processor. It is fully capable of shooting 4K videos at 30fps and 1080p at 120fps. Finally, it comes with a waterproof housing that’s rated for up to 60 meters (roughly 197 feet).

source: technology.inquirer.net

UFC 203: Miocic keeps heavyweight title, KOs Overeem

CLEVELAND—Stipe Miocic climbed to the top of the octagon and threw his legs over its sides, straddling the cage like he was riding a horse.

He had defended his title in stunning fashion, and Cleveland’s hometown hero has no plans to give it up.

“I’m going to stay champ for a long time,” he said.

Floored by an early punch, Miocic recovered and knocked out Alistair Overeem at 4:27 of the first round to conclude UFC 203 on Saturday night in front of nearly 20,000 delirious fans.

Miocic, whose title in in May set off a run of championships in a city that didn’t celebrate one for 52 years, was in big trouble after Overeem caught him on the jaw with a short left. Overeem pounced on Miocic, a Cleveland fire fighter, and put him in a guillotine hold as he tried to choke him out. But the 6-foot-4, 240-pound Miocic, urged by the crowd chanting “Stee-pay, Stee-pay,” escaped the hold and quickly pressed the action.

In the final minute of the round, Miocic stunned Overeem with a punch and then held him down and delivered four devastating right-handed punches to the challenger’s head to finish him off.

“When I got on top of him, game over,” Miocic said.

When the fight was stopped, Miocic ran and climbed the cage, a move he had planned for months. Soon after, he took the microphone and yelled “O-H” to the crowd, which responded “I-0,” to the local champ, whose knock out of Fabricio Werdum this spring was followed by the Cavaliers overcoming a 3-1 deficit to beat Golden State in the NBA Finals.

“I’m going to remember this for the rest of my life,” Miocic said.

Overeem almost ruined things for Miocic when he knocked him on his butt and attempted to end the fight. But Miocic wasn’t going to be denied and was offended when he learned that Overeem had thought he tapped out.

“I don’t remember tapping out,” Miocic said. “I remember punching him in the face until he was unconscious.”

Before Miocic’s stunning comeback, former WWE superstar CM Punk could have used a folding chair or a tag-team partner.

Out of pro wrestling’s scripted ring, his first visit into the octagon didn’t last long.

Punk, who was one of WWE’s biggest stars when he left it two years ago to try his hand in ultimate fighting, tapped out just 2:14 into the first round after he was pummeled and choked by welterweight Mickey Gall.

The 38-year-old Punk charged Gall but was on his back less than 10 seconds into the fight. Pinned up against the fencing, he was unable to get out from under Gall, who smashed a right hand into Punk’s temple and then kneeled on top of him and swung both arms like a pendulum, connecting with one hard shot after another.

Punk nearly got free, but Gall regained a dominant position and squeezed his opponent’s head like he wanted to snap it off. Punk had no choice but to tap his hand on the mat, ending the fight the way many inside UFC predicted.

“Yeah you know in life you go big or you go home,” Punk said afterward. “I just like to take challenges. It was a hell of a climb, I didn’t get to the summit tonight but it doesn’t mean I’m going to give up it doesn’t mean I’m going anywhere, it doesn’t mean I’m going to stop.”

The 24-year-old Gall never doubted he would crush Punk.

“I know my kill stuff would be more than his kill stuff,” he said. “I knew what to expect and I was ready to dominate.”

Prior to Miocic’s bout, former heavyweight champ Fabricio Werdum won a unanimous decision over Travis Browne.

Following the heated bout, Werdum put his gloved hands to his face and was pretending to wipe away tears when he was confronted by Browne’s coach Edmond Tarverdyan. Werdum tried to kick Tarverdyan and security rushed into the ring as both corners jawed at each other.

Just climbing the steps into the octagon was something of a victory for Punk, who became a villain of sorts inside UFC circles as fans, wrestlers and fellow fighters questioned his motives for taking up a new sport with no experience.

He was accustomed to the outside distractions – media requests, fans and travel – for years. But despite working with Duke Roufus and other top trainers at the Roufusport Martial Arts Academy in Milwaukee for the past year, he wasn’t ready for Gall.

Still, Punk intends to stick with his new love.

“Obviously, Mickey’s a hell of a fighter. I will be back, believe it or not,” Punk said. “This was the most fun I’ve had in my life, second best night of my life after marrying my wife. I know there’s a lot of doubters but listen, life’s about falling down and getting back up. Doesn’t matter how many time you get knocked down, get back up.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Last pieces of 9/11 rubble reach memorials

For six years, Amy Passiak oversaw the distribution of hundreds of objects from the World Trade Center in New York, a task she finished days before the 15th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.

There was only a knot of people on July 27, in a corner of the cargo area at New York’s Kennedy airport, to help with the end of the adventure.

The last pieces from the Twin Towers still stored in Hangar 17, which had been exposed to the view of thousands, left under Passiak’s watchful eye.

For six years, she coordinated the distribution of almost 2,800 pieces under the control of the site’s owner, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Among them, there was no individual, personal object: a damaged police car, sunglasses sold at one of the stores in the building, but mostly massive objects, fragments of the destroyed skyscrapers in lower Manhattan.

There was a lot of steel, including several of the tridents, the distinctive forked steel structures on the facade at the base of the buildings, each weighing several dozen tons.

In 2009, the Port Authority decided to distribute the objects to non-profit organizations and government entities for use in public memorial projects.

Already working at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, Passiak was chosen to supervise the program.

Passiak, who is in her 30s and holds a master’s degree in museum studies, discovered a universe about which she knew almost nothing.

“I was a senior in high school in Michigan when 9/11 happened. I had never been to New York City,” she said.

Passiak had no close family connection to the victims of the attacks, or the police officers, firefighters and emergency personnel, nothing that could create a link, even an indirect one, with the attack.

“I didn’t have a real concept of what the World Trade Center was, where it was,” she added.

‘A lot of hugs’

Retrospectively, this distance perhaps allowed her to completely plunge into the task without feeling emotionally overwhelmed.

Since a little more than a year ago, the pace of the work has sharply slowed and Passiak is also handling other projects, but “for about four years, my life was September 11, which is crazy,” she said.


Generally, “I think that I’m a very emotionally steady person,” she said, “so I think that that actually helped with the job. I was able to remain calm.”

Passiak and the Port Authority approved the requests of 1,567 different groups across the United States, many of them fire and police departments, schools and cities.

Requests for objects also were approved for 10 foreign countries, including Canada, China, Germany and Italy. Despite its long ties with the US, France is missing from the list.

Each distribution was emotionally charged.

“I received a lot of hugs,” said Passiak, smiling.

“As the front person, you became part of that grieving process, almost like a pillar that they were able to identify and lean on.”

Passiak has now finished the project and said “it feels good” knowing that all the pieces went somewhere and the memorials were built.

“They weren’t giving it to individuals — they were giving it to groups of people that can process everything and interact together. That’s probably the element that I found most rewarding.”/rga

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Obama urges unity on eve of 9/11 anniversary

WASHINGTON—President Barack Obama on Saturday urged Americans to remain united in the face of terrorist attacks, in a barely-veiled jab at Republican White House nominee Donald Trump 15 years after 9/11.

“In the face of terrorism, how we respond matters,” Obama said in his weekly radio and online address, delivered on the eve of the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks in the United States.

“We cannot give in to those who would divide us. We cannot react in ways that erode the fabric of our society,” he added.

“Because it’s our diversity, our welcoming of all talent, our treating of everybody fairly—no matter their race, gender, ethnicity, or faith—that’s part of what makes our country great. It’s what makes us resilient,” Obama said.

“And if we stay true to those values, we’ll uphold the legacy of those we’ve lost, and keep our nation strong and free.”

On several occasions Obama has denounced Trump’s bombastic rhetoric towards Muslims.

Following the December shooting rampage in San Bernardino, California for example, Trump called for a temporary ban on the entry to the United States of all Muslims.

Obama was speaking two months before the presidential election in which real estate magnate Trump will face Democrat Hillary Clinton.

The al-Qaida hijackings of Sept. 11, 2001—the first foreign attack on the US mainland in nearly two centuries—ruptured a sense of safety and plunged the West into wars still being fought today.

More than 2,750 people were killed when two passenger jets destroyed the Twin Towers, the symbol of New York’s financial wealth and confidence. Another jet slammed into the Pentagon, and a fourth jet crashed in a field in Pennsylvania after those on board tried to overpower the hijackers.

Evoking “one of the darkest in our nation’s history,” Obama noted that much had changed over the past 15 years since the attacks.

“We delivered justice to (al-Qaida leader) Osama bin Laden. We’ve strengthened our homeland security. We’ve prevented attacks. We’ve saved lives,” Obama said.

But at the same time, he said, referring to attacks in Boston, San Bernardino, and Orlando, Florida, “the terrorist threat has evolved.”

“So in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and beyond, we’ll stay relentless against terrorists like al-Qaida and [the Islamic State group] ISIL.

“We will destroy them. And we’ll keep doing everything in our power to protect our homeland,” Obama said.

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Samsung tells Korean customers to stop using Galaxy Note 7

SEOUL, South Korea — Samsung Electronics has recommended South Korean customers to stop using the new Galaxy Note 7 smartphones, which the company is recalling worldwide after several dozen of them caught fire.

The South Korean technology giant in a statement on its website Saturday advised local users to visit the company’s service centers to receive rental phones for temporary use. Samsung plans to provide Galaxy Note 7 devices with new batteries in South Korea starting on Sept. 19.

The US Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday warned airline passengers not to turn on or charge Galaxy Note 7s during flights and also not to put the smartphone in their checked bags. Samsung is planning to recall 2.5 million Galaxy Note 7 phones worldwide.

source: technology.inquirer.net

Facebook backs off censoring ‘napalm girl’ photo

SAN FRANCISCO, United States – Facebook backtracked Friday on a decision to censor an iconic Vietnam War photo of a naked girl escaping a napalm bombing, after its block on the historic image sparked outrage.

The online giant stopped short of apologizing, saying the image had been flagged for violating standards regarding inappropriate posts at the world’s leading social network.

“An image of a naked child would normally be presumed to violate our Community Standards, and in some countries might even qualify as child pornography,” Facebook said in a statement.

“In this case, we recognize the history and global importance of this image in documenting a particular moment in time.”

Taken by photographer Nick Ut Cong Huynh for the Associated Press, the 1972 picture of a naked Vietnamese girl running from a napalm attack is considered one of the war’s defining images. It was honored with the Pulitzer Prize.

An active social media user, Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg defied Facebook early Friday by posting the photograph, helping to bring the weekslong controversy to a head.

Her post was taken down several hours later, deleted by Facebook, she said.

After Facebook reversed position on the image, Solberg told the BBC she was a “happy prime minister.”

“It shows that using social media can make (a) political change even in social media.”

Editing history

Solberg refused to back down, re-posting the photo on her Facebook page, along with several other iconic pictures with sections blacked out, in an attempt to illustrate the absurdity of censoring historic images.

“What Facebook is doing by deleting photos like this, as good as their intentions are, is to edit our common history,” she wrote in a post.

Solberg had shared the picture at Facebook in the name of freedom of expression amid a brewing debate in Norway.

The row began several weeks ago after Norwegian author Tom Egeland published a post about war photos, illustrated by the picture. Facebook promptly deleted it.

Egeland expressed delight in a Twitter message written in Norwegian after the Facebook about-face.

“Now I’m happy!” the tweet read in part.

“To all who said ‘there’s no point,’ yes there is a point.”

Norwegians had risen to his defense by publishing the photo, posts that Facebook also deleted in line with its rules barring nudity.

The affair took on such proportions that the Norwegian Press Federation asked the country’s powerful pension fund, the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund, to examine whether the censorship practice was in line with its ethical criteria for investments.

At the end of 2015, the fund owned 0.52 percent of Facebook.

Traditional media also voiced concern about the moves by Facebook, which has become a key source of news and information for hundreds of millions of people.

On Friday, Norway’s biggest daily Aftenposten dedicated the front page of its print edition to the photo, and published a two-page open letter to Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.

Tweaking the process

Facebook said it reversed course after the outcry from its members and that is was examining how its standards were applied in the situation.

“Because of its status as an iconic image of historical importance, the value of permitting sharing outweighs the value of protecting the community by removal,” California-based Facebook said of the decision to reinstate posts of the image.

Facebook said it was also modifying its review mechanisms to prevent the image from being removed in future, but that process could take some time.

“The photo should be avai lable for sharing in the coming days,” Facebook said.

“We will be engaging with publishers and other members of our global community on these important questions going forward.”

This is not the first time Facebook has been accused of a lack of sensitivity in how it enforces its rules on appropriate content. The company has in the past blocked seminal artworks because they featured nudity.

Facebook is due to go on trial in France, where a schoolteacher accused it of censorship for blocking his account after he posted a photo of a painting by 19th-century master Gustave Courbet called “L’Origine du monde” (The Origin of the World) that depicts a woman’s vagina.

And earlier this year, a Danish lawmaker also complained that Facebook had removed her picture of the Copenhagen statue of the Little Mermaid because of its nudity rules.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) depicted Facebook’s censorship of the Vietnam War photo as a grave violation of freedom of information.

“The ‘decency’ rules used by this social network are so restrictive that they trample on the freedom to inform,” RSF secretary-general Christophe Deloire said in a statement.

“We call on Facebook to add respect for the journalistic values of photos to these rules, and to ensure that their rules are never more severe than national legislations.”

source: technology.inquirer.net

NBA: Coach Kerr worried with Warriors’ lack of rim protection

After bagging this year’s most coveted free agent Kevin Durant, many would think Golden State Warriors’ head coach Steve Kerr would be ecstatic with his new line-up.

Instead, the reigning NBA coach of the year was more concerned about what the team lost—primarily on the defensive side of the floor.

“The thing that’s different will be a lack of rim protection,” Kerr told Monte Pool of CSNBayArea.com

“We had great rim protection from (Andrew) Bogut and (Festus) Ezeli , and both those guys are gone. Zaza’ (Pachulia) is a very good defender, but he’s more of a positional guy than a shot blocker,” he said, noting the team’s roster sacrifices to make room for the one-time league MVP.

Bogut and Ezeli logged up majority of the front court minutes for the Dubs last year, combining for 2.7 blocks per game. The duo was heralded by pundits as one of the most intimidating interior presence in the league.

After falling short in the Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Bogut was dealt to the Dallas Mavericks along with another vital player Harrison Barnes, while Ezeli opted to sign with the Portland Trailblazers.

The Warriors were able to snag Pachulia and David West as replacements, but neither possesses the ability to alter shots like their predecessors.

“There’s definitely adjustments we’ll have to make, even schematically. We’ll have some growing pains, especially on defense, as we try to make sure we get everything right and comfortable,” Kerr said.

Despite losing their top anchors up-front, Andre Iguodala and Klay Thompson are excellent stoppers on the wings, while Durant and Draymond Green are no slouch on the defensive end as well.

Golden State has been in the top five in terms of defensive rating for the past three seasons.  Khristian Ibarrola

source: sports.inquirer.net

iPhone 7 to cost more in India and UK

The much-awaited Apple iPhone 7 was just introduced on Wednesday with pre-orders becoming available Sept. 9. However, there is some bad news for fans of the iPhone from the UK and India as the devices will cost a lot more than the US release.

The iPhone 7 has been given a a suggested retail price of $649 for the 32GB basic model while the Plus will start at $769. Unfortunately, The Next Web reports that there will be a significant markup for the Indian market which will raise the price to around $903 (Rs60,000). UK buyers will have it easier with just a $60 increase from the base US price, or £599 on the Apple website.

The higher prices can be attributed to the Brexit side effects where many economists already predicted that prices would increase during the run-up to the vote.

The Indian market, however, is a bit more complicated. The higher price is a result of Apple taking into account the sales tax for selling the product. They also sell through third-party partners and that requires a margin for them to make a profit. Lastly is a price buffer to compensate for fluctuations in value of the Indian rupee.

India’s woes may not last long as a recent foreign direct investment ruling in the country will allow Apple to open its own local retail stores, thereby eliminating the middleman.

Apple is currently considering opening up shops in major cities like Bangalore, Mumbai and New Delhi by the end of 2017.  Alfred Bayle

source: technology.inquirer.net

PlayStation 4 Pro unveiled, offers richer gaming experience

Once known only by its codename Neo, the new PlayStation 4 Pro has been officially unveiled by Sony and it comes with a bevy of upgrades that promise a richer gaming experience.

Unveiled by the console’s chief architect, Mark Cerny, the PS4 Pro is now able to support 4K resolution gaming. It is also equipped with a 1TB hard drive and an upgraded GPU for outputting HDR content, reports The Verge.

Cerny says, “PS4 Pro is not intended to blur the line between console generations. Instead, the vision is to take the PS4 experience to extraordinary new levels.” When it becomes available on Nov. 10 for $399, the PS4 is intended to be sold alongside the standard PS4. New games will also be playable on the older hardware.

Cerny also presented 4K game footage on stage from games like Deus Ex: Mankind Divided and Spider-man to showcase the machine’s prowess. He noted that the PS4 Pro will be able to pull new detail from the games despite being developed for the base PS4. Cerny added that select PS4 titles will be able to maximize the new hardware inside the PS4 Pro and have noticeably improved graphics.

Improving the PlayStation VR experience is also one of the PS4 Pro’s goals. Developers will be able to up the frame rate and increase scene crispness, among other things. Apps specifically for the PS4 Pro is also being developed by YouTube and Netflix.

Over at the other camp, Microsoft is also working on its own beefed up Xbox One codenamed Project Scorpio. It will also have upgraded hardware to support 4k content and support for virtual reality games. However, it won’t be out until fall of 2017.  Alfred Bayle

source: technology.inquirer.net