11 hurt in San Juan demolition

Residents of Brgy. Corazon de Jesus in San Juan City reach higher grounds  as they prepare to resist the demolition of their homes as issued by the city government.

Eleven people were hurt as informal settlers battled with the demolition teams in Barangay Corazon de Jesus in San Juan City on Tuesday.


Residents threw rocks and glass battles at a police who arrived in the area. Gunshots were heard as residents insisted on not giving up their 'homes'.


Residents have been warned since January 5 of the demolition notice. The court decision released last August 12, 2009 awarding the lands to the city government as part of the Pinaglabanan Shrine has been issued.

Barricades were set up as classed were suspended near the residential area. Children were brought away from the area in anticipation of the demolition.

San Juan representative JV Ejercito accused professional activists of triggering the tension. He referred to students from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) and most people from Hacienda Luisita and North Triangle, who he said are activists who are always present in demolition-stricken places.

The informal settlers were offered relocation site housing in Calauan, Laguna, and in Rodriguez and Taytay in Rizal.

Sources: ABS-CBN News

Photo: GMA News

'Bourne Legacy' starts shooting today

The fourth installment of the Bourne film series, 'The Bourne Legacy', starts filming today, January 11 in Manila.


Leveriza Street in Malate will be closed as the venue of the film's scenes. The street will be closed from 5AM to 6PM. Intermittent Traffic Control (ITC) will be implemented in Quirino Avenue and San Andres from 7AM to 5AM.


Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) deployed 160 crowd control personnel, part of its "Task Force Bourne" campaign to maintain smooth traffic and crowd management as the shooting is in progress.

See below traffic re-routing scheme as released by MMDA.

Bourne Legacy Filming 

Traffic Re-routing Scheme 

(January 11-15, 2012)

Bourne Legacy Filming

January 11 – 13, 2012
Temporary Road Closure: 5:00 am – 6:00 pm (Leveriza Street)
ITC : 7:00 am – 5:00 pm (Quirino Avenue and San Andres)
Note : ITC -> Intermittent Traffic Control

ALTERNATE ROUTES

1. Along President Quirino Avenue from Roxas Boulevard to Taft Avenue

• All traffic must turn right at M. Adriatico, left at Bagong Lipunan, Right at President Quirino to destination

2. Along President Quirino Avenue from Taft Avenue to Roxas Boulevard

• Take San Andres, right turn at L. M. Guerero, left turn at Remedios, Left turn at Maria Orosa, right at San Andres, left at M. Adriatico, Right at President Quirino to destination

3. For buses along Roxas Boulevard - Coastal Road to Manila

• Right turn at Vito Cruz, left at Taft Avenue to destination

4. For buses from Taft Avenue - Manila to Roxas Boulevard - Coastal Road

• Right at Vito Cruz, left at Roxas Boulevard to destination

Bourne Legacy Filming
January 14, 2012
Temporary Road Closure: 

5:00 pm - 12:00 mn (Leveriza Street)
12:00 mn - 6:00 am (Quirino to Leveriza)

ALTERNATE ROUTES

1. Along Taft Avenue - Manila to Roxas Boulevard via San Andres - Roxas Boulevard

• Right turn at Remedios, left turn at Maria Orosa, Right turn at San Andres, to destination

2. Along San Andres - Roxas Boulevard to Taft Avenue

• Take President Quirino, Taft Avenue to destination

3. Along President Quirino - South Super Highway to Roxas Boulevard via San Andres

• Right at Leon Guinto, left at Remedios, left at Maria Orosa, Right at San Andres to destination

4. All Provincial Buses from Cavite to Manila shall use the usual routes

Bourne Legacy Filming
January 15, 2012
Temporary Road Close : 5:00 pm - 12:00 mn
(Leveriza Street from Ilang-Ilang to Quirino)
ITC : 12:00 mn - 5:00 am along Quirino

ALTERNATE ROUTES

1. Along Taft Avenue - Manila to Roxas Boulevard via President Quirino

• Right turn to San Andres, left turn at M. Adriatico, right turn to President Quirino - Roxas Boulevard to destination

2. Along President Quirino - Roxas Boulevard to Taft Avenue - South Super Highway

• Right turn at M. Adriatico, left at Vito Cruz, left at Taft Avenue to destination

3. All Provincial Buses from Cavite - Roxas Boulevard

• Right turn at Vito Cruz, left turn at Taft Avenue to destination or vice versa

'The Bourne Legacy' stars Jeremy Renner, Rachel Weisz, and Edward Norton.

Rachel Weisz now in Manila for 'Bourne Legacy'

Academy Award-winning actress Rachel Weisz arrived in Manila Sunday evening.


According to reports, Weisz landed on January 8 from Hong Kong via Cathay Pacific Airline flight CX 903.



Weisz is set to shoot 'The Bourne Legacy', along with stars Jeremy Renner and Edward Norton.

MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino said "Bourne Legacy" will be shot in Intramuros, Navotas Fishport, Marikina City Market, San Andres Market, Ramon Magsaysay Boulevard, Ayala Avenue, Nagtahan, Pasay Taft, Jones Bridge and in El Nido, Palawan.

How to create your own 'It's More Fun in the Philippines' meme

With the popularity the latest Department of Tourism campaign has brought and spread, our good, innovative friends in the Internet and proud co-Pinoys has created some websites to make "It's More Fun in the Philippines" more exciting, and more funny.


How to Create Your Own Meme


There are only two options basically,

1. Using your photo editing applications such as Photoshop, Fireworks, etc, and;
2. Submitting your photos to the MoreFunMaker site.

The title of this post may come vague or insulting to you because you might first answer "Photoshop, of course", so I would not discuss to you the first option. Let's go to the second one.

How to Create Your Own Meme on MoreFunMaker.com

1. First, go to www.morefunmaker.com. But oh please don't go there yet, because I'm not done with the instructions. Thank you. :P

2. Instead, you need to choose a picture first. What type of picture? Since you are about to create a meme regarding DOT's advocacy, you must at least choose something that depicts or relates to Philippine tourism, or something that is obviously visible in the Philippines. Of course it should be fun and more of "showing the positive side". Pictures which are not your property should be properly accounted for. You must ask permission to the owner.

3. When you finalize which picture to choose, upload it by clicking the Choose File button and selecting your picture.

4. Next, you need to provide some text before the pre-coded "More fun in the Philippines" e.g. "Simbang Gabi", "Eating Balut", "Bayanihan", "Fiesta". But of course the text should be related to the picture you chose.

5. Choose whether the caption should appear on top or bottom of your picture.

6. (Optional) Type the author (that is, you).

7. And finally, click the yellow Submit button. Your image will be shown in a few.

The Best Memes so far


Arnold Gamboa built http://www.itsmorefuninthephilippinespics.com/ that shows the memes uploaded by Twitter users. To be included in the list, you need to tweet your picture and most importantly, include the #ItsMoreFunInThePhilippines hashtag. The site grabs the tweeted pictures 5 minutes after.


Here are some of the site's best, so far.

@chriscrosspoint

@tetkuba

@maaajie

@maaajie

@TheMangTomas

Bookmark this page, share in Facebook, or Tweet so others would know! Spread the fun because It's surely More Fun in the Philippines!

Kinect for Windows on Feb. 1

Kinect for Xbox. Behold its coming to Windows on Feb. 1!

Microsoft CEO Steve Balmer announced on Monday at the Consumer Electronics Show that the Kinect technology will come to Windows on February 1.

The company is readying a new type of Kinect hardware to work with Windows that will build on the current Kinect for Xbox 360 sensor, and will be out on the 1st of next month. The new Kinect sensor for Windows PCs and the accompanying SDK will be available.

The Kinect for Windows is currently priced at $249.99 in Amazon, a hundred dollars more than the price of the Kinect for Xbox. The Kinect for Windows though has a different camera, which includes support for a new "Near Mode," designed to see objects as close as 50 centimeters away from the camera.

Balmer didn’t elaborate on what Kinect for Windows would look like, but one can assume that it would allow users to control the operating system without touching a keyboard or mouse. Kinect has already been a game changer for gaming and television - allowing, for instance, a child to interact with Sesame Street. It’s overwhelming to imagine how it could change computing.

Visit Microsoft Kinect SDK download site by clicking the image below.

Sources: Mashable, JoyStiq

US Embassy's Dean I. Chang shouts 'You're a bitch!' at a young Pinay

Ramon Tulfo's Inquirer column On Target published a new story early today. It's entitled "The Ugly American" which tells about a young Filipina named Princess Cordova's encounter with a US Embassy official named Dean I. Chang, a Korean-American.


Chang shouted invectives at Cordova, 22, whom he nearly bumped with his car last Friday. Change shouted "You're a bitch, you're a bitch!" at the shocked Cordova who was crossing the driveway of a Korean restaurant on Jupiter Street, Barangay Bel-Air, Makati City.


Read the full article below.

A Korean-American who holds a top position at the US Embassy shouted invectives at a young Filipino woman whom he nearly bumped with his car last Friday.

Dean I. Chang, the American Embassy’s second secretary, cursed Princess Cordova, 22, after he got out of his Toyota Forerunner car with a Korean-looking woman, apparently his wife.
“You’re a bitch, you’re a bitch!,” Chang was heard shouting at the shocked Cordova who was crossing the driveway of a Korean restaurant on Jupiter Street, Barangay Bel-Air, Makati City.

Chang and his wife were apparently in such a hurry to get into Kaya Restaurant and nearly ran over Cordova, who was also entering the same restaurant with a female friend.

When Cordova told her uncle, Dindo Danao, an advertising executive, about the incident outside with Chang, Danao told her to go to Chang’s table to apologize.

Danao, who was waiting for Cordova inside the restaurant, told his niece she was probably at fault and that’s why the man was angry.

Even if she knew she was not, Cordova nevertheless obeyed Danao and went to Chang to apologize.

She got another mouthful from a man who’s supposed to act like a gentleman since he’s a diplomat.

“Next time I’ll run you over if you get in my way,” Chang shouted at Cordova.

When Danao protested the shabby treatment his niece got from the Korean-American, Chang reportedly challenged him to a fight.

“You wanna square off with me?” Chang said.

Danao called the police.

Chang was arrogant with responding policemen. He wouldn’t show his ID, but gave his name and his position at the US Embassy.

Chang’s identity was confirmed when the head of the responding team, Insp. Rico Ramos, checked with the US Embassy through the numbers Chang gave him.

Ramos told Danao they couldn’t hold Chang as he has diplomatic immunity.

Danao called this columnist who asked to talk to Ramos.

I said that Ramos could hold Chang for a while until members of the media came.

Ramos said he couldn’t do that, but didn’t prevent Danao from barricading Chang’s car.

Chang refused to talk to the media and went back to the restaurant with another US Embassy official who came after he phoned for help.

While Chang, his wife and the other American diplomat talked inside the restaurant, I took down the plate and windshield sticker of Chang’s car.

I surmise that based on his car stickers, Chang is a US serviceman.

One sticker reads: Dept of Defense, B6B 3C3, West Point, New York.

Another sticker says: New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, 20-6-12, No. 0806947.

He has a temporary plate: 097 Diplomatic.

Source: Ramon Tulfo, Inquirer

McDonald's Hooray for Today Video and Lyrics

McDonald's brings another excitement to wake up in the morning and face the day. Featuring Hooray for Today commercial, McDo makes mornings even more special to the tune of the song that really makes anyone into LSS-mode.


What a positive way to start 2012! The 60-second ad shows the positive side of every day - from the beaming smiles, stops and gos, colors and quick hellos, surprises, friends, and treats - it's a way to show everyone that no matter how difficult some times may be, we can still make out the best and the happiest by starting the day right and happy.


Now it makes me go and take my breakfast everyday at the nearest McDo in the office! What a convincing and positive advertisement!


Watch it below and be inspired and happy (with lyrics).

Hooray for Today

Hooray for mornings and things that make them good

Hooray for beaming smiles that make my day

Hooray for stops and gos

Hooray for colors and quick hellos

Hooray for surprises that walk my way

Hooray for friends I'll make, oh hey...hey!

Hooray for treats that make me smile,

Like magic stripes that fill the sky

Hooray for days that make me say,

Oh Hooray for today!

Did you notice the guy looks like the late AJ Perez?

He is Carlo Sawit. Okay girls, be more inspired with more of his pics below.

Marian Rivera and Angel Locsin to do movie together

2012 has a lot in store for the entertainment industry. ABS-CBN's film outfit, Star Cinema, surely will continue to produce box-office hit movies that will delight and give pleasure to the viewers. GMA Films, Regal Films and other movie firms will also not fail us this year.


In a report by ABS-CBN News, two of the hottest and most sought-after stars of today's generation, that's Marian Rivera and Angel Locsin, are being considered to be together in a single movie. Marian is from GMA 7, the Kapuso network, while Angel, who is a former-Kapuso, is from ABS-CBN, the Kapamilya network.

These two talented, sexy, and beautiful ladies have always been compared to each other. Angel used to be the brightest star in the Kapuso network, but since her transfer to ABS-CBN, Marian took the spot and was hailed as the network's primetime queen.


If ever Marian and Angel works together for a movie, then I'm pretty sure it will be a hit. The two have huge fanbases and supporters, hot topics in forums and online groups, and equally-controversial and popular.


I can recall there was movie (I don't know the title, I just know there was a movie :D) that brought the Superstar Nora Aunor and the Star for All Seasons Vilma Santos together, two of the hottest stars back then, so why not bring Marian and Angel together? Interesting, exciting. The two darnas together in one film.

Iran sentences Amir Mirzai Hekmati to death for CIA spying

An American ex-Marine who is also of Iranian citizenship has been sentenced to death by the Iranian court for allegedly spying for CIA, semi-official Fars news agency said.


Amir Mirzai Hekmati, 28, who was put on trial last month, was "sentenced to death for cooperating with a hostile nation [the US], membership of the CIA and trying to implicate Iran in terrorism," reported the verdict, according Fars.


The US has said Hekmati was falsely accused and has called for his release. His US-based family said he was in Iran visiting his grandmothers.


Hekmati was arrested in December and Iran's Intelligence Ministry accused him of receiving training at U.S. bases in Afghanistan and Iraq.


Iranian officials said his cover was blown by agents for Iran who spotted him at the US-run Bagram military air base in neighboring Afghanistan.


According to Fars, he told the court he did have links to the CIA, but had never intended to harm Iran.


"I was deceived by the CIA... Although I was appointed to break into Iran's intelligence systems and act as a new source for the CIA, I had no intention of undermining the country," Fars quoted him as saying.


Mr Hekmati's family, who live in Arizona, say the charges against him are fabricated and that he was in Iran to visit his grandmothers.


His father, Ali Hekmati, said his son joined the US military in 2001 and served in the Marines, where he was an Arabic translator.



Sources: BBC, Global Post
Photo: Middle East Online

MMFF 2011 Box-Office Results records 'all-time high': Enteng Ng Ina Mo grosses P237M!

The Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) organizing committee released the official total gross for each of the seven films that competed in last year's festival.


Film fest and Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chair Francis Tolentino released the figures for the films which run from December 5, 2011 to January 7, 2012.


Enteng Ng Ina Mo is the top grosser with a whopping P237,879,178.70. The film is led by Vic Sotto and Ai-Ai delas Alas, and produced by M-Zet Productions, Star Cinema, and OctoArts Films.


Segunda Mano came in at second spot, with total gross of P126,630,979.00. The film jumped to second from its third spot during its first screening week It stars Kris Aquino and Dingdong Dantes.


On the third place is Imus Productions and GMA Films' entry And Panday 2, led by Senator Bong Revilla and Marian Rivera, with a total earnings of P105,603,500.25.


Here is the complete list of MMFF 2011 films with the respective box-office figures:

1. Enteng Ng Ina Mo - P237,879,178.70
2. Segunda Mano - P126,630,979.00
3. Ang Panday 2 - P105,603,500.25
4. My Househusband: Ikaw Na! - P62,074,350.58
5. Shake Rattle & Roll 13 - P55,484,185.89
6. Manila Kingpin: The Asiong Salonga Story - P38,437,416.80
7. Yesterday Today Tomorrow - P10,682,902.35

Chairman Tolentino said the figures were "all-time high" with total accumulated gross of P636,792,509.57 compared to last festival year's P540,508,031.60.