CNN-PH cameraman shot dead

 

The Philippines once again proved to be a very dangerous place for journalists after a cameraman of CNN Philippines was shot dead in Imus, Cavite while on his way to work early Thursday.

The Cavite police identified the victim as Jonathan Olden, 29, who was shot several times by still unidentified gunmen around 5:15 a.m., according to a report by the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Sr. Supt. Jonnel Estomo, Cavite Police provincial director, told media via text message that Olden was killed along Bukaneg Street in Barangay (village) Pinagbuklod.

“After the incident, the suspect/s fled to unknown direction together with the weapon used,” said the police officer.

Olden was assigned to cover the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals and the Department of Justice offices in Manila.

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Image by MetroCebu.com

Alaska intentionally dropped game?

Angry fans of the Alaska team in the pro basketball league PBA took to Twitter Wednesday to denounce what some of them say was an intentionally dropped game by Alaska to avoid meeting grand-slam champion Purefoods in the semifinals.

In a report by GMA News, Alaska head coach Alex Compton claimed they did not lose on purpose and that he made the “in-game” decision to give more minutes to their second and third stringers while some of his starters saw extended time on the bench.

Globalport beat Alaska in overtime thereby denying Purefoods outright entry into the semifinals and a twice-to-beat edge at that.  

"Romeo's [Travis] knee was hurting so I had to rest him in the second half," head coach Alex Compton explained to reporters after the game. "Am I gonna run my import into injury in this game, or try to be smart?"

Compton also said that star player Calvin Abueva hurt his ankle during the game, while starting point guard JVee Casio was coming off various injuries and could use a little break, said GMA in its report. "We just had to rest some guys," Compton added. -end-

Image by Alaska Aces

Grace is top VP choice too

 

It seems Senator Grace Poe would soon be singing Innie, Minnie, Miny Mo to choose between running for President or Vice President in the 2016 elections. However, it may be a no-brainer choice for the adopted daughter of former presidential candidate and late actor Fernando Poe, Jr. because if the presidency beckons, why choose to run for vice president?

This as Poe emerged as the top choice for the vice presidency according to a survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) released today (June 23). Earlier, the senator dislodged VP Jejomar Binay as the top choice in the presidential derby in both the SWS and Pulse Asia surveys.

Nonetheless, the latest SWS survey should give Poe pause because her rating actually decreased from 26 percent in March to 21 percent in June. She was followed by Interior Secretary Mar Roxas (12 percent), and Sen. Chiz Escudero and Binay (each with 7 percent).

The SWS VP survey raises eyebrows somehow because of Binay being tied for third and fourth with Escudero despite being a leading presidential candidate according to the presidential surveys. In fact, Poe’s lead over him is within the surveys’ margin of errors. -end-

Image by Interaksyon

How about a Patch for Diabetics?

An experimental insulin needle patch may soon be offered in the market to automatically deliver doses of insulin to people with diabetes, according to a report by the French news agency AFP.

Trials have already been conducted on people and insulin patch has been shown to work thereby offering a “less  painful alternative for people who must otherwise use needles to inject themselves with insulin, said AFP.

University of North Carolina and North Carolina State researchers described the product as “the first smart insulin patch that can detect increases in blood sugar levels and secrete doses of insulin into the bloodstream whenever needed.”

About the size of a penny, the patch contains more than 100 tiny needles, each about as big as an eyelash, according to the study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Each microneedle contains “microscopic storage units for insulin and glucose-sensing enzymes that rapidly release their cargo when blood sugar levels get too high,” said the study.

Mice that were injected with insulin saw blood sugar levels return to normal, but they required another shot sooner than the patch-wearing lab animals.

“If we can get these patches to work in people, it will be a game-changer,” said John Buse, co-senior author and director of the UNC Diabetes Care Center.  Diabetes affects more than 387 million people worldwide. –End-

Image by: Diabeteshealth.com

Phil unimpressed with Lebron

Short of saying Lebron James is no Michael Jordan, Hall of Fame coach Phil Jackson says the star of the Cleveland Cavaliers is a clear example of how basketball has devolved to a game lacking in “structure” and “discipline.”

And the way Jackson, who coached the multi-titled Chicago Bulls of Jordan before leading the Los Angeles Lakers to several titles, puts it in an interview with the Bleacher Report, one may ask if Lebron knows how to play basketball at all.

Four Most Valuable Player (MVP) titles or not, Lebron’s game is basically flawed, according to Jackson, in the most elemental way. In short, Lebron travels a lot with the ball, a cardinal sin for anyone playing professional basketball especially at the very apex of the game, the NBA.

“I watch LeBron James, for example. He might [travel] every other time he catches the basketball if he’s off the ball. He catches the ball, moves both his feet. You see it happen all the time,” said Jackson.

“There’s no structure, there’s no discipline, there’s no ‘How do we play this game’ type of attitude…. It struck me: How can we get so far away from the real truth of what we’re trying to do?”

In a nutshell, Jackson says Lebron hogs the ball too much with four of his teammates on the court simply watching him score for the team. –End-

Image by: wn.com

Rice from Vietnam

The National Food Authority Council will award the contract for the supply of 100,000 metric tons of long grain white rice 25% brokens to Vietnam based on their revised offer of US $416.85/MT under the Government-to-Government Procurement Scheme. The NFA Committee on Government-to-Government Procurement (CGGP) rejected the initial offers from participating countries which was way above the government’s price reference of US$408.14/MT during the initial bidding on June 16, 2015.

Cambodia’s revised offer was US$455.50/MT while Thailand declined to submit a revised offer. The 100,000 MT is part of the 250,000 metric tons approved by the NFA Council for importation through the recommendation of the Food Security Committee in preparation for the lean season when supply of rice is traditionally low and prices are high. NFA has to maintain a 30-day buffer requirement beginning the lean month of July.

Vietnam was also awarded for the supply of 150,000 MT, 25% brokens well-milled long grain rice made earlier. The shipment is expected to arrive in the country by August 15, 2015.

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Image by www.bilaterals.org

Is he innocent?

Thus proclaimed the Filipino nurse convicted in the United Kingdom of murdering two patients and causing serious harm to 20 others at a Greater Manchester hospital. The convict, Victorino Chua, is appealing his 35-year prison sentence, according to his lawyer Jeremy Moore.

“While I respect the jury’s integrity and good faith, (the verdicts) are not in accordance with the truth of the matter,” said Chua, married with two children. “I am completely innocent of any wrong-doing.”

Chua was found guilty of injecting insulin in intravenous fluid bags and medicine ampoules which were unwittingly used by his fellow nurses on patients who did not need insulin doses. His counsel based the appeal on the ground that the  trial judge allegedly made incorrect rulings. -end-

Image by Daily Star UK