A Repost From AFP

Philippine Airlines cancels flights as pilots quit

AFP - Sunday, August 1

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Philippine airlines planes are parked on the tarmac of Manila international airport in May. The flag-carrier said it had to cancel several domestic and international flights after some of its pilots quit without giving enough notice.

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MANILA (AFP) - – Flag-carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) said Saturday it had to cancel several domestic and international flights after some of its pilots quit without giving enough notice.

Three flights to Hong Kong and at least eight domestic flights were cancelled after pilots left to join airlines abroad, PAL said in a statement.

"The indiscriminate resignation of the A320 pilots... is in violation of their contract with PAL as well as with pertinent government regulations that require resigning pilots to give PAL six months' notice," the statement said.

The airline said it would be filing "appropriate charges" against the pilots who still owe PAL for the cost of their training.

The statement did not say how many pilots had resigned or where they were going to work. Airline spokesmen could not be contacted for comment.

However sources in the PAL employees' union said the resignations were in reaction to a plan by the airline to lay off thousands of employees and outsource their positions.

Philippine President Benigno Aquino said the government was meeting with PAL management to arrange a new schedule to make up for the lost pilots.

He also said the transport and labour departments would be looking into the matter.

The local aviation sector has been embroiled in several controversies in recent months such as a shortage of air navigation equipment at Manila airport and growing labour unrest at PAL, the largest domestic carrier.

Reposted From AFP

A Repost From Sid Ventura Of Yahoo! Southeast Asia

Margarito not an easy opponent

By Sid Ventura – July 30th, 2010

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By Sid Ventura
Special to Yahoo! Southeast Asia

So it’s final: there will be no megafight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. for Manny Pacquiao, at least not this year. Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports wrote that Pacquiao is booked to fight Antonio Margarito on November 13 at a venue still to be determined.

If Pacquiao wins, he will annex the World Boxing Council (WBC) super middleweight title at 154 pounds, although boxingscene.com is reporting that the title match will be fought at a catchweight of 150 pounds. In an earlier blog, I had written that anything less than a Mayweather fight for Pacquiao would be a waste of everyone’s time, and I still believe this.

But since Mayweather’s camp won’t cooperate, we’re now stuck with Margarito, the Mexican fighter who was caught with a foreign substance in his hand wraps prior to his bout with Shane Mosley in January 2009. From a box-office standpoint, this is a big letdown. Everyone who’s even casually followed boxing wanted to see Pacquiao-Mayweather.

But from a boxing standpoint, Margarito isn’t gonna be easy pickings. Pacquiao will still be the prohibitive favorite, no doubt, but he likely won’t be as dominating as he was against Miguel Cotto. At 5’11″, Margarito will easily be Pacquiao’s tallest opponent ever, even taller than Oscar Dela Hoya. The Golden Boy was badly outclassed by Pacman, but it’s worth noting that he never went down. And aside from being taller, Margarito also has a six-inch reach advantage.

Pacquiao and Margarito have fought and defeated two common opponents: Cotto and Joshua Clottey. Both TKO’d Cotto in the latter rounds, Margarito in 11 and Pacquiao in 12. Cotto actually dominated Margarito early on, but the Mexican came back strong in the latter half, battering Cotto almost at will until the Puerto Rican just gave up and took a knee.

The manner by which Margarito turned the tide in that fight bordered on the incredible, and when those illegal substances were found in his hand wraps prior to the Mosley fight, not a few people openly questioned whether he also had this unfair advantage against Cotto. Nothing was ever proven, though.

This is why I’ve been harping on Bob Arum to arrange a rematch between Cotto and Margarito first. It would settle the issue once and for all.

Pacquiao, of course, also had his way with Cotto, knocking him down in the third and fourth rounds before Cotto’s corner threw in the towel in the 12th. After those twin knockdowns, Cotto got on his bicycle and backpedalled for the rest of the rounds until that fateful 12th.

Now, for their fights against the Ghanaian Clottey, whom they both defeated by unanimous decision, I noticed something unusual. For some reason, both Pacquiao and Margarito threw over a thousand punches. I guess there’s something about Clottey’s style that makes you want to try and hit him non-stop.

We all remember how Pac-Man threw an almost inhuman 1,231 punches against Clottey in their March 2010 fight, which comes out to around 100 per round or 33 per minute. I thought that was impressive, until I found out that the all-time record on CompuBox for one fight was 1,675 held by — you guessed it — Margarito. His opponent? None other than Clottey. That’s around 140 per round, or around 47 per minute. It should be noted, though, that Clottey hurt his hand in the fifth round, thus forcing him to be on defensive mode.

Of course, these stats don’t necessarily mean that Pacquiao-Margarito will be a non-stop punch-fest (although it would be great if they do). Yes, Clottey was injured against Margarito, but either way the Ghanaian is always such an inviting target because of his counter-punching style and tendency to cover up rather than attack.

Let’s make one thing clear, though: I think this fight is a waste of time for Pacquiao. It’s high-risk, low-reward. But since it’s practically a done deal already, then I say Manny should at least beat him in style and do what no other fighter has managed to do: knock out Margarito inside of six rounds.

Reposted From Sid Ventura Of Yahoo! Southeast Asia

A Repost From NaturalNews

Reduce Hypertension with Chocolate, Beets, Oats and Lavender

Wednesday, July 28, 2010 by: Melanie Grimes, citizen journalist
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(NaturalNews) Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure or HBP, affects more than 70 million Americans. High blood pressure causes damage to the blood vessels and eventually can lead to numerous side effects, such as heart disease, stroke or kidney failure, warns the American Heart Association. Home remedies can help lower blood pressure but should be undertaken with care, as hypertension is a serious medical condition.

Fiber Shown to Lower Blood Pressure
Adding fiber to the diet helps lower blood pressure, according to research reported in the Journal of Nutrition. It also reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. A good source of fiber is whole grains and vegetables. Oats are an excellent source of fiber as are apples and potatoes. Applesauce and oatmeal are easy to absorb forms of fiber that will help lower blood pressure.

Beet Root Juice Lowers Blood Pressure
Research reported in the Journal of Nutrition found that fiber lowered high blood pressure and reduced the risk of cardiovascular disease. In a study conducted at the Queen Mary University of London, participant's blood pressure lowered within 24 hours of consuming beetroot juice. Dosage used in the study was 250 ml.

Research Shows Dark Chocolate Lowers Blood Pressure
Dark chocolate lowers blood pressure, according to 15 studies published from 1955 to 2009 and reported in the British newspaper The Telegraph. Dark chocolate contains more of the nutrients that lower blood pressure. Research has shown that those who consume one chocolate bar a week reduce their risk of having a stroke by 22 percent.

Potassium Intake Lowers Blood Pressure
Potassium lowers blood pressure and can be found in many foods, especially in bananas. Other good sources of potassium include raisins and currants. The American Heart Association recommends 4,700 mg of potassium per day for those with high blood pressure. Lowering salt also helps balance potassium levels as sodium and potassium work together in the body. Add herbs to spice home cooked meals, instead of adding salt, and avoid canned foods, which contain high amounts of salt.

Lavender Oil Massage Lowers Blood Pressure
Researchers at Creighton University have found that a massage with lavender oil lowers blood pressure. The oil can be applied via massage or added to bath water. Also, dried lavender can be drunk as a tea or added to bath water to help lower blood pressure naturally. Lavender can be easily grown in a pot or a backyard garden for home health care.

Reposted From NaturalNews

A Repost From ABS-CBN News

Lovi Poe suprised with Singson's arrest, says manager

ABS-CBN - Tuesday, July 27

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Lovi Poe suprised with Singson's arrest, says manager

MANILA, Philippines – Actress Lovi Poe was shocked by reports that 1st District Ilocos Sur Rep. Ronald Singson was arrested in Hong Kong for possession of illegal drugs, her talent manager, Leo Dominguez, said.

Dominguez also admitted that although Poe, daughter of the late Fernando Poe Jr., is busy with her work, it is obvious that the young actress is worried.

The talent manager said Poe declined to issue an official statement because she has yet to learn the whole story of what happened to Singson.

Singson, son of Luis "Chavit" Singson, was arrested last July 11 at the Hong Kong International Airport for alleged drug offenses.

The elder Singson has admitted that the main reason his son decided to go abroad was due to his break-up with Poe on the night of Usher’s concert in Manila.

Poe, however, denied that Singson is her boyfriend.

The young Singson was charged with trafficking in dangerous drugs pursuant to the Hong Kong’s Dangerous Drug Ordinance at the Tsuen Wan Magistracy’s Courts.

Singson appeared in court with private counsel last July 22 and applied for bail.

Following the courts’ rejection of his application, the hearing of the case was adjourned to August 19.

Reposted From ABS-CBN News

A Repost From Thea Alberto Of Yahoo! Southeast Asia

Who wore what at the SONA

By Thea Alberto – July 26th, 2010

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By Thea Alberto, Yahoo! Southeast Asia

In his first State of the Nation Address, President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III sported a new haircut and wore a JC Buendia signature barong.

Aquino then broke tradition and entered the House of Representatives through the South Lounge instead of entering the main lobby.

His speech, majority of which was in Filipino, lasted for 36 minutes. It was applauded 34 times.

Who wore what

Former first lady Imelda Marcos, herself a fashion icon, wore a simplistic purple Filipiniana terno by Abel Iloco.

Neophyte lawmaker, Cavite Representative Lani Mercado was radiant in a baby pink terno, reportedly a Paul Cabral creation.

Leyte Representative Lucy Torres wore a powder blue Randy Ortiz Filipiniana, and paired it with stud diamond earrings.

Aquino sisters Ballsy, Pinky, and Viel all wore yellow traditional Filipiniana gowns.

Jinkee Pacquiao, wife of boxing king and Saranggani Representative Manny Pacquiao, was in an asymmetrical light peach terno.

Former lawmaker and losing Senatorial candidate Risa Hontiveros looked stunning in a white Joel Acebuche gown.

Senator Loren Legarda, who cut her hair short, wore a Malong matched with a Pinya-woven top.

Reposted From Thea Alberto Of Yahoo! Southeast Asia

A Repost From Kevin Iole Of Yahoo! Sports

Pacquiao to fight Margarito in November

By Kevin Iole, Yahoo! Sports Jul 23, 7:36 pm EDT

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You can follow Kevin Iole on Twitter at @KevinI

Manny Pacquiao will fight Antonio Margarito on Nov. 13 for a vacant super welterweight championship, either in Las Vegas if Margarito can get licensed or in Monterrey, Mexico, if he can’t, promoter Bob Arum said.

Manny Pacquiao's fight vs. Antonio Margarito (above) will likely take place in either Las Vegas or Monterrey, Mexico.
Reed Saxon, AP

That ends any possibility of a match between Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr., the top two boxers in the world, for 2010.

Arum said he decided to choose Margarito instead of Miguel Cotto, whom Pacquiao stopped in the 12th round in November, because it would be perceived as a more competitive bout. The bout will be offered on HBO Pay-Per-View.

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“Cotto was beaten and even with [Hall of Fame trainer] Emanuel Steward now with him, I don’t think people believe that it’s enough to make a difference and I’m not sure they would buy it as competitive,” Arum said by telephone from his vacation home in Los Angeles. “But putting aside the controversy about the wraps, the one thing you know for sure with a Margarito fight is that it will be a hell of a fight for however long it lasts.

“Margarito knows only one way to fight and that’s coming forward. They’re going to get in there and fight. That’s what people want to see.”

Margarito’s hand-wrap controversy is no minor matter, however. He was caught with a hardened substance in his knuckle pad prior to a Jan. 24, 2009, fight in California against Shane Mosley.

[Photos: Latest news in boxing]

He was forced to re-wrap his hands and was knocked out in the ninth round by Mosley. In February 2009, he was suspended for a year by the California State Athletic Commission.

He fought once since the Mosley fight, winning a lackluster unanimous decision over Roberto Garcia.

He applied for a license in Nevada on July 9, but by a 4-1 vote, the Nevada Athletic Commission tabled the matter and told Margarito to return to California. Arum said Margarito will file paperwork with California on Monday.

If Nevada grants Margarito a license, Arum said the fight would be in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. If not, it is all but certain to wind up at a 22,000-seat arena in Monterrey, Mexico, though a group from Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, is also bidding for the fight.

Skip Avansino, a member of the Nevada commission, said he thinks California regulators should consider it first, even though Margarito doesn’t plan to fight there. The California commission knows the matter best, Avansino said.

Avansino wasn’t willing to speculate what would occur if California were to decline taking up his request, given he doesn’t have a fight planned in the state.

“He certainly deserves a decision,” Avansino said. “I don’t know what procedures California will consider in connection with his reapplication. I would think that they would consider his application appropriately, just as we would, but I would want to wait until I see what California decides.”

Avansino said he wouldn’t be swayed by the huge economic impact the fight would have upon the depressed Las Vegas economy.

Pacquiao is a huge draw in Las Vegas and is one of the few boxers who attracts high-rolling Asian gamblers, who play $25,000-a-hand blackjack as well as baccarat. Las Vegas casinos had their best night in two years Nov. 14, 2009, when Pacquiao fought Cotto, because of the large influx of high-rollers who flooded Las Vegas, according to analysis by the Nevada Gaming Commission.

“I’m mindful of the economic conditions in the state of Nevada and I understand them well,” Avansino said. “I have every interest to improve and help improve the economy in this state. But as a commission, my responsibility is to protect the health and safety of those who compete in our state and to uphold the integrity of the sport. That’s my primary responsibility.”

The match would be for the World Boxing Council super welterweight championship. If Pacquiao wins it, it would be either the seventh or eighth division in which he has held a title, depending upon how it is calculated.

He has won sanctioning body titles at 112, 122, 130, 135, 140 and 147 pounds. At 126 pounds, he beat Marco Antonio Barrera, who was the linear champion. But Barrera had surrendered all of his sanctioning body titles by the time he fought Pacquiao, though he had not been beaten.

Reposted From Kevin Iole Of Yahoo! Sports