Wednesday, May 09, 2012

Vidal Sasson dies

Los Angeles (CNN) -- Vidal Sassoon, the legendary hairstylist, died of "apparent natural causes" at his Los Angeles home Wednesday morning, a Los Angeles police spokesman said. He was 84.
Police were called to Sassoon's Bel Air home on Mulholland Drive at 10:30 a.m., spokesman Kevin Maiberger said.
"When officers arrived, there were family members at the residence," Maiberger said.
Sassoon, a British native, spent several years as a young boy in a London orphanage after his father left and his mother could not afford to care for him.
Later, after his mother dreamed of her son being in a barbershop, she apprenticed him to a local barber. That began a career that saw him develop two classic hairstyles of the 1960s, the bob and the even shorter five-point cut, along with an eponymous hair care line, a range of hair care tools and a chain of salons.
source:http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/09/showbiz/vidal-sassoon-obit/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

Russian Plane Disappears in Indonesia

 source: 
http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/09/world/asia/indonesia-plane/index.html?hpt=hp_t2Jakarta, Indonesia (CNN) -- A Russian passenger airliner went missing Wednesday after it disappeared from radar screens over a mountainous region of Indonesia.
The Sukhoi Superjet 100, Russia's newest civilian airliner, was carrying 42 passengers and eight Russian crew members, said Sunaryo, an official with Sukhoi's Indonesian agent, Trimarga Rekatama.
However, the number was in dispute. The Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency said only 37 of the 42 invited passengers were on board. Russian state-run news agencies reported 44 people were on the plane.
The plane was on its second demonstration flight Wednesday when it lost contact with air controllers at Jakarta's Halim Perdanakusuma Airport.
"The first demonstration flight in the morning went smoothly," said Sunaryo, who uses only one name. "There were no problems."

Tuesday, May 08, 2012

Kinkade died of accidental overdose of alcohol and valium


Los Angeles (CNN) -- Artist Thomas Kinkade's death last month was from an accidental overdose of alcohol and Valium, according to the Santa Clara County, California, medical examiner.
Kinkade, 54, also suffered from hypertensive and atherosclerotic heart disease, said the autopsy report released Monday.
The report cited "acute ethanol and diazepam intoxication" as the cause of death and "accidental" as the manner of death.
Diazepam is a prescription anti-anxiety drug also known as Valium.
Kinkade, one of the most popular artists in America, painted more than 1,000 pieces on various topics, including cabins, nature scenes, seascapes and classic Americana.
Los Angeles (CNN) -- Artist Thomas Kinkade's death last month was from an accidental overdose of alcohol and Valium, according to the Santa Clara County, California, medical examiner.
Kinkade, 54, also suffered from hypertensive and atherosclerotic heart disease, said the autopsy report released Monday.
The report cited "acute ethanol and diazepam intoxication" as the cause of death and "accidental" as the manner of death.
Diazepam is a prescription anti-anxiety drug also known as Valium.
Kinkade, one of the most popular artists in America, painted more than 1,000 pieces on various topics, including cabins, nature scenes, seascapes and classic Americana.
Art from the self-described "painter of light," adorns many living rooms in America. It emphasizes simple pleasures and warm, positive images of idyllic cottages, lighthouses and colorful gardens.
"He had a rare ability to exude a sense of warmth, a transcendent light," said Robert Goodwin, who wrote the book "Points of Light: A Celebration of the American Spirit of Giving," with Kinkade.
"He had a great commitment to inspire others -- one who was nurtured in his early life by family and friends and church to really be an example of selfless acts of service," he said Saturday.
"My mission as an artist is to capture those special moments in life adorned with beauty and light," Kinkade said in a message on his website. "I work to create images that project a serene simplicity that can be appreciated and enjoyed by everyone. That's what I mean by sharing the light."
In 2006, the artist recalled one of his earliest lessons during an interview with CNN's Larry King.
"When I was a young boy, my mother told me, 'Your talents are God's gifts to you, and what you do with those talents are your gift to God,'" he said.

Art from the self-described "painter of light," adorns many living rooms in America. It emphasizes simple pleasures and warm, positive images of idyllic cottages, lighthouses and colorful gardens.
"He had a rare ability to exude a sense of warmth, a transcendent light," said Robert Goodwin, who wrote the book "Points of Light: A Celebration of the American Spirit of Giving," with Kinkade.
"He had a great commitment to inspire others -- one who was nurtured in his early life by family and friends and church to really be an example of selfless acts of service," he said Saturday.
"My mission as an artist is to capture those special moments in life adorned with beauty and light," Kinkade said in a message on his website. "I work to create images that project a serene simplicity that can be appreciated and enjoyed by everyone. That's what I mean by sharing the light."
In 2006, the artist recalled one of his earliest lessons during an interview with CNN's Larry King.
"When I was a young boy, my mother told me, 'Your talents are God's gifts to you, and what you do with those talents are your gift to God,'" he said.

Yahoo CEO Scott Thompson apologized

SAN FRANCISCO — Yahoo CEO Scott Thompson says he’s sorry for allowing an inaccuracy about his education to appear in his official bio, but not remorseful enough to heed calls for his resignation.

In a memo sent Monday to the troubled Internet company’s employees, Thompson apologized for the uproar caused by the misinformation. Yahoo Inc. provided a copy of the memo to The Associated Press.
The memo didn’t offer any explanation why Thompson’s bio has periodically listed a bachelor’s degree in computer science that he never received.
Thompson’s note of contrition came on the same day that an activist hedge fund that owns a 5.8 stake in Yahoo escalated its effort to oust the CEO for unethical conduct.
Yahoo’s board is investigating the circumstances that led to the exaggeration about Thompson’s education.



Monday, May 07, 2012

CIA Foiled US bound airliner attack


Officials said the plot involved a bomb with a design that upgraded the underwear bomb taken aboard a jetliner over Detroit on Christmas 2009. That explosive device failed to detonate.
The improved bomb had a more refined detonation mechanism, but was still intended to be hidden in a passenger's underwear. Officials told NBC News the device was "totally non-metallic," which would have made it more difficult to detect by traditional screening processes,


An official told NBC News no airlines were ever at risk. The plot was disrupted well before it threatened Americans or U.S. allies, the official added.
Counter-terror officials deem the thwarted plot a "success story," NBC News reported. The FBI said in a statement the successful operation was the "result of close cooperation with our security and intelligence partners overseas."
The FBI is currently in possession of the device and is conducting technical and forensics analyses on it, according to a statement released Monday. 

Saturday, May 05, 2012

Corruption over?

 source:http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/187763/aquino-tells-adb-corruption-over
Saying the days of corruption that flourished under Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo were over, President Aquino on Friday gave his word to international lenders that he would put to good use the money they would lend to the Philippines—and they could check this out later.
“You will continue to see results. You will continue to see a Philippines that is finally living up to its potential,” Mr. Aquino said in his speech that capped the annual meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) board of governors.
“We are prepared to follow through on our commitments, and you are by all means welcome to see if we’re living up to our word,” he declared.
“Investors and Filipinos alike see what is happening: Here is a country determined to turn the corner by instituting genuine, wide-ranging, meaningful reform, and acting on its belief that good governance is the bedrock of equitable progress,” the President said.
“We have had six positive ratings actions since we took over government a little less than two years ago—a stark contrast to the single upgrade and six downgrades in the nine years of the previous administration,” he added.

Thursday, May 03, 2012

Number of Poor Families on the rise- SWS


An estimated 11.1 million Filipino households considered themselves poor in March, up from 9.1 million households in December, a recent survey by Social Weather Stations found.
The results of the survey, first published in BusinessWorld, found 55 percent of respondents rating their households poor, 10 points higher than the 45 percent three months earlier.
Those who said they were poor in terms of food accounted for 45 percent, which translates to approximately 9.1 million families, a rise of nine points from the 36 percent or 7.2 million families recorded in the previous quarter.
The figures are the highest so far under the Aquino administration.

Vanessa Williams on Toddlers and Tiaras


Maybe now would be a good time for the folks behind "Toddlers & Tiaras" to wish for world peace. The controversial show is no stranger to coming under fire for its provocative presentation of young girls, having been slammed by everyone from JonBenet Ramsey's father to media outlets who've labeled its contestants as "prosti-tots."
But now, no less than former Miss America Vanessa Williams has come forward to criticize the show, and she's got some ugly things to say about "T&T's" treatment of its pretty little ladies ...

Wednesday, May 02, 2012

The Bucket List Baby Died


 The 6-month-old girl whose parents created a "bucket list" blog for their daughter after doctors said she would not live past age 2 died Monday, her father said.
Avery Lynn Canahuati, who was born in November with spinal muscular atrophy type 1, died of pulmonary complications related to the genetic disorder, Mike Canahuati said on the blog Tuesday.
"In short, one of her lungs collapsed and she went into cardiac arrest," said Canahuati, 31, of Bellaire, Texas. "I immediately performed CPR on her and was able to bring her back to life, but only for a brief period of time before she passed away shortly after arriving at the hospital.

Philippine Tourism Ads in CNN


MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Tourism’s “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” campaign takes off and goes international as its TV ads debut in one of the world’s premiere news cable channel, the CNN (Cable News Network), on Monday, April 30.
The announcement of its airing was made by DOT Sec. Ramon Jimenez Jr. himself on his Twitter account the same day.
“Gusto nating ipakita na talagang it's more fun in the Philippines. Kaya ang ginamit nating music, ginamit nating mga images, even the pacing of the music, and the timing, it's fun,” DOT Asec. Domingo Ramon Enerio III told “24 Oras” in a taped interview aired on Tuesday.
The 30-second ad features photos not only of the most popular tourist destinations in the country, but also of its people and things that are uniquely Filipino. The images used were shot by regular Filipinos, depicting variations of the “It’s more fun in the Philippines” slogan and flashed one after the other accompanied by an upbeat song in the background. Parts of it were reportedly sung by Apl.de.Ap, the Filipino-American member of the hip-hop group Black Eyed Peas.

Very Optimistic Prediction for Economy


Administration officials are optimistic that the Philippine economy will expand by 5 to 6 percent in 2012, higher than the 3.7-percent growth posted in 2011.
Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Cayetano W. Paderanga Jr. told reporters on the sidelines of the 45th Asian Development Bank governors’ annual meeting in Manila that the government’s expenditures program was getting on track and economic indicators were looking “good.”
ADB president Haruhiko Kuroda said the Philippines and its neighbors were poised to weather the effects of a mild recession in the Euro zone this year, but stressed the urgent need for member-countries to address the wide income inequality in their jurisdictions.
Kuroda said the crisis in the Euro zone was not expected to cause a significant drag on growth rates of Asian economies and on remittances that countries like the Philippines receive.
“We expect a rosier 5 to 6 percent GDP growth for 2012” not only because of “strong spending” but also because of the government’s “strong resolve on good governance,” Public Works Secretary Rogelio L. Singson said.
GDP or gross domestic product is the value of goods produced and services rendered in the country in a given period. It excludes remittances by overseas Filipino workers and earnings of Philippine firms abroad.
Singson enumerated other signs of economic improvement:
Good performance of the Philippine Stock Exchange which had seen more than 17 record closing highs since January.
A banking system that is “one of the healthiest in Southeast Asia.”

Tuesday, May 01, 2012

Bieber tweets love for Indonesia


JAKARTA - Canadian popstar Justin Bieber on Monday tweeted his love for Indonesia, after enraging fans in the world's fifth most populous nation by referring to it as "some random country".
"One rumor I wont stand for is saying what me and my fans have isnt real. Indonesia I see you. i love u. I love ALL MY FANS," a post on the official @justinbieber Twitter account said.
Fans in Indonesia -- a country of 240 million people with the third-largest Facebook community in the world and the fifth-biggest number of Twitter accounts -- were angered on hearing how Bieber had referred to their nation.
"I was in some random country," British tabloid Daily Mirror quoted the 18-year-old as saying last week, when explaining where one of his new tracks was produced.
His manager, Scott "Scooter" Braun, interjected and informed him it was produced in Indonesia, the report said.
Fans, or "Beliebers", in the Southeast Asian country, where he performed a sell-out concert in April last year, demanded the young star apologize. Bieber has a sizeable following in Indonesia, with nearly 20,000 followers on the Bieber Indonesia Twitter account and around 45,000 "likes" on the Justin Bieber Indonesia Facebook page.

Aquino government to spend millions for CNN ads


MANILA, Philippines - Close to $1.5 million or P63 million will be spent by the Aquino administration to support the Department of Tourism's current advertising effort on CNN.
DOT assistant secretary for tourism planning and promotions Domingo Ramon Enerio III, said “many agencies participated in the funding requirement” for the TV ads currently running on CNN.
These agencies, he said, include the Departments of Budget and Management, Finance, Trade and Industry and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
He declined to reveal the total budget outlay for the TV commercials, but said the ads "will run [on CNN] all the way up to August in the USA, Asia Pacific, and Europe/Middle East. But the concentration will be for this week in time with the ADB meeting and up to next week."