EMONG'S JOURNALS

There's a new Japanese restaurant in town, the Banzai Buffet at the SM by the Bay in the Mall of Asia complex in Pasay City.

Banzai Buffet Japanese restaurant with performing chefs, ninjas, sumo wrestlers

Just raring to see ninjas and sumo wrestlers to entertain you while dining? Well, there's this new buffet restaurant offering Japanese cuisine that might tickle your interest.

Tagged as “The Great Teppanyaki Theater,” Banzai can seat up to 500 guests inside its luxurious 1,300-square-meter chophouse of original Japanese food.

Banzai Buffet The Great Teppanyaki Theatre

Banzai’s buffet includes Japanese staples from salads to desserts, including live stations preparing favorites like tempura, takoyaki, tonkatsu, gyoza and ramen.

There are also Sushi, sashimi, and Teppanyaki as the highlight of the buffet.

Did I say early on that the place is a 1, 300 square-meter food joint? Here's a location map to help you navigate this huge restaurant while you're there, courtesy of popular food blogger Bubbly Fluffy.

Banzai Buffet The Great Teppanyaki Theatre map

And yes, before I forget, there's also this “trick art” gallery which has three large paintings for “selfie” addicts and fun pictorials. It's fun because you can wear their sumo fat-suit and Japanese head gears while posing by their artworks.

Banzai Buffet is owned by actor-businessman Marvin Agustin and his partners in the High Jap Group.

The restaurant will offer free lunch or dinner to mothers in a group of four, on May 11, Mother’s Day. Mothers may bring along their husband, children or other relatives to form their group of four. Only one mom per group may avail of the free buffet.

Banzai: The Great Teppanyaki Theater
Bldg. J, By the Bay, Seaside Boulevard
SM Mall of Asia
Pasay City (just beside the MOA Eye)

For reservations, call: 552-7368 / (+63) 922-8413859 / (+63) 906-387-3353.
For corporate bookings: (+63) 917-7067328

Prices:
Monday-Friday (Lunch (10:30am-2:30pm | Dinner (5:30-10:30pm) - P699 | P899
Saturday-Sunday/Holidays (Lunch/Dinner) - P1088

Buffet for kids
Children below 4.5ft - P499
Children below 3.5ft – Free
Left-over price – P1288

Check out their Facebook page for more details HERE.

7-Eleven, the number one convenience store chain, now offers “Chef Creations” rice meals, partnering with chef-artist Claude Tayag of the famous Bale Dutung restaurant in Pampanga.

7-Eleven to offer 'Chef Creations' rice meals

The rice meals, just perfect for people who are always on the go. come in plastic trays and are sold for less than P100.

Three of Tayag’s dishes will be sold in 7-Eleven branches starting May 7 – Pulled Pork with Adobo Dip, Pork Sinigang sa Kamias and Pakbet with Bagnet.

Tayag’s restaurant with his wife, Bale Dutung, rose to worldwide fame after he was featured in the Philippine episode of Anthony Bourdain's “No Reservations.”--Source: ABS-CBN News

What? An "Akin Lang Ang Asawa Ko" t-shirt?

Taking off from ABS-CBN's love triangle teleserye "The Legal Wife," these merchandise apparel is now available for avid fans to wear this summer.

Team Monica - Angel Locsin shows off 'The Legal Wife' t-shirts

The ABS-CBN Store has released “The Legal Wife” statement shirts following the immense popularity of the series among viewers in the Philippines and other parts of the globe.

The shirts, priced at P250 each, feature lines from the hit TV series as well as references to two of the main characters – Monica (Angel Locsin) and Nicole (Maja Salvador).

In a post on the Facebook page of “The Legal Wife,” Locsin is seen holding different shirts that bear the texts “Akin lang ang asawa ko,” “Team Monica” and “Taken,” among others.

Team Nicole - Maja Salvador shows off 'The Legal Wife' t-shirts

Salvador, who plays the role of the mistress, is seen showing shirts with the texts “Team Nicole,” “It’s complicated” and “Every night is an affair.”

The ABS-CBN Store is located at the ELJ Lobby at the ABS-CBN compound in Quezon City.--Source: ABS-CBN News

A freak accident again rocked the SM Mall management when a six-year-old boy fell from the second floor of the SM City Cebu Tuesday evening.

SM City Cebu security personnel cover the body of the boy with a black blanket while waiting for paramedics.

A SunStar report said Police Inspector Vincent Zozobrado of Mabolo Police Station identified the victim as Rhian Samuel Horca, 6, who slammed into a glass barrier and fell into the lower ground floor near the stage of SM City Cebu's food court. His mother, who was carrying things, tried to run after the boy, but failed to catch him.

Zozobrado said they responded to the area after receiving a call around 7 p.m. Tuesday.

The City's Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation (Eruf) initially conducted first aid and forwarded the child to Cebu Doctor's University Hospital.

In a phone interview with SunStar website, Rhian's father, Raul, said his family and SM City Cebu have already reached an agreement on the child's hospital bills.

Raul said his son needs to undergo a surgery for his injured jaw. He said the operation fee could range from P100,000 to P150,000.

The father added that he has no plans on filing a case against the management.

SM City's public relations manager, in a text message, said: "SM is assisting the boy's family in ensuring that all necessary tests and examinations are conducted to assess the boy's condition after the fall."

However, mall goers have expressed dismay on the incident and urged SM management to beef up on their security.

Just a few days ago, a teen boy fell to his death after falling off from SM Southmall in Las Pinas City.

Gear up for another party experience with the Tattoo Labor Day Weekend. Hosted by Republiq, the event is an opportunity to celebrate that well-deserved break with exhilarating parties amid the popular white sand beach of Boracay.

Republiq hosts Tattoo Labor Day Weekend in Boracay

Set to bring an electrifying energy to the EDM party experience are the spin-master Cedric Gervais on May 3 and Grammy-nominated producer-DJ Steve Aoki on May 4 all at the Epic Beach Front, Boracay.

“We’re just as excited as our customers for this upcoming party experience. Our parties are our way of giving our loyal customers the total Tattoo experience from the product down to the lifestyle. Coupled with the best products and services like consumable mobile Internet and a wide selection of tablet bundles, we give our customers a way for them to enjoy and maximize their surfing experience,” shares Globe VP for Tattoo Nomadic Broadband Business Dong Ronquillo.

Make your Labor Day weekend one for the books by sharing anything and everything exciting on your tablet as Tattoo makes sure you stay connected with the prepaid and postpaid tablet bundles. Upon purchase of these Tattoo products at the Globe store in Boracay, customers may receive up to three tickets for free, to the most happening weekend.

Get one free ticket for a purchase of a Tattoo Prepaid Mobile WiFi; two tickets for a Tattoo Postpaid Mobile WiFi or a Tattoo Prepaid Tablet bundle that comes with a Skyworth S73 or Cloudpad 705W with a free mobile WiFi device; and three tickets when you avail of a Tattoo Postpaid tablet offers with a free Mobile WiFi.

Create and share your Boracay party playlist with GoSURF and Spotify. GoSURF is the brand’s new consumable mobile Internet data plan. Register to GoSURF50 for P50 with 250MB of data for three days and free access to 30 million songs on Spotify. You even get one more additional ticket to the event with your subscription.

Present your proof of purchase and claim your tickets at the Tattoo Booth at Epic on May 3 and 4 from 12 noon to 12 a.m.

To know more about GoSurf and Spotify, visit www.globe.com.ph/surf/plan/gosurf. On Tattoo offers, log on to tattoo.globe.com.ph, visit any Globe store, or call 730-1010.--Source: Philstar

When a call center agent travels at precarious hours, she can- prior to boarding - text the information about the driver and vehicle to a databank. If something happens to her, the databank will forward the information to the cops.

Late night workers line up at a bus stop along Ayala Avenue, Makati City

The daily travails on the road experienced by workers in the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry, a sector that has swelled the number of late-night or predawn commuters in the metropolis, have led to a new initiative against abusive or criminal-minded drivers.

The Text for Safety project of the BPO Workers’ Association of the Philippines (BWAP) has opened a complaints hotline to help ensure that such drivers are caught and penalized.

Launched on the eve of Labor Day, the project is in partnership with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and technology provider Eacomm Corp.

“The purpose of Text for Safety is to assist workers traveling at night. There have been cases of call center agents becoming victims of robbery and sexual abuse. They often fall asleep while commuting because of fatigue, so we need to safeguard their welfare,” said BWAP president Ruben Torres, a former labor secretary.

“If you travel at precarious hours, you can text (the information about the driver and vehicle) to 0927-2927933. (The information) will be stored in a databank. If something happens to you, the BWAP will forward the information to LTFRB for immediate action and coordination with government agencies,” Torres added.

“If the driver is discourteous, if the bus is out of line or if the taxi driver is overcharging, send us the complaint and we will attend to the problem,” he added.

Marcelo Robosa, Eacomm chair and BWAP director for education, said that after sending the information, the complainant will get a confirmation text. BWAP could provide legal assistance for cases that would reach the courts, Robosa said.

Torres said that while BWAP’s primary concern is the safety of the more than 800,000 BPO workers nationwide, the service is available to all who regularly travel to work using public utility vehicles (PUVs) regulated by the LTFRB.

“’We are mandated… to ensure the convenience and safety of the people when they travel in the metropolis, hence this agreement is very timely and highly relevant to our road safety campaign,” LTFRB chair Winston Ginez said.

Eacomm will provide technical support for the project and will also offer Trip Barker, a phone application that provides route information around the Metro and allows users to share traffic and weather reports.

Trip Barker, a partner transit app of the Department of Transportation and Communications, can be downloaded for free on Android phones from Play Store. The app can recommend possible routes using PUVs as well as tell the distance to destination, fares and weather condition.--Source: Inquirer

If you want to eat at the top restaurant on the planet, you’ll have to fly across the world to Denmark.

But if you're in Asia and want to eat at one of the top 50 restaurants in the world, it takes only at least two to three hours plane ride to nearby Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand or Singapore.

Noma in Copenhagen has been named the best of the best, taking the No. 1 slot in the prestigious San Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurant Awards, produced by Restaurant magazine.

Of the 50 top restaurants, 28 are in Europe and 7 are in America, most of them nearby in New York.

Check out the list below to go get that meal in the world's top 50 restaurants:

1. Noma, Copenhagen, Denmark
2. El Celler de Can Roca, Girona, Spain
3. Osteria Francescana, Modena, Italy
4. Eleven Madison Park, New York, USA
5. Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, London, UK
6. Mugaritz, San Sebastián, Spain
7. D.O.M, Sao Paulo, Brazil
8. Arzak, San Sebastian, Spain
9. Alinea, Chicago, USA
10. The Ledbury, London, UK
11. Mirazur, Menton, France
12. Vendome, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
13. Nahm, Bangkok, Thailand
14. Narisawa, Tokyo, Japan
15. Central, Lima, Peru
16. Steirereck, Vienna, Austria
17. Gaggan, Bangkok, Thailand
18. Astrid y Gastón, Lima, Peru
19. Fäviken Järpen, Sweden
20. Pujol, Mexico City, Mexico
21. Le Bernardin, New York, USA
22. Vila Joya, Albufeira, Portugal
23. Restaurant Frantzén, Stockholm, Sweden
24. Amber, Hong Kong, China
25. L’Arpège, Paris, France
26. Azuermendi, Larrabetzu, Spain
27. Le Chateaubriand, Paris, France
28. Aqua, Wolfsburg, Germany
29. De Libreije, Zwolle, Netherlands
30. Per Se, New York, USA
31. L’Atelier Saint-Germain de Joël Robuchon, Paris, France
32. Attica, Melbourne, Australia
33. Nihonryori RyuGin, Tokyo, Japan
34. Asador Etxebarri, Atxondo, Spain
35. Martin Beragategui, San Sebastian, Spain
36. Mani, Sao Paolo, Brazil
37. Restaurant Andrew, Singapore
38. L’Astrance, Paris, France
39. Piazza Duomo, Alba, Italy
40. Daniel, New York, USA
41. Quique Dacosta, Denia, Spain
42. Geranium, Copenhagen, Denmark
43. Schloss Schauenstein, Furstenau, Switzerland
44. The French Laundry, Yountville, USA
45. Hof Van Cleve, Kruishoutem, Belgium
46. Le Calandre, Rubano, Italy
47. The Fat Duck, Bray, UK
48. The Test Kitchen, Cape Town, South Africa
49. Coi, San Francisco, USA
50. Waku Ghin, Singapore

--Source: Boston.com

A couple who were allegedly caught while in "scandalous" acts inside a car filed robbery charges against three Quezon City policemen for allegedly extorting money from them Tuesday night.

QC 'car scandal' couple files raps vs 3 cops

Rodolfo Eduardo Santiago, 22, reportedly a classmate of the son of Philippine National Police spokesman Chief Superintendent Theodore Ruben Sindac, and his 21-year-old female companion (identity temporarily withheld) were accompanied by the Quezon City Police District's Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (QCPD-CIDU) team when they filed the robbery charges against Police Officers 1 Ronaldo Englis, 39, and Roland Mansibang, 28, of the Galas police station Wednesday. The third cop, PO1 Christopher Lucky dela Peña, however, is still at large as of this post.

The inquest fiscal, Assistant City Prosecutor Nilda Ordono, however, downgraded the charge and recommended the filing of attempted robbery only against Mansibang, citing there were no actual transfer of money when the cops were arrested.

The fiscal dropped the robbery case filed against Englis and Dela Peña.

A separate case for drug possession was filed against Englis after a teabag of marijuana was found in his motorcycle. The complaint was also dropped as the drugs were not found in "plain view."

The QCPD said the three will also be facing administrative complaints for grave misconduct.

"Scandalous" acts, extort try

Based on Santiago’s complaint, he and his 21-year-old girlfriend were inside his car, which was parked on 8th Street in New Manila around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday when two policemen, later identified as Mansibang and Englis, knocked on the window, shining flashlights.

He was ordered to get out of the car and was asked for his driver’s license. Santiago claimed Mansibang threatened to charge him and his companion with public scandal for which the fine was P20,000.

“I asked him (Mansibang) how we would proceed from there, to which he responded that if we wished to avoid any public incident, and threatened that the media would be involved, we would have to pay that amount (P20,000),” Santiago said in his affidavit.

When the complainant told Mansibang that he did not have the money, the policeman allegedly asked him how much was in his wallet and when he replied P4,000, he was allegedly told to withdraw some money from an ATM. It was then that he started calling Sindac.

When Mansibang was told by Santiago that he was able to get in touch with the PNP spokesman, the policeman apparently thought it was a bluff and instructed the motorist and his girlfriend to proceed to the Greenhills Town Center on Granada Street in Barangay Valencia where they were met by several other policemen.

It was there that members of his family along with Sindac arrived. Sindac spoke to Mansibang, Englis and the other policemen and directed them all to report to the QCPD-CIDU.

The two policemen denied the extortion try and told the Inquirer that they were on patrol when they spotted members of the QCPD tactical motorcycle riders unit accosting a motorist.

“We never asked him (Santiago) for money. He was just turned over to us by the TMRU. We just happened to be there when General Sindac arrived,” Englis said.--Source: Inquirer

A candidate of this year's Miss Philippines Earth collapsed Wednesday night during the pageant's bikini competition held at Solaire Resort & Casino in Parañaque City.

Miss Philippines-Earth candidate Leslie Ann Pine

Filipino-American beauty Leslie Ann Pine, who is representing San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija, suddenly collapsed shortly after the competition's special awards ceremony just before midnight.

Fellow contestant Pircelyn Pialago, a close friend of Pine, told ABS-CBN News the the latter had been "depriving herself" of food after supposedly being put on "weight watch" leading up to the finals night on May 11.

The coronation night of Miss Philippines Earth will be held at the Mall of Asia Arena, and will be telecast on ABS-CBN.--Source: ABS-CBN News

Honda Cars Philippines Inc. launched the all-new Honda City at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.

Powered by the same yet improved version of the 1.5 liter i-VTEC engine, the car has a maximum power output of 120 ps at 6600 rpm. The 1.5 liter i-VTEC engine is mated to a new 5-speed Manual Transmission and developed under the Honda’s Earth Dreams Technology, new Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT with 7-speed paddle shifters). Power delivery down to all four wheels is smooth, and precise.

The City’s exterior concept is “sleek cross motion”, successfully unifying sleek front form and dynamic side form. It features a solid wing face harmonized with low front face, aerodynamic bumper design and clear-cut side panel; giving the All New City a stylish yet sporty look in every angle.

The new City retains its compact size yet it has taken Honda’s “man maximum, machine minimum’ design philosophy to a higher level. Step inside the City and one will experience an interior space that exceeds the class standard with generous head, shoulder and knee room, with a leg room that is comparable to some mid-size sedans and a top class trunk space. Matching the City’s advanced packaging is the application of the “layered floating cockpit” concept that is expressed through advanced and high quality textures that give a comfortable feeling.

The All-New City is offered in four variants with a 1.5 liter engine. The 1.5 E variant comes in two transmissions, Honda is now offering the 1.5 liter engine with manual transmission and with continuously variable transmission (CVT).

Complementing the All New City’s stylish exterior are advanced interior equipment. The E variants’ audio unit is packed with features with auxiliary port, USB, and first introduced in the All New City are audio streaming via blue tooth and Hands Free Telephone (HFT) function.

The E variant regardless of transmission is also equipped with safety features such as Dual Front Airbags, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), Seatbelt reminder and child seat anchors. In addition, the E CVT variant gets an upgrade to having a chrome grille, shark fin antenna and 4 audio speakers.

The all-new Honda City retail prices are set at P756,000 for the 1.5 E MT and P796,000 for the E CVT. --Source: Manila Standard Today

Getting too intimate with your girlfriend inside your car while in Quezon City? Go ahead, strip off your clothes and have sex with her. Sex inside cars are no longer a criminal offense in the city.

It's now ok to have sex inside cars in QC - PNP

A top official of the Quezon City Police District has declared legal for couples to have sexual intercourse inside private vehicles.

According to a report from ABS-CBN News, the city’s top police official, Chief Superintendent Richard Albano, has banned police officers from apprehending lovers in intimate acts inside their parked vehicles.

“That is not our priority. Our priority is the anti-crime campaign,” the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) director said yesterday.

Albano issued the directive to the QCPD’s 12 police station commanders to stop the night patrols of a few unscrupulous policemen.

Albano said intimate acts inside one’s car, even if the allegations were true, do not constitute a criminal offense.

“It is within the privacy of one’s car, so there is nothing alarming or scandalous in that,” the police general said.

This was after the arrest of two policemen from the Galas police station who allegedly tried to extort P20,000 from a couple allegedly having sex inside a parked car in New Manila on Tuesday night.

“I will personally hold all station commanders responsible for their men if another extortion incident happens like this again,” Albano said.

Police Officers 1 Ronaldo Englis, 39, and Ronald Mansibang, 28, have been administratively relieved from their duties following the incident.

Another one, PO1 Christopher Lucky Dee dela Peña, left his home and has gone into hiding, said QCPD Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit head Chief Inspector Rodel Marcelo.

The three policemen allegedly accused the couple of indecency.

Philippine National Police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Reuben Theodore Sindac, who is friends with the woman’s family, went to the couple’s rescue.

So, next time (whether you're a relative of a top PNP officer or not), - if you're somewhere in Metro Manila and suddenly got horny with your partner, all you have to do is to go to Quezon City, park your car anywhere and feel free to do it.

Do you have a pet Labrador? Take pride and rejoice - you have the most fashionable dog in the planet, according to a new survey.

Labradors, Dalmatians are the most fashionable dogs

Having a dog is a life choice, but it is also a style statement, according to a recent survey of the most fashionable pooches to own.

Labradors make the most fashionable canine companions, according to a survey carried out by exclusive luxury website VeryFirstTo. Mary-Kate Olsen and Anne Hathaway are just a few of the style-setters who have been photographed with their Labs.

Golden Retrievers came second place, with stylishly monochrome Dalmatians just behind in third position.

Fourth and fifth place went to Miniature Schnauzers and Yorkshire Terriers, both of which are dainty enough to fit in your favorite tote. Similarly, West Highland Terriers and Boston Terriers came sixth and seventh.

The perm might be out for humans, but Poodles are the eighth most fashionable pooch to be seen with, according to the survey, conducted among 2164 members of VeryFirstTo around the world. Somewhat sturdier Staffordshire Bull Terriers came in ninth, while cute Chihuahuas rounded off the list at number 10.

There's bad news for Dandie Dinmont Terrier owners, as the survey revealed the breed to be the least fashionable dog to own, followed by the Norwegian Lundehund and the Otterhound.

The survey comes as the luxury website, in association with Italy-based online luxury retailer Forzieri, launches the ‘pawbag' -- miniature versions of designer handbags for dogs which are exact replicas of the owner's chosen bag from a range of partner brands. Destined to make even the most fashionable dogs more fetch.

Prices for the bag packages, which include the owner's bag and the replica version, range from US$507 to $5,119.--Source: CTV News

Twitter is reportedly testing a new feature which could allow users to selectively "mute" Tweets from accounts they are following.

#i-can't-hear-you

Twitter developing 'mute module' to silence 'bashers'

According to user reports first spotted by The Verge, some users of the official mobile Twitter client app have been given the option to mute people on their feed, preventing those Tweets from appearing while continuing to follow the muted user.

Such a feature would no doubt prove useful for discretely distancing oneself from certain accounts and followers without running the risk of otherwise damaging personal or professional relationships by more visible means.

Currently Twitter's method for silencing those whose Tweets you have tired of is to use the unfollow or block functions. A mute option would provide a less-severe way to hide Tweets while maintaining both a follow and the ability to have direct-message conversations.

The company is yet to provide any official word on the feature and when it could be widely available to other users. A quick check among the mobile devices on hand here at Vulture Annex was unable to spot a mute feature.

Regardless of its eventual introduction to the unwashed masses, buzz about the possible new feature will be a welcome distraction from what has otherwise been a rough week for Twitter. On Tuesday the firm saw its stock price take a beating after a disappointing financial quarter stoked fears that the Twitter platform was seeing its popularity begin to wane. The quarter saw the company post a whopping $0.00 earnings per share, while timeline views were found to have dropped over last year.

Meanwhile, rival social apps continue to put pressure on Twitter as apps such as Snapchat have grown so popular that their updates are enough to cause chaos in US classrooms. --Source: The Register

The first case of MERS-CoV, a dangerous respiratory virus that originated in the Middle East and has a high death rate, has been confirmed in the United States, officials said Friday.

The person infected with Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is a health care provider who had travelled to Riyadh for work, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

The name, gender and location of the patient were not disclosed. ‘New diseases can be just a plane ride away,’ Anne Schuchat, director of CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, told reporters. The patient is being cared for in an Indiana hospital and is ‘isolated in stable condition,’ said Schuchat, adding that lab tests confirmed the infection Friday.

There is no cure for MERS-CoV, no medicine for treating it and no vaccine to prevent it. The virus causes fever, breathing difficulties and can lead to pneumonia and death in some patients. According to the CDC, 401 people in 12 countries have been confirmed to have MERS-CoV, including the US patient. The latest death toll announced by Saudi health authorities is 107. Some cases have spread among family members and in a hospital setting, but sustained transmission among the general public is rare, the CDC said.

Officials are trying to track down people who were near the patient, who on April 24 flew by plane from Riyadh to London, and then flew to Chicago, Illinois, where the patient boarded a public bus to Indiana. However, the CDC declined to make public the name of the airline or any other details about the person's trip, and said that the Department of Homeland Security was working on locating people who traveled near the patient.--Source: The Nation

Popular sports stars, with the likes of Sochi skater Michael Martinez and the Teng brothers, will grace the 2014 Palarong Pambansa at the newly refurbished Laguna Sports Complex set to kick off today, together with more than 11,000 athletes from 17 regions.

Sports superstars at the Palarong Pambansa 2014 in Laguna

People's Champ Manny Pacquiao will also anchor the ceremonial torch relay that will be participated by Sochi Winter Olympics figure skater Michael Martinez, former national swimmer and television actor Enchong Dee, basketball star James Yap and Jericho Estregan, son of Gov. Ejercito-Estregan who is the team captain of La Salle’s track squad.

Television hosts Dyan Castillejo and Ginger Conejero and cage brothers Jeric and Jeron Teng serve as hosts in the opening ceremonies that will be preceded by a colorful land float parade, opening of trade fair and parade of athletes at the Laguna Sports Complex Track Oval.

At stake in the week-long competition has 229 medals (88 golds, 88 silvers and 113 bronzes) in the secondary boys’ level, 275 medals (85-85-105) in the secondary girls, 221 medals (68-68-85) in the elementary boys and 230 medals (71-71-88) in the elementary girls’ division.

The bulk of the mints will come from centerpiece athletics, which will give out 34 golds in the high school division and another 30 in the elementary section while swimming will stake 30 in elementary and the same number in secondary.

Other big sources of golds are: swimming (60), taekwondo (36), gymnastics (34), arnis (28), badminton (16), chess (16), archery (16) and tennis (12), while the other events in the PLDT Home DSL-backed meet are boxing, baseball, softball, basketball, football, sepak takraw, table tennis and volleyball.

This annual grassroots multi-sport event will officially open tomorrow in a grand ceremony to be highlighted by parade of colors of all participating regions including host Calabarzon and the presence of Filipino boxing icon and Sarangani Congressman Manny Pacquiao and former President and current Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada.

Technical Education and Skills Developmnent Administration (Tesda) chairman Joel Villanueva will also give an inspirational message to athletes aspiring to become future national team members.

It also marked the first time that the games will go high-tech as Laguna Governor Jorge E.R. Ejercito Estregan and PLDT Vice President Gary Dujali recently signed an agreement making PLDT Home Broadband as major sponsor of the event.

PLDT Home Broadband will not only provide telecommunication facilities and wi-fi connections to some areas including the main hub but will also livestream some games in all SM malls in the province.

“We’re promising nothing but a great, memorable opening ceremony,” said Ejercito during last night’s Governor’s night.

Hosting the event for the first time, Laguna renovated all 16 venues, including the 1,500-seater grandstand, rubberized tartan track oval, football pitch, softball and baseball diamonds, archery and rifle range, air-conditioned basketball gym and an Olympic-size swimming pool boasting of a 2,500 seating capacity.

It will house athletes and technical officials in 37 public schools in Famy, Pila, Liliw, Los Banos, Nagcarlan, Magdalena, Pangil, Victoria and Pagsanjan.--Source: Manila Bulletin

Already bought a pair of Google Glass for a hefty $1500 fee?

Up until April 15, Google Glass was only made available to chosen Explorer wearers who could afford to pay the $1500 fee. However, on April 15, Google opened the Explorer doors to the public, and unsurprisingly ran out of Explorer "seats" in just 12 hours. These consumers also paid $1500 for the specs.

Google Glass sold for $1500 only costs $80 in parts

So what if we told you that the total cost of the hardware provided for Google Glass was only $79.78? That's what teardown.com estimates, reporting that the display and glass only cost Google $3.00 and the battery only $1.14. The most expensive component is the Texas Instruments OMAP 4430 SoC, costing Google $13.96, followed by a non-electric component and "other" parts.

In addition to the TI OMAP processor, Google Glass also features a display with a 640 x 360 resolution, a 570 mAh battery, a 5MP camera, 1 GB of DDR2 SDRAM, and 16 GB of internal storage. Connectivity and sensors include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, an accelerometer, a compass and a gyroscope.

The chart shows that the camera costs Google $5.66, the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth $10.79, and the NAND $8.18. The SDRAM only costs $4.68 and the power management/audio costs $3.52. The site points out that the numbers are "an estimate only since the device has not been fully analyzed - final estimate is expected to be different."

The thing to keep in mind is that hardware isn't the only cost. Google has presumably dumped loads of money into research and development at its Google X lab. There's a dedicated team that includes engineers and designers who require a paycheck. Let's not forget branding and the actual manufacturing, which requires Google to assemble a highly sophisticated form factor that presents a tiny screen in front of your eye.

So the question is this: Is $1500 too much given the current estimate? A Google spokesperson told The Wall Street Journal that the estimate is "absolutely wrong," and declined to provide any additional information.--Source: Tom's Hardware

Actress/TV host Toni Gonzaga on Sunday denied accusations that the "Pinoy Big Brother All in 1" auditions were scripted, amid widespread speculations that the reality show allegedly rigged their selection process.

#PBBScripted - Toni Gonzaga denies rumors

This she said during an interview in ABS-CBN's "Buzz ng Bayan":

Toni Gonzaga

“Definitely nag-audition. Sa Araneta may nakuha silang tatlo, sabi ni Direk Lauren (Dyogi). Tapos sa ibang bahagi ng Pilipinas, may nakuha din sila,”

“Sanay na kami sa ‘PBB.’ Season 1 pa lang, wala pang social media noon, sangkaterbang e-mail na ang nakuha namin noon na scripted, haters, bashers. Pero I love the environment here sa ‘PBB’ because we welcome all of it. We welcome all of them. Lalo na ngayon, ‘All In.’ Okay lang sa amin lahat dito 'yun,”

“Kasi even if they bash the show, even if they say a lot of things about the show, interested pa rin naman sila manood kahit paano,”

“Nagpapasalamat tayo sa ating mga Kapamilya na tumutok, nag-abang at na-miss ang ‘PBB.’ Maraming salamat po sa mainit na pagtanggap at sa ratings po na nakukuha namin every night.”

Accusations that the "Pinoy Big Brother" program was faking auditions have been hounding the reality show since its pilot episode, with some sectors saying most of the contestants did not audition at all, but were hand-picked by influential figures of the show.

Is there anything cooler than wearing a pair of galactic Star Wars-themed sneakers from Vans?

Vans unveils limited edition Star Wars-themed shoes

America's favorite footwear launched a collaboration between the skate shoe brand’s premium "Vault by Vans" line and the Star Wars movies.

The limited edition “Vault by Vans x Star Wars” shoes feature vintage 1980s prints of the Star Wars saga, like Darth Vader, the Stormtrooper, Imperial AT-AT Walkers and the famous Jedi lightsaber.

The sneakers will be available starting June 1.

This is how you always win at "Jak-en-Poy" or the rock-paper-scissors game at least 90% of the time.

REVEALED - How to always win at 'Jak-en-Poy' (rock-paper-scissors)

The game of "Jak-en-Poy" or "rock-paper-scissors" is supposed to be based entirely by chance, meaning victories should be split 50/50 between two players. But a new study from researchers at Zhejiang University in China says that’s not the case at all. In fact, if two people keep on playing rock-paper-scissors it’s most likely that one will gain a distinct advantage over the other.

In their study, 360 participants played 300 rounds of rock-paper-scissors, and winners or each round were paid a small cash prize. What they found was that the player who won the first round was more likely to win rounds going forward. So does that mean that if you lose the first round you’re also doomed to lose at two out of three? Not exactly.

Researchers found that when a player lost, they were more likely to choose the winning option from that round as their next play – for instance, if they lost by playing “rock” they were more likely to chose “paper” next time. This type of behavior flies in the face of commonly accepted game theory, which suggests players should try to keep their moves random, but researchers say this type of response might be hard-wired into the human brain, whether it fits game theory or not. It’s not as though you can’t consciously decide to make a different play; but it does mean your brain will probably latch onto the type of pattern more readily. And that can make players predictable, and therefore easier to beat.

So how to game the system and win at Jak-en-Poy (rock-paper-scissors)? Well, you could try taking advantage of this tendency – either by predicting your opponent’s moves or by mixing up your own. And if that doesn’t work, focus instead on making your own moves as random as possible. It maybe won’t win you the game, but it will keep you from getting stuck in a losing pattern.--Source: Bustle

The mugshots of model Deniece Cornejo were released by the Philippine National Police, hours before she personally surrendered at Camp Crame, Quezon City Monday morning.

Her surrender came weeks after a warrant of arrest was issued against her for serious illegal detention in connection with the mauling of actor and TV host Vhong Navarro.

Serious illegal detention is a non-bailable offense.

Her two other co-accused, businessman Cedric Lee and Simeon "Zimmer" Raz, Jr., were earlier captured by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Samar last week.