Cathay Pacific scandal tops PH Google search

MANILA, Philippines - Cathay Pacific caught the attention of Internet-using Filipinos last week after 2 of its employees were caught in a set of photos apparently engaging in oral sex on board an aircraft, according to Google Philippines.

Data gathered by the local unit of the Internet search giant from August 12 to 18 showed that "Cathay Pacific scandal" was the fastest rising news topic in the country after the photos were published on the Internet and in Chinese-language daily newspapers last Sunday.

The 2 members of Cathay Pacific's cabin crew who were shown in the photos have left the company. It was not clear whether the pair were sacked or if they resigned voluntarily.

The incident has caused Cathay Pacific to review a marketing campaign that bills the airline as "the team who go the extra mile to make you feel special."

Other top news topics last week include "Vietnam flag" after the country marked its veterans' remembrance day; "47.110579,9.227568," a location on Google Street View that shows a mysterious figure in the sky; and the controversial "Kulo" exhibit at the Cultural Center of the Philippines which was recently closed down.

Below is the full list:

1. Cathay Pacific scandal
2. Vietnam flag
3. 47.110579,9.227568
4. Kulo exhibit
5. Final Destination 5
6. Dengue
7. Moves like Jagger
8. Smurf
9. Jetstar
10. DFA

Meanwhile, here are the country's fastest rising newsmakers from August 12 to 18:

1. Edgar Allan Guzman
2. Mideo Cruz
3. Paris Hilton
4. Kate Middleton
5. Barbie
6. Angry Birds
7. WWE
8. Starbucks
9. Rebecca Black
10. Solenn Heussaff

New Spider-Man is black teen from New York

NEW YORK - Spider-Man peeled his webbed mask back Wednesday to reveal a new face -- and it's black.

In a revolution for one of the most enduring characters in comic books, Marvel Comics introduced a revamped Spider-Man whose alter-ego is a mild-mannered half-black, half-Latino teen from New York.

The new Spidey is called Miles Morales and he lives in Brooklyn with his parents, at least when he's not in his famous red and blue costume and battling world evil.

The previous incarnation, Peter Parker, was white, an orphan and came from New York's borough of Queens. He was killed off in June during a fight with his nemesis Green Goblin.

"The superhero genre has been dominated by Caucasian (white) superheroes from Superman to Batman," Axel Alonso, Marvel's chief editor, told AFP.

"When Spider-Man peels back that mask, there will be a whole new demographic of kids who we'll be reaching on a new spiritual level."

Alonso said the idea of a black Spider-Man first came up when President Barack Obama, whose father was African, ran for the White House, becoming the first president with African-American roots.

But Marvel needed the right occasion to make the switch and that came when the story ended up in Peter Parker's death. "In order to kill Spider-Man, we needed to know who to put in his place," Alonso said.

The decision to go mixed-race rather than plain black -- like the Black Panther superhero in the early 1960s -- was also important.

Alonso said his own father is Mexican and his mother British, while Spidey writer Brian Michael Bendis is Jewish and has two adopted children from Africa. "So I know for him it was definitely personal," Alonso said.

Spider-Man is one of the most hallowed characters in superhero universe. In March, a copy of the inaugural 1962 comic book sold at auction for $1.1 million. Originally the comic sold to fans for just 12 cents.

In the inaugural adventure of the new Spider-Man, a slender Miles Morales takes on a fearsome thug called the Kangaroo, ultimately delivering justice, then climbing in spidery fashion up onto a New York rooftop where he pulls the mask from his sweating face.

Crowds gather to watch the fight, which leaves windows and one car wrecked as the neophyte superhero struggles to overcome the much larger Kangaroo.

There's no love from the public either, as bystanders accuse the blue-and-red suited stranger of wearing the dead superhero's costume "in terrible taste."

"I -- I thought you died," one says. "How is Spider-Man alive now?"

In the final frame, when Morales takes off the mask, there is no one there to see his surprising new face. "Maybe the costume is in bad taste," the heavy hearted-looking teen says to himself.

Long life is in the genes: study

WASHINGTON - Israeli researchers studied a population of Ashkenazi Jews who have lived to age 95 and older and found that their eating and lifestyle habits were no better than those of the general population.

In fact, men in the long-lived group drank slightly more and exercised less than their average counterparts, said the findings in the online edition of Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

"This study suggests that centenarians may possess additional longevity genes that help to buffer them against the harmful effects of an unhealthy lifestyle," said senior author Nir Barzilai, director of the Institute for Aging Research at Yeshiva University's Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

The study involved 477 Ashkenazi Jews aged 95-122 who were living independently. A total of 75% were women. All were enrolled in an ongoing study that aims to uncover the secrets to longevity.

Ashkenazi Jews were chosen because they are more "genetically uniform than other populations, making it easier to spot gene differences that are present," said the study.

Overall, the elder group had similar habits in terms of height-weight ratio, smoking, exercise level and diet as similarly matched people in the general population.

Data on comparison subjects came from 3,164 people who had been born around the same time as the centenarians and were examined between 1971 and 1975 while participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Twenty-four percent of long-living men drank alcohol daily, compared to 22% of the general population, while 43% of the older group exercised regularly compared to 57% of regular men.

While people in both groups were just as likely to be overweight, the longer-living group was less likely to reach higher levels of obesity. But researchers cautioned that the older set's secrets are not a good fit for most.

"Although this study demonstrates that centenarians can be obese, smoke and avoid exercise, those lifestyle habits are not good choices for most of us who do not have a family history of longevity," said Barzilai.

"We should watch our weight, avoid smoking and be sure to exercise, since these activities have been shown to have great health benefits for the general population, including a longer lifespan."

Pinay author breaks into US book market

MANILA, Philippines - Filipino mom Samantha Sotto wrote her first book, Before Ever After, to kill time while waiting for her son to come out of school.

After a year, she sent her story to literary agents abroad and eventually got a deal with Random House, one of biggest publishing houses in the world.

Before Ever After was launched in New York last August 2, and is available in North America through Barnes & Noble and across the globe through Amazon and iBooks.

Currently, the book ranks fourth in Amazon's "Hot New Releases in American Literature."

Bestselling authors in the US had nothing but good things to say about Sotto's first book.

"Before Ever After is one of those books that challenges the natural laws of fiction writing, but in a frisky and highly entertaining way," said Anne Fortier, New York Times bestselling author of Juliet.

"Exquisitely written and inventively told, Before Ever After is a beautiful, moving -- and quite fun -- exploration of what you think you know about your own life," said Melissa Senate, bestselling author of See Jane Date, The Love Goddess' Cooking School and other novels.

In an interview with The Philippine Star, Sotto said she is already "80% done" with her second novel.

She gave this advice to aspiring writers who dreams of being published by Random House: "Stop dreaming and pursue what you want. The amount of creative talent in this country is huge and there is absolutely nothing that is stopping us from showing the world what the Filipino can do."

Meanwhile, Sotto will be at the Philippine Consulate in New York on August 12 to sign copies of her first book.

Iconic artist Dali inspires chef to put up Spanish restaurant

Churros with warm chocolate sauce. Photo courtesy of Dali Restaurante y Bar de Tapas

MANILA, Philippines - There's much sophistication in Dali's art. Images of warped timepieces, forms with moustache--apparently self-portraits of the artist himself--seemingly random subjects contribute to the complexity and depth to the art's surrealism.

Chef Pia Herrera and her husband Jose are big fans of the Spanish artist. This is why they named their restaurant after him, to also lend authenticity to the place.

"Salvador Dali is a very iconic artist for Spain, so what better [choice is there] to be a figurehead for a restaurant? And he's always been a favorite of my husband and mine. And I think he represents the flavor and the drama of Spain," Chef Pia Herrera said on the "Taste Buds" segment of "Mornings @ ANC" recently.

Copies of Spanish artist Salvador Dali's paintings adorn the restaurant. Photo courtesy of Dali Restaurante y Bar de Tapas

True enough, that drama is evident in copies of Dali's works which are displayed prominently at Dali Restaurante y Bar de Tapas, lending atmosphere to the venue and character to what they serve.

The food is authentic Spanish, inspired by the many influences Chef Pia took from living with her parents in Europe, and driving around in a motor home during family vacations in Spain. She went to culinary school at the Center for Culinary Arts in Quezon City and continued in upstate New York where she refined her culinary skills.

Incidentally, one of their partners at Dali is no less than Don Pepe Rodriguez, director of Instituto Cervantes, who has become a consultant for the food they serve.

Classic Spanish cuisine

"We've decided to focus on classic Spanish cuisine rather than doing the fusion most Spanish restaurants seem to be doing nowadays. Our menu is made up mostly of the tapas and it's a fun way to eat. We have the croquetas in many different flavors: chicken, ham, tuna. Another best seller is dates wrapped in bacon, datilas con bacon. We offer many of the classics like lengua de Jerez and callos, arroz negra, paella valenciana, cochinillo--the Spanish version of the lechon," Chef Pia said.

Unlike other restaurants which use a cream based sauce, Dali uses a sherry-based sauce for its lengua con Jerez.

Tapas and paellas may be a staple of Spanish cuisine, but Spanish cooking also has its own artistic variations.

Pescado a la sal con salsa verde is fish encased in salt and baked in an oven.

Chef Pia showed us one of their best sellers: the pescado a la sal using fish that's in season.

"It's a whole fish encased in salt and we bake it in the oven. And it's pretty much steamed with the salt, so when it comes out, it's just running juices and it's very flavorful. We serve it with a very classic Spanish sauce, the salsa verde," Chef Pia said.

There's just a hint of salt, but all the flavors of the capers, and olives in the salsa verde do wonders for this dish.

Fusion drinks

Chef Pia noted that much of the innovation and fusion done in the restaurant plays out in their sangrias and wine cocktails.

"We've introduced some new flavors, a bit of Asian flavors, into some of our sangrias," she said.

Their Sangria Oriental, for instance, is concocted using basil, simple syrup and ice, guava juice, red wine, sangria, and sliced oranges, shaken and served with guava slices.

Soon, Dali hopes to open a deli outlet where they'll be marketing their homemade boquerones (pickled fish marinated in olive oil), salads, jamon serrano, chorizos and various cold cuts. They will also be retailing wines.

"We want this to be a total experience restaurant so we have many plans including our deli and wine retail. We are offering gourmet homemade ice cream. One of our showcase desserts are sangrias and churros con chocolate ice cream which they can even personalize.

"We plan to have our deli and wine retail area fully operational by the grand opening. We want to make ourselves a trademark name for Spanish food in Quezon City," said Chef Pia.

Dali Restaurante y Bar de Tapas is at 40 E. Lopez St. corner Sgt. Esguerra Avenue, South Triangle, Quezon City, tel. no. (632) 928-0971, e-mail: dalirestaurante@yahoo.com.

PESCADO A LA SAL CON SALSA VERDE
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:
water
500 grams lapu-lapu
1,000 grams rock salt
5 pcs. lemon

Procedure:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Clean the fish, remove gills and innards then place lemon slices inside and put on an oven tray.
3. Moisten rock salt with water until it resembles wet sand.
4. In a pan, place fish on a bed of rock salt and cover the fish entirely. Pat down firmly.
5. Broil the fish in the oven for around 20 to 30 minutes.
6. Remove the fish from the oven and carefully remove the top layer of salt crust.
7. Serve with salsa verde sauce and garnish with lemons.

Salsa Verde

Ingredients:
1 anchovy fillet
1 Tbsp capers
2 Tbsp green olives
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 lb garlic
1 lb lemon juice
1 tsp siling labuyo
1/2 cup parsley (chopped)

Procedure:
Put all ingredients in a blender to make a smooth sauce. Place in a bowl and serve with the fish.

Neil, Phil, Angel top PH searches last week: Yahoo!

MANILA, Philippines - Azkals goalkeeper Neil Etheridge, striker Phil Younghusband and the latter's rumored girlfriend, Angel Locsin, were top of mind for most Internet-using Filipinos last week.

Data from Yahoo! Philippines showed Etheridge is the country's most searched personality from July 4 to 10. He was seen crying after their win against the Sri Lanka Brave Reds on July 3.

The Fil-Brit goalkeeper also wore a shirt that showed a picture of him and his grandfather, who died weeks before the match.

Younghusband and Locsin, on the other hand, dominated the search logs last week after guests saw them cozying up to each other during the Azkals' victory party.

The striker even gave the actress a kiss.

"I'm happy to be with Angel and I'm happy she came to watch. It inspired me. I hope she will watch future matches," said Younghusband, who already asked Locsin to watch their next match in Kuwait on July 23.

Meanwhile, netizens reacted strongly to the removal of the Philippine rugby team's billboards along EDSA-Guadalupe last week.

The said billboards featured members of the team posing in colored underwear.

Other top Yahoo! searches last week include Australian pop singer Kylie Minogue who had a one-night concert in Manila last July 5; actress Emma Watson, whose last "Harry Potter" film premieres in the Philippines this week ; UAAP (University Athletic Association of the Philippines) Season 74, which kicked off last July 9; and former "Pinoy Big Brother" housemate Sam Pinto, who was voted as FHM Philippines' Sexiest Woman in the World this year.

Below is the full list of the most searched topics and personalities from July 4 to 10, according to Yahoo! Philippines:

1. Neil Etheridge
2. Angel Locsin and Phil Younghusband
3. Philippine Rugby Team
4. Kylie Minogue
5. Emma Watson
6. UAAP Season 74
7. Sam Pinto
8. Ruffa Gutierrez
9. Kim Chiu
10. Temptation Island

FHM sexy women grace 'M.U. Live's' slumber party

MANILA, Philippines - ABS-CBN’s "Music Uplate (M.U.) Live's" slumber party episode on Tuesday became sizzling hot as lingerie-clad "FHM" women guested on the late-night musical variety show.

FHM models Karen Bordador, Jacq Yu, Jef Gaitan and Cristine Marquez were a hit among the predominantly male audience.

Karen Bordador, Jacq Yu, Jef Gaitan and Cristine Marquez unabashedly teased and bantered with the male hosts, Tutti Caringal and Martin Concio, as well as gamely answered questions throughout the program.

The questions ranged from wholesome (e.g., their biggest celebrity crush, what do they look for in a guy) to double-meaning queries (e.g., does size matter, or what do they prefer, front seat or back seat).

Would they want their men wearing boxers, briefs or bathrobes? Yu responded boxers, Gaitan, briefs, while Marquez teased, “nothing underneath the bathrobe.”

Good boy or bad boy? Marquez said she prefers good boy, “clean cut [and] nicely dressed.” Yu is happy with “bad boy on the outside, good boy in the inside.” Gaitan, for her part, said, “Good boy. Minsan kaya niyang maging playful at bad.”

Yu and Gaitan ranked No. 54 and No. 48, respectively, on the list of "FHM" 100 Sexiest Women in the World 2011. Jamilla Obispo, who is No. 92 on the list, also graced the show.

More than their physical looks, the women also displayed their wits.

Bordador, for instance, said she finds it more flattering to be called intelligent and with a nice personality. “Looks, they die out. Brain, it gets you out there.”

She also goes for a guy who has confidence and can take care of her, said Bordador, who also got to grace the cover of "FHM" Singapore.

The sexy women gamely answered questions such as "What does sexy mean?"

When asked to define what sexy is, the model-singer said: “For me, ang sexy ay ang taong happy at sobrang ganda ng personality. Why? Well, kasi ang mga taong ganoon, hinahanap-hanap mo. Regardless kung anong look niya, kahit hindi mo siya type, magiging type mo siya.”

Yu, meantime, said a guy has to be loyal and patient and that he should respect her. Beyond the looks, she said she looks for chemistry and a good sense of humor in a guy. “If you’re going to be with someone for the rest of your life, then you got to be with someone who can make you laugh.”

1 in 3 consumers in PH access the Internet

MANILA, Philippines - One in 3 consumers--or 33 percent--have been accessing the Internet in the country, a report by the global insights and measurement company Nielsen revealed Tuesday.

This is 5 percentage points below the regional average for Southeast Asia (38%).

The report, a pre-release of data from the company's Southeast Asia Digital Consumer Report, also noted that for the Philippines, younger people are more likely to go online rather than older ones.

Among consumers in the country in the 15-19 age bracket, about two-thirds (65%) use the Internet. Of those in their 20s, close to half of them (48%) go online.

Of those in their 30s, only 24% access the Internet; those in their 40s, 13%; while only 4% of consumers in their 50s go online.

Where they go online

The report also said that in most of Southeast Asia, consumers accessed the Internet from home more.

In the Philippines, however, 74% of the users in the 15-19 age bracket go online at Internet cafes.

For users aged 30 and above, they access the Internet from home more, with 86% of users in their 50s going online at home.

Fifty-two percent of Filipinos have high-speed Internet connection in their computers at home, said the report, which will be available on September 30.

Going mobile

Some 24% of Filipino Internet users are said to go online daily using their mobile phone, and 56% intend to do so in the next 12 months.

"The sophisticated capabilities, ease of use and overall user experience provided by smartphones like the iPhone and Blackberry is changing the patterns of behavior of digital consumers," observed Jay Bautista, Managing Director of Nielsen's media business in the Philippines.

"The anytime, anywhere access to digital media that smartphones and other Internet devices affords is stimulating online media consumption and will be a significant driving force for increased Internet usage in the future."

Social media and buying habits

Social media is huge among Filipino online users, the report noted.

"In the Philippines, communicating via social media has now overtaken email to become the most popular form of online communication--over two-thirds of Filipino digital consumers (67%) have visited social networking sites, compared to 40% who use email," Nielsen said in a statement.

Social media is also drawing Filipino consumers to interact with companies and brands.

Nielsen said the country emerged the 2nd highest (75% of Filipino users do) in the number of people who "liked" or followed a brand, company, or celebrity on social networking sites.

Most of them also trust consumer opinions posted online (61% of users, which is 7 points above the regional average).

In making purchasing decisions, Filipino consumers also trust online product reviews and discussion forums, next to recommendations made by family and friends. About two-thirds (64%) of Filipinos accessing the Internet turn to social media before making decisions to buy a product or service.

"The rise of social media platforms has facilitated more ways for word of mouth communication to take place and this presents both opportunities and challenges for companies," noted Bautista.

"Filipinos are increasingly looking to their fellow Internet users for opinions and information about products, services and brands, and engagement with online word of mouth communication is going to increase in coming years as social media plays an increasingly important role in consumer decision making."

High salt + low potassium = early death: study

CHICAGO - Put down the salt shakers. Eating too much salt and too little potassium can increase the risk of death, US government researchers said on Monday.

The findings from a team at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are a counterpoint to a fiercely-debated study released last week that found no evidence that making small cuts in salt intake lowers the risk of heart disease and premature death.

"Salt is still bad for you," said Dr. Thomas Farley, Health Commissioner for New York City, which is leading a campaign to reduce salt in restaurant and packaged foods by 25% over five years.

Most health experts agree with Farley that consuming too much salt is not good for you and that cutting salt intake can reduce high blood pressure, which raises the risk of heart attack and stroke. Salt intake has been rising since the 1970s, with Americans consuming about twice the recommended daily limit.

The CDC study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, specifically focused on growing research that shows a diet high in salt and low in potassium is especially risky.

Farley, who wrote an editorial on the CDC study, said it is one of the best yet looking at the long-term effects of eating too much salt.

"It is entirely consistent with what we've said all along about sodium intake," Farley said in a telephone interview.

For the study, researchers looked at the long-term effects of sodium and potassium intake as part of a 15-year study of more than 12,000 people.

By the end of the study period, 2,270 of the study participants had died; 825 of these deaths were from heart disease and 433 were from blood clots and strokes.

Potassium is key

They found that people who had a high salt intake and a low potassium intake were most at risk.

"People who ate a diet high in sodium and low in potassium had a 50% increased risk of death from any cause, and about twice the risk of death -- or a 200% increase -- from a heart attack," said Dr. Elena Kuklina of the CDC who helped lead the study.

She said consumers need to increase the levels of potassium in their diet by adding more servings of fresh fruits and vegetables, such as spinach, grapes, carrots, sweet potatoes, and low fat milk and yogurt.

The Salt Institute, an industry group, challenged the findings, pointing out that the CDC study found that the link between salt intake and heart disease was statistically insignificant.

"This is a highly flawed publication that reveals more about the anti-salt agenda being pursued by the CDC than about any relationship between salt and health," said Mort Satin, the Salt Institute's Director of Science and Research.

"The only significance is between low potassium and mortality," Satin said in a statement.

Dr. Robert Briss, director of the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion at the CDC, said the findings support the general weight of evidence and suggests that higher doses of sodium are linked with poor health consequences.

And it suggests "that higher potassium may be better for you," Briss said in a telephone interview.

"About 90% of Americans consume more sodium than is recommended. This impacts their blood pressure," Briss said.

"Most of that sodium is not related to the salt shaker but it is in foods and especially processed and restaurant foods that we buy and order from restaurants. Consumers, even motivated ones, don't have as much choice as they could," he said.

Kuklina said potassium often counteracts the effects of salt in the diet. This equilibrium is affected when people eat highly processed foods, which tend to increase sodium levels and decrease potassium content.

"If sodium increases your high blood pressure, potassium decreases it. If sodium retains water, potassium helps you get rid of it," she said.

Instead of focusing only on salt, Kuklina said researchers should focus on the balance between potassium and salt.

"We need to strive to do both -- decrease your sodium intake and increase your potassium intake," she said.

'Creatures' ad campaign wins at Cannes festival

MANILA, Philippines - An advertising campaign dubbed "Creatures" won the Silver Lion for the Outdoor Category at the 2011 Cannes Festival of Creativity.

The campaign is for Boysen and it was done by the agency TBWA\Santiago Mangada Puno (TBWA\SMP).

The 2011 victory is a second for both Boysen and the agency in the said awards.

In a statement, the agency said the "Creatures" campaign used high-speed photography, premium Boysen paints, meticulous shot choice, and design craft. It is a sequel to the "Flowers" campaign of 2010, which also won many awards, among them a Bronze Lion at the Cannes Lions Festival.

Behind "Creatures" is the creative team led by Creative Director Jake Tesoro, with Copywriter Bryan Siy and Art Director Nolan Fabular.

The agency also said the campaign is consistent with Boysen's thrust toward caring for the environment.

The paint company is currently spearheading a large-scale art project on the busy EDSA highway [http://rp1.abs-cbnnews.com/lifestyle/04/29/11/artworks-soon-dot-edsa] using Knoxout, a paint product that reportedly breaks down air pollutants.

This project is dubbed EDSA or Everyone Deserves Safe Air. Under the project, EDSA's walls will feature giant art pieces by 7 artists and TBWA\SMP.