OFFBEAT MAIL

Coca-Cola (Japan) Co., Ltd., together with Fuji Electric Retail Systems Co., Ltd. announced on June 27 they have succeeded in developing the "A011" peak-shift vending machine. This vending machine, developed as part of the "Apollo" ultra-energy-saving vending machine development project, can operate without using power for cooling for up to 16 hours per day. The A011 vending machine will be field-tested beginning on July 2. The successfully developed A011 peak-shift vending machine "shifts" use of power for cooling from the usual "peak" midday times to the nighttime, when there is relative surplus power capacity. In conventional vending machines , the temperature in the machine would rise slowly if cooling was stopped for long periods of time since only a portion of the products stored inside of it were cooled in response to sales in order to limit electricity consumed. However, in the peak-shift vending machine, "A011...

Baker Atyani A Jordanian journalist identified as Baker Atyani, along with two of his Filipino crew, was kidnapped in Sulu. Was it a frame up kidnapping scenario or not? Nobody knows yet as negotiations are on-going to find out if he was really kidnapped. According to reports, Atyani came to the Philippines as a tourist.  Interior and local government Secretary Jesse Robredo said Atyani did not secure a working permit from the Bureau of Immigration before he went to Mindanao. His main objective in going to Sulu was allegedly to interview ranking members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the terrorist group Abu Sayyaf that is notorious for kidnap for ransom activities. However, there's a mystery in Atyani's visit to southern Philippines. Observations surfaced that Atyani may have other motives aside from his being a journalist why he visited Sulu. Political observers have thought that he could have been used as a courier to bring an important messag...

Millions of people in Asia and the Pacific could have access to clean water if leaks were plugged and water utility reforms adopted, says a new study by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). “While Asia and the Pacific is increasingly facing a major water crisis, we see unacceptable levels of water being lost through leaks and inefficiencies,” said Bindu Lohani, ADB’s Vice President for Knowledge Management and Sustainable Development. “By cutting the amount of lost water in half, 150 million people could be supplied with treated water.” ADB estimates that 29 billion cubic meters of water is lost each year in the region – enough to fill more than 11 million Olympic-sized swimming pools – causing Asia’s water utilities to lose more than $9 billion in revenue each year. By examining eight of the best-performing water utilities in Asia, Good Practices in Urban Water Management concludes that a low rate of unaccounted for water (UFW) is critical for ef...

School children in class. The question as to whether quality education still persists in the Philippines? With the advent of globalization, it seems developing countries were forced to adapt to new strategies and public policies that are attuned to the needs of a globalized economy. Under the leadership of a U.S.-educated President Benigno Aquino III, the Philippines has geared up to introduce a new educational system that may have been in the shelves for long while. And it is only now that education officials have thought about of polishing it in order to be attuned to the present economic demands. The Philippines is left without any choice but to succumb to the calls of a globalized economy. Perhaps, government officials have thought it wise that it is about time that the present educational system be upgraded so that it could respond to the requirements of the international markets. They might have thought that Filipino professionals were left behind in so far as the standards o...

Pres. Aquino with MILF officials. The stalled peace negotiations between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) may breed contempt. Over the years, attempts by the government to put an end to the atrocities in Mindanao, especially in areas where the MILF groups are encamped, have failed. As time passes by, new demands are laid out on the table during negotiations until such time that the government negotiators are no longer able to decipher what to do.  If they did, they couldn't implement the proper strategies that are applicable and acceptable to the other party for a million reasons. And it seems the ball is now in the hands of the MILF.  Try to go to Mindanao and you will see that MILF forces are still occupying territories that they claim are theirs. For many years now, the MILF occupied Al-Barka Camp and converted it as their headquarters. I think it is a stupid idea of the MILF to claim that Al-Barka belongs to them. Did the MILF buy ...

Morsi casts his vote in Egypt. Egypt has elected a new leader, after the ouster of its former president Hosni Mubarak who is confined in the hospital for a long time. Mohamed Morsi, who is educated in America and a member of the Muslim Brotherhood,  garnered a total of 13 million votes, or 52% of the total votes cast against Ahmed Shafik who only got 48%. Muslim Brotherhood, where the newly elected president belongs, came into the international spotlight for killing the former president Anwar Sadat many years back. And this is what makes millions of Egyptians apprehensive as to what kind of future that awaits them under a conservative leader whose personality could be put under the influence of a foreign power. Morsi's winning the Egyptian presidency has kept many international political observers asking as to what will happen now that Egypt is under an Islamic leader, next to Iran? Based on the CNN analyses, tension in Egypt's capital is growing as police and  the...

Traffic gridlock in Metro Manila. RIO DE JANEIRO - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and seven other multilateral development banks (MDBs) today announced their commitment to provide more than $175 billion of loans and grants for transport in developing countries over the next decade. “Rapid motorization is creating more congestion, air pollution, traffic accidents and greenhouse gas emissions – especially in developing countries,” said ADB President Haruhiko Kuroda, speaking on behalf of the MDBs at a news conference in Rio de Janeiro. “Developing countries have the opportunity to leapfrog to a greener future of less motorization, shorter commutes, and more energy efficient transport systems.” Global CO2 emissions from the transport sector are projected to increase nearly 50% by 2030 – with profound environmental, economic and social consequences – unless dramatic changes are adopted. In many Asian nations, losses from traffic-related congestion already amount to 5% of GDP.  Ma...