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I. Overview
II. Philippine Experience
III. Legislative Initiatives
IV. Philippine Participation in International Fora
Competition law refers to the framework of rules and regulations designed to foster the competitive environment in a national economy. It consists of measures intended to promote a more competitive environment as well as enactments designed to prevent a reduction in competition.
Competition policy broadly refers to all laws, government policies and regulations aimed at establishing competition and maintaining the same. It includes measures intended to promote, advance and ensure competitive market conditions by the removal of control, as well as to redress anti-competitive results of public and private restrictive practices.
What are the goals of Competition Policy?
· To promote economic efficiency, which comprises three (3) components:
o Productive efficiency – firms use the least cost production techniques to produce maximum possible goods and services from given inputs.
o Allocative efficiency – resources are channeled to those sectors where they are best utilized in order to produce goods and services that are valued most highly by consumers.
o Dynamic efficiency – firms strive to maintain their competitiveness by investing in research and development, innovation, marketing and management to keep abreast of the changes in technology, preferences and products.
· To correct market failure
· To enhance consumer welfare
· To achieve higher economic growth
· To promote competitiveness in both domestic and foreign market
What are the basic market structures in which the degree of competition affects prices, output and profits?
· Perfect Competition - an ideal or extreme form of competition. It occurs when a market consists of many firms selling an identical product to many buyers. Any firm that wishes to do so can enter or leave the market.
· Monopoly - a market with a sole supplier of a good, service or resource for which there is no close substitute. In addition, there are barriers to entry of new firms.
· Natural Monopoly - arises from natural barriers to entry (such as a unique source of supply) or situation in which one firm can supply the entire market at a lower price than two or more firms could offer.
· Monopolistic Competition - similar to perfect competition, but rather than firms producing identical products, these are many firms competing against each other by producing similar but slightly different products.
· Oligopoly - is characterized by a small number of firms where quantity sold by any one firm is influenced by its choice in respect of strategic variables (such as prices, product design, research and development, advertising, and sales locations) and these choices are strongly influenced by other firms in the industry.
Market failure occurs when the market is unable to achieve an efficient and equitable allocation of resources.
What are the sources of market failure?
· Public Goods – which if provided to one consumer, is freely available to all consumers.
· Income Distribution – the market will not necessarily ensure equitable distribution of incomes. This may motivate government to introduce policies to redistribute wealth through measures, i.e., income taxes and social security benefits.
· Monopoly – the operations of monopoly or natural monopoly often result in misuse of market power and inefficient allocation of resources, which reduce community welfare. For this reason, governments generally regulate monopoly and enforce laws preventing cartels. This type of market scenario is a major rationale for a comprehensive competition policy.
· Externalities – arise when an activity confers a benefit (like the benefit of education or immunization) or imposes a cost (pollution) on a third party, without the cost or benefit being included in the market price of that activity.
· Information Asymmetries – in theory, buyers and sellers in a competitive market have complete knowledge about a product or service characteristics and quality. Information asymmetries between producers and consumers can lead to market failure and reduce community welfare.
What are the competitive conduct rules?
Competitive Conduct - describes the decision-making processes of firms in a competitive market, where price, quantity and profit choices are dictated by overall market conditions and these are not unduly influenced by the actions of one or more large firms. In essence, competitive conduct describes firm behavior under conditions of perfect competition.
Competitive Conduct Rules - are government's response to the absence of perfect competition in a market. Their primary objective should be to protect or enhance the competitive process in markets where it is only partially operating.
· Competitive conduct rules codify acceptable behavior in an economy. Typically, such rules prohibit arrangements that can be construed as anti-competitive, in that they either:
o Increase the power of firms within a market to the extent that this inhibits competitive conduct; or
o Prohibit existing competitors or potential market entrants from effectively competing.
Competitive Process - competitive conduct that reduces costs and prices, which is driven by impersonal and diffuse market forces and the threat of entry of additional suppliers. It results in efficient resource allocation and pricing, which can be attained in open, dynamic markets resembling perfect competition.
What are anti-competitive agreements?
Outcomes or Agreements-– the Hilmer Report (Hilmer 1993) identifies several
market outcomes or agreements which can be viewed as anti-competitive.
These are:
· Horizontal Agreements --– exist between firms (suppliers or consumers) at the same level of production chain. This is often referred to as collusion. Collusion usually takes the form of an agreement on price, such a combination of firms provides them with a degree of pricing power, or in other words, the ability to at least influence the price of a good.
· Vertical Agreements --– may vary where firms at different stages of the production chain collude. In most cases, vertical collusion occurs between suppliers and users of business inputs. This may relate to price or other matters (i.e. quotas, exclusive dealings, etc.).
· Misuse of Market Power --– a type of anti-competitive conduct which occurs when a single firm in a dominant position in a market misuses its market power. Ex: predatory pricing
· Mergers and acquisitions --- can constitute inappropriate market behavior where they lead to market outcomes of the type described above. It is unlikely that a move towards increasing market concentration will normally be viewed as favorably affecting competition.
Ř Potential solution to different types of anti-competitive conduct. These include:
Per se Prohibition --– the most direct form of anti-competitive measure that an authority can undertake. It refers to those activities which are ambiguously detrimental to regular competitive behavior in a market (e.g., price fixing).
Rule of Reason (Competition Test)-- – a wide variety of business practices that while inhibiting competition, may not require total prohibition. The most widely used determinant in such a case is whether or not such activity reduces competition in the market.
Authorization --– a mechanism through which the public benefit from ostensibly anti-competitive conduct can be assessed as a counter balancing consideration. The process involved here is a direct intervention or inquiry by a governing commission. Authorization implies that the commission can "authorize" certain conduct where there is a perceived net benefit to the community from anti-competitive conduct.
Notification --– involves the approval of certain types of anti-competitive conduct upon the offender being granted immunity, conditional on the consent of the market regulator. This type of arrangement relies on absolute openness and transparency.
Examples of anti-competitive conduct:
o Price-fixing agreement --– competitors agree to fix prices at a particular level, use of less obvious devices such as "recommended prices", in reality, fix prices by agreement.
o Market sharing agreement --– agreement among competitors to share a market.
Ex: a number of producers may choose to restrict their sales to certain geographic areas, thus developing local monopolies.
o Exclusionary provision --– agreement between competitors to limit dealings with a particular supplier or customer or a particular class of customer.
Ex: primary boycotts, secondary boycotts. These actions are taken to prevent new firms from entering the market, or to force existing firms out of the market.
Primary boycotts or exclusionary provisions occur when a group of people or firms agree not to deal with a particular supplier or customer. This is subject to per se prohibition.
Secondary boycotts occur when a group of people who may not otherwise deal with the target organization persuade another uninvolved (supplier) not to deal with the target organization.
o Tie-in arrangements and third line forcing --– when the supply of goods or services to a person is made provisional upon them, also purchasing additional goods and services, either from the same supplier (tie in arrangement) or from another specified supplier (third line forcing).
o Retail price maintenance --– refers to action by suppliers, manufacturers or wholesalers specifying a minimum price below which goods or services may not be resold or advertised for resale.
In addition, the following are identified conducts that might restrict the freedom of action of the parties or if it has objects or effect the prevention, distortion or restriction of competition[1]:
Bid-rigging -
includes cover bidding to assist an undertaking in winning the tender. An
essential feature of the tender system is that tenderers prepare and submit bids
o Limiting or controlling production or investment involves agreements which limit output or control production, by fixing production levels or setting quotas, or agreements which deal with structural overcapacity or coordinate future investment plans.
o Abuse of a dominant position - occurs where the dominant enterprise, either individually or together with other undertakings, exploits its dominant position in the relevant market or excludes competitors and harms the competition process. It is prudent to consider the actual or potential impact of the conduct on competition, instead of treating certain conducts by dominant enterprises as automatically abusive.
behaviour towards consumers, customers and/or competitors (e.g., excessive or
unfair purchase or sales prices or other unfair trading conditions, tying).
o Exclusionary behaviour toward competitors (e.g., predatory pricing by an undertaking which deliberately incurs losses in the short run by setting prices so low that it forces one or more undertakings out of the market, so as to be able to charge higher prices in the longer run; margin squeeze).
o Discriminatory behaviour (e.g., applying dissimilar pricing or conditions to equivalent transactions and vice-versa).
o Limiting production, markets or technical development to the prejudice of consumers (e.g., restricting output or illegitimate refusal to supply, restricting access to/use of development of a new technology).
What are regulatory restrictions?
Regulatory restrictions are government's own restrictions on competitive conduct, either through legislated regulation or direct ownership.
These restrictions can detract from overall competitiveness in the economy, in much the same way as market failure, in the sense that they detract from the regular workings of the market.
Existing Regulatory Restrictions in the Philippines:
· Regulatory barriers to market entry, including licensing and franchising agreements;
· Government monopolies, including monopolies on public utilities such as electricity generation and supply, telephone services and the shipping industry;
· Rural marketing, especially restrictive marketing boards; and
· Other restrictions on competitive conduct.
Forms of regulations that impact on Competition
There are two (2) forms of regulations that impact on competition directly:
· Barriers to entry are burdens or limitations forcing any firm not presently operating in a market. They are derive from:
o Economies of scale due to market share achieved by the incumbents;
o Capital requirements (including investment in brand development through advertising and the like);
o Cost savings accruing to existing firms from their experience and familiarity with the particular industry;
o Monopoly access to key infrastructure; and
o Monopoly of key industry knowledge.
· Regulations that restrict competitive behavior:
o Price control; and
o Advertising restrictions
o Higher prices;
o Lower quality goods; and
o Less consumer choice as a result of reduced competition
In the case of monopolies, they can prevent any competition in the market.
Within the framework of competition policy, an essential facility is a major infrastructure which exhibits two characteristics:
· The facility is essential to the effective operation of an economic organization; and
· The facility exhibits natural monopoly characteristics. Ex: electricity grids, rail infrastructure, roads, port facilities, pipelines and telecom network.
Distinguishing feature: one facility can supply the entire market demand more clearly than two or more smaller facilities.
Typically, natural monopolies have the following features:
· Large development and start-up costs
· Economies of scale: as the organization increases its output, the average cost per unit output declines
Natural monopoly is an outcome of the size of the market and the type of technology available to meet its demand. It is not a market structure, it is a cost minimizing method of production. There are two major implications:
· An industry may consist of more than one firm even though the existing technology would suggest that monopoly is more economically efficient.
· The existence of natural monopoly conditions in an industry may vary as demand varies and as the prevailing technology changes.
What are the main areas/concerns which competition policy/law should address?
Competition laws and policies are meant to address concerns that include:
a) preventing enterprises from entering into agreements which do not have any beneficial features and which will restrict competition, either amongst themselves or between them and third parties;
b) controlling attempts by monopolists or dominant firms from abusing their market position and preventing new firms from entering the market;
c) ensuring that workable competition is maintained in oligopolistic industries; and
d) Monitoring mergers between independent enterprises, where the effect of the merger may result in market concentration and reduction in competition.
Where is the Philippines now in terms of Competition Policy Law (CPL) development?
Philippine government priority measure-President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III directive in his State of the Nation address in July 2010:
What we intend to achieve is simple; an economy where growth is powered by private enterprise, but for the benefit of the greatest number of citizens; a nation where free enterprise is harnessed for growth, in an environment that promotes transparency, equal competition, and accountable governance.
xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx
'… it is the government's duty to ensure that the market is fair for all. No monopolies, no cartels that kill competition. We need an ANTITRUST LAW that will give life to these principles."
Major Philippine Competition Laws
There are more or less 30 plus competition/antitrust related laws of the Philippines.
The following are some of the leading examples of such laws:
Ř 1987 Constitution - Prohibits monopolization and combination in restraint of trade (on a rule of reason basis), but has no imposable sanctions for violation.
Ř Revised Penal Code of the Philippines (Article 186) - Describes monopolization and combinations in restraint of trade as acts punishable and describes penalties, including imprisonment and fines of between P200,000.00 and P600,000.00. It is similar in nature to Sect. 2 of the US Sherman Act.
Ř Republic Act 3247- This is known as the Act to Prohibit Monopolies and Combinations in Restraint of Trade and provides for treble damages for civil liabilities arising from anti competitive behaviour.
Ř Republic Act 165 and 166 - These are the Patent Law and Trademark Law respectively and describe the appropriate civil actions which can be resorted to and penalties imposable for breaches. (Intellectual Property Office website is www.ipophil.gov.ph).
Ř Presidential Decree 49 - This is the Copyright Law and penalizes copyright infringement. (Intellectual Property Office website is www.ipophil.gov.ph).
Ř Republic Act 386 - This is the Civil Code of the Philippines and stipulates the collection of damages arising from unfair competition.
Ř Republic Act 7581 - The Price Act which protects consumers by stipulating price manipulation (hoarding, profiteering and cartels) as illegal for certain commodities in cases of emergency. (www.dti.gov.ph). Download PDF File RA 7851.pdf
Ř Republic Act 7394- The Consumer Act of the Philippines imposes penalties for behavior such as deceptive, unfair and unconscionable sales practices in both goods and credit transactions. (www.dti.gov.ph). Download PDF File RA 7394.pdf
Ř Philippine Corporation Code - Provides for rules and proceedings for approving mergers, consolidations and combinations for the Securities and Exchange Commission (www.sec.gov.ph).
Ř Executive Order No. 45, series of 2011- Designating the Department of Justice as the Competition Authority. (DOJ website at www.doj.gov.ph).
What is the Office for Competition (OFC)?
The Office for Competition (OFC) is the country's central body on competition created pursuant to Executive Order No. 45 (Designating the Department of Justice as the Competition Authority) signed on June 9, 2011. It is under the Office of the Secretary of Justice. The OFC is manned by staff including legal and technical experts, consultants and resource persons to effectively and efficiently pursue its mandate. The designated head of the office is Assistant Secretary Geronimo L. Sy.
What are its duties and responsibilities?
The OFC is tasked to carry out the following duties and responsibilities:
a. Investigate all cases involving violations of competition laws and prosecute violators to prevent, restrain and punish monopolization, cartels and combinations in restraint of trade;
b. Enforce competition policies and laws to protect consumers from abusive, fraudulent, or harmful corrupt business practices;
c. Supervise competition in markets by ensuring that prohibitions and requirements of competition laws are adhered to, and to this end, call on other government agencies and/or entities for submission of reports and provision for assistance;
d. Monitor and implement measures to promote transparency and accountability in markets;
e. Prepare, publish and disseminate studies and reports on competition to inform and guide the industry and consumers; and
f. Promote international cooperation and strengthen Philippine trade relations with other countries, economies, and institutions in trade agreements.
By virtue of Proclamation No. 384, series of 2012, President Aquino signed on 18 May 2012, declaring December 5 of every year as "National Competition Day."
On its first observance, the Commission provided assistance in planning certain activities to mark the event. A full page newspaper advertisement of the celebration was published on 5 December 2012. Download Proclamation 384 PDF file
Aligned to the functions of OFC, what are the organizational units and working groups created?
a. Advocacy
and Partnerships
b. Business
and Economics
c. Enforcement
and Legal
d. Consumer
Protection and Welfare
e. Policy
and Planning
f. Administration
What are the Competition bills pending in the House of Representatives and in the Senate?
House Bill No. 388 (An Act
Penalizing Anti-Competitive Agreements, Abuse of Dominant Position, and
Anti-Competitive Mergers, Establishing the Philippine Fair Competition
Commission and Appropriating Funds Therefor, and for Other Purposes).
Download HB 388 PDF
Ř House Bill No. 388 (An Act Penalizing Anti-Competitive Agreements, Abuse of Dominant Position, and Anti-Competitive Mergers, Establishing the Philippine Fair Competition Commission and Appropriating Funds Therefor, and for Other Purposes). Download HB 388 PDF file
· Principal Author – Cong. Rufus B. Rodriguez
· Legislative status – Pending with the Committee on TRADE AND INDUSTRY (07/23/2013)
House Bill No. 453 (An Act
Penalizing Anti-Competitive Agreements, Abuse of Dominant Position, and
Anti-Competitive Mergers, Establishing the Philippine Fair Competition
Commission and Appropriating Funds Therefor, and for Other Purposes).
Download HB 453 PDF
Ř House Bill No. 453 (An Act Penalizing Anti-Competitive Agreements, Abuse of Dominant Position, and Anti-Competitive Mergers, Establishing the Philippine Fair Competition Commission and Appropriating Funds Therefor, and for Other Purposes). Download HB 453 PDF file
· Principal Author – Cong. Marcelino R. Teodoro
· Legislative status - Pending with the Committee on TRADE AND INDUSTRY (07/23/2013)
House Bill No. 1133 (An Act
Penalizing Anti-Competitive Conduct, Abuse of Dominant Position, and
Anti-Competitive Mergers, Establishing the Philippine Fair Competition
Commission and Appropriating Funds Therefor, and for Other Purposes).
Download HB 1133 PDF
Ř House Bill No. 1133 (An Act Penalizing Anti-Competitive Conduct, Abuse of Dominant Position, and Anti-Competitive Mergers, Establishing the Philippine Fair Competition Commission and Appropriating Funds Therefor, and for Other Purposes). Download HB 1133 PDF file
· Principal Author – Cong. Feliciano R. Belmonte, Jr.
· Legislative status - Pending with the Committee on TRADE AND INDUSTRY (07/29/2013)
House Bill No. 2672 (An Act
Penalizing Unfair Trade and Anti-Competitive Practices in Restraint of Trade,
Unfair Competition, Abuse of Dominant Power, Strengthening the Powers of
Regulatory Authorities and Appropriating Funds Therefor, and for Other
Purposes). Download HB 2672 PDF
Ř House Bill No. 2672 (An Act Penalizing Unfair Trade and Anti-Competitive Practices in Restraint of Trade, Unfair Competition, Abuse of Dominant Power, Strengthening the Powers of Regulatory Authorities and Appropriating Funds Therefor, and for Other Purposes). Download HB 2672 PDF file
· Principal Author – Cong. Diosdado Macapagal Arroyo
· Legislative status - Pending with the Committee on TRADE AND INDUSTRY (09/04/2013)
Senate Bill No. 1027 (An Act
Promoting Competition to Protect Consumer Welfare, Advance Domestic and
International Trade and Sustained Economic Development by, Among Others,
Regulating Monopolies, Anti- Competitive Agreement, Abuse of Dominant Power, and
Anticompetitive Mergers, Establishing the Philippine Fair Competition Commission
and Appropriating Funds Therefor and for Other Purposes).
Download SB 1027 PDF
Ř Senate Bill No. 1027 (An Act Promoting Competition to Protect Consumer Welfare, Advance Domestic and International Trade and Sustained Economic Development by, Among Others, Regulating Monopolies, Anti- Competitive Agreement, Abuse of Dominant Power, and Anticompetitive Mergers, Establishing the Philippine Fair Competition Commission and Appropriating Funds Therefor and for Other Purposes). Download SB 1027 PDF file
· Filed by Sen. Paulo Benigno "Bam" Aquino IV on 07/22/2013
· Legislative status - Read on First Reading and Referred to the Committee(s) on TRADE AND COMMERCE; ECONOMIC AFFAIRS and FINANCE (08/14/2013)
Senate Bill No. 1453 (An Act
Penalizing Anti-Competitive Agreements, Abuse of Dominant Position, and
Anti-Competitive Mergers, Establishing the Philippine Fair Competition
Commission). Download SB 1453 PDF
Ř Senate Bill No. 1453 (An Act Penalizing Anti-Competitive Agreements, Abuse of Dominant Position, and Anti-Competitive Mergers, Establishing the Philippine Fair Competition Commission). Download SB 1453 PDF file
· Filed by Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago on 08/29/2013
· Legislative status - Read on First Reading and Referred to the Committee(s) on TRADE, COMMERCE AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP; ECONOMIC AFFAIRS; and FINANCE (09/09/2013)
What is the ASEAN? Who are its Member Countries?
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the Founding Fathers of ASEAN, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
Brunei Darussalam then joined on 7 January 1984, Viet Nam on 28 July 1995, Lao PDR and Myanmar on 23 July 1997, and Cambodia on 30 April 1999, making up what is today the ten Member States of ASEAN.
The ASEAN Vision 2020, adopted by the ASEAN Leaders on the 30th Anniversary of ASEAN, agreed on a shared vision of ASEAN as a concert of Southeast Asian nations, outward looking, living in peace, stability and prosperity, bonded together in partnership in dynamic development and in a community of caring societies.
At the 9th ASEAN Summit in 2003, the ASEAN Leaders resolved that an ASEAN Community shall be established.
At the 12th ASEAN Summit in January 2007, the Leaders affirmed their strong commitment to accelerate the establishment of an ASEAN Community by 2015 and signed the Cebu Declaration on the Acceleration of the Establishment of an ASEAN Community by 2015.
The ASEAN Community is comprised of three pillars, namely the ASEAN Political-Security Community, ASEAN Economic Community and ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community. Each pillar has its own Blueprint, and, together with the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) Strategic Framework and IAI Work Plan Phase II (2009-2015), they form the Roadmap for and ASEAN Community 2009-2015. (Source: ASEAN Official Website: www.aseansec.org)
What is the ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint?
In the ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint, ASEAN Member States have endeavoured to introduce nation-wide competition policy by 2015. This is to ensure a level playing field and develop a culture of fair business competition for enhanced regional economic performance in the long run.
The ASEAN Experts Group on Competition (AEGC), what is it all about?
The ASEAN Experts Group on Competition (AEGC) is a formal body composed of representatives from all AMSs nominated by Senior Economic Official Meeting (SEOM) Leaders from respective country. The body was established by the ASEAN Economic Ministers in August 2007 as a regional forum to discuss and coordinate policies with the goal of promoting a healthy competitive environment in the ASEAN region. It aims to develop competition policy through exchange of information, networking and dialogue.
What are the different competition authorities in the ASEAN?
ASEAN Competition Authorities (CA)/ Designated Competition Bodies
What are the AEGC publications developed so far?
AEGC publications include:
1. ASEAN Regional Guidelines on Competition Policy ("Regional Guidelines")
What is the Regional Guidelines?
· Regional Guidelines serves as a non-binding general framework guide for the AMS as they endeavoured to introduce, implement and develop competition policy in accordance with the specific legal and economic context of each AMS.
· It is based on country experiences and international best practices and taking into account the varying development stages of competition policy in AMS, the Regional Guidelines set out different policy and institutional options that serves as a reference guide for AMS in their efforts to create a fair competition environment.
· Launched on 24 August 2010 during the 42nd ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) Meeting in Da Nang, Vietnam, the Regional Guidelines illustrate the objectives and benefits of competition policy and provide explanations as to the scope of competition policy, the role and institutional structure of competition regulatory bodies, and the competition enforcement framework. It also considers the issues of technical assistance, capacity building and international cooperation.
· The AEGC will update the Regional Guidelines within the next five years to reflect any changes and developments in ASEAN and in international best practices.
What is the role of the Tariff Commission in the drafting, preparation, finalization and launching of the Regional Guidelines?
· The Tariff Commission is the lead agency in drafting, preparation, finalization and launching of the Regional Guidelines. Collaborative help was also given by the DTI-BTRCP and the Department of Justice during the drafting, discussion and finalization of the Regional Guidelines.
· As Philippine AEGC representative, TC has actively participated in CPL regional to discuss and cooperate with AMSs as they endeavour to introduce, implement and develop CPL in the region by 2015. Focus was given on developing the Regional Guidelines.
· A PDF copy of the ASEAN Regional Guidelines can be downloaded at this link. (Source of information: ASEAN Regional Guidelines and Handbook on Competition Policy and Law in ASEAN for Business Fact Sheet).
2. Handbook on Competition Policy and Law in ASEAN for Business ("Handbook")
What it is all about?
· The Handbook is aimed/for the use of regional and transnational businesses engaged in the ASEAN region and is intended to reflect nationwide CPL provisions and sector specific provisions related to CPL, inform the domestic and transnational business community an investors on current approaches and practices relating to CPL in AMS, as well as raise awareness among this target group and improve compliance on CPL issues where lacking. It was launched on 24 August 2010 during the 42nd ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) Meeting in Da Nang, Vietnam.
What is the scope and contents of the Handbook?
· The Handbook provides a basic explanation of the basic principles of CPL and covers, in relation to each AMS, the key areas of CPL that are of relevance for businesses, such as provisions concerning: substantive issues, (restrictive agreements, abuse of dominant position, mergers and acquisitions), procedural issues (notification systems, enforcement procedures, decisions) and the organization of competition authorities. It also includes summaries of competition cases in selected AMS.
(Source of information: ASEAN Regional Guidelines and Handbook on Competition Policy and Law in ASEAN for Business Fact Sheet)
What is the role of the Tariff Commission in the drafting, preparation, finalization and launching of the Handbook?
· The Tariff Commission is the lead agency in drafting, preparation, finalization and launching of the Handbook.
· As Philippine AEGC representative, TC has actively participated in CPL regional fora to discuss and cooperate with AMSs as they endeavour to introduce, implement and develop CPL in the region by 2015. Focus was given on developing the Regional Handbook.
· A PDF copy of the Handbook can be downloaded at this link.
3. Regional Core Competencies (RCC) Manual
What it is all about?
· The manual consists of international and regional best practices on competition policy and law which focuses on the areas of:
Ř institutional building;
Ř enforcement; and
Ř advocacy
The RCC development is carried out by the AEGC Working Group on Developing RCC with the support of the ASEAN Secretariat, the law firm FratiniVergano-European Lawyers, and the German Federal Foreign Office - Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). The RCC is set to be launched in 2013.
What is the role of the Tariff Commission in the region wide advocacy socialization workshops?
· The Tariff Commission, in cooperation with the ASEAN Secretariat, with funding support of Inwent, successfully launched the AEGC-5th Forum on "Handbook on CPL in ASEAN for Business" in EDSA-Shangrila, Manila on 12 November 2012. The forum was attended by key government officials, businessmen, academe, and consumer groups.
1st ACC Conference
Please be informed that the public version of the Summary Report
of Proceeding, 1st ASEAN Competition Conference has been uploaded on the website
The Presentation Slides and other materials are also available on http://www.kppu.go.id/id/asean_material/.
What are the various Philippine participation in Free Trade Agreements involving competition policy?
A. Philippine-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement or PJEPA
Ř What is the PJEPA?
The PJEPA aims to facilitate and promote the free trans-border flow of goods, persons, services and capital between the Philippines and Japan and strengthen the existing economic relations between the two countries. The Agreement was signed by then President Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo and then Japan Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in Helsinki, Finland in 9 September 2006.
The Agreement consists of (1) basic agreement with 16 chapters and eight annexes; and (2) implementing agreement, each providing provisions on various areas of trade and related aspects.
Ř Is there a chapter on competition policy in the PJEPA?
Yes, Chapter 12 of the PJEPA is devoted to Competition Policy. There are 3 Articles included in Chapter 12, Article 135 deals about the promotion of competition by addressing anti-competitive activities, Article 136 is all about Cooperation on Promoting Competition by Addressing Anti-competitive activities, and Article 137 on the non-application of Chapter 15 of the PJEPA.
Ř What is the role of the Tariff Commission in the PJEPA?
The Tariff Commission, through its Chairman Edgardo B. Abon, is the lead negotiator for the Philippine side on the Chapter on Competition in the PJEPA. Website link for PJEPA: www.dti.gov.ph; www.mofa.jp.go
B. ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement
Ř What is the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement?
The Agreement Establishing the ASEAN - Australia - New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA) liberalizes and facilitates trade in goods, services and investment between New Zealand, Australia and the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) economies. It contains measures to improve business flows and promote cooperation in a broad range of economic areas of mutual interest.
The AANZFTA entered into force on 1 January 2010 for (and between) the following countries: Australia, Brunei, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Singapore, the Philippines, and Viet Nam. It entered into force for Thailand on 12 March 2010; for Laos and Cambodia on 1 and 4 January 2011 respectively; and for Indonesia on 10 January 2012.
Ř Is there a chapter on competition policy in the AANZFTA?
Yes, Chapter 14 of the AANZFTA is devoted to Competition Policy. There are 4 Articles included in Chapter 14, Article 1 deals about the Basic principles, Article 2 is all about Cooperation, Article 3 deals about the contact points and Article 4 on the non-application of Chapter 17 of the AANZFTA ( Consultation and Dispute Settlement).
Ř What is the role of the Tariff Commission in the AANZFTA?
The Tariff Commission, through its Chairman Edgardo B. Abon, is the lead negotiator for the Philippine side on the Chapter on Competition in the AANZFTA. Website link for AANZFTA: www.dti.gov.ph; www.dfat.gov.au; www.asean.fta.govt.nz
C. ASEAN - Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (AJCEPA)
Ř What is the AJCEPA?
The ASEAN - Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (AJCEPA) provides for the establishment of a Free Trade Area (FTA) between ASEAN and Japan over a period of 10 years, taking into account the achievements of the bilateral Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) between certain ASEAN Member States and Japan, and the further progress of the ASEAN integration process. Being a comprehensive economic partnership, the Agreement includes chapters on Trade in Goods, Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures, Technical Barriers to Trade, Trade in Services, Investment and Cooperation and Trade Facilitation.
The Agreement was signed on an ad-referendum basis, with the Philippines signing the Agreement on 02 April 2008. Subsequently, the AJCEPA entered into force on 01 December 2008 for Japan and Singapore.
The Philippines became a Party to the Agreement, having begun implementation just last 01 July 2010. (Source: DTI website)
Ř Is there a Chapter on competition policy in the AJCEPA?
Competition policy was cited in Chapter 8, Article 53 (Fields of Economic Cooperation), wherein it was provided that "the Parties, on the basis of mutual benefit, shall explore and undertake economic cooperation activities in the identified fields under Article 53." Competition Policy is one of the identified activities.
Ř What is the role of the Tariff Commission in the AJCEPA?
The Tariff Commission, through its Chairman Edgardo B. Abon, is the lead negotiator for the Philippine side on the aspect on Competition in the AJCEPA.
Website link on the AJCEPA: www.dti.gov.ph
What is the participation of the Tariff Commission in the WTO-TPR with respect to competition policy?
Prior to the issuance of EO No. 45, signed on 09 June 2011, the Tariff Commission is the lead agency assigned to deal in the issues and queries on competition policy as may be propounded by the reviewing WTO officials. The TC has provided inputs and comments for the Philippines with respect to updates on competition policy. The latest WTO-TPR (4th Session) was held in March 2012, with the DOJ-OFC as the lead agency in Competition Policy.
Ř What is the International Competition Network (ICN)?
· ICN is an international network devoted exclusively to competition issues
· From the time of its inception in the year 2001, it has 16 founding authorities from 14 jurisdictions.
· As of 2009, ICN has grown to 107 competition authorities from 96 jurisdictions
Ř What is the system of operation of the ICN?
a. ICN is a voluntary organization composed of different competition authorities-members.
b. ICN has no formally established headquarters, secretariat or even its own financial funding source.
c. ICN operates through an established working group network. These working groups produce relevant work programmes and products based on a consensus basis, made possible through the holding of various conferences (including an annual ICN conference) and e-mail communications between the ICN members.
d. The ICN working groups are:
i. Mergers
ii. Advocacy
iii. Capacity-building
iv. Regulated sectors
v. Cartels
vi. Telecom
vii. Unilateral Conduct
viii. Agency effectiveness
e. There is also an established ICN Support Program wherein ICN members can request from other members for information and help in identifying and familiarizing themselves with relevant ICN work programs.
Ř What is the importance of the ICN to competition policy?
Since competition policy can make a substantial and even a long lasting contribution to a country's economic development, the relevancy of the ICN can be seen from the help that it will provide to competition authorities, such as providing information on useful experience, expertise and best practices in various competition issues which can be shared amongst the ICN members.
Ř Why is there a need to establish the ICN?
a) There is an ongoing trend that tends to establish a growing number of competition authorities, hence, the need for a more cooperative effort needed between and amongst such competition authorities for synergy of action.
b) Emergence of rapid advancement of economic globalization and integration-This can be seen from the increased number of investigations conducted by the established competition authorities, which often transgress/extend beyond their territorial boundaries.
Ř What are the perceived goals of the ICN?
To achieve better competition enforcement and advocacy through:
a) enhanced convergence and harmonization of competition laws and policies which are at par to global standards, with the aim of producing and promoting an economic development through enhanced productivity and efficiency
b) To strengthen the cooperation between competition agencies, in particular, the preferential giving of support to newly established competition authorities.
ICN website is at www.internationalcompetitionnetwork.org
The OECD is an influential organization with 30 Member States, comprised mostly of the rich countries in the world. It has a Standing Committee on Competition Policy and Law, which has its regular 30 Member countries as Members, and 5 observers, namely: Argentina, Brazil, Israel, Lithuania and Russia.
The OECD has been regularly cooperating with a variety of Non-OECD countries to provide capacity building. With the advent of the OECD's Global Forum on Competition, OECD's cooperation activities with non-OECD members extends beyond capacity building to include high-level policy dialogue that will build mutual understanding, identify "best practices" and provide informal advice and feedback on the entire range of competition issues. The Global Forum on Competition meets annually and serves a flat form for the exchange of views and experience.
This meeting was organized for purposes of strengthening the cooperative relationship amongst competition authorities in East Asia. The holding of an annual high level conference enabled the officials of competition authorities to hold face to face discussions and frank exchange of views towards the development of a common understanding on the importance of competition law and policy in East Asia.
An annual meeting called "East Asia Conference on Competition Law and Policy" was held since its inception in the year 2004 until to date. TC has actively participated in all such meetings and conferences. The following are the inclusive list of top-level meetings held from 2004 until to date:
Ř What is the APEC IAP Review?
All APEC Member Economies strive to achieve a "free and open trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific", commonly referred to as the Bogor Goals, which was signed in Indonesia in 1994. Ultimately, the Bogor Goals should be fully realized, no later than 2010 for industrialized economies and 2020 for developing economies.
Each APEC Member Economy has offered its own Individual Action Plan (IAP) to be externally reviewed. According to approved terms of reference, the review considers specific issue areas affecting an economy's IAP, citing progress made, best practices and challenges to achieving goals within the cited timeframe.
Ř What is the participation of the Tariff Commission in the APEC IAP with respect to competition policy?
TC has been involved in all APEC IAP Reviews on the subject of competition policy. TC has provided inputs and current information/updates on the developments of competition policy in the Philippines and the approaches being made by the Philippine government to enact a comprehensive national competition law. TC likewise provides answers to queries made by the reviewing APEC officials regarding this information on competition policy.
COMPENDIUM POLICY CHAPTER OF THE COMPENDIUM ON INVESTMENT MEASURES AND POLICIES IN ASEAN (Investing in ASEAN Guidebook: 2009 Update) or "Compendium"
Ř What is Compendium all about?
The Compendium on Investment Measures and Policies in ASEAN is an ASEAN Initiative which aims to codify policies and measures being implemented by the AMS with respect to investments. Competition policy measures in place as well as the presence of an enacted national competition law and or efforts being made to the enactment of a competition law are discussed therein.
Ř What is the role of the Tariff Commission regarding the Compendium?
TC provided inputs on the chapter on competition policy (for the Philippines Chapter) in the Compendium.
Ř What is the mandate of the Tariff Commission on competition policy?
The Tariff Commission (TC) was streamlined/reorganized pursuant to EO No. 143 (signed on 21 August 1999) entitled "Instituting Effective Operational Mechanism and Strategies in the Tariff Commission". The Commission, as an agency responsible for undertaking a thorough study of the Philippine trade and tariff system, was mandated to adopt operational strategies and activities to make it more effective in encouraging the development and growth of efficient, self-reliant, innovative, progressive and globally competitive Philippine industries.
Pursuant to Section 1 thereof, the functions of the Commission were emphasized, to wit:
Section 1. Roles of the Commission. In the light of a freer and more liberal trading environment, the following functions of the Commission shall be strengthened and emphasized:
1.1 Institutionalization and acceleration of economic reforms to raise levels of competition, encourage economic efficiency, and improve consumer welfare;
1.5 Reinforcement of research activities regarding competition policy and the contestability of trade practices and activities of all other countries, economies and institutions in the international community; and
1.6 Conduct of a continuing program of advocacy to promote new developments in international trade and tariff policy.
What competition activities have TC undertaken following its mandate?
CPL Seminars/Workshops
Ř CPL Seminars/Workshops
TC has been actively involved in the forefront of competition policy activities. Among others, following are competition policy advocacy programs undertaken in cooperation with international sponsors:
o AEGC - 5th Forum on "Handbook on CPL in ASEAN for Business" in Edsa-Shangrila, Manila (12 November 2012)
o ASEAN Experts Group on Competition (AEGC) 2nd Regional Guidelines Workshop on Competition Policy and Law at Intercontinental Hotel, Makati City (29-30 September 2009)
o Seminar on "Improving Trade Policy in the Philippines: An Assessment of the Economy wide Impact of the Tariff Change in the Early 2000s" at Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Makati City (24 August 2006)
o 1st APEC Training Course on Competition Policy for APEC Member Economies at Mandarin Oriental, Manila (2-4 August 2005)
o TC-Japan Fair Trade Commission Seminar/Workshop on Competition Policy at TC Conference Room (17 November 2003)
o Seminar/Workshop on the "Study on a Comprehensive and Integrated Draft Legislation on Competition Policy and Law" held in Discovery Suites, Pasig City (13-14 August 2001)
o Seminars/Roundtable discussions by the Curtin Consultancy Services on "A Policy Framework for Competition Policy in the Philippines" in Manila (20-23 April 1999)
CPL Studies/Publications
Ř CPL Studies/Publications
TC has published / collaborated with other research institutions in the conduct of certain competition policy studies/briefing materials, as follows:
o An Assessment of the Economy Wide Impact of Philippine Tariff Changes in the Early 2000s (March 2006) - a study undertaken with the Philippine Tariff Commission funded by AusAid under the Public Sector Linkages Program 2004-05 Round 1 Improving Trade Policy in the Philippines: An Assessment of the Economy wide Impact of the Tariff Reforms and Implementation of Safeguard Measures under the WTO'
by: U-Primo E. Rodriguez
Helen Cabalu
o Issues in the Implementation of Competition Policy in the Philippines (August 2001) - a study undertaken for the Philippine Tariff Commission, funded by the Australian Agency for International Development (AUSAID) through the Philippines-Australia Governance Facility, managed by GRM International.
by: Helen Cabalu, Noelle Doss, Peter
Kenyon, Paul Koshy, Vicar Valencia, Nick Wills-Johnson
Stephanie Fryer-Smith (School of Business Law)
Mr. Emmanuel A. Cruz
o TARFCOM: A CGE Model of the Philippines - Quantifying the Impact of Competition Policy on the Philippine Economy (August 2001) - a study undertaken for the Philippine Tariff Commission, funded by the Australian Agency for International Development (AUSAID) under the Philippines-Australia Governance Facility.
by: Mark Horridge
Helen Cabalu
Marilou Mendoza
U-Primo Rodriguez
o A User's Guide to the TARFCOM Model (October 2005) - shows how to conduct experiments in the TARFCOM model. Designed primarily for the staff of the Philippine Tariff Commission, this user's guide has a strong bias for tariff experiments. It shows how to properly specify a change in tariff rates and its implementation in TARFCOM. It also illustrates how tariff changes can be used to achieve selected policy targets.
by: U-Primo E. Rodriguez
o Improving Trade Policy in the Philippines: An Assessment of the Economy-wide Impact of the Tariff Tariff Reform Program and the Implementation of the WTO Safeguard Measures" - a research study jointly undertaken by TC and John Curtin Institute of Public Policy (JCIPP) of the Curtin University of Technology, Western Australia under the auspices of the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID).
o A Policy Framework for Competition Policy in the Philippines (March 1999) - a study undertaken for the Philippine Tariff Commission, funded by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and organized through Curtin Consultancy Services.
by: Helen Cabalu, Noelle Doss, Ian
Firns, Therese Jefferson,
o A Primer on New Developments in Trade and Tariff Policy (August 2010) - the chapter on competition policy offers, among others, discussions on the primary objectives of a sound competition policy and law which are to attain economic efficiency and ensure consumer protection and welfare.
o Competition Policy for the Philippines - a pamphlet prepared jointly by the Philippine Tariff Commission, and the Institute for Research into International Competitiveness (IRIC), Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Western Australia. The project was funded by the Australian Agency for International Development (AUSAID) through the Philippines-Australia Governance Facility.
TC: Co-chair in Advocacy and Partnership
Ř What is the current role of TC on competition policy?
As competition advocate, the TC accepted the invitation from DOJ-OFC to co-chair the OFC Working Group on Advocacy and Partnerships. Along this line, a dedicated competition policy page is being constructed at the TC website for the benefit of all CPL stakeholders, government/private sector, business community, academe, media, and in general, the consuming public.


text:
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Customer Reviews
2 people found the following review helpful
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Purchased at iHerb
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Danny Meyer 'Bares All' in The Restaurateur
A Danny Meyer–focused documentary takes us into the making of Eleven Madison Park.
Skip to content, or skip to search.
Skip to content, or skip to search.
A Danny Meyer–focused documentary takes us into the making of Eleven Madison Park.
Today's Shake Shack location rumor takes us to Battery Park City.
Along with the usual pitmasters, a few new imports.
One goes to Totto and the other goes to Torys.
Danny Meyer takes over Maialino's neighboring bars.
He'll focus on the Upper East Side and Central Park.
Is it possible for a freestanding restaurant to succeed anymore? Yes, if it's cheap.
A profile of Keith McNally and a look into his new one, Pulino's.
Sandwiches by Union Square Hospitality Group chefs at the Whitney.
Mr. Hospitality has started a consulting business.
Plus: Matt Damon and Robert Downey Jr. get intimate at Elio's, Mick Jagger has a mystery date at Café Boulud, and more in our weekly recap of celebrity dining.
Rooftop burgers are a no-go.
"We have to let the museum be the star."
His restaurant family's chefs will be selling sandwiches.
Above the Gramercy Park Hotel.
Plus: how cutting salt could save the U.S. billions, and Duvet is gone forever, all in our morning news roundup.
And more perverse celebrity antics, in today's gossip roundup.
There's been a settlement in one of the food world's most twisted labor cases.
The latest feather in the Union Square Hospitality Group cap.
A trend piece on Danny Meyers [sic].


text:
I am an *awful* person
Find a Conversation
|Sun, 08-25-2013 - 4:01am
|Sun, 08-25-2013 - 7:54am
Ha You are not awful but just a single woman who is free to do what she wants...
Heck. You have no one to answer to and if you want to date a dozen men or flirt with two dozen or whatever its your ch oice because of your freedom...
I would just take this all in and be flattered and know that you can attract all different kinds of men and be happy that you still got it..
So narrow it down to who you like the best and date that one and if not then start over...
Heck.. Isnt that what life is all about ..The choices we make and the men we choose who are the best fit for us..
|Sun, 08-25-2013 - 9:33am
Hey Shy,
I think its admirable that you are considering the feelings of the original guy - it just shows that you are a decent person. If you are more attracted to the other guy, however, that is the way it goes and you shouldn't feel bad about that.
I hate to say......but men seem to have no remorse about these situations and among two friends sitting together will make their preference completely known........
Anyhow, I would also be flattered. I would try and respect the first guy's feelings, but keep in mind that you have to do what's best for you. :)
|Sun, 08-25-2013 - 10:36am
|Sun, 08-25-2013 - 11:02am
I don't think you are awful. I think asking someone to meet you at your regular place is not the same as going on a date so you really didn't owe P your undivided attention. However, you need to decide whether you want to date him or not--it's not fair to keep going back & forth. Either you should tell him that you like him but you just want to be friends and not date him, or actually go on a date and see what he's like one on one. My 2nd DH was bugging me for a while to go out w/ him and I kept putting him off--finally I just told him that maybe we should go out on an actual date since most of the time I was seeing him in the group that we belonged to. And we know what happened then.
I sure am impressed that you have so many guys admiring you.
|Sun, 08-25-2013 - 11:46am
You aren't awful, you're just having fun - that's what single people are supposed to do ;) Can't beat yourself up for not digging the nice one. Hopefully, he'll find someone who will reciprocate his feelings down the road. Best to let him figure it out now so he can begin the search for that person.
|Sun, 08-25-2013 - 4:44pm
Well, he asked me to go see a movie with him tonight and I said yes. He's picking me up in an hour. I think I'm gonna puke! Dating makes me so nervous!!
|Sun, 08-25-2013 - 8:10pm
Well it might be too late for the advice, but I look at a date as a chance to get to know someone better. Our newspaper has this feature called Dinner with Cupid where they fix people up & pay for them to go out to dinner--only problem is that they interview them later & they have to rate the date. Some people are really mean. There's a lot of "there was no chemistry" stuff which can be true, but I just feel like people don't give each other a chance sometimes--like if you are together for a couple of hours, do you really know someone that well? I'm sure you can tell if someone is just horrendous that you can't even wait to get home, but if you're kind of not sure about someone, how about taking a little time to get to know them better before deciding?
And I'm not saying this particularly to Shywon, but just in general.
So Shy, we will be waiting for the report.
|Sun, 08-25-2013 - 8:28pm
Nope nothing awful at all. i have been a beard for women who i liked but knew they were not attracted to me. At the end we were friends and helped each other. Let him (The friend) know where he stands so there are no mixed feelings. Life is opportunities and letting the big one go is a mistake.
|Mon, 08-26-2013 - 12:09am
I forget, how old are you shyone, in your early 30's. How come you don't feel attracted to P? is it b/c of his looks or is there no mental connection.
But I understand people have minimum threshold for looks. If he's butt-ugly or is an absolute bore, then let him go but if there's any hope at all for a connection, give him a chance - it's hard sometimes b/c I was guilty of letting good guys slip through my fingers b/c I was too shallow.


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Last summer I started my blog, WellNow.be, on a whim. The idea came to be in a state of sleep-deprivation after being up all night volunteering at Western States 100. There's something about seeing people run 100 miles through the Sierras that inspires action. I wanted an excuse to learn more about how to live a healthy life, an excuse to write, and a means for connecting with others around healthy living.
I learned a lot in the process of writing the blog and I sincerely hope that I have helped some of you to live a healthier life. After having had my own struggles and triumphs with health, I can't imagine a greater gift to give to any of you.
While I have no plans to wrap up the WellNow.be blog for good, I've decided to devote some of that mental energy elsewhere – including a new blog with a broader focus at http://chanceandviability.com/. But I thought I would take a moment to acknowledge the year of writing and researching and practicing with a post intended to summarize what I have learned.
The most important things
After a year of blogging on health and wellness, the most valuable lesson for me was the importance of two things: diet and attention. What we put into our bodies and what we do with our attention has a profound impact on our well-being.
It's sometimes considered picky, fussy, or even unmanly to be particular about one's diet. I disagree.
Consider for a moment the power of minute amounts of substances to have enormous affects on us. I like how Kurt Vonnegut puts it in Breakfast of Champions:
I tend to think of human beings as huge, rubbery test tubes, too, with chemical
reactions seething inside. When I was a boy, I saw a lot of people with goiters… Those unhappy Earthlings had such swollen thyroid glands that they seemed to have zucchini squash growing from their throats.
All they had to do in order to have ordinary lives, it turned out, was to consume less
than one-millionth of an ounce of iodine every day.
Now consider the sheer amount of food you eat everyday and think about how that might affect you if you're choosing well or poorly. I'm of the opinion that it is in fact irresponsible and foolish not to apply forethought and discipline to one's diet.
And if I had to select one piece of advice to guide those I care about in their eating habits, it would be to eat a low glycemic diet. In the short term, high glycemic foods will give you an energy and mood crash after a brief high. In the long term, they will contribute to obesity and insulin resistance – a precursor to diabetes. Understanding how the glycemic index of a food affects you and being able to identify which foods are high glycemic or low glycemic is easy to do, and I hope I made it easier with this post: Glycemic Index made simple.
If you're eating a low glycemic diet, there's a good chance that your diet will also include less gluten and be less inflammatory, which would be great. Of course, if you're taking an evolutionary approach to diet you'll naturally be eating a low glycemic, anti-inflammatory diet free from gluten.
I hope you'll have a look at all my posts on the topic of diet, but again I implore you to learn about glycemic index and to make choices leading to a lower glycemic diet.
The other major revelation for me over the preceding year has been the importance of our attention. I'm referring in part to the practice of paying attention to your health, even to the point of self-tracking – taking regular measurements to inform you of change and progress. The mere fact of applying your attention and awareness to a given aspect of your health is likely to result in an improvement. When you pay attention, you get results.
But more important than the practice of self-tracking is the practice of mindfulness. If I was to select only one piece of advice from among all the posts of the preceding year it would be to establish and maintain a mindfulness practice.
Our mental capacities make us exceptional among the inhabitants of this planet and even in the best of conditions this is as much a responsibility as it is a gift. But particularly now, when there are so many temptations and obligations that require us to take our awareness far from the present and the real and to hop from alternate times and realities in rapid succession, we must be aware of our awareness.
I hope my posts on the why and how of mindfulness are helpful introductions to this topic.
Thank you
Finally, as I look back on a year of blogging, I'd like to thank you. Thank you for reading and for your comments and e-mails and mentions. It has truly been a pleasure.
Thanks for reading. Be well!
I used to hate exercising. I knew I was supposed to do it, so every now and then I would embark on some new exercise routine only for it to sputter out. And that's the way it went for years.
Then, something went wrong. A lack of attention to my well-being combined with some unfortunate circumstances left me with an injury that reduced my abilities, left me in constant dull pain with intermittent intense pain, and scared the hell out of me.
As part of a slow and difficult recovery I was told that I needed to get more cardiovascular exercise. Faced with this situation I began to reflect on my earlier short-lived attempts to establish an exercise habit and tried to figure out how I could change that pattern.
What I realized was that I had not been exercising for myself, but for other people. I was forcing myself to exercise for other people in one way or another. I would force myself to exercise so that others would find me more attractive, love me more, or just think that I'm a better person.
Some of this external force was real, but some of it was imagined. It came in the form of the opinions and judgments that I knew or imagined others had of me and my efforts. If I didn't exercise I felt like a failure. If I did exercise there were always questions of how much I had done, how hard I had worked, and how that stacked up against others. So no matter what, I always felt bad.
No judgement, no measurement
Having realized why I had such feelings of dread around exercise I decided to try a new approach that addressed this problem. The deal I made with myself was that I would leave the apartment in my running clothes and go to a nearby park and back. That was all. I could run any or all of it, I could walk any or all of it. I promised myself I would not ever measure the distance nor check my time.
When I started making time for exercise like this – free of judgement, free of measurement – I discovered that I really loved to run and I loved the way I felt during and after running. It kept me running (and exercising in other ways) ever since.
Ironically, the resulting benefits to my well-being have been so profound that I often think that the injury that lead to this change was one of the best things that ever happened to me.
If you're struggling to establish or keep an exercise habit, don't give up. Don't let the pain and suffering of injury or illness be the thing that finally gets you to do what's right for your body. And don't let the opinions of anyone else stand in your way. Do it for yourself. You just might grow to love it.
If you've managed to make the change from hating exercise to loving it, I would genuinely love to hear about it. Add a comment or send me an e-mail.
Thanks for reading. Be well!
As I've indicated before, I think that, in the absence of perfect information, an awareness of evolution is a useful guide for making decisions about your health. This is particularly true when the difficult question of what to eat emerges: If you knew nothing about the harmful effects of high glycemic foods, chronic inflammation, or gluten but applied an evolutionary guideline to your diet, you would be making the right choices anyway.
This diet, known as the Paleo Diet, is supported by some compelling facts. Our species began experimenting with agriculture only about 10,000 years ago, but has been anatomically modern for about 200,000 years. Agriculture lead to some major shifts in our diet. We moved from a diet of great variety to reliance on a small number of starchy crops with plentiful calories but with less nutritional density. In the brief period since then (from an evolutionary perspective) our bodies haven't had much chance to adapt.
While it is common to believe that the development of agriculture was unquestionably beneficial for us, the truth of the matter is more complicated. Jared Diamond (author of the excellent and oft-discussed "Guns, Germs, and Steel") has even gone so far as to say that this was the worst mistake in the history of our species. In addition to pointing out many social ills that agriculture gave rise to, he points out examples of adverse effects on our physical health such as the following:
Skeletons from Greece and Turkey show that the average height of hunger-gatherers toward the end of the ice ages was a generous 5′ 9" for men, 5′ 5" for women. With the adoption of agriculture, height crashed, and by 3000 B. C. had reached a low of only 5′ 3" for men, 5′ for women.
Of course agriculture supported the development of civilization which has brought us at least as many blessings as curses. But having developed our civilization we need not carry on all the habits and sacrifices of our more recent and physically diminished ancestors by eating their unhealthy diets.
So what does a Paleo Diet look like?
The simple answer is that a Paleo Diet consists of the kinds and proportions of foods our paleolithic ancestors would have had access to. More specifically, adherents of the Paleo Diet emphasize the importance of vegetables, lean meats, fish, shellfish, healthy natural fats, fruits, nuts, and seeds. The diet eschews grains, legumes, starchy vegetables, sugar, and dairy.
I recommend reading "The Paleo Solution: The Original Human Diet" by Robb Wolf for more detailed information and guidance. I also recommend using the Paleo Diet as a guideline to which you adhere 90% of the time. Occasionally it's just fine to indulge in some post-agricultural treat like dark chocolate.
A Word On Meat
It seems that some people take the Paleo Diet as an excuse to eat lots and lots of meat. While there are populations that survive primarily on animal products my inclination is to aim to eat meat in moderation. There are conflicting findings about diets that include large portions of meat, especially red meat. However, there is no such confusion about vegetables. There is resounding consensus on the benefits of a diet high in fresh vegetables.
In addition to potential health concerns about excessive meat consumption there are serious questions about sustainability and ethics. I normally would not delve into the non-health questions on this blog, but I think these merit some consideration and I have great respect for vegetarians and vegans for considering these issues. I will say, though, that I think both of these issues are at least partially addressed if you take care to consume meat that has been raised on a diet that that animal evolved to eat and living in a manner similar to how it evolved. I would rather eat a healthy animal that got a chance to live a decent life than a sick animal pumped full of drugs in a factory farm.
Thanks for reading. Be well!
Inside each of our cells, at the tips of our chromosomes there are some additional bits of DNA known as telomeres. Telomeres serve to protect the chromosomes during cell division by providing a series of DNA that is expendable and demarcates the end of the chromosome.
Telomeres are of particular interest to gerontologists, who study aging. This is because, with each cell division, telomeres are shortened a little bit. When the telomeres get too short, the cell line becomes inactive and dies. The shorter your telomeres, the closer you are to death.
So what affects telomere length?
The length of the telomeres you started life with was dictated largely by your genetics. However, the age of your father at the time of your conception may also play a role since sperm cells maintain and even increase telomere length over time.
Cell division steadily erodes telomere length, however, cells can produce an enzyme called telomerase that repairs telomeres and effectively slows the aging process. Eventually cells fail to produce enough telomerase and die. Somehow stem cells use telomerase in such a way as to avoid telomere length reduction. But there can be too much of a good thing: Cancer cells are so hard to eradicate because they possess a mutation that causes them to produce excess telomerase, effectively making them immortal.
We know that smoking and obesity can contribute to prematurely shorter telomeres. But gerontologists still have a lot to learn about telomeres and other critical factors in aging. Perhaps some day we'll know how to radically slow or even stop telomere erosion.
This is a complex but fascinating topic. Here are some great resources if you want to learn more:
"Getting long in the telomeres" from 23andMe
"Are telomeres the key to aging and cancer?" from the University of Utah
Thanks for reading. Be well!
It's easy to let life get out of balance and wind up feeling down or stressed out. As a means for avoiding or remedying this I recommend bearing in mind the acronym GRAPES.
Each letter stands for something we should try to incorporate into our daily lives and, when we're feeling out of sorts, it may be because one of these is missing. Also, noticing which of these is chronically missing can give you insight into how you might need to restructure your life to be happier in the long run.
G – Gentle With Self
Be kind to yourself and be mindful of your thoughts. An awareness of the list of cognitive distortions can be helpful in this regard.
R – Relaxation
Give yourself an opportunity to really relax.
A – Achievement
Feeling as though we've accomplished something each day is important. It's also important to be realistic with this one. Your achievement should be a practical one that you can accomplish inside of one day. This may take the form of a small but discrete part of a larger goal. It also may be something quite humble but which is nonetheless an accomplishment. At some point we will all have a day in which just getting out of bed is an accomplishment, so forgive yourself for not summiting Everest (see "G").
P – Pleasure
Do something that gives you pleasure. Play, dance, have fun any way you like.
E – Exercise
Even if it comes down to something like a walk around the block, get some exercise each day. Many of us believe that we need to do at least 30 minutes before an activity "counts" but the science shows that every little bit helps our bodies and minds.
S – Socialize
We are a social species and a need for each others' companionship is written into our basic design. Make genuine connection happen.
Thanks for reading. Be well!
In my last post I noted one way that a woman's diet influences the health of her offspring. This post takes a look at how a man's (or rather a boy's) diet affects his as-yet-not-conceived children's health.
Epigenetic Effects
Historically, we have been unable to affect the actual genetic sequences (the A-C-G-T acids and their order) that we pass on to the next generation (though the development of new technologies is creating new possibilities). However we are able to affect how those genes are expressed.
The study of how genes are expressed is called epigenetics and while the field is in its infancy there are some very intriguing findings. The best example I've come across is detailed in The Violinist's Thumb: And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, as Written by Our Genetic Code, a fascinating and well-written book by Sam Kean.
A small Scandinavian village by the name of Överkalix provided an excellent natural experiment due to an isolated population, periods of feast and famine, and generations of detailed records on crop yield and the health of the residents. The result was that researchers were able to see the effects that a period of feast or famine had on the descendants of the male survivors of those conditions.
From Kean's book:
Most notably, they discovered a robust link between a child's future health and a father's diet. A father obviously doesn't carry babies to term, so any effect must have slipped in through his sperm. Even more strangely, the child got a health boost only if the father faced starvation. If the father gorged himself, his children lived shorter lives with more diseases.
The influence of the fathers turned out to be so strong that scientists could trace it back to the father's father, too – if grandpa Harald starved, baby grandson Olaf would benefit. These weren't subtle effects, either. If Harald binged, Olaf's risk of diabetes increased fourfold. If Harald tightened his belt, Olaf lived (after adjusting for social disparities) an average of thirty years longer.
The book goes on to explain that it was the diet of the ancestor around ages 9 to 12 that impacted the descendant's health. This is the period when a boy's body begins setting aside a stock of cells that will produce sperm for the rest of his life. Those cells will still produce sperm with the same A-C-G-T genetic code, but how that code is read and how genes are expressed will have been changed by the boy's diet during that key age.
When we bear these findings in mind and consider the kind of foods modern 9 to 12 year-old boys can and would eat, given the chance, the implication for the health of future generations is dire. Of course there's no need to starve your sons, but ensuring that they eat healthy will protect the interests of your unborn grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Thanks for reading. Be well!
Everyone knows that the food and drink they consume directly affects their health. But what we eat also has the potential to impact the health of future generations – even decades before they are conceived.
Two ways that parents-to-be can influence their descendants health are through in utero experience and through the fascinating and as-yet poorly understood means of epigenetics. I will touch on the former here, and the latter in my next post.
In Utero Effects
Since Gary Taubes said it best in his book Why We Get Fat: And What To Do About It, I will quote him at length here:
Children in the womb are supplied with nutrients from the mother (through the placenta and umbilical cord) in proportion to the level of those nutrients in the mother's blood. This means that the higher the level of the mother's blood sugar, the more glucose her child gets in her womb.
As the pancreas in that child develops, it apparently responds to this higher dose of glucose by developing more insulin-secreting cells. So, the higher the blood sugar in the pregnant mother, the more insulin-secreting cells her child will develop, and the more insulin the child will secrete as it gets close to birth. The baby will now be born with more fat, and it will have a tendency to oversecrete insulin and become insulin-resistant itself as it gets older. It will be predisposed to get fat as it ages.
To avoid this predisposition in her child, the pregnant mother should be aware of the effects of carbohydrates on insulin and eat a low glycemic diet. And I'm of the opinion that her partner should be eating a similar diet, both for his or her own health and to help establish the new habit.
Watch for my next post on epigenetics and the male influence on future generations.
Thanks for reading. Be well!


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Care Homes / Nursing Homes for Parkinson's Disease in postcode 'EH6'
Featured Care Homes:
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205-207 Ferry Road, Edinburgh EH6 4NN
Manager: Alison Cavender
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Vaishakh Masa is the second month in a traditional Hindu Telugu calendar followed in Andhra Pradesh. Telugu Vaishak Masam 2014 is from April 30 to May 28. Some of the auspicious days in the month include Akshya Tritiya, Narasimha Jayanti, Vyasa Jayanthi and Kurma Jayanti.
Sankatahara Chaturthi monthly fasting dedicated to Lord Ganesh is on May 17
Sankatahara Chaturthi monthly fasting dedicated to Lord Ganesh is on May 17
Vaishak Masam Shukla Paksha and
Krishna Paksha
Vaishak Masam Telugu calendar 2014 Shukla Paksha (Waxing phase of moon) is from April 30 to May 14, 2014.
Vaishak Masa 2014 Krishna Paksha (Waning phase of moon) is from May 15 to May 28, 2014.
Purnima in Telugu Vaishakh month
Vaishak Purnima or Full moon day is on May 14, 2014. The Purnima begins at 1:12 AM on May 14 and ends at 12:21 AM on May 15.
Amavasi in Telugu Vaishakh month
Vaishak Amavas or No moon day is on May 28, 2014. The Amavasi begins at 10:59 PM on May 27, 2014 and ends at 11:02 PM on May 28, 2014.
Ekadasi Fasting Dates in Vaishakh Masa are:
Mohini Ekadasi - May 10
Apara Ekadasi – May 25
Pradosh Fasting Dates in Vaishakh Masa are:
Pradosh - May 12
Praodsha – May 26
The dates of important festivals and auspicious days in Telugu Vaishak Masam are:
- Akshaya Tritiya – May 2
- Parashuram Jayanti – May 1
- Ganga Puja or
GangaUtpatti – May 6
- Narasimha Jayanti – May 13
- Kurma Jayanti – May 14
Please note that Vaishakh month 2014 in traditional Hindu calendar followed in
North India is from April 15, 2014 to May 14.
Vaishak Month in Maharashtra,
Gujarat and Karnataka is similar to the Telugu Calendar.
Next month in Telugu calendar is the Jyeshta Masa.


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Directions Celebrate Recovery group
The Avenue Church in Waxahachie begins a new Directions Celebrate Recovery group Jan. 7, 2013. The opening night will feature Nate Lark, published author and I Am Second interview subject, as keynote speaker and guest. The church band will also be in attendance, and the congregation is invited to learn as well as the general public.
The intent is to reach out to those with hurts, habits and hang-ups that are hurting them and who would like to be part of a peer group with no condemnation or judgment. For more information, call the church at 972-937-5301.


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Shenzhen Fudi Gift Development Co., Ltd.
|Business Type:
|Manufacturer, Trading Company, Buying Office
|Main Products:
|Guangdong, China (Mainland)
|Year Established:
|Year start exporting:
|Number Of Employees:
|11 - 50 People
|Total Revenue:
|US$2.5 Million - US$5 Million
|Main Markets:
|Average Lead Time:
|7 Day(s)
Our company is a professional large-scale manufacturer of all types of bags, integrating development and production together. Our ma...
Our company is a professional large-scale manufacturer of all types of bags, integrating development and production together. Our main products include bags and related products. Our company was established in 2010, and we have many years of history in the bag industry. Located near Hong Kong, we enjoy convenient water, land and air transportation.
Our company employs more than 80 workers. Through the efforts of our entire staff, Fudi Gift people have continuously tried to improve product quality,
Currently, Fudi's products have been already exported to America, France, Australia, Japan, Italy and 20 other countries and regions. Our company focuses on the research, development and innovation always.
Our company regards "reasonable prices, efficient production time and good after-sales service" as our tenet. We hope to cooperate with more customers for mutual development and benefits. Welcome potential buyers to contact us.
Company Capability
Trade Capacity
South America : 20.00%
Central America : 15.00%
Production Capacity
Factory Size : 1,000-3,000 square meters
No. of Production Lines : 3
R&D Capacity
No. of R&D Staff : Less than 5 People
Email to this supplier


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Note: Yeah, burning forests for electricity. GREAT idea… What could possibly go wrong? Oh, besides explosions, fires, clearcuts, infestation of forests by deadly pests and disease from imported woodchips, acceleration of climate change, pollution of nearby communities… But other than THAT…
–The GJEP Team
By ClickGreen staff, 08 Nov 2012. Source: ClickGreen
A huge explosion has ripped through the Gelderland biomass power station in the Dutch city of Nijmegen.
Despite initial reports of people missing, local media confirmed there had been no injuries although local residents have been warned to remain indoors.
The explosion occurred shortly after 7am local time and rocked the nearby city of Nijmegen, located in the east of the Netherlands.
One city resident used Twitter to describe the massive explosion as like a "meteor hitting the city".
In 1995, Gelderland became Europe's first co-fired power station to generate biomass and coal sourced electricity.
Following the conversion from fossil fuel, the 590MW Gelderland power station now uses 470,000 tonnes of wood pellets a year to supply 250,000 Dutch households with "green electricity". The Netherlands is a leader in co-firing in Europe.
Earlier this year, Europe's largest biomass power plant was nearly destroyed by a huge blaze that took firefighters nearly three days to bring under control.
The fire in February broke out at Tilbury Power Station, in Essex, in a fuel storage area containing 4,000 tonnes of crushed wood.


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Photos: World figure skating championship's men in the spotlight
Friday's free skates saw the medals handed out — highlighted by gold to Canada's Patrick Chan — at the 2013 world figure skating championships in London, Ont.
Patrick Chan of Canada awaits scores following his free program in the men's competition at the world figure skating championships on Friday, March 15, 2013 in London, Ont.
Photograph by: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI, AFP/Getty Images
Did the Oilers make the right move firing Eakins?


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Ford's concept E-Bike is powered by the Samsung Galaxy S II
You might ask yourself what exactly a smartphone can do for the bike and the answer is, quite a lot. Using some custom software, the Galaxy S II can adjust the suspension of the bike and keep an eye on battery strength. And when you're traveling along a quiet, boring stretch of road, you can always listen to some audio from your Galaxy S II (you could even put on Netflix, but just to listen to a movie while driving, right?).
We all know that concepts usually never make it to the marketplace-at least not in the form that you see at shows. There are exceptions, of course, and just perhaps one day you will be riding your E-Bike with the wind blowing in your hair rushing past your helmet, and the Samsung Galaxy S playing your tunes.
source: Engadget
The concept Ford E-Bike uses a Samsung Galaxy S II to control some functions
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14 Comments
1. bladada (unregistered)
WTF? This makes no sense at all....first NASA uses SII, and now ford? s**t, Samsung must be paying them out the ass.
13. ztedac (Posts: 69; Member since: 17 May 2010)
would you be happier if it was an iphone?
then it will become more 'legit'?
2. gallitoking (Posts: 4690; Member since: 17 May 2011)
I wonder if you can take a call while riding the bike?
3. 87168 (unregistered)
Not without getting a ticket....give it time, there will be a law against cycling and while using a mobile device; that is if there isn't one somewhere already haha
10. PeterIfromsweden (Posts: 1230; Member since: 03 Aug 2011)
Here in sweden you are even allowed to hold the phone to your head and talk while your driving.
5. vantenkiest (Posts: 308; Member since: 20 Apr 2011)
Dont see why not ... bluetooth headphones :P I use the Plantronics backbeats 903+ Amazing headphones they even work while im driving with the roof down.
4. Sniggly (Posts: 7182; Member since: 05 Dec 2009)
This is a cool concept; two of my favorite corporate things in the world, Android and Ford, working together. *sigh* I must be dreaming. :)
6. dipereira0123 (Posts: 17; Member since: 26 Jul 2011)
An app made for a concept bike?? APPLE LAWYRS BEING CALLED IN 3... 2... 1...
7. ivanko34 (Posts: 617; Member since: 04 Sep 2011)
Frankfurt in Germany ?
Apple is going to ban that from germany and from netherlands and australia ...
8. Sniggly (Posts: 7182; Member since: 05 Dec 2009)
It's innovative and from a competitor. What's not to ban? :D
9. Firedrops (Posts: 215; Member since: 06 Sep 2011)
so... is this bike supposed to have its own built-in engines that run on the electricity so that it can travel up to 25km/h, or are you supposed to pedal it to reach that speed?
anyways, a dynamo phone-charger would be fit on a bike like this.
11. remixfa (Posts: 14172; Member since: 19 Dec 2008)
Im guessing that since ford is involved that its got an engine in that frame somewhere. Wouldnt make sense otherwise. On a side note, i love the way that bike looks.
Sexy bike + worlds best phone = uber win.
12. TeamDroid2.0 (unregistered)
This is smart by samsung to name it the "E" bike, seeing how Apple owns the letter i.
Seriously this is pretty cool though because when I crash my bike at 2 am drunk out of my head, I want my phone to shatter along with my $2000 bike
14. Ivan6479 (Posts: 244; Member since: 26 Jun 2011)
The "E" most likely stands for Electric seeing how the phone powers the bike and I'm sure that the name was Fords decision seeing how it's their bike. Also if you would be dumb enough to take your $2000 bike out for a ride at 2am when your drunk then you deserve anything that comes your way.


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It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Thank you, I'll check it out.Shiff said:Brisket cooking is discussed here almost every day. Scroll down a few pages and you'll find lots of info.
Two great sources of brisket cooking information are:
How could something approaching 500k views be considered any kind of cheat? It is gospel.Different guy man! He is old and decrepid and you aren't. Didn't say your method was a cheat either. Would you do a flat alone in the traditional way?
I tell him to use Travis's cheat method and he's a wise man for doing it. I'm feelin' just a little unappreciated here pal.The Cen-Tex Smoker said:you are a wise man indeed. it will be awesomeThanks for the comments. Travis - I'm going with your method tomorrow.Quick question - do you apply your rub and mustard combo the night before and let sit in the fridge?
Caledon, ON
I'm about 3 hours in and I'm already at 190 internal. My dome temp is at 300 and my grate temp is around 285. I feel like this is going too quick and the meat will be tough.
Thank you. I'll keep y'all updated. I appreciate the help. This community is awesome.The Cen-Tex Smoker said:I'm about 3 hours in and I'm already at 190 internal. My dome temp is at 300 and my grate temp is around 285. I feel like this is going too quick and the meat will be tough.
that is fast but the meat will not be tough. You can crank it way down if you need to for time's sake but it won't affect the quality of the cook to do it fast. if it's done too early you can FTC (wrap in foil, wrap that in towels and stick in a cooler) for up to 6 hours (4 recommended). you are in great shape and it's going to be awesome.


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International Student
In today's increasingly interdependent and competitive global setting, it is vitally important that universities everywhere make a concerted effort to enhance their international dimension in education and training policies. With that in mind, the Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, established its Corporate Planning and International Division on December 1st, 2008. For more information on the international relations, kindly visit International Affairs Division.
International Affairs Division is responsible for administering the admission processes for international students seeking to enroll at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris. The centre also provide academic counseling advice and support services.
International Affairs Division,
Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris,
1st Floor, Chancellery Building,
35900 Tanjong Malim,
Perak Darul Ridzuan, Malaysia.
Tel. : (0060) 05-4506971 (Genaral Office) / (0060) 05-4506904
Fax : (0060) 05-4582776
Website :


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'Tis the season to say "'tis the season" too much. 'Tis also the season to reflect on the year that was, eat too much, see family, and get nostalgic with your favorite holiday tunes. But since we're all about superlatives around here, we wanna know: What are the greatest Xmas songs of all time? Well, with Festivus rapidly approaching, the web has begun churning out special holiday treats for children young and old.
Like, did you realize that Wham!'s "Last Christmas" has practically become a holiday standard? Well there's a blog that's dedicated solely to covers of the tune — and if there's a blog involved, it's gotta be true. Stereogum-reader Alex L. told us that Last Christmas promises 5 to 7 covers a day, and there are 41 already! That means "there will be around 150 covers by the big day. Who knew it was so popular?" Probably not even Georgie, Alex!
Then there's the "humor" holiday tunes. Nothing beats "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer" — but there are always new contenders. Here are two newcomers, one from Sarah Silverman and one from the South Parkers, both via Santa Vegan.
And of course there's The Killers' "A Great Big Sled," which you guys hated, so we won't bother telling you about the video. Instead, check out The Dan Band's punny clip for their yuletide tune "Ho Ho Ho." We fucking need them more than ever. There's also that blasphemous R. Kelly claymation parody, but a homicidal, bi-curious Santa coupled with a bong-toting Jesus ain't for everyone, we know!
So if holiday vids aren't your thing, how about a holiday mix with a bit of Low, Sufjan, Eels, and oh so much more?
Thought so. Check Rewritable Content for the goods. Or, for a self-described "weird" take on "O Holy Night" from our bud Cale from Aloha, head to Suburban Sprawl Music.
Have we jogged your memory a bit? Good! Now let's get a solid playlist of holiday tunes together. Which ones are your faves? If you have holiday mixes you wanna link to, feel free to post 'em in the comments. Grab a cup of eggnog and holler!
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2 killed, suspect arrested at SF shopping centerJuly 12, 2013 @ 8:26 pm
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Two women were killed and a man was wounded on Friday before a suspect covered in blood was arrested at a shopping center in a crowded San Francisco neighborhood that is home to police headquarters and several tech companies, authorities said.
Investigators were trying to determine if the shooting was connected to a botched robbery.
Responding officers encountered the suspect outside the San Francisco Giftcenter & Jewelrymart in the trendy South of Market area. At first they were not sure if the man, who had blood on his clothes, was a shooting victim or a suspect, police Chief Greg Suhr said.
The man, whose name was not released, opened fire at officers while retreating into a restaurant, Suhr said. The man kept shooting until he apparently ran out of ammunition and surrendered, Suhr said.
Officers did not return fire because the sidewalks were crowded with shoppers and residents.
The suspect was treated at a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. A gun and a knife were recovered from the scene.
SWAT officers swept the building, but police said there were no outstanding suspects.
"We believe from video in an adjacent store that there was one suspect. We believe that it is the suspect we have in custody," Suhr said.
The man arrested had been in that area before, according to witnesses.
After the arrest, officers went inside the shopping center and found the two women dead in the lobby. One woman was shot and the other suffered "wounds from an edged weapon," police said. Their names were not immediately available. A witness said at least one of the women worked at a jewelry store inside the building.
Another man with life-threatening gunshot and stab wounds was taken to a hospital, police said.
The shopping center is just blocks from the Hall of Justice, which is the home of San Francisco Superior Court, a jail and police headquarters. Several tech companies, including online game maker Zynga, are also in the neighborhood.
Officers were interviewing witnesses who ducked for cover when the shooting began.
"Somebody was crying or yelling for help. Then I saw the SWAT. There was a dozen of them. They told us to lock ourselves in," Veronica Sirois, who was shopping at the gift center, told the San Francisco Chronicle. "I saw blood on the way out and a pair of bodies."
AP Video Journalist Haven Daley contributed.
(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
Beating the Blitz
How Wilson to Willson helped beat the Cardinals' blitz
The Show Will Go On
Dave Ross hopes that seeing "The Interview" won't become a litmus test for patriotism
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Style Steals
Results: 1-2 of 2
Office Crush of the Week: Verena's Red Lips
Lucky editor Verena von Pfetten has perfected the art of the red lip—and you can too.
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Cute New Actress Alert: Jessica Raine from Call the Midwife
We're ready to officially add Jessica Raine, who plays the show's pragmatic yet compassionate Jenny Lee, to our list of style crushes.
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Race 2 MP3 Songs Download
Download Race 2 Songs – Bollywood Album
Party On My Mind K.K, Shefali Alvaris, Yo Yo Honey Singh
Be Intehaan Atif Aslam, Sunidhi Chauhan
Lat Lag Gayee Benny Dayal, Shalmali Kholgade
Party On My Mind (Remix) DJ Jay Dhabi
Be Intehaan (Remix) DJ Suketu, Aks
Allah Duhai Hai Atif Aslam, Vishal Dadlani, Anushka, Ritu & Michie
Download Race 2 Mp3 Album All-in-One:
Race 2 Album – 128KBps
Movie/Album Information:
Race 2 (2013) is a Hindi Bollywood Movie starring Saif Ali Khan, John Abraham, Anil Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Jacqueline Fernandez, Amisha Patel in lead roles. The music of Race 2 is directed by maestro 'Pritam'. Lyrics of this album have been written by 'Various". You may download the high quality mp3 songs of this release from above given download links in 128kbps & 320kbps.
Race 2 MP3 Songs YouTube:
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Nickispy is a family of Trojan horse viruses that targets smartphones powered by the Android operating system. The most recent strain of Nickispy, Nickispy.C, masquerades as the Google+ (Google Plus) service in an attempt to dupe Android OS users into installing the malware. Nickispy.C attempts to trick users into installing a third-party app called Google++ (notice the use of two "plus" signs rather than one), and it even uses the same icon as the real Google+ service.
Users installing Google++ provide Nickispy with complete access to their smartphone's text messages and call logs, and the malware can even record phone calls as well as GPS position history. Nickispy can additionally secretly answer calls on its own and send a user's private information to a remote site without the user's knowledge.
While many of Nickispy's malicious capabilities affect all Android smartphones, the malware's ability to surreptitiously intercept calls only affects Android smartphones running version 2.2 or earlier. Smartphones running version 2.3 ("Gingerbread") or later are protected from this as a result of the modify_phone_state permission being disabled.
Tape clearly is on the decline. But remember, legacy systems can hang for a shockingly long time. Read More »Apple Pay Promises to Strengthen Payment Security
Experts believe that Apple Pay and other competitive payment systems will be far more secure than cards, even cards equipped with EMV chips. Read More »Internet of Things Shaping IT's Future
To make the IoT both work and pay off, IT is juggling upgrading and building app-centric networks, mapping out new data center architectures and... Read More »
The trend for the past two years has been for shoppers to spend more online during the holiday season. How do you typically shop for holiday... Read More »How to Create a Desktop Shortcut to a Website
This Webopedia guide will show you how to create a desktop shortcut to a website using Firefox, Chrome or Internet Explorer (IE). Read More »Flash Data Storage Vendor Trends
Although it is almost impossible to keep up with the pace of ongoing product releases, here are three recent highlights in the flash data storage... Read More »
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The Art of Intrusion: The Real Stories Behind the Exploits of Hackers ...By Kevin D. Mitnick, William L. Simon
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