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by William Belo
Owner/General Manager
Coral Farms
From 31 January to 2 February 2007 the National Museum of the Philippines provided the venue for The Forum on Crocodiles in the Philippines at the Museum of the Filipino People, Rizal Park, Manila. More than 125 participants attended this meeting including 24 foreign scientists and conservationists representing 14 countries.
This Forum was developed with three primary goals:
The Forum was hosted by four organizations:
The National Museum of the Philippines (NMP). The National repository for natural history and cultural artifacts preserved for future generations of Filipinos. The National Museum also conducts research into a wide variety of fields to benefit the Filipino people. The National Museum has been in the forefront of conservation and conservation research and hosts numerous seminars and meetings to discuss current issues. The Forum on Crocodiles in the Philippines is one of the largest events of its kind hosted by the NMP.
Silliman University (SU). Silliman University, located in Dumaguete City, Negros Or., is a leader in conservation and natural history research in the Philippines. Although known mainly for its Marine Sciences programs, SU pioneered crocodile farming in the Philippines when in 1980 they started breeding the endangered Philippine Crocodile. Silliman University in collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., conducted a survey of crocodile distributions and natural history between 1980 and 1982. This work is still the primary source of information available on crocodiles in the Philippines and is commonly quoted.
The Veterinary Office of the City of Manila (Office of the Mayor). Dr. Joe Diaz, the Chief Veterinary Officer of the city, was the first Director of the RP Japan Crocodile Farming Institute (CFI, now known as the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center, PWRRC) outside Puerto Princessa, Palawan. This crocodile farm was created by the National government with aid from the Japanese government (JICA) and opened in 1987. As the Chief Veterinarian of the City of Manila, Dr. Diaz deals with topics related to crocodiles such as the Animal Welfare Act, hygienic slaughter and use of exotic meats such as crocodile, and coordinating the conservation and education programs on crocodiles of Manila Zoo.
Crocodylus Porosus Philippines, Inc. (CPPI). This is a loose association of 6 commercial crocodile farms, 3 on Luzon and 3 on Mindanao. These farms rear and breed the Indopacific Crocodile but are rapidly becoming instrumental in the conservation of both crocodile species found in the Philippines. The farm members of CPPI were selected by the Philippine government to pioneer this non-traditional industry with crocodiles produced in captivity at CFI.
Many members of these organizations were involved with planning, finance, and other activities necessary to make this Forum a success. We would like to specifically thank the Zoology Division staff of the National Museum, and, Vicente Mercado and Grace Mendoza of CPPI, for their outstanding sacrifice of time and effort.
The Forum took place over a three day period. The first morning, 31 January, was occupied primarily by Welcoming Addresses. The body was addressed by Jose Ferrer, Assistant Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources, followed by Dr. Corazon S. Alvina (Director, NMP), Dr. Minda S. Manantan (Department of Agriculture), Dr. Ben Malayang, III (President, SU), and Vicente P. Mercado (President, CPPI). After a brief break, three papers were presented by the academe (Dr. Angel Alcala on the Purpose of this Forum), private sector (Vicente P. Mercado on the Status of Commercial Crocodile Farming), and government (Dr. Mundita S. Lim, DENR Policies on Crocodiles). These papers are included in these Proceedings. A group photo was taken before the lunch break.
The afternoon session comprised presented papers that dealt with regulations, trade, the role of local governments and conservation groups, as they pertain to crocodiles in the Philippines. Included in these was a paper by Yoichi Takehara describing myriad details of commercial crocodile skinning and grading protocol. The evening started with opening the National Museums special exhibit on Crocodiles in Philippine Culture by Dr. Corazon S. Alvina who gave a personal tour of the crocodile related artifacts and tapestries on display (this exhibit ran through May 2007). Posters were also presented along the walkway surrounding the courtyard.
Following the exhibit opening, a social with refreshments, was held in the open central courtyard of the Museum of the Filipino People. During the social, entertainment was provided by the 26 dancers of the Bitun Cultural Group, San Mariano Campus, of Isabela State University, Cagayan Province. This group promotes conservation and preservation of the environment, including crocodiles, through dance and performs in many Provincial and Municipal venues. This was their first opportunity to perform at a National level and their efforts were enjoyed by all in attendance.
The second day, 1 February, was comprised solely of contributed papers on aspects of crocodile biology and conservation. Following presentation of papers a Banquet hosted by CPPI with an open bar donated by Tanduay Distillers was held in the courtyard of the Museum of the Filipino People. Entertainment was provided by commercial singers and traditional dance groups with participation of the audience. Keynote speeches were given by Dr. Grahame Webb (Chairman, IUCN Crocodile Specialists Group) and Vicente P. Mercado. Mr. Arthur C. Yap, Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, was in attendance. Donations to the Forum Crocodile Conservation Fund (created by Vicente P. Mercado during his Welcome Address) were received from Sonny Dizon (Davao Crocodile Park), William Belo (Coral Farms), the National Federation of Hog Raisers, and Salvador Buddy Chan Golden Acres Farm, Inc.).
The third day of the Forum was informal and organized loosely into 4 discussion groups. These were: Conservation of Wild Crocodiles, Reintroduction of Crocodiles into the Wild, Regulations concerning all aspects of Crocodiles in the Philippines and International Trade, and, Self Regulation of the Crocodile Industry. Resolutions from three of these groups were presented to the body during the afternoon and adopted. They are included in these Proceedings. The 4th group, dealing with Self Regulation of the Crocodile Industry resulted in the formation of an organization of approximately 20 members from academe, government and private sectors that has met several times and handled topics as diverse as animal welfare rights at the PWRCC, sale of live crocodiles to overseas interests, instigating a studbook of crocodiles in captivity in the Philippines, as well as organizational guidelines and constitution.
Several field trips were organized following the Forum. The primary two trips were to the Mabuwaya Foundation, Inc. and Isabela State University crocodile project in San Mariano, Isabela, and crocodile farms in Davao, Mindanao. Visits to crocodile farms and zoos in the vicinity of Manila were offered.
Other than the networking contacts and positive aspects of having such a large and diverse audience gather with the sole focus on crocodile conservation and sustained utilization in the Philippines, there have been several concrete accomplishments thus far that have resulted from the Forum:
1. The IUCN Crocodile Specialist Group has donated US$ 5,000 for cooperative interaction between the existing Mabuwaya crocodile project in northern Luzon and the fledgling crocodile project of University of Southern Mindanao (USM). These funds have been administered through CPPI and so far the USM group has traveled to Isabela Province and is waiting for the Isabela Province groups reciprocal visit to USM for exchange ideas on crocodile conservation.
2. Crocodylus Porosus Philippines, Inc. has promised full funding for the first year, including start up costs, of the USM Crocodile Research Project (approximately US$ 16,000) in the Ligawasan Marsh, Mindanao**. To date, a flat bottom boat and outboard motor, as well as cash, have been provided for their use.
3. An organization open to all individuals (foreign and Filipino) with interest in any aspect of crocodiles in the Philippines is being formed but has already played a strong role in liaison with Government on National policy matters concerning crocodiles.
4. Forum fund for conservation and research on crocodiles in the Philippines has been created. This fund is administered through CPPI by three individuals from the academe, private sector, and government, and currently stands at approximately US$ 8,000.
5. Several workshops (both volunteer and contracted) have been organized and will take place in August and September 2007. These include: reduced stress handling of crocodiles, sanitation concerns of captive crocodiles, skinning and preservation of crocodile skins, and crocodile farming (how to improve existing farm operation).
6. Contact with the Departments of Education, and, Interior and Local Governments, has led to an ongoing collaboration with SU and CPPI members to integrate components on sustained utilization of wildlife, wetlands conservation, and crocodiles, into existing primary school education curricula.
The papers presented in these Proceedings are not peer reviewed. An effort to edit submitted papers was made to standardize formatting and grammar (without changing intent).
Papers were edited primarily by A. C. Alcala and C. A. Ross.
On behalf of the Forum Secretariat,Careen Belo, CPPI., July 2007.
* The common name Indopacific Crocodile is used throughout these Proceedings. See paper by Ross (these Proceedings) on the rational for use of this name in the Philippines.
** The original spelling Ligawasan is used for the large marshlands of central Mindanao often referred to as Liguasan Marsh. Liguasan is a colonial period corruption of the original name.


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A companion to an introductory book about archaeology for students, with links to web resources, archives and documents.
Supports research, learning and teaching by preserving digital data in the long term, and by promoting and disseminating a range of data in archaeology.
Provides a database of archaeological sites searchable by location; also includes historical timelines.
A guide to getting involved in archaeology in the UK, with news stories, details of BBC programmes, and background on techniques.
Offers information through published sources, and free access to records.
Contains descriptions and a guide to prehistoric monuments. Provides links to listings of archaeological sights in England, as well as in Scotland and Wales.
Contains listings of career offerings, trainings, and courses. Also shows news articles.
Provides an online meeting place for anyone involved with community archaeology. Includes a listing of projects, news, events, and publications.
Promotes involvement through highlighting job opportunities; and presenting publications and reports on archeological events.
Contains links to articles, and images of archaeological finds connecting to various ancient cultures.
Features news, articles, links, and book reviews about archaeology. Also contains listings of archaeological organizations, projects, and finds.
Details surveys by the Archaeometry Branch of the Ancient Monuments Laboratory.
Celebration of archaeology with events across the UK.
Article highlights the history of Britain during the control of the Romans, the Saxons, and their physical contributions to the land.
Presents reports, essays, and stories of archaeologist Paul Everill. Also contains publications and picture gallery.
Provides document with details of a model for the management of archaeological projects. Includes references and appendices.
Serves as resource for news, information, images, and links on ancient sites throughout UK and Ireland.
Contains details of the project that exists in order to study the state of England's archaeological resources.
Funds projects that support the National Heritage Protection Plan (NHPP), which was launched in May 2011.
Community for those with an interest in archaeology.
Formed in 2010 by Michael Worthington and Jane Seiter to provide dendrochronological services to archaeologists, architectural historians, art historians, cultural resource managers, and private house owners.
Freely accessible database containing nearly 400,000 records of archaeological sites and buildings in England and its territorial waters.
Offering information about flint knapping workshops and courses.
Article on ancient sources of information on buildings, events, people, and places engraved on stones.
Provides maps of known Roman road networks and information about settlements, forts, camps, and quarries in the British Isles.
Presents synopses, scripts, biographies of the TV series on the Romans from the BBC and the Open University.
Organization records and interprets data on heritage structures. Provides updates of publications.
Presents a constantly updated document that represents the current state of knowledge concerning Scotland's archaeological past.
For people interested in the coastal archaeology of Scotland; includes information about the project, local groups, resources, reports, and contacts.
Introduces the institution's services dealing with ancient artifact recoveries and restorations. Contains images of its attractions.
A television programme on Channel 4, which investigates a wide range of archaeological sites. Includes schedule, an archive, and education resources.
Offers publications for those interested in courses and training in archaeology.
Offers information on sites and monuments, and also advice to land owners and managers to help preserve archaeological remains.
A database of pottery used and/or made in Worcestershire from prehistory to c 1900AD; searchable by fabric, manufacture, form, distribution, date, and source. Includes photo galleries and a guide to identifying pottery.

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Germs Are Not For Sharing
Item #: 4116
Subject: Family Child Care, Health & Safety
Bright, colorful, and friendly, the posters in this set from Free Spirit teach important concepts and make an upbeat addition to any early childhood classroom or play area. This series includes: Feet Are Not for Kicking (#4117), Words Are Not for Hurting (#4118), Hands Are Not for Hitting (#4119), and Teeth Are Not for Biting (#4120). All posters are 17"x22" and laminated.


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Mild winters make skunks more active. Instead of resting and preserving their energy, they venture out of their dens and hunt for food. Tad Theimer is a vertebrate biologist and associate professor at Northern Arizona University.
As we get ready to celebrate Valentine's Day, Northern Arizona University ecology professor Nancy Collins Johnson reminds us that we can learn a lot about relationships from nature. Collins is a soils expert who studies mycorrhizal symbiosis - or, healthy relationships between fungi and the roots of plants.
A Northern Arizona University regents' biology professor is studying how the speed with which frogs catch insects can improve the mechanics of artificial limbs for humans. Kiisa Nishikawa has discovered the connection is a protein called titin. It essentially enables muscles to "think," reacting in milliseconds, rather than waiting for a signal from the brain.
Step into Robert Kellar's physiology and anatomy class at NAU and you'll learn how the human body works. But, step into his lab an you'll learn how to grow human skin. Dr. Kellar can teach plants how to manufacture human protein.
Some scientists predict the Southwest will continue on its warming trend. NAU biology professor Tom Whitham says the rise in temperatures is happening so fast - 3 degrees in the last 60 years - that many plants are not able to adapt and survive.
Bacteria make up most of life on Earth. It's life we can't see. Some bacteria thrive in such extreme environments as the boiling water of the hot springs in Yellowstone National Park, or in the driest place on Earth - the Atacama Desert of northern Chile. But, according to Greg Caporaso in the Center of Microbial Genetics and Genomics at NAU, the most extreme environment for life is inside the human body.
Slogging through the thick, sticky mud of a pond in Sedona, wildlife biologist Carol Chambers is catching bats in nets stretched across the water.


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DoD News Briefing with Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Kenneth Krieg
MR. KRIEG: Hello, all. Good afternoon. Thanks for coming on a -- late on a Friday, and let me start by apologizing for having to schedule this so late on Friday during -- it was hard to coordinate schedules and meeting rooms during budget week. You've all been running from pillar to post since last Friday's QDR through this week's budget. So I just want you to know how much I appreciate your taking the time to come here this afternoon.
For those of you who don't know, I was the co-chair of the business practice's portion of the Quadrennial Defense Review or QDR. Although the need to improve business practices was first introduced in the 2001 QDR, the current defense review marked the first large- scale effort to actually analyze and understand how best to improve our business as part of the QDR process.
We started our review by focusing on the customer, our joint warfighter. Our warfighters are facing an enemy that requires them to be flexible and agile. Therefore, the department's business practices and processes need to be flexible and agile, so we can respond to the needs of that customer over time. And we must do so in a manner that is both efficient and effective, whether in surge or in steady state, wartime or peacetime, long-term or in the intermediate.
From a strategic point of view, our customer, the joint warfighter, has been horizontally integrated, or joined, for over 20 years. What we need to do now is to move to the next level and have a better integration of the department's support infrastructure to support that warfighter. We also need to do -- need more agile and better-aligned processes that can react to the dynamic rapidly- changing world and then deliver effective joint warfighting capabilities.
And finally, the department must organize for success with three distinct roles necessary in any strategy-driven organization. This is critical.
The first level is that of governance. This level includes the senior leadership. The governance level focuses on strategy, macro resource allocation and oversight. We need to provide strategic direction and empower the next level of management to carry out their specific responsibilities.
Management is the group, as you know, who translates strategy from the governance level to specific tasks and outcomes for those who are responsible for sound execution.
The people at the execution level, then, must implement that strategy by carrying out those tasks as determined and monitored by the management level.
All three levels should be aligned to a common strategy, ordered by a set of strategy-driven goals and tracked and measured by outcome- oriented metrics in a transparent enterprise data framework.
Now that's a lot easier to say than it is to do, and we have a lot of work actually to do, but I'm confident we're up to the task.
With that as an overarching strategic framework, I'll touch on -- just to go and list just a couple of areas that we plan to apply this strategy in specific, tactical ways. And I'll be glad to go in more detail to the extent that you are interested during the question and answer period at the end.
The areas that we reviewed in the QDR in particular -- our capability portfolio management, strategic and -- what I -- not my term, not -- the book's term -- strategic and tactical acquisition excellence, supply chain logistics, business processes and systems, and a high-performing, agile and ethical workforce.
So that's a short version of the overview for the department I think you can see both reflected in the QDR and the president's '07 budget request, as well as what I've set out as my goals in AT&L.
I'll be happy to answer questions now.
Q Thanks. Rebecca Christie from Dow Jones Newswires.
MR. KRIEG: Hey, Rebecca.
Q Thanks for making time for us this afternoon.
With regard to the QDR, we hear an awful lot about how the QDR has informed a lot of the different decisions that are being made around the building -- on programs, on budgeting, on transformation -- all these things. But the document is a pretty thin document, probably so that one person can read it, but it doesn't have a lot of the detailed analysis for where this came from, how this decision was reached or even spelling out that a decision was reached, other than maybe broadly saying, "We're in favor of, you know, some generally accepted goal."
So my question to you is do you have internal documents, memos and records of these decision-making meetings and things like that, so that there's some kind of an accountability for all these decisions, so people don't just use the QDR as an excuse for everything?
MR. KRIEG: Good question. I mean, as you know, you run a battle any time in producing a document that someone might read and producing a volumetric, you will, accounting of this. I actually brought one down. And you didn't even prep me on that question, so I get points for at least one thing.
But I mean, yes, there are a number of decisions that are prefaced or focused or framed in the QDR that then play out in a number of places. For instance, the Defense business systems and processes work started to lay out in the Enterprise Transition Plan, which we issued in September. This is the whole question of how we're going to work Defense business processes and Defense business systems over time. As you might recall, we created a Defense Business Systems Management Committee, chaired by the deputy and the vice chair, to look at business management processes and systems.
So with that as the governance framework, we then issued an Enterprise Transition Plan that tried to lay out both a strategy for thinking about business processes and business information, and then it actually allocates who's going to do what to whom by when. And we're now using the -- we stood up a business transformation agency that would work both the enterprise level systems and then continue to track the work that's laid out in this plan and in a federated process.
We had a review process that actually went through and reviewed every single major business system over a million dollars of investment, whether that review was done at the service level, the agency level, or up at the corporate level or department level. That then formed the basis of the '07 request.
And then this Defense Business Systems Committee meets on a monthly basis to continue driving metric development, what kind of metrics and performance should we have in there, and then the work over time.
So it's an example of -- it gets three paragraphs in the QDR, and there is a lot of work that then lines up behind it.
I would say of -- you know, not every three paragraphs inside the QDR have that full an answer behind them. Some of them are really signaling to where we want to go in the future. And it'll be a mix of those as we go through it.
But yes, there was a lot of work. And as I think many have told you over time, there were a lot of us, like me, who were engaged in many hours of going through it, trying to order the work and try to make decisions and then try to figure out -- as the deputy says, this not only lays out a set of decisions, but it really sets an agenda for going forward.
Q So where are the nuts and bolts, like why retire the U2 and kill the Standoff Jammer, but keep transformational communications? Where can we see the trades and the strategic reasoning behind those decisions?
MR. KRIEG: Well, you'll see that as we roll out the whole budget discussion. I mean, that will be part of the way we describe what we're doing over time.
Q Do you have documents to show how you reached those decisions internally that you can show to the Congress and perhaps the public?
MR. KRIEG: I mean -- yeah, there's documentation galore. But, I mean, you know -- I mean, we'll be describing how we're going to -- we'll be describing those decisions as we go forward in the budget review process on the Hill.
Q As you know, the Pentagon is going to enhance the IED task force, and a retired four-star, and I think there's $3 billion or more in the budget this year for the efforts. Could you talk a little bit about the role the QDR will play in informing their ability to acquire that what they need to get the job done, whatever the platforms are they need to defeat IEDs? How does that change?
MR. KRIEG: Well, I think -- the QDR starts to talk about, and actually DAPA talked about it as well, the notion of time defined -- or time certain -- we use "time defined" acquisition. To me, a lot of the work on the IED Task Force is around -- the technology-related work is around either rapid acquisition or rapid development. So the Congress of the United States has been very supportive in the last several years of providing both rapid acquisition authority and then resourcing for it. Rapid acquisition obviously needs something to be available today that you can buy to meet a need. That next tier of rapid development -- "I know I want to be able to do something, I've got something that's pretty close but I need to quickly adapt it in order to make it perform" -- is that next tier of work we need to do. And we do that in things like Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration Programs, and the like.
But, you know, from the technology side, I think obviously the QDR sets out that notion of being agile, in turning quickly on the needs of the combatant commanders. The IED Task Force -- or the Joint IED -- I'm going to forget the new term of art --
Q JIEDDO [Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization.]
MR. KRIEG: Yeah, that one. That one. General Meigs', Retired, effort. You keep changing the names on me faster than I can keep up with them. But General Meigs' effort looks not just at technology, but he'll work with the operating forces on, you know, tactics, techniques and procedures; on the information-needed side, and integrate all of those pieces together to create a result.
And I think aside from the acquisition, that overall notion of bringing all elements of capability together to solve problems is one of the adherent messages in QDR. And clearly, the IED Task Force lays that out.
Q Do the regs get in the way or does Congress get in the way of --
MR. KRIEG: Congress has been amazingly supportive of the work on IED Task Force. I mean, we have no concerns about it. They've given us the Joint Rapid Acquisition Cell authority that gives us the ability to quickly turn and manage regs. If we've needed supporting legislation, they've been thoroughly supportive. So I mean, I feel like there's an overall national consensus on that and we're moving out on it.
Q Secretary Rumsfeld said the QDR was going to begin shaping the spending decisions in '08.
Can you say, in terms of the procurement spending for the FY Defense Plan -- the Five Year Defense Plan [FYDP], what areas we can see beginning to change in '08, and give some examples of some programmatic areas?
MR. KRIEG: Well, if I could give that, we wouldn't have been through the review yet. I mean, no, not in particular, although you can sort of point out the kinds of things -- I mean, the QDR lays out areas of emphasis. I think the secretary talks about, you know, shifting the balance or shifting of the emphasis. In terms of the overall capabilities of the department, there were clearly emphasis in the '07 budget on soft capabilities. There was the investment to begin working on the defense against biological capabilities effort. We've set out a challenge to ourselves to think through in the area of joint capabilities this capability portfolios question -- you know, joint command and control, space operations, and what was the third one -- network centric operations, where we're going to try to look at the overall portfolio of capability -- portfolio of investment opportunities -- against the capabilities we want to have, and try to figure out how we manage trades in there.
But I mean, I would argue -- people often want one decision document to be the be-all and end-all of change forever, and I really think it's more -- managing large organizations, particularly an organization as large and complex as this one, it's really a continuum of decisions over time, from 2001 through this document, through the '08 budget and continuing.
Q So are you saying that the '07 budget is sort of an inkling of what we're going to see in '08 and --
MR. KRIEG: I can't -- if I could predict '08, I'd tell you. If I knew what '08 was, I'd save an awful lot of pain between now and then. But I mean, I think it begins to tell you -- it begins to point out at least what we believe the vectors of change are now. But turning that into specific programs that will be different by '08, I mean, that's what we'll go through in the next period of time.
Q The joint capabilities portfolio, the concept, the question is how do you fund something that is supposedly joint from the start? Do you put a service in as the lead and they fund it? Do you create an OSD [Office of the Secretary of Defense] account? How do you --
MR. KRIEG: It's actually a very good question. It's one of the really hard things in trying to make change. If we go back and look at areas where we've done it in the past, we've sort of done everything; you know, from a centralized agency that has responsibility for it -- missile defense -- to a centralized account that's decentralized and distributed to performance -- I don't know if you remember the joint national training investment that we started to make two years ago.
We put a billion dollars over the FYDP into it. JFCOM [Joint Forces Command] manages it. It's a way of getting service training and joint training more aligned, and so JFCOM uses that as a pool to align the efforts of the services with the joint community. If one thinks about it, in a sense, BRAC [Base Realignment and Closure] had a central pool of money, but the decisions were managed -- you know, the decision making was actually managed from independent areas up through centrally; as now, money was centrally held and is now being decentralized for execution.
So you know, there's examples of we've done it a number of ways. I don't know the -- I don't know that there's a perfect answer for how to do it. I mean, I'm not one who tends to think that OSD ought to run a lot of things. I mean, we ought to be in -- we ought to be at that governance level -- macro choices, making strategic decisions, setting vectors -- setting strategic vectors, allocating resources and then tracking performance. If we do the management, hard to do the oversight. But I think it will be a mix of those as we go along.
The last -- I think the last part of your question was, you know, how do you get individual services interested in joint efforts. You know, one of the grandest challenges of all time. I mean, I think that's -- we're going to work at that as we go through these capabilities to try to figure out how to manage them.
Q How do you change the JROC [Joint Requirements Oversight Council] process or whatever you're going to do to make it joint from the start? Because as of now, they merge up from the service, JROC blesses it and it goes on.
MR. KRIEG: Yeah, and I think -- Admiral G probably -- I'm not going to answer for Admiral Giambastiani on how he intends to do that, but I mean, I think that's something he's clearly got in his head and he's thinking through. He and I -- as Admiral Giambastiani is the head of the joint requirements and in effect my job as, you know, head of oversight of acquisition for the enterprise -- the two of us have decided that if we're going to make changes, we need to make them together.
And we've worked very closely together, both at the programmatic level in trying to drive some choices and at the strategy level. We'll be very engaged in thinking through those portfolios together, because, obviously, you know, sort of capability management is the intersection between what you want to be able to do -- concepts of operations and the effects you want to create -- with various things you could invest in. And managing that intersection is clearly going to be -- require having requirements guys, the acquisition guys and the resources guys together making those choices.
Q On the Air Force's CSAR-X [Combat Search and Rescue] program, the exhibition strategy seems to be held up a little bit, and yet we're moving toward a contract award. Could you cover a little bit about that on what's holding that up, and when it might be approved?
MR. KRIEG: I'm going back into my memory for the last time I talked about that one. I think what we've asked them to do is come back and look at that overall portfolio of capability that the department has and what they seek to do, and try to think through that program in that context.
And I think we've got a review -- it's later this spring or summer, but I can't remember exactly when we intend to do that.
Q Do you plan to review the strategy, though? Is that something --
MR. KRIEG: Well, that was -- part of the acquisition strategy would be part of that overall context.
Q Mr. Krieg, the QDR called for a new land-based long-range strike capability to be fielded around 2018. I've heard senior Air Force and DOD officials describe it in many ways. So I was hoping you could give me a better idea of what type of system you think is within the realm of the possible within that time frame. And we're looking 12 years ahead, and you're spending this year doing an analysis. That's going to have about 11 years. While I'm assuming that you will pursue, you know, competition as much as possible, I'm wondering if, within that time frame, you think there's going to be time for kind of like a robust fly-off of two competing systems.
MR. KRIEG: You're all the way to an actual system and competition. The analysis of alternatives starts much earlier and thinks about different ways to effect -- create the effects. And so where I am personally is back here at -- let's go through the analysis of alternatives, let's think about what the options are. I mean, obviously there will be different ways to create that effect or set of effects. And then one then goes from that set of alternatives and tries to figure out what the acquisition strategy is. I think there's a lot of time.
And so the question is, what do we want in that capability and then what do we -- you know, what missions and performance characteristics would it have. And then you get to the question of what kind of system or systems or systems and systems should it be. So I'm not ready to have that conversation till we work through the first part of that.
Q At this point, are there any types of systems that you can exclude because of the shortness of time that you're working with, such as an air-breathing hypersonic system that would now traverse space, that type of thing?
MR. KRIEG: I -- you're much farther ahead of me than I am on that one.
Q Last September you -- at a speech you talked about how the demand for military services is going to grow in the future, but the resources available is going to be challenging, or it's going to diminish. And you said the country would have to make some tough choices.
So now, having gone through this QDR and the budget process 2007, I wanted to see if you would talk about what tough choices you have made and what tough choices you have not made in the process of -- (inaudible).
MR. KRIEG: There were a series of choices in the budget, but --
Q (Off mike) -- talking about in terms of trade-offs between -- (inaudible) --
MR. KRIEG: Yeah, I'm going to go through and say there are a series of choices in the budget: you know, going from 12 carriers to 11 carriers; retiring a number of legacy platforms in the Air Force; making the decision to stop building existing classes of Navy ships and move to the next generation; bringing the C-17 line to an end because the overall mix of capabilities in the mobility area are sufficient.
You know, at the program level for performance, we terminated ACS [Aerial Common Sensor] ; we were dramatically restructuring the ASDS [Advanced Sensor Distribution System]; we decided not to do the B- 52 Stand-off Jammer. There are a series of decisions -- that's eight of them -- if I had notes, I could get you a few more -- that are going to be -- you know, not everyone's going to love those.
And so we'll go through the process. Remember, the president of the United States only proposes. It's up to the Congress of the United States to dispose. And so we'll go through that process with them.
My speech was and remains that over time I believe the department -- unless the nation is willing to continue to fund the department at ever-growing rates, the department will be challenged. And so the president decided to continue to fund the department at that rate in his proposal. I happen to be very pleased that he decided to do that. We'll see how the Congress of the United States disposes on that action.
But remember, my speech was a strategic speech over time, it was not an individual speech -- it was not a speech about each individual year in the process. As a nation we've had a hard time making hard choices. If we're going to change the funding profile over time and turn it downward, there will be even more hard choices that have already been put in place, and those are going to be tough for us to do. But it's important that you make those choices and balance them with the funds you have if you're going to deliver the kind of range of capabilities to the warfighters that they need.
Q I have a question about new acquisition laws that have just gone into effect with the '06 authorization bill. They have some language in there that adds on another layer that's related to Nunn- McCurdy, and it basically forces the Pentagon to compare original cost estimates and report a breach. And I'm wondering to the extent that you have a handle on these new requirements, because on the Hill they're describing this as very significant, and they're not sure that the Pentagon is really prepared for this or they don't know how it's going to play out, at least. And I'm curious your take on that. And also if you could say what programs this is going to affect. Is it going to affect Joint Strike Fighter, F-22, the major programs?
MR. KRIEG: First of all, I don't know on the programs, because we're trying to sort that out now. But yes, I mean, obviously it will -- I think it will have significant effects. I don't think it's altogether bad to continue to continue to reference yourself back to what your original baseline was, which is at least part of the intent of the proposal.
The interesting challenge will be if we changed what that program's characteristics were in the process, how do we account that back to the original baseline proposal? So if the proposal was for a system of characteristic X and we changed it to Z and it now has a different cost and schedule, how do we account for that?
The system -- that's part of what we're struggling with thinking through. I mean, over time, particularly for programs that are sort of spiral or evolutionary development programs, they don't fit that -- decide what the program is and stay with that forever kind of model.
But anyway, we're working through those details, and we're glad to be working with the Hill on trying to sort that out. I mean, we've got legislation in six, eight weeks ago. We got a team getting together trying to sort that out, figure out what the implications are, figure out how we're going to manage it. But I think it's a significant piece of legislation.
Now, having now run one Nunn-McCurdy review -- and I have two under way -- let me tell you, we take that charge of a Nunn-McCurdy breach and the requirement to answer those four questions pretty seriously, and spend an awful lot of time thinking through the import of program, its relative options and what we ought to do about it, you know, whether the cost estimate of the option we picked to go forward is a valid cost estimate, and whether we have confidence in the management team, both inside and outside the department, inside the department and inside the contractor to deliver on the program of record that we end up with.
We spend a lot of time and effort trying to do that because it's a pretty serious -- I mean, it's -- A, it's a piece of legislation, but B, programs that get themselves in that space deserve to have a hard look at executive level. So --
Q Do you know how long it might take?
I mean, is this like a year-long process or --
MR. KRIEG: We're supposed to report to them by a time certain. And I'm sorry, I don't know that. We can get you that answer. There's a report to them by a time, and then there's a waiver period for the first year -- and I'm now stretching my ability to remember the specifics of the legislation. But, you know, we're pretty serious about it and we're following the intention, and we'll work with them as they ask us to.
Q Hi. Jeff Schogol with Stars and Stripes. Can you say whether the QDR anticipates funding operations in Iraq and Afghanistan for the next four years?
MR. KRIEG: I don't believe the QDR goes to that level of detail.
Q Well, when you were formulating the QDR and you were figuring out what the Defense Department's going to need for the next four years, did you anticipate that operations in Iraq and Afghanistan would still be going on four years from now?
MR. KRIEG: I think we looked at the whole range -- remember that the war operations -- the current operations are funded principally through supplementals. So we thought about the implications of the long war, and obviously the book talks a lot about the long war. But I don't think we talked about relative funding levels and relative size levels to any kind of specificity through that period. That obviously -- a lot of that takes place -- I don't spend my time in a lot of that area, so I'm not the best to opine on how that was done.
Q I'm Gerry Gilmore with American Forces Press Service here, sir. I don't know if you have anything to do with this, but can you speak a little bit about the battleships they have that are like really old tech. And I understand there was serious proposal to mothball them or to get rid of them altogether. Can you discuss that briefly in terms of transformation? And can they be modernized? And have you got any push-back from any people who would want to keep those ships available?
MR. KRIEG: Yeah, I mean there's -- I don't have a lot of details on this, I mean other than I know that there is a group of people who believe strongly in the capability that the battleships provide. They believe it with a great degree of fervor and intent.
As we've looked at it, that's an awful lot of mass that would have to be updated to bring it to the current kinds of specifications. It requires a tremendous number of people relative to modern ships to employ it. And all the looks that I know have been done at it inside the department have said while it -- and remember, we brought them back once -- while it provides a significant capability, there are alternatives ahead of us, like DD-X and other kinds of integrated joint fires at a range that provide a better mix of quality, a better mix of capability at a more cost-effective price.
And so, I mean, I think the department's been pretty adamant in saying it doesn't have any interest in bringing the battleships out of retirement or even continuing to fund their caretaker status to hold that option.
Q So you would agree with that, then. You think they should be scrapped?
MR. KRIEG: I haven't spent a lot of time analyzing it, but, having analyzed it in the '80s, where it was of value at that time, there are other options now and I can't -- I won't -- I haven't done any piece of analysis lately to say that it would give me reason to go back and look at the work that others have done and say it was wrong.
STAFF: I think we have time for about one more. Maybe somebody that hasn't had a chance yet.
Q Can I ask you a non-QDR question? Not too many people --
MR. KRIEG: Non-QDR question? I'm here for QDR! (Laughs.)
Q I know, but not too many people know your views on some broader defense issues, like mergers and acquisitions. What's your philosophy right now in terms of what the department would encourage if -- the tier one and tier two levels of -- they're pretty much maxed out from a consolidation standpoint, merger and acquisition standpoint. I mean, where do you see any room for consolidation that would be of benefit to the department and the public?
MR. KRIEG: I don't have a specific formulation of an answer to that in my head right now, Tony, except to say I'd like more competition rather than less. I'd like to find out ways to bring competition from -- more competition from traditional but also nontraditional suppliers into the marketplace. You know, I tend to be kind of a -- I like competition. Having suffered battle scars in the real private market, I can tell you that while you're out there competing, competition isn't always fun, but it definitely makes you a better supplier and a more customer-focused enterprise if you got to deal with competition. So, you know, as a matter of principle, I'd like to have more competition rather than less, but I like it to be real competition.
I'd like to figure out a way to make the department a more interesting place to do business for people who are not now interested in doing business with the department, for which there are a lot of people in the marketplace who choose not to do business with us because we're often slow in our decision-making; we're difficult to work with; you got to get lots of people who understand the complexity of our system in order to do business with us. And so I'd like to work at those kinds of issues over time.
Q Along those lines, the United Launch Alliance creates a monopoly where once there were two rocket launchers. How does that fit into this construct of competition? And where does that stand right now, from the department's standpoint?
MR. KRIEG: The United Launch Alliance, which was a proposal, is an issue being managed by the Federal Trade Commission. They are the regulator that reviews those kinds of issues.
They have asked us as a principal customer how we view it.
Q How do you view it?
MR. KRIEG: No comment. You know, I'm -- we continue our work, and we continue our work with our -- with the regulators to think through it, but that is a very active piece of work between us and the FTC, and it has all sorts of implications for market activity, so I won't be discussing it.
Q It creates a monopoly, though. I mean, that's why I wanted to get your sense of how does --
MR. KRIEG: I gave you my views on the desire for competition, but it's got to be competition for which there is real competition.
I can do one last. I got one in the back. A very -- you know --
Q I've been very patient.
MR. KRIEG: Yeah, I've been working the front. I'll go one to the back.
Q Thank you. Does the QDR --
MR. KRIEG: By the way, you know, you got to understand the risk trade off of sitting in the back, so --
Q (Off mike) --
MR. KRIEG: I know. I know.
Q Well, this might be an easy one, but the QDR says the department's considering moving from cost-based acquisition to risk- based, and you know, earlier we were talking about cost and acquisitions. How serious is the department to moving to risk-based acquisitions? It was something that the DAPA panel recommended.
MR. KRIEG: Yeah. I mean, to Rebecca's first question it's actually nice, because it rolls it back full circle. That's one of those where I think that's something I like -- that we like, and we're going to move in that direction. Although, if you were to ask me, show me the 50-page piece of paper that says exactly what that is, I don't have it yet. But it simply says that, you know, as you go out and look at -- as you go out and look at competitors and evaluate them, there's a lot more than just whatever they put as the price in it. You got to think about their ability to deliver on the technology risks. You got to think about their performance over time. You got to think about how much business they have already. Those are all parts of thinking about the overall risk framework of can they deliver on the outcome.
And I -- you know, to the degree that I can tell you what that means, it is there's more in the balance of thinking about a selection than just price, and so bringing -- and it's not to say that price has been the only factor in selections. It's just to say, you know, back to the shifting of emphasis -- to put more emphasis on the overall risk management and risk choices that one thinks about as you do these major procurements. And so that's -- I think that's what DAPA was trying to get at, but that's clearly how I've interpreted it.
And the direction -- so we're now trying to think through, "What does that mean? What kind of policies do we -- how do we have to shift policies? You know, are there any regulations we have to shift?" It's probably more of a point of emphasis than it necessarily is a new piece of legislation or anything we need.
But it's just back in my view that, you know, you want to manage the overall balance of risks as you think about these, not look at one vector only when making those kinds of decisions.
Anyway, thanks for your time late on a Friday. You know, get home safely before that big snow hits, and thanks.


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2010 Chevrolet Express
- Used Chevrolet Express
- Repairs Chevrolet Express
2010 Chevrolet Express Review
This review was written when the 2010 Chevrolet Express was new.
The 2010 Chevrolet Express is a willing work partner, but buyers shouldn't expect much more.
Few people buy a full-size van because it's luxurious and fun to drive, and no van in the class could live up to those expectations. Still, if you're looking for a tough work partner for hauling gear, cargo or people, most reviewers say the Chevrolet Express is a decent choice. Kelley Blue Book says, "If you have a business and need a substantial amount of room for tools or storage, the . . . Chevrolet Express Van is hard to top. A choice of four powerful V8 engines, varied towing capabilities and optional all-wheel drive makes the Express Van perfect for business and family use."
While some reviewers might quibble about the Express being suited for family use, in general they agree that the Express is a dependable and adaptable workhorse. The Express, like its cousin the GMC Savanna, is available as a cargo or passenger van. Cargo vans offer only two seats, and buyers can equip the interior like a rolling workshop with various shelving and cargo packages. Passenger vans offer seating for eight to fifteen people, depending on the model you choose. The Express comes in 1500, 2500 and 3500 models, and each is beefier than the last with the 2500 and 3500 models offering an available diesel engine and towing and hauling abilities in line with full size trucks.
Buyers should not forget that the Express is meant to be a work vehicle. That means the interior uses basic materials and lacks comfort and convenience features people moving up from minivans or SUVs may be used to.
Chevrolet Express Pictures & Videos
Other Vans to Consider
When it comes to getting down to business, competitors like the Ford Econoline and Ford Transit Connect offer more high-tech work features than the Express. With Ford's features, you can track tools and manage a fleet of vehicles. Ford even offers an in-car computer that runs a version of Windows so you can access files and even print invoices and orders.
By comparison, the Express is simply a rugged way to haul people and gear. However, the Express starts about $2,000 less than the Ford Econoline, and though it starts at about $2,000 more than the Transit Connect, the Transit Connect can't tow or haul nearly as much weight. Before picking out a work van, it's worth it to check out the features Ford offers. You might not need them, and most reviewers say that if you don't, you'll be happy with an Express.
Details: Chevrolet Express
Changes come at a glacial pace in the full-size van class. For 2010, the available V8 engines on the Express gain flex fuel capability, while 2500 and 3500 models get a six-speed automatic transmission. Because the 2010 models are so similar to earlier models, Edmunds says, "One could buy a used model and reap substantial savings for what would be pretty much an identical vehicle. But for business or institutional owners in need of a new workhorse van, the 2010 Chevrolet Express is a very logical choice."
For a deal on a new Chevrolet Express, check out the Best Chevrolet Deals to see what discounts and incentives are available.
- "GM's full-size vans have long toiled in the shadow of Ford's E-series, but a broad range of powertrain choices and equip-to-suit cargo accessories keep them in the hunt. Primarily designed for commercial use, they're also available in passenger capacities ranging from 8 to 15." -- Car and Driver
- "Like other large vans, Express and similar GMC Savana have all the room most users will ever need, though sheer bulk makes them thirsty with fuel, a handful in traffic, and too big for some garages. The available all-wheel drive, 60/40 split driver-side doors, and side access panels are useful features."-- Consumer Guide
- "The 2010 Chevrolet Express is a willing workhorse for buyers who require the functionality of a full-size van."-- Edmunds
- "No matter what the mission, Chevrolet provides not just the platform, but the hardware to back it up. From its powerful engine lineup to its optional heavy-duty transmission oil cooler, the Express Van is designed to be a hard-working vehicle." -- Kelley Blue Book
- "Chevrolet's full-size Express is available as a passenger or cargo van with rear-wheel drive in 1500, 2500 and 3500 duty levels. The Express competes with other full-size vans, including the Ford E-Series and Dodge Sprinter. The GMC Savana is closely related to the Express." -- Cars.com


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Jakarta Globe
Jemaah Islamiyah, also known as Jamaah Islamiyah, meaning Islamic Congregation, is a Southeast Asian militant organization trying to establish Daulah Islamiyah, a large Islamic state covering Indonesia, Malaysia, the southern Philippines, Singapore, Brunei and Thailand.
Having roots in the radical Darul Islam, or House of Islam, movement in the country in the 1940s, JI was founded on Jan. 1, 1993, by hard-line clerics Abu Bakar Ba'asyir and Abdullah Sungkar in Malaysia, where they had fled to escape persecution under the Suharto regime.
After the fall of Suharto in 1998, both men returned to the country and the group began its militant activities after Abdullah established contact with Osama Bin Laden's Al Qaeda network, security officials say.
JI was added to the United Nations' list of terrorist groups linked to Al Qaeda or the Taliban on Oct. 25, 2002, under UN Security Council Resolution 1267.
Its violent operations began during the sectarian conflicts between Muslims and Christians, first in Ambon in the Maluku islands in 1998 and then in Poso in Central Sulawesi the following year.
JI then shifted its focus to targeting US and Western interests in the country and the wider Southeast Asian region in response to the US-led war on terror. JI's terror plans in Southeast Asia were exposed when local authorities foiled its plot to set off several bombs and hijack a commercial airliner and crash it into Singapore's airport in 2001.
Security experts say recruiting, training, indoctrination, financial and operational links between JI and other militant groups, including Al Qaeda, have existed for years.
Authorities also blamed JI for the Bali bombings on Oct. 12, 2002. The twin suicide bomb attacks left 202 people dead, 164 of them foreigners, and injured another 300. After the attacks, the US State Department designated JI as a foreign terrorist organization. JI is also strongly suspected of carrying out the 2003 JW Marriott Hotel bombing, the 2004 Australian Embassy bombing in Jakarta and the 2005 Bali bombing.
JI also has been linked to dozens of bombings in the southern Philippines.


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Business School Begins Search for Fourth Dean
Published on February 8, 2013Alicia Jackson, dean of the Sigmund Weis School of Business since 2007, recently announced that she will step down at the end of the current academic year. A search committee has been formed, including 10 members from a diverse set of stakeholders—five faculty, one staff member, two students and two alumni. The committee is chaired by Barbara McElroy, associate professor and chair of the Department of Accounting. The Macon, Ga., search firm Myers McRae has been retained. To nominate someone for the position, send the information confidentially to consultant David Gring at email@example.com. The anticipated start date for the new dean is July 1.


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Here are 50 Forbes contributors and links to their profiles on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+. Check back as I continue to update and add more writers and more options to follow them.
The order is based on social profiles enabled on Forbes.com i.e. writers with more profiles enabled are at the top. Thereafter I tried grouping folks within similar industries. In addition, here're Facebook and Twitter lists.
|Facebook List
|Forbes Staff
|Forbes Contributors
|Twitter List
|Forbes Staff
|Forbes Contributors
I'm not a writer, but feel free to follow me. I post about Search Engine Optimization, Social Media, and Web Analytics.


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View from the Bleachers
This weekly blog is humor writer Tim Jones' personal search for signs of intelligent life in the universe and his neighborhood. He's still searching. See what he discovered this week.
Posts filtered on Tag
The Rapture a non-event – Except for one lucky winner
If you're reading this post, I have bad news for you. It means you did not get cosmically picked up by God in last weekend's grand Rapture event. But don't despair. There still is plenty of time to become a true believer. In case you missed the Rapture because you were glued to the Real […] [Read More]


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Is your organization suffering from Enterprise Insight Deficit Disorder? There's a good chance it is, and there's an even better chance that lack of insight is hurting your company's performance.
Enterprise Insight Deficit is caused primarily by hoards of information distributed among multiple IT and organizational silos and in social media, making actionable Insight challenging to attain. It's a significant obstacle across the customer and product lifecycle—from R&D to customer service. Lack of insight negatively impacts customer service, engineering and sales teams from better serving customers, selling to their customers, and quickly innovating products and services. Read more and comment »


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fwukai quah Plus
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Hi my name is FwuKai Quah, i do time-lapse and nature landscape photography, and i'm based in Penang, Malaysia. My passion has always been 'chasing and capturing the best light' in order to share with you how beautiful our planet is.
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- www.batteredphotographer.com - My main website from photography to time-lapse showcase and blog.
- facebook page - just like it, that's all!
- flickr - i started off as a nature landscape photographer in the USA.
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Stage set for Fingal Bay to emulate Walkon at Exeter Racecourse
Posted: December 07, 2012|
Seven races are on the card at Exeter Racecourse today and a cracking day of action is in prospect with Philip Hobbs' Fingal Bay taking centre stage in the Harry Dutfield Memorial Novices' Chase.
It is a race with a glittering roll call of previous winners, including Walkon, who won last year's renewal, and Exmoor Ranger, who won in 2008.
Fingal Bay won impressively at Chepstow before finishing second to the highly impressive Dynaste, who strode up the hill in immense style at Cheltenham's open meeting in December.
Coole river is interesting having been off the track since February 2010 when he won a grade two novice hurdle on heavy ground at Navan.
He will love today's going, but a slight concern is that his trainer Emma Lavelle's horses have been slow off the mark.
The card begins with the Bet With Racing UK App Conditional Jockeys Novices' Handicap Hurdle and David Pipe saddles Home Run, who finished an 11 lengths third to Changing The Guard at Newton Abbot in September. Ripoff, trained by Robin Dickin, is also a leading contender on the back of his second at Chepstow a month ago.
The Axminster Carpets Devon Marathon Handicap Chase over four miles will be a slog in the mud and not for the feint hearted.
Jonjo O'Neill has been enjoying a fine run of form in recent weeks and Chesapeake could grind his way to the front with the application of a visor for the first time sure to be of benefit.
Desperate Dex is an obvious contender on the back of two recent successes but he is going up in the weights and the snails pace could help the consistent Ammunition get his nose in front again.
Arbor Surpreme was an exceptional talent once and has a lot of races under his belt. On recent form he has no chance, but races in these conditions can throw up surprises, and if they are going as slow as expected, it may just rekindle his old fire.
The first division of the British Stallion Studs Supports British Racing EBF National Hunt Novices' Hurdle could see the Nick Williams-trained The Italian Yob come home the best of them. He was third to Mr Mole at Exeter in October, with another of today's runners, Kap Gun, five lengths behind Mr Mole at Wincanton last month in a race won by Kings Lad.
In the second division, Hobbs saddles Irish Buccaneer for JP McManus. The five-year-old makes his hurdles debut having won his bumper in good style at Chepstow in April.
Best Director could also go well on the back of his third in a decent bumper at Aintree in May.
The Big Freeze could be an apt winner of the New Year's Day Racing at Exeter Racecourse Novices' Handicap Chase, judging by the long-term weather forecast, and he has every chance on the back of his one length defeat at Mussleburgh last month, while Clare Dyson sends out Musical Wedge under a 7lb penalty following his easy win at Taunton last week.
A bumper concludes the card with the Paul Nicholls-trained Vibrato Valtat likely to be a warm order to begin his career in England on a winning note having won on the flat in France.


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International singer David Pomeranz may have been in different countries over the years, but the "Gotta Believe in Magic" singer keeps coming back to the Philippines.
"This is a very special relationship that I have here. I've been playing my whole life since I was a little boy and been all over the world many times. But there's something unique about the Philippines in terms of opening their arms to me and I walk right in and we hug each other. That's why I love coming back. I have so many friends here. It's like another family," David said at the press conference for his new album "You're the Inspiration" on Tuesday, December 18.
[Related: David Pomeranz To Embark On 'The Magic Of Christmas' Concert Tour]More than 5 Christmases
David shared that he has spent Christmas in the Philippines more than five times already because he loves the Filipinos' "togetherness."
Since the American singer-songwriter spent past Christmases in Philippine hotels, he now hopes to celebrate the holidays in a Filipino home.
"It's very sweet. There's a lot of music, a lot of family and loveliness, which I love about Christmas wherever I am. There's more meaning to it. There's always a feeling of togetherness here, all year-round."
He was thrilled to meet boxing champ Manny Pacquiao on a recent plane trip from Los Angeles and even attended the latter's 34th birthday party in General Santos City.
"He had several thousands of guests there that are truly his friends. I'm very impressed with him. He's a deeply good guy. He's very generous with his friends and really charming. I'm glad to finally meet him after all these years. It was a lovely experience," David said.
He witnessed how people "dearly love" Manny.
David's new album contains popular love songs cover like "All Out Of Love," "As Long As You Love Me," "Have I Told You Lately" and "I'll Be Over You."
"I get to sing my favorite love songs over the years, none of which I wrote but all of which I love and always wanted to sing. They happen to be songs that my Filipino friends love the most, so it's like putting it together and it's a lovely thing," David said.


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Walton Cottage Apartments
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- 271 yards/2 min walk from City centre
- Accommodation type: Serviced Apartments
- One of the leading hotels in Maidenhead, Walton Cottage Apartments has 25 apartments which provide the…
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Walton Cottage Hotel and Suites
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- 300 yards/2 min walk from City centre
- Marlow Road, Maidenhead, SL6 7LT
- Accommodation type: Hotel
- An unmistakably warm and friendly hotel, the Walton Cottage Hotel is ideally situated in the heart of…
Elva Lodge Hotel
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- 404 yards/3 min walk from City centre
- Accommodation type: Hotel
- Elva Lodge Hotel offers a welcoming atmosphere and a range of well-appointed accommodation with facilities…
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The Bakehouse
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- 910 yards/6 min walk from City centre
- 31 Wellington Road, Maidenhead, SL6 6DH
- Accommodation type: Guest House
- Previously a bakery in the early 1900 s, this guest house is situated in the quiet residential area of…
House of Fisher Maidenhead Spur House
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- 1274 yards/9 min walk from City centre
- Spur House, The Crescent Marlow Road, Maidenhead, SL6 6FL
- Accommodation type: Serviced Apartments
- A brand new development of one and two bedroom fully furnished and serviced luxury serviced apartments…
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The Thames Riviera
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- 1734 yards/12 min walk from City centre
- The Bridge Bridge Road, Maidenhead, SL6 8DW
- Accommodation type: Hotel
- Conveniently situated on the scenic banks of the River Thames, ideal for Windsor,…
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The Thames Hotel
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- 1 miles away from City centre
- Ray Mead Road, Maidenhead, SL6 8NR
- Accommodation type: Hotel
- The Thames Hotel is idylically situated on the banks of the River Thames in Maidenhead.…
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Laurel House Bed and Breakfast
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- 1.3 miles away from City centre
- Accommodation type: Bed and Breakfast
- A very warm and friendly welcome awaits all guests at our Bed & Breakfast.…
Sheephouse Manor
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- 1.4 miles away from City centre
- Accommodation type: Bed and Breakfast
- Set in the tranquil gardens pf a 16th C farmhouse, we offer a friendly welcome and a home from home stay.…
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Taplow House Hotel
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- 1.5 miles away from City centre
- Berry Hill Taplow, Maidenhead, SL6 0DA
- Accommodation type: Hotel
- Taplow House Hotel is a charming and traditional country house nestled on the border between Berkshire…
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Rashleighs Business Centre
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- 1.6 miles away from City centre
- Rashleighs, Darlings Lane Pinkneys Green, Maidenhead, SL66PD
- Accommodation type: Guest Accommodation
- Tucked away in a secluded position adjoining many acres of National Trust common and wood land,…
Monkey Island Hotel
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- 1.9 miles away from City centre
- Old Mill Lane Bray on Thames, Berkshire, SL6 2EE
- Accommodation type: Hotel
- The two centuries old, Monkey Island Hotel is picturesquely set on it s own Private Island making it…
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Craig Brown (satirist)
Craig Edward Moncrieff Brown (born 23 May 1957) is an English critic and satirist, best known for his parodies in Private Eye.
Life and career[edit]
Born in Wokingham,[1] Berkshire, Brown was educated at Eton and Bristol University and then became a freelance journalist in London, contributing to The Tatler, The Spectator, The Times Literary Supplement, Literary Review, the Evening Standard (as a regular columnist), The Times (notably as parliamentary sketchwriter; these columns were compiled into a book called A Life Inside) and The Sunday Times (as TV and restaurant critic). He later continued his restaurant column in The Sunday Telegraph and has contributed a weekly book review to The Mail on Sunday.
He created the characters of 'Bel Littlejohn', an ultra-trendy New Labour type, in The Guardian, and 'Wallace Arnold', an extremely reactionary conservative, in The Independent on Sunday. In 2001, he took over Auberon Waugh's "Way of the World" in The Daily Telegraph following Waugh's death. He lost that column in December 2008. However, he may be best known for his Diary in the fortnightly satirical magazine Private Eye, in which he adopts the persona of a celebrity or other public figure. His targets have included the Queen, Bill Clinton, Jeffrey Archer and Martin Amis. Some individuals, such as Harold Pinter and Tony Benn he returned to on several occasions. A typical reference, characteristically combining viciousness and honesty, came in the purported entry for Mary Archer, married to convicted perjurer Jeffrey Archer: "I am the chairman of the Ethics Committee at Addenbrookes Hospital, and well used to coming down hard on those who lie incompetently." Another Eye Diary mocked Martin Amis's pretensions: "Why, pray, is it necessary to point out at this post-millennial juncture that Iosef Stalin is no mate of this 52-year-old novelist?"
Brown also writes comedy shows such as Norman Ormal for TV (in which he appeared as a returning officer)[2] and his radio show This Is Craig Brown was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2004. It featured comics Rory Bremner and Harry Enfield and other media personalities. He has appeared on television as a critic on BBC Two's Late Review as well as in documentaries such a Russell Davies's life of Ronald Searle.
His book 1966 and All That takes its title, and some other elements, from 1066 and All That, extending its history of Britain through to the beginning of the 21st century. A BBC Radio 4 adaptation followed in September 2006, in similar vein to This Is Craig Brown. The Tony Years is a comic overview of the years of Tony Blair's government, published in paperback by Ebury Press in June 2007.
Brown's wife is the author Frances Welch. They have two children. Frances Welch's niece is Florence Welch of Florence and the Machine.[3] Brown also has a column in the Daily Mail.
- 1984 - The Marsh-Marlowe Letters: The Correspondence of Gerald Marsh and Sir Harvey Marlowe: Volume One, 1983, "edited" by Craig Brown (Heinemann, ISBN 0-434-08885-4)
- 1993 - Craig Brown's Greatest Hits (Century, ISBN 0-7126-5783-5)
- 1994 - The Hounding of John Thomas, a sequel to Lady Chatterley's Lover (Century, ISBN 0-7126-5778-9)
- 1998 - Hug Me While I Weep for I Weep for the World, by "Bel Littlejohn" (Little, Brown, ISBN 0-316-64716-0)
- 1998 - The Little Book of Chaos (Time Warner, ISBN 0-7515-2657-6)
- 1999 - The Great Mortdecai Moustache Mystery by Kyril Bonfiglioli, completed by Craig Brown (Black Spring Press, ISBN 0-948238-24-0)
- 2003 - This Is Craig Brown (Ebury Press, ISBN 0-09-188807-7)
- 2004 - Craig Brown's 'Imaginary Friends': The Collected Parodies 2000-2004 (Private Eye, ISBN 1-901784-37-1)
- 2005 - 1966 and All That (Hodder & Stoughton, ISBN 0-340-89711-2)
- 2006 - The Tony Years (Ebury Press, ISBN 0-09-190969-4, paperback ISBN 978-0-09-190970-3)
- 2010 - The Lost Diaries (Fourth Estate, ISBN 978-0-00-736060-4)
- ^ Wokingham, me and a big day out with Spock http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2211381/Wokingham-big-day-Spock.html
- ^ Craig Brown (II)
- ^ Florence and the Machine interview: sound and vision The Telegraph 4 June, 2009
External links[edit]
- This Is Craig Brown - BBC page
- Craig Brown at the Internet Movie Database