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Tech titan Amazon sees profit climb as cloud promises boon
Online retail colossus Amazon on Thursday said profit surged in the recently ended quarter on growing sales and more efficient deliveries, with its cloud business promising even better days ahead. The e-commerce colossus said it made a profit of $9.9 billion on sales that tallied $143.1 billion in the recently ended quarter, with more than half its operating income made from Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud unit. Google parent Alphabet and computing colossus Microsoft this week reported rising quarterly profits, playing up demand for cloud computing enhanced with artificial intelligence. Investors, though, had hoped for better performance from Google Cloud causing the company's shares to slip. While Amazon Web Services (AWS) grew 12 percent when compared to the same quarter a year earlier, the unit's growth lagged that of rival cloud businesses operated by Microsoft and Google. "I remain very optimistic about AWS," Amazon chief executive Andy Jassy said on an earnings call. "There's a lot more there for us; then you look at the very substantial, gigantic new generative AI opportunity, which I believe will be tens of billions of dollars in revenue for AWS over the next several years." Amazon just weeks ago said it would invest up to $4 billion in AI firm Anthropic. The success of OpenAI's ChatGPT, a chatbot released last year that can generate poems, essays, and other works with just a short prompt, has led to billions being invested in the field. Anthropic agreed to use Amazon's chips to develop its next models and to use AWS for "mission-critical workloads." Amazon has already announced it aimed to soup up its Alexa voice assistant with generative AI, which the firm said would allow users to have smoother conversations. Retail rebound Amazon earnings "soared past expectations" in the quarter, according to Insider Intelligence analyst Zak Stambor. "We had a strong third quarter as our cost to serve and speed of delivery in our stores business took another step forward," Jassy said, adding its ad business grew "robustly" and AWS cloud computing business "continued to stabilize." "The retail giant's slowdown last year appears to be in the rearview mirror as it has embarked on significant cost-cutting throughout this year and sharpened its focus on key growth areas, such as its high-margin online marketplace and advertising," Stambor said. A top US antitrust regulator sued Amazon in September, accusing the online retail behemoth of running an illegal monopoly by strong-arming sellers and stifling potential rivals. "Our complaint lays out how Amazon has used a set of punitive and coercive tactics to unlawfully maintain its monopolies," said Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan. Robots and drones Amazon said Thursday it will hire 250,000 full-time, part-time, and seasonal employees in the United States to handle shopping demand in the months ahead. Amazon said last week that it will expand drone delivery of certain purchases to a third US state as well as to Britain and Italy by the end of 2024. The US firm has installed a new robotics system in one of its Texas logistics centers, featuring technology like automated vehicles, mechanical arms, and computer vision technology. Amazon already uses 750,000 robots in its warehouses to speed up deliveries. "The better they get at delivery, the more it continues to grow the e-commerce market overall and Amazon's place within that market," said Insider Intelligence analyst Andrew Lipsman. But increased productivity via robots won't fix underlying Amazon worker issues, critics say. Amazon early this year eliminated some 27,000 jobs in a move it said at the time was necessary, after years of sustained hiring. Ads shine Advertising continues to be "a major bright spot" for Amazon and it has started using generative artificial intelligence to help sellers create "eye-catching" ads in its online marketplace, analyst Stambor said. Insider Intelligence expects Amazon's US advertising business to bring in nearly $34 billion this year a major leap from before the COVID-19 pandemic. The post Tech titan Amazon sees profit climb as cloud promises boon appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
ArenaPlus links partnership with MPBL to bring enjoyable, entertaining playoffs
ArenaPlus, an online sports betting platform in the country, proudly announced its partnership this year with the men's professional basketball league in the country, the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League, as its official sportsbook partner. MPBL, founded by sports legend Manny Pacquiao in 2018, aims to provide opportunities for homegrown basketball players to represent their cities and/or provinces and to give rising talents an avenue to showcase their skills and abilities. This season is truly exceptional as the league continues to invite more cities and provinces to join the league and bring their basketball pride onto the court. Sixteen professional teams will compete in the 2023 MPBL Playoffs. Among these are the Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards, Bacoor City Strikers, GenSan Warriors, and Pampanga Giant Lanterns. ArenaPlus, as the leading sports betting app in the country, is fully committed to making this holistic goal a reality, making sports truly entertaining for everyone. The brand believes that sports like basketball are a staple of entertainment for Filipinos across the Philippine cities and provinces, creating exceptional and remarkable basketball talents that bring a bright future for the professional basketball scene in the country. This partnership also testifies to the brand's expanding efforts to make sports enjoyable anytime and anywhere. The 2023 MPBL division quarterfinals will begin on October 06, 2023. You can watch the playoffs live on Cignal’s MPTV, OnePH, or on the ArenaPlus website and social media pages. To learn more about ArenaPlus, visit arenaplus.net and download the app from Google Play and the App Store. “ArenaPlus, Astig sa Sports'' The post ArenaPlus links partnership with MPBL to bring enjoyable, entertaining playoffs appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
UN chief convenes ‘no nonsense’ climate summit, without China or US
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is set Wednesday to host a climate meeting marred at its outset by the absence of speakers from the world's top two emitters, China and the United States. Despite increasing extreme weather events and record-shattering global temperatures, greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise and fossil fuel companies reap handsome profits. Guterres has thus billed the "Climate Ambition Summit" as a "no nonsense" forum where leaders or cabinet ministers will announce specific actions that deliver on their commitments under the Paris Agreement. The bar for making the podium was set high, with the UN chief making clear that only leaders who had made concrete plans to achieve net-zero greenhouse emissions would be allowed to speak. After receiving more than 100 applications to take part, the UN finally released a list on Tuesday night of 41 speakers which did not include China, the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan or India. "Tomorrow, I will welcome credible first movers and doers to our Climate Ambition Summit," Guterres said Tuesday. Several major leaders didn't bother making the trip to New York for this year's UN General Assembly, including President Xi Jinping of China and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak from the United Kingdom, who said he was too busy. US President Joe Biden, who addressed the General Assembly on Tuesday, sent his climate envoy John Kerry to the meeting -- though Kerry won't be permitted to speak. "There's no doubt that the absence of so many leaders from the world's biggest economies and emitters will clearly have an impact on the outcomes of the summit," Alden Meyer of climate think tank E3G said. He blamed competing issues -- from the Ukraine conflict to US-China tensions and rising economic uncertainty. "But I think it's also the opposition in many of these countries from the fossil fuel industry and other powerful interests to the kind of transformational changes that are needed," said Meyer. Catherine Abreu, executive director of nonprofit Destination Zero, said it was "perhaps a good-news story that we see Biden not being given a speaking slot at the summit" because the United States is continuing to expand fossil fuel projects even as it makes historic investments in renewables. "I think about this as being a correction from past summits, where leaders have been given the opportunity to take credit for climate leadership on the global stage, while they continue to pursue plans to develop fossil fuels, and continue driving the climate crisis back at home," she added. While the United States won't take the rostrum, California will be represented by Governor Gavin Newsom. From Britain, London Mayor Sadiq Khan will also attend. Growing anger The event is the biggest climate summit in New York since 2019, when Greta Thunberg stunned the world with her "How Dare You" speech before the UN. Anger is building among climate activists, particularly younger people, who turned out in thousands last weekend for the "March to End Fossil Fuels" in New York. Observers are eager however to see what Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and European Union President Ursula von der Leyen say both on their own goals and on financing commitments for the developing world. The failure of advanced economies, responsible for the majority of historic emissions, to honor their promises to the worst affected lower-income nations has long been a sore point in climate talks. There are some bright spots, including the announcement that Colombia and Panama are joining a grouping called the Powering Past Coal Alliance -- particularly notable as Colombia is the world's sixth biggest coal exporter. Wednesday's summit comes weeks ahead of the COP28 climate talks in the United Arab Emirates, where goals include tripling renewable energy by 2030, and ending by 2050 the generation of fossil fuel energy that isn't "abated" by carbon capture technology. The post UN chief convenes ‘no nonsense’ climate summit, without China or US appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Gauff defeats Sabalenka to win US Open crown
American teenager Coco Gauff came from behind to win the US Open on Saturday, clinching her first Grand Slam title with a battling win over Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus. Gauff, 19, produced a gutsy performance on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court to win 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 in 2hr 6min to complete a fairytale transformation in her season's fortunes. The sixth seed from Florida had gone into the final as the underdog against the hard-hitting second seed Sabalenka, who will become world number one in next week's rankings. But with both players making a slew of mistakes throughout an error-strewn final watched by a record crowd of 28,143 it was Gauff who held her nerve when it mattered to seal a deserved victory. The win completed a remarkable turnaround for Gauff, who was left distraught after a first round exit at Wimbledon in July. However she bounced back to win titles in Washington and Cincinnati and has now landed the biggest win of her career, after a shattering loss at the French Open last year. "It means so much to me," an elated Gauff said afterwards. "I feel like I'm a little bit in shock in this moment. "That French Open loss (last year) was a heartbreak for me. That makes this moment even sweeter than I could imagine." Gauff, the third American teenager to win the US Open after Tracy Austin and Serena Williams, also used her victory speech to thank those who doubted her talent. "Honestly thank you to the people who didn't believe in me," she joked. "To those who thought they were putting water on my fire, they were putting gas on my fire and I'm burning so bright right now." - First set struggle - Gauff was in trouble in the opening game, Sabalenka breaking her straight away with a rasping backhand that drew a roar of "Come On!" from the Belarusian. She held easily to take a 2-0 lead but Gauff then took advantage of a shaky service game from Sabalenka to break at 2-2 in the fourth. The Belarusian double-faulted twice to allow Gauff to get back on level terms. But that hard-won parity was surrendered in the next game as Sabalenka broke back to go 3-2 ahead. Sabalenka then wobbled on her own serve once more as Gauff eked out two break points in the sixth game. But Sabalenka got it back to deuce with an ace and then took a 4-2 lead with an emphatic smash. Gauff's problems on serve continued and Sabalenka broke for the third time to race 5-2 ahead, and she duly wrapped up the set by holding in the next game. Yet with the match threatening to become a rout, Gauff finally clicked into gear in the second set, making fewer unforced errors and ironing out the kinks in her serve. Instead it was Sabalenka who began to show signs of brittleness as the tension mounted. She double-faulted to hand Gauff the only break of the set and a 3-1 lead. Gauff fended off a break point in the next game to hold for 4-1 and went on to hold for the remainder of the set to level the match when Sabalenka smacked a forehand long. The momentum remained firmly with Gauff in the final set and she secured another crucial break in the opening game when she put away an underhit Sabalenka lob with a smash. Gauff then held easily for a 2-0 lead as Sabalenka struggled to regain any semblance of composure. She coughed up four unforced errors to gift Gauff a break and a 3-0 lead, and the American then held with ease to go 4-0 up. Sabalenka stopped the rot by holding serve in the fifth game, before taking a medical timeout to receive treatment on her left thigh. Gauff was in no mood to let her grip on the match slip though. Although Sabalenka held and broke Gauff to cut the lead to 4-2, Gauff hit back when Sabalenka double-faulted to present a break point. Gauff cashed in to break and grab a 5-2 lead and then swept to victory in the next game, holding to love with a backhand winner. rcw/mw © Agence France-Presse The post Gauff defeats Sabalenka to win US Open crown appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Coping with jet lag
As travel restrictions have lifted and people are traveling again, physicians are now able to attend conferences in person for continuing medical education. These meetings usually last three to four days, with an additional day or two for travel, and this does not allow much time to adjust to a new time zone. We each have an internal body clock, or a circadian rhythm, that tells us when to stay awake and when to sleep. The normal pattern gets disrupted when you travel quickly across more than two zones in an east-west or west-east direction. This temporary disturbance in sleep is commonly termed as jet lag, since it is mostly related to air travel. When you travel from east to west (i.e. Manila to San Francisco) this prolongs your body clock and adds hours to your day, and it is usually easier to get over your jet lag. Many find that jet lag is worse if you travel from west to east as this runs opposite your body clock and you “lose” hours. You can leave San Francisco on a Monday morning and arrive in Manila midday on a Tuesday, but your internal clock is still on San Francisco time and thinks it’s 8 p.m. on Monday. It can take about a day to recover for each time zone crossed. Fortunately, here are steps you can take to help prevent or minimize jet lag. [caption id="attachment_145513" align="aligncenter" width="525"] PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF unsplash/suhyeon choi | The air inside an airplane cabin is drier and being dehydrated worsens jet lag.[/caption] Get some rest before your trip. Starting out already sleep-deprived before your trip can make jet lag worse. Make gradual adjustments ahead of time. If traveling from Manila towards the western hemisphere, try to go to bed one hour later for successive nights for a few days before your departure. So, if you usually sleep at 9 p.m., two days before your trip sleep at 10 p.m. and then at 11 p.m. the next day, which is the day before your planned departure. Sleep for the usual number of hours and wake up later. And if traveling home to Manila or eastward, go to bed and wake earlier for a few days before departure. Stay hydrated. The air inside an airplane cabin is drier and being dehydrated worsens jet lag. [caption id="attachment_145512" align="aligncenter" width="525"] PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF unsplash/quokka bottles | STAY hydrated.[/caption] Avoid alcohol on the plane. Alcohol can help you fall asleep but you may not get good quality sleep. A hangover can also make jet lag worse. Synchronize with your destination while on the plane. Change the time on your watch to the time of your destination as soon as you board the plane. Sleep on the plane if it’s nighttime at your destination, using earplugs and eye masks to block out noise and light. Take short naps (20 minutes) at other times. Stay on your new schedule. When you arrive try not to nap and only sleep during the local nighttime. Regulate your exposure to bright light. In general, get exposure to sunlight during waking hours and dim the lights when it’s time for bed. But if you’ve traveled more than eight-time zones to the east, avoid bright light and wear sunglasses in the morning, and get as much sunlight in the late afternoon for the first few days. If you have traveled west, avoid sunlight a few hours before dark for the first few days. [caption id="attachment_145511" align="aligncenter" width="525"] PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF pexels/jason toevs | Regulate your exposure to bright light.[/caption] Use caffeine properly. It’s okay to have some coffee in the morning but avoid caffeinated beverages after noon. Jet lag often does not need treatment, but melatonin can sometimes be used to help you sleep once you get to your destination, taken at least one hour and up to three hours before your desired time of sleeping. Talk to your doctor about the right dose for you, and also if you have to adjust the timing of any other medications you may be taking, particularly if these are maintenance medications that need to be taken at particular times. The post Coping with jet lag appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Sparkle GMA Artist Center names new VP
Media giant GMA Network Inc. recently promoted Joy C. Marcelo as vice president of Sparkle GMA Artist Center. Prior to joining Sparkle, Marcelo was the program manager for various GMA Public Affairs programs, namely, "Imbestigador," "Wish Ko Lang" and "AHA!," the latter of which she conceptualized herself. She served as the program manager for these shows from the years 2006 to 2014. In 2014, she moved to GMA Network's talent management arm, Sparkle GMA Artist Center, as a talent manager and unit head. Marcelo has played an integral role in boosting the careers of some of the top Kapuso stars today such as Gabbi Garcia, Sanya Lopez, Barbie Forteza, David Licauco and recently crowned Miss Universe Philippines 2023 Michelle Dee. Marcelo was then appointed as Sparkle's assistant vice president in January 2022. Under her direction, the talent management arm has grown exponentially, leading to grand launches and huge events. Some of the talent agency's biggest achievements include the launch of the Sparkle brand, Sparkle's Next Brightest Stars, Sparkada and the Sparkle Teens. Sparkle also organized the GMA Thanksgiving Gala, Sparkle Spell and the Sparkle Gives Back charity event. Aside from events and launches, Sparkle also became more aggressive in the digital landscape under Marcelo's leadership. With additional resources invested in social media, Sparkle was able to increase its online presence and following by almost 200 percent. Sparkle's official YouTube channel also earned its Silver Play Button in 2022, proving the efficacy of Marcelo's foresight to ramp up Sparkle's digital efforts. Her leadership has also led to major endorsements and branded deals, resulting to a double-digit increase in income for the department. As the new vice president for Sparkle, Marcelo envisions a bright and progressive future ahead for its artists and for the leading talent management group in the country. The post Sparkle GMA Artist Center names new VP appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
New Year means new appliances from Beko
The new year signals a fresh start for everyone. While things are not looking too bright right now, we still need to prepare ourselves and our homes for the year ahead. .....»»
The ‘Archangel’ of Cignal TV
Since several weeks ago, I have been watching the shows Fill In The Bank and Bawal na Game Show on TV5/Cignal TV, now on its new timeslot 7 to 8 and 8 to 9 Monday, Tuesday and Thursday nights, as I stay away from the grim newscasts to make bedtime light and easy, bright and breezy......»»
Onic PH parts ways with OhMyV33NUS, Wise; FULLCLIP quits Blacklist
Photo from Ohmyv33nus Facebook page Onic Philippines has parted ways with its captain Johnmar “OhMyV33NUS” Villaluna and hyper-carry Danerie James “Wise” Del Rosario while Blacklist International granted the request of carry Kairi “FULLCLIP” Rayosdelsol to be released from the team. Onic, two-time MPL-Philippines runner-up, made the announcement through a Facebook video on Wednesday. “Kapag mahal mo, dapat kaya mong i-let go para pareho kayong mag-grow. Kaya sa minamahal naming Vee at Wise, we wish you all the best!” the caption reads. “Mami-miss namin lahat ng VeeWise moments ninyo. Pero patuloy pa rin naming susuportahan at susubaybayan ang inyong future endeavors.” OhMyV33NUS and Wise played an integral part in Onic’s emergence in the MPL. Together with Gerald “Dlar” Trinchera, Jason “Jay” Torculas and Christian “Iy4knu” Manaog, the iconic duo powered Onic to back-to-back second-place finishes in Season 4 and 5. Onic, however, fell short of living up to expectations as it settled for fourth in Season 6 even after eliminating bitter rival Aura PH in the first round of playoffs. Onic earlier announced the acquisition of former Execration carry Jaylord “Hate” Gonzales. The team has yet to reveal the last player who will join Dlar, Jay, Iy4knu and Peter Bryce “Basic” Lozano. Meanwhile, Blacklist bid goodbye to prodigy FULLCLIP. “Kairi asked to be transferred to another team. While we are heartbroken, we are never here to impede our player’s growth so we made this happen,” the team posted on Facebook. “From the day we discovered your skill and potential, we know that there’s a bright future ahead of you. Best of luck!” FULL CLIP immediately showed his vast potential in his rookie season by powering Blacklist to a playoff finish in Season 6. The team has yet to unveil his replacement who will join veteran Mark Jayson “ESON” Gerardo, Edward “EDWARD” Dapadap, Arvie “AQUA” Antonio, Archie “KIL LER” Valencia and Dexter “DEX STAR” Alaba. .....»»
Casio plays hero as Alaska breaks bubble curse
Jvee Casio was excellent in crucial moments. (PBA Images) Alaska bounced back from two losses to open the bubble campaign by grinding out an 87-81 victory over Magnolia Saturday night in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Angeles University Foundation Sports and Cultural Center. Jvee Casio produced some of the keys in the final minutes as the Aces defeated one of the PBA’s top contenders to barge into the win column after falling short against the TNT Tropang Giga and Meralco Bolts. Casio finished with 17 points, including a three-pointer that put Alaska ahead 79-75 with 2:40 remaining in the fourth. He also blocked a rainbow attempt by Jackson Corpuz while the Aces were protecting an 85-81 lead. Jeron Teng scored eight of his team-high 19 points in the fourth quarter, helping the Aces take the lead for good while Mike DiGregorio and Abu Tratter added 10 points apiece. The Aces won in the first game since announcing that forward Kevin Racal will miss the rest of the conference due to an ACL injury he suffered in their 100-95 loss to the Tropang Giga last Oct. 11. That game certainly was still in the mind of coach Jeffrey Cariaso, who told his team to carry a mentality as if the Aces had a 1-1 record. “When you approach that game than being 0-2, I think their mindset’s different,” he said. “We came to this game facing a well-coached and very tough Magnolia team. They have superstars that we really have to worry about and to be able to step up and be better defensively is my biggest take on this game.” Alaska bucked a 39-28 second quarter deficit to inch its way back into the game, cooling Magnolia’s offense after making 63-percent of its shots in the first quarter. Mark Barroca was one of the few bright spots for the Hotshots with 16 points, three rebounds, five assists and two steals. Rookie big man Aris Dionisio scored 10 points in 17 minutes. But Magnolia saw Paul Lee being held to a 4-of-16 shooting despite 14 points, thus falling to a 1-2 record this conference. The scores: ALASKA 87 — Teng 19, Casio 17, Tratter 10, DiGregorio 10, Manuel 9, Herndon 7, Galliguez 6, Ebona 5, Brondial 4, Ayaay 0, Marcelino 0, Publico 0. MAGNOLIA 81 — Barroca 16, Lee 14, Banchero 13, Jalalon 11, Dionisio 10, Sangalang 8, De la Rosa 7, Corpuz 2, Reavis 0, Melton 0, Abundo 0. Quarters: 21-29, 43-45, 62-64, 87-81......»»
PlayStation 5 launch sets up Xbox head-to-head
Sony’s eagerly awaited PlayStation 5 will launch in November, setting up a holiday-season battle with rival console Xbox Series X as the gaming industry thrives during the pandemic. The competing consoles will be released within two days of each other ahead of the Christmas rush, both aiming to capitalize on a rare bright spot in […] The post PlayStation 5 launch sets up Xbox head-to-head appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Wong feels responsible for Ateneo s failure to advance to the UAAP S80 Finals
Deanna Wong felt that Ateneo de Manila University's failure to advance to the UAAP Season 80 women’s volleyball Finals was on her. Given the huge responsibility to lead the Lady Eagles as starting setter after veteran Jia Morado decided to forego her final year, Wong admitted that she faced heavy pressure and self-doubt. “I think it was me thinking of kung kaya ko ba ‘to?” shared Wong on Volleyball DNA. Ateneo was coming off six straight championship appearances, including winning back-to-back titles, heading into Season 80. Expectations were high for the Lady Eagles that year despite Morado calling it quits after Ateneo’s runner-up finish the season before. The Lady Eagles had veterans Maddie Madayag, Bea De Leon, Kat Tolentino and Jho Maraguinot under coach Tai Bundit. Ateneo was one of the favorites to advance to the Finals. Fulfilling the role left by Ateneo ace setters before her, according to the Cebuana playmaker, was too big of a responsibility especially for a third year player who saw limited action the year before. It didn’t help that during her sophomore year, Wong played as a reliever in both libero and setter positions. “Sina Ate Jem (Ferrer), sina Ate Jia they are really great setters and for me it’s just, I came from the province I don’t know anything. Ganito, ganyan. Hindi ako medyo ginagamit ni Coach Tai dati. Pressured? Yeah, I think it was a little pressure,” said Wong. Ateneo had a disappointing start, losing their first two games, and the Lady Eagles were obviously still adjusting to a different setter going through the elimination round. That was when Wong felt the pressure the most. “Pero sa isip ko lang kung kaya ko bang dalhin ang team? Kung kaya ko bang gawin ang ginawa nina Ate Jia na umabot sa Finals? I think that was the point na kaya di kami umabot ng Finals kasi ganoon ang inisip ko,” said Wong. Ateneo managed to advance to the Final Four, but for the first time in three years, the Lady Eagles were at a disadvantage after landing in third spot for a collision course with twice-to-beat Far Eastern University. The Katipunan-based squad ended its season early. “Disappointed din sa self ko kasi I wasn’t able to lead the team as I should have kasi ang dami kong iniisip eh,” said Wong, who won tghe Best Setter honors that season. “Iniisip ko kung ano ang sinasabi ng mga tao, ng alumni, ng mga fans.” A good talk with Morado, according to Wong, made her realize that she needed not to compare herself to other Ateneo setters. She had to play her game. “As what ate Jia keep on telling me talaga iba kami eh. We’re different people. Like don’t compare myself to her daw. Kasi iba ang kakayanan ko and iba ang kaya kong gawin. Just be myself daw most especially talaga be confident. Kasi I really lack confidence on myself,” she said. Wong redeemed herself the following season. “Nu’ng fourth year it was more of the team na pino-focus ko. I just did what I was supposed to do lang nu’ng fourth year. So di ko na masyado pinapansin ang mga sinasasabi ng ibang tao,” said Wong. Playing with confidence, Wong steered Ateneo back into the Finals and eventually back into throne as the Lady Eagles defeated University of Sto. Tomas in three games to claim the Season 81 title and the team’s third overall championship. Wong skipped the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic-cancelled Season 82. She remains undecided for a last tour of duty for Ateneo next year. But if ever Wong decides to return, the Lady Eagles could be looking at a bright future ahead. --- Follow this writer on Twitter, @fromtheriles.....»»
Spieth chasing Grand Slam and hardly anyone notices
By DOUG FERGUSON AP Golf Writer SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The spotlight on Jordan Spieth should be bright enough to cut through the marine layer blanketing Harding Park this week at the PGA Championship. Win this major and he joins the most exclusive club in golf with the final leg of the career Grand Slam. Only five other players — Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen — have won all four majors since the Masters began in 1934. This is his fourth chance, and each year becomes more difficult. The longest anyone went from winning the third leg to completing the Grand Slam was three years by Player and Nicklaus. And hardly anyone is talking about it. It's not because Brooks Koepka is trying to become the first player to win the PGA Championship three straight times in stroke play, or because Tiger Woods is going for his record-tying fifth PGA. It's not even because golf has returned amid a coronavirus pandemic that has kept spectators away from a major championship for the first time. Spieth has become an afterthought because he hasn't won since he captured the British Open three years ago. Who would have guessed that? Certainly not the 27-year-old Texan. “If you told me that, I'd probably say that guy is kind of a jerk and I'd walk the other way,” Spieth said with a smile. “But here we are. And I hope to end that as soon as possible.” So much has changed since his last visit to the TPC Harding Park. That was in 2015 for the Cadillac Match Play. Spieth was the newly minted “Golden Child” in golf as the Masters champion. He would win the U.S. Open the following month, miss a British Open playoff by one shot at St. Andrews and be runner-up at the PGA Championship. No one ever made such a spirited bid for the calendar Grand Slam. Now, the world ranking tells the story. Spieth was No. 2 after winning at Royal Birkdale and getting his first shot at the career Grand Slam in the 2017 PGA Championship (he tied for 28th). He was No. 8 in the world going to Bellerive for the PGA Championship the following year (he tied for 12th). He was No. 39 going to Bethpage Black last year. He played in the final group with Brooks Koepka on Saturday, albeit eight shots behind, and fell back quickly. He tied for third. Now he has plunged all the way to No. 62, out of the top 50 for the first time since he was a 20-year-old rookie. More troublesome than not winning is that Spieth has rarely contended. He has not finished within three shots of the lead since his remarkable rally in the final round of the Masters two years ago left him two shots behind Patrick Reed. Is there hope? He has no doubt. Is there a chance at Harding Park? He has experience. “Majors aren’t necessarily totally about form,” Spieth said. “They’re about experience and being able to grind it out, picking apart golf courses. So I feel like I probably have more confidence going into a major no matter where my game is at than any other golf tournament.” Exactly what went wrong is a topic of debate and discussion. He was ill all of December before going into the 2018 season. His alignment got off. His putting, the hallmark of his game, went sideways. And he's been trying to put back the pieces ever since. The last two years he hasn't made it to the Tour Championship. His only real success of late has been a more positive attitude. Spieth used the word “grace” at Colonial, his way of saying he will learn to shrug off mistakes and keep going. “I almost feel at times like the game is testing me a little bit right now,” he said. Last week, he spoke of a shot that hit a tree. Whereas it used to bounce in the fairway, this one went off a cart path and out-of-bounds. The same thing happened at Hilton Head. “I feel like you can look at it a couple ways,” Spieth said. “You can get really upset and complain about it — which I’ve done and that’s not helpful — or you can look at it like, ‘Hey, this is part of the game testing you, and the better you handle these situations, the faster you progress forward.’” Spieth says he is in no hurry. At 27, he has plenty of golf ahead of him in his career. As brilliant as his 2015 season was, he'd like to think his best years are ahead of him. But there's only one PGA Championship this year. One shot at the career Grand Slam. “It's something that I really want,” Spieth said. “It's probably the No. 1 goal in the game of golf for me right now is to try and capture that. I’d love to be able to hold all four trophies.” The way the last three years have gone, any trophy would do......»»
Ratliffe has advice for Japan-bound Thirdy: 'Be super confident'
The Japan-bound Thirdy Ravena has a big believer in South Korea's Ricardo Ratliffe. Ratliffe, the former Star import and current naturalized player for the Korean national team, says that Thirdy is due for big things on the basketball court. The leading scorer and rebounder of the 2019 FIBA World Cup calls Ravena as the future of Philippine basketball. "I definitely think so," Ratliffe said on 2OT with PBA broadcasters Magoo Marjon and Carlo Pamintuan. Ratliffe got a close look at Thirdy when his South Korean national team took on Ravena's Ateneo Blue Eagles in the 2018 Jones Cup. [Related: JONES CUP: Blue Eagles get burned by red-hot Korea] Korea won the game, 90-73, but Thirdy earned a believer despite the loss. The Koreans finished that Jones Cup at third place while the Blue Eagles went fourth. "He's like a Filipino Russell Westbrook. I saw him in the Jones Cup and he killed us. We brought our real national team and he played well against us," Ratliffe recalled. "I'm like who is this dude? And he's in college? His athleticism is off the charts," Ratliffe added. As a veteran international player himself, Ratliffe likes Thirdy's move to Japan to play pro ball. Ravena is set to take flight in the B.League after signing with San-en NeoPhoenix. [Related: Thirdy, NeoPhoenix open home campaign against powerhouse Jets] "I know he's gonna go out there and represent for the Philippines. I think he has a bright future ahead of him," Ratliffe said of Thirdy. In NeoPhoenix, Thirdy joins a team that only won five games in the COVID-19 shortened 2019-2020 season. As a young player making the jump, Ratliffe believes it was the best move Ravena could make. "I think he made a right decision choosing a lesser team, especially at the start, just to test the waters and see how he likes it. It's a big culture difference out there. Japan is kinda similar to Korea where we're really strict on stuff," Ratliffe said of Thirdy. "So I think he just has to go out there with a free mind and be super confident, he gotta always know that he's still one of the best players in the country so just go out there with that mindset and play like it. At the end of the day, if it doesn't work out and he doesn't like it in Japan, he can always go home so there's no need to stress about it," Ratliffe added. — Follow this writer on Twitter, @paullintag8.....»»
Creamline still team to beat
Creamline’s dramatic, come-from-behind 26-28, 22-25, 25-22, 25-21, 16-14 win over Cignal Tuesday night at the PhilSports Arena showed that it’s still the superpower in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference.....»»
S& P: Philippines may miss growth goal this year
S&P Global Ratings sees the Philippines again missing its growth targets this year as it kept its gross domestic product growth forecast at 5.9 percent. While the projection is better compared to other economies in the region, it is again below the government’s 6.5 to 7.5 percent growth target......»»
Digital TIN IDs issued reaches 100,000
he Bureau of Internal Revenue has issued 100,000 tax identification number IDs in digital form as more Filipinos opt out from lining up at district offices......»»
Holy Week 2024: Tabor Hill in Talamban, experience the authentic essence of Via Crucis
CEBU CITY, Philippines – This Holy Week, the Via Crucis, also known as the Stations of the Cross, is one of the most practiced form of devotion among Catholics, particularly in the Philippines. The Via Crucis commemorates the events leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It typically involves a series of 14 stations.....»»
WWDC 2024 Will Include In-Person Special Event at Apple Park
Apple Shakes Things Up with Virtual WWDC Event In a surprising move, Apple announced that it will not be holding its traditional in-person Worldwide Developers.....»»
Phl at the crossroads
As we all take a break this Holy Week, some of us will pause and ponder on our own individual journeys and think about what lies ahead......»»