Questions and answers
I got this material from a Viber group; this stuff makes me laugh and it made me think......»»
What makes Ricci Rivero and Leren Bautista compatible
Ricci Rivero and Leren Bautista crossed paths in the feeding program held last year in Los Baños, Laguna in celebration of Ricci’s birthday. Leren, a councilor in Los Baños, was invited to participate in the event. That meeting led to something beautiful and romantic. The five-year gap between the two is like a magnet for other people to make snippy comments. The couple is handling it well. The beauty queen-turned-politician answers back by using her wit, while Ricci doesn’t care much about the criticism......»»
Swedish post office archives over a century of Santa letters
Sweden’s postal service is inundated every year with thousands of letters beginning with ‘Dear Santa’, and it not only answers them but for over a century has kept those that stand out. With addresses such as “Lapland”, “Reindeer Land” or “Santa’s Igloo”, the postal service PostNord last year alone received around 16,000 letters intended for Father Christmas......»»
Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco answers: What’s to love about the Philippines?
At a recent lunch with tourism stakeholders at the Dusit Thani Manila, I asked Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco: “If foreigners saw you in the hotel lobby and didn’t know that you were the tourism secretary of the Philippines and asked, ‘What’s to love about the Philippines?’, what would you say?”.....»»
Seasoned Cool Smashers turn back Flying Titans, close in on another PVL title
Seared by its vast experience and molded by its repeated championship conquests, Creamline had all the answers against a young and talented but untested little sister in Choco Mucho......»»
Michelle Dee answers Miss Universe 2023 final question
Philippine bet Michelle Dee answered the final question at Miss Universe 2023. .....»»
Hindi po ako nakulong : Roderick Paulate answers queries from social media users
Veteran actor Roderick Paulate said that he did not go to jail for the graft case filed against him in his latest interview with showbiz writer and publicist Ogie Diaz. .....»»
‘Our lives stopped’: Relatives plead for Israel hostages
Moran Betzer Tayar, wracked by anguish about the kidnapping of her nephew and his wife by Hamas fighters on October 7, summed up her feelings during a press conference: "On Saturday morning, our lives stopped." The 54-year-old, speaking in Paris on Wednesday, is on a European tour with other relatives of hostages snatched by the Palestinian militant group during a raid that killed more than 1,400 people, most of them civilians. Israel's retaliation has so far killed more than 6,500 people, including 2,704 children, Hamas says. The Islamists are still believed to be holding more than 200 hostages. It is the plight of these people that Betzer Tayar -- who says she is "worried sick" and cannot eat -- and her compatriots are desperate to keep in the public eye. She told a press conference organized by the Council of Jewish Institutions in France how her relatives were snatched from Kibbutz Nirim, where community members were reportedly besieged for nine hours in one of dozens of attacks staged on 7 October. 'They got me' Two sisters -- Shani and May Yerushalmi -- joined Betzer Tayar to describe how their sister, Eden, was taken from the bar where she was working. "She called us, screaming, saying that terrorists were shooting at them," said Shani Yerushalmi, describing the attack at a rave party where 270 people were killed. Eden hid among bodies of her friends in a car, her sister said, before trying to use a bush as cover. "She told us she could hear the terrorists coming," Shani Yerushalmi said. "We knew it was the last moment with her. Her last sentence was: Shani, they got me." She played the screams of her sister, recorded on her phone, to the gathered journalists. Another of the women on stage, Ofir Weinberg, described how her cousin Itay Svirsky was taken from Kibbutz Beeri, where Hamas fighters killed at least 100 people, according to Israeli authorities. Messages began to pour into the family WhatsApp group on 7 October -- the calls for help and the progress of the attackers documented minute by minute. "I can't even begin to describe the feeling you have when you feel like you're losing your family one by one," said Weinberg. The families have had no news of their loved ones since the Hamas attack. The Israeli army has confirmed only that they are among the hostages taken to Gaza. They are asking for the Red Cross to be allowed to visit their relatives to answer the most basic questions -- whether they are still alive, where they are, and whether they are hurt. But political questions remain taboo. Those caught in the middle of the tragedy decline to speculate on the best course of action for their loved ones: a ground invasion of Gaza or a ceasefire and negotiations. "We're not representing the country... We don't tell Israel what to do," said Ofir Weinberg. "I don't have the answers. I'm just a citizen." The post ‘Our lives stopped’: Relatives plead for Israel hostages appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Error-prone AI chatbot dog leads Japan’s elderly astray
A cartoon canine AI chatbot designed to cheer up and inform lonely older residents of western Japan is in the doghouse after providing error-laden responses. Powered by generative artificial intelligence, "Dai-chan" was this year launched by Osaka authorities who called it the first of its kind in a country where one in 10 people is age 80 or older. But the chatbot, which features a Shiba Inu cartoon dog and answers in the Osaka dialect, has shown itself far from faithful to the truth. When a user asked about the World Expo planned in Osaka in 2025, the dog incorrectly responded that the event was cancelled. That answer gained public attention, with Japanese newspapers and broadcasters reporting on the dog who got the wrong end of the stick. "Dai-chan, you're good," one social media user joked. Despite slow progress and budget challenges, the world fair is still scheduled to go ahead. Among other incorrect answers, Dai-chan said the "G7 foreign ministers' meeting will be held on November 4" rather than the slated November 7-8. Asked by an AFP reporter if the mooted Sapporo Olympic Games will be pushed back, the bot dog said: "The Sapporo Olympics is postponed! It's not cancelled so I look forward to it!" Earlier this month, the Japanese Olympic Committee said Sapporo had given up its bid for the 2030 Winter Olympics as public support for hosting the games waned after a string of corruption scandals over the 2020 Tokyo Games. Asked about the decision, Dai-chan responded: "The Olympic Committee decided to postpone! It is a decision considering safety! Good job, the Olympic Committee!" The government has defended the chatbot. Its purpose "is to broaden communication base for elderly people and not to give correct answer every time, and users seem to be enjoying Dai-chan with an understanding of the limits of what generative AI can do," an Osaka official in charge of the project told AFP. "Dai-chan is designed as a talking dog that is 10 years old (in terms of human intelligence) tasked with preventing elderly residents from becoming isolated," Osaka governor Hirofumi Yoshimura told Japanese media. Asked by AFP for his reaction, Dai-chan said: "Yes, yes, I often make mistakes, but it's a bit hard that people report about it. But making mistakes is part of growth, isn't it?" The post Error-prone AI chatbot dog leads Japan’s elderly astray appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
LTFRB whistleblower cited for contempt
Whistleblower Jeffrey Tumbado, the erstwhile executive assistant of now-suspended Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board chairman Teofilo Guadiz, whom he earlier accused of corruption, will be confined in the halls of Congress after he was cited in contempt. During Monday’s motu proprio of the House committee on transportation into alleged anomaly plaguing the agency, Sagip Partylist Rep. Rodante Marcoleta moved to cite Tumbado in contempt after earning the ire of the panel for providing inconsistent responses to queries posed by lawmakers. “This is the hard part in this kind of hearing, Mr. Chair. You (Tumbado) know you’re not consistent with your answers. Now you just said that you were not threatened, but in the sworn statement that you gave to the NBI, you said, ‘I am worried about my safety and that of my family,’” Marcoleta said. Contrary to his prior statement that he was “pressured” to recant his corruption allegations against his previous boss, Guadiz, Tumbado now asserts that he was not apprehensive about withdrawing his previous claims. Tumbado admitted that he did not have enough evidence to substantiate his corruption claims against Guadiz, conceding that it was solely based on his “opinion.” Nevertheless, he remained resolute in asserting that systemic corruption permeates the entire agency. “The corruption is there because I myself am approached by operators who want to speed up the processing of their papers. I no longer have direct knowledge of the chairman’s corruption… There is indeed corruption in the LTFRB, not particularly chairman Guadiz,” he said, pledging that he would submit the list of complainants to the committee. The corrupt practices plaguing the LTFRB, according to Tumbado, involved the modification of routes, special permits, trafficking and substitutions. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. immediately suspended Guadiz, whom Tumbado said stood at the center of a “lagayan” or bribery system in the LTFRB after the issue made headlines. Manila Rep. Benny Abante, previously claimed the bribery scheme has been in operation since 2009. Before retracting his accusations, Tumbado also dragged Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista and no less than the Office of the President into the alleged corruption in the LTFRB. Tumbado told lawmakers that he withdrew his claims against Guadiz due to his lack of firsthand evidence implicating the chairman in the purported corruption, contrary to his previous assertion that Guadiz regularly received as much as P5 million in exchange for the expeditious approval and release of special permits, franchises, and route modifications. “I don’t have direct evidence to prove that chairman Guadiz can be pinpointed in the allegations,” he told the panel. Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop, chair of the panel, however, posits a firm conviction that Tumbado had a hand in his own accusations. “For all intention purposes, you are included here. You’re equally guilty if anyone is guilty in the LTFRB. You’re there, so you’re involved,” Acop stressed. Tumbado will be confined within the premises of Congress for a maximum of 10 days. The post LTFRB whistleblower cited for contempt appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
US lawmaker seeks answers from Meta, X, Google, TikTok over Israel-Hamas false content
'Deceptive content has ricocheted across social media sites since the conflict began, sometimes receiving millions of views,' US Senator Michael Bennet says.....»»
Shanghai’s five-star The Middle House
The location The Middle House is a five-star hotel in the heart of China’s bustling metropolis of Shanghai. It is the epicenter of the lively Jing’an District, yet it manages to strike the ideal balance between the contemporary and the traditional. The hotel is situated in a convenient location close to Nanjing Road, which is considered to be one of the best shopping avenues in Shanghai, as well as Jing’an Temple, which is a historical and cultural landmark. The aesthetic The Middle House, created by renowned Italian architect Piero Lissoni, exhibits a distinctive architectural style that effortlessly combines elegance and modern aesthetics. Lissoni incorporated various materials, such as bamboo, porcelain, ceramic and lacquered textures. The refined interiors skillfully blend Chinese history and craftsmanship with Italian ingenuity, resulting in a beautiful tribute to modern-day Shanghai. The hotel’s public spaces are filled with an abundance of natural light, which creates a warm and peaceful atmosphere that is welcoming to guests. The design of the hotel showcases a dedication to crafting a balanced atmosphere that incorporates the vibrant urban spirit of Shanghai and the peacefulness of a high-end getaway. [gallery size="full" columns="2" ids="190882,190878,190880,190881"] The room We stayed in a Studio 60 with floor-to-ceiling windows facing a bustling street. During the course of our stay, I would sit on the couch and watch people cross the street. I would sit outside the Starbucks Roastery at different times of the day. The view was exhilarating and relaxing at the same time. A similar design philosophy carries through to their luxurious dwellings and presents an amazing showcase of contemporary design and modern renditions of traditional Chinese elements. Guests staying in any room can enjoy features like a rain shower and free-standing bathtub, exclusive artisanal bath and body products, premium bathroom accessories, luxury down bedding, high-speed Wi-Fi, a state-of-the-art Bluetooth speaker and the use of Mr. Goodnight, the hotel’s signature blue tassel master light switch. A complimentary maxi bar and an espresso machine with a selection of beverages are also present for use. The breakfast As you step into Cafe Gray, you’ll be greeted by an elegant and modern interior, adorned with sleek furnishings and large windows that flood the space with natural light. The inviting atmosphere creates a sense of tranquility, making it an ideal spot to enjoy a leisurely morning meal. The breakfast menu at Cafe Gray is a culinary delight, boasting a wide array of options to suit both my palate and my husband’s. I went from Asian one day (Shanghai specialty xiao long bao and shen jian bao) to Western the next day (honey-glazed ham with hashbrown is a winner!), then back to Asian (the laksa is fantastic!). My husband Berg, on the other hand, indulged in fluffy pancakes drizzled with maple syrup one day and waffles the next day. [caption id="attachment_190883" align="aligncenter" width="525"] View from Studio 60. The Middle House is located in the lively Jing’an District and is connected to the Taikoo Hui mall.[/caption] The art collection Entering the hotel takes you to a place with a flair for the dramatic. The space was designed by Lissoni with a deliberate emphasis on contrast. This was achieved by employing dark colors and striking jewel tones for the walls and furnishings, which served to accentuate the carefully selected art works from the hotel’s art collection titled I Dream of China, by both local Chinese and international artists, serving as a representation of the artistic intersection that characterizes the city of Shanghai. The installation Vases in a Steel Cage by Shanghai artist Liu Dao of the neighborhood art group Island6 creates a thought-provoking contrast between delicate porcelain vases and a rigid metal enclosure in one area of the property. The service When it comes to service at the Middle House, one word immediately comes to mind: dedicated. From the moment we arrived and stepped onto the property to our experiences at the various outlets, even while waiting outside for our ride back to the hotel, and throughout our check-out process, the service we received at every step of the way was truly dedicated. It is a testament to the art of hospitality at the Middle House. The commitment of the Middle House team to ensuring a memorable and seamless experience for each guest is remarkable. Shanghai, although both familiar and unfamiliar to us, has undergone significant changes in the past three years since the pandemic began. It has become a new place for us. Are the places we used to frequent still there? Most of our friends in Shanghai have left, but staying at the Middle House and engaging in conversations with the team provided us with answers, insights and new recommendations. This helped us appreciate the city even more. The post Shanghai’s five-star The Middle House appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
What does a submerged Philippines look like? Newly discovered gastropod fossil could hold answers
Potentially the “first and oldest” fossil record of its kind in the country, this new discovery by geologists and paleontologists from the University of the Philippines could help them reconstruct the country’s rich geological history and underwater landscape 60 million years ago, Associate Professor Allan Gil Fernando told Philstar.com. .....»»
Herbosa no-show, but DOH 2024 budget hurdles Senate Finance panel
The Senate Committee on Finance on Thursday approved the proposed P311.3 billion budget of the Department of Health for the upcoming fiscal year without the attendance of Health Secretary Teodoro “Ted” Herbosa. Herbosa skipped the DOH’s budget deliberation, normally led by the agency’s head, days after he failed to secure the approval of the Commission on Appointment. During the budget deliberation, DOH senior officials led by Undersecretary Lilibeth David, former Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario-Vergeire and Undersecretary Gloria Balboa presented the agency’s proposed budget. Senator Francis Tolentino specifically questioned Herbosa’s absence in the budget deliberation, fearing that the agency is now in an “auto-pilot mode”. Senator Pia Cayetano, who presided over the agency’s budget deliberation, quickly clarified that the DOH is not “headless”. “Actually, all of the senior members of the team approached me a while ago and they acknowledged that, of course, it is a bit of an awkward situation,” Cayetano said. “But as you all know, Usec Dr. Vergeire was the OIC for many years and was very actively exercising her leadership not just in the past year, but even during the time of President Duterte. Dr. Usec. David is the most senior undersecretary. So I’m quite confident in the presentation today that they can answer,” she added. Tolentino explained that he is asking for Herbosa’s presence because “budget presentations would require answers concerning accountability.” “And perhaps the head of the department should be the one doing that. Otherwise, it would be in an auto-pilot mode,” he said. For her part, Senator Loren Legarda also expressed confidence in the senior officials of the DOH. “Let me just say that I’m certain that our very competent Usecs. and Asecs. down the line would be able to communicate the policies of the Secretary who still has to be confirmed,” Legarda said. “I am very confident that they will be able to answer our questions. I do not think that they would divert from any policy of the Secretary or say anything that would be against his policies,” she added. Cyber-attack on PhilHealth Senators also touched on the recent cyber-attack on the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation or PhilHealth. Legarda quizzed PhilHealth officials about the effect of the cyber-attack on the state-run health insurer’s operation, as well as the steps being taken by the agency to prevent similar cases in the future. Responding to the lawmaker’s query, Atty. Eli Dino D. Santos, PhilHealth’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, said the agency has yet to restore its online system. “All transactions are offline, and we've resume operations meaning membership, employer submission, and payment over the counter,” Santos said. “Our benefits availment continues. We have already informed our partner providers that while the system is turned off, they can still submit claims or prepare the submission of claims,” he added. “At present, to confirm the statement of our President, we are set to turn on our systems today, but we are still completing the preventive measures before we turn it on. We are targeting to turn on our PhilHealth website, member portal, as well as the e-claims.” Over the weekend, PhilHealth confirmed reports that there was an “information security incident” on its online system, which prompted them to turn it off as part of its “containment measures”. The Department of Information and Communications Technology previously stated that the agency’s system was attacked by Medusa ransomware. A multinational cyber security software company, Trend Micro, defines “ransomware” as a type of malware that prevents or limits users from accessing a system, either by locking the system’s screen or by locking the users’ files until a ransom is paid. The Medusa ransomware group was demanding $300,000 from PhilHealth in exchange for access to its system. The group threatened to leak the personal information of PhilHealth members if it did not pay the ransom. The state-run health insurer previously stated that it would not give in to the group’s demand. The post Herbosa no-show, but DOH 2024 budget hurdles Senate Finance panel appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
DOH budget for 2024 hurdles Senate Finance panel without Herbosa
The Senate Committee on Finance on Thursday approved the proposed P311.3 billion budget of the Department of Health for the upcoming fiscal year without the attendance of Health Secretary Teodoro “Ted” Herbosa. Herbosa skipped the DOH’s budget deliberation, normally led by the agency’s head, days after he failed to secure the approval of the Commission on Appointment. During the budget deliberation, DOH senior officials led by Undersecretary Lilibeth David, former Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario-Vergeire, and Undersecretary Gloria Balboa, presented the agency’s proposed budget. Senator Francis Tolentino specifically questioned Herbosa’s absence in the budget deliberation, fearing that the agency is now in an “auto-pilot mode”. Senator Pia Cayetano, who presided over the agency’s budget deliberation, quickly clarified that the DOH is not “headless”. “Actually, all of the senior members of the team approached me a while ago and they acknowledged that of course, it is a bit of an awkward situation,” Cayetano said. “But as you all know, Usec Dr. Vergeire was the OIC for many years and was very actively exercising her leadership not just in the past year, but even during the time of President Duterte. Dr. Usec. David is the most senior undersecretary. So I’m quite confident in the presentation today that they can answer,” she added. Tolentino explained that he is asking for Herbosa’s presence because “budget presentations would require answers concerning accountability.” “And perhaps the head of the department should be the one doing that. Otherwise, it would be in an auto-pilot mode,” he said. For her part, Senator Loren Legarda also expressed her confidence in the senior officials of the DOH. “Let me just say that I’m certain that our very competent Usecs. and Asecs. down the line would be able to communicate the policies of the secretary who still has to be confirmed,” Legarda said. “I don't think that the DoH body institution system comprised of career people who -- it may be a headless agency this is insofar other secretaries concerned -- but all the systems are covered by the Usecs. and Asecs,” she added. She continued: “I am very confident that they will be able to answer our questions. I do not think that they would divert from any policy of the secretary or say anything that would be against his policies.” Cyber-attack on PhilHealth Senators also touched on the recent cyber-attack on the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation or PhilHealth. Legarda quizzed PhilHealth officials about the effect of the cyber-attack on the state-run health insurer’s operation, as well as the steps being taken by the agency to prevent encountering a similar case in the future. Responding to the lawmaker’s query, Atty. Eli Dino D. Santos, PhilHealth’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, said that the agency has yet to return its online system. “All systems now are all transactions are offline and we resume operations meaning membership, employer submission, and payment over the counter,” Santos said. “Our benefits availment continues. We have already informed our partner providers that while the system is turned off, they can still submit claims or prepare the submission of claims,” he added. He continued: “At present, to confirm the statement of our President, we are set to turn on our systems today, but we are still completing the preventive measures before we turn it on. We are targeting to turn on our PhilHealth website, member portal, as well as the e-claims.” Over the weekend, PhilHealth confirmed reports that there was an “information security incident” on its online system, which prompted them to turn it off as part of its “containment measures”. The Department of Information and Communications Technology previously stated that the agency’s system was attacked by Medusa ransomware. A multinational cyber security software company, Trend Micro defined “ransomware” as a type of malware that prevents or limits users from accessing their system, either by locking the system’s screen or by locking the users’ files until a ransom is paid. The Medusa ransomware group was demanding $300,000 from PhilHealth in exchange for access to its system. The group threatened to leak the personal information of PhilHealth members if it did not pay the ransom. The state-run health insurer previously stated that it would not give in to the group’s demand. The post DOH budget for 2024 hurdles Senate Finance panel without Herbosa appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Change with the times
Times have changed. Before, going abroad was like a death sentence for a typical Filipino family. Stories of infidelity, marital problems, drugs, gambling, and other vices were aplenty for Filipinos seeking greener pastures overseas. It was understandable. Working abroad wasn’t easy. Before you could talk to your wife and children, a father working in an oil field in Jeddah or Riyadh had to go to Souq every Saturday so he could use a telephone. If his children wanted something, say a pair of rubber shoes, they had to trace their feet on a sheet of paper and mail it to Dad. It took a week or two — even months — before the mail arrived in the Middle East. The same went for the wife. If she wanted to say something she couldn’t utter over the phone, she had to record it on a cassette tape and mail it to Saudi. Again, it was a long process, and many things would have already happened before her husband could hear her voice. This kind of setup led to a lot of broken families. How often have we seen a situation where the husband got lonely abroad, fell in love with his workmate, and decided to marry in the Middle East? During vacations, they would go home to their families as if nothing happened. Some established families in the Middle East while sending remittances to their original families in the Philippines. The children also were affected. With their father or mother working abroad, the children had nowhere to turn but to their relatives, who usually had their own families to tend to. Yes, their fathers or mothers always provided their wants, like the latest gadgets, chocolates, shirts, and rubber shoes, but the children still felt empty as they longed for the love, care and affection that only their parents could provide. Without their parents, the children became vulnerable, leading to many bad choices. They fell prey to a lousy company that encouraged them to smoke, gamble and do drugs at such a young age. And when they ended up in either a drug facility or prison, the overseas-based parents would come home and blame their children, saying: I sacrificed a lot and went abroad for you. Why did you do this to me? But everything is now a thing of the past. With the advent of social media and other modern communication tools, the world is now more miniature. Overseas Filipinos can now call their families anytime, anywhere, and talk to them as if they were just in the next room. A Viber call from Doha, Toronto, Rome, or Los Angeles is now almost the same as a call from Quiapo or Divisoria. If you want to know the whereabouts of your beloved, just a few clicks on Facebook or Instagram, and you will get instant answers. If you want to see their faces, you can call them via video call to talk to them as if they were standing beside you. You can also install CCTV cameras inside your house and access them through your mobile device, even if you’re out of the country. With that, you can monitor your children’s routines even if you’re not around. But the best part is that everything is free if you have cellular data or a stable internet connection. That’s why many Filipinos are becoming bolder and more aggressive in pursuing careers overseas. With the advent of modern technology, they have become more open-minded about packing their bags and going abroad, knowing that they can earn a decent living without sacrificing their families. Filipino families have gone global. Times have truly changed. The post Change with the times appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Google’s AI chatbot goes personal tapping into Gmail
Google on Tuesday said it had integrated Gmail, YouTube and other tools into its Bard chatbot as the tech giants seek to persuade users that generative AI is useful and not dangerous or just a fad. The search engine juggernaut has for years discreetly developed AI powers, but was caught off guard when OpenAI late last year released ChatGPT and teamed up with Microsoft to make its capabilities available to users worldwide. Google then raced out its own Bard chatbot earlier this year, making it available in more than 40 languages and overcoming data privacy concerns from regulators in Europe. The company said its beefed up chatbot would allow users to carry out new tasks such as summarize a confusing string of emails into its main points or tap into Google Maps to find the best way to a holiday destination. These so-called Bard Extensions would also be available to retrieve key points from content across Google Docs and Google Drive, including PDFs, the company said. The new powers would also help expose incorrect answers with a new button that would compare Bard output with the results of a Google search query on the same topic, flagging discrepancies. This would hopefully give comfort to those put off by the so-called "hallucinations" or bad responses that are a constant danger when using Bard, ChatGPT or Microsoft's Bing. Bard's new capabilities closely match offerings from Microsoft that infuse its Office 365 apps with AI powers, though those come at an extra cost to customers and are not available through the Bing chatbot. To assuage privacy concerns, a pop-up on the Bard webpage said the new powers would only access personal data "with your permission." Any scraping of personal content from Google's workplace tools -- such as Docs, Drive or Gmail -- would not be used to target ads, train Bard, or be seen by human reviewers, it said. "You’re always in control of your privacy settings when deciding how you want to use these extensions, and you can turn them off at any time," the company said in a blog post. The new product comes as the staying power of generative AI chatbots is yet to be confirmed, with usage of ChatGPT trending lower over the past several months, according to industry data. Moreover, the integration of the Bing chatbot into Microsoft's search engine earlier this year failed to make an impact on Google's overwhelming dominance of search. Governments and tech companies however insist that generative AI is technology's next big chapter and have ramped up spending on new products, research and infrastructure. The post Google’s AI chatbot goes personal tapping into Gmail appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Senate panel cites in contempt alleged abusive employer of Elvie Vergara
The Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights on Tuesday cited in contempt France Ruiz, one of the alleged abusive employers of domestic helper Elvie Vergara. During the Senate panel’s third investigation into the alleged maltreatment of the couple France and Gerry Ruiz to Vergara, senators ordered the detainment of the latter after provided “inconsistent answers” to senators. Senator Francis Tolentino, chair of the Senate panel, declared the detention of the female Ruiz “for continuously evading the questions propounded by the members of this Committee as well as falsely testifying under direct examination by Committee members.” Senator Jinggoy Estrada originally made a motion to detain France at the Pasay City Jail but withdrew it upon consultation with other members of the committee. France is detained inside the Senate jail while the Committee will be conducting parallel investigations on the case to finalize charges. Prior to her detainment, France stood by her claims that denied that her family did not take part in Vergara’s loss of sight, as well as the deformation of her nose. She attributed the domestic helper’s loss of sight to the latter’s previous fights with her fellow domestic helpers. Vergara accused her previous employers of physically assaulting her such as ramming her head in the comfort room’s wall and sink and hitting her with solid materials like belts and clothes hangers. The post Senate panel cites in contempt alleged abusive employer of Elvie Vergara appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Trabaho lang, walang drama’: Hontiveros, VP Sara spar over confidential funds
“Trabaho lang, walang drama" (Just work, no drama). This was what Senator Risa Hontiveros said in reply to Vice President Sara Duterte's barb that she "amuses" the nation with her flair for drama over the VP office’s request for confidential funds. “VP Sara, I thought the OVP (Office of the Vice President) can live without confidential funds? Then why do you seem to be sweating over a budget hearing? All agencies are releasing their proposed budget,” Hontiveros asked in statement. “You are not special. If you’re so confident about those confidential funds, then defend them publicly,” she added. Duterte, who heads the OVP and Department of Education, is requesting a total of P650 million worth of confidential funds for the two agencies — P500 million and P150 million, respectively. The Vice President had earlier slammed Hontiveros and ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro, who both inquired about the confidential funds sought by offices under her watch. “Senator Risa Hontiveros, while she amuses the nation with her flair for drama, could only wish the 2022 OVP [confidential fund] was accessed illegally. It’s a shame they still cannot produce any proof to support their dirty imagination,” Duterte said in her statement. “The indignity they have caused Congress and the Senate should be enough for us not to give them serious attention,” she added. Hontiveros and Castro both condemned the transfer of P125 million worth of confidential funds from the Office of the President to the OVP, which Duterte admitted during the Senate Committee on Finance’s deliberations on the proposed P2.385 billion budget last week. In refuting Duterte’s claims, Hontiveros stressed that she is only doing her job as a legislator and budget scrutinizer. “It feels like the standards of the OVP have gone very low now. One is only doing one's job, and yet is accused of amusing the nation right away?” she said. “If there is anything amusing, it’s the almost half-hour of pointing fingers, evading questions, giving winding answers, and twisting the situation. They made the basic process of scrutinizing the people’s money a circus,” Hontiveros added. The lawmaker also maintained her position that the transfer of funds from the OP to the OVP last year was “illegal” and “unconstitutional.” “I don’t need to wish to have access to your office’s illegal confidential funds,” she said. “At least two former Senate Presidents -- Senator [Franklin] Drilon and Senator (Koko) Pimentel -- have said that the transfer of funds from the OP to OVP was illegal and unconstitutional.” Hontiveros urged the Vice President to answer what she described as the “real issue”; “Why does Duterte, the VP and Secretary of the Department of Education, have bigger confidential funds compared to the combined confidential funds of the DND (Department of National Defense) and the NICA (National Intelligence Coordinating Agency)?” “Why does she need a huge funding that will not be audited or disclosed to the public?” she asked. “Given the significant responsibility of government officials, I demand a shred of competence when it comes to fiscal matters — like any Filipino taxpayer,” she added. She continued: “Instead of spewing personal attacks and avoiding questions, it would be better if VP Sara herself just clarified the funds of her office for a national budget that is more transparent, more effective, and more responsive to the needs of our countrymen.” The post ‘Trabaho lang, walang drama’: Hontiveros, VP Sara spar over confidential funds appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
VR, AI bring Wallace, and Gromit to ‘life’
VENICE, Italy (AFP) — The rapid evolution of virtual reality was on display here this week, with visitors brought into the world of Wallace and Gromit and watching books come to life before their eyes. Running alongside the world’s oldest film festival, Venice Immersive is tucked away on a former quarantine island that transforms each year into a showcase for the latest frontiers of entertainment. This year showed how quickly technology is evolving. Some experiences had users interacting with the virtual environment using hand controllers. Thus “Wallace & Gromit in The Grand Getaway” plunged them into the world of the famous animated duo. Players become Gromit, helping him fix his hapless owner’s contraptions and rescue them from an accidental trip to Mars. “The interactivity in those worlds is increasingly precise and diverse,” said Venice Immersive co-curator Michel Reilhac. “Makers are finding ways to hijack the technology and use it in really unexpected ways.” Another experience used VR helmets to put several people at once in the studio of Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi, allowing them to snoop around his workshop and watch as his famous Barcelona cathedral rose up spectacularly around them. AI was an inevitable talking point, with one experience using a mix of two AI apps, ChatGPT and Midjourney, to ask users about their deepest thoughts before creating a bespoke story and images based on their answers. One of the most technologically impressive was “Jim Henson’s The Storyteller.” Page-turner Visitors don augmented-reality glasses to watch a 3D film come to life on a special book they hold in their hands, moving through different chapters as they turn the pages. It is the latest innovation from VR pioneers Felix and Paul Studios, who have created immersive tours of the International Space Station, the Obama White House and LeBron James’s training sessions. The interactive book was another “leap of faith,” co-founder Paul Raphael told AFP. “We wanted to realize the dream of what an augmented book could be,” he said — but that required “pushing the technology so much further.” Cameras in the glasses read the surface of the pages and track their position in real time, which the algorithm, designed from scratch, uses to calculate where to overlay the constantly moving 3D images. “The performance and speed at which it needs to happen is kind of insane,” Raphael said. With the emergence of new headsets from Apple and other companies, he believes augmented books could soon become widely available. Immersive “It’s early days and there’s so much ground to cover,” he said. “Even after 10 years, it feels like we could do this our whole lives and still just scratch the surface.” The festival highlighted social experiences, particularly VR Chat, an online platform allowing users to meet and play in virtual worlds. “VR immersive is no longer a solitary experience,” said Reilhac. “It’s gained a social dimension — and that’s where it will find its ‘killer app’ that wins over a much bigger audience.” As the tools evolve, creating these virtual worlds has become much easier, with free templates available for newcomers to use. The post VR, AI bring Wallace, and Gromit to ‘life’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Drunkard scuffles with cops
Laoag City cops assigned to the police assistance center "Cabeza" and personnel from the Provincial Mobile Force Company 1 assigned to the PROTECT Box "Rotonda" responded to a reported commotion that occurred at a grocery in Brgy. Bengcag, Laoag City, Ilocos Norte at around 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, 5 September. In an exclusive video secured by Daily Tribune from a civilian who helped pacify the situation, the suspect identified as Albert Miguel, 30, ran at a local radio station from Myrna Grocery, where the commotion initially started. When Patrolman Laforga, identified as the victim, was about to arrest Miguel, the suspect started becoming unruly and violent. He allegedly resisted arrest and uttered, “Ikkatem ta uniformem ta agkabil ta ne! Agkabil ta nga duwa, mano-mano, ikkatem uniformem kada paltog mo (Remove your uniform and let’s fight! Let’s fight, one on one, remove your uniform and your gun)," while pushing and punching Laforga. Daily Tribune tried to interview Miguel but instead, he gave rude answers by name-calling the writer and even spitting on the writer. Miguel will face direct assault, and resistance and disobedience charges. The post Drunkard scuffles with cops appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»