Simbang Gabi in Dubai

Simbang Gabi in Dubai at St. Mary's Church

The Simbang Gabi, a nine-day series of pre-dawn masses from Dec. 16 to 24, heralds the Christmas season in the Philippines.

Among Filipino Christmas traditions, the Simbang Gabi has for centuries sent the faithful throughout the country to catholic churches to affirm their faith.

RTA launches Dubai Brand Vehicle Plate Numbers

The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) will offer the Dubai Brand Vehicle Plate Numbers; which will be optional for interested clients, thus the RTA will be the first government entity to integrate the Dubai Brand in its promotional campaign.

Ahmed Bahroyzan, CEO of RTA Licensing Agency, said: “The RTA is committed to the directives of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to use new Dubai Brand and endorse it as a tool in marketing and promoting Dubai in order to show that the Emirate acts in a single team spirit and speaks with one voice to citizens and visitors. We have therefore opted to develop the new & innovative design of number plates for private vehicles only during Gitex Technology Week in a bid to showcase the new Dubai Brand to various entities, firms, individuals and visitors from all over the globe, and accordingly fulfill the ambitious vision of promoting the brand in a proper manner.

“The Dubai Brand Vehicle Plate Numbers have an air of luxury as the Brand is embossed in an innovative manner using digital printing technology and can resist various climatic conditions. Moreover, its colours will showcase the beauty of both the plate & the vehicle in a prominent manner and break away from the existing conventional shape of the plate. The price set for obtaining both the front & rear plates is 420 dirham,” said Bahrozyan.

Detailing the procedure of obtaining the plates, the CEO of Licensing Agency said: “Applications for the plate can be submitted via a host of electronic channels such as RTA website, RTA Call Center (Tel: 8009090), and the smart app: Drivers & Vehicles on smart phones starting from the end of this month. The plates can be handed over through customers service centers and service providers; namely Deira Customers Service Center, Al Barsha Customers Service Center, Al Mumayaz at Aswaq Al Mizhar, Al Mumayaz at Aswaq Al Barsha, Quick Technical Testing at Al Qusais, and Wasil Vehicle Testing Center at Al Jaddaf.”

About the future plans of the Dubai Brand Vehicle Plate Numbers, Bahrozyan said: “Work is progressing in a plan to insert the Brand gradually on the plates of Dubai taxicabs and public buses of the RTA by the end of the first quarter of 2015. Such plates will be of a black colour only, rendering them different from plates of private vehicles as we are seeking to engage in a massive promotion of the brand, particularly as public transit means tour the width & breadth of the Emirate and will have a substantial role in supporting the promotion of the brand.

Source RTA.ae

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Digital SLR camera D810

Nikon.com                                                                                                                          June 26, 2014

An effective pixel count of 36.3-million pixels for the sharpest, best image quality in Nikon history

TOKYO - Nikon Corporation is pleased to announce the release of the D810, a Nikon FX-format digital SLR camera.

The D810 is a digital SLR camera that boasts incredibly superior definition and image quality made possible with a new Nikon FX-format CMOS sensor with no optical low-pass filter, adoption of the latest EXPEED 4 image-processing engine, an effective pixel count of 36.3-million pixels, and a standard range of sensitivities from ISO 64 to ISO 12800. Not only does it offer extremely accurate AF, but vibrations generated inside the camera have been reduced to maximize the resolution of its 36.3-million pixels for sharp and clear images. The camera also supports recording of smooth, extremely sharp 60p full-HD (1920 x 1080) movies. What's more, high-speed continuous shooting at up to 5 fps with the FX-format image area and up to 7 fps* with the DX-format image area is possible for excellent response to a wide variety of scenes.

• *When powered by the AC Adapter EH-5b or the Multi-Power Battery Pack MB-D12 with batteries other than the Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL15.

D810 Development Background

The D800 and D800E, added to Nikon's lineup of Nikon FX-format cameras in March 2012, drew great attention from professional and advanced amateur photographers as digital SLR cameras offering superior image quality nearly equal to that of medium-format cameras. The performance of these two cameras was well received around the world, earning them a number of prestigious awards, including a respected Technical Image Press Association (TIPA) Award 2012 and a European Imaging and Sound Association (EISA) Photo Award presented to the D800.
Developed with this background, the D810 offers the best image quality in the history of Nikon, as well as functions that increase the certainty and reliability of this superior image quality, to respond to the expectations of photographers who demand superior clarity, sharpness, and image quality from their photos.

D810 Primary Features

1. The first digital SLR camera in Nikon's history to offer a minimum standard sensitivity of ISO 64 at which superior clarity and image quality with rich tones is achieved
   A minimum standard sensitivity of ISO 64, at which the same broad dynamic range available with ISO 100 is possible, was achieved through the adoption of a new FX-format CMOS sensor and by increasing the volume of light information that can be accumulated. This enables suppression of loss of detail in highlights (blown highlights) and beautiful rendering of subjects with rich tones, even when a fast lens is used in bright surroundings. In addition, collaboration with the same EXPEED 4 image-processing engine adopted for the D4S achieves a broad range of standard sensitivities up to ISO 12800 (Lo 1, Hi 1, and Hi 2 settings are also available).
2. Further increases in imaging flexibility: The Picture Control system, Nikon's exclusive advanced system for image processing
   A new "Flat" Picture Control option has been added with the D810. Less in-camera processing is applied to images captured at a Picture Control setting of "Flat" than to those captured at a setting of "Neutral", enabling maximization of the amount of subject information acquired. The "Flat" setting prevents loss of detail in highlights and shadows, as well as over-saturation of colors, enabling adjustment of image quality and post-processing for richer tone characteristics, including contrast and colors. In addition, a "Clarity"*1 option has been added to adjustment settings for each Picture Control, allowing users to make images sharper or softer without over-emphasizing outlines and edges in images, and each setting can be adjusted in increments of 0.25 step*2, enabling more precise adjustment that makes it easier to achieve imaging that better reflects user intent.
   • *1Can be applied only to still images.
   • *2Does not apply to Quick Adjust.
3. Extremely precise AF and superior vibration suppression that maximize the resolution of the 36.3-million-pixel effective pixel count
   In order to make the most of the incredibly high pixel count of 36.3-million effective pixels, the precision of the 51-point AF system has been increased with adoption of the Advanced Multi-CAM 3500FX autofocus sensor module and improvements to the focusing algorithm, ensuring exact autofocus acquisition on the intended portion of a still subject. In addition, mechanical operation of components such as the mirror and shutter has been improved for significant reduction in the amount of internal vibration generated. The end result is a system capable of maximizing the superior rendering performance of NIKKOR lenses and the superior definition of the D810's CMOS sensor.
4. High-speed continuous shooting at approximately 5 fps in FX format and approximately 7 fps* in DX format makes capture of a broader range of subjects possible
   Adoption of a new CMOS sensor and the EXPEED 4 image-processing engine makes high-speed continuous shooting at approximately 5 fps in FX format and approximately 7 fps* in DX format possible with the D810. This makes capture of a broader range of subjects/scenes possible with excellent response with not only still subjects, but also moving subjects such as wildlife and sports scenes.
   • *When powered by the AC Adapter EH-5b or the Multi-Power Battery Pack MB-D12 with batteries other than the Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL15.
5. Full-HD movie recording with which picture quality and operation has been significantly improved
   The full-HD movie recording function, capable of recording extremely sharp and clear movies exhibiting significantly fewer moiré patterns and jaggies, and less color aliasing, supports 60p recording for smoother expression of subject movement. In addition, operation has been improved with Auto ISO Sensitivity Control in M exposure mode, enabling exposure control with aperture value and shutter speed locked and automatic adjustment of only ISO sensitivity, as well as a highlight display that shows the brightest areas of the frame in which detail may be lost with display of slanted lines. Beautiful time-lapse movies with which variations in exposure between frames are controlled can also be generated in-camera.

D810 Additional Features

• An electronic front-curtain shutter that prevents blur in images with minimization of vibration resulting from the operation of mechanisms with shooting
• Highlight-weighted metering, with which exposure values that reduce loss of detail in highlights (blown highlights) are determined, convenient for capturing theater scenes and the like
• The first Nikon FX-format camera with an OLED viewfinder display; an optical viewfinder with frame coverage of approximately 100% that offers better light transmissivity and colors, and makes it easier to achieve the optimal focus when fast lenses are used
• A 1229k-dot LCD monitor with bright RGBW array equipped with the "Monitor color balance" function that allows users to adjust monitor colors
• A "Split-screen display zoom" function that displays enlarged views of two separate areas of the frame side-by-side for checking level if the building is aligned with the horizon with live view photography
• Advanced Scene Recognition System, which utilizes a 91K-pixel RGB sensor, for highly precise automatic control over auto exposure (AE), autofocus (AF), and auto white balance (AWB)
• RAW recording at an image size of "Small"
• Multi-area mode full-HD D-movie that allows users to choose between two movie formats (image areas), FX-based and DX-based
• Improved movie sound quality with "Wind noise reduction" and "Frequency response" ("Wide range"/"Vocal range") settings
• Optimal layout of operational controls, and a grip sized and shaped for a firm, steady hold even when large lenses are used
• Effective sealing for superior resistance to dust and water

• Except where noted, all specifications provided apply to use at an ambient temperature of 23° C (± 3° C) with a fully charged battery, in accordance with Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA) standards.

Source: Nikon News

$10B airport project to replace NAIA?

MANILA, Philippines—San Miguel Corp. presented to Malacañang on Wednesday a $10-billion plan to build for the government along the Cyberbay reclamation area a brand-new airport seen to beat the existing international gateways of Hong Kong and Singapore.

SMC president Ramon S. Ang confirmed via text message that the $10-billion airport project was successfully presented and that Aquino was “happy.”

In an interview in his office, Ang showed a scale model of the proposed airport, which would be located along CyberBay Corp.’s disrupted waterfront reclamation project along the Manila-Cavite Coastal Road, covering the cities of Parañaque and Las Piñas.

The proposed airport will have four runways with a length of 3,600 meters each and can accommodate as many as 250 plane take-offs and landings an hour, dwarfing the 40-an-hour capacity of the current Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Four Airbus 380 planes could land on the new airport at the same time, Ang said.

Included in the $10-billion estimated cost was an elevated tollroad that would connect the proposed airport to the Makati central business district, Ang said.

“If they agree to this, it will be a massive infrastructure project beating Hong Kong and Singapore. It will be the best airport in the region,” Ang pointed out, noting that Hong Kong and Singapore had only two runways in their main airports.

The project will make use of the 157 hectares of land already reclaimed by Cyberbay, which is seeking about P11 billion in reimbursements from the Philippine Reclamation Authority for the relocation of informal settlers in the area and funds injected to run the operations of Central Bay from 1995 to 2002. It is strategically located near the Entertainment City of the state-run Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor).

While the project would rise on the reclamation project begun by Cyberbay, Ang said the entire airport would need 1,600 hectares and that more reclamation would be done while Cyberbay could have a small stake in the project.

For SMC, Ang said the conglomerate was proposing to build this for the government without owning the airport itself. Upon completion, he said SMC would turn over the airport property to the government and get compensated by operating it.

To unlock values from the 400-hectare old Naia airport, Ang suggested the privatization of the prime property, which he estimated could raise up to $10 billion for the government. “This could be another CBD (central business district),” he said.

Since SMC would not own the property, Ang said it was only proposing this as a contractor for the government. Once the airport is built, SMC will earn from terminal fees as well as fees to be paid by airlines for landing their fleet. The conglomerate will negotiate to be allowed to have a return on equity of 10 percent from this project.

Asked how long it would take to build this airport, he said the first two runways could be finished by the 5th year and the entire development completed by the seventh year from ground-breaking.

He said SMC could fund the entire $10-billion cost on its own but it would be open to take in other local partners for the commercial/retail component or even for the airport operation component.

The Cyberbay project was originally envisioned to be a 750-hectare township development but the Supreme Court, in 2002, nullified a joint venture between the state-owned Philippine Estates Authority and Amari Coastal Bay Development Corp., formerly controlled by Ital-Thai consortium. Ang later bought into CyberBay as a personal investment.

Source Philippine Inquirer - Read more: http://business.inquirer.net/170452/10b-airport-project-presented-to-aquino#ixzz324BYrUbZ

US, Florida officials confirm second case of Mers

Washington: US health officials said on Monday a second case of Mers, a deadly virus first discovered in the Middle East in 2012, has been found in the state of Florida.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the presence of the virus, known formally as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, with health officials from Florida.

The CDC said in a statement it was the second “imported” instance of Mers, meaning a traveller contracted the virus in another country and brought it to US shores. The first such imported case involved a man who flew from Saudi Arabia and travelled to Indiana earlier this month.

The patient in that case, a US healthcare worker who lives and works in Saudi Arabia, flew from Riyadh to London and then Chicago, before boarding a bus to Highland, Indiana. He then began experiencing symptoms of fever, shortness of breath, and sought care at Community Hospital in Munster, Indiana.

Source: Gulfnews.com

Emirates Cancels Clark Route

Emirates will be cancelling its route between Clark International Airport and Dubai beginning on May 3, 2014 just 7 months after the route was launched at the start of October 2013. 

The route was launched with much fanfare as the first long haul route to be operated out of a Philippine gateway other than Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila. But stiff competition and new capacity from Philippine Airlines, PAL Express, and Cebu Pacific undercut any hopes of the route's survival.

Earlier this year, the Centre for Aviation published a report indicating that the United Arab Emirates-Philippines market wassuffering from overcapacity. In the report, it was stated that capacity reductions are inevitable after 24 weekly non-stop flights were added between the two countries in the fourth quarter of 2013. 

Fares dropped to record low levels as the three Philippine carriers dumped capacity into the market while struggling to fill their new A330 aircraft. The Centre for Aviation warned that load factors could only be sustainable during peak periods and that if capacity was not reduced for the rest of the year, losses were likely for all carriers.

Malaysia Airlines Has Lost Contact With A Plane Carrying 239 People

Malaysia Airlines said it has lost contact with one of its airplanes that was carrying 239 people. The search is still ongoing.

The plane lost communication two hours into the flight in Vietnam’s airspace at 1.20am (10.20pm UAE Friday), China’s official Xinhua News Agency said. Vietnamese website VN Express said a Vietnamese search and rescue official reported that signals from the plane were detected about 120 nautical miles (140 miles; 225 kilometres) southwest of Vietnam’s southernmost Ca Mau province.


Malaysian Airline Statement:
MEDIA STATEMENT released at 7.24am/8 Mar 2014 MH370 Incident

Sepang, 8 March 2014: Malaysia Airlines confirms that flight MH370 has lost contact with Subang Air Traffic Control at 2.40am, today (8 March 2014).

Flight MH370, operated on the B777-200 aircraft, departed Kuala Lumpur at 12.41am on 8 March 2014. MH370 was expected to land in Beijing at 6.30am the same day. The flight was carrying a total number of 227 passengers (including 2 infants), 12 crew members.

Malaysia Airlines is currently working with the authorities who have activated their Search and Rescue team to locate the aircraft. 

The airline will provide regular updates on the situation. Meanwhile, the public may contact +603 7884 1234 for further info.

New7Wonders of Nature

These are the New7Wonders of Nature as announced at the New7Wonders headquarters in Zurich on 11.11.11.

Amazon: South America

The Amazon Rainforest (Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela), also known as Amazonia, the Amazon jungle or the Amazon Basin, encompasses seven million square kilometers (1.7 billion acres), though the forest itself occupies some 5.5 million square kilometers (1.4 billion acres), located within nine nations. Read More Here

Ha Long Bay: Vietnam

Ha Long Bay is located in Quáng Ninh province, Vietnam. The bay features thousands of limestone karsts and isles in various sizes and shapes. The bay has a 120 kilometre long coastline and is approximately 1,553 square kilometres in size with 1969 islets. Read More Here

Iguazu Falls: Argentina/Brazil

Iguazu Falls, in Iguazu River, are one of the world’s largest waterfalls. They extend over 2,700 m (nearly 2 miles)  in a semi-circular shape.  Of the 275 falls that collectively make up Iguassu Falls, “Devil’s Throat” is the tallest at 80 m in height. Iguazu Falls are on the border between the Brazilian state of Paraná and the Argentine province of Misiones, and are surrounded by two National Parks (BR/ARG). 

Jeju Island: South Korea

Jejudo is a volcanic island, 130 km from the southern coast of Korea. The largest island and smallest province in Korea, the island has a surface area of 1,846 sqkm.

Komodo: Indonesia

Indonesia’s Komodo National Park includes the three larger islands Komodo, Rinca and Padar, as well as numerous smaller ones, for a total area of 1,817 square kilometers (603 square kilometers of it land). The national park was founded in 1980 to protect the Komodo dragon. Later, it was also dedicated to protecting other species, including marine animals. 

PP Underground River: Philippines

The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is located about 50 km north of the city of Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines. It features a limestone karst mountain landscape with an 8.2 km. navigable underground river. A distinguishing feature of the river is that it winds through a cave before flowing directly into the South China Sea. It includes major formations of stalactites and stalagmites, and several large chambers.

Table Mountain: South Africa

Table Mountain is a South African icon and the only natural site on the planet to have a constellation of stars named after it – Mensa, meaning “the table.” The flat-topped mountain has withstood six million years of erosion and hosts the richest, yet smallest floral kingdom on earth with over 1,470 floral species.

Read More Here