The TRUTH will set you FREE.
- These guys are about to have a lot of bonding time. (Reuters)
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
SOLAR TUK TUK FROM INDIA TO UK
Brave duo attempts to schlep across Eurasia in solar-powered tuk-tuk
JOHN DONOVAN JULY 16, 2014 ARTICLES
Royal Dutch Shell and U.S. Sanctions on Russia
Shell CEO Ben van Beurden bows to President Putin during a meeting held on 21 April 2014
By John Donovan
Royal Dutch Shell directors must be feeling anxious again.
For some years Shell continued to trade with Iran despite U.S. sanctions and engaged in machinations in an attempt to disguise what was going on.
Today, President Obama escalated sanctions against Russia, targeting in particular Russian energy giant Rosneft and Gazprombank, the financial arm of Gazprom.
Rosneft and Gazprom are controlled by the Putin regime and both have important business dealings with Shell.
Shell’s future depends to some extent on maintaining good relations with the Russians.
This is why Ben van Beurden, the Chief Executive of Royal Dutch Shell Plc was bowing and scraping when he had an audience with Putin on Good Friday.
On the other hand, bearing in mind the size of Shell’s assets in America, RDS will also be fearful of upsetting the U.S. authorities if it decides to once again ignore or circumnavigate U.S. sanctions.
Obama Widens Sanctions Against Russia in Ukraine Face-Off:New York Times 16 July 2014
Tagged: Ben van Beurden · Gazprom · Iran · John Donovan · Rosneft · Royal Dutch Shell Plc · Russia
Shell says makes 3rd major discovery in Norphlet play in Gulf
Reuters article published Tuesday 15 July 2014
(Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell Plc said on Tuesday it had found roughly 100 million barrels of oil equivalent (boed) in the Gulf of Mexico’s Norphlet formation, its third discovery there.
The company, the gulf’s largest operator, found the oil near its Rydberg well, roughly 75 miles off the Louisiana coast.
The company drilled the well about 26,300 feet, including about 7,400 feet of water, and found oil reserves about 400 feet deep.
Shell is the project’s primary operator, and partners with Ecopetrol SA and CNOOC Ltd’s Nexen.
(Reporting by Ernest Scheyder; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)
The TRUTH will set you FREE.
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Greenpeace parody Lego video back on YouTube
Warner Bros allows Greenpeace parody Lego video back on YouTube
Film depicting an oil-stricken Arctic in Lego bricks, taken down for alleged copyright infringement, reappears on video site
• News: Greenpeace urges Lego to end Shell partnership
• News: Greenpeace urges Lego to end Shell partnership
Corporate mentality … The Lego Movie's Lord Business. Photograph: AP
Warner Bros has reportedly dropped its opposition to a Greenpiece parody video in which characters from the hit Lego Movie are slowly drowned in oil.
The video, made to highlight the Danish company's relationship with Shell, has reappeared on YouTube after being withdrawn last week following copyright complaints from the film-makers, according to The Wrap. Greenpeace reacted to the ban by moving the video, which had picked up more than 3m views, to a rival site and taunt on Twitter. "Did we offend someone? Banned from YouTube, back up on Vimeo," wrote the environmental group.
Greenpeace's film is intended to highlight Lego's $116m (£68m) sponsorship deal with Shell. It shows a gloopy black substance slowly enveloping polar bears, owls, small children and even Santa Claus to the soundtrack of a downbeat cover version of the relentlessly upbeat songEverything is Awesome, from Warner Bros' hugely successful film.
The Lego Movie is a pop culture-fuelled tale of an evil corporate behemoth named Lord Business who forces everyone in the Lego universe to "follow the instructions" and avoid non-conformity of all types. The villain even runs a fictional oil company named Octan, and the irony has clearly not been lost on Greenpeace.
The short, titled Everything is NOT Awesome was created by London-based creative agency Don't Panic for Greenpeace, and used 120kg of Lego bricks. It is intended to pressure the world's largest toy-maker into dropping a partnership that sees its products distributed at Shell petrol stations. Greenpeace is also using the film to highlight its new campaign targeting Shell's ambitions to drill for oil in the Arctic.
Lego said in a statement last week that it was "determined to leave a positive impact on society and the planet that children will inherit". The statement continued: "Our unique contribution is through inspiring and developing children by delivering creative play experiences all over the world. A co-promotion contract like the one with Shell is one of many ways we are able to bring Lego bricks into the hands of more children."
• This article was amended on 15 JUly 2014 to reflect the fact that Lego Movie studio Warner Bros, rather than Lego, made the complaint over Greenpeace's parody film which caused it to be removed from YouTube.
RESTAURANTS IN CEBU CITY
An Expat’s 5 Favorite Restaurants in Cebu City
BY JONNY LIS ON
Whether you’re a foreigner completely new to the Philippines or a Cebuano who has spent your entire life on the island, you’re bound to find the growing selection of international and local restaurants in Cebu quite overwhelming.
Armed with my 2-year residence in Cebu, I put together a list of my favorite restaurants to help you out next time you find yourself in the Queen City of the South trying to figure out where to eat.
La Maison Rose, Gorordo Ave.
From my personal experience of visiting France, I can tell you that La Maison Rose is a 100% authentic French experience – the food, the wine, the macarons, the ambiance… c’est magnifique!
With a family history that can be traced back to their French national grand patriarch, it’s no surprise that this restaurant, also famously known as the Pink House, is owned and run by the well-known Lhuiller family.
It’s also right beside La Vie Parisienne, a fantastically-decorated outdoor wine bar and bakery, serving what’s possibly the best selection of wine and bread in the entire Philippines.
That’s not to say that you should only try the international restaurants in Cebu. As an expat with no experience of eating Filipino food before moving to the Philippines in 2012, I must admit that I have been pleasantly surprised by the local food here that I would certainly recommend Filipino restaurants to fellow foreigners.
Lantaw Native Restaurant, Cordova, Busay and SRP
I have eaten at many local establishments including Kuya J’s, Mesa Filipino Moderne and Gerry’s Grill, but my favorite has to be Lantaw Native Restaurant.
The food is wonderful at all three locations, but for an unparalleled view of Cebu City, you must visit theLantaw Restaurant in Busay. It’s not easy to get to if you don’t have your own means of transportation but due to its scenic location, it’s definitely worth a visit.
Not only is the restaurant perfectly situated at the top of the mountains but once you finally stop gazing and taking selfies with the view in the background, you’ll notice that the food is also excellent. Make sure to bring a jacket. Due to its altitude, it can get cold in the evenings!
Pizzeria Michelangelo, Banilad and Escario
In Cebu, you can’t step outside without seeing a pizza delivery bike going somewhere, so they’re obviously very popular. But what is the best pizza restaurant in Cebu? For me, it has to be Pizzeria Michelangelo. Also foreign-owned, Pizzeria Michelangelo is perhaps lesser known than local favorites such as Shakey’s, Yellow Cab and Alberto’s, but in my opinion, much more delicious.
Their chefs use fresh ingredients and make pizza and pasta impeccably well. And if you’re too lazy to leave the house, no need to worry as they also deliver.
Big Tom’s Charbroiled Burgers, Osmeña St.
One thing that frustrates me here is that there are so many delicious eateries in Cebu and yet I still see so many people stuffing their faces at McDonald’s and Jollibee! If you really want that juicy and delicious burger, the best place to go is Big Tom’s Charbroiled Burgers, what I would say is the king of burger restaurants in Cebu.
Located along Juana Osmeña street, Big Tom’s is unparalleled when it comes to the quality of its burgers. They use good quality cuts of beef (which are never frozen), guaranteed to fulfill your unhealthy food cravings.
Irie Gastropubliko, Asiatown IT Park
If you don’t know your way around Cebu, then both Ayala Terraces and IT Park are your best bets since they are also home to some of the best restaurants on the island, with my personal favorite being Irie Gastropubliko in IT Park.
Irie has everything you could want from a restaurant. In fact, I probably go here at least once a month. The interior is as modern as the food and I’ve had everything from their Umami Burger with Truffle Fries to Jambalaya to even the traditionally English Fish and Chips.
For the health conscious, they even have a low-calorie menu complete with healthy shakes. But if you want to pig out, their dish called the Fat Bast**d (bacon-greased seared pork chop with bacon, arugula salad, pepper-cranberry vinaigrette and garlic rice) might just suit you. They also boast a selection of rare imported beers and possess a well-stocked bar making it the perfect place to start your weekend.
Restaurants with Clever Names
10 Philippine Restaurants with Clever Names
Here are a couple of places listed on the looloo app with some clever monikers meant to be memorable by being funny. Some are clever, some are witty, while some might leave you wanting to scratch your eyeballs out.
Ang Kat Tea
There are a ton of tea places nowadays, and business owners love playing around with the word “tea.” While places like Serenitea, and Infinitea sound so serious, we liked that this particular tea joint’s name was a lot more playful and actually chose a Tagalog phrase!
Brew Ha!
We’re pretty sure this coffee shop in Bacolod didn’t choose their name with the intention of scaring anyone off (“bruha” means witch in Filipino), but you can’t deny that it does have quite a ring to it. Give the place a try and you could find yourself under the spell of their bewitching brews!
Bun of Brothers
Its name obviously a play on the WW2 miniseries “Band of Brothers,” the Marikina-based burger joint is actually pretty popular in the area. It’s been around for just over a year so you probably wouldn’t call it “battle-tested,” but their selection of gourmet burgers might be a good alternative to the usual fast food fare.
Eat My GF
Using a bit of shock factor by being a little bastos, you can’t help but be at least a LITTLE bit curious about the place. Apparently, GF stands for their Garlic Fries, which the owner modeled after his favorite game time snack from California.
Ken Afford
A staple in the area (and also featured in our Fearless Foodie’s Field Guide to Katipunan!), Ken Afford is exactly that — good cheap eats accessible to the student population nearby. Not much has changed over the years, and we’re pretty sure you’ll be able to get their sisig and free bulalo soup for many more to come!
Meats and Match
As the name implies, the Pampanga-based restaurant lets you choose from their different meats for a quick and affordable meal. For a simple no-frills eatery, the creativity is admirable — they’ve even got a hashtag! #saucydito
Johnny’s Fried Chicken: The Fried of Marikina
Marikina has always been known for their shoemaking. Leather footwear may be the pride of Marikina, but apparently, Johnny’s Fried Chicken is campaigning to trump that! It’s a homey place with a simplecarinderia vibe about it, but one reviewer says the chicken could hold its own against Max’s even!
Nacho Fast
What do you call cheese that isn’t yours? Nacho Cheese! We’re guessing the place’s owner took his or her cue from this when he named the restaurant. Okay, so it’s not the most clever of names, but we appreciate the effort of making a movie snack nacho joint sound funner!
Obeertime
“Dear, late ako uuwi, nag-obeertime ako eh.” If you say it fast enough, she’ll never be the wiser. Unlike your usual roadside inuman, this bar’s name is just clever enough to be witty without being too tacky. We also give it props for taking overtime (ugh) and turning it into something to look forward to!
Pork Barrel Grill and Restaurant
With the pork barrel scam being such a hot topic these days, we’re not sure how much of a negative vibe this place’s name sends out. If you believe in “no such thing as bad publicity” though, it can’t hurt! Now, how ironic would it be to see Janet Napoles dining here??
Tri Mo Shawarma Co.
Pretty straightforward, this one — they want you to try their shawarma! This hidden gem in QC has actually gotten a lot of good reviews, some mentioning the long lines people put up with for the food. Definitely worth a TRI if you’re in the QC area!
Did we miss anything? And yes, we know there’s a carinderia called Cooking ng Ina Mo.
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