Category Archives: Science and Environment

Economy, Religion, Science and Environment

Filipino Cardinal Criticizes Gown Donations To Hurricane Victims

January 28, 2016 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

Lastimosa and her controversial evening gown

CEBU CITY, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – The “throw-away culture” has been prevalent among Filipinos even during disasters, according to Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle.

After the supertyphoon Yoland (Haiyan) hit the Philippines two years ago, Tagle recalls how someone donated a wedding gown to the relief efforts.

Yolanda was the strongest typhoon recorded to hit land, which claimed more than 6,000 lives and displaced hundreds of thousands of Filipinos in Central Visayas.

“Imagine, during the time of Haiyan or Yolanda, as we were unpacking some of the donations, there was a wedding gown. Who would use a wedding gown? They were just throwing unused clothes to the poor,” he said.

Apparently, it wasn’t just a wedding gown that was donated to the typhoon victims.

The Adobo Chronicles just learned that the evening gown worn by Miss Philippines MJ Lastimosa at a previous Miss Universe pageant was also donated.

Lastimosa’s gown resembled a giant wedding cake and many believed that the Colombian-designed gown cost her the crown.

Food, Science and Environment

COMING SOON TO THE DINNER TABLE : GENETICALLY MODIFIED LECHON

November 20, 2015 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Thursday that the AquAdvantage salmon — developed using growth hormone from Chinook salmon and a gene from an eel-like ocean fish that makes it reach market size twice as quickly as other salmon — has become the first genetically engineered animal approved for American consumption.

AquaBounty Technologies Inc., the Massachusetts company that created the fish, calls it “the world’s most sustainable salmon.” Opponents call it “Frankenfish.”

Almost simultaneously, scientists at the University of the Philippines at Los Baños, Laguna, announced that they have engineered a fast-reproducing, fast-growing pig that is both safe for human consumption and a big boost to lechon production.

Lechon is a popular way of cooking a whole pig by roasting it for hours over a pit of charcoal fire. No Filipino fiesta or family gathering is complete without this traditional delicacy.

The scientists said they have been successful in injecting testosterone from dogs into pigs to make them reproduce faster and become more prolific. A domestic farm pig averages 10 piglets per litter and can have two to three litters per year.

The genetically modified pigs will mature faster. At the same time, lechon roasting time will be cut by almost 50 percent.

Lechon pa more (more lechon), as Filipinos would say!

Business, Economy, Science and Environment

JEWELERS VERY UPSET ABOUT OBAMA’S DECISION ON KEYSTONE

November 7, 2015 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

WASHINGTON, D.C. (The Adobo Chronicles) – Thousands of jewelry retailers are very upset at President Barack Obama’s announcement yesterday rejecting the Keystone Pipeline project that would have facilitated the flow of 800,000 barrels a day of carbon-heavy petroleum from Canada to the United States.

A spokesman for the jewelers told The Adobo Chronicles that Obama’s decision practically would kill the already struggling jewelry retail business.

Keystone is a pricing practice widely accepted in the jewelry business, and it has nothing to do with carbon imprints.

Keystone pricing = the wholesale cost of an item x 2

In other words, we are talking about a 100% markup on an item. If a jewelry retailer buys a gold ring for $100, then he or she will sell it for $200. This is the standard default method of many traditional jewelers.

Some higher-end or name-brand jewelers will go as far as charging was is called triple-keystone pricing. This is the wholesale cost of an item x 3 (hence triple markup).

It was only after The White House held a conference call with U.S. jewelry retailers that the group realized it was just a matter of misinformation and miscommunication.

So the 100% and 200% mark-up continues. But now jewelry buyers fully understand why their favorite jewelry stores can offer discounts or sales of up to 50% off!