OBSECREI

The rumors are true, according to Sarah Palin: The McCain-Palin campaign was not a happy family.

NEW YORK – The rumors are true, according to Sarah Palin: The McCain-Palin campaign was not a happy family. In Palin's new memoir, "Going Rogue," she confirms reports of tension between her aides and those of the 2008 Republican presidential candidate, Sen. John McCain. The vice presidential candidate confirms that she had wanted to speak on election night, but was denied the chance and says she was kept "bottled up" from reporters during the campaign.

Palin also writes harshly of CBS anchor Katie Couric, whom she describes as "badgering" and biased. Palin's series of interviews with Couric were widely regarded as disastrous, leaving the impression of an ill-informed candidate who was unsuited for the job.

The 413-page book with 16 pages of color photos but no index comes out Tuesday, Nov. 17. The Associated Press was able to purchase a copy Thursday. "Going Rogue," with a first printing of 1.5 million copies, has been at or near the top of Amazon.com and other best-seller lists for weeks, ever since publisher HarperCollins announced that the book had been completed quickly and the release date was being moved up from next spring.

The book follows Palin from childhood to her departure last summer as Alaska governor. It includes much of what her admirers, and detractors, expected: tributes to family, faith and patriotism, and attacks against the media and other perceived opponents.

She writes about the "jaded aura" of professional campaign aides and how McCain's entourage limited her access to the media, leading to allegations — unfounded, she says — that she was avoiding reporters.

In the months leading up to her July resignation as Alaska governor, her legal bills had mounted to more than $500,000, fueled mostly by what she called frivolous ethics complaints. What appeared to upset her most, though, was that about $50,000 of the legal bills was her share of the expenses for being vetted for the VP nod, Palin writes.

She said no one had ever informed her that she would have to personally take care of any expenses related to the selection process.

Palin writes that when she asked officials at the Republican National Committee and what was left of the McCain campaign if they would help her financially, she was told the bills would have been paid if McCain had won, but since he lost, the bills were her responsibility.

Trevor Potter, general counsel for the McCain campaign, told the AP the campaign had never asked Palin to pay a legal bill.

"To my knowledge, the campaign never billed Gov. Palin for any legal expenses related to her vetting and I am not aware of her ever asking the campaign to pay legal expenses that her own lawyers incurred for the vetting process."

Potter said that if Palin's personal lawyer billed her for any work related to her vetting, "We are unaware of it. It was never raised with the campaign."

Written with Lynn Vincent, "Going Rogue" is folksy in tone and homespun. For example, Palin says her efforts to award a license for a massive natural gas transmission line was turning a pipe dream into a pipeline. She writes in awe about how the McCain campaign had hired a New York stylist who had also worked on Couric.

Taken aback by all the fussing, she wondered who was paying for the $150,000 worth of fancy clothes given to her and her family by the campaign. Also, Palin did not like the forced makeover, and said she wondered at the time if she and her clan came across as "that" unpresentable.

Family members were told the costs were being taken care of, or were "part of the convention." The designer clothing, hairstyling and accessories later grew into a controversy.

Palin shares behind-the-scene moments when the nation learned her teen daughter Bristol was pregnant, how she rewrote the statement prepared for her by the McCain campaign — only to watch in horror as a TV news anchor read the original McCain camp statement, which, in Palin's view, glarmorized and endorsed her daughter's situation.

She writes that the incident made it clear to her that McCain headquarters was in charge of her message. She said when she tried to find out what the McCain camp would and would not allow her to say, chief campaign strategist Steve Schmidt told her to simply "stick with the script."

Palin laments that she wasn't allowed to bring up loads of family members to the stage while McCain gave his election night concession speech, the vice presidential candidate having found out minutes earlier that she wouldn't be permitted to give her own speech.

She writes at length about Couric. She says that the idea to meet with Couric came from McCain campaign aide Nicolle Wallace, who told Palin that Couric — also a working mother — liked and admired her. It would be a favor to Couric, too, whom Palin notes had the lowest ratings of the network anchors.

She alleges that Couric and CBS left out her more "substantive" remarks and settled for "gotcha" moments, and that Couric had a "partisan agenda" and a condescending manner. Couric was "badgering," biased and far easier on Palin's Democratic counterpart, Joe Biden, the book states.

Palin writes warmly of her childhood and her mother's "nurturing, hospitable" personality. Her priorities were set early — faith, hunting, current events and sports (she even dreamed of being a broadcaster alongside Howard Cosell). She remembers being a voracious reader, favorites including John Steinbeck's "The Pearl" and George Orwell's "Animal Farm." Long before Tina Fey parodied her on "Saturday Night Live," Palin enjoyed watching the show as a girl.

She will be interviewed by Oprah Winfrey and Barbara Walters, among others, for her book. Her tour, which begins next week in Grand Rapids, Mich., will skip major cities in favor of smaller localities.

Tech Talk with TJ Manotoc

Tech Talk
with TJ Manotoc


Apple TV - A Pillar Of The Future Of Television?

First off let me re-introduce myself to you all, not as an anchor or reporter, but now as a writer.

I am a tech junkie, not necessarily a connoisseur, but the love for technology and gadgets is definitely there. Im not an expert on many things, but modesty aside, I may have a little more tech knowledge and experience than an average Joe, just a little bit.

That said, may I humbly introduce you to s Tech Talk. Here we will discuss the latest tech news and rumors affecting and benefiting you, simple non-geeky reviews, and consumer buying guides here and on the Web. So let's begin this new journey shall we?

Welcome, Apple TV

First stop, I want to talk about the new Apple TV. Let me tell you that since this was announced by Apple CEO Steve Jobs last January at the Macworld Expo, it got me drooling. You see the first attempt of the Apple TV last year by Apple, it was pretty much, well, a hi-tech way of playing what you had in your computer onto your TV. That was it.

Like an expensive wire that we all know we could work around and do it ourselves with some adaptors here and there. What it couldnt do then? The Apple TV could not act on its own, it was just like having some sort of giant iPod hooked up to a TV. Yep, that was it.

But now things have changed, and so much for the better, thank you Steve. With the Apple TV 2.0 as some call it, it is now like a teenager with some sort of new independence.

Technically speaking, the new Apple TV can pretty much survive on its own, without a computer, at least after the first set up. But let's get into the details in a bit. For now lets do an overview of what this baby can do.

Apple TV's new capabilities

It can still play your music and videos from your iTunes in your computer. How it does that? It downloads it via wifi from your computer to your Apple TVs hard drive.

I actually got surprised that without me telling it to, the Apple TV ā€œgrabbedā€ my Macs music and videos without me knowing. I only noticed it when I opened my iTunes and it was telling me what was going on.

But that was after my first go at connecting them wirelessly, when, during the initial set up, the Apple TV asked me for a computer to work with. And oh yeah, it can still show your photos which it will also grab from your iPhoto library.

But now what else can it do? Well, can you say youtube, podcasts, iTunes TV show purchases, and iTunes movie rentals in 2 words? Yes, now you can, just say Apple TV.

Youtube is fun, now you can watch all them inmates in orange dancing in sync or Charice Pempengco doing us proud on Ellen in widescreen glory. Its just a little funky to navigate the search function when you have to type in using a remote control and not a keyboard. But you get used to it.

Podcasts. I have loved downloading podcasts for free from the iTunes store for quite some time now. I get tech-related video podcasts and also some comedy stuff. Hello Happyslip. And yes, I get my sports fix from the ESPN podcasts. That was for my iPod. But whats new and fun on the Apple TV is that you can watch or listen to your podcasts via streaming and not have to actually download them.

Movies at home

ITunes movie rentals. Now this is an alternative to getting your movie fix from a guy who says dibidi-dibidi as you walk around those notorious malls in the metro. Here you can spend your $2.99 or roughly P123 on a great clear movie, whose trailer you can preview first and watch in the comfort of your home on your widescreen.

For some people that price beats getting dressed, driving to the mall, paying for parking, buying a pair of P150 movie tickets, and still have to buy popcorn and a drink. Yes, you may argue that it is just a rental, but really, how many times do you watch the DVDs you have bought the legit or the dibidi variety? Yeah I can hear you mumbling it, just one time. And besides, you help put a smile on Edus faceā€¦

Moving on, you can even get HD movies, if you have the patience for the lengthy download, or the foresight of downloading what you wanna watch on the weekend a day or 2 before. Make sure you have a component or HDMI connections to maximize them HD vids.

Music, TV shows, photos

ITunes store music and TV shows for sale is still there. Its just a little more fun visually doing it on the TV. Albeit a little more tedious though to type in the names of what youre looking for if you move around via search.

Photos. Yes, you can still see your photos from your iPhoto library but you can also see photos from the Web. If youve heard of the photo sharing site Flickr, and those who have a .mac account, then you are in luck. The Apple TV can on its own, via your wifi router, go to Flickr or .mac and view the pictures of your friends and family, again in all widescreen glory, granting you have widescreen by now.

Oh and yes, it can work with a Windows powered PC too. It's not just limited to the Macs.

The price tag

Given all that it can do, Id say the new Apple TV is worth its new price in the U.S., $229 for the 40GB model. However, it's a bit more expensive in Manila, where the price is not necessarily arrived at by multiplying the dollar tag by the conversion rate of 41 or so. This same model sells at nearly P18,000 at some distributors.

One would have to consider though the Internet speed you have at home and youre pretty much set. .

So my first grade to give this new version of a cool product? Id give it a generous 4.5 out of 5 stars.

If you have any feedback, violent reactions, and requests, just no song numbers please, email me at tmanotoc@gmail.com . Till next week, cheers!

Sumilao farmers to help solve food crisis

The 200 Higaonon tribesmen who recently reclaimed part of their ancestral land in Sumilao, Bukidnon will be doing their share in easing the global food crisis by planting rice on the 50 hectares of land awarded to them by San Miguel Corporation . ABS-CBN News correspondent Adrian Ayalin reported that the Sumilao farmers have chosen to plant rice over other crops. "Palay is really our priority. We could sell or we could consume it ourselves," Napoleon Merida Jr., one of the farmers leaders, said. Quoting their forefathers, Merida said the tracts of land in Sumilao used to be vast ricefields. However, when the property was claimed by big businessmen, the lands became plantation of sugar cane and pineapples. It was later transformed into a piggery, Merida said. The Sumilao farmers managed to reclaim only 50 of the 144 hectares from SMC through a memorandum of agreement signed between the two parties. Arlene Bag-ao, legal counsel of the farmers, said the case of the Sumilao tribesmen could be replicated in other cases, turning agro-industrial parcels of land back to agricultural lands. "Hopefully this will be a model for all CARP cases," Bag-ao said. The CARP is a government program to rationalize the distribution of tracts of land owned by rich land owners in the provinces to farmers and their families. Though the farmers got the 50 hectares for free, they would have yet to still pay for the additional 94 hectares stipulated in the memorandum of agreement with the SMC, a party contesting the ownership of the land. The additional parcels of land would be payable within 30 years. The Sumilao farmers and SMC signed the MOA, which detailed the process of the return of the land to the Higaonon farmers. MAPALAD, San Vicente farmers too The MOA signed spelled out the implementing guidelines for the Basic Agreement entered into by all parties on March 3, 2008 that defined the parameters of the settlement, a joint statement from the two parties stated. Under the MOA, SMC agreed to release to qualified farmers by deed of donation 50 hectares within the original property of 144 hectares, the joint statement said. Aside from this, the agreement stipulated that SMC will acquire 94 additional hectares outside the original 144-hectare property for the farmers to complete the number of hectares claimed. The farmers are presently identifying their preferred parcels of land outside the original property from a list given them by SMC, the statement added. The farmers have agreed to the said formula, which would give them an equivalent size of property. They will also start a new cooperative made up of initial qualified beneficiaries who will own the land to be given, and other qualified beneficiaries from farmers' organizations MAPALAD and San Vicente Landless Farmers Association in Negros Occidental will be included in the succeeding processes, the statement read. Also part of the deal was the dropping of all pending cases related to the issue, the joint statement also said

Filipina joins grand finals of top Australian dance contest

Filipinos have recently reaped recognition for their vocal abilities in international competitions, like Charice in "The Ellen de Generes Show" and "The Paul O'Grady Show", Ramiele Malubay in "American Idol", and just last week, Madonna Decena in "Britain's Got Talent".
In Australia, a Filipina is gaining popularity in another contest, but this time, it's for her dance moves.
28-year-old Filipino-Australian Demi Sorono has made it to the Top Four of the popular Australian TV dance competition, "So You Think You Can Dance".
Sorono, who battled poverty as a child back in the Philippines, was initially hesitant to audition as she has never had any formal dance lessons.
According to the show's website, it was the first audition that she ever went for.
"So that was my first audition, with those huge lights, on one of the biggest stages in the Southern Hemisphere! Just seeing all these people that were trained and everything, doing amazing things and I was just like, OK, well I just gotta do what I gotta do, and hope for the best."
Sorono bested thousands who auditioned for the show, eventually landing in the top twenty, and now the Top Four.
The Top Four will have their final performance this Sunday, April 27. The contestant with the most number of votes sent via text message or phone calls wins the title "Australia's Favourite Dancer." The cash prize is not substantial, but a win is expected to open doors and provide opportunities in the entertainment industry.
Aside from Sorono, two other Filipinos made it to the Top Twelve of the show, JD de Carteret and Rhiannon Villareal.

Game sched

National Collegiate Athletic Association Season 84

Jun 28 8:00PM CSB vs PCU Araneta Coliseum Jun 28 6:00PM SSC-R vs UPHSD Araneta Coliseum Jun 28 4:00PM CSJL vs JRU Araneta Coliseum Jun 28 2:00PM MIT vs SBC Araneta Coliseum Jul 2 4:00PM MIT vs SSC-R Cuneta Astrodome Jul 2 2:00PM UPHSD vs CSB Cuneta Astrodome Jul 4 2:00PM CSB vs CSJL Cuneta Astrodome Jul 4 4:00PM SSC-R vs JRU Cuneta Astrodome Jul 7 2:00PM JRU vs CSB Cuneta Astrodome Jul 7 4:00PM MIT vs PCU Cuneta Astrodome Jul 9 2:00PM UPHSD vs MIT Cuneta Astrodome Jul 9 4:00PM PCU vs SBC Cuneta Astrodome Jul 11 2:00PM CSB vs MIT Cuneta Astrodome Jul 11 4:00PM CSJL vs MIT Cuneta Astrodome Jul 14 2:00PM SSC-R vs SBC Cuneta Astrodome Jul 14 4:00PM PCU vs UPHSD Cuneta Astrodome Jul 16 2:00PM CSJL vs SSC-R Cuneta Astrodome Jul 16 4:00PM JRU vs UPHSD Cuneta Astrodome Jul 18 2:00PM CSB vs SBC Cuneta Astrodome Jul 18 4:00PM UPHSD vs CSJL Cuneta Astrodome Jul 21 12:00PM JRU vs SBC Cuneta Astrodome Jul 21 4:00PM CSJL vs MIT Cuneta Astrodome Jul 23 2:00PM UPHSD vs SBC Cuneta Astrodome Jul 23 4:00PM SSC-R vs PCU Cuneta Astrodome Jul 25 2:00PM MIT vs JRU Cuneta Astrodome Jul 25 4:00PM CSB vs SSC-R Cuneta Astrodome Aug 1 2:00PM CSJL vs SBC Cuneta Astrodome Aug 1 4:00PM PCU vs JRU Cuneta Astrodome
University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 71

Jul 5 2:00PM FEU vs AdU Araneta Coliseum Jul 5 4:00PM UE vs UST Araneta Coliseum Jul 6 2:00PM UP vs NU Araneta Coliseum Jul 6 4:00PM DLSU vs ADMU Araneta Coliseum Jul 10 2:00PM NU vs UE Ultra Jul 10 4:00PM ADMU vs AdU Ultra Jul 12 2:00PM UP vs UST Ultra Jul 12 4:00PM FEU vs DLSU Ultra Jul 13 2:00PM AdU vs NU Ultra Jul 13 4:00PM ADMU vs UE Ultra Jul 17 2:00PM UP vs FEU Ultra Jul 17 4:00PM DLSU vs UST Ultra Jul 19 2:00PM