"Religiosity gene" key to survival of God in modern civilisation

Ultimately nature wins. According to a study conducted by Robert Rowthorn, emeritus professor of economics at Cambridge University, the 'religiosity gene' will dominate society. According to a model developed in that study, high fertility rates among the religious and low fertility rates among the non-religious will see "genetic components that predispose a person toward religion [...] 'hitchhiking' on the back of the religious cultural practice of high fertility rates".

Malaysian research institute releases dengue-fighting mosquitoes into forest

In an experiment aimed at finding a solution to the ravages of dengue fever, the Institute for Medical Research, a facility run by the Malaysian government, released into a forest 6,000 genetically-engineered mosquitoes. These were all male mosquitoes that would mate with female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and either prevent them from having offspring or spawn shorter-lived offspring.

Egypt: the trouble with being too geeky about protest movements

A brewing protest movement in Egypt was reportedly "fueled by blogs and social media sites like Twitter and Facebook". Apparently, a perceived dependence on these sites to disseminate information vital to the cause -- and presumably underwrite its success -- is what is behind social media chatter expressing "indignation" over the shutting of the Net out of Egypt. Indeed, social media geeks make it sound like the shut down of the Internet in Egypt is such a rotten development for the brewing anti-government movement there.

Philippine Intelligence: an oxymoron defended by President Aquino

Philippine President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III is on the defensive. He insisted on an interview that the recent bus bombings were not covered by the travel advisories issued late last year by several governments warning of risks of terror activities in the country. Noynoy cited how buses were not included in the list of at-risk sites in the Philippines which included malls, airports, and conference centres among others.

Year 2011 opens with an explosion of violent criminality in the Philippines

According to Metro Manila police chief Director Nicanor Bartolome, at least four died and 14 more injured when an explosion ripped through a public bus plying EDSA in the City of Makati. The explosion was described to be something that may have been caused by a "big bomb" although investigators could not yet be sure whether or not this incident could be considered a terrorist attack.

Chicken-and-egg: the challenge of weaning Filipinos off OFW remittances

Reports of another "boom year in remittances" are circulating. Estimates of the value of remittances from Filipino Overseas Foreign Workers (OFWs) expected for 2011 range from $18.7 billion to $19 billion. The proportion of the economy measured by the GDP traditionally hovered around the 10% mark -- a dependence that costs Philippine society according to a report from The National...

"Brown is beautiful" simply does not fly among white-skin-obssessed Filipinos

In the wake of yet another "Filipino" victory overseas -- the winning of "mocha-skinned" Danica Flores Magpantay' in the 2011 Ford Supermodel of the World contest -- highlighted yet again is how concepts of beauty and talent hardly recognised and often ignored in the Philippines are what turn out to be the biggest assets of our compatriots in other countries. Pride swells when success is achieved, but appreciation for the active ingredients are gained after the fact.

Looks like governments are the same all over the world - big crybabies

Singapore political blog site The Online Citizen (TOC) had its wings clipped by the Singapore government after being reclassified ("gazetted") as a "political website" and therefore subject to "rules that govern other (normal) political organisations—like parties". The Economist reports in its AsiaView blog site.

Change Charter one provision at a time - Neal Cruz

Back to the issue of the question of the business case surrounding seeing Constitutional Reform as one grand all-in-one-go initiative, Neal Cruz puts forth his thoughts on how there are cheaper alternatives that yield the same results...

Philippine car theft rate statistically down compared to previous years

Unfortunately, nobodies don't make headline news. According to a report submitted to Malacanang by Chief Supt. Leonardo Espina, head of the Highway Patrol Group, car theft incidence in 2010 is down compared to previous years. Yet today, car theft is high on everyone's list of things to fear thanks to Media coverage of high-profile carjacking-murder cases.

Too easy: Evangelista, Sensil, Lozano murders "solved"!

Sounds too easy. According to Central Luzon police director Chief Supt. Alan Purisima, the murder of car dealer Venson Evangelista, and of car dealer Emerson Lozano and companion Ernane Sensil are "solved". Picked up as evidence so far are an assortment of artifacts that practically fit the testimonies of suspects Alfred Mendiola and Ferdinand “Batibot” Parulan who "surrendered" to police recently.