Houston's D'Antoni Earns a Spot As Head Coach of Team Stephen in 2018 NBA All-Star Game

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Houston Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni and his staff will coach Team Stephen in the 2018 NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 18 (8 p.m. ET) at Staples Center in Los Angeles. D’Antoni joins Rudy Tomjanovich (1997) as the Rockets’ only All-Star Game head coaches.

A two-time NBA Coach of the Year, D’Antoni earned All-Star Game head coaching honors for the second time. As the Phoenix Suns’ head coach, he led the Western Conference past the Eastern Conference 153-132 in the 2007 NBA All-Star Game in Las Vegas.

The Rockets (34-13, .723) tonight clinched the best record in the West through games played on Sunday, Feb. 4 among the 14 conference teams with a head coach eligible for the 2018 All-Star Game.

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was ineligible because he coached the West in last year’s All-Star Game.

Under a new All-Star Game format that replaces the traditional matchup between conferences, each 2018 All-Star Game coach will lead the team that includes the captain from the same conference.

D’Antoni and his staff will coach the All-Star team that features Golden State’s Stephen Curry as captain.

The eligible head coach of the team with the East’s best record through games of Feb. 4 will coach the All-Star team captained by the Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James. Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens is ineligible to coach Team LeBron because he led the East in last year’s All-Star Game.

D’Antoni, in his second season with Houston, has an 89-40 record (.690) as the Rockets’ coach. Last season, he was named the 2016-17 NBA Coach of the Year after guiding Houston to a 55-27 record and the No. 3 playoff seed in the West. He was also voted Coach of the Year with Phoenix in 2004-05, when the Suns tied a team record with 62 victories. His career coaching record is 544-466 (.539) over 14 seasons with the Denver Nuggets, Suns, New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers and Rockets.

The 67th NBA All-Star Game will air on TNT and ESPN Radio. The game will reach fans in more than 200 countries and territories in more than 40 languages.

Internet Shutdowns: A Myth of Security and Public Safety

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Foundation for Media Alternatives (FMA) expresses grave concern over the decision of Philippine authorities to shut down cell sites during huge festivities. The organization calls for transparency regarding the guidelines used by authorities before resorting to signal jamming. As advocates of human rights and communication rights, FMA believes that human rights and fundamental freedoms offline should also equally apply online. Internet shutdowns, which may come in various forms such as signal jamming, restrict people’s right to communicate.

The National Telecommunications Commission has approved the Philippine National Police’s request to shut down mobile services in time for the Dinagyang festival this coming weekend, January 27 to 28, 2018. This means that mobile features such as phone calls, short message service, and access to mobile data will not be possible in select areas. Philippine mobile operators are not new to such request. In January 2018 alone, network shutdowns were carried out at the Feast of the Black Nazarene, and at the Sinulog  and Ati-atihan festivals held in Cebu and Aklan, respectively.

The first known mobile network shutdown in the Philippines was during the Papal visit in 2015. Since then, signal jamming has been frequently used as a go-to security mechanism for large events, with public safety as their primary justification. Other known cases include festivals such as Sinulog 2017, Dinagyang 2017, Hermosa 2016, MassKara 2017, Feast of the Black Nazarene 2017, and other events such as the swimsuit portion of Miss Universe 2017, and Palarong Pambansa 2017. It appears that shutting down communication networks is becoming the norm.

FMA notes the lack of evidence proving that mobile network shutdown contributes to security. The fact that bigger events such as ASEAN was conducted safely even without shutting down cell sites show that the police and authorities are capable enough to maintain security without resorting to internet or mobile network shutdown. Stripping the general public of their means to communicate restricts them from contacting emergency services, authorities, and each other; paralyzes their businesses and jobs; and further places them at risk. Sacrificing access to basic services, as well as the fundamental right to communicate, in the name of purely hypothetical benefits fails the test of necessity and proportionality.

As such, FMA calls for a clearer policy or set of guidelines for implementing these mobile network shutdowns. Authorities must be transparent in their protocol on who can ask for, when to ask for, how long, and how wide the implementation of the mobile network shutdown will be. Shutting down cell sites should only be the last resort and not the default security measure. However, when the need to resort to signal jamming arises, the public always needs to be informed, as they suffer the most from these shutdowns. Authorities must also ensure that emergency services can be accessed despite communication restrictions.

Without any transparent basis in shutting down cell sites, authorities can abuse their capability to strip the general public of their right to communicate. The masses are convinced to compromise their right to expression for their security when there is no clear need for a tradeoff. In times when authorities can easily turn off our right and access to communication, FMA urges them to #KeepItOn.

Why Should You Rent a Boat to Host a Thrilling Boat Party?

Wazzup Pilipinas!

When you throw a party, you have to try and make it worthy of being remembered for a long time by your guests; it has to be special. You should try to something different from what has been done traditionally. Opting to throw a boat party will do exactly that, by giving everyone an enriching experience which can make a difference in either your or your guest's lives. Sailing has become a major form of partying today because of this. You can choose to either bring your boat or choose a boat rental service for your party. In this article, you will learn about the advantages of renting a boat out for your parties.

Affordability
Boat rentals can be suitable for many people because of its affordability these days. Boat parties are no longer exclusive to only the rich people or celebrities. With some planning and a bit of help you, too, can throw a glamorous boat party on the high waters. People, in general, tend to fear new things before actually trying them out. This is also true for boat parties and boat rentals. Boat parties and boat rentals are not expensive; they come with a variety of price packages which make it easy for everyone to afford them

Timing
You can rent out the boats for as long as you feel it is necessary. Of course, you will have to make prior arrangements with the boat rental agency for this so that the essential facilities can be provided. Also, you can throw your party at whatever time of the day you want, like midnight, evening, or afternoon. Anytime you decide, the boat rental agency will provide you with a boat. However, you should make your bookings from before so that you can avoid last-minute rushes and get better deals.

Sizes
Depending upon the size of your guest list, you can choose the size of the boat you want. Boat rentals provide boats with various sizes, so whether you have a large number of guests or a small gathering, you can always find a boat that fits your requirements.

Maintenance and functioning
You must consider the maintenance and the operation of your boat. The boat rental agency will provide you with the equipment and the staff to help you sail the boat and organise the party. Boat rental companies maintain their boats in a good manner, and so you will be assured of safety precautions. Boat rental companies provide a fully functional kitchen and bar to make your party successful.

You can throw a Thames boat party to enthral your guests with majestic views of the great city of London.

Conclusion
Sailing is a wonderful travel experience. It is inexpensive and full of adventure. You can throw your party on a boat which you should ideally rent out. Boat rental companies ensure safety and convenience for your party because they provide professionals who take care of all of the client's requirements and necessities.