Police, Globe Telecom Security Team Nab 7 Broadband Fraudsters

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Globe Telecom’s intensified campaign against fraudsters led to the arrest of 7 fraudsters involved in the illegal sale of the company’s LTE modems.

The campaign is intended to protect its customers from illegal activities involving its products and services. “We strongly discourage our customers from purchasing internet connectivity devices from unauthorized dealers and instead entertain offers of various Globe products and services only from legitimate agents,” said Ronald Uychutin, Globe Vice President for Security and Anti-Fraud and Investigation Division. He added that Globe will continue to coordinate closely with police authorities in pursuing its campaign against fraudsters.

A series of entrapment operations jointed conducted by police and a Globe security team resulted in the arrest of 7 suspects involved in the illegal sale of Globe modems. Arrested were David King Esguerra, 33 years old, a resident of No. 79 Guimba, Nueva Ecija; John John Mamuyac, 28 years old, a resident of 19-C Camilo Osias St., Brgy. Kaligayahan, Quezon City; Marc Searle Arboleda, 25 years old and Ma. Joanna Garcia; 25 years old, both residing at No.119 Tabing Ilog St. Brgy. Aniban II, Bacoor City, Cavite; Michael Pascua, 29 years old, a resident of Block 2 Lot 2 Sunny Crest Royale Brgy. Salitran 2, Dasmariñas City; Thomas Jefferson, 33 years old, a resident of Block 3 Lot 1 Masalud Vill Brgy. Salinas 1, Bacoor City, Cavite; and Angeline Manlapao, 20 years old, a resident of Block 5 Lot 1 Nueve de Pebrero St., Brgy. Mauway, Mandaluyong City.

The entrapment operations conducted against the suspects were based on a list of online sellers of Globe LTE modems, either through OLX.com.ph or Facebook. With police personnel posing as online buyers, suspects agreed to meet them which led to their eventual arrests.

The suspects are believed to be engaged in a modus operandi that involves retrieval of LTE modems from legitimate customers on pretext of an upgrade or repair. The modems are then reconfigured and sold at a one-time cost payment in popular social online buy-and-sell sites such as OLX and even networking sites such as Facebook. Police recovered from the suspects numerous Globe LTE modems. Uychutin emphasized the company will continue to work closely with police authorities in pursuing fraudsters.

Can Micro Homes Solve the Global Housing Crisis?

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Size matters to some but in a world of land scarcity and a housing shortage epidemic, small micro sized homes are growing in popularity. The statistics are frightening: currently, more than 1.6 billion people live in substandard housing with 100 million people living without a home. It is estimated that up to 50 percent of the urban housing stock in South Asia and 25 percent in Latin America is of poor quality.

Alarmingly, UN studies estimate that by 2030 an additional 3 billion people—40 percent of the world’s population—will need access to housing. Inspired architects, realising that small is more efficient have come up with a possible solution: micro houses.

There is currently no definition for a microhouse; it can be a tiny home on wheels that looks like a garden shed or a slightly larger brick-and-mortar house with flexible interior layouts, what is common among the designs is a priority on making the most out of what limited space is available.

Top architects like Renzo Piano, known for London’s Shard is a trailblazer in the design of small homes; his Diogene Micro Home measures just 7.5 sq m (81 sqft) but surprisingly still has all the basics that you need for modern living. Inside there is a folding desk, composting onboard toilet, solar panels, and rainwater collection devices, so it makes the most of renewable energy sources also. Centrala Architects, have built what they say is the world’s narrowest house—The Keret House—in the former Jewish Ghetto in Warsaw. The complete home was constructed within a former alley and measures just 122 cm (48 in) at its widest.

The architects of 29sqm may not have been inspired when it came to naming their micro home but the ingenuity at play creating its semi-mezzanine structure is unrivaled, they fitted a bed area over the main wardrobe accessible via a small wooden staircase. This is a testament to their ability to get creative with a minimal space availability.

“We see micro homes playing an intrinsic part in minimizing the global housing shortage in the coming years,” said Kian Moini—co founder and managing director of Lamudi—the global property platform for the emerging markets. “Once the design concepts can be rolled out for the mass market, developers can construct thousands of these homes with just a small amount of land,” said Moini.

As soon as developers can figure out how best to both construct and market these micro homes there is sure to be a rapid increase in their production. A lot of people have an idea in their head that a home needs to be a certain size or their family might not have a comfortable lifestyle. These latest designs prove that under one tiny roof, you can find everything you need to have a high standard of home living.

Rallye Deutschland (WRC): Sébastien Ogier’s 35th WRC Victory

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Exactly 189 days since his last success in Sweden, Sébastien Ogier (VW/Michelin) returned to the top step of a WRC podium after collecting his second straight victory in Germany. Hyundai/Michelin’s Dani Sordo and Thierry Neuville were second and third, while Michelin scored a one-two finish in WRC2 with Skoda Factory drivers Lappi and Kopecky.

The ADAC Rallye Deutschland is sometimes referred to as the summer’s Rallye Monte-Carlo due to the complex tyre choices it frequently necessitates, and this year was no exception.

Tyre calls notably played a decisive role on Saturday when crews visited the narrow stages of Germany’s Saarland region and the notorious asphalt/concrete tracks of the Baumholder army ranges. Michelin’s crews ran every imaginable permutation of the H5 (hard) and S5 (soft) versions of the Pilot Sport in the changeable weather conditions.

Ogier (VW/Michelin) laid the foundations for his second Rallye Deutschland triumph on the Panzerplatte stages for which he chose a combination of S5s and H5s for the first visit, then S5s all-round for the afternoon’s repeat. The three-time world champion won both attempts at Panzerplatte Lange (40.80km) to conclude Day 2 with a safety margin of 33.4 seconds.

Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia went on to pocket their 35th world class victory and their third of the year to extend their lead at the top of the provisional points table. Meanwhile, the Volkswagen Polo R WRC (39 victories) has become the most successful car on Michelin rubber in the history of the FIA WRC.

The weekend produced a thrilling fight for second, third and fourth places. Early pace-setter Andreas Mikkelsen (VW/Michelin), Dani Sordo (Hyundai/Michelin) and Thierry Neuville (Hyundai/Michelin) were covered by just four seconds ahead of Sunday’s 60 kilometres of competitive action. The fastest time on SS15 promoted Sordo to second spot, while Neuville won SS16.

SS17 was cancelled, so the outcome was settled on the Power Stage (14.84km). Neuville was quickest again but his attempt to pass his Spanish team-mate failed by one-tenth of a second. Mikkelsen ended up fourth overall.

Ott Tanak’s late retirement on Saturday (Ford, alternator) handed fifth place to Hayden Paddon (Hyundai/Michelin) who was delayed by several errors early on. Mads Ostberg (Ford/Michelin) was sixth, ahead of WRC2 winner Esapekka Lappi who headed a one-two finish for Skoda Motorsport and Michelin. Jan Kopecky was second in the class, ahead of local hero Armin Kremer (Skoda) who was taking part in the event for the 16th time.

The first ‘clear’ asphalt round of the year claimed a number of victims. Jari-Matti Latvala (VW/Michelin, gearbox) and Eric Camilli (Ford/Michelin, accident) both lost big chunks of time, while Stéphane Lefebvre (Citroën/Michelin) had a big crash. Everyone at Michelin Motorsport wishes the Frenchman and his co-driver Gabin a speedy recovery.