‘Just Mercy’ author vows to continue social justice work
HUMBLED BY ACCOLADE, PRAISE BRYAN Stevenson wears many hats. He is a lawyer, a social justice activist and founder of Equal Justice Initiative (EJI). He wrote a New York Times bestselling book called Just Mercy, based on his experience as a young lawyer dedicated to defending those most desperate and in need: the poor, the…
Guidance on petition revocations
ALMOST 20 years ago, the U.S. State Department (DOS) provided guidance to consular officers that they should be “judicious” (use good judgment or common sense) about returning approved petitions to USCIS for revocation. In other words, they should not be “trigger-happy” in returning approved petitions. DOS warned that Posts “should not use the revocation request…
TWG: No more extension of Angkas pilot run after March 2020
The inter-agency technical working group (TWG) conducting the pilot program for motorcycle taxis announced Thursday, December 26, that it no longer plans to have an extension for the study. According to TWG chairman Antonio Gardiola Jr., the inter-agency body believes that the three-month period is already “enough” for them to gather data. “For us, the…
Las Vegas Lunar New Year: Celebrate the Year of the Rat
LAS VEGAS — Chinese New Year in the Desert/Spring Festival proudly returns to Las Vegas for the 9th consecutive year on Jan. 25 and 26, 2020. Chinese New Year in the Desert has experienced explosive growth over the past eight years. From humble beginnings at the Fremont Street Experience in 2012, the celebrations have expanded…
The coffee mystic
A RECENT study by The Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee (TISIC) suggests that “a higher intake of coffee and caffeine, up to 5 cups of coffee per day, could act as [a] preventative on [the] risk of developing neurodegenerative conditions, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.” The lead researcher was Elisabeth Rothenberg, Associate Professor at Kristianstad…
Merry Christmas! Uplifting quotes about our favorite holiday
CHRISTMAS, undoubtedly, is the Filipino people’s favorite holiday. It spans from September to January in the Philippines, and we take the same spirit with us even as many of us have already relocated to America and elsewhere around the world. As we find ourselves rushing to prepare for Christmas — the Christmas cards, the Christmas…
Resolutions 101: Goals for the New Year
“Then we look ahead to the coming year — full of hope, and yes, goals and resolutions that we intend to achieve. It doesn’t matter if there were one or two (or more) that were on the list before, “Try and try until you succeed” will always be the motto. AS we come to the…
Pinay-founded Care.com acquired for $500-M
PINAY-founded Care.com, the world’s largest online marketplace for finding and managing family care, will be acquired by American-holding company IAC, both companies announced on Friday, December 20. The two companies have entered into a definitive agreement in which IAC will acquire Care.com — founded by Filipina American Sheila Lirio Marcelo — for $15.00 per share…
Clients seek to discharge $100K and $30K credit cards
Both qualify for different chapters of bankruptcy code for different chaptersof bankruptcy code Most debtors prefer to have a Chapter 7 wipe out of debt. This is called a fresh start without debt. Most debtors who qualify for Chapter 7 debt relief get to keep everything they own but are able to get rid of…
Like riding a bicycle: Circles, cycles and movement
“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” —Albert Eistein A circle is perhaps the perfect geometric structure there is. Although some would claim the triangle or a square to be better structures because of their stable nature, the circle and all its derivatives — the orb, the sphere,…
CHP offers advice to help keep motorists off the ‘naughty list’
SACRAMENTO — To help keep motorists safe during this busy travel season, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) is giving the gift of traffic safety tips. During the hustle and bustle of the holidays, leave the dashing to the reindeer and take your time to ensure you arrive safely at your destination. Another way to stay…
Trump admin takes historic steps to lower prescription drug prices
ON Wednesday, December 18, President Trump, along with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that, if finalized, would allow for the importation of certain prescription drugs from Canada. In addition, the administration is announcing the availability of a new…
West Sacramento Mayor Cabaldon: Under Pete Buttigieg, America will be a place of welcome
By Mayor Christopher Cabaldon That a young Irish-German woman from a small Iowa town was asked to become director of the Filipino Community House of Chicago as World War II raged encapsulates the rich story of America’s immigrants welcoming America’s next immigrants. The Asian-American immigration experience has been as rich as America itself. I know,…
Fil-Am community leaders weigh in on final Democratic primary debate of 2019
LOS ANGELES — Climate change, U.S.-China relations, campaign donations, college affordability and of course, the impeachment of President Donald Trump which took place the day before, were among the topics tackled in the sixth Democratic primary debate on Thursday night, December 19. Hosted by PBS NewsHour/POLITICO at Loyola Marymount University, former Vice President Joe Biden,…
Filipinos respond to House impeachment of Pres. Trump
House of Representatives vote to impeach the president on abuse of power and obstruction of Congress THE United States House of Representatives on Wednesday, December 18 voted along party lines on two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, making him the third sitting U.S. president in history to be impeached. The final vote among…
Sara-Digong tandem emerges as top bets for 2020 election – poll
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte and his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, came out as the top bets for 2022 vice president and president, respectively, in a pre-election survey conducted in Visayas and Mindanao (VisMin). The independent and non-commissioned survey entitled “Pahayag VisMin 2019,” conducted from November 15 to 19, revealed that Duterte-Carpio ranked first in…
New California laws to take effect in 2020
WITH the end of 2019 approaching, California is gearing up for new laws set to take effect in the new year. Whether it’s in the workplace, at home, or outside in nature, below are just some of the many policy changes the nearly 40 million Californians can expect in 2020. Gig economy changes In California…
Justice served as Maguindanao massacre perpetrators found guilty
THE Quezon City Regional Trial Court on Thursday, December 19, has found members of the Ampatuan family of Maguindanao, together with several others, guilty for the murder of 57 people in the Maguindanao massacre. Former Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. and his brothers former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) governor Datu Zaldy “Puti”…
Marcos family ordered to surrender ill-gotten paintings
THE Sandiganbayan Special Division on Thursday, December 19, ordered the Marcos family to return more than 160 paintings and artworks that were unlawfully acquired, saying that they should be surrendered to the Philippine government. Valued at millions of dollars, paintings by Matisse, Monet, Picasso, and Van Gogh — which were all listed by the Philippine…
Doña Juana’s own Paella Mixta recipe
(Serves 6) Ingredients • 2 1⁄2 cups – Bomba or Valencian Rice • 5 cups – salted chicken or fish broth or a little more as needed • 8 tablespoons – extra virgin Spanish olive oil • 5 oz - Premium Chorizo de Bilbao cut into 1⁄2 inch pieces • 3/4 lbs. – chicken thighs or drumettes…
Preserving Filipino-Spanish flavor traditions in Southern California
WITH Christmas around the corner, Filipinos carry certain customs with them wherever they are around the world. One of them is the noche buena feast following midnight mass on Christmas Eve — a cultural and religious observance learned from the Spanish colonization of the Philippines. Queso de bola (Edam cheese), ham, hot chocolate and pan de sal are considered must-haves….
Our favorite gadgets at last year’s CES in Las Vegas
CES (Consumer Electronics Show) gives us a glimpse of the next mega trend in consumer technology. Each January, tech giants from around the world gather to show off their latest inventions in Las Vegas. Here’s a list of our favorites at the tech show earlier this year. 1. AFLAC Therapy Duck For Kids With Cancer:…
FilAm Arts presents GANAP Singers in North Hollywood
Show on January 4 benefits of the Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture A STORY of hope accompanies the GANAP Singers as it embarks on its “Lingkod” Tour. The singers are the choir of the GANAP Performing Arts Foundation, based in Quezon City. Each singer is a scholar, who benefits from the musical and artistic…
Federal appeals court strikes down portion of Obamacare
by Julie Rovner A FEDERAL appeals court panel in New Orleans dealt another blow to the Affordable Care Act on Wednesday, December 18, agreeing with a lower-court judge that the portion of the health law requiring most people to have coverage is unconstitutional now that Congress has eliminated the tax penalty that was intended to…