Arbitration agreements: should employees give up their rights to their day in court?
Q: I RECENTLY heard from a friend who sued her employer for unpaid wages. However, the court threw out her case and she had to go to “arbitration.” She said…
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Restraining orders on conduct
IN my last article, I discussed a type of restraining order i.e. a stay-away order. This restraining order is a judicial order (granted by a judge or commissioner) preventing a…
Community property with right of survivorship
MARRIED couples buying property are asked to decide how they should hold title: • Joint tenancy or • Community property. Basically, it is a choice between the ease of transfer…
When debt problems cause marriage problems
EVERY day, I meet with couples who are deeply in debt. In a lot of cases, I can feel the stress level that they are experiencing while the couple is…
Thanksgiving is All Rolled Up with this Dish!
If you don’t feel like roasting a big turkey for Thanksgiving, or want to try a great dish for holiday entertaining, you might want to try my Stuffed Turkey Rolls….
Former TSA employee exposes ‘Laglag Bala’ scam at NAIA
MANY victims of the alleged bullet planting scam (“laglag bala” or “tanim bala”) at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport have come forward to fight against airport personnel, including Rhed de…
The Great Promise
“BUT the wise shall shine brightly like the splendor of the firmament, and those who lead the many to justice shall be like the stars forever.” — Daniel 12: 3 The…
Court upholds CA death penalty
A FEDERAL appeals court overturned a lower court’s ruling that California’s death penalty process was unconstitutional, on grounds that the system-wide appeals were flawed and taking too long. U.S. District…
UC president addresses barriers facing minority communities
WITH the University of California (UC) application deadline on Nov. 30, UC President Janet Napolitano met with ethnic media reporters to uncover perceptions held and barriers faced by minority communities…
Fil-Am WWI veterans march for recognition
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 11 marked the United States’ official day to honor its war veterans, alive and deceased, for their faithful service to country. But on Hollywood Boulevard, one of the…
Study: Consumption of red and white meat can increase risk of kidney cancer
Consuming large amounts of meat cooked at high temperatures or over open flames, as well as red and white meat, may raise the risk of kidney cancer, a new study…
Miss Republic of the Philippines 2015 crowned by former titleholder Joy Conde
IT was indeed a memorable night when beauty queen Joy Conde (now Cruz) finally passed her crown and title to the new Miss Republic of the Philippines, Fermira Dianne Tumangan…
CEREC benefits of CAD/CAM dentistry
CEREC is the unique CAD/CAM system for patient individual all-ceramic restorations in one single appointment. Using CAD/CAM (computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing), this process allows dentists to construct, produce, and…
The December 2015 priority dates
EACH month, the Visa Office of the State Department publishes, in the Visa Bulletin, the priority dates for that particular month, for the various family and employment based categories. A…
Petitioning children of your spouse from a previous marriage
A STEPPARENT may file an immigrant petition for a stepchild even without the stepparent having to legally adopt the stepchild. However, before a stepparent may be able to file an…
Are fruit juices unhealthy?
The average annual consumption of fruit juices in the United States is about 30.3 liters per person. I suspect the ratio would be almost proportional to the amount of “fruit…
Disruption
Hosting the APEC meeting in a crowded and disorganized metropolis like Manila is very likely a bad idea. The disruption will impose costs on everyone, costs far beyond the few…
Pinoy-British singer eliminated from ‘X Factor’ UK
A 24-year-old Filipino-British contestant on “The X Factor UK” was sent home Sunday, Nov. 8, following a double-elimination round on the televised talent competition. “It’s been an incredible journey,” contestant…
What’s the end game in the US-China face-off over the Spratleys?
REMEMBER our boyhood days when a bully would place a chip on his shoulder and dare anyone to knock it off? If someone did, the bully had to fight the…
What to do when you get victimized by the ‘laglag bala’ scam at NAIA
MY husband and I are visiting the Philippines this December, as many kababayans plan to do as well, but the excitement of this year’s trip is dampened by the “laglag…
Laughingstock
WITH the rising number of alleged victims of the notorious “tanim bala” (bullet planting) scam at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), it is no surprise that this peculiar security…
A question of choice
IT is said that choice is destiny’s soulmate. It is not pre-destined; you have a choice to accept or refuse one turn down the crossroads to the future or another….
The US ranks among top happiest and richest countries in the world
THE Legatum Institute based in London released its annual global prosperity index, a universal survey that ranks what it calls the “most prosperous countries” in the world, and the United…
Cool storm to bring chilly rains to LA
RAIN, lightning and snow hit parts of Northern California on Monday, Nov. 9, and a cold, wet storm was expected to bring chilly temperatures and scattered showers to Southern California….
Abu Sayyaf releases Malaysian hostage
A MALAYSIAN woman held captive for nearly six months by Muslim militant group Abu Sayyaf was released by captors, authorities said Monday, Nov. 9. Militants freed Thien Nyuk Fun, 50,…
Two Filipinos charged with child trafficking, pornography
Over 100 photos seized in US THE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) identified two Filipinos responsible for providing more than 100 nude photos of children to a man arrested at…
2016 tax planning strategies for individuals
FOR 2015 INCOME TAX RETURN IT’S the last quarter of 2015 and in a few months during income tax season, you would want to minimize any income tax dues as…
Client seeks to remove judgment liens on residence
Senior seeks discharge of $40K credit card debt CLIENT no. 1 is 55 years old. She is now divorced and living by herself. The divorce judgment gave her the marital…
Disabled employee is entitled to ‘reasonable accommodation’
Q: I HAD to take a few weeks of medical leave from work because I had to undergo a heart procedure. I gave my employer my doctors’ notes. When I…
CSPA late filings and extraordinary circumstances
AN alien who seeks to be classified as a “child” or as a derivative beneficiary under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and who is under 21 years of age…