Amazon suing over 1,000 people for fake reviews

AMAZON has filed a lawsuit against more than 1,000 individuals who have allegedly posted bogus reviews of products online. The online retail giant is targeting account holders on Fiverr.com, which offers false review services starting at $5, most of which are five-star reviews. It is demanding that the defendants cease selling Amazon reviews, reveal who…

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Typhoon Koppu batters northern Philippines

Rising number of deaths, over 100,000 families affected Typhoon Koppu is sweeping slowly across the northern part of the Philippines, destroying provinces and forcing thousands to flee from their homes. At least 100,000 families have been affected. The tropical cyclone, known as typhoon Lando in the Philippines, is over 500-kilometers in diameter. As of Wednesday evening, Oct….

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Filipino WWII Veterans: Family reunification on the horizon

ON October 2, 2015, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) formally announced the upcoming implementation of a parole program that will help reunite certain family members of Filipino WWII Veterans.  Given the great sacrifices that Filipino WWII Veterans have endured, the program is significant in assisting them and their families deal with the hardships that…

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Mediation on divorces

DIVORCES do not have to get costly and lengthy.  Divorce can carry its own set of stresses that couples do not need. An alternative to a costly and lengthy divorce is mediation.  Mediation provides an option to divorcing families or families embroiled in a custody dispute to have these issues mediated and resolved as quickly…

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Wi Spa: an urban sanctuary in the heart of LA

Think of a spa and the immediate perception is an air of pretense and privilege that only a select few can indulge in, given the exorbitant prices. However, if you live in Los Angeles, Korean spas have sprouted up, contributing to the idea that pampering oneself and affordability are not mutually exclusive. Though the options…

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On self-absorption

ONE day I asked a friend, “Can you live an anonymous life?” He said, “Yes, I can.” A part of me did not believe him because I know that everyone is tainted with pride and self-glory. Most people want to be on the top, to be popular, and to be recognized. We live in a…

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Stronger El Niño coming to the West

California faces storms, drenching rain EL NIÑO is coming. The tropical storm phenomenon–caused by warming ocean waters in the equatorial Pacific–has been expected for a while, but now climate scientists are saying El Niño is on track to become “one of the most powerful [storms] on record.” The National Weather Service predicts stronger, wetter rains…

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Extreme hardship waiver guidance to be revised by USCIS

What’s new and what’s next ON October 7, 2015 USCIS released draft policy guidance regarding the “extreme hardship” threshold that Waiver of Inadmissibility applicants must reach. The draft guidance is now in its comments period, which closes on November 23, after which time USCIS will formalize its new policy. The new policy will clarify and…

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All about foods

The clamor for a healthier lifestyle has transformed society into more conscious, more intelligent, and more discriminating consumers of food and food ingredients. Truth in food labeling is a law that is strictly implemented, especially in the United States. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions on this subject. Why are some meats…

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The November 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 priority date is a person’s “place in line” for a visa, meaning immigrant visas (or green cards) would be available for persons whose priority date…

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Do you need to be living in separate residences to be considered ‘Separated’ from your spouse under the California family law?

FAMILY Code 760 provides that all property acquired by the spouse during the marriage is community property.  That means each spouse has a half interest on any assets that are acquired during the marriage, with certain exceptions, since it is generally characterized as community property. On the same token, Family Code 771(a) provides that earnings…

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Philippine politics, the movie

WE probably won’t live long enough to see it, but there could yet be a feature film on Philippine politics, in the tradition that has apparently been established by the film, Heneral Luna, which depicts Philippine history’s most prominent personalities as transactional, self-serving and self-preserving individuals. Heroes with feet of clay. But unlike the biopic about…

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Defensive

MILITARY superpower China is not afraid to flex its muscles as it once again asserted sovereignty over its reclaimed islands in the South China Sea. It warned any country against taking “risky and provocative action” by attempting to come within 12 nautical miles of the islands. “We ask relevant parties to speak and act discreetly,…

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An old love story

Once upon a time, when life has been short on happily ever afters, they counted on love. But it is said that love is a spell so exquisite that everything conspires to break it. There was an interesting humanity in their small, simple, love tale. They were not married, but in spite of the vow’s…

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