IN his visit to the Philippines, Pope Francis has generated positivity and raised hopes among the Church’s followers. Throughout his sojourn, the high prelate captured wide audiences and sympathies for his cause—a mark of a true Catholic leader. During one of his speeches, Pope Francis said he admires the Filipinos’ indomitable spirit and strength in…
PRESIDENT Barack Obama must be feeling upbeat and positive ahead of his State of the Union Address (SOTU) on Jan. 20, 2015. After a dip in the polls following major challenges in the past two years, the Washington Post-ABC news Poll results show that Obama now enjoys a 50 percent approval rating — the highest…
BY the grace of God, Pope Francis is back safe in the Vatican. But could 25,000 policemen and soldiers posted at various public venues have ensured the safety of His Holiness on his visit to the Philippines? Unfortunately, not against a determined and crafty criminal, such as Frederick Forsythe’s would-be assassin of Charles de Gaulle…
THIS little piece takes us, not just to a place, but into the minds and hearts of those, who are in their twilight years, in a society that glorified youth. At the Culver City Community Center for Seniors, the tangible atmosphere was of bustle and contentment. The big room was filled with light from the…
In his first public outing since the 2012 movie theater massacre in the town of Aurora, Colo., defendant James Holmes sat quietly and leaned back in his chair in court on Tuesday, Jan. 20, hours before the process of choosing a jury for his death penalty trial began. The jury will decide if Holmes, 27,…
This year, taxpayers have the option of receiving their tax refunds in cash at all Walmart stores, the retail giant said Tuesday, Jan. 20. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) reported that last year, 77 percent of the 109 million refunds issued were paid via direct deposit. Those who opted for paper check refunds numbered more…
AFTER coming to a tentative contract agreement, approximately 18,000 nurses and nurse practitioners at more than 80 Kaiser Permanente hospitals and clinics canceled a strike planned for Wednesday and Thursday, Jan. 21 and 22. The California Nurses Association, which is part of National Nurses United, said on Sunday, Jan. 18, that nurses in central and…
SPEAKING from the papal plane on his way back to Rome from a four-day visit in the Philippines, Pope Francis told reporters on Monday, Jan. 19 that Catholics should not breed “like rabbits” because of the Church’s ban on contraception, but should instead practice “responsible parenting.” Pope Francis said there are plenty of church-approved ways…
REPUBLICAN lawmakers, who took over both chambers of Congress starting this year, are already signaling that they will do what they can to block President Barack Obama’s proposal for tax increases on the wealthiest Americans. Obama made his pitch on taxes, as well as other national and global issues, during the televised State of the…
THE legal fallout from the worst offshore oil spill in US history is scheduled to resume in federal court this week in New Orleans, with a civil trial to determine the charges against BP in the aftermath of the oil well explosion in the Gulf of Mexico. BP, one of the world’s major oil and…
POPE Francis spoke as a revolutionary reformer in his homily when he celebrated his first Mass in the Philippines at the Manila Cathedral on Friday, Jan 16. Tender but challenging and truthful, he told bishops, priests, and religious men and women, and seminarians to live the radical call of the Gospel. He addressed these words…
A NON-PROFIT organization is bringing low-cost visual and performing arts workshops to the city of La Habra, Calif. Oasis Center International, kicked off the 2015 La Habra Community Arts Program at the Mysterium Theatre on Saturday, Jan. 10, a local venue in the city. The program offers various creative courses for children, including: creative art…
MILLIONS of Filipinos lined up the streets of Roxas Boulevard in Manila with their desire to have, at least, a glimpse of Pope Francis, when he arrived in the country on Thursday, Jan. 15. Pope Francis’s visit to the Philippines coincides with the Church’s “Year of the Poor.” For a devoted Juan dela Cruz who…
WE may be thousands of miles and an ocean away from the Philippines, but many Filipinos in America share the excitement and the blessedness as the beloved Leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis, visits our Motherland. As Filipinos in Los Angeles kept the tradition alive as they celebrated the “Sinulog” — the Feast of…
“The best way to predict the future is to create it.” –Abraham Lincoln As the Small Business Specialist/Coach at SIPA, I work with clients aspiring to be entrepreneurs. They come to us with bold ideas, a passion to bring a unique product/service to market, and a strong determination to succeed. Additionally, as a Holistic Health…
When one thinks of Filipino breakfast, items like pandesal, champorado, or variations of silog come to mind. But, how about an Adobo fried chicken on top of a garlic rice waffle? Or Kare Kare Eggs Benedict? Definitely not what lola or nanay prepare in the mornings. Those are two of the main dishes chef AC Boral whipped up at Rice &…
ALTHOUGH the Republican-dominated House of Representatives has passed a bill to reverse President Obama’s recently announced Executive Actions on immigration policy, it appears that the bill is already dead in its tracks. On Friday, January 16, 2015, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell warned House Republicans that he cannot make a “miracle” happen on Immigration. In fact, McConnell…
I’VE been asked this question a few times lately so I decided to write an article on it. If you have filed bankruptcy before, you may be wondering whether it’s possible to do it again. Generally, the answer is that you can file bankruptcy as often as needed BUT subject to some limitations such as…
WE previously wrote an article about guards who worked at CPS Security Solutions, Inc. CPS provides “trailer guards” for construction sites in California. The guards spend the night at their jobsites in residential-type trailers. They are instructed to investigate alarms and to prevent vandalism and theft. The guards were asked to sign an On-Call Agreement…
(Part 2 of 3) FRACKING Bans. California’s Mendocino and San Benito counties passed measures banning fracking, a practice in which high-pressure liquid is shot through a drill hole in the earth as a means of getting at oil or natural gas. Gardens: Landlords may not prevent residents of condominiums and apartments from growing their own fruits…
Chapter 13 discharge of $330K judgment CLIENTS are young seniors in their early sixties who have good income at $200K annually. Both husband and wife are in the medical field. Thinking that house values would keep escalating in 2007, they invested in an expensive house, which required them to have a second trust deed of…
THIS is not the column one usually pursues. There was no edge to it, no compelling plot, no dynamic change. It is about a lot of ballroom dancers with bundles of accelerated energies—whirling, stomping and laughing, doing it right, doing it wrong, doing it again, flinging themselves about, with a guilt free exuberance that was contagious…
The US government fined Southwest Airlines Co. $1.6 million on Thursday, Jan. 15, in what it claimed was the “biggest civil penalty levied against an airline” for violating regulations barring long waits for passengers in planes on the runway. The Transportation Department said Southwest failed to abide by the rules last January, when 16 of…
THE Republican-controlled House approved legislation on Wednesday, Jan. 14 to overturn an executive order issued by President Barack Obama that would shield about 5 million undocumented immigrants from deportation. The House voted 236-191 to pass the bill, which also includes a provision that allocates $39.7 billion to the Department of Homeland Security for the remainder…
AN estimated 19,000 French websites were targeted by hackers, according to officials, following the three-day terror rampage by Islamic extremists in Paris that left 20 dead last week, including the gunmen. With the nation on highly-security alert since the attacks, President Francois Hollande has been trying to calm France’s inflamed religious tensions. The events started…
Netspeed Test is the advanced DSL-based internet speed checker service, which helps you get the speed of your internet connection. You can check it from any device (PC, Mac, Linux), without the extra software. It’s free and easy. How to check your internet speed: 1) visit net speed test website to your computer or device….
WITH California’s Assembly Bill 60 in full effect, thousands of applicants are lining up at the DMV to get the process started. However, many immigrant communities are facing confusion, lack of understanding, and inconsistencies with the new program. Signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown in 2013, AB 60 grants legal driver’s licenses to eligible…
Southern California drivers can rest easy knowing gas prices will stay comparatively low for the year, but will likely rise from current levels as the summer months approach, according to an assessment from GasBuddy.com. While long-range gasoline predictions are harder to make because of unforeseeable events, such as refinery fires, global supply disruptions and geopolitical…
(Part 2 of 3) (PART 1 in a capsule: Some people were born way beyond the poverty level and could survive their disheartening way of life but for somebody whose dignity was scorned and self-esteem pinned down further than what he could endure, liberating himself from such ruthless bondage was the right thing to do….
Southern California drivers can rest easy knowing gas prices will stay comparatively low for the year, but will likely rise from current levels as the summer months approach, according to an assessment from GasBuddy.com. While long-range gasoline predictions are harder to make because of unforeseeable events, such as refinery fires, global supply disruptions and geopolitical…
