Regardless of which part of the world you live in or which country you were born, part of your cultural upbringing will always include traditions and superstitions. Traditions, for the most part, are beliefs or behaviors that have a certain significance with origins in the past. These are passed down, ensuring that they will continue on…
Tips from Balitang America’s Steve Angeles As the New Year approaches, we tend to jot down a list of resolutions, whether it’s staying organized or saving more money. One resolution that continues to top individuals’ lists is to lose weight, leading to lofty plans of joining a gym and eating healthier. However, how many people…
“WE should not lose sight of the bigger picture which is to get justice. And since criminal jurisdiction is with us, we would be able to try [US Marine PFC Joseph Scott] Pemberton in a Philippine court under Philippine law,” Foreign Affairs spokesperson Charles Jose said regarding the ongoing murder trial against the American serviceman for…
FOR many people, Christmas is “the happiest season of all,” and “the most wonderful time of the year.” It is a Christian holiday that honors the birth of Jesus Christ. Here in the United States, December 25 -– Christmas Day -– has been a federal holiday since 1870. For most of us Filipinos, Christmas is…
Chapter 13 confirmed ON DEC. 17, the court approved my client’s Chapter 13 case in Riverside. In Riverside, the 341 meetings presided by the Chapter 13 trustee are held in the morning, and the confirmation hearing of the case before the judge is held at 1:30 PM of the same day. In Los Angeles, Woodland…
Everybody has a story to tell. But we stop telling stories when we start to lose that sort of time—pausing time, reflecting time, wondering, while life rushes us along. Very few of us are strong enough to stop on their own. But conversation, is said to ease a certain loneliness—not just with easy banter and…
POLICE departments and union leaders nationwide are warning officials to wear bulletproof vests and avoid making inflammatory comments on social media after two New York City Police Department officers were ambushed and fatally shot on the afternoon of Dec. 20, while sitting in their patrol car. Police say the 28-year-old gunman, Ismaaiyl Brinsley, walked up…
THE California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will miss a Jan. 1, 2015 deadline for regulations regarding future cars, as regulators are still determining how safe driverless units are. Until the safety of driverless cars is verified, officials at the DMV say they will not approve self-driving cars for the public. However, there are currently…
FBI investigators have linked the costly Sony Pictures cyber attack, which exposed sensitive corporate information including terrorist threats against moviegoers, to North Korea. The hack also prompted the studio to cancel the release of “The Interview,” which centers on a fictional plot to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. US authorities said the hacking bore “strong…
FILIPINOS are excited about the coming of Pope Francis to the Philippines on January 15-19, 2015. As many Filipinos would say, “This is a good start for the New Year!” The Holy Father will bless our nation and express his “malasakit” (compassion) to our people, especially the poor and those whose lives have been devastated…
EVEN after a series of reshuffling of prison guards and officials, corruption and illegal activities are still rampant inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP), as proven by a back-to-back raids conducted by the Justice Department this week. Authorities discovered more than what they expected. As it turned out, instead of serving as a penitentiary for…
DESPITE all the crises and challenges our kababayans have experienced in 2014, the Filipino spirit in us continue to rise above them all and look for reasons and means to celebrate Christmas. Many hold on to Filipino Christmas tradition, a driving force that keeps our faith alive, sustaining us through the most difficult times. This…
I FIRST heard the expression from David Tanner, country manager of Beecham Products at the time that our ad agency was helping the British corporate giant establish a foothold in the Philippines. Beecham was the maker of Brylcreem, a leading men’s hairdressing, back in those days when shiny slicked-back hair, a-la Valentino and Diosdado Macapagal,…
• Gambling winnings are always taxable and must be reported on your tax return – with or without form W-2G. • Gambling income includes winnings from lotteries, raffles, horse and dog races and casinos. It also includes the fair market value of prizes such as cars, houses, trips or other noncash prizes. • Complimentary goods…
A JURY in Santa Clara County recently issued a verdict of $16.5 million against an online dating website service for disseminating members’ private information to thousands of websites that members did not sign up for. The Complaint in federal court stated that Successfulmatch.com runs several websites that offer dating service to the public. To expand its…
IF you’re one of the many people who got approved for loan modification many years ago under the HAMP Program, chances are that you obtained a low interest rate of 2% for 5 years and then your interest rate is set to increase after that time period. Other homeowners either did not qualify under HAMP…
Federal investigators have now connected last month’s cyber-attack on Sony Pictures Entertainment to North Korea, according to an official’s announcement made Wednesday, Dec. 17. It remains unclear how the government would respond to the break-in, which exposed sensitive documents and information, incriminating leaked emails from Sony executives, and ultimately led to terrorist threats against moviegoers….
Under Family Code Section 2320, a judgment of marriage dissolution (divorce) may not be entered unless one of the spouses has been a “resident” of California for six months and of the county where the proceeding is filed for three months immediately preceding the filing of the petition. This poses a problem for divorcing couples…
IT comes to us wrapped, not in tissues and ribbons but in cherished events of ceremonies, celebrations, and connections, through parties that constellate about the holiday seasons. Guests that trooped in all size and shapes, of race, color and creed, in an effulgence that intoxicates, sizzles, electrify the holiday season revelers. It could be a…
More than 20 million cars worldwide have been recalled due to defective air bags manufactured by Japanese company Takata Corp. At least five deaths have been linked to faulty Takata air bags, which can shoot out shrapnel when deployed, due to problems with propellants in the inflators. Four of the fatalities occurred in the United…
THE Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on Wednesday, Dec. 17, sued Sprint for “cramming” its customers by illegally billing them for millions of dollars in unauthorized charges. “Consumers ended up paying tens of millions of dollars in unauthorized charges, even though many of them had no idea that third parties could even place charges on their…
LOS ANGELES – There are 416,000 undocumented Asian Americans in the state of California, according to a report. That means thousands of drivers on the road who cannot get a proper license, putting California streets and families at risk, with many living in fear of something as simple as driving around town. “Driving should be a…
PRESIDENT Obama said on Friday, Dec. 19 that 2014 has been “a breakthrough year for America,” focusing on achievements of the past 12 months and the prospect of compromise with political foes taking control of Congress next year. “My presidency is entering the fourth quarter. Interesting stuff happens in the fourth quarter,” the President said…
THE $1.1 trillion spending bill approved by Congress included an allocation of $5 million toward an earthquake warning system in California that would begin next year. Scientists have attempted to make this system more widely available, but funding remained a long-time obstacle. The system would not predict earthquakes, but would provide people with up to…
SAFETY concerns are accompanying a rising number of oil-laden freight trains throughout various cities in America, and a Reuters report shows that taxpayers in certain areas are financing the expansion of oil rail transportation. The news agency analysis found that a total of $84.2 million from 10 federal and state grants has been approved or…
One of English philosopher and essayist Francis Bacon’s popular quotations states: “Read not to contradict and confute; nor to believe and take for granted; nor to find talk and discourse, but to weigh and consider. For some books should be tasted, some devoured, but only a few should be chewed and digested thoroughly.” Some people…
On November 20, 2014, President Obama unveiled a number of executive proposals, which will provide deportation relief to many hardworking immigrants, documented and undocumented. The proposals are also aimed at clamping down on illegal immigration at the border and prioritizing enforcement efforts to remove dangerous felons and individuals who pose threat to national security and…
THE $1.1 trillion spending bill approved by Congress included an allocation of $5 million toward an earthquake warning system in California that would begin next year. Scientists have attempted to make this system more widely available, but funding remained a long-time obstacle. The system would not predict earthquakes, but would provide people with up to…
FEDERAL investigators have concluded the massive fire that engulfed an entire apartment complex under construction in downtown Los Angeles was deliberately set. Investigators digging through the rubble and damage left by last week’s blaze collected samples from suspected points of origin, sifting through 75,000 square feet of debris to determine arson was the cause. A…
LOS ANGELES – There are 416,000 undocumented Asian Americans in the state of California, according to a report. That means thousands of drivers on the road who cannot get a proper license, putting California streets and families at risk, with many living in fear of something as simple as driving around town. “Driving should be a…
