Love Blossoms at Spiral It is the season for flowers and with love, the scent of romance blooms. The Master Chefs at Spiral brings to you the magic of flowers as a labor of love and have interpreted it in countless ways whether it’s lavender, rose, and courgette flowers. Let the seduction begin as French…
What a noble trade, being a street sweeper. It’s about sweeping the filth we produce, of making our existence less infected. Mindless and ungrateful are those who use the word “sweeper” in a disparaging way — who do not understand how extraordinary and how precious sweepers are. We would die of stench, shame and plague…
BY definition, a good politician is someone who does a good job at being a leader and representing his people’s best interests. Through polls, not only are leaders’ performance projected through approval ratings. These numbers also represent the dynamics of Philippine politics, a gauge whether it is progressing or regressing. According to Pulse Asia’s latest…
THE recent news about shoppers’ credit, debit and even personal data being stolen by hackers from big retail stores (like Target and Neiman Marcus) have left many of us feeling very vulnerable. We try to be frugal in our spending, especially during these tough economic times, and the thought of having thieves steal our hard-earned…
CONTRARY to the glowing praise that the super rich residents of Dasmariñas Village have showered on their security guards, in the wake of their altercation with Makati Mayor Junjun Binay, a report by GMA Network’s Mike Enriquez and complaints posted on the Internet depict many instances of Gestapo-like arrogance and rudeness on the part of…
THE holidays may be over but the excitement hasn’t died down, not for the Cebuanos. Just a few more days before the third Sunday of January, locals are already on their festive mood as they prepare for the country’s biggest and grandest festival in honor of the Santo Niño (The Holy Child Jesus) – the…
LOS ANGELES – On Monday morning, the employees of BBCN Bank (one of the leading Korean-American banks in the US) made a significant donation to the relief efforts for the victims of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. During a ceremonial turnover at the BBCN headquarters on Wilshire Boulevard, BBCN President & CEO Soo Bong Min…
Nonimmigrant visas allow aliens to stay in the U.S. for temporary periods to pursue activities authorized under various visa categories. The purpose of these visas may be for tourism, studies, business, employment, family-related, transit, or humanitarian benefits. The U nonimmigrant visa is issued for the humanitarian purpose of protecting victims of certain crimes. Congress created…
Each Sunday, promptly at noon, worshippers gather at the austere, simple Victory Christian Church in Eagle Rock. Here, they consider it as home away from home – with its promise of companionship and camaraderie, conformity and constancy; with its teachings of joy, hope and peace, in a life of victory. How easy it is to…
AT THE vin d’ honnuer celebration for New Year’s in Malacañang, President Benigno S. Aquino III thanked the international community for inundating the Philippines with support and assistance, while the country was beset with a bevy of recent calamities. He also emphasized that these acts of kindness have strengthened the Philippines’ ties with other countries….
LAST Wednesday, I asked our readers: Will immigration reform pass in 2014? The Democrat-led Senate has already passed the bill last year, but it stalled in the Republican-led House of Representatives. The new year, however, ushered in more optimistic possibilities. The New York Timesreported: “Speaker John A. Boehner of Ohio has signaled he may embrace…
YES, of course. Direct deposit is the fastest and safest way to receive your tax refund. Here are reasons why you should use direct deposit of your refund: 1. Speed: When you combine direct deposit with e-file, you can receive your refund in as little as 10 to 14 days. 2. Security: The IRS holds…
Q: I HAVE been working for 5 years in Los Angeles for a company that has about 100 employees. I wanted to take a leave of absence from work to care for my sick child. My boss does not want to allow me to take leave and said if I take off, my position will…
QUESTION: I have some money to invest in a new business to come to the United States, but I don’t know which visa to use. I have heard there is the EB-5 and the E-2. Can you let me know what is the difference and which one I should use? Answer: First of all, you…
WITH the US House of Representatives showing zero initiative towards overhauling the Nation’s immigrations laws, it appears that H-1B visas for FY 2015 will run out on April 1, 2014, six months before the fiscal year even begins. Last year, the annual H-1B quota (“H-1B Cap”) was reached within the first week of the filing…
INDIVIDUALS seeking entry into the United States despite being subject to grounds of inadmissibility can consider a pardon, or “waiver” under Section 212(d)(3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Section 212(d)(3) applies to individuals seeking entry for a temporary purpose–such as B-1/B-2 visitors, F or J students, H-1B or L-1 workers, or E-2 investors that…
BAKERSFIELD – A Filipina was killed in a gruesome car crash by a suspected drunk driver on the morning of January 3 in Bakersfield, California. Princess Flores Almonidovar, 22, was on a night out with friends and had just dropped off a friend on her way home before she figured in a vehicular accident at…
Leaves officials ‘shocked and surprised’ LOS ANGELES – After 15 years of being at the helm in “one of the largest law enforcement bodies west of the Mississippi,” (as described by LA police chief Charlie Beck) LA County Sheriff Lee Baca announced on Tuesday morning that he will be stepping down as chief of the LA…
Despite its supreme box-office reign at the recently concluded 39th Metro Manila Film Festival, film critics openly rated My Little Bossings (MLB) as a trashy slapstick comedy movie shot from a loosely written script loaded with up-front hard-sell product endorsements. Even the wonder tot’s avid followers were dismayed with Ryzza Mae’s less-than-expected exposure and the…
Are you worried that your debt problems are insurmountable? Actually, debt problems are small potatoes in the big picture of life, death and life after death. We are temporarily here on earth en-route to eternal life in heaven with Jesus, God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. Jesus became man, suffered and died on…
A lot of people end up filing bankruptcy when they get to the point of feeling hopeless about their financial problems. Despite what others may think, there is no shame in needing a second chance to secure your financial future. Bad things can happen to good people, as the saying goes. Sometimes, people simply make…
HAVE you been in a place with people from around the world? If so, you must have found it to be an amazing experience. You must have realized the capacity of human beings to bond together, to be one in bringing harmony and peace, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, became human for this purpose–…
While we endeavor to help our patients aoid tooth problems, with the reality is that by the time many people get to the dentist, they are already experiencing symptoms of dental distress. Many common dental complaints – both physical and cosmetic – can be traced back to enamel damage. tooth enamel is the hard, outer…
THE February 2014 priority dates indicate that the F-2A priority date still remains at September 8, 2013, which is almost the same as being “current.” It is phenomenal news for spouses and minor children of green cardholders (Category F – 2A). That means that spouses and minor children of green cardholders would be eligible to file…
AFTER all the speculations and rumors these past few weeks, Kris Aquino—known as the Queen of All Media in the Philippines—has finally confirmed that she has renewed her contract with ABS-CBN 2. She announced this last January 6, via an Instagram post: “My manager Deo Edrinal continued talks w/ our ABS bosses during the Christmas…
The wonder drugs aspirin, statins, and erectile dysfunction pills now share the spotlight with coffee. Yes, the beverages that has gotten an undeserved bum rap for decades, the morning-waker-upper many of us enjoy, is now considered a wonder drug. Unlike soft drinks (“liquid candy”) and energy drinks, which are both dangerous to health, especially for…
BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA – Housing experts at The Greenlining Institute today applauded new mortgage rules that take effect Jan. 10. The new rules, from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), are designed to protect consumers from unfair treatment when they take out a mortgage and will help to prevent the kind of irresponsible lending that led…
In every wish, there will be glimpses of kind virtues, to encourage and console. It could be something modest or even mundane, something fantastic or utterly practical. It can take you to the other side of the world or a walk around the corner. Wishing makes it easier to believe in happiness than pain —…
LOS ANGELES – The City of Carson in cooperation with Dr. Jose P. Rizal Monument Movement (JPRMM) commemorated the 117th Martyrdom of Dr. Jose P. Rizal with a wreath-laying ceremony on December 29 at the International Sculpture Garden, City of Carson, California. The Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles, led by Consul Marlowe Miranda, and…
A PRAGMATIC approach is always the best solution to resolve any conflict. On January 17 last year, the US Navy minesweeper, USS Guardian ran aground the Tubbattaha Reef while on its way Puerto Princesa. The USS Guardian hit the Philippines’ largest marine protected area and caused damage to an estimated 2,345.67 square meters of coral…
