SAN DIEGO (Apr. 30) -� The enterprising Filipino baker who re-created the whole concept of pan de sal (Philippine national bread) and named it after US President Obama is doing it again.
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This time, Wilma Fernandez Ventura has concocted a fruit beverage she calls Pacquiao Punch to honor Filipino boxing giant Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao.
HONG KONG (Apr. 30) -- Ranked as the top among all Foreign Service Posts worldwide to have registered new applicants for the overseas absentee voting (OAV) for the Philippine National elections in 2010, the Philippine Consulate General (PCG) in Hong Kong continue to maintain its lead with a total of 5,753 registered as of Apr. 23.� Hong Kong PCG has been in the top spot since Feb. 26.
CHICAGO (Apr. 30) � When domestic helper Marichu Suarez Baoanan sued her employer, former Philippine Ambassador to the United Nations Lauro Liboon Baja and his wife, Norma, with human trafficking and forced labor and 14 other causes of action, Ambassador Baja �had left the United States and was no longer the Permanent Representative of the Government of the Philippines to the United Nations.�
NEW JERSEY (Apr. 29) --� After weeks of preparation, the day of the selection of the coveted Diwa ng Kalayaan (Spirit of Independence) finally came Apr. 26.
At the Grand Ballroom of the Sheraton Newark Airport Hotel, where the Selection and Coronation Pageant and Gala was held, Philadelphia's hometown entry was proclaimed 2009 Diwa ng Kalayaan amidst a bevy of almost 300 guests.
A documentary feature film about the legendary Brazilian racer Ayrton Senna will begin shooting next month, exactly 15 years after his fatal crash. The film will explore the life and work of the triple world champion, his physical and spiritual achievements on the track, his quest for perfection and the mythical status he has since attained.
Directed by Asif Kapadia (The Warrior, Far North), the film is written by Manish Pandey and produced by James Gay-Rees (Long Time Dead, Blackball), Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner with Kevin Macdonald (Touching The Void, The Last King of Scotland, State of Play) and Manish Pandey serving as executive producers.
The film is being made with the full co-operation of the Senna family, who have given permission for this to be the first documentary feature film about his life; Formula One Management, who will provide footage not previously seen theatrically; and the Ayrton Senna Institute, the charitable foundation established after his death which provides educational opportunities to millions of deprived Brazilian children.
Founded in 1983, Working Title has made more than 90 films that have grossed over $4.5 billion worldwide. Its films have won six Academy Awards, 26 BAFTA Awards and prestigious prizes at the Cannes and Berlin International Film Festivals. The company's commercial and critical hits include The Interpreter, About a Boy, Notting Hill, Elizabeth, Fargo, Dead Man Walking, Bean, High Fidelity, Johnny English, Billy Elliot and Four Weddings and a Funeral.
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http://tinyurl.com/d2llex
NEW YORK (Apr. 28) -- It's not about the movie or the situation comedy TV series aired in CBS in the late 60's that drove people to Queens Museum of Art in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens on April 19, 2009.
Rather it was an event called A Family Affair organized by Bagong Kulturang Pinoy, New York (BKP-NY) where families and groups of children participated in a fun-filled day of face painting, arts and crafts activities and cupcake decorating.
NEW YORK (Apr. 27) -- On one of the first summer-like weather of a Spring evening in New York City, Diwang Pinay lived up to its word "Spirit of the Filipina". 
CANADA -- Thousands of Filipinos marched through Hong Kong in protest against a local magazine columnist who described The Philippines as a "nation of servants" in a satirical article that has sparked an international race row.
But even as the protest march was going on, some influential Filipino groups were admitting that The Philippines has indeed become a country of overseas domestics.
The mockery with which neo-cons participate in the current US discourse on torture is not surprising: Limbaugh slapping himself gently and facetiously; Hannity offering to be waterboarded for charity; giggling theses as to what constitutes and does not torture…
Because that is what torture is – a derision. It mocks our commonly held value of physical sovereignty. Torture is often accompanied by jokes, laughter, obscenities from the torturers. Any torture survivor will tell you this. Hence, the unspeakable ridicule that was the essence of the Abu Ghraib pictures: human beings as walls of naked buttocks, as contemptuously crucified with electrodes while hooded. It is humanity’s disdain for its own frailty carried to an infinite degree.
After months of waiting, President Obama will soon get his souped-up, super high-secure BlackBerry.
RICHMOND, Va. (Apr. 23) — In honor of the 40th Anniversary of "Virginia is for Lovers," one of the most recognizable and enduring state tourism slogans, select Virginia wineries will bottle limited edition anniversary wines.
MANILA (Apr. 23) -- In a fashion similar to e-mails sent to thousands of recipients in the U.S. or elsewhere, dubbed as the "Nigerian e-mail" in the late 90s, which informs recipients of available millions of dollars deposited in a Nigerian bank, a new sting has emerged and is now targeting overseas Filipinos.
Text messages are now being sent informing recipients that they have won prizes in raffles.
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Twenty years ago Japan's Nintendo Co. launched the Game Boy, over 118.69 million units were sold (including Game Boy Color versions) around the world.
MySpace co-founder Chris DeWolfe is stepping down as CEO “in the near future” and “by mutual agreement” his contract will not be renewed with parent company News Corp, according to a press release. DeWolfe will remain with MySpace in an advisory capacity and continue to serve on the board of MySpace China.
NEW YORK (Apr 21) -- Seven young Filipinas are in for the final selection of the Diwa ng Kalayaan (Spirit of
Independence) search, one of the major programs of this year's commemoration of the 111th anniversary of the Philippine Independence.
Three candidates are from New York; namely: Demellen Faith Cuerda, Janette Gomez and Loriella Reyes. Those from New Jersey are Natasha Abella, Renee Nicole Lago and Alexandra Uy; and, from Pennsylvania, Monica Castillo Meares.
LOS ANGELES (Apr. 19) -- Stephanie Reese, Los Angeles-based Filipino American chanteuse and musical theater actress, stars in “I Am Stephanie Reese,” her first solo concert in Manila slated for May 4, Monday, 8 p.m. at the Teatrino, Promenade, Greenhills Shopping Center.
CAMBODIA -- In Cambodia, where a decade-long tourism boom has been driven almost entirely by safe and easy access to the ancient Angkor Wat temples, the rebirth of a seaside resort town is helping lure visitors to the country’s long-neglected coastline.MANILA (Apr. 18) -- Seventeen Filipino seafarers on board Greek-owned bulk carrier MV Titan have been released April 15, the Philippine Daily Mirror has learned. MV Titan was hijacked in the Gulf of Aden March 19.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed the report and said this development has reduced the number of Filipino seafarers in the custody of pirates to 105, involving seven vessels. Since 2006, about 227 Filipino seafarers have been released and repatriated.
“It’s a media strip-tease,” fumes the United (?) Opposition. The Arroyo regime seeks to necklace ex-president Joseph Estrada with the Best World Resources scandal. That scam almost shoved the local stock exchange over the cliff in 1999.
This “burlesque” would politically castrate Erap, protest presidential aspirant Francisco “Chiz” Escudero and Senator Panfilo Lacson. This “vaudeville” could also scuttle his father’s chances of retaking Malacanang, adds San Juan mayor “JV” Ejercito
INDIA (Apr. 16) -- Five Filipino college students were among the 50 youths from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) who were invited to take a study tour of India by the Indian Government and the Chamber of Indian Industries (CII).CHICAGO (Apr. 16)-- The question -- which comes first, the chicken or the egg -- has defied answer for ages. And so is the question of which newspaper has the biggest circulation among Philippine newspapers and ethnic Filipino publications outside the Philippines.
A Filipino American publication wants to offer its own answer. And it wants a jury to give the clue.
NEW YORK (Apr. 16) -- Several local immigrant community groups will be marching together for immigrant rights on Sunday April 19, from 69th St. and Roosevelt in Woodside to 83rd St. and Roosevelt in Jackson Heights.
Called "March for Dignity and Workers," the event will highlight the plight of immigrant day laborers who have been harassed constantly by the police. The groups will also emphasized the case of Shirley Tan, an undocumented Filipino lesbian mother in California who faces deportation from the United States
MANILA (Apr. 15) -- It's becoming a continuing saga of blame, denials and one-upmanship.
Lately, government officials involved in the rescue of two abducted International Red Cross workers denied speculations that an arrest order has been to Sulu Vice Governor Lady Ann Sahidulla.
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said he is not aware of any order for Sahidulla's arrest, which earlier reports claimed prompted her to go into "hiding."
MANILA (Apr. 15) -- The minority bloc in the House of Representatives is determined to thwart moves for Charter Change dangled about in recent months. Minority leader and San Juan City Rep. Ronaldo Zamora said he and his colleagues will raise questions at every stage of the debates and hearings on the resolution espoused by Speaker Prospero Nograles Jr.
Why is the SF City Attorney's Office pursuing precedents that protect bad police behavior?
City Attorney Dennis Herrera relishes his reputation as a crusading reformer. For several years, his official Web site prominently displayed the phrase "Activism defines SF City Attorney's Office," linked to a laudatory 2004 Los Angeles Times article with that headline.
In Easter Week euphoria, few notice that simple fish meals feature significantly in the post-resurrection accounts.
The terrified disciples “didn’t dare believe,” Luke writes. “Have you anything to eat?” asked the crucified Galilean Like a ghost, he appeared in their barred dining room. “They gave him a piece of broiled fish. He took and ate it before them.”Nikon announced the D5000 upper-entry-level DSLR. It includes a 12.3 MP DX-format CMOS sensorthat maxes out at ISO 3200 with a 4fps burst rate, one-button Live View, and a 720/24p movie mode and a 2.7 inch, 180 degree Tilt/Swivel LCD. Other features include an 11-point AF system with 3D focus tracking and 19 scene modes, but the real noise is the price: $849 with a 18-55 VR kit lens, or $729 for the body only.
MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ (Apr. 13) - If you’re trying to meet the April 15th tax deadline, there are several options available at the IRS.gov Web site for last-minute help:
o E-file or Free File your tax return.
o Receive a six-month extension of time to file using Form 4868, Application for Automatic Extension of Time To File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return for taxpayers unable to file by the deadline date.
o Payment options are available to taxpayers having trouble paying their tax bill.
o Download forms and publications at IRS.gov.
“No Visitors Allowed,” the hospital room sign read. The wife pressed me gently forward. So,we tiptoed in.
Hooked to tubes, the gaunt man, on the bed, was a friend of many years. His kindnesses to me were many. After anointing, the priest gave him “Viaticum” — Latin for the “way with you.” My friend would not cross the passageway alone. Hindi siya mag-iisa.
“I’m fighting,” he gasped. He was one never to wallow in self pity. A tear trickled down as he gripped my hand. “Good of you to come.” At a loss for words, I squeezed his hand. Goodbye can be said in many ways.
The Countdown has begun. They’re flying off the digital shelves of Apple’s App Store for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Apple is closing in on a big milestone in the iTunes App Store: 1 Billion iPhone Apps downloaded.
This article will come up on Good Friday, a most special day for Christians. It challenges me no end to share what is appropriate, what is needed, on days that are great symbols to what are most important to people and societies.
At the same time, it is not my role or desire to give a homily. While I carry no insecurities about my natural understanding of what is divine or Christian, I am not any holier than anyone. I just get my opinion throughto more people than most, and I value my readers enough to strive to share with them substance, not trash.
CHICAGO (Apr. 10) – The Charter violations are not considered insignificant matters and that the Quebec Human Rights Tribunal in Montreal, Canada cannot decide on the case without first hearing its merits.
This was the initial ruling of the Quebec Human Rights Tribunal as it rejected the Marguerite-Bourgeoys School Board’s motion to dismiss the case of the Filipino Canadian mother who filed a discrimination suit on her and on her son’s behalf against his school.
NEW YORK (April 8) -- Confronting chess contenders in a simultaneous chess exhibition, NY State Chess Master Vitaliano "Nonoy" Rafael coasted easily within three hours to force each challenger into a loss. One time varsity chess team member of the Mapua Institute of Technology managed to forge a draw in a Chess Challenge event held at the Philippine Center recently.
Google has released a new Web-based version of Gmail that gives iPhone and Android phone users a more sophisticated version of the online e-mail service, including access to messages that's faster and that works even when offline.
NEW YORK (Apr 7) – Philippine Vice President Manuel “Noli” L. de Castro, Jr. has accepted to be a special guest at the Philippine Independence Day commemoration on June 7 in New York City, it was announced by Guillermo “Gerry” M. Austria, president of the Philippine Independence Day Council, Inc.
The invitation was extended to the Vice President in a letter signed by PIDCI President Austria and the Council’s Honorary Adviser, Consul General Cecilia B. Rebong, sent to Manila through the Philippine Consulate General in New York.
NEW YORK (April 6) -- After a momentous GABRIELA-USA assembly in Los Angeles on March 29, 2009, Filipinas for Rights and Empowerment (FiRE) will continue celebrating the advances of Filipino women’s struggle with their own brand of New York flare.
Highlighting significant Filipino women in Filipino and Filipino American history and current day heroines and artists in Fil-Am circles, the second annual Diwang Pinay, which will be held on April 25 at Judson Memorial Church, 55 Washington Square South, New York City, NY, focuses on how Filipino women are emanating a light that inspires the nation at home and abroad.
NEW YORK (April 2) -- Six young beauties are early entries for the Diwa ng Kalayaan (Spirit of Independence) beauty, brains and talent contest being conducted by the Philippine Independence Day Council, Inc. (PIDCI) as part of this year’s commemoration of the 111th anniversary of the declaration of Philippine Independence, it was announced.
In a statement, Jojit J. Jalandoni, the chairperson of PIDCI’s Diwa ng Kalayaan Search, Selection and Coronation Pageant and Gala Committee, added that the contest is still open and the search goes on for candidates.
Four of the six candidates who have registered were at the initial photo shoot called by the Committee this past week. Two other registered candidates were no-shows. The four who showed up were Janette Gomez of New York, and Renee Nicole Lago, Natasha Abella and Alexandra Uy of New Jersey.
http://tinyurl.com/clbm96Arrington initially reported that Google and Twitter were in "late-stage negotiations" but he backed off that assertion slightly in a later post in which he said the acquisition talks were "still fairly early stage."
