Monthly Archives: April 2015

LGBT, Music, Politics, Technology, The Media

MILEY CYRUS: ‘SENATOR TOM COTTON AND I ARE NOT DATING!’

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Cotton, left, and Cyrus
Cotton, left, and Cyrus

HOLLYWOOD, California (The Adobo Chronicles) – Celebrity romances are always a favorite topic on social media and gossip tabloids. In most cases, news media are also in on them.

Last month, Philippine President Aquino was reported to be dating newly-crowned Miss Philippines Universe Pia Wurtzbach after the couple was seen having dinner — in the company of many other friends. Neither the bachelor president nor the beauty queen confirmed the dating status.

Now, singer Miley Cyrus is rumored to be dating Senator Tom Cotton, the same Tom Cotton who authored the  open letter signed by some 47 Republican senators to Iran, undermining the Obama administration’s nuclear negotiations with that country.

The Arkansas senator once again made headlines this week when he said the gay community needs to get a perspective, given that in Iran, one can get executed for being gay.

The rumors started when Cyrus posted Cotton’s phone number on her Twitter account asking her fans to call the senator to express why freedom is “important to us & our country.”

In a phone conversation with The Adobo Chronicles, Cyrus unequivocally denied that she and Cotton were dating. “Just because I have his phone number doesn’t mean we’re seeng each other,” Cyrus said.  She added: “Besides, I don’t date guys who wear purple shirts with a red tie.”

So there you have it, straight from the horse’s mouth!

But you can still call Senator Cotton at (202) 224-2353 to express your outrage over his gay comment.

Festivals, International, Religion, Tourism, Travel

FOLSOM STREET FAIR MAKES ITS PHILIPPINES DEBUT

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imageMABALACAT, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – Next to the LGBT Pride Parade, San Francisco’s annual Folsom Street Fair is the most attended festival in the City by the Bay.

It is not for the bashful or the faint of heart. There is a lot of nudity and ‘BDSM.’ On Friday, the world-famous festival launched its Asian version in the town of Mabalacat, Pampanga, a few miles north of Manila.

Folsom Street Fair San Francisco (Photo credit: pBase.com)
Folsom Street Fair San Francisco (Photo credit: pBase.com)

Unlike its San Francisco counterpart, the Philippine Folsom Festival was participated in by men only, although women and children were among the spectators.

There was a lot of flagellation, bloodied bodies, piercing, bondage, nailing — but no frontal or full nudity.  Men were tied up, and tied down. But, unlike in San Francisco, there was no entrance fee or donation buckets to gain access to the festival.

The Philippines Catholic Church, as expected, frowned on the festival and urged its followers to stick to the traditional, church-sanctioned Holy Week activities and ceremonies.

The Philippine Folsom Festival coincided with  Good Friday, the most solemn  time in the Catholic Church’s calendar.

Business, Food

MCDONALD’S TO INCREASE WORKERS’ MINIMUM WAGE, JOLLIBEE COUNTERS WITH ITS OWN EMPLOYEE PACKAGE

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Image Credit: www.gannsdeen.com
Image Credit: http://www.gannsdeen.com

SAN JOSE, California (The Adobo Chronicles ) –The never-ending, ever-escalating fast food rivalry between McDonald’s and that fat stupid happy bee once again comes to the fore.

McDonald’s has announced that it will increase its workers’ minimum wage by $1 above the locally -mandated minimum in 1,500 stores, starting July 1. That’s expected to lift the incomes of 90,000 workers, the company said in a press release. By the end of 2016, the average wage of McDonald’s workers should be $10, well above the federal minimum of $7.25, noted the company in the release.

Additionally, McDonald’s announced it will allow workers who have a one-year tenure at the company to accrue paid vacation time of up to 20 hours per year.

imageToday, McDonald’s arch enemy (get it? McDonald’s arch?), Jollibee, announced an employee package that puts the red-headed clown to shame.

Jollibee announced that all workers in its U.S. and Canada stores will receive twice the  locally-mandated minimum wage, plus a generous benefits package that would include two weeks of  paid sick and two weeks of  paid vacation; an employer-paid medical, vision and dental insurance; a 5% employer contribution toward employee 401K retirement funds; and housing rental allowance of $500 a month.

This is over and above free employee meals during their work shifts of chicken joy, spaghetti and unlimited soda.  Employees working the early morning shift will have free Jollibee breakfast of garlic fried rice, eggs and their choice of longganisa, tocino or bangus, with coffee or orange juice.

Upon hearing of Jollibee’s announcement, the Filipino fast food restaurant’s website was inundated with job applications, with majority of resumes indicating that they are current employees of McDonald’s. There were a few resumes from Filipinos working at Google, Apple, Facebook, Twitter, eBay and Yahoo!  The applicants were hoping to be employed in Jollibee’s San Jose, Milpitas, Daly City and Union City stores.