Category Archives: Business

Business, International, LGBT, Technology, The Media

MICROSOFT’S BILL GATES: “I’M STRAIGHT!”

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Gates, left, and Cook
Gates, left, and Cook

Seattle, Washington (The Adobo Chronicles) – What a ‘National Coming Out Month’ October was!

First, Apple CEO Tim Cook officially came out as a proud gay man, confirming what many in his inner circles already knew about the successor to the late Steve Jobs.

Today, Microsoft’s founder and chairman Bill Gates announced at a developers forum in Seattle that he was ‘straight.’

“Most everyone already knows that,” Gates said, ” but I wanted to make it official in the hope of inspiring young people who are unsure of their sexuality to come forward and categorically state their preference. Being straight should not be a barrier to success.”

While Cook has become the first openly gay leader of a major U.S. company, Gates’ announcement makes him the richest man in the U.S. to come out.

Now, there is hope for young gay or straight men and women to break the glass ceiling and become billionaires — thanks to role models Cook and Gates.

Business, Politics, Tourism

500 FREE ONE-WAY TICKETS BEING OFFERED ON HAWAIIAN AIRLINES

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imageHonolulu, Hawaii (The Adobo Chronicles) – It is rare that commercial airlines offer free tickets with no strings attached. But that is exactly what Hawaiian Airlines is offering – complimentary tickets to as many as 500 passengers. What’s the catch? The tickets are one-way — out of Hawaii.

The offer is part of a new initiative between the Honolulu government and private businesses in Waikiki’s tourism industry.

For several years now, Waikiki has seen a sharp increase in homeless people lining Kalakaua Avenue directly across from Waikiki Beach. Honolulu’s City Hall and Waikiki merchants have agreed that the sight of homeless people — many of whom are from states in the U.S. Mainland — is not good for tourism which is the top revenue-earning industry of Hawaii.

Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association (HLTA) is giving the Institute for Human Services (IHS) $100,000 this year in addition to the same amount next year. But that’s just to kick start the program. The funds will help pay for the tickets on Hawaiian Airlines.

“When the number one complaint from our visitors on why they will not be coming back to Hawaii is the homeless, you have an issue,” said George Szigeti, President and CEO of HLTA. “So when IHS came to us with a plan of action tailored to address the homeless situation in our Waikiki community, we were pleased and we immediately pledged our support,” Szigeti said.

It is estimated that currently, about 500 individuals  call the streets of Waikiki home. The city would need an additional $400,000 to complete the process of sending the homeless back to their home states. It hopes to raise that amount quickly from businesses in Waikiki.

To qualify for the complimentary tickets, homeless people must appear at City Hall for a mugshot and fingerprinting and sign a pledge never to return again to the Aloha State. If they prefer to fly first class, they have to personally shoulder the price difference.

Say ‘Aloha!’

Business, Food, International

JOLLIBEE TOPS LIST OF CHAIN RESTAURANTS AMERICANS HAVE NEVER HEARD OF

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jollibee-4Oak Brook, Illinois (The Adobo Chronicles) – A good number of Americans are quite familiar with adobo, lumpia and pancit, but most have not heard of Jollibee.  Is it a bird? Is it an insect? Is it a clown?

The answer is: none of the above. It is the fast food chain restaurant that continues to be the greatest threat to McDonald’s in the Philippines, and who knows, perhaps even in the international fast food market. Its menu includes favorites like chicken joy, (sweet) spaghetti, and burgers cooked Filipino-style. It also serves traditional Pinoy breakfasts like tapsilog, longsilog, and bangsilog.

A recent survey conducted by thrillist.com put Jollibee in the number one spot among international chain restaurants that Americans haven’t seen or heard of before. It ranked the best among food chains that originated in countries like Russia, Singapore, Germany, France, the U.K., Brazil and Japan.

CaptureUpon hearing of the survey, top executives at the McDonald’s headquarters in Illinois convened an emergency meeting to strategize on how to counter what they expect to be a sudden surge in the popularity of Jollibee in the U.S.

“We’ve pretty much given up trying to beat that fat, stupid, happy bee in the Philippines, but for it to threaten our business here in America is just not acceptable,” a spokesperson for McDonald’s said.

Gird up your loins. Jollibee may soon be coming to a mall or street corner near you.