Category Archives: International

International, Law Enforcement, Politics, The Media

LACK OF QUORUM IN PHILIPPINE SENATE MAY LEAD TO CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS

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Philippine Senator Nancy Binay
Philippine Senator Nancy Binay

Manila, Philippines  (The Adobo Chronicles) – Article VI, Section 2 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution provides that the Senate shall be composed of 24 senators who shall be elected at-large by the qualified voters of the Philippines. This makes junior Senator Nancy Binay extremely worried in light of the ongoing investigation of the pork barrel scam that siphoned 10 Billion pesos in taxpayer money into bogus nongovernmental organizations (NGOs)  and ghost pet projects of elected officials.

Disclosures by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima and Presidential Assistant Panfilo Lacson indicate that Janet Lim-Napoles, the alleged mastermind of the pork barrel scam, has written affidavits implicating more than a dozen senators.

“So what happens if more than half of the senators are charged and indicted as a result of the investigation? The Senate will not have a quorum and not be able to function according to its constitutional mandate,” Binay said in fluent Tagalog.

In order to avert this potential constitutional crisis, Binay proposed that all 24 senators – implicated in the scam or not –  execute a power of attorney designating either their spouse, partner , sibling or child as their proxy. “This way, Binay said, the Senate can continue to function and take care of the many problems facing our country.”

From all indications, Binay is not among the senators implicated in the pork barrel scam.

Constitutuonal crisis averted!

Business, Human Interest, International, Politics, Technology, The Media, Travel

OBAMA FACES DIPLOMATIC STANDOFF IN JAPAN

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bow_apTokyo, Japan –  Barack Obama faced the most embarrassing diplomatic standoff to date in his years as U.S. President. It happened during his visit to Japan, the first leg of his multi-nation tour of Asia.

Obama’s advisers sure did a good job in briefing him about Japanese culture and etiquette, so the president knew that a “bow” was the appropriate greeting when meeting with dignitaries and the Japanese people.  So when he was introduced to Asimo, the robot at Miraikan, Japan’s major science center located in Daiba, Tokyo, he did what he was supposed to do: bow his head.  To his surprise, Asimo didn’t return his bow, but instead offered its robotic arm looking for a handshake, the American way of greeting.  Obama froze and didn’t know what to do. And neither did Asimo.

The rest is history.  The meeting has now been dubbed as the worst diplomatic standoff ever encountered by a sitting U.S. president.

To diffuse the awkward situation, officials at Miraikan asked Asimo to demonstrate to the distinguished visitor its running and soccer skills, and Obama was quite impressed although he admitted he was a little “scared.”

Want an oxygen mask? That would be $50 extra!

 

 

Business, International, Technology, Travel

AIRLINES CONSIDERING ADDING THREE EXTRA PASSENGER SEATS ON THEIR AIRCRAFT

gear retract wheel wells.jpgSan Jose, California – The 15-year-old boy who survived a 5-1/2-hour flight from San Jose to Maui on a Hawaiian Airlines jetliner may have stunned the airline industry, but this unbelievable incident also gave airline officials new hope for an additional revenue stream.

Authorities had said that it was a miracle that the stowaway kid survived in the wheel well of the plane, as oxygen was limited at the jet’s cruising altitude of 38,000 feet, and the temperature dropping to 50 degrees below zero or even lower.

But now that it has been established that survival is possible in aircraft wheel wells, airlines are considering adding three additional passenger spots on all their planes – one in each of the three wheel wells. With minor adjustments, such as providing sleeping bags secured by seat belts, the airlines will soon be adding three passenger spots per plane. “We expect these new spots to sell like hotcakes” one airline official said, “because they will be sold at 50% off the published airfare rates.” There will be no beverage or meal service for this special ticket class, but complimentary sleeping pills will be provided for flights lasting more than theee hours.

Want an oxygen mask? That would be $5o extra!