Category Archives: International

International, Politics, Religion

CORY AQUINO IS FIRST SAINT CANONIZED OUTSIDE OF ROME

2 Comments

imageTarlac, Philippines – It usually takes decades and proven miracles for anyone to be canonized as a saint in the Catholic Church. But for the late Cory Aquino, former Philippine president, wife of murdered opposition leader Benigno Aquino, Jr., and mother of incumbent president NoyNoy Aquino, all it took was sainthood “by acclamation.”

Cory supporters and fanatics in her native Tarlac province, north of Manila, took it upon themselves to proclaim their idol as “Saint Cory of Hacienda Luisita.” Hacienda Luisita is an expansive piece of land owned by the Cojuanco and Aquino families which has been a sore thumb in the Philippines’ decades-old Agrarian Reform Program. To this day, many farmers who once tilled the soil at Hacienda Luisita have not gained ownership of their piece of land. Scores of others have actually been displaced and forced out of the land they once called home.

The powerful Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has been all but silent on Cory’s “sainthood.” Top bishops in the CBCP are known to have always aligned themselves with the Aquino family back since the regime of Ferdinand Marcos.

The Philippines has two saints canonized in Rome: Lorenzo Ruiz and Pedro Calungsod. Aquino is the first known saint to be canonized outside The Vatican.

In a related development, the Congress of the Philippines has passed a bill to rename the International Airport in the former U.S. airbase in Clark, province of Pampanga, as “Cory Aquino International Airport.

Opponents of the bill objected, saying that the government cannot name an airport after a saint because the Philippine Constitution provides for the separation of church and state.

Film and TV, International, Politics, Same-sex Marriage, The Media

THE OSCARS’ RED CARPET WILL NOT BE RED AT ALL.

Leave a comment

imageHollywood, California – Hollywood is known for its radical and out-of -this-world ideas, and this year’s Oscar ceremonies are not an exception.

When the stars alight from their rented limousines, they will be stepping on the red carpet. Except that the carpet will not be red.

The board of governors the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences unanimously voted to approve a plan to  install a rainbow-colored carpet  that will line the arrival area just outside of the Dolby Theater, venue of the 2014 Oscar ceremonies. The decision is Hollywood’s way of celebrating last year’s banner year for marriage equality in the country. To date, 17 of the U.S. states have now legalized same-sex marriage through legislation, the ballot box or the courts.

This announcement sent dozens and dozens of Hollywood stars scrambling to shop for alternative gowns and colors that would not be lost amid the multi-colored walkway.

This year’s production team also sent notices to the stars that as part of the goal to cut down the overall time for the ceremonies by at least two hours, no one will be allowed more than a minute to move through the entire 50-yard walkway. Ladies have been advised to strut along while the men have been asked to jog across the rainbow carpet.image

The queen of fashion police, Joan Rivers, and her daughter were reportedly fuming at this new development, along with the fashion commentators from the major television and cable networks. “It will not only significantly cut our advertising revenue but also the fun that goes with criticizing the gowns, handbags, shoes, jewelry and hair-do’s of the actors, actresses and other celebrities,” they complained.

The national lgbt advocacy organization, the Human Rights Campaign, praised the decision as expected.

Human Interest, International, Music, Politics, Sports

WHAT’S REALLY AT STAKE IN U.S.-CANADA RIVALRY IN OLYMPIC ICE HOCKEY

Leave a comment

imageSochi, Russia –  Yesterday’s U.S. loss to Canada in Women’s Ice Hockey at the Sochi Winter Olympics was, to say the least, devastating to Americans. Today, there is another opportunity for Americans to prove to the world – and to Canadians – who the real Hockey king is.  The U.S. faces Canada in the Men’s Hockey semi- finals.

All Olympic athletes and all countries represented in Sochi have one ultimate goal in mind: the gold medal. But not for the U.S. or Canada. Either country wants to beat the other, but for a different reason: the loser gets to keep Justin Bieber. image13.jpg

With yesterday’s loss in the women’s competition, Bieber gets to stay in the U.S. The American Men’s Hockey team has the chance to reverse that today by defeating Canada and send Bieber packing his bags and back to his native country.