Category Archives: Politics

Business, Food, Human Interest, International, Politics, Technology

SILICON VALLEY CEOs JOIN RANKS OF FOOD STAMP, SECTION 8 BENEFICIARIES

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Zuckerberg, Page and Brin
Zuckerberg, Page and Brin

San Jose, California – Top Silicon Valley CEOs and executives have applied for federal and county subsidy programs, according to leaked confidential documents from the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the County of Santa Clara.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin have all been pre-qualified and approved for the federal Section 8 housing and county food stamps programs.

Section 8 of the Housing Act of 1937, authorizes the payment of rental housing assistance to private landlords on behalf of approximately 3.1 million low-income households. It operates through several programs, the largest of which, the Housing Choice Voucher program, pays a large portion of the rents and utilities of about 2.1 million households. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development manages the Section 8 programs. Eligibility for the housing subsidy is determined based on annual gross income, elderly, disabled or family status.

The food stamp program is administered by counties and is basically a food subsidy for individuals and families that meet certain criteria, not the least of which is income level.

Donahue, left, and Mayer
Donahue, left, and Mayer

By virtue of their $1 a year salaries, Zuckerberg, Page and Brin have qualified for the housing and food subsidies.  Both HUD and the County of Santa Clara have sent notices to the three executives regarding their pre-qualification, according to the leaked documents.

Meanwhile, two other Silicon Valley CEOs, John Donahue II of eBay and Marissa Ann Mayer of Yahoo! are reportedly considering a pay cut to $1 a year so that they can be in the prestigious company of tech executives availing of government subsidy programs.

Film and TV, International, Language, Politics, Technology, The Media

TAGALOG VERSION OF CESAR CHAVEZ FILM TO BE RELEASED FRIDAY

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imageHollywood, California – Moviegoers wanting to see  ‘Cesar Chavez’ have the option to see the film in English or dubbed in Spanish, a brilliant marketing strategy by the producers. There was some initial confusion last weekend when non-Spanish speakers mistakenly bought tickets to the Spanish language screenings, but theater management was quick to better label their marquee signs to avoid confusion.

Initial reaction to the film was mixed, with Filipino moviegoers crying foul for the inaccurate representation – or lack thereof – of Larry Itliong and other Filipino farm leaders who, in actuality, started the Delano farm labor strikes which the film totally attributes to Cesar Chavez.

To appease the angry protests, the film’s producers announced today that a new, all-Tagalog (Filipino) version of the movie will be released in theaters in Daly City and South San Francisco starting this Friday. If the new version is well received in these two cities, the Tagalog version will be released nationwide.

Calls by The Adobo Chronicles to the offices of the Filipino American National Historical Society which has been in the forefront of the film protests, have not been returned.

Moviegoers are advised to closely look at theater marquee signs to make sure they are purchasing the correct tickets.  The films are labeled “Cesar Chavez,” “Cesar Chavez en Español” and ” Sesar Tsabes.”  The latter is the Filipino version.

Film and TV, Human Interest, International, Politics, The Media, Travel

BEAUTY PAGEANT BAN FOR PHILIPPINES IS PERMANENTLY LIFTED

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photoQuezon City, Philippines – Last November, The Adobo Chronicles reported that the Philippines has been banned from participating in international beauty pageants for the next two years.  The decision to disqualify Filipina candidates from pageants like Miss Universe, Miss International, Miss World and Miss Supranational was made by the Association of Beauty Pageant Franchise Holders (ABPFH) because of the enormous advantage of Filipina beauties who have won the crown in all major beauty contests.

Just in time for the crowning of the 2014 Binibining Pilipinas (Miss Philippines) title holders, the ABPFH announced that it has permanently lifted the ban on Filipina beauties, thanks to the advocacy efforts of reigning Miss Universe Gabriela Isler of Venezuela.  Isler was one of the judges in the 2014  Miss Philippines pageant held last night at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, Philippines.

Isler reportedly convinced the ABPFH that the ban was unfair and that she commiserates with the Philippines for having been banned from international beauty pageants.  Like the Philippines, Venezuela has also won the crown for all major beauty pageants, along with Brazil.

Reigning international beauty pageant title holders automatically become voting members of ABPFH.  Isler asked for a vote to permanently lift the ban on the Philippines, and majority voted in favor of Isler’s proposal.  Also voting in favor of lifting the ban were reigning Miss World Megan Young, Miss International Bea Rose Santiago,  Miss Supranational Mutya Johanna Datul  and Miss Tourism International Angeli Dione Gomez — Filipinas all.