Category Archives: Politics

Politics, Sports

PHILIPPINE SENATE BUILDING BASEMENT TO BE CONVERTED TO AN OLYMPIC-SIZED SKATING RINK

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Filipino Olympian trained in the Mall of Asia in the Philippines
Filipino Olympian trained in the Mall of Asia in the Philippines

Manila, Philippines – With the historic debut of a Filipino figure skater at the Sochi Winter Olympics, a big change is coming to the Senate of the Philippines. Not to its do-nothing occupants, but to the basement of its building.

Inspired by today’s awesome performance by the Philippines’ lone representative to the Winter Olympics, the Senate of the Philippines today passed a bi-partisan resolution that would convert the basement of the  Senate building into an Olympic-sized skating rink.

Michael Christian Martinez skated his way to the finals in today’s men’s short program, to the delight of the Filipino senators. Martinez is the first Filipino and first in all of Southeast Asia to earn a spot in the Winter Olympics figure skating competition.  He had trained in the SM Mall of Asia and another indoor skating rink in Metro Manila.

The Philippine Senate Building
The Philippine Senate Building

Focusing their sight on the 2018 Winter Olympics in Korea, the honorable senators were in agreement that the Philippines needed more training venues not just for Martinez but other upcoming and potential Filipino Olympic figure skaters.

Philippine President NoyNoy Aquino is reportedly also considering converting Malacañang Palace, the official presidential residence, into the Aquino Skating Palace, patterned after the Iceberg Skating Palace in Sochi, Russia.

Politics

CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR JERRY BROWN WANTS EASTERN SPAN OF BAY BRIDGE NAMED AFTER HIM

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Willie Brown (center)
Willie Brown (center)

Sacramento, California – Yesterday, the western span of the Bay Bridge was officially named Willie L. Brown  Jr Bridge in honor of the former San Francisco mayor and speaker of the California State Assembly.

Well, that didn’t sit well with two-time California governor, former state attorney general and former Oakland city mayor Jerry Brown . “I have as many titles attached to my name – not to mention my longevity in public service – as my good friend Willie,” Jerry said, “so why am I not being afforded the same honor, at least as far as the new eastern span of the Bay Bridge is concerned?”

The new eastern span of the Bay Bridge (foreground)
The new eastern span of the Bay Bridge (foreground)

Jerry is reportedly planning a personal visit with Oakland city officials, including incumbent mayor Jean Quan, to lobby for his own bridge of fame.  Quan said that naming the eastern span of the bridge after Jerry Brown makes absolute sense. “If this happens, then people can call the entire bridge, both eastern and western spans, simply ‘the Brown Bridge,’ ”  she added.

In the end, it is the state legislature, not local officials, that will make the decision.

We’d like to get our readers’ comments: Should the eastern span of the Bay Bridge be named after Californa Governor Jerry Brown? .

Business, International, Politics, Sports

RUSSIA SUSPENDS VISA REQUIREMENTS, SUBSIDIZES AIRFARE AND GIVES AWAY FREE OLYMPIC TICKETS

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imageSochi, Russia – Russia is trying hard to put its best foot forward in hosting the 2014 Winter Olympics, but scenes showing empty seats at the Iceberg Skating Palace and other venues are causing a big headache for President Vladimir Putin and Russian Olympic officials.

In an emergency meeting held at the Kremlin, the Russian government has decided to suspend all travel visa requirements as well as give away Olympic venue tickets in order to fill the empty seats. It is also considering subsidizing airfares from anywhere in the world to Sochi for the next two weeks.image13.jpg

The Putin government has also reportedly paid NBC and other media companies covering the winter games to refrain from photographing or aiming their television cameras at the empty seats during all scheduled events.