Category Archives: Travel

IN AFTERMATH OF CHRIS BROWN’S DEPARTURE HOLD IN MANILA, MADONNA CANCELS PHILIPPINE CONCERT

Brown, left, and Madonna
Brown, left, and Madonna

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles® ) – Just days after she announced she was holding a one-day-only concert in Manila in February next year, Madonna said she was cancelling the Philippine leg of her Rebel Heart tour.

The shocking announcement came on the heels of the departure hold order for American Chris Brown, who was in Manila for a one-day concert this week.  Brown’s departure was stopped by Philippine immigration authorities in connection with a complaint filed against the him for allegedly defrauding a concert promoter earlier this year. Brown failed to show up for a scheduled New Year’s eve concert at the Philippine Arena after being paid $1 Million in advance.

Madonna sympathized with Brown and said that what happened to the singer is an insult to the freedom and integrity of international performers. She said she was afraid that the same thing might happen to her when she visits Manila for the first time next year.

Madonna fans were extremely distraught over the news as they were preparing to purchase their tickets which go on sale on July 26.  Ticket prices ranged from P3,150 to P57,750 ($71 to $1,312).

 

SINGER CHRIS BROWN HELD UP IN MANILA, LEARNS HIS LESSON NOT TO MESS WITH FILIPINOS

Brown
Brown

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles® ) –  Grammy Award-winning singer Chris Brown has been in trouble many times before, but this time around, he chose to get in trouble in a country that would not put up with his shenanigans.

Brown was barred from leaving the Philippines because of a contract dispute, the official Philippines News Agency reported Wednesday.

Brown was stopped Wednesday morning while preparing to depart on a private jet from Manila’s international airport on his way to Hong Kong for a concert, the news agency said.

The Philippine Department of Justice said that an order had been issued Tuesday night to stop any attempts by Brown, 26, to leave the country.

Brown performed in a Manila concert that evening as planned, but the order was put in place to compel him to pay back money that promoters said was owed to them after he failed to appear for a previous appearance scheduled for last New Year’s Eve.

Encouraged by the departure hold order, promoters of the New Year’s Eve concert amended their complaint against Brown, asking the Department of Justice that they not only be paid what was owed to them but an additional 50% interest compounded monthly.(We’re not good at math but we suspect that with now almost six months since Brown incurred the “debt,” it could mean lots and lots of money for the aggrieved promoters.)

The promoters have the full backing of Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares whose agency is sure to benefit from taxes that will be collected from promoters if and when they get paid by Brown.

Rumors are circulating that Brown is currently detained in an airport holding cell and is being fed rice and chicken adobo three times a day. He had earlier requested for a McDonald’s cheeseburger but the request was denied.

It wasn’t clear how long Brown will be held in Manila but he certainly has learned the lesson of his lifetime: not to mess with Filipinos!

‘SIX CALIFORNIAS’ BALLOT INITIATIVE ADVANCES, TIJUANA WANTS TO BE PART OF SOUTH CALIFORNIA

imageSILICON VALLEY,  California (The Adobo Chronicles®) – A plan backed by venture capitalist Tim Draper to split California into six states has gained enough signatures to make the November 2016 ballot, the plan’s backers say.

On Tuesday, Draper told USA Today the campaign had garnered 1.3 million signatures, well over the approximately 808,000 needed. The signatures will be submitted in Sacramento Wednesday for placement on the November 2016 ballot.

The six carved out states would look like this:

Jefferson: The northern part of the state, including Humboldt and Mendocino counties.

North California: The wine country counties of Sonoma and Napa, as well as the Sierra Nevada region.

Silicon Valley: Including San Francisco, San Jose and most of what’s considered the San Francisco Bay Area.

Central California: The vast central valley farm region, including Tulare and Fresno counties.

West California: Including Santa Barbara and Los Angeles.

South California: Including what’s called the Inland Empire of San Bernadino and Riverside, plus San Diego.

Upon  hearing the good news, residents in Tijuana in the southern U.S.-Mexico border rallied in the streets demanding that their town be included in the planned South California state.

North of the border, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors will vote Thursday on a resolution endorsing Tijuana’s inclusion.

“Everyday, thousands cross the border — legally and illegally — into and out of Tijuana for work , business or tourism,” the board resolution states, “and it is in the best interest of San Diego and its economy to lift travel restrictions between the county and Tijuana.  What could be a better way to do that than to make Tijuana a part of South California and the U.S.?”

Draper told reporters he was open to the idea of annexing TJ to South California.