Tag Archives: Barack Obama

Politics

OBAMA’S WIN-WIN CHOICE FOR HUD SECRETARY

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Julian and Joaquin Castro. You decide who is who.
Julian and Joaquin Castro. You decide who is who.

Washington, D.C. (The Adobo Chronicles) – President Obama is looking to tap San Antonio (Texas) Mayor Julian Castro to head the department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Current HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan has been tapped to lead the White House Office of Management and Budget. Obama has nominated former OMB chief Sylvia Mathews Burwell to take over as secretary of Health and Human Services to replace Kathleen Sebelius.

Castro, 39, is a three-term mayor who has been widely talked about for higher office. He is considered an up-and-coming star in the Democratic Party, and his speech at the 2012 Democratic National Convention only served to burnish his reputation. He has a twin brother, Joaquin.

Political analysts and media pundits are all in agreement that Obama’s choice of Julian Castro is a “win-win” situation for the administration. Many believe that if  Julian does not perform well as HUD Secretary, then Obama can secretly replace him with his brother Joaquin without the public noticing the switch, in the hope that Joaquin would do a better job.

The most brilliant U.S. President ever, this Barack Obama!

 

 

International, Politics, The Media, Travel

TOP TEN REASONS WHY MICHELLE OBAMA DID NOT JOIN THE PRESIDENT IN HIS STATE VISIT TO THE PHILIPPINES

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Michelle Obama at the 2014 White House Correspondents Dinner (photo: Getty)
Michelle Obama at the 2014 White House Correspondents Dinner (photo: Getty)

Washington. D.C. (The Adobo Chronicles) – It’s been almost two weeks since U.S. President Barack Obama visited Manila as part of his four-nation diplomatic tour of Asia, but the media and netizens still can’t figure out why he was not joined by First Lady Michelle Obama. It turns out the reasons revolved around the Philippines.

The Adobo Chronicles interviewed sources close to the First Lady and put together the top ten reasons Mrs. Obama skipped the Manila visit:

  1. There is no Philippine First Lady whom she could hang out with to gossip about their husbands  (President NoyNoy Aquino is a bachelor).
  2. She does not want to sit next to Vice President Jejomar Binay at the state dinner.
  3. She does not want to sit at the same table with convicts, i.e. former presidents. (Former President Joseph Estrada has been convicted of plunder and later pardoned by his predecessor. He is now mayor of Manila).
  4. She cannot stand Kris Aquino (TV host and sister of President Aquino who claims she is the ‘Oprah Winfrey of the Philippines’).
  5. She is allergic to hot and humid weather.
  6. She is allergic to  rice stalks (she learned that it would be part of the state dinner backdrop).
  7. Former Philippine First Lady Imelda Marcos was quoted as wanting to take a selfie with her.
  8. She hates karaoke, especially when it is boxer Manny Pacquiao who is singing.
  9. The Philippine government scheduled for her to visit St. Luke’s Hospital where former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was being treated at the time of the visit (Arroyo is facing criminal charges and has been under hospital arrest at a government facility).
  10. Alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles just wouldn’t stop texting her (Napoles is being held without bail in a special military prison).
Business, Food, International, Politics, Travel

DEMAND FOR ‘LUMPIA’ AND ‘ADOBO’ SURGES IN THE U.S., CANADA

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Lumpia, left, and Squid Adobo (Photos courtesy of www.MyBayKitchen.com)
Lumpia, left, and Squid Adobo
(Photos courtesy of http://www.MyBayKitchen.com)

Daly City, California (The Adobo Chronicles) – Filipino restaurants in the U.S. and Canada are experiencing a rare phenomenon never before seen since the introduction of Philippine cuisine to the Western world.

From 5-star restaurants in New York, Chicago and California to fast food stalls in American malls across the country, Filipino restaurant owners have reported an unusually high demand in just the last week of two items on their menu: lumpia and adobo. Many of them have run out of the food items despite conscious efforts to double their daily preparation and cooking.

This sudden surge in the demand for lumpia and adobo came soon after U.S. President Barack Obama delivered his speech at a state dinner in the Philippines last week .  Obama was in Manila on the last leg of his tour of Asian nations.  During that speech, Obama lauded Cris Comerford, a Filipino who has been working at the White House since 1995.

Obama at Manila state dinner
Obama at Manila state dinner

“There’s our shared pride in the millions of Filipino Americans who contribute to our nation every single day,” said Obama. “There’s one in particular I’m grateful for — Cris Comerford, our executive chef at the White House,” he added. Obama then proceeded to say that he and his family in the White House “enjoy the occasional lumpia and adobo.”

Comerford is the first woman and first person from an ethnic minority to become a White House executive chef.

It looks like the prediction of Andrew Zimmern, host of “Bizarre Foods” on the Travel Channel is finally coming to fruition.  Sometime last year, Zimmern said that Filipino food “is going to be the next big thing.”

When asked by reporters if The Adobo Chronicles is on the list of what he reads on a regular basis, Obama simply winked his eye and said, “No comment.”