*NBA's first Filipino-American*

Who is Erik Spoelstra you may ask? If you don't already know who he is; let me introduce him: He is the first Filipino-American head coach in the NBA of the Miami Heat.Spoelstra is also one of the youngest head coaches in the NBA.Right now, he is also in the spotlight due to recent changes in the NBA.Lebron James announced he will not be staying with the Cleveland Cavaliers and will be joining the Miami Heat this fall with Dwayne Wade and recently added new teammate Chris Bosh; formerly from the Toronoto Raptors.This fall,Coach Spoelstra will have a huge responsiblilty.The "Triple Play" is expecting to win a 2011 championship.
Here is a quick bio on Erik Spoelstra:
Born: Erik Celino Spoelstra
D.O.B: November 1, 1970
Birthplace: Evanston,Illinois
His parents are :father, Jon Spoelstra, was an NBA Executive for the Portland Trail Blazers, Denver Nuggets, Buffalo Braves and New Jersey Nets.Mother, Elisa Celino is from San Pablo, Laguna in the Philippines.He has stated to the Philippine sports media that he would like to bring NBA style coaching/playing to the Philippines.
He attended the the University of Portland and played a starting point guard.After college he spent two years as a player/coach for TuS Herten (later the Herten Ruhr Devils), a German professional team.

Spoelstra joined the Heat staff in 1995 as the team's video coordinator. After two years, he was named assistant coach/video coordinator, then promoted to assistant coach/advance scout in 1999. He became the assistant coach/director of scouting in 2001. He was cited by Sports Illustrated (May 30, 2005) for honing star guard Dwyane Wade’s "shooting balance and smoothing out his release after the Flash’s return from the Athens Olympics."[1]

In April 2008, Spoelstra was named successor to Pat Riley as head coach of the Miami Heat. Spoelstra is the NBA's youngest current head coach. In naming Spoelstra as head coach, Riley said: "This game is now about younger coaches who are technologically skilled, innovative and bring fresh new ideas. That's what we feel we are getting with Erik Spoelstra. He's a man that was born to coach."[2] Pat Riley plans to change his approach from when Stan Van Gundy was the coach. Riley predicted: "A lot of players want the discipline; they will play [hard] for Spoelstra, because 'they respect him.'"[3]

2.^ a b Ex-Pilot, Crusader Erik Spoelstra named Miami Heat coach
1.^ Inquirer.net, Spoelstra first Filipino NBA head coach
3.^ miamiherald.com, Riley to change course with coach

The White House Doctor - AOL Health

The White House Doctor - AOL Health
Dr.Connie Mariano is amazing.. proud to be a filipina american. by the way she was honored as one of our " ladies of elegance" in the only Filipino-american sorority I'm proud to be part of : MARIA CLARA DE PILIPINAS. Its amazing to see our people succeed. She is truly an inspiration.PLEASE MAKE SURE TO READ HER MEMOIR.
HERE IS SOME INFO ABOUT DR. CONNIE MARIANO. I WILL HAVE MY BOOK REVIEW UP SHORTLY.
Dr. Eleanor Concepcion “Connie” Mariano
is a physician, the first Filipino-American to reach the rank of Rear Admiral in the United States Navy, the first graduate of the Uniformed Services University of Medicine to reach flag officer status and the first woman to be the director of the White House Medical Unit.
Mariano was born at the Sangley Point Naval Base in Cavite City, Philippines in 1955.Two years later, her parents arrived in the United States. Her father served in the navy as a steward and eventually retired with the rank of Master Chief. Mariano was the valedictorian of her Mar Vista High School, Imperial Beach, California, class of 1973. She is a University of California, San Diego Alumna from Revelle College where she graduated with cum laude honors and received her degree in biology at the University of California, San Diego. After her undergraduate studies, Mariano joined the navy in 1977 where she received her medical degree from the Uniformed Services University of Medicine in 1981 Bethesda, Maryland.
Mariano was nominated to the rank of Rear Admiral by President Bill Clinton and eventually served as the White House Physician for President Clinton and President George W. Bush.
In 2001, Dr. Mariano retired from the Navy and left the White House to join the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona. She was succeeded as White House Physician by Richard Tubb. In 2005, she went on to found the Center for Executive Medicine in Scottsdale.
Hawaii Senator Will Espero submitted Mariano’s name to President Barack Obama for the position of Surgeon General of the United States in May 2009.

Should Gloria Arroyo be charged with Corruption?

Filipinos are worse off today than when President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo came to power nine-and-a-half years ago. As the end of June 2010 appoaches, President Arroyo will be saying farewell; but is it the end of her legacy? There had been many alleged corruption cases against the President.IN YOUR OPINION; SHOULD PRESIDENT ARROYO BE CHARGED WITH CORRUPTION AFTER SHE LEAVES OFFICE? HERE IS HER ALLEGED LIST :
1. NBN ZTE Scandal

2. Millions of bribe money to Congressmen and Governors (October 2007)

3. Cheating in 2004 Elections (Hello Garci)

4. Joc Joc Bolante Case (Fertilizer Scam, P728 Million)

5. Jose Pidal Bank Account (Unexplained Wealth, P200 Million)

6. Nani Perez Power Plant Deal ($2 Million)

7. Use of Road User's Tax for Campaigning

8. Billion Peso Macapagal Boulevard (Overprice of P532 Million)

9. Juetengate (Illegal Numbers game kickbacks)

10. Extra Judicial Killings

11. Arroyo Moneys in Germany (Exposed by Senator Cayetano)

12. General Garcia and Other Military Men

13. Billion Peso Poll Automation contract (P1.3 Billion)

14. Northrail Project($503 Million)

15. Maguindanao Results of 2007 Elections (Zubiri, Bedol)

16. NAIA-3

17. Venable Contract (Norberto Gonzales)

18. Swine Scam (Exposed by Atty. Harry Roque) - Details in this link http://www.newsflash.org/2004/02/hl/hl107311.htm

19. P432-million fertilizer deal in 2003

Journalist and former Ombudsman of the DA Marlene Esperat was killed 2005. The gunmen were apprehended and convicted, but the mastermind was never caught. newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20081023-167961/Marlene-Esperat-murder

* My Fashion Icon * Monique Lhuillier

Coveted " The Jewel of The Philippine" Monique Lhuiller is the most famous Filipino fashion designer from the Philippines. Born to French and Filipino-Spanish parents, Diane Monique Lhuillier grew up in Cebu to a family engaged in the jewelry business. The elite Lhuillier family of Cebu have long been famous for their chain of pawnshops, M. Lhuillier, all over the Philippines. She left her homeland at the age of 15 to attend a boarding school in Switzerland. And later pursued her dream of becoming a designer by enrolling in a prestigious fashion school in Los Angeles where she is now based with her husband, Tom Bugbee, the CEO and co-founder of Monique Lhuillier, Inc.

When the day comes; I eventually would like to have a custom made " one of a kind" wedding gown by Miss Monique Lhuiller- 1. for the ceremony & 2. for the reception. Monique Lhullier can range from $2500 - $10,000+. It depends on the intricacy of the design, the materials used, etc. Here is my ALL TIME favorite from her past collection.

Philippine Politics and Government is Corrupt.

So this is exactly how Philippine Politics works :
The politics of the Philippines takes place in an organized framework of a presidential, representative, and democratic republic whereby the president is both the head of state and the head of government within a platform multi-party system. This system revolves around three separate and sovereign yet interdependent branches: the legislative branch (the law-making body), the executive branch (the law-enforcing body), and the judicial branch (the law-interpreting body). Executive power is exercised by the government under the leadership of the president. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two-chamber congress—the Senate (the upper chamber) and the House of Representatives (the lower chamber). Judicial power is vested in the courts with the Supreme Court of the Philippines as the highest judicial body.

Is Philippines Politics corrupt? In my opinions IT IS VERY WELL SO..
It is hard and often a controversial question as to why the Philippines (or any "Third World" country) is corrupted in the way they are. Many would point to the elected governments and their politicians as being the sources of "corruption". Others would point to influential ideologies and conflicting social interests. However, there are those that even state that in the grand of scheme of things any country under American institutions (such as the World Bank, WTO, IMF, etc) influence have been led and even supported the corruption for countries in order for the elites of the world to obtain certain control of resources or wealth (read up on "Structural Adjustment Programs" imposed on those countries by the American-based World Bank/IMF).

It is very sad to see such nations being led down to poverty. I believe the answer to that question is far complex to bear a simple understanding as to why this is so.
The Philippines is one of the 131st most corrupt country in the world most corrupt countries in the world, tied with Burundi, Honduras, Iran, Libya, Nepal and Yemen, according to a survey released by Berlin-based Transparency International.

Some Filipinos are not meant to be politicians, they easily get corrupted by power.
It’s so sad that all the hard earned money and taxes that our Filipino countrymen are paying to our government only end up in the politicians pockets.

Its unfortunate some Filipinos really have got no idea. From the overall corruption of ordinary people to the government.There is a real feeling of something fundamental missing in this country. There's rubbish everywhere, homeless people in the parks, trash on TV and the culture on the surface is a tragic wanna-be American style. From the way the roads are built to just using everyday services such as a post office, it’s always dodgy or difficult. Infrastructure is inadequate, the politics is unstable, overpopulation is out of control and the religion makes people so conservative that nobody is really willing to touch the issue.Is it little wonder as to why nobody wants to invest in this country?
I feel sorry for those intelligent enough to see past all the blatant commercialisation of everything, the way society is brainwashed through all the trashy song and dance shows rather than focusing on the real issues and just the general selfishness that goes on.
It’s obvious that not all people are filthy, nasty and corrupt. But from someone who has lived in another country it is very obvious to see what’s going on. The prevailing misery and desperation which rules in the Philippines can’t be blamed totally on just the people. However, the culture from which it lives in is making it and will NEVER make it any better than a snake eating it’s own tail. How long and how bad will things get before something changes?

No more Queen of the Pacific, Pearl of the Orient. Past is past. Its impossible to bring back those good memories. Don’t just blame politicians but blame for ourselves. All of us are corrupt from highest up to the lowest degree. My grandfather has a point. Destroy the old civilization and have a new one. The one who doesn’t have any knowledge in corruption.

In the past 30 years Philippines has average 3.1% annual GDP growth and population growth of 2.5% which means almost no improvements for over 30 years. REASONS why?1. Politics 2. Uncontrolled population growth 3. Weak educational system 4. CORRUPTION! 5. Inadequate infrastructure 6. An agriculture system that has’t improved in 30 years 7. An inadequate focus on job creation 8. Security 10. Good governance 11. Catholic church. If these 11, and it must be 11 of them, aren’t fixed the Philippines will average 3.1% for the nest 30 years too. The logic of this can’t be denied! THE COUNTRY NEEDS A TOUGH, DETERMINED, VISIONARY LEADER! in 2002 Wallace said “a nine-year presidency gives her a chance for that change”. Well, 6 years have gone and the President has not addressed those issues in a sufficient meaningful way! FOR THE SAKE OF THOSE FILIPINOS WHO REALLY CARE FOR THEIR COUNTRY. IT’S TIME TO ACT!!!!!!

* welcome to tsimis-abs's blog spot*

Growing up in a strong Filipino-Spanish family, there was always " gossip" in the family. Every family party there was always something new to talk about. In the Filipino culture I honestly think they love the gossip and drama especially in the Entertainment Industry. Everyone on t.v. is so " O.A." AKA "OVER-ACTING.So,I finally decided it was time for me to start up an entertainment/gossip column for the Filipino-Americans living in the U.S., to catch up with their " daily juice." ahah AY NANAMAN! Enjoy !