2011 12/28-2012 01/03

Northern California's largest Filipino American newspaper in circulation since 1990, the Manila Mail is the Bay Area's most read Fil-Am weekly publication distributed free in major cities of Northern California. Community is a B Section page that contains the weekly column of Bradford Adkins 'SCENES in the city'. The column features include: the issues and events, the individuals and organizations moving the community.

Half-Filipino Grammy-Winning Singer/Composer Bruno Mars (shown here with former TFC Executive and now a TV5 prized corporate asset, Jeffrey Remigio) February article, is this Column's Top 1 most read for the year.

(L-R) San Jose's Licensed Physical Therapist Leo Reyes, The Perkins Twins (Christian & Jesse Perkins) & Elk Grove's Justin Smaby lead the 20 plus male models that made the first-ever Bay Area Fashion Week very memorablel & this column's Top 2 of most read article last year.

Hollywood actor Mark Salling (FOX TV's "Puck" from Glee), Christmas vacationing in Boracay, most written about online in January, was highly-tweeted & this Column's Top 5 most read last year.

Manny Pacquiao's (shown here with All About Senior Care's Owner, Agnes Aguirre of San Jose) still a hot item ranking 6 (his moving from HBO to Showtime) & 7 (planned/canceled concert with Charice) on this Column's Top 10 most read for the year.

Charice's canceled show in Daly City, highly-publicized in October, is Top 7 most read.

Sarah Geronimo & Gerald Anderson in "Catch Me...I'm In Love" promo article featured in April, was last year's Top 8 most read.

Gary V (son Gabriel guested) & Martin Nievera's combined forces at the Cache Creek Casino Resort Parking Lot Concert generated enough buzz online and is Top 9 most read.

Produced by San Jose's Roger Francisco, the Bay Area Fashion Week ranked 2nd as this Column's most-read article. (L-R) Photo shows the cast, crew & models, Justin Smaby, Michael Seelig, 2011 Miss Canada-World Riza Santos, Jesse Perkins, Leo Reyes, Christian Perkins, Bradford Adkins, just to name a few.

Top 10 Stories of 2011

(Using Google Analytics, we ranked last year’s most read stories in 153 Countries)

SEEN IN THE CITY

Nobody gives free Wi-fi these days – not the Marriott Waikiki Beach Resort & Spa where this Columnist is vacationing and is typing this story; not even the usually Wi-fi generous Starbucks (where’s your Christmas spirit, guys?) at the Honolulu Airport in Hawaii where I was emailing this piece.

There’s hope though. Thanks to the new AT&T’s Elevate 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot where I can connect up to five (5) units to it (Laptop, iPad, iPhone, etc) uninterruptedly, even in the sandy beaches of Hanauma Bay. It’s fast, it’s reliable and a life saver (no, I don’t get paid to endorse it).

Here are this Column’s Top 10 stories for the last year, culled from the latest Google Analytics Reports, in this order:

1) February’s report on the Bruno Mars Plea on a Cocaine Bust. Also photos of Binibining Pilipinas-Universe Shamcey Supsup (who later on captured the 3^rdrunner-up 2011 Miss Universe honors), Rocco Nacino & Aljur Abrenica.

2) October’s report on the first-ever (and the biggest in San Jose) Bay Area Fashion Week featuring 30 plus Designers, 30 plus Models and over 700 Collections.

3) July’s “The Wharton Edge” describing the Wharton Business School’s advantages over their competition.

4) July’s Kababayan Fest featuring pictures of GMA-7 artists Aljur Abrenica & Mark Bautista.

5) January’s 'Glee' actor Mark Salling photos spending Christmas in Boracay (he tweeted how beautiful the island is)

6) May’s Pacquiao fight being on Showtime for the 1^st time (moved from HBO); the story ‘Thia Megia Day’ in Mountain House (Or how the 16-year old American Idol Top 11 Finalist changed the Northern CA town) also was most-read in May.

7) October’sPacquiao-Charice at Cow Palace in Daly City (the show got canceled later)

8) April’s “Catch me...I'm In Love” movie promo article, featuring Sarah Gerronimo & Gerald Anderson (thanks to our friends at the globally influential Kimerald)

9) June’s Gary/Martin Concert at Cache Creek Casino (the show was a huge hit)

10) September’s Miss Canada-World Riza Santos arrival in San Francisco.

Lastly, I am happy to report that this Column is now being read in 153 countries (based on latest tracking from Google Analytics). The Top 20 countries in terms of online readership and page views are (in this order):

1. Philippines

2. United States

3. Canada

4. Saudi Arabia

5. United Kingdom

6. Australia

7. United Arab Emirates

8. Indonesia

9. Malaysia

10. Singapore

11 Japan

12. Vietnam

13. Italy

14. Thailand

15. India

16. Germany

17. Qatar

18. France

19. Hong Kong

20. Taiwan

Happy New Year, dear readers, for your continued support, contribution & patronage.

Briefs & Shorts

Congratulations to Vianca Paula Salazar who got engaged last Christmas to Jay Jocson. He proposed in front of family & friends in the midst of the holiday celebration, at her parents’ residence in Pleasanton, CA. She cried tears of joy. Our best wishes to you both.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“There is no truth to the rumor circulating that Manny V. Pangilinan has bought GMA-7. In fact, there are NO NEGOTIATIONS at all between GMA-7 and Manny V. Pangilinan.” by GMA NETWORK’S Iris Joy P. Abarquez, Regional Publicity Writer, GMA Corporate Communications (acting on behalf of Kali Hofilena, who is on a holiday vacation).

This article also appears online at www.FilAmnation.com and http://sites.google.com/site/adkinsmmcevents/Home/ with readership in 153 countries now (& still counting!) according to the latest Google Analytics report.

Do you have any personal or community events you want announced or published? Just email them to bradford_adkins@yahoo.com

Follow me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/bradford_adkins)