The Beauty and Symmetry of Mathematics

I received the following (via e-mail) from a friend in the Philippines. It is now circulating in the social media, but I found this fascinating, so I am sharing it with you. The title of the e-mail is Beauty of Mathematics !

1 x 8 + 1 = 9
12 x 8 + 2 = 98
123 x 8 + 3 = 987
1234 x 8 + 4 = 9876
12345 x 8 + 5 = 98765
123456 x 8 + 6 = 987654
1234567 x 8 + 7 = 9876543
12345678 x 8 + 8 = 98765432
123456789 x 8 + 9 = 987654321

1 x 9 + 2 = 11
12 x 9 + 3 = 111
123 x 9 + 4 = 1111
1234 x 9 + 5 = 11111
12345 x 9 + 6 = 111111
123456 x 9 + 7 = 1111111
1234567 x 9 + 8 = 11111111
12345678 x 9 + 9 = 111111111
123456789 x 9 +10= 1111111111

9 x 9 + 7 = 88
98 x 9 + 6 = 888
987 x 9 + 5 = 8888
9876 x 9 + 4 = 88888
98765 x 9 + 3 = 888888
987654 x 9 + 2 = 8888888
9876543 x 9 + 1 = 88888888
98765432 x 9 + 0 = 888888888

Brilliant, isn't it? And look at this symmetry:

1 x 1 = 1
11 x 11 = 121
111 x 111 = 12321
1111 x 1111 = 1234321
11111 x 11111 = 123454321
111111 x 111111 = 12345654321
1111111 x 1111111 = 1234567654321
11111111 x 11111111 = 123456787654321
111111111 x 111111111 = 12345678987654321

Now, take a look at this...101% From a strictly mathematical viewpoint: What Equals 100%? What does it mean to give MORE than 100%?

Ever wonder about those people who say they are giving more than 100%? We have all been in situations where someone wants you to
GIVE OVER 100%. How about ACHIEVING 101%? What equals 100% in life? Here's a little mathematical formula that might help
answer these questions:

If:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Is represented as:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26.

If:

H-A-R-D-W-O- R- K

8+1+18+4+23+ 15+18+11 = 98%

And:

K-N-O-W-L-E- D-G-E

11+14+15+23+ 12+5+4+7+ 5 = 96%

But:

A-T-T-I-T-U- D-E

1+20+20+9+20+ 21+4+5 = 100%

THEN, look how far the love of God will take you:

L-O-V-E-O-F- G-O-D

12+15+22+5+15+ 6+7+15+4 = 101%

Therefore, one can conclude with mathematical certainty that: While Hard Work and Knowledge will get you close, and Attitude will get you there, It's the Love of God that will put you over the top!



It's up to you if you share this with your friends & loved ones just the way I did.. Have a nice day & God bless you all the time!! Have a Complete life!!!...

New Drug for Type 2 Diabetes Approved

I have type 2 diabetes, however it is controlled by metformin. A drug called Invokana from J&J was just recently approved by FDA. It is very expensive, but it gives the diabetic another option, specially if he or she also wants to loss weight. It has side effects as all drugs have. The following video and article is very informative. If metformin does not effectively control your blood sugar Invokana may be an option to consider. If that is the case see your doctor.

Railroad Tours Around the World

Have you ever dreamed of a railroad tour via a luxurious Oriental Express trains either in Mexico, Canada or Southeast Asia?
I do, it is in my bucket list of what to do before I die. But at this stage of my life, I doubt whether I will be able to do it. Suffice to say, I will be just contented watching it via the following videos. Come join me and enjoy this tour.

The interior of a typical restored oriental express train for tourists





Personal Note: As a child I was always fascinated by toy trains. However my first train long ride was from Manila to Naga City via the Bicol Express in the early 1950's. It was my summer vacation from my college days. My dormitory mate who was from Naga City invited me to attend the Penafrancia Fluvial Festival in his hometown. My recollection of the ride was it quite long, comfortable and I enjoyed the rural scenery.

The train service was operated by the Philippine National Railways (PNR). This is a state-owned railway company in the Philippines, operating a single line of track on Luzon. As of 2010, it operates one commuter rail service in Metro Manila and a second in the Bicol Region. PNR restored its intercity service to the Bicol region in 2011. The Bicol Express and Isarog Express run on a daily basis between Manila and Ligao.

PNR began operations on November 24, 1892 as the Ferrocarril de Manila-Dagupan, during the Spanish colonial period, and later becoming the Manila Railroad Company (MRR) during the American colonial period. It became the Philippine National Railways on June 20, 1946 by virtue of Republic Act No. 4156. The PNR is an agency of the Department of Transportation and Communications.

PNR used to operate over 479 km (298 mi)of route from La Union up to Bicol. However, continued neglect in past decades reduced PNR's efficiency and railroad coverage. Persistent problems with informal settlers in the 1990s contributed further to PNR's decline. In 2006, Typhoons Milenyo and Reming caused severe damage to the network, resulting in the suspension of the Manila-Bicol services.

In 2007 the Philippine government initiated a rehabilitation project aiming to remove informal settlers from the PNR right-of-way, revitalize commuter services in Metro Manila, and restore the Manila-Bicol route as well as lost services in Northern Luzon. In July 2009, PNR unveiled a new corporate identity and inaugurated new rolling stock.

Carenna's 10th Birthday Celebration

My youngest grand daughter, Carenna Katague Thompson celebrated her 10th birthday with her girl friends with a Hollywood Party theme last week. Below are some of the photos of the BD celebration.





In the meantime, please enjoy Carenna's song at their school program just recently. I am proud of you, my little Princess and Pangga! Many, Many more birthdays to come. From Lolo and Lola!



Here are some of Carenna's classmates. She is one of the tallest in the group. She inherited her height not from the Katague genes, but probably from her late Dad who was a 6-footer Irish-Italian American.
Carenna and second cousins from Southern California. A very tall girl for her age.
Again, congratulations on your 10th birthday, my Pangga. Love Lolo and Lola

Tornado Season in the Midwest

Yesterday, President Barack Obama called the destruction of the last week's tornado wrought in Moore, Oklahoma, "hard to comprehend" and vowed to provide long-term federal help in rebuilding.

Last week tornado was rated at the top of a five-step scale used to measure the destructive power of twisters. It killed 24 people - including seven children at the school site THAT President Obama visited yesterday. It ripped a 17-mile-long (27-km-long) corridor of destruction through the suburb of Oklahoma City, flattening entire blocks of homes, two schools and a hospital causing billions of damages to property.

Tornadoes are indeed very scary and destructive, similar to hurricanes and earthquakes. Have you seen or heard a tornado so close that you thought you will die? Or just far enough to scare you? My family and I have seen and heard a tornado when we were still living in Kansas City in the 1980's. It was close enough, we all have to run for cover in the basement. Luckily, it was a small and weak tornado (probably a f0 or f1) in the FUJITA scale. It dissipated fast enough in the opposite direction where our house was located. It did topple a couple of trees in the backyard of our next-door neighbor though. It was still scary since one will never know if it is your house that will be in its direct path.

A tornado (often referred to as a twister or, erroneously, a cyclone) is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud.

Tornadoes come in many shapes and sizes, but are typically in the form of a visible condensation funnel, whose narrow end touches the earth and is often encircled by a cloud of debris and dust. Most tornadoes have wind speeds less than 110 miles per hour (177 km/h), are approximately 250 feet (80 m) across, and travel a few miles (several kilometers) before dissipating. The most extreme can attain wind speeds of more than 300 mph (480 km/h), stretch more than two miles (3 km) across, and stay on the ground for dozens of miles (more than 100 km).

Tornadoes have been observed on every continent except Antarctica. However, the vast majority of tornadoes in the world occur in the Tornado Alley ( Midwest) region of the United States, although they can occur nearly anywhere in North America. They also occasionally occur in south-central and eastern Asia, the Philippines, northern and east-central South America, Southern Africa, northwestern and southeast Europe, western and southeastern Australia, and New Zealand. Tornadoes can be detected before or as they occur through the use of Pulse-Doppler radar by recognizing patterns in velocity and reflectivity data, such as hook echoes, as well as by the efforts of storm spotters.

There are several different scales for rating the strength of tornadoes. The Fujita (F)scale rates tornadoes by damage caused, and has been replaced in some countries by the updated Enhanced Fujita Scale(EF). An F0 or EF0 tornado, the weakest category, damages trees, but not substantial structures. An F5 or EF5 tornado, the strongest category, rips buildings off their foundations and can deform large skyscrapers.

There are people who loved chasing tornadoes, but not me. A F0 tornado I experienced in Kansas City 25 years ago is enough to scare me for life.

My Favorite Three Books and Dan Brown's Inferno

What are your three Favorite Books? Mine are listed below!

Three of my favorite books are: Playing with Water by James Hamilton-Paterson, Cloyne Court by Dodie Katague and World as seen Under the Lens of a Scientist by Vithal Shetty. Playing with Water is about Marinduque-My Second Home. Cloyne Court was written by my oldest son on his memoirs while a student at the University of California, Berkeley in the late 1970's. Dr. Shetty's book is his biography discussing his life from the slums of Mumbai to his life as a scientist at the National Institute of Health and in the Food and Drug Administration in Maryland.

I am not an avid book reader, since I spend too much of my free time watching television and blogging. But once I started reading a good book, I will not stop until I finished it. Depending on the size of the book these could range from 1 day to 3 days. Three of my favorite books are:

1. "Playing with Water" by James Hamilton-Paterson

James Hamilton-Paterson is a British poet and novelist. He is known to be one of the most reclusive of British literary exiles who shares his time between Austria, Italy and extensive periods over the last 30 years in the Philippines. He is generally known as a commentator on the Philippine scene, where he has lived on and off. His novels on the Philippines includes "Ghosts of Manila", and "America's Boy" (1998), the latter setting the Marcos regime into the geopolitical context of the time.

One of his books, "Playing with Water", sold more than 4 million copies, described in a book review by New York Times as "a work of such genuine commitment, balanced perception and responsive passion that it will certainly be condemned to become a classic.

I have read this book a few years ago. I had almost forgotten this book, until last month when a fellow blogger from Marinduque posted an article about this book. It triggered pleasant memories of Marinduque. I love this book so much, I read some chapters twice. It is one of the best books, I have read about my island Paradise and my retirement home of Marinduque. It was written and published in the late 1990s but the lessons one can learn from this book are still applicable today. Here's one review of the book:

"Go read this book, it's good!," By A. N. Teodoro III (River Edge, NJ, USA) - This review is from: Playing with Water: Passion and Solitude on a Philippine Island (Twentieth Century Lives)

"I read this book so many years ago, but I can still remember how good it is. This book is not only about the underwater world but also about the goings-on in a typical barrio in the Philippines. It has a socio-economic aspect to it that I found quite realistic, having been born and raised in that very same third world country. It amazed and pleased me that a foreigner like Hamilton-Paterson could, quite accurately, capture the very essence of Filipino rural society-like the old woman who he suspects isn't so aloof and taciturn as she seems and the children of the barrio who frolic in the water and in their humble amusements, oblivious of the shortcomings of a third world upbringing. The book is an unusual stew of underwater adventure and an unpatronizing account of a life among barrio folk".

2. "Cloyne Court", by Dodie Katague

This book was written by my oldest son in 2009. As his father, who loves blogging, I am really proud of his writing accomplishments, considering this is not his primary job. Below are several reviews of his book as published by www.virtualauthorbooktours.com. I hope you have time to read his book, Cloyne Court.

"In 1977, when 18-year-old Berkeley college student, Derek moved into the student residence co-op, Cloyne Court, sight unseen, little did he know he would learn about life, love, sex, drugs, music, alcohol and co-ed showers-all on the first day.

Located one block North of the University of California, Berkeley campus, this real and notorious student-run house has provided an alternative, counter-culture, hedonistic, raucous, and unique living experience for the "Clones", as the students call themselves, who choose to live here each year, despite the public and parents calling for a permanent shut down of this enduring and historic building.

Based on his journals and memories of his college days at this real-life "Animal House", author Dodie Katague weaves true events of life at Cloyne Court co-op into a zany, wild, and nostalgic story about the carefree time of every college student's life.

"Sure to entertain any of those who enjoy a good story of the world of the fraternities and sororities, "Cloyne Court" is a fine memoir and a read well worth considering."

~Midwest Book Review.

"I wish I had as much fun as Derek did in college, I recommend this book for anyone that has gone to college, or plans to go to college, or thought about going to college. Also for anyone who knows someone who went to college, because that buttoned up shirt wearing respectable man might have some stories to tell"

~Genoa Dillon, Amazon Reviewer

3. World as Seen Under the Lens of a Scientist, by Vithal Shetty


I have read some parts of the draft of this book and heard and witnessed in person portions of Dr Shetty's life and achievements, but it was only the other day that I was able to purchase the published book. It is an inspiring story, typical of a rags to riches story, but it is different because I know this scientist personally and had to supervise his work as a Review Chemist in FDA. Here's a press release and summary of the book published in March 2009 by Xlibris.

"Long before he arrived in America, Dr. B. Vithal Shetty experienced racial arrogance and discrimination. Even though he got admitted to the University of Pennsylvania, he had trouble finding a place to live and decency as white people disrespected him for his ethnicity. Along the way, he made constant adjustments in order to move his life forward while striving to earn respect through his close friendship with African Americans. Eventually, the author finally achieved redemption when he became an internationally renowned drug discovery sterling scientist. An engaging look back at Dr. Shetty's life begins with the release of his new book World As Seen Under the Lens of A Scientist: Negro Zero To American Hero Who Changed United States From American Hypocrisy To Greatest Democracy".

Dr. Vithal Shetty was one of the Chemistry Reviewers under my supervision during my employment with USFDA from 1990 to 2002. Dr Shetty is also the discoverer of Metolazone (a drug for treatment of high blood pressure). He is also currently working on drugs for the cure for HIV/AIDS. I wrote a brief article on Dr. Shetty's work and accomplishments titled "Chemistry Reviewer Still in the Lab" when he was still under my supervision as a chemistry reviewer. It was published in News Along the Pike, an FDA Newsletter before my retirement in 2002. Dr. Shetty's autobiography is an inspiring one. He came from the slums of Mumbai, India and encountered discrimination in 1950s in the US. Today he is an accomplished scientist in the United States with more than 200 patents in his name.

I believe that someday he may win a Nobel Prize either in Chemistry or Medicine, if his research on HIV/AIDS drugs becomes successful.

Note: In my wish list is Dan Brown new book, Inferno. I am anxious to read his description of Manila as the Gates of Hell. The book is fiction. So you Pinoys do not get upset that Dan Brown describes Manila as the Gates of Hell, due to pollution, extreme poverty, prostitution and a mecca for sex trade of children and minors.

Battered Men and Abusive Women-An Update

The recent trial of Jody Arias and her conviction of the first degree murder of her boy friend, Travis Alexander is still in the news today. Yesterday on the penalty phase of the trial, 8 out 4 jurors voted for the death penalty. Since a unanimous vote is needed for the death penalty, another jury hearing will be schedule hopefully soon. This case is the most graphic and cruel example of a battered man that resulted into his murder.

Prosecutors have the option to take the death penalty off the table, in which case a new trial wouldn't be necessary and the judge would determine whether to sentence Arias to spend her entire life behind bars or life with the possibility of release after 25 years. Should the state decide to seek death again, jury selection alone could take weeks, given the difficulty of seating an impartial panel in a case that has attracted global attention.

The guilty verdict of first-degree murder would stand, leaving the new panel only tasked with sentencing Arias. However, former Maricopa County Attorney Rick Romley said the case could drag on for several months as the new jury reviews evidence and hears opening statements, closing arguments and witness testimony. If the second jury cannot reach a unanimous decision, the judge would then sentence Arias to one of the life-in-prison options. The judge cannot sentence Arias to death.

This Arias case is a very rare event. But, I know of two other men being abused by their wives. Nobody believed them until they finally decided to end the marriage. This abuse by women is not widely publicized compared to abusive men who battered their wives or partner. Luckily this two men got out of the relationship, so both men are still alive.

I have read and heard many cases of battered wives but not of battered husbands. The first time I heard of a case of a battered husband was about 12 years ago when I was still working for Food and Drug Administration in Maryland. A Review Chemist I had supervised confided in me, that the reason he is now divorced is because his former wife has been beating him at least once a month for the last two years. At first, he just protected himself, but after the fourth beating he reported it to the police. The police came to their apartment, investigated and nothing else happened. The physical and mental abuse continued until he finally decided to break the marriage and left his wife. There was a restraining order issued against his wife.

My first reaction was one of disbelief. This man although softly spoken is 6'6" tall, athletic and very masculine. He has a PhD in chemistry and is very personable and friendly. I ask myself-is this man telling the truth? But the way he confided in me was very convincing and I believe him. The abuse was not only physical but also mental according to him. The guy is about 45 years old and they have no children.

The second case of a battered husband that I heard was just recently in the Philippines. This case is sad and really touched my heart since the battered husband is a close relative of my wife. During one of our many family reunions, I noticed the absence of his wife. I ask him why his wife was not around. He replied "I do not have a wife anymore". I was embarrassed for asking the question and totally forgot about the incident. However, the next day, I was talking to his mom. She told me about the domestic abuse that her son had tolerated for the last 10 years. It was only last year that he told his parents what was going on. They are now separated and have two children, 9 and 2 years old. The children are with him, but his wife has visiting rights. In this case the abuse is also both physical and mental. As in case above, this man is good looking, athletic, very personable, and intelligent. This guy is only 41 years old.

Do you know of a case of a battered husband? Abuse could be either physical or mental or both.

I learned How to Cook, Yesterday

I considered this one of my greatest accomplishments in my life along with my Ph.D. Graduation in Pharmaceutical Chemistry in 1964 from the University of Illinois. Really? Let me explain.

I have been married for over 56 years, but the kitchen area is my wife's domain. Macrine, my spouse is an excellent cook. I never intrude in her domain, but just help her with the dishes since we got married in 1957. Her being an excellent cook is one of the many reasons why I married her. The saying that the way to man's heart is through his stomach really applies to our marriage.

However, about six months ago, Macrine was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease(PD). Thus, her ability to cook was really affected by her PD. So for the last past six months, I was in the kitchen with Macrine telling me just what to do. Yesterday, however, she was not feeling well. I was forced to cook without her supervision. Macrine wanted chicken soup. So with out any recipe book on hand here's what I did from memory.

I placed 4 chicken legs and 4 chicken wings in a pot containing 6 cups of water. I let it boil for about 7 minutes. I then added one chopped onion, a sprinkle of salt, pepper and ground ginger. Then I added bite size potatoes(2)and chayote(1), half a pound of fresh green beans cut into about 3 to 4 inches in length. I continue the boiling and added 6 pieces of carrots cut also to about 3 inches for color. I let the pot boil until the chicken was cooked. Then I added 6 bunches of washed baby bok choy and a smashed of fresh ginger( 2 inches) for flavoring. I continue the boiling until the potatoes were cooked. I tasted the broth and added a little more salt and pepper. As soon as the baby bok choy was cooked, I shut off the heat. I tasted the soup. It was perfect and the aroma of ginger made me hungry.

My wife complemented me on my cooking. This was an accomplishment, I never dream of. I feel very creative cooking without a cookbook and was surprise I enjoyed cooking.

I called my dish, Chicken Tinola. This is a very simple recipe and I finished cooking in less than an hour. My wife sometimes adds fish sauce(patis) for more of a salty and fishy taste. I hate patis, to me it stinks. My preference is to add hot Picante Salsa sauce. There are several variations of this dish in the different regions of the Philippines. In Marinduque, green papaya is used instead of chayote. Malonggay or green pepper leaves are also used in the recipe. Bon Apetit!

marinduque rising: Prof. Winnie's view on proclamations and dynasties...

marinduque rising: Prof. Winnie's view on proclamations and dynasties...: Of proclamations and dynasties By   Solita Collas-Monsod Repost from Philippine Daily Inquirer An ego as big as all outdoors. And a...

A must-read article on the recent elections in the Philippines. The subject of political dynasties and Premature Ejaculations ( ooops, I mean Premature Proclamations) reminds me of the congressional election in my province Marinduque-my second home.

Here's a video of the true to life moro-moro on the Reyes-Velasco fight for Congress.

An Unexpected Help from a Stranger

Bright Future for Philippines' Younger Generation

During the first leg of our trip home (Boac to Manila) from the Philippines to Northern California, I experienced an act of kindness and thoughfulness that was not expected. This act of kindness that is unexpected is an omen that there is a bright future for the Philippines' younger generation.

Last April, Macrine ( my spouse of 56 years) and I were on our way to Manila from Boac, Marinduque for our first plane ride on our way back to Northern California. On this trip, I experienced an act of kindness from a complete stranger. It came from a handsome teenager from Manila. This act of kindness is an omen that if majority of the the filipino youth think and act this way, there is a bright future for the filipino younger generation.

I was carrying two hand carries boarding a Zest Air plane bound for Manila. Suddenly, a young man rushes in front of me and volunteered to carry one of my hand carry bags up to my seat in the plane. I was sort of shocked, since this was not expected. I gave him a look of surprise but gave him a thank you smile and appreciation of his thoughfulness.

Perhaps, you are wondering why I had two "hand carry" bags. The reason why I have two hand carries is that Macrine is now using a quad cane and is not able to carry her own hand carry. She refused to use a wheel chair in boarding the plane, since it was just a short walk from the boarding gate to the plane.

The volunteer was a young and good-looking teenager named Carlo Yu. He is a student of De La Salle University in Manila. He is traveling with his mother and an older sister, returning to Manila after a three day vacation at the world-renown 5-star beach resort, Bellarocca Resort and Spa in Buenavista.

Thirty minutes later when we arrived in Manila, he and his sister again helped me picked up and load my three suitcases in my cart for check out.

Indeed what a kind and thoughtful young man. If most of the Filipino teenagers are like Carlo, there is indeed a bright future for the Filipino younger generation. Thank you again Carlo for your kindness. Perhaps someday our path will cross again, then I will have another chance to say thank you. Hep, Hep, Hurrah! for the Filipino Youth!

My Chronological versus my Mental Age

Today I feel that my mind is still in my 40's but my body tells me I am over 75. Actually, I am 78 years old and 5 months as of today.

Aging is a natural process. But with a good diet and exercise, the aging process can be slowed down, I believe.

Last March, while I was still in Marinduque, I did " hands-on gardening" such as weeding, fertilizing and watering my plants. After 30 minutes of actual gardening that is fertilizing my more than 50 potted plants, my back started to ache. I had a hard time standing up. It ached so much that I have to take a pain killer( Celebrex).

This tells me I should do only gardening by mouth. I have one permanent gardener and two temporary helpers, especially if there is an event in the resort. However, there are times I like to do "hands-on" gardening since I really enjoy gardening and it is also my exercise.

However with regards to my mind, I still have a good memory. I could still remember the unit prices of all building materials, such as cement, tiles, hinges, hollow blocks etc., that I purchased last year. I STILL play duplicate bridge and still remember almost all the 52 cards based on the bidding. For those of you who do not play duplicate bridge, you only see 26 cards. The other half is hidden, but based on the bidding, and of your memory of how the bidding went and the discarded cards, you actually can guess the location of all the 52 cards. I am proud to say, my memory is still good.

But I noticed that my memory is not as good as when I was in high school. In high school, my teacher in world history wanted to give me 100, since all my tests were all 100, but the highest grade he could legally gave me was only 95. I had a photographic memory then. But today, that photographic memory is gone.

So my dear readers, can you tell me where to find the fountain of youth? Do you have a formula or a lifestyle that slow down the aging process? Do you believe that a good diet and daily exercises can slow down the aging process? I will be posting an article on the ten items I do rigorously to stay fit and healthy in the next couple of days. Watch for it and have a Good Day.

The Reyes-Velasco Election Fiasco in Marinduque

Remove the Pork Barrel System in the Philippines and Eliminate Corruption
I attented a Filipino-American Party today here in Northern California. The most popular topic of conversation is the recent election in the Philippines. Topic number #1 is the Time magazine article stating that Filipinos are stupid for having elected a 20-year old Pinay with no experience in government with the name of Nancy Binay. The other topic was the local congressional election in Marinduque- The Reyes versus Velasco Election Fiasco. Vote buying, threat of goons and pork barrel as the main source of corruption were also discussed at the party.

Here's a sample of conversation that I recalled at the party.

Guest #1; So you are from Marinduque? I heard that the voters elected an American Citizen for your representative in Congress. Is this against the Law to run for an elected position in the Philippines if you are a US citizen?

Guest #2: Yes, I am from Marinduque. I am so ashamed of what is happening now in my Province. Gina Reyes the daughter of the reelected governor, Carmencita Reyes, garnered more than 3000 votes against the current representative Lord Allan Velasco. The Reyeses had been a political dynasty in the Province for the last four decades starting from the Marcos regime.

Guest #3: If you have been reading the Philippine News, it was published that Comelec ( Commission on Elections) had disqualified Gina Reyes as a candidate because of her citizenship and other lies in her Certificate of Candidacy (COC) regarding her date(s) of brith, names and marital status.

Guest #1: Today, I read in the news that the Board of Canvassers in Marinduque defied the decision of Comelec by proclaiming Gina Reyes as the newly elected congresswoman representative of Marinduque. Of course, Velasco protested and questioned the authority of the Boatrd of Canvassers. Since Reyes is a disqualified candidate, he should be the one proclaimed having garnered the second highest number of votes. Do you have an idea when will this moro-moro and fiasco end? Will this case go to the Supreme Court?

I joined the group and gave them my personal opinion on how to solve this problem immediately. I suggested that perhaps, the 4 years term of the representative in Congress be divided between Reyes and Velasco( 2 years each). Along with this decision there will be an equal allocation of the millions pesos of pork barrel. This money will have to be spent on a defined project. ( not to be placed in their personal bank accounts). In addition in the next election in 2016, the two co-representatives will pledge that there will no more vote buying in Marinduque or goons hired during the election campaign.

The group gave me a dirty look. I was embarrassed and went to another group of guests not discussing politics.

Have You Heard of the Senior's Alphabet?

A senior friend from the Philippines send me this article. My friend do not know the author, but we both can identify with the article as senior citizens.

Seniors' Alphabet

A for arthritis, B for bad back, C is for chest pains. Perhaps cardiac?

D is for dental decay and decline, E is for eyesight--can't read that top line.

F is for fissures and fluid retention, G is for gas (which I'd rather not mention.)

H high blood pressure (I'd rather have low,) I for incisions with scars you can show.

J is for joints, that now fail to flex, L for libido--what happened to sex?

Wait! I forgot about K! K is for my knees that crack when they're bent, (Please forgive me, my Memory ain't worth a cent.)

N for neurosis, pinched nerves and stiff neck, 0 is for osteo- and all bones that crack.

P for prescriptions, I have quite a few. Give me another pill; I'll be good as new!

Q is for queasiness. Fatal or flu? R is for reflux--one meal turns into two

S is for sleepless nights, counting my fears, T for tinnitus--! hear bells in my ears.

U is for urinary: difficulties with flow, V is for vertigo, that's "dizzy", you know.

W is worry, now what's going 'round? X is for X ray--and what might be found.

Y for another year I've left behind, Z is for zest that I still have my mind.

How many of the alphabets, can you relate to? If none, you are still not a senior citizen, but your time will come.

Time for Some Senior Citizen's Humor

Image from oldtarf.blogspot.com

I read this from a FaceBook friend wall just recently. It made me laugh so I am reposting it in this blog. Enjoy!

If my body was a car, I would be thinking of trading it in for a newer model.
I've got bumps, dents, scratches and my paint job is getting dull. My headlights are out of focus. My traction is not as graceful as it once was. My whitewalls are stained with varicose veins. It takes me hours to reach maximum speed.

But the worst is...every time I sneeze, cough, or sputter either my radiator leaks or my exhaust backfires...!!! Repost if this made you laugh like me.....;

My Favorite Acrostic Poem for Mother's Day

It is now Mother's Day in the Philippines. Since about 30% of my readers reside in the Philippines, I decided to post this article now in honor to all Mothers of the World.

There are hundreds of poems in the web about Mothers and Motherhood. But the following acrostic poem is my favorite. My own mother passed away several decades ago, but I will always remember all the things she had taught me such as being frugal and be responsible for my actions. To all my readers, Happy Mothers' Day and enjoy the following poem.

M - O - T - H - E - R

"M" is for the million things she gave me,
"O" means only that she's growing old,
"T" is for the tears she shed to save me,
"H" is for her heart of purest gold;
"E" is for her eyes, with love-light shining,
"R" means right, and right she'll always be,

Put them all together, they spell "MOTHER,"

A word that means the world to me. Howard Johnson (c. 1915)

For more mother's day poem, visit www.mothersdaycelebration.com

Today, I like also to remember my Mother by revisiting and posting an excerpt from an article Tribute to My Parents, in my autobiography, http://davidbkatague.blogspot.com

"My mother, Paz Barrido Balleza and family are big landowners in Barotac Viejo and the neighboring towns of Banate and Ajuy. The Balleza family were considered rich at that time. She was born on January 14, 1909 and is the youngest of three children, the only girl with two older brothers, Modesto, Jr (lawyer) and Jose who are much older than her. My mother’s parents both died, when she was only in high school. So, she was under the care of her oldest brother, Modesto. At that time, Modesto Balleza family had a big house in Iloilo City, just across the street from St. Paul Hospital and one block from Assumption College-an exclusive and private school for girls.

My mother went to high school at Assumption College until she was a junior. In her senior year, she met my father, fell in love with him, stopped school and got married. My mother with tears in her eyes told me that the reason she married without finishing high school was to get away from the control of her oldest brother. When their parents died, there was no will. Thus, the Balleza properties (rice and corn lands, coconut plantations, fish ponds) were all under the control of her two brothers.

The division of property according to my mother was very unfair. The brothers claimed the best rice lands to themselves. What was left for her to inherit were the properties in the distant barrios, rice land with no irrigation, except for one parcel of rice land (20 hectares) near the town. Of course, she did not receive one-third share of their parents' properties. When she married, control of her properties was given to her. My Dad then helped her manage the rice lands and other properties.

My mother was very frugal. She would not leave a morsel of rice on her plate. I remember her saying, “If you do not finish your food, God will punish you”. So even today, I always have a clean plate after lunch or dinner. My mother had a strict budget and allocated 10% of the farm income into her savings. By the time, I was in college, they had enough savings to purchase a commercial property in Iloilo City. With the back pay that my father received having served as a Dental Officer in the Philippine-American Army from 1941-1945, they were able to build a commercial building at Iznart street, just across the YMCA building, etc...". For the whole article, you are welcome to read my blog dated 12/15/11 as indicated above.
The David Jamili Katague Family, Barotac Viejo, Iloilo, Philippines, 1956 My Mother Front Row on the Right. I am in the Back Row, First from the Left.

How about you? Do you have pleasant memories of your Mother? I will be delighted to hear from you!

My Other Writing Activities Besides My Blogs

Yesterday, I wrote about reaching almost close to a million readers from my ten blogs. My readers come from 173 countries. About 90% of my readers reside in the US, Philippines, UK, Canada or Japan. Aside from my ten blogs, my other writing activities are writing for http://publish.us and www.squidoo.com writing sites. These two writing sites pay me a small amount based on the number of unique page views that my article has received. Of the two sites, I have maintained my account on Publish.us active. My account at www.sqiudoo.com is open (WITH 29 LENSES) but I have not submitted any new postings (LENSES) since last year. I have only a few readers at Squidoo.

Currently, I am earning a few cents per month, sometimes a couple of dollars at Publish.us. I am not unhappy about it, since my goal is to communicate and not to make money. My first posting in Publish.us was on December, 2011. As of today, I have written 393 articles on almost any subjects.( retirement in Marinduque, personal activities, life in US and Philippines, blogging, tourism etc..)

The following are my top twelve most viewed articles based on unique page views. The list include the title, date posted and the number of unique page views.

1. A Very Creative Scam Letter ( 8/04/12), 1237

2. Political Innuendos and Jokes in my E-mail ( 8/20/12), 1174

3. Williamsburg, Virginia ( 9/05/12), 800

4. Are there Nude Beaches in Marinduque?( 5/05/12), 608

5. What Others Say About Marinduque, ( 5/03/13) , 605

6. A Milestone in My Blogging Activities, (5/07/13), 566

7. Cinco de Mayo-5th of May Celebration, (5/05/13), 507

8. Today is Our 56th Wedding Anniversary, (5/08/13), 451

9. Another Creative Scam Letter, (4/30/13), 406

10. The Month of May in the Philippines, (5/01/13), 351

11. Is Compulsive Talking an Addiction Disorder?, ( 5/02/12), 346

12. Playing with Words and Palindromes, (5/04/13), 335


On the other hand the top five most popular and highly rank articles(lenses) in my Squidoo page are:

1. Caste System in the Philippines posted on 10/20/12

2. Abused Against Men: The Battered Husband posted on 1/08/13

3. My Bucket List: 101 Things to Do Before I Die posted on 11/13/12

4. My Childhood Memories of World War II posted on 7/06/12

5. My Book Review: Tears in the Darkness, The Bataan Death March posted on 9/21/12

Again, I am extending my thanks to all of you who have been reading my articles. My goal in writing is to inform and perhaps entertain, but never to make a lot of money. Cheers to All!

A Milestone in my Blogging Activites

Today, I have reached a new milestone in my writing activities. I have attained close to 800, 000 Page Views in my blogs. My readers come from 173 countries.

I have ten blog sites. However only five are widely read. I started blogging in the summer of 2009.

I am proud to announce that as of today, I have reached my goal to have at least half a million viewers. As for the record here are the stats from my five sites totaling 796, 262. I hope to reach over a million readers* by the end of summer. Please help me attain my goal by continuing to read my blogs:

1. Life in US and in the Philippines, http://lifeinus1960present.blogspot.com 192, 759
2. Marinduque Awaits You, http://marinduqueawaitsyou.blogspot.com 189, 937
3. Marinduque, Paradise Island , http://marinduquemyislandparadise.blogspot.com 168, 763
4. Chateau Du Mer Beach Resort, http://chateaudumer.blogspot.com 126, 687
5. The Intellectual Migrant-Autobiography, http://theintelectualmigrant.blogspot.com 117, 946

The ten most popular articles ( title, date posted and page views are:

1. Boracay and the Regency Hotel ( 1/16/11), 16,588
2. Death Valley National Park( 2/1/10), 15,975
3. Chapter 4, My College Years ( 5/09/09), 12,033
4. Singkil and Tinikling Folk Dances ( 1/26/09), 11,911
5. Have You Eaten a Durian? (9/12/10), 10, 456
6. Lagen Island, El Nido Resort (11/23/10), 7,921
7. Cloyne Court, Excerpt 10 (9/22/11), 7,008
8. Japanese-American War in PHL ( 10/10/10), 6,821
9. Chapter 1, Childhood Memories ( 5/09/09), 6,160
10. Bellarocca Resort and Spa, MRQ ( 5/20/09), 5,946

* Actually I had attained very close to one million viewers today, If I include my 5 other blogs as follows:

1. Where the Heck is Marinduque, http://planningtovisitthephilippines.blogspot.com, 63,125 page views
2. Why Retire in the PHL, http://whyretireinthephilippines.blogspot.com, 46,197
3. I left My Heart in MRQ, http://marinduqueonmymind.blogspot.com, 45,088
4. Amazing and Sexy Images in the Internet, http://amazingimagesintheinternet.blogspot.com, 9,344 (started on 8/12)
5. My Autobiography-David Balleza Katague, http://davidbkatague.blogspot.com, 4,005 ( started on 12/12)

The total page views of the above five blogs is 167,754. If I add this to the 796,262 page views above. the total is 964,916, very close to 1 million views.

Please help support my blogs by also clicking on the ads. Thank you my dear readers! Good Day or Nite to All!

Today is our 56th Wedding Anniversary-Our Love Story Revisited

Today is our 56th wedding anniversary. We are old in chronological age but very young in spirit. My wife, Macrine and I have four adult children ranging in ages from 48 to 55 years old. We have six grand children ranging in ages from 10 to 22 years old. No grand celebration today, just a lobster and steak dinner and our regular weekly Casino escapade.

Our love story started in the early 1950's at the University of the Philippines, in Diliman, Quezon City. I was introduced to my wife via her uncle, the late Reverend Father Constantino Nieva. At that time, Fr Tino ( that's how we called him when he was still alive) was a law student and the President of the University of the Philippines Student Action (UPSCA). UPSCA was a student organization with both social and religious goals under the guidance of the Late Reverend Father John P. Delaney, a Jesuit priest and Chaplain of the University for Roman Catholic residents of the UP campus. Macrine and I love music. We joined the UPSCA choir and our friendship developed into true love. In 1955 when I graduated from the University, Macrine and I had separated, since she transferred to another university.

However the next year during my 22nd birthday, she surprised me with a birthday cake, that she baked from scratch. It was an orange-chiffon cake, the best tasting cake I have ever tasted. We got together again that day. On May 8, 1957 we got married in Boac, Marinduque, her hometown. It was a 3-day celebration. The whole town were invited. Two water buffaloes, 10 baby pigs and 100 chickens were slaughtered for the occasion. We settled at our new home in Quezon City, a gift from both our parents.

I was then teaching Chemistry at the University of the Philippines- my Alma mater. In 1959, I received a positive response from my application for scholarship to do graduate studies in Chemistry to the United States. This stage in our married life is discussed in an article I wrote in my blog as follows:

“A year later, we were joyful to find out that my wife was in the family way with our oldest son. With all the blessings and major events transpiring in my life, I had completely forgotten about my personal vow to do graduate schoolwork in the US. One day I was surprised to receive a notice of an acceptance for a full teaching assistantship and scholarship. It was from one of the applications I sent out before we got married. The comfort and serenity of our married life was about to be shaken. I enthusiastically shared this good news with my wife, who wasn't too glad to hear about it. The thought of me leaving her alone with a child on the way, to go halfway around the world, distressed her. We had several long and unproductive discussions regarding this favorable opportunity. I had to postpone my trip a few times to appease her. I was torn between choosing my ambition to do graduate studies in the US alone, or staying with my wife in the Philippines.

I had to make a tough decision before the graduate school offer expired. In retrospect, I was thankful to and appreciative of my late father-in-law who intervened on my behalf. If not, I would have been stuck in the Philippines teaching Chemistry at the university, and would have never seen the fulfillment of my ambition. I was not aware that he had advised my wife to reconsider her decision, and let me go freely to pursue my dreams. My wife later on informed me that without her father's advice, she would not have given me her full consent to leave her and pursue my studies. She was not aware of the importance of my personal vow to do better in life, in light of failing to obtain my Latin Honors in college. Inasmuch as my wife was anxious with our impending separation, I was deeply saddened to leave her alone, but excited to go and fulfill my dreams. I went ahead to the US for my graduate studies, but I was totally unprepared for what was in store for me. It was my first trip away from my homeland, family and friends. I was going to live and study in the American Midwest, and I had to adjust to the western lifestyle, culture and cold winter weather without any friends or relatives to comfort me.

During my first year in the US, the reality of living alone and studying in a foreign land negatively affected my drive and ambition. I was tempted twice to nearly quit school, leave the US and return to my family to the Philippines. Graduate schoolwork while teaching Chemistry was tough and demanding. I was miserably homesick, lonely and missed my wife very badly, especially during the Holidays and Christmas. Moreover, the winters of Chicago were harsh, and can feel gloomy and depressing. It was difficult to tolerate the cold weather. I was accustomed to the tropical climate of the Philippines. In Chicago, I oftentimes asked myself what the heck I was doing in the US, with tears running down my face, and almost freezing on my cheeks and nose because of the frigid temperature. I could be happier and warm in my homeland, and be together with my cherished family.

The promise I made to fulfill my ambition, which was triggered by the one point I missed at the final examination in my Differential Calculus class, kept me going. I did my best with my work and studies. I never again considered quitting, and I was determined to finish what I had started. I finally made it, and I completed my Doctorate degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry from the University of Illinois in 1964. A year after I left the Philippines, my wife and our first baby, whose birth I did not witness, joined me in Chicago, Illinois. Their presence provided me with inspiration and encouragement to fulfill my ambition”.

The day after my Ph. D graduation was the start of my 25 years of professional career working for four private companies here in the US and then for another productive 12 years for the Food and Drug Administration(FDA). In 2002, I retired from FDA and started building our beach resort and retirement home in Boac, Marinduque, Philippines.

Our Wedding Day, May 8, 1957. From Left to Right: Dr David Jamili Katague( my DAD), Mrs Elena Nieva Jambalos ( Macrine's MOM), ME, Macrine, Mrs Paz Balleza Katague ( my MOM) and Mr Bernardo Jambalos, Jr ( Macrine's DAD)

Two years ago, I wrote an article in one of my blogs on my secret of a lasting marriage. An excerpt of that article is as follows:

“Several of our friends and relatives often ask me what one has to do for a lasting marriage. In other words is there a formula or secret for a lasting marriage? The question has no specific answer and may vary from one couple to another. However, I do believe that the couple must really be in love with each other unconditionally. So, when do you know that both husband and wife have attained unconditional love? You are truly in love with your partner when you have totally accepted her or his faults, weaknesses and flaws. There is no perfect human being, so once you have attained this outlook in your married life, your are indeed truly in love with your partner. Do I have a secret formula for a lasting and happy marriage? I have no secret except that there should always be an open communication between you and your partner. In the case of my wife of 56 years, Macrine Nieva Jambalos, I have accepted her flaws and she has accepted my flaws and weaknesses. In addition, both of us have recognized our strengths as well as our gifts and different personalities.

Again there is no perfect human being, and no perfect husband or wife. Our communication skills are perfect, we even think of the same things at the same time. A couple of days ago, when both of us were sitting in the patio just relaxing, all of a sudden I asked her about our grand daughter. Macrine was so surprise because at that moment she was thinking of exactly of the same subject. She asked me if I was reading her mind. Couples who have been married for a long time have usually the same likes and dislikes. But this is not a guarantee of a long lasting marriage. Sometimes, it is better to have different things to do, perhaps even a different hobby so as not to suffocate each other every minute of your daily life”. This is my love story- 56 years of patience, love, give and take and true communication.

Do You Agree or Disagree?

The following quotes attracted my attention recently.

1. Most Marriages are made in heaven.

2. If a man is still single when he turns 35, he is either gay or a really smart man.

3. There are as many battered husbands as battered wives in the US.

4. Money is the best source of happiness.

4. All of us are bisexual, since there is no one who is 100% hetero or homo sexual.

I will be glad to hear of your opinion. Do you agree or disagree?

Cinco de Mayo-5th of May Celebration and Sales

Today is the 5th of May-There will be sales in department stores, a few days ahead of sales advertised for this coming Mother's Day. There will be parades, picnics and mariachi music and programs in all of the Mexican-American communities all over the US. Ever since my family resided in US in 1960, we have always heard of the Cinco de Mayo Celebration in the cities that we have resided in the East Coast, Midwest and of course the West Coast where there are a large Mexican-Americans populations. It is similar to the celebration of Labor Day or for that matter a celebration of Spring. So what exactly is the Cinco de Mayo Festival?

Cinco de Mayo—or the fifth of May—commemorates the Mexican army's 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War (1861-1867). A relatively minor holiday in Mexico, in the United States Cinco de Mayo has evolved into a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage, particularly in areas with large Mexican-American populations. Cinco de Mayo traditions include parades, mariachi music performances and street festivals in cities and towns across Mexico and the United States. It is not celebrating the Independence of Mexico, which is celebrated on September 16.

On the subject of sales in the Department Stores: The other day my coffee percolator just died. It was only three years old. It was a gift from Gevalia Coffee. I immediately went shopping for a replacement. I was looking for a similar design and it has to be white. Why white? All our other appliances in the kitchen are white, so any other color will not be acceptable. It will stick like a sore thumb in the kitchen décor. I can not believe that in the three department stores ( Macy, Penney, Sears), 99% of the coffee makers in display are either black or stainless steel. Only one or two brands are in white. I saw one brand that I like at JC Penney. The price was $70. However the sales lady whisper to me that if I purchase this during the Cinco de Mayo sale, it will cost me only $40. Since it is only a matter of two days wait, I decided to forgo my brewed coffee and just enjoy Instant coffee during this interim period. If you enjoyed freshly brewed coffee, there is no comparison to Instant Coffee. But for $30 savings I can wait for 2 days.

So my dear readers enjoy the spring-like weather, whether your are celebrating Cinco de Mayo or not, wherever you are!

Playing with Words and Palindromes

I am bored today. So I decided to search for palindromes and play rearranging some words. For a start, dormitory can be rearrange to Dirty Room, Election Results to Lies,let's recount, The Morse Code to Here Come Dots, George Bush to He bugs Gore and Slot Machines to Cash lost in me. Can you add other examples?

The following words are palindromes

1. civic, dewed, deified, dad, mom, hannah, repaper, kayak, minim, madam, level, racecar, radar, redder, bob, pop, tot, refer, reviver, rotator, stats, solos, tenet, testset, and Wassamassaw. Can you add words to this list?

The following are well known palindrome sentences or phrases:

2. A man, a plan, a canal: Panama.

3. A dog, a plan, a canal: Pagoda.

4. Desserts, I stressed!

5. Drab as a fool, aloof as a bard.

6. Live not on Evil.

7. Madam, I'm Adam.

8. Never odd or even.

10. No lemon, no melon.

11 Was it a car or a cat I saw?

12 "Not New York." Roy went on.

13. Not so, Boston.

Any addition will be appreciated. Have a Fun Day!

The Month of May in the Philippines

Today is the start of the May Flowers Festival or the Flores de Mayo Festival in the Philippines. This Festival lasting for the whole month is in honor of Mary, the Virgin Mother. This is celebrated in all the towns in the Roman Catholic parish churches in the Philippines. However, the celebration of this Festival that I will always remember are the celebrations in my hometown in Iloilo when I was growing up and the one in Marinduque a few years ago when my mother-in-law was the Hermana. The Hermana was the over-all chairperson for the whole month of festivities which included a daily offering of flowers to the Virgin Mary along with the recitation of the Rosary. The month is culminated with a Parade and Dance participated by the whole town. During the Gala Dance, the Rigodon de Honor is danced by the prominent officials and matrons of the town.

The Santacruzan refers to the pageant on the last day of Flores de Mayo, held in honor of Reyna Elena and Constantine finding the True Cross in Jerusalem.

The following video reminds me of my childhood years in Barotac Viejo, Iloilo when My late mother was also very active with our local parish church.


The Sagala A Sagala is a religio-historical beauty pageant held in many cities, towns, and even in small communities throughout the Philippines during the month of May. One of the most colorful aspects of this festival, the pageant depicts the finding of the Holy Cross by Queen Helena, mother of Constantine the Great. Many movie and television personalities participate in the events and are featured in major sagala. This festival was introduced by the Spaniards and has since become part of Filipino traditions identified with youth, love, and romance. Prior to the Santacruzan, a novena is held in honor of the Holy Cross.

The procession itself commemorates the search of the Holy Cross by Reyna Elena and her son, the newly-converted emperor Constantine. After the Holy Cross was found in Jerusalem and brought back to Constantinople, there was a joyful celebration for thanksgiving.
Reyna Elena
Reyna Eléna (Queen Helena) - the last member of the procession, she represents Helena of Constantinople who found the True Cross; this is alluded to by her attribute, a small cross or crucifix that she carries in her arms. This considerably prestigious role is usually awarded to the most beautiful girl participating in the pageant. In some communities, the identity of the woman who will portray the Reyna Eléna is kept a secret until the day of the procession. Constantíno - the escort of Reyna Eléna; traditionally a young boy representing the Emperor Constantine.

The procession is accompanied by the steady beat of the rondalla, playing and singing the Hail Mary ("Dios Te Salve"). The devotees walking with the procession hold lighted candles in their hands and sing the prayer as they go along.

After the procession, there is a pabítin that serves as a culminating activity for all the children to enjoy. A Pabítin is a square trellis to which goodies (candies, fruits, small trinkets, etc.) are tied with strings. This trellis in turn is tied to a rope and is suspended on a strong branch or pole. Children then gather under the trellis as the it is slowly lowered. They then jump as high as they can to try to pick the goodies while someone jerks it up and down repeatedly until all the goodies are gone. It is customary for males attending the Santa Cruzan wear the traditional Barong Tagalog and that the females wear any Filipiniana-inspired dress. Pabitin is similar to the Mexican celebration of the Pinata.

This year celebration of the Flores de Mayo in the Philippines will probably be not as festive and peaceful because of the election on May 13. I just hope there will be no killings, murder and goons activities related to the election. But realizing the history of the elections in the Philippines dominated by family dynasties, vote buying, corrupt and greedy politicians, it will be a miracle if no killings will occur this month. I am praying and hoping for a peaceful election this year particularly in my second home-the beautiful and scenic island of Marinduque.