Chateau Du Mer Beach Resort and Conference Center

These are the reviews from from two of our guests published at the Trip Adviser web site. Visit the Trip Adviser website for additional details.

1.What a peaceful place to spend relaxing time in Marinduque! The cottage is very comfortable, and right on the beach, with a large deck for watching the sunset. The location in Boac (and not too far from Gasan) is well placed for a home base for day trips around Marinduque. But the best part of our stay here was the graciousness of the hosts, David and Macrine. They are warm-hearted, know the island well, and truly made us feel at home. Although we were there to explore the island and relax, the property has a great conference/meeting facility as well. Highly recommended.

2. Nestled against the beach, this cottage on stilts was a great place to spend a week away from all the insanity of urban life. With a spacious deck, two bedrooms, a living room and a full kitchen, my entire family truly enjoyed their stay. The hosts, Dave and Macrine do everything possible to make you feel like family, while still giving you space and privacy. The beach is all of 25 feet away and early morning walks on the beach are what I remember most. My kids were fascinated with the bamboo flooring. A reef is just off shore and filled with beautiful fish to enjoy while snorkeling. I would go back in a minute if I could.

Imelda Marcos of the Philippines

Imelda Marcos was in the news this week. She suffered a minor injury after slipping and falling to the floor at the Batasang Pambansa a few hours before the President’s State of the Nation Address on Monday, which she had to miss because of the accident. In a statement, Marcos’ chief if staff Filadelfo Diaz III said Marcos only suffered a “minor injury.” “The Office of Hon. Congresswoman Imelda Romualdez-Marcos would like to assure the public that the lady solon is in stable condition now after she met a small accident at the House of Representatives.”

Imelda R. Marcos was born on July 2, 1929. She is a Filipino politician and widow of former Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos. Upon the ascension of her husband to political power, she held various positions to the government until 1986. She is the first politician elected as member of the Philippine legislature in three geographical locations (Manila, Leyte, Ilocos Norte). In 2010, she was elected to become a member of the House of Representatives to represent Ilocos Norte's second district. She is sometimes referred to as the Steel Butterfly or the Iron Butterfly. She is often remembered for symbols of the extravagance of her husband's political reign, including her collection of 2,700 pairs of shoes. In 2011, Imelda Marcos has declared her net worth to be 932.8 million pesos (US$22 million), parliamentary records show, as she continues to fight the government over her assets more than two decades after her husband’s reign ended. Imelda is the second-richest Philippine politician behind boxing hero and congressman Manny Pacquiao.

Assassination of Benigno Aquino Movie

A Dangerous Life is a 1988 English-language Australian film about the final years of the Philippines under Ferdinand Marcos' rule, from the assassination of Benigno Aquino, Jr. in 1983 to the People Power EDSA Revolution in 1986 that ousted Marcos. The film focuses on American TV journalist (Gary Busey), who finds himself in the middle of key events that lead to the downfall of the Marcos regime. Originally airing on television as a mini-series that ran for a total of six hours, the film was edited to 162 minutes for the home video release.

The film was shot on location in Sri Lanka, mostly due to hostilities the producers experienced in Manila while filming The Year of Living Dangerously in 1982.

Filipino-American Disco Musical

Here Lies Love-A Disco Musical

I like to share with you a very interesting post about the Asian-American Musical, Here Lies Love in New York City. The musical is based on the life of Imelda Marcos. Fourteen out of the seventeen cast members are Filipino-American actors and actresses. The new musical is taking New York by storm. The Asian American casts are singing and dancing to the electric music of David Byrne and Fatboy Slim.

It tells the story of Filipina First Lady Imelda Marcos and her rise to political stature. It is directed by Alex Timbers. The show has already won an accolade of awards including the Outer Critics Circle for Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical. APA actor Jose Llana plays Ferdinand Marcos. He describes the musical as "Fun, Fabulous and Filipino!"

Angry Asian man: Here Lies Love - A New American Musical Experience...: Guest Post by Raymond J. Lee Hey, folks! I'm on vacation, taking a much-needed blog break. Some batteries need recharging. But do not worry.....

Theme Melodies from Eighteen Most Romantic Music

My favorites are numbers #3,4,8 and 18.. Enjoy and here's the list for your reference.
1. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - Romeo and Juliet (Fantasy Overture: Love Theme)
2. George Gershwin - Rhapsody In Blue 0:20
3. Sergei Rachmaninoff - Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Var. 18. Tempo di menuetto 1:03
4. Dmitri Shostakovich - Romance from The Gadfly 1:29
5. Edward Elgar - Salut d'Amour 1:59
6. Aram Khachaturian - Spartacus: Adagio of Spartacus & Phrygia 2:27
7. Pietro Mascagni - Cavalleria Rusticana - Intermezzo 3:01
8. Joaquín Rodrigo - Concierto de Aranjuez 3:30
9. Gabriel Fauré - Pavane 3:58
10. Franz Schubert - Ave Maria 4:27
11. Jean-Claude Petit - Jean De Florette 4:54
12. Clément Philibert Léo Delibes - Flower Duet 5:38
13. Jacques Offenbach - Les Contes D'Hoffmann: Barcarolle 6:20
14. Claude Debussy - Clair De Lune 6:58
15. Giuseppe Verdi - La Traviata: Overture 7:25
16. Johann Sebastian Bach - Air on the G string 8:02
17. Giacomo Puccini - O mio babbino caro 8:27
18. Franz Schubert - Serenade 8:54

Philippines Fashion Parade of Decadence and Extravagance

Photo Credit: Jonathan Asuncion ( Philstar.com). Who are these politicians? I recognized the Reyeses of the Marinduque Dynasty Clan-(bottom left photo) mother and daughter political duo.

Senator Mirriam Santiago is again on the news this Week. This was in connection with the President Aquino's State of the Nation Address(SONA). I agree 100% with Santiago's point of view. There is no need to have a fashion parade of decadence and ostentation. She announced that she will file a resolution prescribing an official uniform for lawmakers attending the President's annual State of the Nation Address.

Santiago, who was not present during the SONA, said her proposal seeks to prevent a repeat of Monday's event where lawmakers "took turns displaying 'bling' clothes and jewelry."

"Our law frowns on conspicuous consumption, which I call 'the obsession to bling,' especially in the midst of acute public want," she tweeted.

The senator cited the Civil Code, Article 25: “Thoughtless extravagance in expenses for pleasure or display during a period of acute public want or emergency may be stopped by order of the courts at the instance of any government or private charitable institution.”

Santiago said that the country is suffering from “acute public want, because of a high unemployment rate of 7.5% and a high underemployment rate of 19.2%.” She added that the country also faces an emergency, because of our territorial disputes with China and Taiwan.

"The highlight of the SONA is the President. It is not like an Oscar event in Hollywood," Santiago added.

The senator failed to attend the SONA, after continuing to suffer from acute chronic fatigue. She is on medical leave from the Senate.

“I watched TV and could not stand it. The SONA event should be a serious time for the Congress to pick up policy directions indicated by the President. It should not be treated as Oscar night in Hollywood, with a red carpet, where peacocks spread their tails and turn around and around, as coached by media in a feeding frenzy,” she said in a statement.

“I was once a clueless participant in those mindless events. Don’t get me wrong. I am very proud of our local fabrics and our local designers, some of whom are world-class. But the SONA event is not the proper venue for their talents,” she added.

Santiago said clothes should merely indicate membership in Congress to separate them from those who are not members.

“The highlight of the SONA is the President. It is not the flashy women. Now the flaky men are even getting into the act. They also parade, sometimes with photogenic arm candy, into the session hall and preen like their female counterparts. Enough!” she said.

Go for it Mirriam! I am with you and I hope majority of the Filipinos will support you!

Joke of the Day

Photo from Fritzliess.com

Gynecologist's Assistant Needed

A young guy goes to the Job Center in Sacramento, Ca., and sees a flyer advertising for a Gynecologist's Assistant. Interested, he wants to learn more. "Can you give me some more details?" he asks the clerk.

The clerk pulls up a file ad says, "The job entails getting ladies ready for the gynecologist. You have to help them out of their underwear, lay them down and carefully wash their private regions, then apply shaving foam and gently shave off any hair, then rub in soothing oils so they're ready for the gynecologist's examination. There's an annual salary of $55 thousand, but you're going to have to go to San Francisco, California. That's about 100 miles from here."

"Oh, is that where the job is?" the young man asks.

"No, sir: that's where the end of the line is right now."

Stolen from: Hale McKay of It Occurred To Me

Filipino Discrimination in the US-An Update

The prejudice against Filipino immigrants in the US and specially in California in the 1920s to 1940s is well documented (1). One of the well-known books, America is in the Heart, documenting the life of the Filipino immigrants at that time period, was written by Carlos Bulosan. Mr Bulosan is my number one literary heroes of that time.

Like many Filipinos during that time, Bulosan left for America in July 1930 at age 17, in the hope of finding salvation from the economic depression of his home. He never again saw his Philippine homeland. No sooner had he arrived in Seattle, was he immediately met with the hostility of racism, forcing him to work in low paying jobs.

He worked as a farm worker, harvesting grapes, asparagus and other kinds of hard labor work in the fields of California. He also worked as a dishwasher with his brother, Lorenzo in the famous Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo. He was active in labor politics along the Pacific coast of the United States and edited the 1952 Yearbook for ILWU Local 37, a predominantly Filipino American cannery union based in Seattle.

Mr Bulosan died in 1956. To honor his memory, a Bulusan Memorial Exhibit located in Seattle's International District and in the Eastern Hotel features his literary works and manuscripts. One of his famous books, America is in the Heart based on his autobiography is now made into a Philippine movie, Hanggang Sa Muli.( Until Then)_ Till we Met Again),(Hasta La Vista).

One of the famous quotes from that book is timeless, as follows: "We in America understand the many imperfections of democracy and the malignant disease corroding its very heart. We must be united in the effort to make an America in which our people can find happiness. It is a great wrong that anyone in America, whether he be brown or white, should be illiterate or hungry or miserable."

Discrimination against Filipinos was very blatant during the time of the Manongs and Carlos Bulosan. It appeared that by the 1960s, racial discrimination had disappeared from the minds of the American people. But in 1965, my wife and three children experienced their first discrimination experience in Gladstone, Missouri.

Gladstone is a northern suburb of Kansas City, Missouri with about 99.5% Caucasian population at that time.

The discrimination was not blatant but very subtle. After relocating in Missouri for my first job after my Ph.D. graduation from the University of Illinois, my family and I joined a Country Swim Club just a couple of blocks and a walking distance from our rented residence.

My wife, Macrine, and the kids would swim at the country club twice or three times a week. The first day, they were there, she overheard the conversation from two middle-aged ladies. She heard a comment of the first lady to her friend, "Look we are getting invaded by blacks already". Macrine looked around, but there were no black families around; she and the kids were the only colored (brown) people relaxing and swimming in the pool area. Macrine was bothered by what she heard but did not get upset. She continued watching the kids swimming in the pool.

Suffice to say, I had never experienced an incident of prejudice or a discriminatory remark in my more than 53 years residing and working here in the US (California, Illinois, Missouri and Maryland).

After our second year in the neighborhood, we became more active socially and became well-known to the Gladstone community. I was elected by the members of the club as treasurer for two years. I was handling the payroll of three employees and collecting the membership fees of the 300 members. I was delighted that the club members and Board of Directors trusted me with their finances. I therefore conclude that the cure for discrimination is education and ignorance is the mother of prejudice.

If you are a Filipino-American or a member of a minority and are reading this article, have you ever experienced prejudice or discrimination in your life here in the US? Discrimination may be racial, religious, sexual, financial or your educational status.

(1) Carlos Bulosan, America Is in the Heart, 1946

Your Caption for this Photo Required!

I saw this in Facebook the other day. I am tired of reading the never ending saga of the fight for the Pork( source of corruption) in my second home-Marinduque Island. Let us have some fun for today and send me a caption for the above photograph via your comments. Have a Great Day!

Dim Sum and Fresh Lumpia

I love Dim sum. We used to spend a leisurely lunch at a dim sum restaurant every Sunday, just after our weekly Sunday 11AM mass when we were still residing in Colesville, MD. But today, My wife and I had not visited a dim sum restaurant for almost a year now. I am suffering from hunger pangs and salivating just writing this post, because I remember the delicious dim sum dishes in the photo above as well as the one below this paragraph.

Dim sum is the Cantonese term for a type of Chinese dish that involves small individual portions of food, usually served in a small steamer basket or on a small plate.
Sweet Buns-yum,yum

History

Dim Sum is usually linked with the older tradition of yum cha (tea tasting), which has its roots in travellers on the ancient Silk Road needing a place to rest. Thus teahouses were established along the roadside. Rural farmers, exhausted after working hard in the fields, would also go to teahouses for a relaxing afternoon of tea. At first, it was considered inappropriate to combine tea with food, because people believed it would lead to excessive weight gain. People later discovered that tea can aid in digestion, so teahouse owners began adding various snacks.

The unique culinary art of Dim Sum originated with the Cantonese in southern China, who over the centuries transformed Yum Cha from a relaxing respite to a loud and happy dining experience. In Hong Kong, and in most cities and towns in Guangdong province, many Chinese restaurants start serving dim sum as early as five in the morning. It is a tradition for the elderly to gather to eat dim sum after morning exercises, often enjoying the morning newspapers. For many in southern China, yum cha is treated as a weekend family day. Consistent with this tradition, dim sum restaurants typically only serve dim sum until mid-afternoon (right around the time of a traditional Western 3 o'clock coffee break), and serve other kinds of Cantonese cuisine in the evening. Nowadays, various dim sum items are even sold as take-out for students and office workers on the go.


While dim sum (touch the heart) was originally not a main meal, only a snack, and therefore only meant to touch the heart, it is now a staple of Chinese dining culture, especially in Hong Kong. Health officials have recently criticized the high amount of saturated fat and sodium in some dim sum dishes, warning that steamed dim sum should not automatically be assumed to be healthy. Health officials recommend balancing fatty dishes with boiled vegetables, minus sauce.

Fresh Lumpia
My other favorite dish is the Philippines Fresh Lumpia- the one made from "ubod"-the heart of the coconut. Lumpia are among the most famous of all Filipino dishes. These are not the fried, eggroll-like lumpia you may have tried, but a lighter, home-style version, in which delicate egg pancakes are rolled around lettuce and a tasty chicken, shrimp, and vegetable filling. If you have adventurous guests, let everybody make their own lumpia right at the table-it's a great way to get a dinner party rolling!

Here's a recipe for the fresh wrappers and a typical filling. Instead of the coconut heart(ubod),the recipe below used jicama sometimes called the Mexican turnip or sincamas in the Philippines. In Marinduque, the availability of coconut heart ( ubod) is limitted since it is againts the law to cut a coconut tree without a permit. To get a permit requires so much documentation and time, it is not worth it. So we get only ubod after a big typhoon when a few coconut trees are uprooted by the typhoon.

Wrappers
2 large eggs
1-1/4 cups water
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
About 3 tablespoons cooking oil

Filling
1/2 cup julienned onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast half, thinly sliced
1/4 pound medium raw shrimp, shelled, deveined, and halved
1-1/2 cups finely julienned jicama( or coconut heart(ubod) if available)
1/2 small carrot, finely julienned
2 green onions, finely julienned
2 teaspoons oyster-flavored sauce
1 teaspoon Filipino fish sauce (patis)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
5 tender lettuce leaves



Recipe: Fresh Lumpia (The Philippines) http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/special/1999/asia/lumpia.html

Philippines Two Popular Folk Dances

The following two dances are the most popular of Philippine folk dances from viewers all over the world. These two dances were performed by the Leyte Dance Theatre group as inspired by the Bayanihan Dancers-famous for their award winning dance performances all over the world for the last decade. The other Singkil interpretation was danced by the Parangal Dance Company.

The Singkíl originated from the Maranao people who inhabit the shores of Lake Lanao. It is derived from a story in the Darangen, the Maranao interpretation of the ancient Indian epic, the Ramayana. The name of the dance itself means "to entangle the feet with disturbing objects such as vines or anything in your path". It is a popular dance performed during celebrations and other festive entertainment. Originally only women, particularly royalty, danced the Singkíl, which serves as either a conscious or unconscious advertisement to potential suitors.

The tinikling dance is one of the most popular and well-known of traditional Philippine dances. The tinikling is a pre-Spanish dance from the Philippines that involves two people beating, tapping, and sliding bamboo poles on the ground and against each other in coordination with one or more dancers who step over and in between the poles in a dance. The name is a reference to birds locally known as tikling, which can be any of a number of rail species; the term tinikling literally means "tikling-like." The dance originated in Leyte among the Visayan islands in the central Philippines as an imitation of the tikling bird dodging bamboo traps set by rice farmers. The dance imitates the movement of the tikling birds as they walk between grass stems, run over tree branches, or dodge bamboo traps set by rice farmers. Dancers imitate the tikling bird's legendary grace and speed by skillfully maneuvering between large bamboo poles.
Singkil by the Parangal Dance Company

Mr Bunker Gets a Shave

Time to Laugh! Enjoy and forget about the worries of this complicated and sometimes irrational world!

Just in case you have not heard of Archie Bunker: Archibald "Archie" Bunker is a fictional New Yorker in the 1970s top-rated American television sitcom All in the Family and its spin-off Archie Bunker's Place, played to acclaim by Carroll O'Connor.

Bunker is a veteran of World War II, reactionary, conservative, blue-collar worker, and family man. The Bunker character was first seen by the American public when All in the Family premiered on January 12, 1971. In 1979, the show was retooled and renamed Archie Bunker’s Place, finally going off the air in 1983. Bunker lived at the fictional address of 704 Hauser Street in the borough of Queens in New York City.

My Love and Hate for My Facebook Friends

I enjoyed reading and writing daily in my Facebook page, but sometimes I see pictures, articles and comments that makes me puke and vow to myself to quit FB. A good example of photos, I REALLY do not enjoy are photos of obese children and preteen girls made up to look like young adults and prostitutes. But I do not think I could quit, because I have a mild addiction to FB. I do enjoy interaction with my twelve types of Facebook friends except numbers 11 and 12 as follows:

1. The photographer- this type shares his numerous photographs, sometimes excellent photos but often times boring photographs of himself and others.

2. The Romantic and Religious- this type shares all the romantic, inspiring and religious poems, sayings and articles.

3. The Lover and Exhibitionist- this type share his or her daily love life and activities, including what they are planning for their dating activities and how she felt after their love-making

4. The Gossiper- this type share all the gossips about his or her family as well as his relatives and friends

5. The Stalker-this type stalks and follows the posting of his friends and seldom make comments, but just click the “LIKE” button.

6. The Tagger-this type love tagging almost everybody in his circle of friends

7. The Video Sharer- this type like to share videos from You Tube, Vimeos and other news sources in the Internet

8. The Complainer-This type shares and bents all the aches and pains of her daily life-beats seeing a psychiatrist

9. The Publisher and Writer- this type shares all his/her writings from several writing sites.

10. The Historian-this types loves to share historical events, articles and photographs

11. The Game Player- this type do not talk much, but just play games-at least contributing to FB income. This one kept sending me invitations in spite of my warning that I do not play games in FB.

12. The Dumb and the Immature- this type always make dumb comments, sometimes does not say a word, but just type: he, he, he or ha, ha, ha! He/She thinks its funny, it is not, it tells me you are dumb, childish and an immature person.

Which type do you belong ?. Perhaps you are a combination of several types. I love all of you, except type # 11, since I do not play games in FB as well as type #12.

Have You Seen a St. Elmo's Fire?

When I was a teenager growing up in Iloilo, Philippines, I saw a St Elmo's fire that almost scared me to death. It was rainy season in the Philippines at that time, thus thunderstorm was common. I remember it has rained continuously for more than two days one weekend. I was getting bored being coped inside the house. I decided to walk from our backyard towards the river in the gentle rain with thunder and lightning not far from our house. All of a sudden I saw a blueish light on the top of big banaba tree with a hissing sound. The banaba tree is where the aswang( witches) resides. The light appeared like it was dancing. I ran as fast as I could back to the house.

St Elmo's fire is called Santermo by the locals. The locals believe that the Santermo is a devil incarnate and has to be avoided at all times. The locals also believe it is a soul of the dead trying to communicate with the living. This is one experience I will never forget. So what is St Elmo's fire? Here's some information from Wikipedia.

St. Elmo's fire (also St. Elmo's light) is a weather phenomenon in which luminous plasma is created by a coronal discharge from a sharp or pointed object in a strong electric field in the atmosphere (such as those generated by thunderstorms or created by a volcanic eruption).

St. Elmo's fire is named after St. Erasmus of Formiae (also called St. Elmo, one of the two Italian names for St. Erasmus, the other being St. Erasmo), the patron saint of sailors. The phenomenon sometimes appeared on ships at sea during thunderstorms and was regarded by sailors with religious awe for its glowing ball of light, accounting for the name. Because it is a sign of electricity in the air and interferes with compass readings,[citation needed] some sailors may have regarded it as an omen of bad luck and stormy weather. Other references indicate that sailors may have actually considered St. Elmo's fire as a good omen (as in, a sign of the presence of their guardian saint).

Physically, St. Elmo's fire is a bright blue or violet glow, appearing like fire in some circumstances, from tall, sharply pointed structures such as lightning rods, masts, spires and chimneys, and on aircraft wings. St. Elmo's fire can also appear on leaves, grass, and even at the tips of cattle horns. Often accompanying the glow is a distinct hissing or buzzing sound. It is sometimes confused with ball lightning.

Conditions that can generate St.Elmo's fire are present during thunderstorms, when high voltage differentials are present between clouds and the ground underneath. Air molecules glow owing to the effects of such voltage, producing St. Elmo's fire.

Have you seen a St Elmo's fire? If so, I like to hear from you.

Your Failures will Inspire You to Success

Do you agree that this is one of the best motivational video ever made? Read my post, My Failures Inspired me to Succees!

Have you ever looked back in your past and remembered your failures? Have you realized that without those failures you could not have succeeded? The common saying that you have to fail in order to succeed applies to the following 3 past events in my life.

The first event in my life to support the above statement occurred during my elementary school days. When I did not receive the first honor award (I got 2nd honor award) during my elementary school graduation both my parents and I were very disappointed. My parents even contemplated filing an official complaint to the school superintendent against my teacher and principal for nepotism since the valedictorian was a close relative of the teacher and principal.

However, I convinced my parents not to do it. I told them I would work harder in high school to be number one, to show the teacher and principal they made a mistake in the selection process. The whole four years of high school, I competed with the top five honor students from my elementary school. Needless to say, I graduated valedictorian of our high school class. My classmate who was the valedictorian in my elementary school got the salutatorian award (second place). I was happy and felt vindicated. My teacher in elementary school congratulated me but without looking straight into my eye, when my parents invited her to my high school graduation party at our house.

The second event in my life illustrating the statement "you have to fail in order to succeed" was during my graduation with my Bachelors degree in Chemistry from the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City in 1955. When I missed graduating cum laude (with Honor) by just 0.24 points, I told myself I would pursue my Ph.D. in the United States to show my professor in Differential Calculus who gave me a "4.0" (condition) grade when I received only 69% in the final exam(I missed 1 point to get a C). I took a retest and passed it with flying colors.

In my chemistry class, there were only 15 of us and only one graduated cum laude. That showed how hard it was to graduate with honor in chemistry at that time. That grade of "4" certainly did deflate my ego and self-esteem. Two years later, my self-esteem was redeemed when I passed the National Board Examination for Chemists, taking 3rd place nation-wide.

My four years average including the "4.0" that I got from Differential Calculus was included in the calculation (not my passing grade of 3.0 after a retest the next day) turned out to be 1.99 (not high enough for honor). But if you calculate my four year average with the 3.0 that I got after the retest, my four year average turned out to be 1.74, enough to receive the cum laude (with honor) award.

When I found this out, I was so furious, I wished my calculus professor be run over by a car or misfortunes fall on her every day of her life. When I saw her in the hallway, I gave her a stare of hate (like an arrow that pierced her heart that did not stop bleeding until she died).

But I vowed to the whole world, I will obtain a Doctorate Degree in the United States to show to my Professor in Differential Calculus what she did to my ego. Looking back, I think I should thank her for what she did, because there were numerous times during my first year in Graduate School, that I wanted to quit. But once I remember the incident, it reminded me of the vow I made to myself not to quit at any cost.

The third event in my life illustrating you have to fail in order to succeed was the culmination of my 22 years of experience working for private industries here in US. I lost my first job in industry of my own free will. I wanted to receive a 20% raise in income as well as move to a warmer climate (West Coast of the US).

The second private industry job that I lost was due to the company moving and closing their agricultural research division and also consolidating their research facility in one location to save money. I lost my third job in private industry because the firm wanted to save money and also wanted to get out of the pesticide business.

My fourth job loss was the most heart-breaking episode in my career. I had only one day of notice. After working for the firm for 12 years with good performance, it took management only one day to tell me that they not need me any more, good bye, and to look for another job.

That feeling of anger, loss of ego, shock and envy (for those who were not fired) was indescribable and humiliating. I vowed I would never worked for a private firm again in my life. My determination to work for the Federal Government was achieved when I worked for the Food and Drug Administration(FDA) in the Fall of 1990.

Working for FDA was the best move I have ever made in my career. My 12 years in the FDA was filled with awards, accomplishments and personal growth. Our life in the suburb of Washington, DC was filled with civic involvements, social and cultural activities, humanitarian projects and pleasant memories. The highlight of our stay in the Washington, D.C area was a private tour of the WHITE HOUSE.

Receiving a Christmas card from the White House for four years during the Clinton administration was the ultimate fulfillment of a Filipino student dream. Working for the Federal government was icing on the cake. Had any one of the four private firms not failed me, or had retained me as an employee, I would not have had the courage and incentive to work for Food and Drug Administration.

The above three events in my life showed that you have to fail in order to succeed. How about you? Can you recall a past experience in your life that inspired you to success? I will be delighted to hear from you.

Do You Have any Phobia(s)?

An article about the five most common phobias attracted my attention just recently. They are fear of spiders( arachno), acro ( heights), public places( agna), dogs ( cyano) and snakes( ophidio) phobias. Phobias are any persistent, irrational and excessive fear of a thing or a situation. Psychiatrist claimed this was probably an experience in our childhood years that we have not outgrown.

In my case I have claustro ( confined spaces) and acro ( heights) phobias. How about you?

I have listed a number of phobias that not are not common, but if you are suffering from it, I feel sorry for you. They are: andro ( fear of men), belone ( pins and needles), claustro ( confined spaces), dento ( dentists), eluro ( cats), gamo ( fear of marriage), glosso( speaking in public), gyno ( fear of women), Iatro ( fear of doctors), lilapso ( tornadoes and hurricanes), myso ( dirt and germs), melano ( the color black), necro ( death and dead things),obeso ( gaining weight), philo ( fear of love), tonitro ( thunder),and Xeno ( strangers and foreigners. Last but not least is phobophobia, the fear for all phobias. For the article on the five common phobias visit: http://o5.com/what-are-you-afraid-of-5-common-phobias/

Note: Can you imagine what the world will be if 30% of us suffer from andro or gyno phobias?

Time-lapse Photography of the San Francisco Bay

Adrift from Simon Christen on Vimeo.

Thank You Mr. Simon Christen for this excellent video. I enjoyed it very much. I hope you continue making more videos along the same subject or perhaps in another location, possibly Yosemite National Park.

Great Natural Wonders of the World

Palawan Underground River

I feel bad for all the Pinoys around the world and the Philippines, since not one natural wonder of the Philppines such as the Palawan Underground river, Mayon Volcano, Ifugao Rice terraces or the Bohol Chocolate Hiils was mentioned in this video. As Filipino-American I still love the natural wonders of the Philippines specially in my second home in the province of Marinduque.

Ten Things that Make America Great this Year

For the last four years, every July 4th, Fortune Magazine makes 100 items that is great in America. In this year list, I could identify with only about 30 items and like only one item ( #10 in my list below). For this reason, I am making my own list ( only ten). Let me know if you can identify with my list and perhaps add more items that you think makes America great this year. Here is my list in no order of importance.

1. Facebook- most popular social site in the world. The stock has stabilized, but I still believe it is not a good long term investment. I use Facebook daily.

2. Blogging- I love blogging and have no intention of quitting now or in the near future. I have reach almost 1 million page views last month

3. Google Adsense- This is its 10th year anniversary. Thanks to Adsense I could afford to buy a hamburger and ice cream every month

4. Twitter- I am beginning to like this site in spite of the word limit, I could use to convey my message

5. The New Firefox Logo- I love this logo. Good work Firefox

6. Windows 8- I do not feel there is a significant improvements from Windows 7. I am enjoying using Windows 7 now and have used it since last year.

7. I-pods- I do not have one and has no intention of buying one this year.

8. Pinterest- I love this site with the numerous pictures and subjects one can pin or repin.

9. http://pu.blish.us and other writing sites( Squidoo, Triond etc.) I enjoy writing for this publish us site since last year. Has posted 423 articles so far including this one.

10. Reality TV- this item is in Fortune list this year: My old Favorite shows: Survivor, Amazing Race, Dancing with the Stars, the Voice. My new TV shows: Bachelorete, Siberia, So you think you can Dance, America's Got Talent and Big Brother.

For Fortune list, visit the site: http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/

Happy July 4th and Time-lapse Photography

Happy July 4th to All Americans around the world. Instead of fireworks and parades, I am offering you these two time-lapse videos of one of my favorite National Park in the US to celebrate the 237th birthday of America. Keep cool if you reside in the West and dry if you reside in the East and South East.

Photo Credit: Frank Cabunoc

Here are two time-lapse photos of Yosemite National Park-stunning, beautiful and magnificent. Agree?



Yosemite is just not a great valley, but a shrine to human foresight, but also the strength of granite, the power of glaciers, the persistence of life, and the tranquility of the High Sierras. First protected in 1864, Yosemite National Park is best known for its waterfalls, but within its nearly 1,200 square miles, you can find deep valleys, grand meadows, ancient giant sequoias, a vast wilderness area, and much more. What is time-lapse photography?

Time-lapse photography is a technique whereby the frequency at which film frames are captured (the frame rate) is much lower than that used to view the sequence. When played at normal speed, time appears to be moving faster and thus lapsing. For example, an image of a scene may be captured once every second, then played back at 30 frames per second. The result is an apparent 30-times speed increase. Time-lapse photography can be considered the opposite of high speed photography or slow motion.

The Filipino-American Highway in Southern California

The Filipino-American Highway is a seven-mile stretch of the State Highway Route 54 that connects the I-5, I-805 and CA-125 freeways in San Diego, California. Assembly Concurrent Resolution (ACR) 157, drafted by former Assemblyman Juan Vargas, proposed that a portion of the CA-54 highway, formerly called the South Bay Freeway, be renamed as the Filipino-American Highway. The Council of Philippine American Organizations (COPAO) funded the cost of creating and putting up the signs. On October 6, 2007, California State and local officials, including Philippine Consul General Mary Jo Aragon, unveiled the signs marking the first designated Filipino-American Highway in the U.S.

The Filipino-American Highway passes through National City, Paradise Valley, Paradise Hills, and Chula Vista, communities with significant Filipino-American populations. Filipino-Americans make up 4.7% of the total population of San Diego County. ACR 157 acknowledges the contributions of Filipino-American pioneers, such as Carlos Bulosan and Philip Veracruz, as well as the service of Filipino-American teachers, medical professionals, and business leaders. The Filipino-American Highway is the first public highway that has been renamed to recognize the contributions that Filipinos and Filipino-Americans have made to the state and the nation. It also serves as a reminder of the struggles and successes that Filipino-Americans experienced to establish these communities.

Reference: http://www.bakitwhy.com/articles/first-filipino-american-highway-us#

Chemical Castration for Sexual Offenders

The subject of sex offenders attracted my attention recently, when my neighbor informed me that within a ten miles radius of our residential area resides 25 registered sexual offenders. I did not believed him so I checked it in the Internet and my neighbor was right. These facts concerned me even though I have no teenager living with us. But the chance these offenders reoffend is great unless some form of restraint or punishment such as chemical castration is employed.

Are you in favor of chemical castration for Sexual Offenders? Is it ethical or morally correct? Is this form of punishment cruel and unusual? I feel this is an appropriate and effective punishment for repeat offenders. Do you agree? Here's some information on chemical castration as punishment for sexual offenders.

The first use of chemical castration occurred in 1944, when diethylstilbestrol was used with the purpose of lowering men's testosterone. Chemical castration is often seen as an easier alternative to life imprisonment or the death penalty, allowing the release of sex offenders while reducing or eliminating the chance that they reoffend.

In 1966, John Money prescribed medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA, the base ingredient now used in Depo Provera) as a treatment for a patient dealing with pedophilic urges, becoming the first American to employ chemical castration. Since then, the drug has become a mainstay of chemical castration in America. Despite its long history and established use, the drug has never been approved by the FDA for use as a treatment for sexual offenders.

In 1996, California was the first state to introduce legislation including compulsory chemical castration. The law states that sex offenders convicted of an offense against a child under the age of 13 may be treated with Depo Provera when on parole. If it is their second offense, they may not have the option to reject the treatment. This a good law in my opinion.

Florida followed suit with a similar statue in 1997 and at least seven other states – Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, Montana, Oregon, Texas, and Wisconsin – have experimented with chemical castration.

Depo Provera contains synthetic progesterone, a female sex hormone used to prevent pregnancy in women. The drug works in chemical castration by diminishing testosterone levels, leading to a decrease in sex drive and aggressive behaviors. The drug seems to have had some impressive results where it’s been used. Recidivism rates are notoriously high for sex offenders, and one study found that rates dropped from 80% recidivism for the untreated study participants to 2.4% for surgically (not chemically) castrated participants.

Treatment with serotonin inhibitors has shown some efficacy in reducing compulsive sexual behaviors, notably in diminishing unwanted or undesirable fantasies, though this is more of a pharmacological chemical augmentation than an actual castration.

The anti androgen drug cyproterone acetate is used in chemical castration in Europe. Computer scientist Alan Turing underwent chemical castration to avoid imprisonment in 1952. Turing wasn’t a sex offender; he was gay, and at the time homosexuality was illegal in Great Britain, thought of as a mental disease that could be “cured.” Turing died two years later of cyanide poisoning, which was apparently suicide.

The gay New Zealand man at the center of the Australian controversy was prescribed CPA after coming out to his church’s minister, who suggested he go on the medication to free him of the temptations of his sexuality.
Reference: http://motherboard.vice.com/blog/future-sex-should-sex-offenders-be-chemically-castrated# and Wikipedia

Heat Wave in the West Until Wednesday

Is this heat wave the result of global warming? I bet it is.. Time for us as individuals think, how we can help reduced global warming.