I May Have Save a Man from Serious Illness and Perhaps Even Death

Six months ago, I asked my gardener if he has been vaccinated for Covid-19. His answer was negative.  He also mentioned that his household (wife and grand father) are not also vaccinated. I asked him for the reasons. He said he just felt he does not need it because he is healthy and strong as an ox. I asked him also if his hesitancy is due to religious or political reasons. He did not response. I gave him a dirty look of disgust

and told him he should talk to his primary care physician about the vaccines and shut the door with a bang showing my disapproval. During the next two months, he mentioned his grand father passed away due to complications of Covid. Both his wife had minor bouts of Covid-19 infection, but recovered after one week at home. 

 

The other day on my way for my booster shot, I asked him if he has his shot already. With a big smile in his face, he raised his two fingers indicating he had received 2 shots. I did not have time to ask why he had a change of attitude about vaccination.  Some day I may ask him for this change of attitude. 

 

Speaking of Attitude about Vaccination in the State of California versus the Nation, here's an article of the current status of Covid vaccination in California versus the US. As of today almost 62% of Californians are fully vaccinated versus only 58% for the whole nation ( average). New York has the highest vaccination rate of 66%.   

 

https://www.google.com/search?channel=fs&client=ubuntu&q=state+of+california+vaccination+rate

The other day I had my booster shot ( Pfizer). My two previous shots were Moderna. I wanted Moderna for booster but only Pfizer was available. This is ok according to few articles I have read recently. Here are common questions about mixing vaccines.

What happens if you mix Astra Zeneca and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines?

Researchers studied mixing and matching Pfizer's vaccine with AstraZeneca's, which is made using similar technology as J&J's. There, too, researchers found that people who got an AstraZeneca shot followed by Pfizer four weeks later produced more antibodies than those who received two AstraZeneca shots.Oct 21, 2021

 

Can I mix and match COVID-19 vaccines?

Any of the three vaccines authorized in the United States — Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna-NIAID, or Johnson & Johnson — may be used as a booster, regardless of which vaccine people received initially.3 days ago

COVID-19 Booster Shots: Should You Mix and Match? - Healthline

Can you mix Pfizer and Moderna booster?

 

Yes. The F.D.A. has updated its authorizations to allow medical providers to boost people with a different vaccine than the one they initially received, a strategy known as “mix and match.” Whether you received Moderna, Johnson & Johnson or Pfizer-BioNTech, you may receive a booster of any other vaccine. 

 

 

 

 

Personal Notes From My FB Page: Had my booster shot three days ago and hardly no side effects; So the following statement is indeed true in my case because I have Moderna for my first two shots, and have Pfizer as my booster shot.

 

Dr. Poland says, you might consider getting the Pfizer booster because it's a smaller dose (30 micrograms) than the Moderna booster (50 micrograms). This could conceivably cut down on side effects, Poland says, while still providing a very strong immune response. He says he plans to do just this for his booster.

 

Food for Thought from the NY Times : The low vaccination rate in the U.S. is another consequence of our polarized politics and our high levels of socioeconomic inequality. Only 67 percent of American adults without a four-year college degree have received a shot, compared with 82 percent of college graduates, according to the most recent Kaiser Family Foundation poll. And only 58 percent of self-identified Republicans are vaccinated, compared with 90 percent of Democrats.

 

 

 

 

 

I finally Binged on the Popular Netflix TV Series-Squid Game

I have been planning to watch Squid Game for the last 3 weeks, but did not have the time. The other day, I decided to watch Episode One and after two days I finished Episode 9- The last Episode of Season 1. Will there be Season 2?  I hope so!

Did I enjoyed it? Very much even though there are scenes of blood and violence. I just closed my eyes during the bloody scenes and exposure of human flesh and organs.

The ending is a little bit twisted and complicated. However, there are several articles explaining the ending leaving an opening for Season 2.    

https://www.techradar.com/news/squid-game-ending-explained-what-happens-next

In case you have not heard, Squid Game is now officially one of the biggest Netflix shows ever and it has penetrated the dominant discourse in a way that no show has since maybe Game of Thrones. 

Here's more detailed discussion on the ending, symbolism of the hero's dying his hair red and the prospects of Season 2. If you have not seen, the series, I highly recommend it. Just ignore the violence and the bloody scenes. 

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The series follows several “players” recruited into a multi-day survival game. The players are drugged and transported to an island and forced to compete in playground games, with the winners advancing to the next game and the losers being shot, stabbed, plummeted, or killed in some other creative and gruesome fashion.

After six games, the winner is awarded the monetary amount assigned to everyone who has been killed—the final prize being some ₩ 45 billion.

At the end of the series, we learn several things about the game. We learn the game has been going on for decades and has featured thousands of participants. We learn one of those participants (and winner) is the Front Man, brother of detective Hwang Jun-ho—who he shoots and who falls off a cliff (fate unknown). We learn that the organizer of the games is in fact Oh Il-nam (No. 001), the old man. He founded the games with several wealthy friends after the group had become bored with their fortunes and wanted to have “fun.” For details of this series read:

https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/squid-game-ending-explained-episode-9/

 

Typhoons in the Philippines and Historic Rains in Sacramento

From the News the Other Day:

A category 5 atmospheric river ( Bomb Cyclone) hit Northern California Oct. 24, bringing historic rains and causing flooding, power outages and ash and debris flows in wildfire burn scars. A week ago, Sacramento broke a record of 212 consecutive days without rain. Then the otherday it set a record with more than 5 inches of rain in a single day. 

This post is about typhoons in the Philippines not the rains of Northern California that had been news for the last 4 days.

 

After a Typhoon at our Retirement Home, Front yard of Chateau Du Mer, Boac, Marinduque

A number of my friends here in the US viewed the Philippines as a tropical paradise and one of the best places for retirement. The reasons are: affordable standard of living( compared to US), hospitable and friendly people and the tropical climate.  If they asked me where in the Philippines is the best place for retirement, my answer is, It depends on your priorities and financial capabilities. 

I would suggest that they visit several places ( big city, small city, provinces, coastal or mountain towns) during both rainy and dry seasons, before they decide where to retire. I would also suggest that they read articles ( hundreds available in the Internet) and the Pros and Cons of Retiring in the Philippines. Here's my own article on this subject.  https://whyretireinthephilippines.blogspot.com/2010/05/filipino-snowbird-shares-his-views-and.html

However, in general most of them do not know that typhoons are a way of life in the Philippines and could be costly and destructive.  They also do not know that some parts of the Philippines ( Mindanao) seldom suffer the annual ( about 20 times per year) typhoons that ravage the islands in varying degrees of Intensity and Destruction. Here's a brief summary about typhoons from Wikipedia.

 

Map of the Philippine Area of Responsibility

PAGASA's Tropical Cyclone Intensity Scale

Category	Sustained winds
Super typhoon (STY)	>220 km/h >119 knots
Typhoon (TY)	118–220 km/h 64–119 knots
Severe tropical storm (STS)	89–117 km/h 48–63 knots
Tropical storm (TS)	62–88 km/h 34–47 knots
Tropical depression (TD)	≤61 km/h ≤33 knots

Typhoons in the Philippines can occur any time of the year, with the months of June to September being most active, with August being the most active individual month and May the least active. Approximately 20 tropical cyclones enter the Philippine area of responsibility yearly, an area which incorporates parts of the Pacific Ocean, the South China Sea, and the Philippine Archipelago (with the exception of Tawi-Tawi province). In each year, ten cyclones are usually expected to be typhoons, with five having the potential to be destructive ones. According to a 2013 Time Magazine article, the Philippines is "the most exposed country in the world to tropical storms". 

Typhoons usually move east to west across the country, heading north or west as they go. Storms most frequently make landfall on the islands of Eastern Visayas, Bicol region, and northern Luzon, whereas the southern island and region of Mindanao is largely free of typhoons. Climate change is likely to worsen the situation, with extreme weather events including typhoons posing various risks and threats to the Philippines.

The deadliest overall tropical cyclone to affect the Philippines is believed to have been the Haiphong typhoon, which is estimated to have killed up to 20,000 people as it passed over the country in September 1881. In modern meteorological records, the deadliest storm was Typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan), which became the strongest landfalling tropical cyclone on record as it crossed the Visayas in central Philippines on November 7–8, 2013. The wettest known tropical cyclone to impact the archipelago was the July 14–18, 1911 cyclone which dropped over 2,210 millimetres (87 in) of rainfall within a 3-day, 15-hour period in Baguio. Tropical cyclones usually account for at least 30 percent of the annual rainfall in the northern Philippines while being responsible for less than 10 percent of the annual rainfall in the southern islands. PAGASA Senior Weather Specialist Anthony Lucero told the newsite Rappler that the number of destructive typhoons have increased recently but it is too early to call it a trend.

Tropical cyclones entering the Philippine Area of Responsibility, as well as tropical depressions that form within it, are given a local name by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), which also raises public storm signal warnings as deemed necessary.

Preparation and response to typhoons is coordinated by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC). Each Philippine province and local government in the Philippines has a corresponding Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO). Each provincial and local government is required to set aside 5% of its yearly budget for disaster risk reduction, preparations, and response.

The frequency of typhoons in the Philippines have made typhoons a significant part of everyday ancient and modern Filipino life and culture.

Meanwhile enjoy this photo of our retirement home in the Philippines, Chateau Du Mer.

 Reference:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typhoons_in_the_Philippines

 

 

Canadian Bruce Liu Won the 18th Chopin International Piano Competition

 

I am dedicating this post to a special group of Filipinos and Filipino-Americans who had been once encouraged or bullied to take piano lessons during their childhood years, but pursued other careers and now successful in their non-musical chosen fields of profession, but still loves classical piano music. I belong to this group.

The Chopin Competition is one of the most prestigious competitions in classical music, often launching the careers of its winners overnight through major concert dates and lucrative recording contracts. It is held every 5 years in Warsaw, Poland attracting hundreds of contestants all over the world. This year because of the Pandemic, the 2020 competition was held just the other day. My congratulations to all the Winners.

Here's the write-up from the Associated Press dated October 20, 2021 on this year winners. 

Bruce (Xiaoyu) Liu was named the winner of the 18th Frederic Chopin competition in Warsaw

Pianist Bruce (Xiaoyu) Liu of Canada reacts after being named as the winner of the first prize in the 18th Frederic Chopin international piano competition, a prestigious event that launches pianists’ world careers. (Czarek Sokolowski/The Associated Press)

Competition high this year

A Canadian has won one of the world's most prestigious piano competitions. 

The jury of the 18th Frederic Chopin international piano competition chose Bruce (Xiaoyu) Liu of Canada as the winner of the 40,000-euro ($57,000 Cdn) first prize in the 18th Frederic Chopin international piano competition that often launches pianists' world careers.

The announcement came just hours after Liu played as the last entrant among the 12 finalists, performing Chopin's concerto in E minor, opus 11 with the orchestra at the packed National Philharmonic in Warsaw. His performance was met with huge applause.

Liu is from Montreal. He graduated with great distinction from the Conservatoire de Montréal, where he studied with Richard Raymond, and later studied at the Université de Montréal, working with Dang Thai Son.

"Oh my God. I don't know what to say, honestly," Liu said soon after learning he won.

"We have been dreaming with all these people here for this prestigious stage," the 24-year-old said.

"Being able to play Chopin in Warsaw is one of the best things you can imagine, of course, so I'm truly honoured for this award, of course, and for this jury's trust and for all the warmth I have received in recent days," Liu said.

Liu performing his Winning Piece with full orchestra
 

Second prize and 30,000 euros ($43,000 Cdn) went to Alexander Gadjiev, representing Italy and Slovenia and to Kyohei Sorita of Japan, while the third prize of 20,000 euros ($28,000 Cdn) was awarded to Martin Garcia Garcia of Spain. There were other winners in several categories.

High ranking in the renowned competition opens the world's top concert halls to the pianists and pave the way to recordings with best known record companies.

Jury head Katarzyna Popowa-Zydron has said that apart from being excellent pianists, the participants should also show sensitivity and bring freshness to the music.

"I try to look for a rapport between the performer and Chopin," Popowa-Zydron said in an interview early in the competition.

Music is a "message from a person and [the musicians] should know what kind of person Chopin was."

Bowing to their artistry, the 17-member jury allowed two more finalists this year than usual.

Observers noted that the level of the competition was very high this year and said it's difficult to pick a favorite to win.

Chopin, Poland's best known and beloved classical music composer and pianist, was born in 1810 in Zelazowa Wola near Warsaw to a Polish mother and a French father. He left Poland at 19 to broaden his musical education in Vienna and then in Paris, where he settled, composing, giving concerts and teaching the piano.

Chopin died on Oct. 17, 1849, in Paris and is buried at the Pere Lachaise cemetery. His heart is at the Holy Cross Church in Warsaw. For details read:

https://www.usnews.com/news/entertainment/articles/2021-10-20/chopin-international-piano-competition-closes-in-on-winner 

 For list of other popular piano competitions read:

 http://www.pianocompetitions.com/

 

The 2021 and 1984 Movie Versions of Dune on My HBO Max Account

Photo Credit: Wikipedia -The Giant Sand Worm
 

I just finished watching the premier of Dune, 2021 with Timothee Chalamet and Zendaya last night as well as the 1984 movie version of David Lynch. I enjoyed them both but personally I enjoyed the old version. The development of both versions is complicated and fill with controversy. 

If you are interested in the history and development of the two movie versions read,   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dune_(2021_film) and  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dune_(1984_film)

The 2021 version is now in the movie theaters as well as in HBO Max. Since I am home bound and scared of exposure to the non-vaccinated persons watching it in my Big TV screen at home is a blessing.

There are several reviews of the 2021 movie and here's one of them.

 https://www.engadget.com/dune-movie-review-cinema-hbo-max-173051367.html

I agree 100% with this review- 1984 version is the whole story- The 2021 version is only Part 1.

Here's one of the Trailers of the 2021 Movie Version

 

The Other Women Who Have Touched My Life

This is my response to the inquiry on the other women who have touched my life for the StoryWorth Book of Memories. The following photos are some of the other women that have touched my life besides my Mother ( Paz Barrido Balleza Katague-RIP) and my spouse for over 63 years ( Macrine(a) Nieva Jambalos (RIP).

These photos are not deepfakes( my article the other day) but real from my extensive photo collection compiled for the last 4 decades.

Macrine( bride) and Sister Guia ( bridesmaid), Katague-Jambalos Wedding May 8, 1957

The Four Sisters( Fe, Sister Guia, Charro and Jean) of Macrine and First Cousin, Angie Jambalos Aulds, 2015.   I love my four sisters-in-law and Angie too.

Dinah and Elaine, 2014

Ditas and Carenna, 2016

Grand Daughter, Alix Katague at Cornell University Gardens, 2014

Grand Daughter, Marina Katague High School Graduation Photo

Grand Daughter, Carenna Katague Thompson, 2016

Daughter Ditas and Me, 1982

Grand Daughters Marina and Alix Katague-Daughters of Dodie Katague-my oldest son, 2014

Dinah and Elaine, 2016

Carenna with her guitar getting ready for her singing weekly night club gig

My Three Sisters, Myrla, Agnes and Amor, 2014

 

Macrine's niece, Yuka Maeda Chilan-Had been very thoughtful during Macrine's passing away for this whole year along with her family. 

 

Mama Elena with her step-Mother ( Lola Elving Sarmiento) and Step Sisters and Brother ( Tito Wil)

Last but not least my Nanny: I do not have a photo of my yaya (nanny), who took care of me when I was 2 years old( a polio victim) until I turned 7 years old. When the Japanese-American war started in 1941, we have to move from the city to the ancestral town of my mother in Barotac Viejo, Iloilo. It is still fresh in my memory how overprotected my Nanny was. She will not permit me to play with the other children in the neighborhood, because they were dirty and rough. I remember her to be in her 50's and a large woman but with a gentle voice. I cried for days when we she was not able to join us and she had to go back to her own hometown.  The day we separated was the last time I heard of her!!

 

What Do You Know About Deepfake Apps and Websites

 

Just recently CBS "60 Minutes" featured an interesting segment about Deepfakes Applications. It aroused my interest and I like to share what I learned about Deepfakes Apps and websites with you today. I hope you find it useful and Informative and be aware of its danger to society when used illegally.  

Here's a summary from Wikipedia:

Deepfakes (a portmanteau of "deep learning" and "fake" are synthetic media in which a person in an existing image or video is replaced with someone else's likeness. While the act of faking content is not new, deepfakes leverage powerful techniques from machine learning and artificial intelligence to manipulate or generate visual and audio content with a high potential to deceive. The main machine learning methods used to create deepfakes are based on deep learning and involve training generative neural network architectures, such as autoencoders or generative adversarial networks (GANs)

Deepfakes have garnered widespread attention for their uses in celebrity pornographic videos, revenge porn, fake news, hoaxes, and financial fraud.This has elicited responses from both industry and government to detect and limit their use.

For complete details visit these Wikipedia site:

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deepfake

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What software is used for Deepfakes?

Deepfakes are created using artificial intelligence and machine learning software. All the apps mentioned on this list use built-in AI and ML software to create deepfake videos and photos.

Q. Who invented deepfake?

According to Wikipedia, the word Deepfake originated in 2017 from a Reddit user named “deepfakes”. That said, no one man can claim Deepfake’s invention. The work done in computer vision, AI, and ML made it feasible for researchers and armatures to create deepfakes. There’s no single person who invented this.

Q. How dangerous is deepfake?

Deepfake is really dangerous for society. Since most online users believe stuff without verifying them, deepfake poses a huge threat to the truth. That being said, the technology is not there to convincingly fool anyone right now. It will be there in a few years and both governments and tech giants will have to work together to tackle this problem.

Q. Is deepfake AI?

Yes, deepfake apps and websites use AI, ML, and machine vision to create deepfakes.

Q. Is it illegal to make deepfake videos?

No, it’s not illegal to create deepfake videos as long as you are explicitly depicting them as deepfake videos and not using them for disingenuously misleading people. That said, if you’re using someone else’s photos to make a deepfake, do ensure you have permission to use their photos, or you will leave yourself open to legal issues. For the best 10 apps and websites visit:

 https://beebom.com/best-deepfake-apps-websites/

 

 

Popular Named Diseases, Disorders and Syndromes-Eponymous Diseases

Yesterday's news on the Havana Syndrome ( Senate Investigations) prompted my interest on Eponymous Diseases, Disorders and Syndromes. Have you heard of the Havana Syndrome? *

When I was in high school several of my classmates asked and consulted me often on the named Diseases, syndromes and disorders that they are curious of. Thus, I was forced to do some research and I appeared to be the expert to their eyes. At that time, there were a few known named diseases. Today there are more than 300 named diseases, disorders, conditions or syndromes-called Eponymous Diseases.   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_eponymous_diseases

Some of the common well known diseases are: Alzheimer, Asperger, Crohn's, Guachers, Graves, Hodgkin's, Lou Gehrig, Meniere's, Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy, Parkinson's, Tay-Sach and Tourette Syndrome. There are hundreds more that you have probably heard. Curious? Read the list and reference in this article. Be informed!!

Besides Parkinson and Meniere Diseases, Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy(MSP) is disorder that I am familiar with. It is a theme of a few movies and a TV series that I have watched before. There are 15 movies about MSP. A few are based from a true story. https://www.bustle.com/p/15-movies-about-munchausen-syndrome-by-proxy-for-anyone-fascinated-by-the-act-17025907

Munchausen's syndrome is a psychological disorder where someone pretends to be ill or deliberately produces symptoms of illness in themselves. Their main intention is to assume the "sick role" so that people care for them and they are the centre of attention.  By proxy is done by another person usually a care giver to a child or older persons.

Here's a summary from Wikipedia: An eponymous disease is a disease, disorder, condition, or syndrome named after a person: usually the physician or other health care professional who first identified the disease; less commonly, a patient who suffered from the disease; rarely, a fictional character who exhibited signs of the disease; and, in some few instances, after an actor or the subject of a literary allusion, because characteristics associated with them were suggestive of symptoms observed in a particular disorder.

Eponyms are a longstanding tradition in Western science and medicine. Being awarded an eponym is regarded as an honor: "Eponymity, not anonymity, is the standard." The scientific and medical communities regard it as bad form to attempt to eponymise oneself.

Some diseases are named for the person, most often a physician, but occasionally another health care professional, who first described the condition — typically by publishing an article in a respected medical journal. Less frequently, an eponymous disease is named after a patient, examples being Lou Gehrig's disease, Hartnup disease, and Mortimer's disease. In one instance, Machado–Joseph disease, the eponym is derived from the surnames of two families in which the condition was initially described. Examples also exist of eponyms named for fictional persons who displayed characteristics attributed to the syndrome; these include Miss Havisham syndrome, named for a Dickens character, and Plyushkin syndrome, named for a Gogol character (the two also happen to be alternative names for the same symptom complex). At least two eponymous disorders follow none of the foregoing conventions: Fregoli delusion draws its name from an actor whose character shifts mimicked the type of delusion it now describes; Munchausen syndrome derives from a literary allusion to Baron von Munchausen, whose personal habits were suggestive of the symptom cluster associated with it.

Meanwhile, here is a list of EMERGING AND RE-EMERGING INFECTIOUS Diseases in the World as of 2017.

Covid-19 is not in this list. The above list was published in 2017.

*Havana Syndrome is a set of unexplained medical symptoms first experienced by U.S. State Department personnel stationed in Cuba beginning in late 2016. At the time, those diplomats had been dispatched to Cuba as part of the rapprochement between the two countries begun under President Barack Obama, after decades of severed diplomatic relations between them. The emergence of the ailments on Cuban soil strained those developing ties.

Since the initial cases, diplomats and intelligence officers stationed around the world have experienced similar symptoms. Those affected report a range of conditions including dizziness, headache, fatigue, nausea, anxiety, cognitive difficulties and memory loss of varying severity. In some cases, diplomats and intelligence officers have left active service due to complications from the condition. For details read:

 https://www.wsj.com/articles/havana-syndrome-symptoms-11626882951

I hope you find the list informative. Feel free to do some Internet Search on the details of the disease, disorder, syndromes and maladies that you are interested. Happy reading and educating yourself.  Here's a short video about Pathology-study of Diseases for your additional information.  

 

Our Three Favorite Cars since 1960 to the Present

Our First Car-a used 1957 Mercury Montclair, Chicago, Illinois

Macrine (RIP) and I have purchased 7 cars since 1960. We are not into cars as a Status symbol. We treat cars as a necessity not a luxury to show off, unlike some of a few friends we had here in the US. When we were in Chicago, we had a Filipino-American friend who had a new car annually. It was the most expensive car and he loves to show off to other Filipinos. It was his Status Symbol. His expensive car made him feel super rich and felt acceptable to our group of Filipino-Americans. Personally, I was wondering how he could afford it. We finally found out he was just renting it and not buying it.  Of the 7 cars we have our three favorites are:

1. Our First Car in Chicago-a used 1957 Mercury Montclair

2. Macrine's Car- a new 1997 RED Celica Celica GT Convertible and

3. My current car - new 2000 Nissan Maxima, GLE 4D Sedan(Overhauled in 2014)

 

This is my current car. We purchased it new in Maryland in 2000. We had it shipped to California when I retired in 2002. Since then we had a complete overhaul and a new engine and transmission installed in 2014. It runs like new and I am still very pleased with it.  This will be my last car, since my driving license will expire this December on my 87th birthday. I do not intend to renew my driver's license.

Meanwhile enjoy these photos from my garden this summer.

Meanwhile enjoy Andre Rieu rendition of the Gadfly-also known as Shoskatovich Romance-one of my favorites

 

The Surprise Party I Missed Because of My Aching Knees

A Colorful and Perfect Presentation of the Lechon- A Show of Abundance

Last Sunday was Charo's 70th Birthday Surprise Party. I was invited but I was not able to attend because of my aching knees - part of my aging years. However, based on the following photos, it would appear that the Surprise Party was a resounding success. Ditas and Dinah were able to attend. Ditas brought home some food for me. Thank you Lanie and Merlet  for the Goodies (Adobo sa Gata, Suman, Puto and Pancit) and for your thoughtfulness.

The party was hosted by Lanie and Merlet held in the residence of Alex and Lanie Chalfin in Mountain View, Ca. Charo is Macrine's youngest sister.

Here are two more photos:

Charo with Husband Michael Levin and Daughter- Zehara

Again, Belated Happy Birthday, Charo. May you have  many, many more birthdays to come!! And Most of all thanks to the cook (Merlet) of the Adobo sa Gata!!

 

Do You Watch Jeopardy? Matt Amodio 38-Day Winning Streak Ended Last Night

I have been watching Jeopardy on and off for a number of years. Just recently, the show has been my most anticipated show every day Monday to Friday, because of the contestant- Matt Amodio. In case you have not been watching the show, here's the latest write-up on Amodio from Wikipedia. 

Matt Amodio  38-Day winning streak ended last night. It was the first time he was in 3rd place before the final Jeopardy question.  It was also the first time he did not answer the Final Question correctly. Amodio showed he was human after all and to err is human. The new Champion won it by a $1 margin.     

Matthew Amodio is an American game show contestant. A PhD student in computer science at Yale University, he has won $1,518,601 in 38 appearances on Jeopardy! (as of October 8, 2021), making him the third millionaire contestant (based on regular-season play) after Ken Jennings and James Holzhauer. Across all American game shows, he is the tenth highest-earning contestant of all time.

Born on December 4, 1990, Amodio is a native of Medina County, Ohio. He graduated from the Department of Mathematics in 2012 with a Bachelor of Science with Honors in Actuarial Science, while also earning a master's degree in Statistics, both at The Ohio State University. He is currently pursuing a PhD from Yale University.

Amodio was a contestant on the quiz show Academic Challenge on WEWS-TV Channel 5 in Cleveland, Ohio while studying at Medina High School in 2009.  Participating with two fellow students against two competing high schools, his Medina team finished in second place.

Amodio is the third-highest earner of all time in regular-season play, second-most successful in consecutive games won and fourth-biggest all-time winner. During season 37, Amodio qualified as the first seed in the next Tournament of Champions.

Amodio's winning streak came during an interregnum in the show's hosting position after longtime host Alex Trebek died in November 2020, during which the show has been helmed by guest hosts. Amodio's streak has spanned episodes hosted by Robin Roberts, LeVar Burton, David Faber, Joe Buck, Mike Richards and Mayim Bialik.

Amodio is noted for his strategy of consistently prefacing his responses with "What's" instead of adjusting the interrogative pronoun to fit the response. He chose this method because Jeopardy! rules allow any question containing the correct response to be used; by not having to adjust the pronoun, he has one less thing to think about when formulating a response, potentially speeding response time. He has credited Wikipedia's format for allowing him to meander through various topics in a random but logical progression and learn content quickly.

Here's his answer on the Question-How he became so knowledgeable about so many different topics ( https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2021/08/13/jeopardy-champion-matt-amodio-shares-his-tricks-no-3-winner/8129648002/

I like to read. I think that you can't do it without reading. So on a regular basis, I just fall into a rabbit hole of Wikipedia links, (and) every article opens up 20 more things that I have questions about it. This is just how how I spend my day, or my nights when I'm done working. I did change one thing for preparation for the show, though, because I don't necessarily find culture to be super-interesting. I'm a historian at heart and I like learning about culture maybe 40 years, 50 years later. I like looking at it in the rear view mirror.

Q: Any specific categories that give you pause?

I feel like it's a bit like "Slumdog Millionaire," where every question that comes up, the guy has a a personal connection about how he knows the answer. I'm not necessarily the biggest opera fan in the world, but my grandpa lives and breathes opera, so just through talking with him I found I absorbed a lot. And there are other things like that as well. I'm a really big baseball fan, less interested in other sports, but my friends have always been very big basketball, football, hockey fans. I found I had a pretty good vocabulary for that just through collateral exposure.

Good Bye Matt and Enjoy your over $1.5 Million of winnings! I am still awed by your encyclopedic knowledge and 38-day winning streak. I was hoping you might be able to catch up with Ken Jennings 74-day run with over $2.5 Million winnings.

 

Presenting Leif-Ditas Companion and Walking Partner

Ditas and Leif visits me regularly. Leif is Ditas Pet Dog. Every time Leif sees me he would jump with joy and excitement. Ditas has to restraint him often, otherwise he would leak me till doomsday. Leif had graduated from a 21-Day Obedience training school for Dogs. Here's Leif during their recent visit.

Leif- Ditas Companion and Walking Partner- Your Pet dogs can provide:

Unconditional love, devoted companionship and constant entertainment. 

Most of dog lovers know that life is better with a dog. But is that knowledge based on a feeling—or is there something else at work? There is: Science.

Spending time with canine companions does wonders for your well being. Recent research shows that owning a dog is good for you physically and emotionally. Dogs make us happier, healthier, and help us cope with a crisis—and can even help you get a date. Curious? Read on for 10 science-backed benefits of having a dog in this site. Here are five benefits of dogs as pets.

1. Dogs make us feel less alone.

Dogs can be there for you even when people can’t. They offer unconditional love, emotional support, and constant cuddles that help stave off social isolation. A small Australian study discovered that dog ownership reduces loneliness.

A national survey of pet owners and non-pet owners by the Human Animal Bond Research Institute found that 85 percent of respondents believe that interaction with pets reduces loneliness. Most agree that human-pet interactions can help address social isolation.

2. Dogs are good for your heart.

Owning a dog can help you live longer. A comprehensive review of studies published between 1950 and 2019 found that dog owners had a lower risk of death. Studies suggest that dog owners have lower blood pressure levels and improved responses to stress.

Even just living with a dog makes a difference—people who had experienced previous coronary events had an even higher level of risk reduction for death. Research has concluded that the bond between humans and dogs reduces stress, which is a major cause of cardiovascular problems.

3. Dogs help you stop stressing out.

Your canine companion can offer comfort and ease your worries. Multiple studies show that dogs and therapy dogs help alleviate stress and anxiety.

Even just petting a familiar dog lowers blood pressure, heart rate, slows breathing, and relaxes muscle tension. Scientists at Washington State University discovered that just 10 minutes petting a dog can have a significant impact. Study participants had a significant reduction in cortisol, a major stress hormone.

4. Dogs help us cope with crisis

Dogs help us recover psychologically from a crisis. Purdue University’s College of Veterinary Medicine discovered that military veterans with PTSD do better both physiologically and psychologically when they have a service dog. Veterans with a service dog had significantly fewer symptoms of PTSD and showed improved coping skills.

5. Dogs encourage you to move.

Those long treks along sidewalks, trails, and paths add up. A 2019 British study discovered that dog owners are nearly four times more likely than non-dog owners to meet daily physical activity guidelines. Dog owners spend nearly 300 minutes every week walking with their dogs. That’s 200 more minutes walking than people without a pup of their own.

For the remaining six benefits read the following:

 https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/lifestyle/10-science-based-benefits-dog/

Meanwhile enjoy this video on the basics of dog obedience training

The David B Katague Family have owned a number of pet dogs and cats since the 1960's. Among the pets that I will always remember are: Miko-a male Brown Pure Bred Chow Chow, Ling-ling a female black pure bred Chow Chow, Devil- a white German Shepherd and Kahlua a brown cuddling and loving house cat.

 

The Two Articles I Enjoyed Writing Most for the StoryWorth Book of Memories

I have published more than 7500 articles in my blog since 2008. But two of the articles I really enjoyed writing are: The Ylang-Ylang Tree and its Essential Oils and Funny and Sexy Names of Places in the World . Here is an update of the first article I titled "The Best Smell of My Life".

Ylang-Ylang flowers in my backyard, Chateau Du Mer, Marinduque, Philippines

This article was inspired by a question of a friend in Facebook-regarding the best smell one has experienced.  Mine is the smell of the blooming Ylang-Ylang trees in my garden at Chateau Du Mer, Boac, Marinduque, Philippines. I have two big mature trees in the backyard of Chateau Du Mer that are about 19 years old.

When the trees are in bloom, you can smell the fragrance of it flowers to as far as 50 meters and even farther if the wind direction is favorable. It is one fragrance, that I will never forget at Chateau Du Mer in Marinduque. Its reminds me of the perfume, Channel No.5.

The fragrance of ylang-ylang is rich and deep with notes of rubber and custard, and bright with hints of jasmine and neroli. The essential oil of the flower is obtained through steam distillation of the flowers and separated into different grades (extra; 1; 2; 3) according to when the distillates are obtained. The main aromatic components of ylang-ylang oil are benzyl acetate, linalool, p-cresyl methyl ether, and methyl benzoate, responsible for its characteristic odor.

On the subject of Ylang Ylang Oil, I am proud to inform readers of this blog that my Master’s degree thesis was the Analysis of the Volatile Constituents of Ylang Ylang Oil by Gas Chromatography. This was published in the

Journal of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Vol.52, No.3 252-258 dated March, 1963.

I believe not too many non-Filipinos have heard of this tree and it fragrant flowers. Here’s a short information from Wikipedia for your reading pleasure.

Cananga odorata, commonly called Ylang-ylang (pronounced /ˈiːlæŋ ˈiːlæŋ/, EE-lang-EE-lang), cananga tree, ilang-ilang, kenanga (Indonesian), fragrant cananga, Macassar-oil plant or perfume tree), is a tree valued for its perfume. The essential oil derived from the flowers is used in aromatherapy and in the manufacture of perfumes.

Cananga odorata is a fast-growing tree of the custard-apple family, Annonaceae, that exceeds 5 m (15 ft) per year and attains an average height of 12 m (40 ft). It grows in full or partial sun, and prefers the acidic soils of its native rain forest habitat. The evergreen leaves are smooth and glossy, oval, pointed, with wavy margins, and 13–20 cm (5–8 in) long. The flower is drooping, long-stalked, with six narrow greenish yellow (rarely pink) petals, rather like a sea star in appearance, and yields a highly fragrant essential oil.

The Chemical Composition Typical chemical compositions of the various grades of Ylang ylang are reported as follows:

Constituents Linalool, geranyl acetate, caryophyllene, p-cresyl, methyl ether, methyl benzoate, other, sesquiterpenes.

The name ylang-ylang is derived from Tagalog, either from the word ilang, meaning “wilderness”, alluding to its natural habitat, or the word ilang-ilan, meaning “rare”, suggestive of its exceptionally delicate scent. A more widely accepted translation is “flower of flowers”. The plant is native to the Philippines and Indonesia and is commonly grown in Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia.

The essential oil of ylang-ylang is used in aromatherapy. It is believed to relieve high blood pressure, normalize sebum secretion for skin problems, and is considered to be an aphrodisiac. According to Margaret Mead, it was used as such by South Pacific natives such as the Solomons where she did much of her research. The oil from ylang-ylang is widely used in perfumery for oriental or floral themed perfumes (like Chanel No. 5). Ylang-ylang blends well with most floral, fruit and wood smells.

In Indonesia, ylang-ylang flowers are spread on the bed of newlywed couples. In the Philippines, its flowers, together with the flowers of the sampaguita, are strung into a necklace (lei) and worn by women and used to adorn religious images.
 

Meanwhile Note: The fragrance of Ylang Ylang was mentioned in one of the Episodes of the widely popular Netflix TV series, Emily in Paris. The supporting actress in this series is named Philippine Leroy Beaulieu. This is the first time I heard of a person/actress named Philippine. Her Father's name is Philippe, another French actor. I recommend this series if you like a light  comedy-drama.   

 

Here's my second article for your reading pleasure. 

While surfing the web, I found the following names unusual, sexy and funny. There is no particular order in the list. I also listed two places that are both surnames of my father and mother from the Philippines.

With regards to my wife's mother surname, NIEVA, there is a street named NIEVA in Makati, Philippines and a bridge, named NIEVA in Gasan, Marinduque, Philippines.

Sexy Names Indeed!

Sexmoan ( changed to Sasmuan in 1990), Pampanga, Philippines
Tinurian, Iloilo, Philippines ( it means a place for circumcision)
Landi, Santa Cruz, Marinduque, Philippines ( Landi' could mean flirt or whore)
Condom, Gers, France
Fucking, Austria
Bra, Italy
Pussy, France
Cockplay, Scotland
Agay, France
Pennis Wood, UK
 

Three Cocks, Wales
Blowhard, Australia
Dikshit, India
Titless, Switzerland
Long Dong, Guangxi, China
Weener, Germany
Cocktown, Wexford, Ireland
Onacock, Virginia, USA
Seman, Alabama, USA


Climax, Georgia, USA

More Unusual Names
Paradise, California, USA
Cool, California, USA
Manila, California, USA
Earth, Texas, USA
Jackpot, Nevada, USA
 

Truth or Consequence, New Mexico, USA
Happy, Texas, USA
New York, Cubao City, Philippines
San Francisco, Agusan del Sur, Philippines
Mexico, Pampanga, Philippines
Chocolate Hills, Bohol, Philippines

Personal Connections

Catague, Bohol, Philippines
 

Catague is my fathers' surname. When he was in high school he changed it to Katague. Catague is a small town in Central Bohol, near the town of Sevilla. Any one knows the origin of the Catague name in Bohol, please let me know.

Balleza, Chihuahua, Mexico ( Balleza is my mother's maiden name)

Balleza is a town in Northern Mexico in the province of Chihuahua. The town is named after Fr. Mariano Balleza, a priest from Bilbao, Spain.

 

Meanwhile, enjoy this photo of a dozen roses, a gift during Macrine's Waksi the other day from relatives originally from the Philippines