Draton Resort and Casino Will Open on November 5

The Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria are building a 534,000-square-foot casino resort at the northwest edge of Rohnert Park. After years of approval processes with the local, state and federal governments, the tribe celebrated a ground-breaking ceremony June 18, 2012. It is scheduled to open this coming November 5, 2013.

Gov. Jerry Brown signed a 20-year state gaming compact with the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, and the state Senate and House ratified it. The compact requires the tribe to pay $200 million for public safety and other community services. Estimated first-year revenue is $328.5 million and estimated 7th year is $392 million. Estimated permanent jobs is 2000 employees.

Gaming

317,750 sq-ft casino
3,000 slot machines
150 table games

Restaurants

The Marketplace - casual, 500 seats. Menu designed by Chef Douglas Keane the previous chef at Cyrus.

M.Y. China - Developed by celebrity chef Martin Yan.

Slice House - Developed by Tony Gemignani the chef behind Tony's Pizza Napoletana.

630 Park Steakhouse

Daily Grill

Parking

Parking for 5,500 cars

Hotel (later phase)

Six-story hotel with 200 guest rooms is in the planing stage.

My two favorite Casinos, Thunder Valley (TVC) in Lincoln and Red Hawk(RHC) in Placerville will now have competition. Hopefully with this competition TVC and RHC will offer more favorable promotion to retain its customers like me and other casino clients residing in Northern California. I am looking forward to visit this Casino.

My Memories of Ice Dancing and 100 Days Left Before the Winter Olympics

My first recollection of watching ice dancing and enjoying it was in 1984. The above video of Torvill and Dean of UK was a gold-medal winning performance and I believe was instrumental in making this winter sport popular all over the world. Torvill and Dean (Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean) are British ice dancers and former British, European, Olympic and World champions. At the Sarajevo 1984 Winter Olympics the pair became the highest scoring figure skaters of all time (for a single program) receiving twelve perfect 6.0s and six 5.9's which included artistic impression scores of 6.0 from every judge. In a UK poll conducted by Channel 4 in 2002, the British public voted Torvill and Dean's historic gold-medal-winning performance(video above) at the 1984 Winter Olympics as Number 8 in the list of the 100 Greatest Sporting Moments.

As of yesterday, there are just 100 days left until the 2014 Winter Olympics kicks off live from Sochi, Russia, with all the action coming to you via NBC's broadcasts plus the terrific NBC Olympics website that live streams every event.

To start the 100-days countdown until the Sochi games, "Today" had an Olympics-heavy show yesterday Tuesday (Oct. 29), with a segment on the American-made U.S. uniforms and a showcase from ice dancing pair Meryl Davis and Charlie White, who took silver in the 2010 Vancouver games (below). I hope they get a gold medal this coming February, 2014.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

So what is ice dancing? Here's what Wikipedia has written. Ice dancing is a discipline of figure skating which draws from the world of ballroom dancing. It joined the World Figure Skating Championships in 1952 and became a Winter Olympic Games medal sport in 1976. As in pair skating, dancers compete as a couple consisting of a man and a woman. Ice dance differs from pair skating by having different requirements for lifts, requiring spins to be performed as a team in a dance hold, and by disallowing throws and jumps. Typically, partners are not supposed to separate by more than two arm lengths; originally, partners were supposed to be in a dance hold the entire program, though this restriction has been lifted somewhat in modern ice dancing. Another distinction between ice dance and other disciplines of skating is the usage of music in the performances; in ice dancing, dancers must always skate to music that has a definite beat or rhythm. Singles and pair skaters more often skate to the melody and phrasing of their music, rather than its beat; this is severely penalized in ice dance.

I also enjoy watching the Pairs Figure Skating competition besides Ice Dancing in the Winter Olympic Games.

Fruits and Vegetables in Season in California

I was shopping the other day at our Farmers Market and also at Sprouts Store specializing on fresh produce ( fruits and vegetables) grown locally. There must be at least 100 items you can purchase, but the products that are in season can be yours at bargain prices. I observed that prices here in Sprouts is oftentimes cheaper than in the local Farmer's market except in one or two products.

As most of you probably know California grows about 80% of all fruits and vegetables in the U.S.,so California seasons are, in some ways, the national seasons. Several products are imported from Mexico, Chile, Australia and other countries( bananas, mangoes, papayas etc...)

The following is list of fruits and vegetables arrange alphabetically for your reference and information. The one mark with asterisk are now in season here in Northern California. The list has about 145 items and more than half are in season right now. The list do not include the numerous varieties available for several fruits (apples, oranges, persimmons, grapes etc..) listed here.

Apples, late summer through fall (cold storage until spring)*

Apricots, late spring through early summer

Artichokes, spring and again early fall*

Arugula, available year-round but best in spring and fall*

Asparagus, spring

Avocados, classically summer, but now harvested year-round*

Basil, summer

Beets, year-round*

Belgian Endive, available year-round but best in fall and winter*

Black berrries, summer

Blueberries, summer

Boysenberries, early summer

Broccoli, year-round but best in fall and winter*

Broccoli raab, fall through spring*

Brussels sprouts, late fall and winter*

Cabbage, best in late fall and winter but available year-round*

Cantaloupes, late summer

Cardoons, winter and early spring

Carrots, year-round*

Cauliflower, best in fall and winter but available year-round*

Celeriac/celery root, fall and winter*

Celery, best in fall and winter but available year-round*

Chard, summer and fall*

Cherries, late spring and summer

Chickpeas (a.k.a. garbanzo beans), fresh in summer (dried year-round)*

Chicories, fall and winter*

Chiles, summer

Clementines, winter*

Collard greens, year-round*

Corn, summer

Cucumbers, summer

Edamame, fall*

Eggplant, summer and early fall*

Escarole, fall and winter*

Fava beans, spring

Fennel, fall through spring

Fiddleheads, spring

Figs, summer and fall*

Garlic, summer and fall (stored year-round)*

Gooseberries, summer

Garlic scapes/green garlic, spring

Grapefruit, winter and spring

Grapes, late summer and early fall*

Green almonds, spring

Green beans, summer and early fall*

Green onions, spring through fall*

Horseradish, fall and winter*

Huckleberries, late summer and early fall*

Jerusalem artichokes/sunchokes, fall and winter*

Kale, best in fall and winter*

Kiwis, winter and into spring

Kohlrabi, late fall through spring

Kumquats, late winter and spring

Leeks, fall through spring

Lemongrass, summer and fall*

Lemons, winter and spring

Lettuce, available year-round nationally but best in spring

Limes, late summer and fall*

Mandarins, winter*

Mangos, summer

Marionberries, summer

Melons, summer and early fall*

Mint, year-round*

Morels, spring

Mushrooms (cultivated), year-round*

Mushrooms (wild), spring through fall*

Nectarines, summer

Nettles, spring

New Potatoes, spring

Okra, late summer and early fall*

Onions, spring through fall (stored in winter)*

Oranges (Navel), winter and spring

Oranges (Valencia), spring and summer

Oregano, year-round*

Parsley, year-round*

Parsnips, fall through spring

Peaches, summer

Pears, fall*

Pea greens, spring

Peas and pea pods, spring and early summer

Peppers (sweet), summer and early fall*

Persimmons, fall and early winter*

Plums & pluots, summer

Pomegranates, fall*

Pommelos, winter

Potatoes, late summer through fall but available from storage year-round*

Pumpkins, fall*

Quinces, fall*

Radicchio, late summer through early spring

Radishes, spring through fall*

Radishes (daikon, watermelon, other large varieties), fall and winter*

Rapini, fall through spring

Raspberries, summer

Rhubarb, spring and early summer

Rosemary, year-round*

Rutabagas, fall and winter*

Sage, year-round

Salsify, fall and winter*

Scallions, spring through fall

Shallots, summer and fall (from storage through winter)

Shelling beans, summer and early fall*

Snap peas/snow peas/pea pods, spring

Sorrel, year-round*

Spinach, year-round*

Spring Onions, spring

Squash (summer), summer

Squash (winter), fall and winter*

Stinging Nettles, spring

Strawberries, spring and summer

Sunchokes/Jerusalem artichokes, fall and winter*

Sweet Onions, spring and summer

Sweet potatoes, fall and winter*

Tangerines, winter*

Thyme, year-round*

Tomatillos, late summer

Tomatoes, summer

Turnips, fall through spring

Watercress, year-round*

Watermelons, summer

Winter Squash, fall and winter*

Zucchini, summer

Zucchini Blossoms, summer

The five products that I like that is not in this list are taro roots, baby bok choy(chinese cabbage), bananas, papayas and Jicama (Mexican turnips or singkamas in Tagalog).

Reference: http://localfoods.about.com/od/searchbyregion/a/CAFruitsVeggies.htm

Mangoes, Persimmons and Grapefruits

Mangoes, Grapefruits, and persimmons appear to be in season here in Northern California if I based it on the sale prices at the grocery stores. Yesterday I purchased the above three fruits in a store named Sprouts. The store specialized in fresh produce (fruits and vegetables) supposed to be grown locally. I say supposed because some of their offerings are navel oranges from Australia and of course the mangoes were imported from Mexico. The store carried two varieties of mangoes yesterday. The small yellow mangoes were selling for 0.99c each and the medium size red mangoes were on sale for 4 for $5. Regularly the red mangoes are listed in this store at $1.59 each and $2 at regular store here in Northern California such as Safeway and Raleys. I also buy mangoes from Food Max, a discount grocery store specializing in Latino products. Food Max has good supply of fresh fruits as well as vegetables. Food Max is the store that carries taro roots and other oriental vegetables besides the Chinese and Filipino store stores in our area. Speaking of Filipino stores, there are times of the year when you can purchase imported mangoes from the Philippines. Philippine mangoes are better and much more delicious than the Mexican mangoes if you are willing to pay for the higher prices.

Persimmons are only in season around the month of October. I purchased the Hachiya variety at 4 for $5 also yesterday. Most of these are grown locally and a lot of Northern California residents have persimmon trees in their backyard. I used to have two varieties of persimmons in my back yard when we were still residing in Pinole, California in the mid 1980's. I have both the Fuyu and Hachiya varieties.

Fuyu persimmons are distinguished by their "flat" bottoms and squat shape. Fuyus should be more orange then yellow and are at their best when just barely a teensy bit soft. They will ripen after picked, so buying rock-hard fuyus and allowing them to ripen at home can be a good strategy. Fuyus are commonly eaten raw, often sliced and peeled and salads. They can also be roasted to great effect. They have a mild, pumpkin-like flavor.

Hachiya persimmons are mouth-puckeringly tart unless absolutely, supremely ripe. Ripe hachiyas are unbelievably soft - and are often almost liquified into a silky smooth pulp inside. They are elongated and oval shaped. They will ripen once picked, so you can let them soften on the kitchen counter until ready to use. Hachiyas are thought of as "baking" persimmons and are commonly peeled and pureed into a pulp to add to baked goods. They add stable moisture and a mild, pumpkin-like flavor to cakes, puddings, and other treats. I am planning to make pancakes with persimmons sometime next week instead of my standard pancakes with blueberries, banana or strawberries.

The third fruit that I purchased yesterday was the grape fruit. I paid only 0.48c for a medium size fruit. Normally this size of fruit will cost you $1. When I open the fruit this morning for breakfast I was not disappointed. It was juicy, sweet with a hint of tartness and was worth more for the price I paid when it comes to its nutritional value. Grapefruits are not common in the Philippines and also are in season here in Northern California. The grapefruit (Citrus × paradisi) is a subtropical citrus tree known for its sour to semi-sweet fruit, an 18th-century hybrid first bred in Barbados. When found, it was named the "forbidden fruit"; and it has also been misidentified with the pomelo or shaddock (C. maxima), one of the parents of this hybrid, the other being sweet orange (C. × sinensis)

One of my philisopies in life is to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables to drive the doctor away!!

Are Solar Flares Prelude to Apocalypse?

Are these solar flares a prelude to the end of the world? I hope not! Another X solar flares occurred yesterday!
marinduque rising: Sun erupts with two major solar flares: From Space.com The sun erupted with two of the strongest solar flares it can unleash Friday (Oct. 25), just days after blasting an int...

My Name is Divad B Eugatak if Spelled Backwards

Have you tried reading and spelling your name backwards? Is it readable? Do you like how it sounds? In addition have you tried creating anagrams of your surname?

My name ( David B Katague(pronounced Cat tag gay) when spelled backward is Divad B Eugatak.

It is readable and it does not sound bad. So today, I am putting Divad B Eugatak its presence in the INTERNET by creating a site at blogspot.com as follows: http://divadbeugatak.blogspot.com

I have also created 7 anagrams of the 7 letter Katague as follows: Ageatku, ataguke, aukgate, Eutakag, Ekgutaa, kuegata and Kaugate. I like the sound of the last anagram.

My spouse of 57 years Macrine Jambalos Katague will have another name as Enircam Solabmaj Eugatak. The names sounds like an Indonesian or an Arabic name.
My full name David Balleza Katague will read Divad Azellab Eugatak also sounds like an Arabic name.

I am writing this just for fun since I have plenty of time, so do not ask me, So What! I will tag this under the humor column of my skriveit.com account. I will never change my first name of David ( means beloved) to Divad, although Shakespeare in his play Romeo and Juliet says: "What's in a name? That which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet."

Good Day or night to all you dear readers, try spelling your name backwards and let me know whether you like it or not.

Bo Bear-Man's Best Friend

Bo Bear is my grand daughter new pet dog. Since a picture is worth more than a thousand words, I am happy to post the following photos for your viewing pleasure.
Cone of Shame
Bo Bear Waits outside the Coffee Shoppe

Bo Bear and Carenna Resting after a Hard Day
Bo Bear and Gimlet-the Cat
Bo Bear enjoying the car ride
Bo Bear Curious of Other Pets of Carenna


Bo is looking for his forever home, rescued from Sacramento shelter currently being fostered in Sacramento. Bo (bear), is a sweet 8 year old Rottie/lab mix. He's great with other dogs, kids. He is a great companion and likes to go for walks and car rides. He likes to nap most of the day close to a human friend. Bo would be best suited in a home with another dog for him to play with or a home in which someone is home most of the time. He weighs about 80 lbs and trained to be an inside house pet.

Tom Rodriquez-Philippines Newest Heart Throb

Philippines Newest Heartthrob-Tom Rodriquez
Notice the screaming noise of the fans in the background of this video, you could barely hear the song-Photograph.

Bartolome Alberto Mott, better known as Tom Rodriguez was born on October 1, 1987. He is a Filipino-American actor and reality TV contestant. He is known for being on Pinoy Big Brother: Double Up and his roles in Be Careful With My Heart and Temptation Island. He acted as Vincent Soriano ( a bisexual and closet gay), one of the three leading roles in the recently ended TV drama, My Husband's Lover on the GMA Network. He was so good as an actor, a lot of people ask him if he is gay. His answer, NO!

He is from Catbalogan City, Samar, Philippines and later migrated to the United States when he was 12 years old with his parents. Tom was born in Olongapo City, Philippines to an American serviceman father and a Filipina mother. One of six siblings, Tom moved with his two brothers and three sisters with their mom to Pinabacdao, Samar (where their mom hails from) but they grew up in nearby Catbalogan City, also in Samar, where Tom studied at St. Mary's College of Catbalogan (formerly Sacred Heart College) from kindergarten to high school. Then, the family migrated to San Francisco where he took up Digital Animation but found it hard to find a job there. Tom is multi-lingual, able to fluently speak English, Tagalog and Waray-Waray (the language spoken in his hometown in Samar)

Indeed, Tom is one fast-rising star in the Philippines today. He is 26-year-old Filipino-American actor/singer of GMA-7’s top-rated TV series My Husband’s Lover. Tom played Vincent, the closet gay married to Lally, played by Carla Abellana; the problem is he has an illicit affair with Eric played by Dennis Trillo. This TV drama was the first TV drama that I enjoyed tremendously. It is the only gay-themed drama or movie that I know that had no kissing scene between the two gay lovers, yet it become one of the most popular and widely viewed TV drama in Philippines TV history.

Tom has indeed gained legions of fans among women, gays and even men including myself. The cast of My Husband's Lover held a successful concert last October 12 at Smart Araneta Coliseum. I viewed the tape of the concert and I enjoyed it very much.

What if Mt Malindig Erupts Today?

Can you imagine a scenario if Mt Malinding in my beloved province of Marinduque, Philippines erupts today?

With the recent earthquake swarms and mild tremors in Marinduque in the news the first week of this month, I am beginning to wonder if these swarms are connected to the volcanic activity of Mt Malindig. I am hoping that an eruption would not happen in my lifetime, but the chance that this eruption will not occur is almost zero.

Assuming that the eruption is as intense in magnitude as Mt Pinatubo several years ago, destruction of the island particularly the town of Buenavista and Torrijos will be tremendous and catastrophic. The five star, Bellarocca Island Resort and Spa- the tourist jewel of Marinduque will be covered with volcanic ashes and will not be available for the enjoyment of our rich kababayans from Manila as well as tourists from Japan and Korea for quite a long time. The whole western coast of Marinduque, from Boac to Buenavista sites of beautiful homes and mansions owed by the Expatriate Marinduquenos and the rich businessmen from Manila and the location of several beautiful beach resorts ( including my own, Chateau Du Mer) will be a big mess. It will probably take several months or longer to bring it up to the pre-eruption conditions that we natives thoroughly cherish and enjoy. I hope this scenario will never happen, but we should be prepared and not surprise just in case this happens. Let me explain why this scenario could happen in the future.

Mt Malindig is considered a potentially active volcano, in part because of the sulfur and hot springs in Malbog, Buenavista. It has never erupted, but because it is an active volcano, the chance it will not erupt is nil. Its unique location, at the heart of Southern Tagalog Region, creates a panorama that encompasses Mindoro, Verde Island and Southern Luzon. It is the largest mountain in the island popular for mountain climbers and hikers. It is the home of different species of wild orchids and other endemic wild life in the island. Due to the elevation of more than 1000 meters above sea level, it is by Philippine environmental law a protected area. Mt Malindig is a stratovolcano with coordinates 13.2694 degrees North and 121.9922 degrees East.

The photo above is Poctoy White Beach with Mt Malindig in the background- the most photographed scenery in the islands. Let's hope that this eruption scenario will not occur for a long, long time. In the meantime, let us enjoy this beautiful mountain this summer, by hiking to the top, bird watching or just enjoying the panoramic view at the top. In a clear day, you can see Mindoro and the surrounding islands of the Southern Tagalog region.
Note: Today, Mt Malindig is dormant. There is a legend in Marinduque, why it has been dormant for quite some time. Evidently, at one time in the past, the volcano was showing sign of eruptions by the steam and boiling water oozing from top of the mountain. The local devotees of the Statue of the Virgin of Biglang Awa ( Perpetual Succor) prayed and prayed until the oozing of boiling water and steam stopped. When the faithful devotees of the Biglang Awa came to say thank you, by kissing the feet and gown of the statue, they observed that it was wet. The Lady of Biglang Awa is the patron saint of the town of Boac, capital of Marinduque. Today, there is a shrine built by the side of the Boac Cathedral in honor of Biglang Awa.Image from diosceseofboac.org

US Congress Leadership PACs versus Philippines Pork Barrel Funds

US House of Congress, Washington, D.C.
There are similarities and differences between the US congress so called "Leadership PACs"(political action committees)funds and the Philippines legislators Pork Barrel funds (PB) as reported in the CBS 60 Minutes show last Sunday. Simply stated both US and Filipino legislators are corrupt and the PAC and PB funds are sources of corruption for both US and Philippines legislators.

Steve Kroft, CBS reporter and News Senior Editor-at-Large Peter Schweizer revealed how leadership PAC loopholes had allowed members of Congress convert campaign cash into lavish lifestyle upgrades for themselves and their family members. This is similar to what the Filipinos legislators are doing and have done based on the Janet Napoles and Senate Investigations of the Pork Barrel scandal in the Philippines.

Mr. Schweizer says “It's another example, unfortunately, where the rules that apply to the rest of us, don't really apply to the members of Congress,” This is identical to what is happening in the Philippines also today.

There is a forthcoming book titled Extortion: How Politicians Extract Your Money, Buy Votes, and Line Their Own Pockets, and authored by Schweizer. The book will reveal an embarrassing and outlandish instances of cronyism and self-enrichment by members of US Congress. I am looking forward to read this book.

The funds from leadership PACs are supposed to go to help elect fellow members of one’s own political party, but lax campaign laws allow lawmakers to turn their leadership PACs money into private slush funds to fund just about anything. This is exactly what has happened of the Pork Barrel Funds in the Philippines for the last 5 years. In the case of the US funds it is not illegal, but misappropriations of pork barrel funds in the Philippines is not legal and punishable by either impeachment, fines or imprisonment.

This shows that if a person or persons are given enough power, there is a tendency for abuse. Should our Filipino legislators feel less guilty of their misdeeds knowing that they are not the only corrupt legislators in this Planet Earth? I hope not!

Genesis-Pinoy New TV Drama

In my article the other day, I indicated that I have no desire to watch another Pinoy TV drama after the historic My Husband's Lover(MHL) ended the other day. MHL was the first Pinoy TV soap opera that I enjoyed very much because of its modern and timely topic favorable to the image of the LGBT community of the Philippines. I thought MHL will be my last Pinoy TV opera, but I am mistaken, because today at the invitation of my wife, I decided to watch Genesis, a new drama also by the GMA network. I am starting to enjoy the first 5 episodes and I have a feeling I will get hooked to it, until the end. Here's a summary of the TV drama from Wikipedia.

Genesis is a Filipino science fiction-drama series broadcast by GMA Network starring Dingdong Dantes, Rhian Ramos, TJ Trinidad, Lauren Young and Lorna Tolentino. It premiered on October 14, 2013 on the network's prime time block and worldwide via GMA Pinoy TV. Here's the plot and summary of this drama that I am beginning to enjoy so far.

In 2007, a series of catastrophic events happened during the Panagbengga Flower Festival in Baguio City. The festive occasion becomes a catastrophe as earthquakes and landslides follow after fragments of an asteroid hit the area. Isaak is quick to protect the vice president and his daughter Sandra who is with him in the occasion. He is also quick in bringing Sandra to the presidential chopper. Unbeknownst to Isaak, President Ramona ordered the helicopter to immediately pull out leaving the Vice President in peril.

Isaak tries to save the vice president from falling in a pit caused by the earthquake but it was too late and Edgardo dies. Isaak is devastated as he feels dishonored for failing to save the vice president. Meanwhile, at his hometown, he finds out that his parents died too and it was only Raquel who survived. As days go by, Isaak continues to mourn the death of the people dear to him. Raquel tries to convince Isaak to leave his job, start all over again in their hometown, get married and live a quiet life.

Sandra, on the other hand, has no idea on what President Ramona did and she doesn’t question Isaak’s loyalty to his father especially Isaak saved her life. Sandra and Isaak are both unaware of Ramona’s plot to kill the Vice President. Before everyone finds out about what she did and how she abandoned the vice president during the disaster, she puts the blame on Isaak over the death of the vice president. Thus, he was sentenced to life imprisonment and he was even proclaimed dead by Ramona.

As Raquel thought Isaak is dead, she is pushed to marry Paolo who promises her a better life for her and the baby she’s carrying. Meanwhile, Isaak serves his time in jail, growing more cynical with each passing day.

Five years later, Sandra is a strong candidate for the presidency and eventually, became the president of the country. After her inauguration, Sandra is called into an emergency caucus and discovers that the world is about to end and realizes that what happened 5 years ago in Baguio has something to do on the imminent destruction. However, the world government has been preparing for this all along through “Operation: Genesis.” It is like a modern-day Noah’s Ark wherein there are pre-selected people from all countries who will be saved in order to preserve the human race; and to be selected, one must be in perfect health condition.

Sandra knows exactly who to give the mission to. She discovers that Isaak is still alive, and immediately gives Isaak the presidential pardon because she believes that he is the only person who can be relied on and be trusted on this mission. In return, he will be given the chance to find Raquel and bring her along. He starts his journey in searching for these selected people.

In his search, he will once again cross paths with Raquel who is now married to Paolo. Isaak will also meet Raquel’s daughter, Osie who will teach him how to live life once again and hope despite the impending global catastrophe. And later on, he finds out that Osie is his daughter.

All throughout his journey, Isaak will meet different people from different parts of the country. And in trying to offer them a choice by saving them and by providing hope for others; he will come to realize that in the midst of destruction, love is the greatest salvation. And when chaos strikes, love will be their greatest strength.

Marinduque Island-Heart and Center of the Philippines

I am delighted to re post this  informative article about my second home, the Island of Marinduque, just in case you have not read it! I hope to see you all soon in Marinduque!
marinduque rising: Why Marinduque is the Center of the Philippines: (Heart-shaped island of Marinduque) “Heart-shaped” has long been used in local folklore to romanticize the island of Marinduque because a...

The Perils of Casino Gambling

Just recently I was reading an article on gambling addiction written by Daniel Bortz and published in the US News and World Report. In the article he reported that more and more Americans of both genders are seduced by the casinos due to accessibility. This is indeed true based on our personal experiences. Prior to the construction of Thunder Valley Casino in Lincoln , California, my wife and I go to the Casinos may be twice a year since we have to drive more than one hour to the nearest Casino from our residence. With the construction of Thunder Valley and Red Hawk, we go to the casinos every other week. Both Casinos are only about 30 minutes drive from our residence. Besides gambling we patronized all the restaurants inside the Casino. We have a budget that we followed strictly. Besides playing the slots, my wife and I partake the delicious buffet offered by the Casinos at a reasonable price.

I have a relative who was addicted to Poker. His wife divorced him. If you think you are addicted to gambling, call 1-800-555-1212 and asked for the number of Gambler Anonymous (GA). I hope GA can help you.

The report mentioned that about 2 million adults meet the criteria for “pathological gambling or addiction.” and 4 to 6 million are considered “problem gamblers”. This is due to the fact that the number of casinos in the US is growing not including gambling online. Gambling addiction affects both men and women from all socioeconomic classes, according to figures from the National Council on Problem Gambling.

The gap between the number of male and female gambling addicts is closing. As more Indian and local casinos with slot machines are added, the number of female problem gamblers increases throughout the country, says Sam Skolnik, author of "High Stakes: The Rising Cost of America's Gambling Addiction."

However, Skolnik says betting behaviors vary by gender. He says men are more likely to be "action gamblers," meaning they prefer games that involve skill (e.g., poker or blackjack), while women tend to be "escape gamblers," meaning they're more drawn to machines that are based on luck (e.g., slots or bingo) and gamble to distract themselves from problems in their personal life.

Personal Note: My wife and I go to the Casino every other week with a definite budget. We also partake the reasonably price food besides playing the slot machines. I believe we are not addicted yet. We used to go to the movies, Broadway plays/musicals and eat at expensive restaurants as part of our monthly entertainment budget. Again, may I reiterate, if you are a gamboholic, call 1-800-555-1212 and asked for the number of GA.

My First and Last Pinoy TV Drama

Today the Pinoy TV drama, My Husband Lover ends. If you have been reading my blogs, you probably know that this was my first time in my 78 years to watch a Filipino TV soap opera. Needless to say, I got addicted to the series and enjoyed every episodes for its nineteen weeks run. I salute GMA and congratulate the writers specially Suzette Doctolero, the actors, actresses and all who were involved with this historic drama portraying a topic that is still taboo in Philippines conservative society being a Catholic nation. I have written a couple of articles and commentaries on this TV drama in my blogs expressing my enjoyment of the drama. However, as of today, I have no urge to watch another Pinoy soap opera, unless another drama of My Husband's Lover quality will be offered by Philippines two television companies, GMA and TFC. For those of you who have not heard of this drama, here's a write-up from Wikipedia.

"My Husband's Lover is a Filipino drama television series created and developed by Suzette Doctolero and produced by GMA Network. It premiered on June 10, 2013 replacing Love & Lies on the network's coveted Primetime block, and June 11, 2013 worldwide via GMA Pinoy TV. The series concluded its nineteen-week run on October 18, 2013, comprising ninety-four episodes. The series stars Carla Abellana, Tom Rodriguez and Dennis Trillo as the main characters. Carolyn Galve serves as the executive producer of show and Dominic Zapata directed the series.

It is credited as the very first gay-themed series in Philippine television due to the series' central subject of homosexual relationships and infidelity. The show has multiple continuing story lines that tackle sensitive yet relevant social issues like homosexual and bisexual relationships, homophobia and the society's discrimination against homosexuals, infidelity, pre-marital sex and the consequences of early or unplanned marriages. It also tackles the importance of family, friendship, integrity and love. The forty-five minute scripted drama chronicles the life of a woman, who belatedly discovers that her husband has been carrying on an affair, but not with another woman".

The whole series can be viewed in several web sites in the Internet. ( Just googled it). I assure you will enjoy the series if you are not homophobic.

Have You Heard of the Kubing?

The Jew's harp, jaw harp, mouth harp, Ozark harp, trump or juice harp, is a lamellophone instrument, which is in the category of plucked idiophones: it consists of a flexible metal or bamboo tongue or reed attached to a frame. The tongue/reed is placed in the performer's mouth and plucked with the finger to produce a note.

The bamboo jaw harp, known as kubing or kumbing is used by various Filipino peoples throughout the Philippine archipelago, and features in various neo-folk songs by artists like Joey Ayala and Grace Nono. The northern Igorot groups are the only people who produce the Jew's harp made from bronze.

Chocolate Hills of Bohol Damage by 7.2 Earthquake

The earthquake in Bohol the other day that claimed the lives of 144 and counting as of today and billions of pesos of damages of property remind me of my last year post on unusual and sexy names of places in the Philippines and around the world as follows:
Chocolate Hills, Bohol, Philippines-one of the many places affected by the Bohol 7.2 Earthquake two days ago.
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.



Any one knows where the town of Dildo is in the US?

Fauna and Flora of Bohol Province-Home of the C(K)atague Clan

Today's news of the Philippines centered on the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that occurred in Bohol yesterday morning. The quake killed around 20 as of this writing date. Historic churches toppled and landslide occurred in the Chocolate Hills area. Let us hope and pray that no additional major after shocks follows. To lighten up this catastrophe, I am re posting today an article I wrote about two years ago on the fauna and flora of Bohol-province of the C(K)atague clan.
The King Eagle
There is a town named Catague in Bohol, Philippines. Thus I have a great interest in the island. My father's named was originally spell with a "C", but when he was in high school he changed it to start with a "K". So, I believe, I have a lot of relatives in Bohol, that I have never meet or will never meet in my life time. If your name is Catague or Katague in Bohol, please get in touch with me via this blog.

Bohol is an island province in the Philippines and its 10th largest island. It is located in the Central Visayas region and has a population of 1,137,000 (2000 census) with an area of 4,117.3 km. The island has unique flora and fauna worthy of discussing in this blog. The Philippines supports a rich and varied flora with close botanical connections to Indonesia and mainland Southeast Asia. Forests cover almost one-half of the land area and are typically tropical, with the dominant family, Dipterocarpaceae, representing 75% of the stands. The forest also has vines, epiphytes, and climbers. Open grasslands, ranging up to 2.4 m (8 ft) in height, occupy one-fourth of the land area; they are man- made, the aftermath of the slash-and-burn agricultural system, and most contain tropical savanna grasses that are non nutritious and difficult to eradicate. The diverse flora includes 8,000 species of flowering plants, 1,000 kinds of ferns, and 800 species of orchids.

Seventy to eighty percent of non-flying mammals in the Philippines are found nowhere else in the world. Common mammals include the wild hog, deer, wild carabao, monkey, civet cat, and various rodents. There are about 196 breeding species of birds, among the more numerous being the megapodes (turkey-like wildfowl), button quail, jungle fowl, peacock pheasant, dove, pigeon, parrot, and hornbill. Reptilian life is represented by 190 species; there are crocodiles and the larger snakes include the python and several varieties of cobra. Of course Bohol is famous for its TARSIER, the smallest primate( monkey) in the world.

The fauna on Bohol is almost identical to that on Mindanao, Samar, and Leyte, but not that on nearby Negros. Scientists believe that the floral and faunal biodiversity unique to the Philippines is caused by the Ice Age. They also believe that the country has the most severely endangered plant and animal communities on earth.

Recently three unique flying animals/birds, attracted my attention, These are the King Eagle, a rail and a flying fox

The King Eagle-It is the largest eagle in the world. The King Eagle (Haring Ibon) tops in 5 of the 7 external measurements, namely, total length, bill gape, culmen, bill height and tarsus. The Harpy tops in 1 out of 7 measurements, namely the talon. In the wing measurement or wing chord, Haring Ibon is only second but Harpy Eagle is fifth.
Calayan Rail
Calayan Rail: New bird discovered in Babuyan Islands- A new bird species, believed to be found nowhere else in the world, has been discovered on the remote island of Calayan, 70 km north of Luzon. The bird will be named the ‘Calayan Rail’ (Gallirallus calayanensis), after the island on which it was found. Calayan is the largest island in the Babuyan Island group that lies between Batanes and Luzon.

Flying Foxes of the Philippines-
The Mindoro Pallid Flying Fox (Pteropus sp. A) is yet undescribed, but it could possibly be the smallest flying fox in the Philippines. It has been found in Mindoro, in the Anahawin River in Mts. Iglit-Baco National Park, and also in the lowland forest of Tandakan, Mt. Siburan in Sablayan, an area made up of drastic and gradual slopes with riverines in between, near a kaingin area, and in bamboo vegetation. All areas were predominated by trees of the family Dipterocapaceae.

The Tango and Memories of My Teenager Years

When I was a teenager growing up in the 3rd class town of Barotac Viejo, Iloilo, Philippines, My father used to teach us (me and my cousins) how to dance the tango, paso doble, the rumba and the waltz. This music does reminds me of my teenager days. This is one of the many reasons, why my favorite TV shows today are Dancing with the Stars(DWTS) and So You Think You Can Dance(SYTYCD).

I hope you enjoy the following video(s) and related music as much as I do.
Do not forget to view the related videos in this set. I recommend the Tango with the La Cumparsita music. This music was the first tango music my father used to teach us. Pleasant memories indeed!

Is Marinduque Ready for the Big One?

Interesting and foreboding events from the Philippines News . Fore shocks of after shocks? Is Marinduque prepared for the big one?

marinduque rising: Marinduque earthquake swarms rising!: What's going on? A sequence of earthquakes has struck the active fault line in Marinduque including fault lines located offshore between...

A Tribute to the Overseas Filipino Workers(OFW)

This video in Tagalog discussed the regrets of an OFW who was out of the country for ten years. When he returned home his Mom did not recognized him, since she is a victim of Alzheimer's Disease. A good tribute to Motherhood! A tear-jerker video to say the least! The above video reminded me of my article I posted in one of my blog two years ago, I titled it Modern Heroes of the Philippines.

"Around 8.6 million to 11 million overseas Filipinos are the estimated count worldwide or about 11% of the total population of the Philippines are the Filipino modern heroes. Without the remittances of these OFW's, the Philippine economy would not look as bright and positive compared to the economy of other countries.

More than a million Filipinos try their luck each year to work abroad through overseas employment agencies and other programs.

A majority of them are women applying as domestic helpers and personal service workers. Others emigrate and become permanent residents of other countries. Overseas Filipinos often work as doctors, physical therapists, nurses, accountants, IT professionals, engineers, architects,entertainers, technicians, teachers, military servicemen, seafarers, students, caregivers, domestic helpers and maids.

Remittances sent by OFWs to the Philippines contribute to the country's economy, with a value of more than US$10 billion in 2005. This makes the country the fourth largest recipient of remittances with India, China, and Mexico in the top list. OFW remittances represent 13.5% of the country's GDP, the largest in proportion to the domestic economy among the four countries.

In 2008, overseas Filipinos sent US$15.9 billion worth of remittances to the Philippines, up from the US$14.4 billion in 2007, and US$13 billion in 2006.

And as you read this, there are also thousands of Marinduque OFWs out there sacrificing away from their families in order that they may provide them good life and better future. Their remittances help boost the Philippine economy".

Note: On a personal level about 80% of the clients of Chateau Du Mer Conference Hall are Marinduque's OFW's and their relatives.

The Filipino Race and World War ll in the Philippines

Si Malakas at Maganda(The Strong and the Beautiful)-The first Pinoy couple in Planet Earth

A neighbor whose father served during the Japanese-American War recently asked me what I know about World War II in the Philippines. I told him I wrote an article about the war two years ago. I am updating and re-posting the following post not only for my neighbor's information but also to my other readers and Facebook friends who have not read it.

"Sometime in the early 1970's, I was invited as a guest speaker by the Lions Club of Kansas City, Missouri. They requested that I talked about The Filipino-American War (1898-1902) and also the Japanese-American War in the Philippines(I941-1945). My knowledge of the first war was from books that I have read. However, I have personal knowledge of the second war having written an article about my childhood memories of that War( see video at bottom of this page).

In my speech class in college, I was taught that in giving a speech, one must start with a joke to put your audience and you at ease. Preferably your joke should be related to your topic. This is my pre-talk joke-The origin of the Filipino Race.

Evidently, when God created mankind, he molded the human form using clays and an oven. The first time, he was doing this, God was so excited that he took what he was baking too soon. The human clay was under cooked or underdone. So it was pale and white. That was the origin of the White Race. God was not happy, so he started to bake another human form. This time he got a telephone call from Satan. God was upset he forgot about what he was doing and the baking over done, the human form was overcooked, and turned black. This was the origin of the Negro Race. God then told himself. This time It will be perfect. I will watch it very carefully and will not be distracted by any calls. His baking was perfect. The human form was golden brown, and perfectly cooked. This was the origin of the Filipino race".

The following video summarizes the Invasion Of the Philippines by the Japanese as well as the destruction of Manila. Do not forget to view the related videos in this set. This is a must see video for all history enthusiasts and students.

Kalutang Music from Gasan, Marinduque

Kalutang music from a xylohone, however a true kalutang sound emanates from wood. So what is Kalutang?
The Kalutang is a pair of wooden bars that create four basic notes when struck together. Each person carry a pair of softwood bars made from kawatingan trees. Each set ranges in length and width to create truly unique musical performances.

As far as I knew, this type of music is only known in Marinduque and originated in the town of Gasan. Kalutang playing is unique to Marinduque. Originally used as auditory signal by farmers, it later came to be associated with the Moriones in the town of Gasan according to Eli Obligacion, Marinduque's well-known blogger. In the 70's Tirso Serdena, a farmer, developed a series of kalutang pairs and used them together with other players to play popular folk melodies. It is now considered part of the town's - and Marinduque's - cultural treasures.

The Skinny Dog and the Brave Rooster

Interesting video I found in Facebook. This can happen only in the Philippines with a cow mooing in the background. Attention Cock Fighting Addicts and Enthusiasts, you should buy this rooster for future cockfighting bets and investment. The skinny dog and a pet rooster are common sights in rural Philippines as well as in suburban areas of big cities of the Philippine archipelago.

Joke of the Week-My Deepest Condolences

I found this joke from the timeline status of a Facebook friend titled "In Mourning". I am retitling it as My Deepest Condolences. My friend said there is no copyright and I am free to share to all my blog readers.

"Anna had lost her husband almost four years ago. Her daughter was constantly calling her and urging her to get back into the dating world. Finally, Anna said she'd go out, but didn't know anyone. Her daughter immediately replied, Mom I have someone for you to meet."

Well, it was an immediate hit. They took to one another and after dating for six weeks, he asked her to join him for a weekend in Spain. Their first night there, she undressed as he did. There she stood nude, except for a pair of black lacy panties. He in his birthday suit.

Looking her over, he asked, "Why the black panties?" she replied: "My breasts you can fondle, my body is yours to explore, But down there I am still mourning."

He knew he was not getting lucky that night. The following night was the same. She stood there wearing the black lacy panties, And he was in his birthday suit, but now he was wearing a black condom.

She looked at him and asked: "What's with the black condom?" He replied,"I want to offer my deepest condolences."

I hope this will brighten your day.

The History and Grandeur of the Grand Canyon of Arizona

Have You ever wondered how the Grand Canyon in Arizona was formed? If so, this video is a must view for you!

The Grand Canyon is 277 miles long, up to 18 miles wide and attains a depth of over a mile (6,000 feet or 1,800 meters). Nearly two billion years of the Earth's geological history has been exposed as the Colorado River and its tributaries cut their channels through layer after layer of rock while the Colorado Plateau was uplifted. While the specific geologic processes and timing that formed the Grand Canyon are the subject of debate by geologists, recent evidence suggests the Colorado River established its course through the canyon at least 17 million years ago. Since that time, the Colorado River continued to erode and form the canyon to its present-day configuration.
Attractions and Tours in the Grand Canyon National Park

Note: Macrine and I had been only to the North Rim of the Park about 10 years ago during the summer season. It was a trip, we will always remember. I suggest that a visit to the Park should be in your wish list ( a bucket list) of things to do before you die.

So You Think You Can Dance TV Show

One of the many of my favorite dances in the TV show, So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD)-Kathyrn and Ryan Dancing the Samba. This year top 20 are now touring the US.

Fox TV show "So you think You can Dance"(SYTYCD) is one of my favorite reality TV show. I like it better than ABC "Dancing with the Stars"-another dance show that is also popular here in US. "So You Think You Can Dance" is an American dance competition and reality show that airs on Fox in the United States.
The series first premiered on July 20, 2005 and has a similar premise to the American Idol series of singing competitions, with nationwide auditions leading to the discovery of the next big star. The show was created by Idol's Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe and is produced by 19 Entertainment and Dick Clark Productions. A mixture of contestants are chosen for the show, ranging from unknown street dancers to winners of national championships. All contestants have to work their way through a rigorous audition process. By the end of this process, 10 to 20 dancers (depending on that season's format) of various styles are chosen to compete on national television. Over the course of the show, dancers are assigned different dance styles and partners each week to test their versatility.

It was the #1 rated show in summer 2006 for adults aged 18–49. The first season was hosted by current American news personality, Lauren Sánchez; since the second season it has been hosted by former British children's television personality and one-time game show emcee, Cat Deeley. Spin-offs were announced in August 2006; there are currently versions of the show in New Zealand, Ukraine, Turkey, Israel, Canada, Germany, Greece, Poland, Malaysia, Norway, Belgium, The Netherlands, South Africa, United Kingdom, Australia and Portugal, with several other versions in the works.

So You Think You Can Dance holds auditions in major cities across the U.S. each season, looking for the top dancers in each city. Dancers with all types of backgrounds are encouraged to audition. Salsa, ballroom, hip hop, street dancing, contemporary, jazz, ballet, tap, and many other types of dancers can be seen auditioning for a chance to win the grand prize—which, in the past, has included a new Hybrid SUV, $100,000 in cash, and a dancing role in Celine Dion's Las Vegas show—of US$250,000 and the title of "America's Favorite Dancer." In its six seasons, the winners have been Nick Lazzarini, Benji Schwimmer, Sabra Johnson, Joshua Allen, Jeanine Mason and Russell Ferguson. The show has won four Emmy Awards for Outstanding Choreography and a total of six Emmys altogether. The first video was from the 2008-2009 season. Do not forget to view the related dances in the video.

This second video is The TANGO dance to the music of La Cumparsita. The music reminded me of my teenage years. My late Dad was a good tango dancer taught me to dance the tango, while I was in high school. Today, I could still dance the classic tango in spite of my years. If you love the Tango, you will enjoy this next video.

America's and Britain's Got Talent Winners, 2013

Did you watched the NBC America Got Talent TV show this year? I did as well as its British Counterpart. Here are samples of this year two winning acts...Innovative and Creative to say the least. My congratulations to Kenichi Ebina and the Attraction Group.
Kenichi Ebina-AGT 2013 Winner

BGT 2013 Winner-Attraction

Britain's and America Got Talent Two Finalists, 2013

Richard and Adam Johnson of BGT
Forte Trio of AGT
The following two acts were not first place winners for this year Britain's Got talent(BGT) and America Got Talent (AGT) Television shows. But I love these two acts, Richard and Adam Duo of BGT and the Forte Trio of AGT. In case you have not seen these acts, they are posted here for your listening pleasure and enjoyment.

BGT Richard and Adam Duo won only 3 place in this year BGT contest, but to me they are number one. Here's the latest news on the British brothers from Welsh 3rd place winner.

"Britain’s Got Talent finalists Richard And Adam Johnson have fought off tough competition from the likes of Rudimental, Travis and John Mayer to hold onto the Number 1 spot on the Official Albums Chart for a fourth week in a row.

The Impossible Dream, the brother’s debut album, has now overtaken US star Justin Timberlake’s The 20/20 Experience to score the most consecutive weeks at Number 1 this year. The album is now tied with The Motion Picture Cast Recording of Tom Hooper’s big screen adaptation Les Miserables, for the most overall weeks at Number 1 on the Official Albums Chart this year; Les Miserables notched up two runs of two weeks at Number 1 on the chart back in January and February."

FORTE, was 4th place only in this year AGT contest, although I voted for them in the final performance. I love these guys, so I was curious of what happened to the group after the show. Here's the latest news on the trio.

"America's Got Talent" finalist act Forte has scored a record deal and residency in Las Vegas. The operatic trio may have landed in fourth place on last week's season finale, but they still walked away with a prize almost as good as winning first place. The group, consisting of Josh Page, Sean Panikkar and Fernando Varela, has inked a deal with SYCO/Columbia Records, the label founded by "AGT" creator Simon Cowell.

Bing: More about Forte: Fans won't have to wait long to buy Forte's music: Their first single, "Caruso," will be released next Monday, and their debut album will hit shelves Nov. 12. And later this year, the trio will headline a special New Year's residency at the Tropicana Las Vegas from Dec. 28 to Dec. 30.

Tropical Fruits in the Gardens of Chateau Du Mer

Fruit Stand in the Philippines-This fruit tianggi (stand) reminds me of my orchard in Marinduque specifically at our retirement property, we named Chateau Du Mer.

The soil and climate of Marinduque, Philippines is excellent for growing tropical and exotic fruits. Among the fruits in my orchard are mangoes( 3 varieties), bananas( four varieties), papayas( four varieties), guayabano( sour sop), atis(sugar-apple), rambutan, lanzones, duhats(wild prunes), jack fruit(langka), star apples, balimbing( star fruit), cashews, guavas, chico(manilkara sapota or sapodilla), santol(wild mangosteen), pomelo(lucban) and calamansi( chinese orange). I tried growing Durian, but typhoon Reming killed my two young trees about 4 years ago. I have a wild duhat tree that did not also survive from the typhoons that passed the island on a yearly basis.


1. Mango Fruit starts to ripen on the tree



2. Lanzones Fruits


3. Papaya Tree loaded with ripe and green Fruits



4. Green Mangoes almost touching the Ground



5. Young Guava Fruits


6. Avocados Galore

Atis Fruit

Santol Fruits

Young jackfruit in my backyard in Amoingon, Boac, Marinduque, Philippines

Inside the star apple fruit

Cashew fruit in the Tree

Chico Fruit in the Tree

I have 2 pomelo trees in my backyard

I have four calamansi( calamondin) trees in my orchard