Shopping in the Philippines

The history of retailing in the Philippines was inaugurated by SM Super Malls led by their CEO Henry Sy. They are celebrating 60 years of service to the Filipino worldwide as they branched outside the Philippines. Then retail business by the Robinson's Malls of the Gokongweis, the Star Malls and the Vista Malls of the Villars, the Ayala Malls of the Zobels and the Ayalas, among others. There are regional malls like the NCCC Mall in Mindanao and Palawan. Waltermart is also present especially at the provinces.

Asians shop in the Philippines probably because they impose less tariff in the Philippines so that makes the items cheaper here. They particularly shop for the Mango brand, for his and hers, and literally the Philippine mangoes. I know there are lots of quality brands selling in the Philippines but that is only the sidelight of their trips. They visit the Philippines mainly for the tourist spots and entertainment. 

The King of the Philippine Roads

You can limit the use of jeepneys but you can never phase them out. The history of the jeepney is the story of Filipino resilience from WW2. They modify the General Purpose (G.P. hence the term Jeep) vehicles utilized by the Americans and presented the longer diesel-powered Jeepneys as the primary means of public transportation. The engines of the first jeepneys are Fiat Chrysler's.

Okay we have heavy traffic in the Metros (Manila, Cebu, Davao) so rapid mini-buses would be more efficient. Some of the jeepneys can be privatized as the stainless owner-type jeeps. These rapid buses have strategic routes to decongest traffic and as suggested they collect passengers for no longer than 5 minutes at the bus stops. The buses are government subsidized so the drivers are paid monthly so they do not have to collect as much passengers as they can and impede traffic. Jeepneys would still be needed outside the Metros.

The Filipino can build engines from scratch you know. I have been in league with Filipino inventors and they say it's just a matter of time. Malaysia should be able to build their own engines too.

My concern in drone human transportation is the safety. What if the propellers stop spinning? If they do the drone should be able to land safely as it is.

Space Jam 2 [Movie]

Okay the game started and LeBron was driving and dishing, powering his way to the hoop. They led early. However one of the referees was eagle-eyed on his steps. He whistled LeBron for travel time and again. Bugs Bunny was like Whats up Doc? How about you use the Euro-step? The referee is from the Middle East. Bugs said probably you can hit him. LeBron elbowed the referee in the ensuing play. At half-time Manu Ginobili showed him the Euro-step. Bugs Bunny talked to Marvin the Martian. He disappeared in a jiffy. He came back asap with Korean boybands and girlbands. You can do that zap yourself out of here? Tsk tsk. Bugs went to the Koreans. They began to cheer for the referee.  

The Ring of Fire Debunked

I would say these are trenches that previously serve as valleys congruent with the theory of Polar Shifts that tell us that deserts are dried-up oceans. 

Let us imagine that these valleys are the base of the structures known as mountain ranges. The height, width and breadth and the composition of the structures defines their strength to withstand earthquakes. Flexible and wide structures are ideal. Shaky is okay as long as the structure dances with the quake not go against it.

"In 1970, Soviet scientists started drilling the Kola Superdeep Borehole in Murmansk, Russia. They wanted to learn about Earth's crust, and they wanted to beat American scientists who had abandoned their Project Mohole in 1966.

After 24 years of digging, and several branches in the hole, the deepest branch of the Kola Superdeep Borehole stopped in 1994 at 12,262 meters (about 7.5 miles). It's only nine inches in diameter at the bottom. It is still the deepest hole in the world, and the process of drilling was incredibly difficult. (For reference, the Mariana Trench is approximately 10,994 meters deep at The Challenger Deep—and it's not a drilled hole.)

Interestingly, Kola is not the longest hole; in May 2008, an oil well earned that record, though it's nowhere near as far underground.

So what did scientists find at the bottom of the hole? First, there's lots of water down there—though it may be formed from stray oxygen and hydrogen atoms squeezed out of rock minerals. Second, there are plankton fossils as deep as 6700 meters. Third, it's incredibly hot—more than 350 °F. For all the effort and decades of work, this hole only went 0.2% of the way to the center of the Earth!"

Imagine 7.5 miles excavated deep into the earth is only 0.20 percent of the Earth. Thus scientists imagine what is the composition of the Earth's mantle, Outer Core and Inner Core. My guess is that chemical reactions beneath the Earth is causing quakes. They produce freon that freezes minerals so they expand. When minerals expand they cause the quakes. Gases can also be produced underground. Methane deposits are abundant but when they are lit up it causes explosions.

PVL Open Conference Power Rankings

Here are my thoughts on the Premiere Volleyball League Open Conference Women's Division:

Okay the first six would be Valdez, Morado, Sato, Soriano, Galanza, Gumabao and Gohing as Libero. Poster girls? Wait until they build a dynasty. 

This is a motley crew. Probably they milk the MBs Tajima, Dacoron, Ahomiro they can be contenders. Gervacio, Villanueva, Emnas, Tiamzon not too shabby.

Girls if you can win this take it. This is not some UAAP pre-season tournament okay? Joanna Maraguinot is not here. Okay that is why you have to step up.

You could add more firepower in the line-up.

Yongco teams up with Pablo and you have Pantino, Racraquin, Antipuesto, Kasilag and the much improved Palomata. I'm excited for this team!

Come on guys build your team around Cabriana!

They reached the semis of the collegiate conference. I do not see them going all the way. Unless they are that hungry.

I would say this sort of NCAA All-Star team can surprise.

Grave Markers

I went to the National Museum of Anthropology at the Rizal Park just across the National Museum of Natural History. There was Muslim mosque at the corner of the exhibition and all things Muslim in the Muslim Area. I was drawn to the grave markers which is not unlike the Christian faith. They care for their loved ones who passed away. The Muslims have male and female grave markers (Okir, Ukkil) aside from the inscriptions. Same as Christians and Hindus and Atheists and Buddhists and Unitarians and Universalists. However the Muslims prohibit the use of lifelike likeness so they depict them in symbols. The Cross is a Muslim female grave marker. It is unisex for the Christians. Think of abstract painting. The photo below is close enough.

Muslim Cemetery, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Fort Bonifacio, Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines

The Dance of Youth, Pablo Picasso, 1881-1973

May-December Love Affairs

May is the 5th month of the year and December is the 12th and last. In Notting Hill, Julia Roberts is December and Hugh Grant is May. You know it illustrates relationships with a big age gap. My college instructor Karen Leviste was wooed by my classmates. She is attractive but not my type. So my classmate Manolito Dela Cruz sends her a love letter. It was type-written! And from the grapevine they say some words were applied with correction fluids. It was probably Roberto Tercias who expressed his love first. He has the signature octagon glasses. There was also Dennis Deblois who was not able to express his love. Maybe he did. These are my homies okay. Let's talk migration. One of my mates Michaelangelo who is a Mechanical Engineer from PUP works in Moscow, Russia. Josie and Jan Gargaran my mates in EEI work in Japan. Aleli Marquez works in Taipei i guess. Ha. I'm miserable okay. I am not to disclose it. I get a letter. It says I can't stalk effective 15 days from date issued. Which is now. Does that mean after 15 days i am free or what? I should go to the police right? I can't even cyber-stalk because the police may be lurking. 

Slope Protection

Here is an example of a slope protection concrete pouring typical in Malaysia. Ready-Mix Concrete is sprayed to the prepared slope the thickness indicated by the wire mesh and weep holes and is anchored on dowels. The weep holes are permeable drain pipes wrapped with geotextile membrane. 

We call the method of driving dowels to the earth as Soil Nailing. "It is a construction remedial measure to treat unstable natural soil slopes or as a construction technique that allows the safe over-steepening of new or existing soil slopes."

Masons trowel the slab after and shape the anchors into pyramids.

The Philippines World Heritage Sites

The UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) has listed six World Heritage sites in the Philippines namely the Baroque Churches, the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park in Palawan, The Ifugao Rice Terraces of the Philippines, the Vigan City Experience (throwback to the Spanish Colonial times), Puerto Princesa Subterranean (Underground) River National Park in Palawan, and the breath-taking Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary in Davao as they exhibited in the National Museum of Natural History.

The Ifugao Rice Terraces is regarded as the Mother of Rice Terraces because it was built 2000 years ago. The National Government aims to build the Terraces Resort in Mountain Province run by the local government to accommodate more tourists who want to revel at the view. We will build a five-star four-storey building and villas scattered for honeymooners. We will provide spas and massage parlors. The road leading to the resort will automatically develop as there will be local and foreign tourists. I suggested they provide a visual ruler beside the minute Tarsier who measures 12 to 16 centimeters. There is a stalagmite there those are mineral deposits at the bottom of the cave. You might like to add stalactites formed at the top of the cave. When stalagmites and stalactites meet and join they are called columns.

"Baroque architecture is the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late 16th-century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church. It was characterized by new explorations of form, light and shadow, and dramatic intensity. Common features of Baroque architecture included gigantism of proportions; a large open central space where everyone could see the altar; twisting columns, theatrical effects, including light coming from a cupola above; dramatic interior effects created with bronze and gilding; clusters of sculpted angels and other figures high overhead; and an extensive use of trompe-l'oeil, also called "quadratura," with painted architectural details and figures on the walls and ceiling, to increase the dramatic and theatrical effect."

The Baroque Churches in the Philippines are: The San Agustin Church in Intramuros (1604), Manila; The Santa Maria Church in Narvacan, Ilocos Sur (1567); The Paoay Church in Paoay, Ilocos Norte (1593) and The Miagao Church in Miagao, Iloilo (1580).

The Eye of the Storm

Since storms and typhoons and cyclones originate from the equator I coordinated with the weather bureau to map out the temperature of the oceans. Divide in into sectors. We probably douse ice cubes at hot sectors. But this project would be on hold because how would ice cubes affect the biodiversity at the sectors. Would it contain invasive species. What is the world without storms, typhoons and cyclones. I don't know.

The higher the temperature more winds accumulate at the atmosphere. Clouds would indicate the evaporation and condensation rate at the sector. I guess ice cubes and ice water can indeed control the ocean temperature. Biodiversity survives because wildlife is used to migrations.

Designer Brands Logo Racing

Okay so i have organized an amazing race for designer brands logo. There would be an agreed dimensions and materials used. Some brands may have to develop a sub logo as their logo here would not be competitive. Make it ergonomic. We have also invited various brands to participate. The idea is to have a machine that would race in land, sea and air.

I declare the Amazing Race visit one continent at a time. Say Amazing Race- North America would race exclusively South America. AR- South America to Europe. AR- Europe to Asia. AR-Asia to Australia. AR- Australia to Africa. AR- Africa to North America. And so on. 

The Polar Shifts

So i've been hanging around National Book Store (NBS) at Cubao like i usually do, a habit i get from my buddy Rommel. I saw this illustration of how the earth's magnetism is similar to that of a bar magnet. And the way to demagnetize it by electromagnetism or hammering it. "Apply AC Current To Demagnetize a Magnet. One way to make a magnet is by applying an electrical field (electromagnet), so it makes sense you can use alternating current to remove magnetism, too. ... The core of the material may retain a slight magnetic field due to hysteresis." I do not know about demagnetizing the earth but the hammer's impact would be likened somewhat to asteroids hitting the earth. Okay the asteroid has to hit the earth at an angle so as to apply english on it. Left side english. Right side english. Topspin. Backspin. Stop ball. I would spot you 10,000 pesos okay (200 USD). Fact is beaten Malaysians and Singaporeans in the game of billiards. But i digress. The impact makes the poles shift. I would say the asteroid that hit the Yucatan Peninsula caused a polar shift. Who knows how many of these has happened. The stop ball which means the asteroid impacts at the center of the earth would relatively be insignificant. Not unless it has the force to displace the planet out of its orbit.

I guess asteroid and meteors and comets are incomplete planets. Comets they travel farthest in the xyz plane of the universe. They orbit galaxies. Probably because of magnetism too. Their momentum paves the way to orbits but their thrust wanes later on. Like the Halley's comet was consistently appearing every x years with a fixed trajectory but lately we don't see that. Probably it combined with other young planets in a young galaxy.

This is a planet that does not spin. But electromagnetism can start it. Or planets and comets and asteroids colliding with other. It sort of started the ball rolling. This twilight zone where the climate is habitable nurtures life. But with the poles shifting the result would be a flood. The earth would be engulfed 80 percent of water. I would say this is the Cambrian Age when there is sudden explosion of various forms of life millions of years ago.

The PLM Batch of 1991

My alma mater is the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila located at the walled-city of Intramuros, Manila. Our batch of Civil Engineering students can be described as the Archies which are mostly the female students. They are fond of the comic book. Kind of like the Philippine Women's University (PWU) has male students. The Voodoo Family in which i belong are all-males the name derived from the porn we watched. Between gin pomelos (powdered fruit juices mixed with gin) and studying we graduated in 1996. I actually graduated October of 1996 that means one semester more than the regular graduates. Me and my classmates are probably 43-45 years old. Where are they now? I will start from those with no failing marks and ascending.

0

Monchito Rico Ogalesco. They say he is based in Singapore

1 Incomplete Mark

Khristine Dela Vega. They say she works in China

Dennis D. Deblois. He works in Qatar

Rommel Cruz. He works in the UAE

1 Failing Mark

Sonny Viduya. He works in Singapore

John Anthony Bonto. He works in the Philippines as Project Engineer

Geronimo Seno. He works in the Philippines previously at Globe constructing cell sites

Joseph John Santos. Gay. Contractor

2 Failing Marks

Franco Bornasal. Works at the market

3 Failing Marks

Sally Pertible. Migrated to Manitoba, Canada

Maricor Nicolas. Department Head

Cherry Villanueva. Works at DMCI

Dinno Canlas. Rest in Peace
Jane Kindica. Married a contractor
Joel Espanol. Eat Bulaga's Monthly Champion at Tawag ng Tanghalan. Migrated to the USA
Rommel Austria. Worked at Australia
Erwin Ciar. Worked at Vietnam
Salvacion Nieto. Works in the Middle East

3 Failing Marks, 1 Incomplete Mark

Luis Voltaire Castillo. Free-lancer

4 Failing Marks or more

Glen Arriola. The resident class bully. Philippines

Rodel Rivas. Tag-team of Arriola. Philippines

Ronaldo Liangcoco. Drop-out

Manolito Dela Cruz. Signed up for the Philippines Coast Guard

Emilio Guanzon. Brought his pregnant wife at the Baccalaureate. Signed up for the military 

Rowen Ramos. Works as paramedic in the UK
Robert Tercias. Works at DM Wenceslao since graduation. That would be more than 22 years.
Anna Michelle Pedro. Shifted to Industrial Engineering.
Aspa. Shifted to Industrial Engineering.
Tom Carlos. Contractor
Jennifer Fajardo. Married Tom
Christina Vallejos. My thesis partner. Works at the government NIA
Jeyxa Villa. The class muse. Chubby
Kori Huerto. Working mom

Inflation Explained

What can 100 pesos (about 2 US dollars) buy nowadays? Probably half a kilo of chicken and assorted veggies. What is the cost of chicken in the USA? Whole chicken costs 1.3 USD per half kilo. In the Philippines half a kilo of chicken is 48.50 pesos or equivalent to 0.97 USD. But how much money do you earn? I can get 25,000 pesos of month's pay in the Philippines while I will get 75,000 pesos if I go abroad. It will be higher in Canada, Australia, USA and UK. Sure we can produce chickens but there are products that we import from abroad. Thus the prices of chicken are dependent on other stocks. That is the meaning of inflation folks. Say we grow chickens at the farm some three hours away from Manila. Right logistics again. The zoning requirement of these industry requires them to be away from residential zones because they cause flies to thrive. The same reason why pig pens should be out of town. We transport chicken that requires cars and fuel we import from abroad. The Philippines have yet to enter its industrial age. The same goes for the rest of South East Asia. You become independent you become industrialized like Western countries and East Asia. When the economy develops your income will increase and the quality of life becomes better.

We produce our own
Cereals, bread, the price of a pound ( 0.5 kg)
flour 0,50 USD
Figure 0,70 USD
spaghetti 1,3 USD
white bread cost 1,6 USD
white bread with no additives 1,9 USD
The cost of meat in USA for a pound (0.5 kg)
ground beef 2,8 USD
meat boneless beef 4,5 USD
beef steak 4,6 USD
bacon 4,8 USD
pork on the bone 3,7 USD
boneless pork 4 USD
whole chicken costs 1,3 USD
chicken breast fillets 3,3 USD
chicken legs 1,5 USD
Eggs, milk per a pound (0.5 kg)
eggs are 1,6 USD
fresh milk 1 USD for 1 liter
salted butter 3,7 USD
cream cheese 4 USD
cheddar cheese 5,6 USD
ice cream for 1.9 liter 4,8 USD
Fruit and vegetables per pound (0.5 kg)
apples 1,4 USD
bananas 0,60 USD
oranges 1 - 3 USD
cherry 3,4 USD
grapefruit 1 USD
seedless grapes 2,5 USD
lemon 1,6 USD
peaches 1,6 USD
pear 1,4 USD
Strawberry 1,6 USD
potatoes 0,70 USD
tomatoes 1,4 USD
broccoli 1,6 USD
cabbage 0,70 USD
celery 0,90 USD
paprika 2,4 USD
frozen concentrated orange juice 473.2 ml. 2,7 USD
beans 1,4 USD
Other food per pound (about 0.5 kg)
white sugar 0,70 USD
margarine 1,8 USD
peanut butter 2 USD
roasted ground coffee 5,5 USD


We manufacture our own
Attractions
Public transportation
Cars
Prices for clothes
Real estate

History of the Philippines

The Philippines was uninhabited in the ice ages that is before 10,000 years ago. After the polar shift the ice melted, East Asians - Chinese, Japanese and Koreans began to explore the new islands. Indians and Africans also came now that the ice wall was gone. Even Arabians trekked mountains. Around 1000 BC immigrants from the West began to populate the archipelago. Trojans, Greek, Russians and other caucasians amalgamated the islanders. The land was called as Mayi by the Chinese and neighboring Brunei. In March 16, 1521 Ferdiand Magellan, a Portuguese sailor led the the Spanish expedition and named the islands Las Islas Filipinas in honor of King Phillip, the king of Spain.

The reason is logistics. East Asians descend on South East Asia as the ice melted. Tales of great deluges are shared by many cultures. The Epic of Gilgamesh which predates the Bible tells of one. Noah's Ark saved as many lives as possible.

Nomads would stay at the edges. Africans probably resided in Sri Lanka. As time goes by, bolder nomads ventured towards the unknown parts of the coral triangle. They repopulate Australia, New Zealand, and the rest of the islands.

The world is a song of ice and fire. Weather and climate dictates population. In those times too much cold and too much heat are unlivable. Thus people migrate. Like birds travel thousands of miles during winter in search of green pastures. Migration gradually slowed when people has controlled fire. It is now possible for them to have a functioning society during winters. They have shelters and fire to make them cosy.

There is a theory that states there was a time the earth does not spin. Albert Einstein was thrilled by the idea. Recently NASA discovered exo-planets that does not spin. Yet.

The skin of a race is determined by his locality. Thus over time immigrants of South East Asia developed brown man qualities.

The invention of the air-conditioning system makes the desert livable. It is now possible for them to have a functioning society.

Finding Kurt Cobain

Detective Luis Guzman of the NYPD 15th Precinct was exercising at his pad when the news of Leonard Cohen's death jolted him. Cohen was a gospel singer! For the longest time Guzman thought Leonard Cohen was some kind of a whisky. He is Mexican-American. He loves grunge music. What's that Nirvana song again? Give me a Leonard Cohen after world. He was convinced it was whisky. Sleep and drink penny royal tea. He knows it was penny royalty. His mind travels back to the time MTV runs a round the clock tribute about Kurt Cobain who committed suicide with a shotgun. That was 1994. Three years later two french girls imitated the suicide. It was 2016 today. Is it possible that Kurt Cobain is still alive? Am i gonna do this by myself or what? He tells Dave Grohl in their last known concert at MTV Unplugged. He did disappeared by himself. He would be 49 years old by now. The grunge music automatically played in his head.

Courtney Love. Kurt is gonna live on royalties. That's it. I'm gonna find him! Two girls have died at his name. That is not the way to go.

Detective Guzman looks in the mirror. I have to at least question him. Why'd he done it. He decided it was justice.

He's dead Detective Guzman. I assumed you checked the police files. Yeah Ms. Love. Fingerprints and footprints checks out. But you know we can doctor it. Where would Kurt Cobain go if he is still alive? 

Kurt Cobain was not going away this time. He recounts the events that happened after they staged his suicide. Many times he lost sleep about the girls who died.

Philosophy, Religion, Metaphysics, Occult

Gianna wants to be a doctor. She showed me a video on how they dissect a frog. I cannot be a doctor. Blood disturbs me. Why didn't she take medicine as her course? She probably wants to enjoy life as a student. That is fiddling between reporting and deejaying and modeling. Do you know how to kill a chicken? You gut its neck and swing the chicken wildly as the blood splatters all over. City girls... You know blood is tasty. You gut its neck okay and let the blood drip into a container. I'm a country boy. I admire working students. I have classmates in PLM working at Jollibee but i did not think it a good idea for me. I busied myself in watching television where I am the boss. Strangebrew makes my day. Debates such as Battle of the Brains and religious shows such as Ang Dating Daan, Iglesia Ni Cristo, El Shaddai, Jesus Miracle Crusade, Saint Peregrine, Apollo Quiboloy, Jesus Is Lord and host of others. They comfort people other times they protest. They protest against the Catholic Church, family, friends, relatives, communities, politics etc. Poverty in general. In this sense they are all Protestants because they protest against something. I never saw myself as a priest. I read a lot of books my father has bought. Chariot of the Gods by Erich Von Daniken. Mythology by Edith Hamilton. I am fond of Greek mythology. Hektor's baby son Astyanax has influenced the Filipino elemental being Tiyanak - a normal baby that transforms into a baby monster. It is confusing or probably ambiguous that locals side with the Trojans and the Greek. The difference in the faiths is that some believe in visual representation but some do not. My opinion is that some need representation but some do not. It transcends faith. There are Christians who believe in representations but some do not. It is probably time that Muslims provide representations because there are Muslims who need representations. I mean images of the Prophet Muhammad that would be their earthy connection with God.

Muhammad, shown with a veiled face and halo, at Mount Hira 

(16th-century Ottoman illustration of the Siyer-i Nebi)

Other times we commemorate the great deeds the Muslims have done for the world

Father of Algebra, Muhammad Ibn Musa Al-Khwarizmi

@Khiva, Uzbekistan

Interactive Worlds

This is planet Earth. The blue hues represent huge bodies of water. The universe has the same building blocks so we can say we can discover planets that can sustain life that is alien to us. In this view why there aren't ancient remains in the Philippines. There is little if at all. Mindanao is quite a large land mass that dinosaurs would have thrived there. Thus i theorize that the Philippines is an ancient mountain range with the Mount Apo as its peak extending down to the Marianas Trench in the Ice Ages. The world is bi-polar but it can also have changed polarities in the past eons caused by irregularities. I theorize that once upon a time the polar caps were Australia/New Zealand and United Kingdom. This would be possible if he have a fixed earth while it is the water the moves around and makes icebergs, oceans, seas, rivers, streams and other bodies of water that shaped land formations. In this interactive project with NASA, I conceptualized a program that bares the topography of the earth devoid of water. Then you can pinpoint whatever polar caps you want, the water freezes while towards the equator where it is warmer the water flows in the nooks and crannies of the earth. 

This application has so many functions: What would it be like if there is water on the moon? Click the polar caps, adjust the volume of water. What about Mars? Mercury?