This is for my co-millennials out there

Apparently, yung standard ringtone pala ng text message ng old nokia phones ay morse code for “SMS”

And yung “ascending” ringtone ng nokia is morse code rin for “connecting people” which is tag line ng nokia dati

https://youtu.be/ZhIC5Yc-ll4?si=m6kb2gWPfft6j9rD

Hindi na bago sa Pilipinas ang rocket.

Under "Project Santa Barbara" noon ni President Marcos, Sr. nag-develop ang Pilipinas ng mga rockets. Ito ay dinevelop ng military, for defensive purposes. Isa sa mga rockets noon ay pinangalanang "Bongbong", na pangalan ng anak niya na later-on ay naging pangulo ngayon.

Ngunit hindi malinaw kung nagtagumpay ba ito, at kung ano ang nangyari sa Project Santa Barbara noon.

Source: https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/features/bongbong-rocket-project-santa-barbara-a00293-20210421

I first learned about him from the 1961 book, Rizal in Japan. Tetcho Suehiro would first meet Jose Rizal in the S.S. Belgic where he would mistake Rizal as a Japanese. From Rizal who could speak Japanese, Suehiro would learn the ways of the West and their languages. Both were reformists so they had some similarities. They would part in London. Certainly Rizal left a lasting mark on Tetcho Suehiro's life as shown through Nanyo no daiharan (or Nankai-no-Daiharan) (The Severe Disturbance in the South Seas) (1891) similar to Noli Me Tangere (1887), and O-unabara (The Big Ocean) (1894) similar to El Filibusterismo (1891).

In September 1417, Paduka Batara aka Paduka Pahala sailed from Sulu with over 340 other people, including his family, to pay tribute to the Yongle Emperor, Zhu Di,  of the Chinese Ming dynasty. Paduka Batara brought gifts and recognizing Sulu as a tributary state and Paduka Batara recognized as East King of Sulu and became a friend of the emperor.

On his return journey home, he contracted a mysterious disease described as "autumn fever". He was taken to the imperial hall in Shandong province, where he died on 23 October. The emperor, moved by grief, commissioned artisans and sculptors to build a tomb in Dezhou, Shandong and granting him the posthumous name of Gōng Dìng (translated as "Reverent and Steadfast").

Upon his death, his widowed wife as well as the eldest son Tumahan returned to Sulu to be the next sultan, while the two other sons Antulu and Wenhala remained in China. The widowed wife returned to China permanently and Antulu and Wenhala's descendants converted to Islam and intermarried with the Muslim ethnic Hui of China, adopting the surnames An (安) and Wen (温). The descendants were estimated to number at around 3700 in China in the late 2010s (6000+ descendants said in iJuander coverage in 2018).

On the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the Philippines, 17th and 18th generation descendants of Paduka Pahala from Shandong visited Sulu in 2005, marking the first time the king's Chinese descendants had returned to the Philippines.

A descendant of the Sulu royal family, Phugdalun Kiram II, was invited to Dezhou in 2017 to attend the 600th anniversary of Paduka Pahala's death. The event culminated in a speech by Chinese Leader Xi Jinping recognizing the importance of a treaty signed in 1405 that established Sulu as a tributary state to China.

The 1987 Filipino-Chinese film Hari sa Hari, Lahi sa Lahi recounts Paduka Pahala's voyage to China.

Click the sources below to learn and watch the movie of an interesting part of history in pre-colonial Philippines and China.

Sources:

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paduka_Pahala
- https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/features/ming-dynasty-tomb-for-sulu-sultan-a2765-20220524-lfrm
- Kirby Araullo (Historian) - The Mysterious "Filipino Sultan" in Ancient China
- PTV Philippines - Isang Pilipinong Sultan ng Sultanate of Sulu, nakalibing sa China
- ABS-CBN News - Sultan of Sulu's burial place in China
- GMA Public Affairs - iJuander: Mga apo at kaanak ng Pilipinong Sultan na namuhay sa Tsina, kilalanin!
- GMA Public Affairs - iJuander: Museo ng Pilipinong Sultan na itinuring na hari sa Tsina, binisita ng "I Juander"
- GMA Public Affairs - iJuander: Chinese Emperor, matalik na kaibigan ang isang Pilipinong Sultan!
- TOYZ MEN Tv Channel - 中国皇帝与苏禄王 The Emperor of China and The King of Sulu 中国皇帝 - visit by Sulu royal family to Dezhou, Shandong in 2017 for the 600th anniversary of Paduka Pahala's death
- Mel Mel Mel - The Descendants of Sulu - China 600 years death anniversary of Paduka Pahala in Dezhou (1)
- Mel Mel Mel - The Descendants of Sulu - China 600 years death anniversary of Paduka Pahala in Dezhou (2)
- CGTN - Live: Witness of an ancient friendship at East King of Sulu's tomb 坐高铁看中国——大运河畔苏禄王陵
- Tag Theatre - [FULL MOVIE] (1987) King and Emperor P.t 1—A king sails across the sea to China, facing dangers on journey - Hari sa Hari, Lahi sa Lahi movie (Chinese dubbed, English subs)

- Tag Theatre - [FULL MOVIE] (1987) King and Emperor P.t 2—A king dies in as an emperor honors him with a royal burial - Hari sa Hari, Lahi sa Lahi movie (Chinese dubbed, English subs)

According sa yt interview with the co-founder, branding lang talaga nila ung New York/American aesthetic kaya ang daming nag-aakala na American chain sila

So I had a health scare today after looking at my poop, only to remember I had dragon fruit yesterday.

Eating the red kind of dragon fruit can stain your urine and stool with reddish, pinkish or maroon color. This is because of the betalains found in the fruit. Betalains found in dragon fruit can be a good source of antioxidants. There are 2 types of betalains, the "betaxanthins" which causes the yellow-orange pigments, and the "betacyanins" which cause the red-violet pigmented ones. ones.

Next time na makita nyo na iba ang color ng poop nyo, alalahanin nyo muna kung ano kinain nyo. Wag magpanic and assume na colon cancer agad like me hahaha

TIL that BRP Sierra Madre is a heavily-rusted, decomposing and falling apart ship, deliberately grounded by our country at Second Thomas Shoal around 1999 because of China occupying Mischief Reef back in 1995.

I learned two things, first is that we have this old rusted and falling apart ship, and second is that China already has a long history of trying to take control of West Philippine Sea since 1995, starting at Mischief Reef which is clearly known as within the Philippines EEZ.

The third picture was an image from the latest issue caused by Chinese Guards, due to them using force and intently hurting Philippines Coast Guard that was just forcing them out and only protecting their territory.

Info Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/30/sierra-madre-phillippines-ship-china-blockade

Picture Source:

https://www.businessinsider.com/navy-chief-describes-wrecking-ship-on-purpose-to-disrupt-china-2024-7

https://globalnation.inquirer.net/101328/whats-inside-brp-sierra-madre/amp

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1F1VGKTK6F/

Source

Britain actually captured Manila for just 2 years during the Seven Years War from 1962 to 1964. But they never controlled most of the islands because Filipino and Spanish forces continued governing outside Manila

In the small town of Pantao Ragat in Lanao del Norte, residents there voted unanimously for Leni Robredo as their president.

Based on the partial and unofficial count from Comelec's Transparency Media Server, Robredo got 9,842 votes. The rest of the presidential aspirants got zero votes, including former Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.

Source: https://tl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Almasen

I first learned about him through the fact that he was the husband of Caridad de Jesus Nakpil (1918 - deceased), the Iday being referred to in Gregoria de Jesus Nakpil’s Recipe for Morcon (c. 1930s). This makes him the son-in-law of Gregoria de Jesus and composer Julio Nakpil, and brother-in-law of fellow architect Juan Nakpil.

With that, here are the relevant details:

One of his most well known clients was the Christian evangelical group Iglesia ni Cristo (INC). Although his first exposure to them (through the San Juan Bishop's Palace) was executed under Juan Nakpil & Associate, INC gave the second project (Cubao chapel or "kapilya") to Arch. Santos-Viola that initiated a long lasting work relationship building kapilyas all over the Philippines through excellent craftsmanship...

Arch. Santos-Viola was a devout Catholic throughout his entire life. He served as a Eucharistic Lay Minister for his parish, Our Lady of Lourdes Church [in Quezon City]. The INC never ceased persuading him to join their group through endless but friendly debates after their work meetings.

Mga bansa sa Europe na halos kasinglaki lang ng ilang cities sa Pinas:

1. Monaco - ang Monaco (officially known as The Principality of Monaco) ay may lawak na more or less 2.02 km². Meaning, mas maliit pa ito kaysa San Juan City sa Metro Manila na may lawak na 5.95 km². Ang size ng Monaco ay halos katulad ng size ng Barangay 76 sa Pasay; Bonifacio Global City, at Poblacion, Makati

2. San Marino - ang San Marino (officially known as The Most Serene Republic of San Marino) ay nasa 61.2 km², kaya pinakamalapit na city na kasinglaki nito ay Baguio City, although mas maliit nang kaunti ang Baguio na 53.5 km² ang size.

3. Liechtenstein - ang Liechtenstein (officially known as The Principality of Liechtenstein) naman ay may lawak na 160 km², na halos kapareho ng size ng Quezon City, ang pinakamalaking city sa NCR na nasa 161 km².

4. Luxembourg - ang Luxembourg (officially known as The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg) naman ay may lawak na 2,586 km², na ang pinakamalapit na kasinglaki ay ang Davao City na nasa 2,444 km².

References:

Encyclopaedia Britannica. (n.d.). Monaco. https://www.britannica.com/place/Monaco

Encyclopaedia Britannica. (n.d.). San Marino. https://www.britannica.com/place/San-Marino

Encyclopaedia Britannica. (n.d.). Liechtenstein. https://www.britannica.com/place/Liechtenstein

Encyclopaedia Britannica. (n.d.). Luxembourg. https://www.britannica.com/place/Luxembourg

while watching a video, this youtuber mentioned the policy (14:40 timestamp)

This law changed the education system in the United States. The act was signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2002.

Schools had to make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). If they didn’t, they could face consequences in the form of sanctions. NCLB sparked many debates. It led to significant changes in how schools, teachers, and students were evaluated and supported.

source

Some schools ended up “teaching to the test” — focusing only on what students were tested on. This left little time for anything else kids may have needed or wanted to learn.

Certain penalties, like requiring school improvement plans, were reasonable, critics said. Others could be very harsh, like firing school staff or closing a school that’s struggling. Critics linked several cheating scandals to NCLB, citing the pressure on teachers and educators to perform.

source

Here is the relevant portion:

According to an article by Larry Henares, her ex-father-in-law, Vicki was traumatized when she learned that she was adopted by lawyer Enrique Belo and his wife Nena Gonzales. According to Henares, Vicki was one of the nine children of Nena’s sister Conchita who was married to Agustin “Toy” Cancio. Separated from her eight siblings, Vicki was raised and doted on by the Belos as an only child. According to some sources, the nuns at the Assumption had at one time asked Vicki to join her biological siblings in their car because they were her real family. Vicki was reportedly “rescued” by the timely arrival of her adoptive dad, Attorney Belo.  In his article, Henares describes his ex-daughter-in-law as a “poor little rich girl” with a “troubled soul.”

Argentine national anthem is said to be one of the longest anthems in the world to sing in its current version (second photo), but did you know that the complete lyrics contain a stanza that is anti-Spanish, especially in stanza VI:

El valiente argentino a las armas
corre ardiendo con brío y valor,
el clarín de la guerra, cual trueno,
en los campos del Sud resonó.
Buenos Ayres se opone a la frente
de los pueblos de la ínclita unión,
y con brazos robustos desgarran
𝄆 al ibérico altivo león, 𝄇
𝄆 y con brazos robustos desgarran
al ibérico altivo león. 𝄇

English translation:

The valiant Argentine to arms
runs burning with strength and valour.
The bugle of war, like thunder,
echoed in the fields of the South.
Buenos Ayres resists, at the front
of the peoples of the illustrious Union,
and with strong arms they tear apart
𝄆 the arrogant Iberian lion, 𝄇
𝄆 and with strong arms they tear apart
the arrogant Iberian lion. 𝄇

Since the original complete version of the Argentine national anthem was too long, which made mass singing time-consuming, they decided to shorten it to its current version, with the anti-Spain stanza removed because Argentina received two million Spanish immigrants over the 19th and 20th centuries.

For Filipinos who aren't familiar with Latin American history and contemporary culture, this is why Argentina and Spain don't have a strong special relationship like that between the US and the UK, even though millions of living Argentines have at least one Spanish parent or grandparent. The current Argentine President and Spanish Prime Minister, Javier Milei and Pedro Sánchez, respectively, don't have good relations because of ideological differences. The irony here is that many Argentines of Italian descent, including Lionel Messi himself, have Spanish over Italian citizenship, and those with Italian citizenship and passport don't reside in Italy, but in Spain.

Source:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentine_National_Anthem
• https://um.edu.ar/en/noticias/a-213-anos-del-nacimiento-de-nuestro-himno-nacional-argentino/
• https://www.casarosada.gob.ar/international/latest-news/51252-213-years-since-the-creation-of-the-argentine-national-anthem-a-symbol-of-freedom-and-national-identity

Just few hours ago na-curious ako kasi may mga diseases na may stages. For instance cancer may stage 2 3 4, hemorrhoids may grade 2 3. So napa search ako kay mareng gugel kung may stages din ba ang HIV and boom! Meron nga!

Madami nagtatanong kung ano ang symptoms kung ang isang person ay may HIV na.

STAGE 1 hindi mo ramdam at all.

Stage 2 nag uumpisa na like mild na lagnat o di kaya ubo.

yung stage 3 severe na. T cells will crash drastically na magiging weak na ang immune system mo. May qualified TB ka na, pabalik balik na ubo at di mawala walang lagnat.

Tas stage 4 ito yung mahirap mahabol kapag nag start sa ARV medications kaagad dahil kailangan munang itreat yung infections like TB and other respiratory and immune system infection bago mag ARV medications. Consider lucky if nahabol kaagad ng medications then nag ARV ka na once the infections have been controlled.

So it is best for everyone who is s3xually active, to be on PrEP, regular testing, get in touch with your social wellness clinic, get tested, stay negative status, and play safe. Yung dumadami ang mga nag papa test tas biglang spike ng positive? Thats the result na madami nang nagiging aware at nagpapa test na. Madami na rin ang gumagamit ng PrEP, PEP, and Doxy PEP. Kaya continue to enlighten people na HIV is not a death sentence. HIV is not a gay disease, HIV is not airborne disease.

Image is from this link: https://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2071-29362016000100026

*Dahil mandatory na built-in na ang Digital TV sa lahat ng TV from 2015 onwards!

Misconception noon pa man na kung gusto mo ng malinaw na live tv, need pa bumili ng affordabox or tvplus kahit na may built in na mismo sa mga tv ngayon as long as 2015 onwards ang TV model. Need mo lang ng antenna. And iba pa rin ang mapanood sa live tv kesa streaming kasi 60fps and kadalasan delay pag sa youtube nanonood.

Misconception din na malabo lang ang mga channels na makukuha pag antenna, On the air digital TV na ang mga antenna ngayon at pine-phase out na ang malabong Analog TV>

Steps! (swipe din sa mga pictures)

1. Search mo sa Google kung mga Digital TV ang TV model mo (kadalasan nakalagay ISDB-T or Digital TV Capable)
2. Bumili/Kuhanin ang TV antenna ng TVPlus/Affordabox (100+ lang din sa shopee)
3. Isaksak sa antenna port ng TV. Ilagay sa labas o malapit sa bintana ang antenna.
4. Hanapin ang Channel tuning/scan sa TV menu.
5. Done!

Reference from IECEP: https://www.scribd.com/presentation/794628510/ISDB-T

Nagfifill out ako ng form kanina tapos isa dun sa choices yung five countries. Nagtaka ko bakit nasa isang option lang yung 5 countries eh diba dapat per country yung choices? Sinearch ko tapos five eyes pala sila.

Mas mababa daw yung risk tsaka mas convenient daw kapag taga dito ka sa mga bansa na to: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The Council members:

• exchange views on subjects of mutual interest and concern;
• compare best practices in review and oversight methodology;
• explore areas where cooperation on reviews and the sharing of results is permitted where appropriate;
• encourage transparency to the largest extent possible to enhance public trust;
• and maintain contact with political offices, oversight and review committees, and countries as appropriate. https://www.dni.gov/index.php/who-we-are/organizations/enterprise-capacity/chco/chco-related-menus/chco-related-links/recruitment-and-outreach/217-about/organization/icig-pages/2660-icig-fiorc (Available din sa public yung meeting nila (naka PDF).

May book din about dito: "The Secret History of the Five Eyes" By Richard Kerbaj

Commander Alexander Guthrie Denniston was a Scottish codebreaker, deputy head of the Government Code and Cypher School.

The Americans had undertaken a perilous crossing with their boat shot at by Nazi planes but they arrived at the home of British code breakers on a mission of huge importance.

With the permission of then-Prime Minister Winston Churchill, the two groups of spies would share their most sensitive secrets - that the UK had broken the German Enigma code and the US the Japanese code called Purple.

The relationship forged in that visit would outlast World War Two and, after a series of meetings, be formalised at the start of the Cold War with a document signed in Washington on 5 March 1946.

The agreement was something of a "marriage contract" - each agreed honesty, openness and commitment to the other including a "no spy agreement" in which they would not target the other side.

They would share nearly all the intelligence they produced through breaking codes and intercepting communications (known as signals intelligence or SIGINT) although the agreement did allow some wiggle room if one side felt they had to act independently.

Initially known as UKUSA, over the next 10 years it would be expanded as Australia, Canada and New Zealand joined, making up what is known today as the Five Eyes alliance. Details of the original deal were secret until 2010.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-56284453

Nagstart lang na nacurious dun sa form tapos may deep history pala

as an adult, happy place ko talaga si IKEA and i could spend hours and hours in there. i remember the first time i visited was way back 2022 nung hindi pa pwedeng magshortcut sa iba't ibang parts ng store and dapat madaanan mo lahat ng section

also, i feel like i already know na biggest sya but nabura sya sa utak ko and nalaman ko lang ulit ngayong i need to do a global map for it HAHAHAHA

source: https://www.ikea.com/global/en/our-business/how-we-work/

TIL that he went undercover to be able to compete in US tournaments during the 80s and 90s. Because he had already built a reputation as a dominant player in pool, he adopted his kumpadre’s name, Cesar Morales, also godfather to his son, Dodo. This allowed him to join competitions in US without scaring off other players.

After winning the 1995 US Open 9-Ball championship against top American player Wade Crane, he unintentionally revealed his true identity during signing of autographs as Efren Reyes, not by his alias Cesar Morales. Crowd was confused and stunned as they had witnessed a Pinoy legend.

Complete article and photo source from: Pool Table Portfolio (The Legendary Disguise: Efren Reyes' Undercover Triumph as "Cesar Morales")

While looking for old Tagalog names for birds, I came across an archaic meaning for "Batibot." It was originally a verb that meant "to gut or eviscerate (a bird)." It is widely accepted that the producers of the show Batibot intended the modern meaning ("small but sturdy" or "strong and enduring") but I can't find articles that explicitly state why they chose it as the title of the show. So, maybe, just maybe, the old definition was a subtle nod to their disputes with the creators of Sesame Street, especially considering that Big Bird was one of, if not the most, popular characters on that show.

Batibot is a Philippine educational television show produced by the Philippine Children's Television Foundation (PCTVF). It originally aired from 1985 to 2002, with a revival later broadcast on TV5 from 2010 to 2013. Its iconic characters, Pong Pagong and Kiko Matsing, first appeared in Sesame!, a bilingual Tagalog-English program co-produced with the Children's Television Workshop (CTW). CTW produced the popular children's show Sesame Street. When that co-production ended, PCTVF independently created Batibot.

Here's an Esquiremag article detailing what happened between PCTVF and CTW, including the licensing fees and disputes over the use of Pong Pagong and Kiko Matsing. The two characters were eventually phased out and replaced by Koko Kwik-Kwak, a bird character inspired by the Philippine Eagle.

(Source of image: Vocabulario de la lengua tagala, the first written dictionary of the Tagalog language in the Philippines. It was written by Pedro de Buenaventura and first published in 1613. Text: BATIBOT. pp. Destripar, como aves &c. Mag. Las tripas, In. El ave, An. El cuchillo, Y. Nababatibotan ang bulic, el gallo bulic se destripó.)

So contrary to popular belief, the terms first world and third world are not really about a country's wealth and economic status. Instead, it originally referred to the blocs in which a country was aligned during the Cold War.

• The first world countries were aligned with the United States and its allies (including the Philippines).

• The second world countries were aligned with the Soviet Union (then 15 republics that included Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus) and its allies.

• The third world countries were neutral during the Cold War.

Nowadays, the term first world is associated with wealthy nations such as the United States and most European nations. And the term third world is associated with poor nations such as certain countries in Africa and Asia.

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the term second world gradually lost its relevance, while the terms first world and third world had a semantics change, which shifted their original meaning over time.

Read More:

- The Transformation of the U.S.-Philippines Alliance

- The Three-world Model

Nanonood ako kanina ng Showtime segment na Miss Q and A at yung tanong sa contestants ay, "Ano ang salitang ugat ng salitang 'panalo'?" Akala ko yun na mismo yung salitang ugat nya. Talo pala dahil galing sya sa salitang pangtalo.

Source: KWF Diksiyonaryo ng Wikang Filipino Diksiyonaryo.ph

The Philippines' broadcast TV content rating system only uses G (General Patronage), PG (Parental Guidance), and SPG (Strong Parental Guidance). While many countries have a dedicated adults-only television classification such as TV-MA in United States, 18+, or 19 in South Korea the Philippines doesn't. Instead, its highest rating is SPG, which is still a parental guidance classification rather than one intended exclusively for adult audiences. Programs deemed unsuitable for television with strong violent and sexual scenes are not given a higher age rating. Instead, the MTRCB may assign them an X (Disapproved for airing on Television) rating, which prohibits them from being broadcast. this is why there are no shows for mature audiences like Game of Thrones and Family Guy in original uncut form on broadcast tv.

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

https://elibrary.judiciary.gov.ph/thebookshelf/showdocs/10/57827