Former Parañaque City Mayor Florencio “Jun” Bernabe turned 71 and he is still in good health.
On the evening of February 5, I attended and observed the big-time birthday party of former Parañaque City Mayor Florencio “Jun” Bernabe who turned 71 and he showed no signs of slowing down.
The party was held at the multi-purpose facilities of Tahanan Village in Parañaque City which attracted some thousands of guests that include villagers (including those from BF Homes subdivision), business owners/managers, politicians, government workers and the like.
The many guests dining and waiting in line for meals and drinks at Tahanan Village.
Bernabe did not just celebrate his birthday. He is also running for Mayor in the May 2019 local elections and this explains why his teammates were present during the party such as his running-mate Jeremy Marquez (former Barangay BF Homes chairman) and the many candidates running for seats in District 1 and District 2 of the City Council of Parañaque.
To put things in perspective for those who are not familiar with Bernabe, he comes from a family that has a long history of public service in the history of Parañaque. Jun Bernabe first entered politics in 1998 and served as City Vice Mayor for six years (1998-2004). Then he served as City Mayor for three straight terms (note: 1 term is 3 years) from 2004 to 2013.
During his time as Mayor, Bernabe launched several city projects that not only helped the development of the city but also did so while following national laws. His administration won several awards and citations that are too many to list down in this post. Unlike recent times, Parañaque under his leadership was found to be very competitive with other cities.
What is most notable is the fact that Mayor Bernabe was named as Outstanding Mayor in 2006 with attention paid to his leadership, fiscal management and administrative style that boosted the locality’s finances through efficient tax collection. That award was won during his first term as mayor and so it was no surprise that he went on to get re-elected to serve the maximum of 3 consecutive terms.
Bernabe with Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos on stage. She supports his bid for Mayor, he supports her bid for Senator.
Back to the birthday party, Ilocos Norte Governor and candidate for Senator Imee Marcos arrived big time and was warmly received by Bernabe and the guests. This was the first I ever saw a Marcos in person. She expressed her support for Bernabe’s candidacy and the mayor returned the favor to support her run for the Philippine Senate. Here in the Philippines, voters nationwide get to vote for candidates for the Senate.
Former Senator Pia Cayetano expressed her admiration for Bernabe.
Shortly after, former Senator (and current Congresswoman) Pia Cayetano arrived at the party and was warmly received. Like Marcos, she expressed her support for Bernabe and expressed her family’s connection with Parañaque. She is running again for Senator this May.
Finally, I can confirm that the party was very lively. Guests reached out to the public servants and some celebrities. The band hired played very lively music and there was a special presentation celebrating Mayor Bernabe’s birthday.
Can Bernabe and his election team win big this May to change the tone at Parañaque City Hall? We will find out soon enough.
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Triathlon Association of the Philippines (TRAP) president Tom Carrasco (middle) shakes with TRI Factor founder Elvin Ting after signing the agreement for the March 31 duathlon event. Also present was TRI-Factor Philippines director Allan Majadillas (leftmost) who signed the said agreement, Tin Majadillas and Elle Adda.
On the evening of January 31 in Makati City, the Triathlon Association of the Philippines (TRAP) and TRI-Factor signed a partnership agreement related to a duathlon event called TRI-Factor Run-Bike-Run Clark which will take place on March 31, 2019 at Clark, Pampanga.
The documents were formally signed by TRAP president Tom Carrasco and TRI-Factor Philippines director Allan Majadillas which was witnessed by TRI-Factor founder Elvin Ting, the guests from the media, the bloggers and from the multisports sector.
The signing.The officials and the guests in a group photo.
The March 31 duathlon is a qualifying event for the 2019 Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games). It is also the National Duathlon Championship.
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After attending worship today, I reflected deeply on what was emphasized to us by our pastor which is very true – that the Lord rewards His faithful followers abundantly.
I personally can relate with that. For the past year of twenty-eighteen (2018), I have been very blessed by the Lord a lot since becoming Born Again. I did not just attend Sunday worship at our church. I also attended several Bible Study sessions, holy seminars and open prayer sessions. I did not just pray, I also read God’s Word with the Holy Bible, prayed in tongues (to edify my soul and truly communicate with Him), stopped living with the beggar mentality and developed a deeper relationship and faith with the Lord. I also humbled myself, learned that the fear of the Lord leads to enlightenment or wisdom and now I have a very different and more positive outlook. The blessings I received are not only financial but also personal and social in nature. In return for those blessings, I tithe more than ever before knowing that God is the source and the money and assets I have came from Him. I’m much happier, I’m no longer lonely and I’m now part of a tremendous community of faithful people. I’m part of a spiritual family!
To understand why God rewards the faithful a lot, let’s take a look at the scriptures from the Bible.
What profit has the worker from that in which he labors? I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end. I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor it is the gift of God. I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it. And nothing can be taking from it. God does it, that men should fear before Him. That which is has already been, and what is to be has already been; And God required an account of what is past.
Ecclesiastes 3:9-15 (NKJV)
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
Galatians 6:7 (NKJV)
For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Hebrews 6:10-12 (NKJV)
Jesus said: And behold, I am coming quickly and My reward is with Me, to give to everyone according to his work.
Revelations 22:12 (NKJV)
As believers in the Lord, we each have a task from Him as well as an account required by Him. It’s like real world work and financing. At work we do our daily duties and get paid on Pay Day (every fifteen days) by means of financial transactions the money of which get deposited through the banks under our names (and this requires having an account with the bank already). Without an account with the bank, we cannot receive nor withdraw money with added security. Sure we can just have the paycheck(s) turned into cash over-the-counter by visiting the bank personally but who has time for that? Having an account with the bank is essential.
Back to the Lord, He requires an account from each of us and it has a lot more to do than just money. We followers are meant to be accountable to Him in terms of our faithfulness, what have we done with rewards He gave us already, and in order to receive further rewards from Him in return for not only being faithful but also for performing the tasks He gave to each of us.
God is gentle and loving. He has so much to reward each of us and in order to be rewarded we must do what He tasked us and we must prove we are truly faithful to Him. We can do good under the Lord by preaching His Word and spreading the good news to others around us, especially the people who are lost souls. Saving a lost soul will bring in a nice reward from the Lord.
God is a just Father and He does not break His own rules. He will not forget the work we rendered to His name. For sure a reward will be given once you proved your faithfulness and your accomplishment of the God-given task. The Lord Jesus will bring His reward that can be enjoyed.
In local society, a laborer can work very hard for so long and still not get the raise he/she deserves as there are employers who can be abusive or may be lacking resources to do it. Under Lord Jesus and God the Father, we don’t ever have to worry about such shortcomings as the rewards to be given to each of us will not only be satisfying but also abundant.
One more thing about rewards from the Lord – not everyone gets the same amount or the same kind of reward. We the faithful must realize that under the Lord, we each have a personal relationship with Him (note: strictly off-limits) and we have different tasks from Him which is related to what we are dealing with in local society as we live in the flesh. A faithful business person who does well can make a lot of good money and expand business connections in local society while a faithful poem composer can sell more of his/her literary works to consumers which rakes in additional funds (but the money coming in won’t go near what the successful, faithful business person makes). As the Lord Jesus said in Revelations 22:12 – And behold, I am coming quickly and My reward is with Me, to give to everyone according to his work.
Ultimately, we can all keep the unwavering faith in the Lord, be faithful in Him, do whatever task He assigned to each of us and we can do more knowing fully well that He will reward us not only enough but abundantly. In other words, never worry that laboring under the Lord will lead to disappointment. God will never forsake us as He loves us, He gave us His Son Jesus to save us and in return we only need to keep being faithful and achieve whatever He assigns us. Keep the faith and you will move forward with happiness, rewards and a lot of satisfaction! We are not beggars under Him. In fact we the faithful are accessors and possessors of Kingdom Wealth prepared by God. Also what we gained financially while living in the flesh, we really should practice tithing which is giving back to Him through church the 10% of our income. While we enjoy the abundance, we still have the responsibilities of disciplining ourselves with our spending, how we used the rewards the Lord gave us and the challenge of avoiding covetousness. Remember that.
In closing this, here are some 700 Club videos embedded for your viewing and spiritual needs. There is no denying that God blesses the faithful abundantly. God is the source of all prosperity, opportunities and progress!
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When it comes to science fiction movies of Hollywood, the 1980s was quite an interesting decade. Released during the decade were these epic sci-fi flicks like The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi and Dune. Not to be outdone were the low-budget sci-fi movies that made an impact on pop culture like The Terminator and E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial.
Within the big mix of these kinds of films during the 1980s was Starman which was overlooked.
Released in 1984 to positive reviews (and later an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for Jeff Bridges), Starman was directed by John Carpenter who established himself nicely in Hollywood with 1978’s Halloween. Between Halloween and Starman, Carpenter also directed genre classics Escape from New York and The Thing.
Starman follows an alien creature whose ship (a UFO) was shot down by fighter jets that acted in defense. The alien finds its way into the house of Jenny Hayden (Karen Allen) who is grieving over the sudden death of her husband Scott (Jeff Bridges) watching a personal video of their past and drinking lots of liquor. Inside the house was an album which contained a lock of hair which the alien used to create a clone of Scott instantly from infant to full adult which is the titular Starman (also played by Bridges).
This of course shocks Jenny. She sees her husband return yet it’s not really him. Starman – the alien – clearly is not used to occupying a human body but does his best to communicate with her in English. He also carries with him seven silver spheres that allow him to do special things (specifically manipulating matter) that would appear as miracles to others. Starman wants Jenny to bring him to the Barringer Crater in Arizona within three days in order to be picked up by his fellow aliens. Otherwise he would die.
Although frightened and hostile towards him, Jenny still was considerate enough to drive him far away.
If there is anything significant about this movie, it is the sheer depth of character development of both Jenny and Starman. Equally significant is the chemistry between Karen Allen and Jeff Bridges who made their characters believable.
Jeff Bridges is excellent in his portrayal of Starman. He’s clearly an alien who is not only struggling on being in a human body but also struggles to learn about the many ways of life and expression around him on his time on Earth. This includes learning gestures, saying words and doing things that people already find normal to do.
Karen Allen delivered a fine performance as Jenny Hayden. In fact when it comes to character development, I see Jenny a more significant character than her counterpart from outer space. While Starman adapts to life on Earth, Jenny’s character is gradually and convincingly transformed from one who is stuck with the past and being bitter into a person who gets renewed by understanding that life does have more to offer, that hope exists, that miracles do happen and finding new love and inspiration to live on.
As a Born Again Christian who went through personal transformation, who gained renewed faith in the Lord, and who left the old life behind to live on with a new purpose in life, I strongly relate with Jenny’s character development a lot. The concept of renewal and personal transformation portrayed by Karen Allen is much clearer to me than ever. Not to be outdone is the element of the healing of the soul of Jenny as a result of learning and understanding Starman.
The movie also has a solid supporting character in scientist Mark Shermin nicely played by Charles Martin Smith. Shermin is the typical sympathetic and willing-to-understand scientist who strives to discover first-hand an actual living alien which puts him into conflict the National Security Agency’s plan to capture Starman dead or alive. His talk with Starman reminds us viewers that humanity is always flawed and has many times resorted to violence as a means of accomplishment whenever a challenging situation (read: the visit of Starman to Earth by space ship only to be shot down due to fear of being invaded) happens.
With regards to storytelling, Starman is a nice mix of genre elements that goes beyond science fiction. It is also a road movie and a romance. At the same time director John Carpenter told the story with a controlled pace that gives viewers ample time to understand what’s been going on and a decent amount of spectacles that highlight Starman’s miracles.
Speaking of which, the film has elements of Christianity and the miracles of Starman are just the start of it. I could emphasize further here what the other elements are but that would mean spoiling the story and that is something I won’t do. You just will have to watch the movie to realize it.
Is Starman a wonderful movie? Absolutely! Is it one of the best works of John Carpenter? Truly it is and it deserves any moviegoer’s attention. How does it compare with other friendly alien movies like E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial and Close Encounters of the Third Kind? Compared to those two flicks, Starman has the best and most mature character development of its protagonists. Its dramatic performances are also better.
Starman is a true sci-fi classic that deserves your attention even if you are not fond of sci-fi or UFO movies. I highly recommend buying this movie on Blu-ray disc or by streaming it.
Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this article, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to your fellow John Carpenter fans and sci-fi movie fans. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenor is still available in paperback and e-book format. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your project or business, check out my services.
Author’s Note: This article was originally published at my old Geeks and Villagers blog. What you read on this website was an updated and expanded version. In other words, this newest version you just read is the most definitive version.
So Crackdown 3 will finally be released on Xbox One on February 15. That Xbox-exclusive has been delayed way too long due to a very troubled production.
The game at this stage is looking better than ever and it even has popular movie star Terry Crews in it and his character can be played by gamers.
Still, as an Xbox One owner and long-time Xbox fan, I am not too interested in Crackdown 3 at all.
For one thing, I played Crackdown on Xbox 360 twelve years ago. I endured the game’s single-player campaign, explored a lot and played until I finished it.
But ultimately the whole experience was a disappointment for me.
Sure that old game had lots of action and thrills but the narrative is very shallow and there are no characters to follow other than your agent. There really was no story.
By comparison the open-world game Saints Row had a lot more depth, a serviceable story, had more varied gameplay and had memorable characters to follow. Crackdown was simply a very hollow game.
Years later I skipped out on Crackdown 2 which was released to a weaker reception.
I am not judging Crackdown 3 based on game previews alone but what I am saying is that very delayed game does not look like it can deliver the great stuff to justify the years-long wait.
I hope I am wrong about Crackdown 3. What I love to enjoy about open-world games are varied gameplay, deep exploration, characters worth following and a good story to endure that goes well with the gameplay.
Soon enough we will find out if Crackdown 3 will live up to expectations and spare Microsoft from potential embarrassment as they prepare for the next-generation Xbox.
What is my favorite superhero movie of all time? It is none other than 2017’s Wonder Woman movie that starred Gal Gadot and was directed by Patty Jenkins. That film is truly a spectacular spectacular!
Naturally I am heavily anticipating the next movie Wonder Woman 1984 which is set for a June 2020 worldwide release in cinemas. It was originally set for a November 2019 release but Warner Bros. had to push it back.
Why am I excited for the movie?
1) Gal Gadot as the Queen of Superheroes – Israeli actress Gal Gadot is a lot more than a talented actress. She has proven in the 2017 that she IS Wonder Woman as she captured the core values of the icon and convincingly dramatized those values and character elements on the big screen. With Wonder Woman 1984 coming, I am excited to see how Gadot will flesh out Diana/WW as she spends time in Man’s World in the year 1984. When it comes to spectacle, Gadot is a proven action performer and knows how to please viewers with WW in action. Of course, the stunt and fight coordinators as well as the physical trainer all contributed to the spectacle in the first movie and for sure they are working hard to fill WW84 with new spectacle.
2) Patty Jenkins’ direction – To make things clear, Patty Jenkins is a storyteller first and foremost. Her work in the 2017 WW movie was very good and there was a nice balance between spectacle, character development and plot development. The strong focus on the development of Diana from the world of Themyscira to Man’s World really reminded me of what I read in the comic books long ago (particularly George Perez’s WW in the post-Crisis DC Comics universe that started in 1986). Not only that, the sequence from the early part of the moving with the narrative drifting from the present day into Diana’s past as a child in Themyscira was easily the most immersive narrative transition I’ve ever seen in any superhero movie! Don’t forget the now iconic No Man’s Land scene which heavily emphasized Wonder Woman’s presence in Man’s World. Before I forget, the implementation of humor in the film was clever as supporting cast members performed it leaving Gal Gadot free to play Wonder Woman straight.
Considering what was achieved in the 2017 movie, I am confident that Jenkins has new concepts to realize on the big screen in WW84. We just have to wait until June 2020 to find out.
3.Kristen Wiig as Cheetah – This one is more intriguing. Kristen Wiig is often identified with comedy and this alone made her look like an unlikely candidate to play one of the classic Wonder Woman villains…Cheetah. In the comics, specifically during the George Perez era, Cheetah was tough and rough against WW. I believe that with the strong support from the film crew and director Jenkins, Kristen Wiig can prove herself to not only be serious but also gritty as Cheetah. So far there are no images showing Cheetah in her anticipated beastly look which is fine with me because I prefer that Warner Bros. should keep such images secret until the film’s opening.
4. The 1980s setting – While it is a fact that nostalgia for the 1980s has waned in reality, having Wonder Woman in the said decade could create something new and memorable for all moviegoers. As far as we know, Wonder Woman is into a conflict with the Soviet Union during the Cold War and Cheetah lurks somewhere. Will the sequel adapt key story elements from George Perez’s 1980s Wonder Woman? Will there be references to the Iran-Contra connection of the decade that saw the murder of many men, women and children? The Soviet occupation of Afghanistan perhaps? We won’t find out until June 2020. The 1980s setting, by the way, could be an opportunity to add zest to the ongoing superhero movie craze that Hollywood as a whole has been benefiting from and, story-wise.
5) Gradual build-up for the DC Comics cinematic universe – I have no doubt that Wonder Woman 1984 will gradually help build-up the DC Comics cinematic universe in terms of storytelling and world-building under the watch of Walter Hamada. The recent mega-blockbuster Aquaman was a finely crafted movie that portrayed the origin of Aquaman while at the same time tell an epic story in the present day set after the events of Justice League no less! In my view, there is a clean slate for universe-building as far as DC Comics superheroes in cinema is concerned. While the future of the cinematic Batman and Superman remains unclear, Wonder Woman and Aquaman are here to stay and then there is also the upcoming films of Birds of Prey and the Suicide Squad sequel that will add to the cinematic universe build-up. Personally I prefer the cinematic universe build-up to be gradual and not rushed and heavy loaded (as seen during the watch of Zack Snyder). Building up the current cinematic universe piece-by-piece by releasing standalone movies of DC’s superheroes (and teams of intriguing characters) from time to time is preferable. Under the watch of Walter Hamada, I am confident he is executing plans on not only improving the DC Comics cinematic universe but also defining it. Going back to Wonder Woman 1984, I really look forward as to what its plot will add to the cinematic universe as a whole.
June 2020 is still far away but it will come and already I am looking forward to watching Wonder Woman 1984 on opening day on an IMAX screen.
For your enjoyment, here are some YouTube videos I embedded. Also included is a short clip of Kristen Wiig’s act.
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenoris still available in paperback and e-book format. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
My Daily Collagen® Triathlon fires off on February 24
Subic Bay, Philippines – January 29, 2019 – Over 600 triathletes from around the country gear up for the standard-distance My Daily Collagen® Triathlon on February 24 in Subic Bay.
My Daily Collagen® Triathlon presents a swim-bike-run course perfect for triathlon first-timers, age-groupers raring to chalk up a personal best, and returning multisport enthusiasts. Gun start for the 1.5-km swim off Acea Subic Bay Hotel is at 6:10 a.m., followed by a 40-km bike combining flats and climbs. Triathletes return to Acea for the 10-km run, consisting of four loops towards All Hands Beach with a sweeping view of Subic Bay. My Daily Collagen® Triathlon also has a sprint distance course consisting of a 750-m swim, an 18-km bike, and a 5-km run.
At stake in the event presented by My Daily Collagen®, supported by Smart, Saucony, Vitorria, Rudy Project, ACEA Subic Bay, Court Meridian Hotel & Suites, and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority are medals for all finishers, trophies and gift packs for the winners in each age group, relay, and top-performing triathlon teams.
The triathlon’s title sponsor My Daily Collagen® is a mango-flavored drink from Japan that provides the body’s requirement of collagen, a protein that keeps skin and tissues in the body’s joints healthy. A bottle a day of My Daily Collagen® has the right amount of easily-absorbed marine collagen peptide, the purest and safest form, at 1000 mg.
Registration for My Daily Collagen® Triathlon ends January 31, 2019. Registrants can take advantage of a special offer: Buy a box of My Daily Collagen® upon online registration and get a *FREE limited edition trucker cap from Vamos! My Daily Collagen® drink and Vamos cap may be claimed during the #MyDailyCollagenTri2019 race weekend. One box contains 10 (ten) 1,000-mg bottles at P1,490.00. Register online and take advantage of this offer at https://regonline.activeglobal.com/mydailycollagentri2019.
Participants can also place their orders (also at P1,490.00 per box) of My Daily Collagen® via bank deposit. Make the appropriate deposit to Global Wellness Enterprises, BDO S/A 0064 201 03281 before January 31, 2019. Email a copy of your deposit slip and indicate your full name, contact number, and the number of boxes you are purchasing to mydailycollagen@globalwellnessph.com. Orders can be picked up at the race venue on race weekend, February 23-24.
Find out more about My Daily Collagen® on Facebook at My Daily Collagen Drink and Instagram on @mydailycollagen. My Daily Collagen® is available at Mercury Drug and Watsons nationwide, and in all Rose Pharmacy, HB1 Pharmacy, and Alturas Supermarkets in Visayas and Mindanao.
For me this is Lynn Minmay’s prettiest smile in 1984’s Macross: Do You Remember Love?
I’m a long time Macross fan. For those of you who have been wondering who among the many characters of the entire Macross franchise I best remember, it’s Lynn Minmay.
For the newcomers reading this, Lynn Minmay (voiced by Mari Iijima) first appeared in Episode #1 of the Super Dimension Fortress Macross anime TV series that debuted in 1982. She was that sweet and pretty teenage girl who was born in 1993 (note: the TV series story started in the then-future of 2009) in Japan with partial Chinese heritage (which explains her relationship with the folks running the Chinese restaurant on Macross City). As seen in Episode #2, she was among the first people to meet with Hikaru Ichijyo who at the time survived a crash while piloting a Valkyrie (that transformed to Battroid mode).
Is Minmay a fighter? Nope! She’s a talented singer who became an icon among the people in the SDF-1 fortress (which carried the remains of Macross City inside). Given the fact that the Zentradi (the army of giant humanoids that pursued the Macross) are a people devoid of culture due to their artificial nature as clones, Minmay’s singing (apart from the Macross people’s own culture) has tremendous power to manipulate them emotionally.
More importantly, Minmay is a crucial part of the memorable Macross Love Triangle along with Hikaru and his superior officer Misa Hayase.
The Love Triangle of Macross is itself intriguing. Hikaru struggles emotionally whom to spend time and love. Minmay is the sweet young girl who matured into a young woman while dealing with the tremendous pressure of the world of entertainment as well as having the circumstantial responsibility of inspiring people and help maintain peace. Her military counterpart Misa meanwhile is the dedicated officer whose family has a history of military service.
I’m not going to spoil the whole plot of the Macross TV series to explain more about Minmay and the others. But if you want to discover more of the anime icon apart from the Super Dimension Fortress Macross series, watch more of her in the 1984 anime movie Macross: Do You Remember Love? Also don’t forget that there are Macross video games that have Minmay in them.
As for the Western interpretation of Minmay seen in the Robotech franchise, I would not recommend that. The mistranslated Robotech adaptation of the original Macross TV series had a bad voice actress for Minmay not to mention bad singing in English. The ongoing Robotech comic book series published by Titan Comics had an even distorted portrayal of the icon.
If you want to discover the genuine and respected Minmay, stick with Macross!
Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this article, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to your fellow Macross and anime fans. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenor is still available in paperback and e-book format. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your project or business, check out my services.
Chicano and Kilgroe top NAGT triathlon in Subic Bay
Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Philippines – January 27, 2019 – 2017 Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) silver medalist John Chicano and 2018 Asian Games veteran Kim Kilgroe of the Philippine triathlon team emerged victorious in the National Age-Group Triathlon (NAGT) 2019 series opener held at San Bernardino inside Subic Bay Freeport this morning.
In the Men’s Elite competition of the race organized by the Triathlon Association of the Philippines in cooperation with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Tourism Department which attracted a record field of 731 entries, the first out of the 1.5 Km swim were JC Abad, Andrew Kim Remolino followed by 21-year-old Filipino-Spanish triathlete Fer Casares (from Madrid) who is in the country aspiring to be selected in the Philippine team. Chicano, who was only 4th in the swim leg, breezed through the first transition to catch up with lead pack in the windy 40 Km bike leg. Chicano and Casares entered the second transition together and battled toe to toe in the 10 Km run leg which saw Chicano broke away during the final two kilometers to win the gold with a time of 1:58:47. Casares finished 2nd with 2:00:01 and 2018 national junior Andrew Kim Remolino of Cebu with 2:02:12.
On the Women’s Elite competition in the event sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), Gatorade, Standard Insurance, Asian Centre for Insulation Philippines and the SBMA, Kim Kilgroe led from start to finish in the absences of SEA Games gold and silver medalists Kim Mangrobang who is in Portugal training, and Claire Adorna who is attending to a family commitment. Kilgroe finished first with 2:14:57 followed by come-backing Alexandra Ganzon 2:25:56 and Jacqui Lamparero with 2:30:32.
The Junior Elite Men Sprint Distance ((750 M swim – 20 Km bike – 5 Km run) saw Tonito Alejo (1:17:19) as champion followed with Jacob Taylor (1:17:55) and Juan Baniqued (1:18:37). In the Junior Elite Women, Karen Manayon (1:26:59) won the gold. She was followed by Lauren Plaza (1:29:26) and Erica Bulatao (1:35:01).
Standard Distance age-group champions: Kris Dinglasan (19-24), Heinrich Gasacao (25-29), Jhon Quinones (30-34), Ronald Mulit and Ines Santiago (35-39), Jualyn Asugbog and Mary Grace Ollindo (40-44), Abe Tayag and Vanj Endaya (45-49), Celma Hitalia (Female 50-above), Neil Ong (50-54), Dean Recupero (55-59) and Roman Totanes (60-above).
Sprint Distance age-group champions: Mykelle Bulog and Clifford Pusing (16-19), Jess Belonio and Janina Garcia (20-29), Carlo Mejia and Jilliane Caancan (30-39), George Vilog and Ma. Victoria Fereria (40-49) and Peter Gonzales and An Ping Cua (50-above). Super Sprint Distance champions were La Union Bull Sharks team members Ronel Victor Cruz and Lady Samantha Corpuz (13-15). The Team Relay competition was won by E-Racing Multisport. All participants had difficulty in the bike leg of the race due to strong headwinds.
First established in 2001, the National Age-Group Triathlon series serves as TRAP’s main development and recruitment program from the grassroots level. The future events of the series will be held in Cebu, Dipolog City, Roxas City and Cagayan de Oro.
Solitaire in action in Solitaire #1 published in 1993 by Malibu Comics under their Ultraverse line of comic books.
The concept of vigilante figures taking the fight against crime alone backed with resources (in the form of weapons) is a long running tradition in superhero comic books. DC Comics has its iconic Batman doing lots of detective work and fighting criminals many times on his own. Similar stories were seen with the Punisher and Daredevil over at Marvel.
When Malibu Comics launched the Ultraverse line of superhero comics in 1993, they added variety into the big mix. They had their own parallel to Marvel’s Punisher and DC’s Batman in the form of Solitaire and they boldly launched a comic book series of the character.
Released in late 1993 with story by Gerard Jones and art by Jeff Johnson and Barb Kaalberg, Solitaire #1 introduced readers to Nicholas Lone who wears a purple-and-blue costume with mask and fights criminals as Solitaire. He’s not just a brave, tough guy who daringly goes against thugs. He’s is very talented with martial arts, acrobatics and weapon use.
The comic book begins when thugs working for a crime lord called the King are about to catch a helpless lady who gets saved by Solitaire. The hero easily outmaneuvers the bad guys and he proved to them that he really is hard to hurt.
At his headquarters, the King made it clear to readers that Solitaire has been a problem to him for some time already and feels bad when the hero disrupts his operation. Solitaire meanwhile prepares himself for the next move against the King by returning to his hideout (an old theater), doing some research by computer and coordinating with his contacts on the streets.
Regarding the quality of the comic book, I say the script is nicely paced as it does a good job introducing Solitaire to readers while still having spare spotlight for the King. Within twenty-five pages, the hero got clearly defined as a man of action as well as a person with a purpose. His fight against crime is defined by key parts of his past especially with the fact that his own father – Antone Lone – is a crime lord.
When it comes to super powers, Solitaire has very quick reflexes which makes him a hard target for armed thugs. He also has healing factor which works rapidly and gives him a major advantage over the bad guys. In fact, the presence of the healing factor (which works like that of Wolverine) makes Solitaire more daring and more willing to take risks engaging the bad guys with violence. He can get stabbed and his body can be shot with several bullets and still he will recover quickly to get the job done.
Solitaire is indeed super and yet there is something intriguing with his personality. Apart from being the son of a crime lord, Nicholas Lone’s acquisition of his powers is a painful mark on him personally. This was because his father gave him those powers as a result of his attempt to commit suicide. The powers are the result of the installation of nano-machines into his body.
Overall, Solitaire #1 is a good and intriguing read. It really comes with a flavor that makes it distinct from other superhero-versus-criminals stories and the introduction of Solitaire alone is worth the cover the price. If you can find copies of Solitaire #1 on the back issue shelves of the comic book stores, I recommend buying it as well as the other issues.
It’s too bad that the Ultraverse ended after Marvel Comics acquired Malibu Comics back in the 1990s because like Prime, Hardcase and Prototype, Solitaire is very unique and intriguing at the same time. In my opinion, Solitaire is the most defining crime fighter of the entire Ultraverse and it’s too bad stories featuring him are not too many.
Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this article, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to your fellow comic book geeks and Ultraverse fans. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenor is still available in paperback and e-book format for you to order.
Author’s Note: This article was originally published at my old Geeks and Villagers blog. What you read on this website was an updated and expanded version. In other words, this newest version you just read is the most definitive version.
