Wednesday, February 29, 2012

February 29

 

February 29
AutoWeek, February 29, 1988
On the Cover: Car Preview of the 1989 Capri

Events that happened on February 29:
1932 – Theodore Roosevelt Jr (1887-1944) became governor-general of the Philippines succeeding Dwight Filley Davis (1879-1945).
1960 – The Philippine Tuberculosis Society Inc. was incorporated as a non-stock, non-profit, private institution.


GLIMPSE FROM THE PAST
American-born Jewish broadway, film and television actress Sylvia Sidney
(real name Sophia Saperstein Kosow, 1910-1999),
on the cover of vintage Film Weekly (February 29, 1936).


Personalities and celebrities born on February 29:
1848 – Roman Basa, second president of the Katipunan – in San Roque, Cavite. (d. February 6, 1897)
Johnny Delgado, starring in the indie film
Ang Huling Araw ng Linggo by Cinemalaya.



1948 – Johnny Delgado (real name Juan Marasigan Feleo), writer, actor, comedian and director – in Manila. (d. November 19, 2009)

















THE SCIENCE & SUPERSTITION ABOUT LEAP YEAR
          To laymen, leap year is nothing but a year in which February has an additional day. To men of science, a leap year is something that involves mathematics, physics and astronomy. But there is also a superstitious, wacky and trivial side to this occurrence. Read on and find out.

Why the Need for a Leap Year?
          In a technical term, leap years are needed to keep our calendar in alignment with the earth's revolutions around the sun.
          The vernal or spring equinox (March 21) is the time when the sun is directly above the Earth's equator (making night and day of approximately equal length all over the earth), moving from the southern to the northern hemisphere.
          The mean time between two successive vernal equinoxes is called a tropical year – also known as a solar year – and is about 365.242199 days long.
          Using a calendar having a 365-day year would result in a loss of 5 hours 48 minutes 45.994 seconds per year, as compared to the solar year. After 100 years, this calendar would be more than 24 days ahead of the season, which for many purposes, such as agricultural management and maritime navigation, is not desirable or accurate. The objective in the incorporation of leap years is to align the calendar with the seasons and to make any difference as insignificant as possible.
          By adding a leap year approximately every fourth year, the difference between the calendar and the seasons can be reduced quite significantly, and the calendar will align with the seasons much more accurately.
          There is, however, no such thing as a perfect calendar. All the calendars that have been invented since ancient times are either off by seconds, minutes, hours or even days in comparison to the length of the solar year. To make a calendar more accurate, new leap year rules have to be introduced, complicating the calculation of the calendar even more.

How the Leap Year Evolved?
          In ancient times, the calendar used was lunar in nature, having 12 months of 29 or 30 days every year. To align the calendar with the seasons, a 13th month was inserted as a “leap month” every two or three years. Many countries, especially in Asia still use such calendars. This was followed by the lunisolar calendar of 365 days.
          In 238 B.C., King Ptolemy III of Egypt introduced a calendar with every fourth year earmarked as a “leap year.” This was a similar calendar introduced by Julius Caesar in 46 B.C., through his astronomer Sosigenes, to correct the existing off-seasoned Roman calendar. To realign the calendar with the seasons, Caesar ruled that the year 46 B.C. should have 445 days.
          The Julian calendar, like the Ptolemy calendar, was still inadequate, as it is about 11 minutes 14 seconds longer than the solar year, and it was off season by one day every 128 years and 86 days. By the year 1580, the accumulated error of the Julian calendar caused the spring equinox to fall on March 11, or ten days earlier than it should.
          So in 1582, on the advice of astronomers, Pope Gregory XIII (1502-1585) corrected the difference between season and calendar by ordering ten days dropped from October 15, 1582. This procedure restored the next vernal equinox to its proper date. To correct the Julian calendar’s errors regularly, the pope decreed that February would have an extra day in century years that could be divided by 400, such as 1600 and 2000, but not in others, such as 1700, 1800 and 1900. This is the calendar in use today in most part of the world.
          Although the Gregorian calendar is very accurate in terms of its computation and incorporation of leap year, it will still need some modification in about 3,240 years.

Leap Year Tradition and Superstition
          In most societies today, it is okay for a woman to propose marriage to a man. But that was not the case during the early times. When the rules of courtship were stricter, women were only allowed to pop the marital question every 29th of February, which of course happens only every four years.
          This belief was of mixed pagan and Christian origin. Legend has it that a would-be saint named Bridget complained to another would-be saint, Patrick, about women having to wait for so long for a man to propose marriage. So Patrick said the yearning ladies could propose on this one day in February during the leap year.
          According to old English law, February 29th was ignored and had no legal status. Folks assumed that traditions would also have no status on that day. It was also reasoned that since the leap year day existed to fix a problem in the calendar, it could also be used to fix an old and unjust custom that only let men propose marriage.
          The first documentation of this practice dates back to 1288, when Scotland supposedly passed a law that allowed women to propose marriage to the man of their choice in that year. Tradition states they also made it law that any man who declined a proposal in a leap year must pay a fine. The fine could range from a kiss to payment for a silk dress or a pair of gloves.
          In the Philippines, the so-called pikot marriage, most probably, was the offshoot of this tradition. Filipino men, during the 19th and 20th century, tried earnestly to avoid any contact with women on February 29. During the entirety of the leap year, the men are evidently more aloof than the women, especially those that don’t want to get “tied up.”
          On the other hand, Greek superstition dictates that couples have bad luck if they marry during a leap year. Apparently one in five engaged couples in Greece would avoid planning their wedding during a leap year.

Leap Year Trivia
          February 29, 2012 will fall on a Wednesday. Notice that there will be five Wednesdays on this particular leap month. The next time it will happen is on 2412. This is because the Gregorian calendar repeats the same weekdays every 400-year cycle.
          In most jurisdictions, people born on February 29 will have their legal birthdays on February 28 of regular years. This means that a person born on February 29, 2012 will have reached his legal age of 18 on February 28, 2030.
          The Guinness Book record holder for the longest personal name, Wolfe+585 (letters), was also born on February 29 in 1904.
          The only notable person known to have both been born and died on February 29 was James Wilson (1812–1880), the Premier of Tasmania.
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Si Jean Saburit tampok sa taklob-pahina
ng Weekly WOW movies Komiks Magasin
(Pebrero 29, 1980).
Larawang Tribiya
          Alam niyo ba na ang aktres na si Jean Saburit ay sumali sa isang beauty pageant? Ito ay sa 1975 Binibining Pilipinas (Young) Beauty Pageant subalit hindi siya pinalad na magwagi.
          Noong 1980, gumawa siya ng tatlong pelikula na “bold” ang tema: Wanted Wives! Kaladkarin at Playmates.
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Tuesday, February 28, 2012

February 28



February 28
People Weekly, February 28, 1983
On the Cover: Brooke Shields
 
Events that happened on February 28
1583 – A large fire destroyed almost all houses in Manila.
1974 – Issuance of Philippine Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) license to Twinkle Vinzons for a nuclear-powered heart pacemaker, the first in Asia.


GLIMPSE FROM THE PAST
Shelley Winters (1920-2006) on the cover of Life (February 28, 1955).


Personalities and celebrities born on February 28:
1847 – Roman Faustino, prominent painter – in Cavite.
1877 – Roman Ongpin, philanthropist, nationalist businessman, co-founder of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce, and first treasurer of the Union Obrera de Filipinas – in Binondo, Manila. (d. December 10, 1912)
1916 – Cesar Cortez Climaco, politician – in Zamboanga City. (d. November 14, 1984) 
1942 – Leandro “Biboy” Enriquez, hotelier and world champion cockfighter.





Joan Collins on the cover of
Picturegoer (February 28, 1959).
Picture Trivia
          Joan Collins is famous for her role as the beautiful and vengeful ex-wife of tycoon Blake Carrington (John Forsythe) in the TV soap opera Dynasty (1981-1989). The role was offered to Collins in 1981 when Sofia Loren turned it down. Her performance is generally credited as one factor in the fledgling show’s subsequent rise in the Nielsen ratings to a hit rivaling and dislodging Dallas from the top of the ratings. For her portrayal in Dynasty, Collins was nominated six times for a Golden Globe Award (every year from 1982 to 1987), winning once in 1983, the same year she was nominated for an Emmy as Best Actress in a Drama Series.
          Did you know that Collins perform some singing in the 1959 Academy Awards night? She performed “It’s Great Not To Be Nominated” with actresses Angela Lansbury and Dana Wynter.
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Monday, February 27, 2012

February 27

 
FEBRUARY 27

Celebrity World Vol. 4 No. 186, February 27, 1995
On the Cover: Demi Moore
 
 

Events that happened on February 27
1779 – The Aviso al Publico was published in the Philippines to keep the people informed of the events then taking place in Europe. It was edited by acting Governor-General Miguel Fernandez de Folgueras.
1945 – Gen. Douglas MacArthur turned over the civil government of the Philippines to Commonwealth President Sergio Osmeña.
1974 – The gold refinery of the Central Bank of the Philippines was establsihed.
1986 – The Alsa Masa (Uprising of the Masses) was organized in Agdao District, Davao City. The founding chairman of this armed civilian anti-communist organization was Rolando “Boy Ponsa” Cagay.
1990 – Juan Ponce Enrile, then lone opposition senator, was arrested in the Senate building on charges of rebellion complexed with murder for his alleged involvement with coup leader Col. Gringo Honasan.
2004 – Bombing of a Superferry by Abu Sayyaf that killed 116 passengers.


Personalities and celebrities born on February 27:
1875 – Pedro A. Paterno, writer, diplomat, stateman and president of the Malolos Congress – in Sta. Cruz, Manila. (d. March 27, 1911)
1869 – Baldomero Aguinaldo, military officer in the Philippine-American War – in Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite. (d. February 14, 1915)
1899 – Pedro T. Orata, educator, Ramon Magsaysay Awardee (1971), and “Father of Barrio High School in the Philippines” – in Urdaneta, Pangasinan.
1934 – Bella Flores (real name Remedios Papa Dancel), actress – in Santa Cruz, Manila – (May 19, 2013).

1965 – Claudia Zobel (real name Thelma C. Maloloy-on), actress – in Mandaue (d. February 10, 1984). 

Claudia Zobel
on the cover of Sports World (November 12-18, 1983) and Tik At Tik (February 3, 1984)
 
1990 – Megan Lynne Talde Young, American-Filipino actress, TV host, model and Miss World 2013 – in Alexandria, Virginia, U.S.
Miss World 2013 Megan Young
on the covers of Rogue (March 2012 and December 2014)


Miriam Quiambao on the cover of
Cosmopolitan Philippines (February 27, 1995).
Larawang Tribiya

          Si Miriam Quiambao ay ang first runner-up ng 1999 Miss Universe Pageant kung saan ang hinirang na Miss Universe ay si Mpule Kwelagobe ng Botswana, ang kauna-unahang babaeng black African na nagwagi sa isang major international beauty pageant.
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Sunday, February 26, 2012

February 26




FEBRUARY 26
The New York Times Magazine , February 26, 1967
On the Cover: President Ferdinand E. Marcos and First Lady Imelda R. Marcos

Events that happened on February 26
1861 – The first issue of Gaceta de Manila, the official publication of the Spanish government in the Philippines was published.
1903 – Apolinario Mabini returned from his exile to Guam on board the ship “Thomas.”
1937 – Zamboanga was declared a city by virtue of Commonwealth Act No. 39.
1939 – The Philippine Writers League was organized, with Federico Mangahas as president.
1941 – The Philippine Airline (PAL) was founded by a group of businessmen led by Andres Soriano, one of the Philippines’ leading industrialists.
1953 – Historic documents on Jose Rizal were handed over to Pres. Elpidio Quirino by the Spanish Foreign Relation Minister.
 

Personalities and celebrities born on February 26:
 1922 – Jose “Pepe” Wright Diokno, lawyer, lawmaker and public official – in Quezon City (d. February 27, 1987)
1954 – Chandra Romero, actress – in Cebu City.
1964 – Mark Dacascos (full name Mark Alan Murray Dacascos), Filipino-Irish martial artist, actor and television host – in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Mark Dacascos
on the covers of Inside Kung-Fu (with Master Jiang Hao-quan, October 1998, and January 1999)
 
1981 – Assunta de Rossi (real name Maria Assunta Tiotangco Schiavone), Filipino-Italian actress and model – in Lecce, Italy.
Assunta de Rossi
on the covers of FHM Philippines (August 2000), MOD (January 12, 2001),
 People Asia (April 2002), and 10 (December 2002).


Ang “La Sombra” ni Francisco V. Coching at Federico C. Javinal
Ang nobelang “La Sombra” nina
Francisco V. Coching at Federico C. Javinal
tampok sa taklob-pahina ng
Hiwaga Komiks (Pebrero 26, 1965).
          Ang “La Sombra” (“Ang Anino”) ay nobelang pang-komiks na likha ni Francisco V. Coching at Federico C. Javinal na na-serialized sa Hiwaga Komiks noong 1965-1966. Bago pa man nagtapos ang nobela sa komiks, isinapelikula na ito ng Chriscat Film Enterprise na pinagbidahan ni Bernard Bonin sa papel na La Sombra sa ilalim ng direksiyon ni Teodorico Santos.

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Whitney Houston on the cover of
TV Guide (February 26-March 4, 1994).
Picture Trivia

          In the history of American music, Whitney Houston (1963-2012) is the only singer that had seven consecutive Number 1 Billboard Hot 100 hits. Her best-selling self-titled debut album was hailed by Rolling Stone as the “Best Album” of 1986.
          Houston was the lead actress in her film debut The Bodyguard (1992) opposite Kevin Costner. The original soundtrack of the film won the Grammy Award for “Album of the Year.” The lead single, “I Will Always Love You” was awarded the “Best-Selling Single by a Female Artist” in music history.
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Saturday, February 25, 2012

February 25



FEBRUARY 25
Prime Weekly Edition Vol. 3 No. 8, February 25, 1988
On the Cover: Marjorie “Gigi” Isaguirre

Events that happened on February 25
1785 – Spain issued a royal decree ordering all Chinese nationals to live in the Parian, outside Manila.
1986 – Corazon Aquino and Salvador Laurel was sworn by Justice Claudio Teehankee as president and vice-president at the Club Filipino. Ferdinand Marcos held his own inauguration at Malacañang Palace, officiated by Supreme Court Chief Justice Ramon Aquino. Later, U.S. black hawk helicopters attacked the Palace. Marcos fled but was forcibly taken by the Americans to Clark Air Base and then to Guam.


Personalities and celebrities born on February 25:
1852 – Victorino Mapa, lawyer, jurist and the second Filipino Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (July 1, 1920 – October 31, 1921) – in Kalibo, Aklan. (d. April 12, 1927)
1911  Rita Rica (real name Florence de los Santos Little), American-Filipino actress of the 1930s and 1940s   in Jolo, Sulu (d. January 22,1997)
1965 – Maricel Soriano (full name Maria Cecilia Dador Soriano), award-winning actress and comedian – in Parañaque, Metro Manila.
Maricel Soriano
on the covers of Mr. & Ms. (with her sons Marron and Sebastien April 28, 1998)
and Good Housekeeping Philippines (December 2006)
 
1966 – Pepsi Paloma (real name Delia Dueñas Smith), Filipino-American dancer and actress – in Manila (d. May 31, 1985).
Pepsi Paloma
on the covers of Sports World (June 23, 1984) and Cartada 9 (May 4, 1987)
   
1970 – Maricel Laxa (full name Maria Cecilia de la Cueva Laxa), actress – in Pasay City.
Maricel Laxa
on the cover of Plus! (May 1996)




40-year-old Elizabeth Taylor on the cover of
Life (January 25, 1972).
Picture Trivia

          Do you know the title of the film where Elizabeth Taylor first appeared? Taylor (full name Elizabeth Rosemond Warmbrodt Taylor, 1932-2011) was first seen in the film There’s One Born Every Minute (1942) when she was around 10 years old. Her rose to fame started after her performance in the film National Velvet (1944). Taylor won the Academy Best Actress Award twice. This was for the films Battlefield 8 (1960) and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966).
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Friday, February 24, 2012

February 24



FEBRUARY 24
MOD Girl, February 24, 2006
On the Cover: Maria Fe Cadayona


UNANG LABAS
Ang unang labas ng Pilipino Klasiks,
(Pebrero 24, 1959).

Ika-24 ng Pebrero, 1959, nang unang lumabas sa sirkulasyon ang Pilipino Klasiks na inilimbag ng Midget Publishing House. Iba ito sa Pilipino Komiks na inilimbag ng Ace Publication, na naunang lumabas ng humigit-kumulang 10 taon. Tampok sa taklob-pahina nito ang “Flor de Lisa,” na sinulat ni Ped C. Tiongco at iginuhit ni Ben S. Maniclang. Naglalaman ang Pilipino Klasiks ng mga kuwentong tapos o wakasan.
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Events that happened on February 24
1984 – AFP Chief of Staff Fabian Ver ordered the 15th Air Force Strike Wing under Antonio Sotelo to left off from Villamor Air Base. It carried enough firepower to annihilate the rebel soldiers in Camp Crame and Camp Aguinaldo. Gen. Ver asked President Marcos permission to bomb the rebel positions, but the president said no because many civilians will be harmed in the process.
2006 – Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo declared Proclamation 1017 placing the Philippines under a state of emergency, in an attempt to subdue alleged military coup. She lifted the proclamation after one week amid much protests from all sectors of society.
2011 – Charice Pempenco won as Best New Artist in the J-Wave’s Tokyo Hot 100 awards besting other international artists including Bruno Mars and Justin Bieber.


Personalities and celebrities born on February 24:
1862 – Edilberto Evangelista, engineer, revolutionary leader, and hero of the Battle of Zapote Bridge – in Sta. Cruz, Manila. (d. February 17, 1897)
1888 – Vicente Lim, first Filipino graduate of West Point Military Academy in the U.S., military leader and hero of World War II – in Calamba, Laguna. (d. January 15, 1945)


1956 – Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel (birth name Ana Theresa Hontiveros), activist, journalist, politician and lawmaker – in Manila.
Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel
on the cover of Town & Country Philippines (September 2011).


The Beatles


          Alam niyo ba na hindi “The Beatles” ang unang pangalan ng grupo ni John Lennon?  Unang tinawag na “The Quarrymen” ang grupong itinatag nina John Lennon at Paul McCartney noong 1955. Ang iba pang mga pangalan na una nilang ginamit ay Skiffle (Craze) Group, Johnny and the Moondogs, Moonshiners, Beat Boys, Silver Beatles at The Rainbow. Nang simula, lima ang miyembro ng The Beatles: Lennon, McCartney, George Harrison, Stuart Sutcliffe at Pete Best. Namatay si Sutcliffe at si Best naman ay pinalitan ni Richard Starkey (a.k.a. Ringo Starr).
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          Noong 1962, unang tinanggihan ng Deca Recording Company ang The Beatles. Hindi na raw uso ang mga grupong naggigitara. Tinanggihan din sila ng Pye, HMV at Columbia Records.
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The Beatles on the cover of
Newsweek (February 24, 1964).

          Nagsimula ang sunud-sunod na hit songs ng The Beatles nang lumabas ang una nilang record na “Love Me Do” noong October, 1962.
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          Nang magmayabang si John Lennon na “mas popular pa ang The Beatles kaysa kay Jesus Christ” noong 1966, biglang bumagsak ang kanilang popularidad. Halos nilangaw ang kanilang mga concerts sa America at iba pang panig ng mundo. Dito sa Pilipinas, naranasan pa nilang pagbabatuhin ng kamatis at bugok na itlog. Nakabawi lamang si Lennon nang mag-apologize siya noong 1971, bagama’t nabuwag na ang The Beatles.
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Sina John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo
tampok sa taklob-pahina ng
Mr. & Ms. (February 24, 2004).
Larawang Tribiya
          Ang breakthrough role ni John Lloyd Cruz ay naganap noong 2002 nang mapili siyang gumanap bilang Yuri sa pelikulang Kay Tagal Kang Hinintay. Sa pelikula ring ito una niyang nakatambal si Bea Alonzo na nakatakda niyang maging love team. Muli silang nagtambal sa teleseryeng It Might Be You (2003-2004) na sinundan ng pelikulang Now That I Have You (2004).                              o     O     o