PHILIPPINES: Part 2

But first:

• War with Iran only getting messier.
• Senator John Cornyn (R-Tex) could well vote against the Judiciary Committee approval of Todd Blanche for Attorney General.  
• But even if he does, the official count on this committee should be 12 Republicans and 10 Democrats.  So all the Senate needs to do is appoint Lindsey Grahams sister into the committee, then use a procedural motion allowable in a tie to get Blanche to a floor vote. 
• In any case, Blanche will make it to the floor for a vote by the end of the month.  Here is where it could really get problematical for Republicans, for it would not be totally surprising for 4 Republicans to vote against Blanche.  This scenario is detailed in my posting yesterday.
• 
  Canadian wildfires are raging this summer.
• We toured through Canada this spring, and saw so much of previous wildfires.

• 
  So far this year, there have been 3500 or so of these fires, enveloping 2.3 million acres.  Alarmed?  Well, startlingly enough, that is lower than the number of acres burned by mid-July as a 10-year average.  In fact the average from the past five years is TWICE as high compared to this summer.

• This is partly why there are orange skies at sunset for a number of northern U.S. cities.

• 
  The other reason are those wildfires in the USA.  That map to the right is only of current fires in the U.S.
• This will shock you:

In the U.S., close to 40,000 fires have torn through more than 3.6 million acres so far in 2026, including half a million acres in the last two weeks alone, according to the U.S. National Interagency Fire Center. That's almost 10,000 more fires, and almost a million more acres burned, than the 10-year average for mid-July.

• It is still only July.  This will only get worse!
• Cause?  Global warming.

From Time magazine:

Only 6 of 36 countries surveyed by Pew Research this year hold a more favorable view of the United States than of China.

It is the first time in the roughly 20 years since Pew has been surveying global opinion that China has been viewed more positively than the U.S.

Pew notes that the gap is “especially large in several Asia-Pacific and Middle Eastern countries,” and that even America’s closest neighbors, Canadians and Mexicans,  view China more positively.

About the FIFA World Cup:  Argentina yesterday beat England 2-1:

England took the lead in the 55th minute with a goal from Anthony Gordon. In the dying minutes of the game, Messi took over. He set up Enzo Fernández for an 85th-minute equalizer, and then delivered a cross to Lautaro Martínez in the 90+2nd minute for the game-winning header. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Messi is "only" 5 feet 6.5 inches, so I'm still taller.  

• And, by the way, Argentine Diego Maradona is only 5'5".  
• Now 60 years old, he should be slightly shorter.  
• I lost 2 inches.  
• By the age of 85, men usually lose 2 to 3 inches, while women drop 3 to 4 inches.  You can check with Google AI.
• Thus, at the age of 39, Messi is definitely short, old, and somewhat slow...but quick.  That's him to the right when he played with Maradona.
• Messi has 8 goals and 4 assists, or 12 points.  
• #2 is Kylian Mbappe (is 5'10" tall and 27 years old) of France with 8 goals and 3 assists, or 11 points.
• There is a third place match between France and England.

• 
  So the Golden Boot is still not settled.
• The winner is the one with the most goals.
• If tied, then the most assists.
• If still tied, then the fewest minutes.  Mbappe has played 677 minutes.  Messi only has 621 minutes so far.

About the trip to the Philippines, Manila to Dumaguete (Negros Oriental) to see the coastal and natural wonders  of the region.  Day trip to Siquijor Island.

Jollibees all over the place.  This a Filipino chicken restaurant chain.  Bet you weren't aware of how prevalent they are:

• Next to Chick-fil-A, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers and Popeyes Louisiana Chicken, Jollibee is #5 in the world with worldwide sales of more than $3 billion.
• According to Google AI:

Jollibee’s massive global appeal comes down to its unique flavor profile, its iconic signature dishes, and the intense nostalgia it offers. It masterfully blends classic comfort food with distinct, sweet-and-savory Filipino flavor palettes, which have earned it a cult following around the world. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

• Signature fried chicken is Chickenjoy, celebrated for its' light, crispy breading and incredibly juicy meat.
• Their gravy is legendary.  I agree.
• The Jolly Spaghetti is special.
• Why is Jollibee so addictive?  Watch this video.

So guess what?  I went to the Honolulu Jollibee on the corner of Liliha and King Streets.

Two Chikenjoys over Spaghetti.  I added the corn on the cob and Hurricane Beer.  Couldn't find a San Miguel.  And, yes, all those superlatives indicated above prevailed over my fabulous meal.

Episode 51 of the Kilauea summit eruption occurred yesterday.  Fountains up to just about 1000 feet. Watch this video.  Only lasted 10 hours. 

Episode 52?  

• Well, #51 was 18 days after #50.
• Episode 1 occurred on 23December2024
• In recorded history, 48 eruptions were the most for any full eruption cycle.  This was the Puu Oo eruption from 1983 to 1989, which produced 47 episodes, and one long final continuous flow.
• Calculating the math, this current Kilauea cycle has averaged every 11 days.
• More recently, though, seems to be appearing between 2 and 3 weeks apart, and only lasting around 10 hours.

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