This is a collection of my favorite controversial videos and award-winning films, both American and foreign films. I do not own these movies, so if you have any copyright issues, let me know and I will be glad to delete it in this blog. If you like this blog, please feel free to share it with your friends and perhaps you can buy me a cup of coffee.
Did you know the English word “boondocks”, meaning a remote, rural area comes from the Tagalog word “bundok” (mountain)?
American soldiers picked it up while serving in the Philippines in the early 1900s and brought it back to the United States, where it became part of everyday English.
So every time someone in America says “the boondocks”. They’re speaking a Filipino word.
Did you know that some Tagalog words quietly entered the English language?
Meanwhile,
When Filipinos Shocked Europe in 1884. At the 1884 Exposición Nacional de Bellas Artes in Madrid, something unthinkable happened:
• Juan Luna won the Gold Medal for Spoliarium💚
• Félix Resurrección Hidalgo won the Silver Medal
This wasn’t just an art win. It was a political scandal.
Two “Indios” from a colony had beaten Spain’s and Europe’s best painters on Spanish soil.
For the first time, the world was forced to admit something dangerous to empire:
Filipinos were intellectually and artistically equal if not superior to their colonizers.
This moment didn’t just inspire artists. It helped ignite nationalism.
Did you know art once shook the Spanish empire?
💚Spoliariumisa monumental oil painting created in 1884 by the renowned Filipino artist Juan Luna. Standing at a massive 4.22 by 7.675 meters, it is the largest painting in the Philippines and serves as the centerpiece of theNational Museum of Fine Artsin Manila.
Key Facts
Subject Matter: The painting depicts the "spoliarium", the basement of a Roman amphitheater where the bodies of fallen gladiators are dragged after combat, stripped of their armor, and left to be mourned by loved ones or scavenged for possessions.
Symbolism: While it portrays Roman history, the work is widely interpreted as a powerful allegory for the suffering of Filipinos under Spanish colonial rule.
Recognition: Luna earned a gold medal at the Exposición Nacional de Bellas Artes in Madrid in 1884 for this masterpiece, a feat that bolstered Filipino national pride and inspired revolutionaries like José Rizal.
History: After being exhibited in Europe, it was eventually gifted to the Philippines by Spain in the 1950s. During its journey, the canvas was notoriously cut into three pieces to fit into shipping crates and was later restored by Antonio Dumlao.
Lastly, here's the top Five News of the Day:
Winter Olympics Preparations Continue Despite Hurdles IOC Chief says preparations for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics have
faced challenges (like venue construction delays), but the Games are still expected
to be memorable when they open on February 6.
Russia Strikes Ukraine’s Energy Infrastructure Russia launched hundreds of drones and missiles targeting Ukraine’s energy
facilities ahead of peace talks, prompting Ukrainian President Zelenskyy to call
for increased international pressure.
Partial U.S. Government Shutdown Still Unresolved Lawmakers have yet to end the partial government shutdown, with discussions
continuing and political maneuvering ongoing.
Current Top Headlines Briefing The Washington Post highlights key U.S. political developments — including
the shutdown, news involving Bill and Hillary Clinton, and cultural stories —
in its daily briefing.
Local & Sports Headlines from Morning Roundups Regional morning news services are reporting a mix of updates, including a
major sports venue set to host Olympic soccermatches in 2028.
I woke up unusually early this morning with something rare in my mind: a dream I could remember.
Most mornings, dreams slip away from me almost instantly, dissolving before coffee has a chance to work. But this one stayed. Vivid. Detailed. And curious in the way it blended fact and fiction so seamlessly that, for a moment, I wasn’t sure where memory ended and imagination began.
The dream carried me back to the early years of my professional life, when ambition still felt new and every opportunity seemed improbably large.
In the dream, I was a young project manager hired by a multi-billion-dollar company to assist the Vice President of Research. Even in the dream, I knew how unusual that was, especially as a Filipino-American at that time. The reason for my hiring was clear and rooted in truth: my graduate thesis on ylang-ylang oil. The company was developing a fragrance meant to compete with Chanel No. 5, whose signature ingredient is, famously, ylang-ylang. That part wasn’t fiction at all.
As dreams often do, it heightened certain details. During my first week, I was introduced to both top management and the rank-and-file research employees. I noticed, as I had in real life, how many Filipino-Americans worked there, mostly as lab technicians, clerks, secretaries, data entry staff, even janitors. In the dream, they were proud of me, but also quietly protective, warning me to be careful navigating upper management. That caution, too, felt true to life.
One scene stood out. A data entry employee, another Ilonggo like me, asked for help with his tedious workload. In the dream, I told him bluntly that AI could do this work easily, and that he should learn how to use new tools before they replaced him. That moment clearly belonged to the present, not the past. My sleeping mind had pulled today’s reality into yesterday’s setting.
There were also two cafeterias in the facility: one for everyone, and another reserved exclusively for management. I could eat in either. That detail echoed my very first job at a European multinational subsidiary, where there were also two cafeterias and where I was definitely not allowed into the executive one. I remember wondering then what was different about the food, and what it symbolized.
And then came the FDA.
In the dream, my boss, the VP of Research, called me in to say that our fragrance application had been temporarily disapproved. The FDA needed more data. I was told to prepare for travel to FDA headquarters.
That was the moment I woke up, energized, alert, and strangely excited. Instead of brushing the dream aside, I did what I’ve done for years now: I started writing.
So what do dreams like this mean?
I don’t believe dreams are random. But I also don’t think they are prophecies. More often, they are conversations, between who we were, who we are, and what still matters to us. Dreams borrow freely from memory, emotion, unfinished questions, and current anxieties. They remix facts and fiction not to confuse us, but to reveal patterns.
In this dream, I saw themes that have followed me my entire career:
Identity and belonging, access and hierarchy, innovation and disruption, and the constant presence of the FDA as both gatekeeper and guardian.
It was a dream about ambition, yes, but also about responsibility. About standing between worlds: management and staff, past and future, human labor and artificial intelligence, science and regulation.
Perhaps the dream wasn’t about what might happen. Perhaps it was about what already has.
After decades of professional life, including my years at the FDA, my mind may simply be taking inventory, connecting early aspirations with later realities, and reminding me that none of it happened in isolation.
Dreams don’t always give us answers. Sometimes they just return our own stories to us, rearranged, and ask us to look again. This morning, I did.
Meanwhile, here's the AI Overview on the Above Topic:
When we speak of dreams "borrowing" from a life well lived,
we explore the profound connection between our waking experiences and our subconscious reflections. A life rich in purpose and fulfillment often fuels a dream state that is equally vibrant, serving as a "rehearsal space" for our deepest values.
How Dreams and Life Intertwine
Reflections of Reality: Dreams are often a blend of personal experiences, emotions, and subconscious thoughts gathered from your daily life. A day filled with meaningful activities naturally leads to a more restful and "happy" sleep.
The Gift of Rehearsal: Dreaming is considered an evolutionary gift, allowing us to safely test possibilities before they become part of our reality.
Authenticity Over Imitation: A "life well lived" requires stripping away "borrowed dreams"—ambitions inherited from others or society—until only your authentic desires remain. As Steve Jobs famously said, "Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life".
Wisdom on Living and Dreaming
Historical thinkers have long emphasized the synergy between a well-used life and the quality of our internal visions:
Henry David Thoreau: Advocated for moving "confidently in the direction of your dreams" and living the life you have imagined. He believed our "truest life" is when we are "in dreams awake".
Kālidāsa: Noted that "today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness, and every tomorrow a vision of hope".
James Dean: Popularized the sentiment to "Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today".
A life well lived is not merely about achieving goals, but about finding peace in the struggle and joy in small victories, ensuring that when time is up, there is no regret, only a sense of completion
Lastly, here are the top Five News of the Day:
1. House Republicans hopeful to end partial government shutdown — U.S. House leaders express optimism about avoiding a prolonged shutdown ahead of a deadline.
2. Grammys highlights: Bad Bunny makes history & Kendrick Lamar wins big — Bad Bunny becomes the first Spanish-language artist to win Album of the Year, and Kendrick Lamar surpasses Jay-Z as the most awarded rapper.
3. New Jeffrey Epstein files allege broader trafficking activity — Newly released documents suggest Epstein may have trafficked girls to third parties, prompting renewed scrutiny.
4. Five-year-old boy released, returns home from ICE detention — After being held at a Texas ICE facility, 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father are reunited in Minnesota.
5. NASA prepares for flight of Artemis II lunar mission — NASA’s Artemis II crew enters final preparations for launch this week, the first human Moon mission since 1972.
My Photo of the Day: Leif-Ditas Pet Dog in Sacramento-What a Beautiful Backyard
A Blogger’s Reflections on This Year’s Best Picture Nominees
I’ve been writing online long enough to know that movies don’t just reflect the year they’re released in, they reflect the year we’re living through. When I started blogging, award seasons felt cleaner, more ceremonial. Over time, they’ve become messier, more revealing. The films that rise to the top now tend to ask harder questions and offer fewer easy answers.
This year’s Best Picture nominees feel like that kind of collection. Different genres, different tones, but all circling familiar themes I’ve written about for years: ambition, loss, memory, power, and the quiet ways people endure.
Here’s how these ten films struck me not as a critic, but as someone who has spent a long time watching stories change alongside the world.
1. Sinners
I’ve learned over the years that the most unsettling stories aren’t about evil people, they’re about ordinary people making small compromises. Sinners lives in that space. It doesn’t hand the audience a clear villain. Instead, it lets responsibility diffuse across institutions, relationships, and moments of silence.
Watching it, I was reminded of how often history softens accountability with time. That’s why this film feels important. It doesn’t let us look away.
2. One Battle After Another
This one felt personal in an unexpected way. It’s structured around struggle, then another struggle, then another. No grand resolution. Just persistence.
As someone who has kept writing through personal and public uncertainty, I recognized that rhythm immediately. Life rarely offers clean endings. This film understands that, and that honesty alone makes it awards-worthy.
3. Frankenstein
I’ve revisited the Frankenstein story more times than I can count, and I’m always surprised by how contemporary it feels. This version leans into what has always mattered most to me about the story: not the act of creation, but the act of abandonment.
In an era of rapid technological ambition, the film quietly asks a question I’ve returned to often on this blog, just because we can, does that mean we should?
4. Marty Supreme
I’ve watched enough public figures rise and fall to know that success is often more isolating than failure. Marty Supreme understands that. It strips away the mythology and leaves us with a person shaped and warped by expectation.
What stayed with me wasn’t the spectacle, but the loneliness beneath it. That’s a harder story to tell, and a braver one.
5. Sentimental Value
This film surprised me with how much it did using very little. Family stories, aging parents, inherited objects these are themes I’ve written about more often than I expected to over the years.
Sentimental Value understands something important: meaning accumulates slowly. It doesn’t announce itself. This film earns its place by honoring the emotional residue of a life lived.
6. Bugonia
I’ll admit, this one made me uneasy and not just because of its dark humor. Bugonia captures the feeling of living in a world where reality feels increasingly negotiable.
As someone who has blogged through the rise of social media, misinformation, and collective anxiety, the film felt less like satire and more like diagnosis. That relevance makes it impossible to ignore.
7. F1
I’ve never been drawn to sports films for the victories. What interests me is the cost. F1 is honest about that cost, the physical strain, the psychological pressure, the way identity becomes fused with performance.
It’s thrilling, yes. But beneath the speed is a meditation on control and fragility. That balance is why it belongs here.
8. Hamnet
Grief is something I’ve learned you don’t outgrow, you learn to live alongside it. Hamnet understands that better than most films I’ve seen.
It doesn’t dramatize loss; it respects it. Watching it, I was reminded why some stories don’t need to be loud to be devastating. This is one of them.
9. The Secret Agent
I’ve written for years about power, trust, and institutions that claim to protect while quietly surveilling. The Secret Agent taps into that unease with precision.
What struck me most was how little certainty anyone in the film has. Loyalty is provisional. Truth is unstable. That feels very much of this moment.
10. Train Dreams
If I had to choose one film that felt closest to why I started blogging in the first place, it might be Train Dreams. It pays attention to a life that history barely pauses for.
Over the years, I’ve come to believe that quiet lives deserve as much narrative care as famous ones. This film understands that and treats memory itself as something sacred.
Closing Thoughts
After all these years of writing, I’ve stopped looking for a single “best” film. What I look for instead is honesty, stories that respect the audience enough to sit with complexity.
This year’s nominees do that. They don’t offer escape so much as recognition. And for a longtime blogger, that’s often the highest compliment I can give.
Finally, here's where to Stream & Watch 2026 Oscar Nominees:
Apple TV+:F1, Sentimental Value (also Rent/Buy), The Secret Agent (also Rent/Buy), Sirāt, The Smashing Machine.
HBO Max (Max):One Battle After Another, Sinners, The Alabama Solution.
Prime Video (Rent/Buy):Sentimental Value, The Secret Agent, Marty Supreme (Pre-order), Blue Moon, Diane Warren: Relentless, If I Had Legs I'd Kick You.
Theaters:Hamnet (focus features), The Secret Agent, Song Sung Blue.
Special Screenings & Events:
Cinemark Oscar Movie Week: Select theaters will feature nominated films, including Best Picture nominees and shorts.
98th Academy Awards: The ceremony airs live on March 15, 2026, on ABC and Hulu.
This posting is inspired from my today's readings of the WSJ.
The Dollar in Retreat: What’s Happening and What It Means for the World in 2026
In the latest edition of the Wall Street Journal, a striking narrative has emerged: the once-mighty U.S. dollar is weakening, and with it, so too some argue, America’s global prestige. Headlines underscore a broader concern among policymakers and investors that the U.S. currency’s historical strength is eroding in the face of deepening geopolitical tensions, a succession of tariffs, isolationist trade policies, and provocative political rhetoric, including high-profile episodes like the public obsession over acquiring Greenland. These developments are not just political theatre; they are reshaping perceptions of U.S. economic leadership worldwide.
The Mechanics of a Weaker Dollar
Recent market data shows the U.S. dollar has weakened substantially against major currencies, hitting multi-year lows. A widely watched gauge of the dollar’s performance has dipped significantly over the past year, the most pronounced annual slide in some time. This isn’t merely technical noise: a falling dollar reflects a combination of monetary policy shifts, political uncertainty, and diminished confidence in U.S. leadership on trade.
Several drivers stand out:
Tariff escalation: The Trump administration’s aggressive use of tariffs, sometimes against traditional allies has added uncertainty to global trade flows and spurred defensive adjustments by foreign partners. Economists note that these barriers have hindered smoother commerce and encouraged other nations to seek alternatives to dollar-centric trade settlements.
Geopolitical instability: From threats of punitive duties on Canada to turbulent rhetoric about strategic assets like Greenland, political unpredictability has unsettled investors. The Bank of Canada’s governor has publicly warned that such tensions are eroding the dollar’s role as a “safe haven” asset.
Global currency diversification: Even traditional U.S. partners are considering diversifying reserves and trade invoicing away from the dollar, seeing value in a more multipolar monetary system.
Symbolism and Prestige: More Than Just Exchange Rates
The dollar is more than a medium of exchange, it is a symbol of economic stability and U.S. influence. For decades, the greenback’s dominance in global reserves, commodity pricing, and sovereign debt markets has been a cornerstone of U.S. power. But when the world perceives American policy as unpredictable or insular, confidence can erode just as quickly as exchange rates.
This shift in sentiment matters because trust in the U.S. economic system underpins the dollar’s reserve status. When that trust wavers, countries start hedging their bets holding more euros, yuan, or even alternative assets like gold. Rising demand for gold and other non-dollar instruments in recent months underscores this trend.
Global Ripples: Winners, Losers, and the Middle Ground
The weakening dollar doesn’t uniformly damage the world economy. Some countries benefit from a cheaper dollar:
Export competitiveness: A softer dollar makes U.S. goods cheaper abroad in theory boosting exports. Yet this potential gain is often offset by retaliatory tariffs and trade frictions that dampen global demand.
Relief for emerging markets: A weaker dollar can ease the debt service burden for countries with dollar-denominated liabilities and support global liquidity, a factor that helped the IMF modestly revise its growth outlook in the face of tariffs.
Still, there are clear negatives:
Trade tensions spill over: The World Bank warned that broad tariff increases could reduce global growth by tightening supply chains and chilling investment decisions.
Export-oriented economies hit: Germany’s chancellor recently cited a weak dollar as a significant drag on European exporters, who now grapple with stronger euro valuations making their goods more expensive abroad.
Where 2026 Heads Next: Projection
As we settle into 2026, the global economic landscape will be shaped by three major forces:
1. A Multipolar Currency Environment
The dollar is unlikely to collapse, it remains central to global finance, but its share of global reserves will continue to shrink modestly as countries seek diversification. Central banks and sovereign investors will increasingly balance portfolios across currencies and alternative assets.
2. Slower U.S. Growth - But Not Collapse
Domestic growth in the United States is expected to moderate as tariff-related costs filter through prices and business investment decisions. Many forecasts see U.S. GDP expansion in the low single digits, with inflation pressures elevated due to trade costs. Global partners are less likely to enter full-blown retaliation, but persistent policy uncertainty will keep investment cautious.
3. Continued Resilience in Global Growth
Despite headwinds, the global economy will likely avoid outright recession in 2026, with broad consensus placing world GDP growth in the 3.0% range, slower than the boom years of the early 2020s, but still positive. Emerging markets, particularly in Asia, will carry much of the momentum, while advanced economies navigate trade and monetary policy tightening.
Final Thoughts: A Decade of Rebalancing
The weakening of the U.S. dollar is not just a technical financial story, it is a reflection of deeper shifts in how the world views economic leadership, cooperation, and strategic alignment. If policymakers in Washington want to restore the dollar’s luster and bolster U.S. prestige globally, they will need to demonstrate predictability, collaborative trade frameworks, and support for open markets.
As 2026 unfolds, the global economy will adapt to this evolving monetary landscape, not overnight, and not without friction, but with the enduring pragmatism that markets have shown time and again in the face of geopolitical change.
Meanwhile, here's the AI Overview on the Above Topic:
The U.S. dollar reached a
four-year low in late January 2026, following comments from President Trump indicating he was comfortable with the currency’s decline. This weakness is the continuation of a trend where the dollar index (DXY) fell 9.5% in 2025. While traditional economic theory suggests tariffs and strong growth (estimated at 5.4% in Q4 2025) should bolster a currency, "Trump's unpredictable policymaking" and pressure on the Federal Reserve have instead eroded investor confidence.
Primary Drivers of Dollar Weakness
Administration Policy & Rhetoric: President Trump has explicitly stated the dollar's decline is "great," viewing a weaker currency as a tool to boost exports and manufacturing.
Federal Reserve Pressure: The administration has frequently demanded lower interest rates. On January 28, 2026, the Fed held rates steady at 3.5%–3.75%, defying Trump's calls for cuts. However, two Trump-appointed governors (Stephen Miran and Chris Waller) dissented, voting for a cut.
Fiscal Deficits: Expanded government spending, including the "One Big Beautiful Bill" Act, has deepened the national deficit, leading to concerns about the long-term health of the U.S. fiscal position.
Trade Volatility: Aggressive tariff policies—including proposed "Greenland tariffs" on eight European nations—have shifted investor behavior from "buying America" to "hedging America".
Economic Impact in 2026
Exporters vs. Importers: A weaker dollar aids U.S. exporters by making their goods cheaper abroad, but it significantly raises costs for U.S. businesses reliant on imported materials, especially when combined with high tariffs.
Inflation Risks: Economists warn that a devalued currency typically exerts upward pressure on inflation. The average tax increase per household from tariffs is projected to reach $1,300 in 2026.
Investment Shifts: Investors are increasingly moving into "hard assets" like gold, which hit record highs in January 2026, or emerging market funds, a trend some analysts call "quiet-quitting" the dollar.
2026 Currency Outlook
Most forecasts for 2026 suggest a "V-shaped" or "check mark" pattern for the dollar:
H1 2026 (Weakness): Expected continued decline toward a DXY range of 92–96 as markets react to policy uncertainty and potential Fed leadership changes in May.
H2 2026 (Potential Recovery): A rebound is possible if government spending fuels higher inflation, eventually forcing the Fed to maintain or raise interest rates.
Here are five major stories today, January 29, 2026:
1.Looming partial U.S. government shutdown over DHS funding and federal agent shootings Congress is deadlocked over a multi-bill spending package, with Democrats demanding reforms to Department of Homeland Security operations after fatal shootings by federal agents in Minnesota, raising the risk of a partial shutdown this weekend.
2. Trump warns Iran as U.S. naval buildup heightens war fears President Donald Trump has warned that a “massive armada” is heading toward Iran and said the U.S. is ready to use force unless Iran agrees to a new deal, prompting vows of immediate retaliation from Tehran and concern among U.S. allies.
3. Ongoing war in Ukraine with new Russian missile and drone strikes Russia has launched fresh waves of drone and missile attacks across Ukraine, including deadly strikes near Kyiv and on civilian rail infrastructure, ahead of renewed diplomatic talks billed as possible “peace” discussions.
4. Deadly violence and political fallout from federal agent shootings in Minneapolis The killing of Minneapolis residents, including Alex Pretti, by federal agents enforcing Trump administration immigration policies has sparked national outrage, protests, and is now central to Democrats’ demands for bans on masked agents and warrantless operations.
5. Global security crises: attacks in Niger and unrest in Yemen and Canada Heavy gunfire and explosions have been reported around Diori Hamani International Airport in Niamey, Niger, amid broader instability, while a mass shooting in Mistissini, Quebec, and ongoing conflict in Yemen highlight rising security risks in multiple regions.
