Halloween collectibles

Halloween pumpkin made from plastics

Did you like scary movies and toys  when you were a kid?  Can  you still  remember great Tagalog films like ” Shake Rattle and Roll” produced by Regal films in the 1980’s until today ? Do you still love those things today and find they make great collectibles? Halloween Collectibles you’ll find scary dolls, Universal Monsters, Monster models, Mc Farlane Movie Maniacs, Elvira dolls, Night mare before Christmas toys from the past and present! collectables here, this is just a site for information on the latest and greatest! And we can point you in the right direction to find them if possible.

classic movie monster on stamps

On September 30, 1997 The United States Postal Service issued “Classic Movie Monsters” stamps at Universal Studios Hollywood starring Lon Chaney as “The Phantom of the Opera“, Bela Lugosi as “Dracula“, Boris Karloff as ” Frankenstein” and “The Mummy” and Lon Chaney, Jr. as “The Wolf Man” on Commemorative Stamps immortalizing them as the icons of the horror genre.

Nightmare before Christmas character figurines

This is the time of the year when this some holiday is celebrated all over the world. but few people would know that there are people who collects halloween stuffs , toys, posters ,  collectibles  from costumes to figurines and to stamps.

I knew some people who tend to collect halloween themed toys and dvd movies. but due to security reasons , some of them do not like their names to be posted and thus remain a mystery in the collecting world.

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Taeniophyllum – one of the smallest orchid in the world

picture taken in Quezon province:

Taeniophyllum sp. Blume

Common Names: Pin head orchid, minute orchid, leafless orchid , tapeworm orchid

INTRODUCTION: A genus of leafless orchids. Around one hundred eighty  to two hundred species in this genus are distributed from India, Sri Lanka, Japan, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia , Southeast Asia  the Philippines to New Guinea, Australia, some Pacific Islands as far as Tahiti. New Guinea is considered to be the centre of distribution with some eighty species alone, some of which may prove to be con specific.

GENUS NAME: The genus name is taken from the Greek tainia (band, fillet, ribbon) and phyllon (leaf) in a reference not clearly understood as these orchids are leafless.

Its scientific name means, rather unattractively, ‘tapeworm leaf’. Its roots have not only developed into flat, tapeworm-like shapes several yards long that writhe statically all over the branch on which the plant sits.

Type Species : Taeniophyllum glandulosum Blume

CHARACTERISTICS : The species in the genus are small to very small leafless epiphytes with flattened green roots which contain chlorophyll and have taken over the photosynthetic role of the leaves. The leaves are reduced to minute, overlapping scales covering the stem apex. The flowers of the species are very short-lived, they are mostly greenish-white to yellow.

Taeniophyllums have small brown scales instead of leaves and the process of photosynthesis is carried out in the green roots. Most members of this genus grow upon the twigs of rain forest trees and in cultivation.

NUMBER OF SECTIONS IN THE GENUS: The genus is divided into two sub-genera and six sections along their difference in united or free sepals and petals.

HABITAT: Not easily detected in their natural habitat the species grow on tree trunks either near the forest floor or among the dense foliage of the smaller twigs. They are found from sea level to about 1000 m.

In the Philippines , some species could be seen growing on mango trees and small trees. This orchid prefers to be undisturbed and could not survive on long dry conditions.

Doreamon stamps

Doraemon is a blue cat-like robot in Japanese comic books. He is very popular in Japan. Everybody loves him—children, mothers, students. He came from the future to the present in a time machine.

This a a favorite Japanese manga series created by Mr. Fujiko F. Fujio – pen name of Mr. Hiroshi Fujimoto . The series is about a robotic cat who travels back in time from the 22nd century . The cat had a special pocket with a lot of clever new innovations always in to aid  a school boy and a friend  Nobita Nobi (野比 のび太 )an elementary school student.

The series first appeared in December 1969, when it was published simultaneously in six different magazines. In total, 1,344 stories were created in the original series, which are published by Shogakukan under the Tentōmushi (てんとう虫 ) manga brand, extending to forty-five volumes. The volumes are collected in the Takaoka Central Library in Toyama, Japan. Fujio was born in Toyama.

Doraemon stamps issued on 2004 (Photo: courtesy Of Mr. William Chua)

A majority of Doraemon episodes are comedies with moral lessons regarding values such as integrity, perseverance, courage, family and respect for elders. Several noteworthy environmental issues are often visited, including homeless animals,  endangered species , deforestation , loss of habitat and pollution .

Doraemon was awarded the first Shogakukan Manga award for children’s manga or cartoon in 1982, and the first Osamu Tezuka Culture Award in 1997. In March 2008, Japan’s Foreign Ministry appointed Doraemon as the nation’s first “anime ambassador.” Ministry spokesman explained the novel decision as an attempt to help people in other countries to understand Japanese anime better and to deepen their interest in  Japanese anime culture The Foreign Ministry action confirms that Doraemon has come to be considered a Japanese cultural icon. In 2002, the anime character was acclaimed as an Asian Hero in a special feature survey conducted by Time Asia magazine.

This popular anime character had been immortalized on stamps , stuff toys, fast food toys, key chains, stationery etc..

The show is locally shown on GMA channel 7 in the mid 1990’s

Campaign on the high gear

The recently concluded Campaign 2010 trade exposition last October 21 to 22, 2009 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City was a glimpse of a unique trade fair that focuses on the needs of every aspiring politician who would seek public office.

Infomercials, posters, streamers, radio and television hosting are just a reminder that election season had already begun.

Huge banners and colorful balloons greeted every visitor to the expo site. With over 150 stalls of different companies vying to catch the attention. Every stall had their own gimmick from giving free candies, ball pens, stickers, key chains, memo pad, mugs, calendar, button pins to colorful leaflets. These are the traditional giveaways during campaign sorties.

COMELEC booth

The daily paid seminar series sponsored by COMELEC were jam-packed with people. There were different topics from elections rules and regulations to basic election protocols in which if properly observed and enforced by the election officers would mean that a lot of politicians would surely be disqualified in the upcoming election.

People who trooped to the expo site wear political colors, Some wear blazing red color reminiscent of Marcos regime, Some wear yellow color with Ninoy and Cory embroidered on their t-shirt, some wear collared shirts with the map of tricolors of Philippine flag while a handful of students wore orange colored t-shirts.

According to Mr. Reynaldo Reyes the event manager of ICE, Inc..“ What makes this event unique, is that is the first automated election to be conducted in the country’s electoral history ”. People are fascinated to know and learn on the rudiments on the upcoming elections.  Unlike before, people are left out of the limelight.   COMELEC exhibit booth with their representatives was there to explain the queries of the public.  A sample of a counting machine was also displayed by SMARTMATIC Company in order for the public to see and even scrutinized.

COMELEC gave away pamphlets on basic election rules and guidelines to the visitors.

Samahang Kartunista ng Pilipinas gallery exhibit

Galleries of political figures drawn by some of the country’s top cartoonist were on display. Their display adds humor to the political satire and climate of the country.

Philippine Free Press with their gallery of political personalities which included late Presidents Ferdinand Marcos, Corazon Cojuangco Aquino , Manuel Quezon among other famous personalities.  Serious magazine collectors consider some of the covers as collectibles.

The exhibit booth were a memorabilia corner where supporters from different age and ethnic groups converge and served as a photo opportunities for their die-hard supporters.

Other media partners included Manila Bulletin and Studio 23 “ Y Speak” sponsored a forum in which youth representatives from different political parties were given a chance to debate on which aspiring candidates

Aside from traditional campaign paraphernalia’s, there were also companies that provides high tech campaign services like sms, software, websites, on-line surveys, data management, geographical information system (election bulwarks) and even mock election results. With election going high tech, selling these kinds of services is keeping up phase with the trend.

Today, about 60 million Filipinos subscribe to a mobile-phone service. Software allowing communication with cell-phone users are also now available, Tan points out, making the ubiquitous mobile the closest one could get to a killer campaign tool.

Still, it’s not the only high-tech device being employed in the current campaign. The decidedly younger voters are making sure the new technologies of their generation are spicing it up, and that means going beyond a popular hand-held gizmo. Indeed, in recent years, the benefits of technology have managed to turn the political exercise less of a throwback from the first-ever held local polls in the country more than a century ago, resulting in campaigns that have become more and more wired.

The Internet age has even encouraged online campaigning not just by candidates but also by individuals and organizations wishing to contribute to voter awareness and education. Bloggers, forumers , networking sites among others….

But innovative ways does not come cheap. Some software packages runs from hundred of thousands of pesos to even millions of pesos!!!

Bunga China Ubod Recipe

Adonidia merrillii or Veitchia merrillii –this palm was named to honor Mr. James Veitch a British nurseryman (1792 -1863)

Common names: Bunga China , Bunga de Jolo, Christmas palm, Manila palm

Manila palm is a small, fast growing; palm not taller than 25′ and often much smaller.
It resembles a dwarf royal palm.
This is a straight trunked palm with indistinct rings.
Adonidia has clusters of bright red, drupe-like fruits and inconspicuous unisexual, white – yellow flowers.
By late September the green fruits are beginning to ripen and by late November they are bright red!
The fruits are 1¼” in diameter while the seeds are ½” and borne below the crown shaft. The leaf is feather – shaped and the leaflets are trusted in on it.

recipe courtesy  by Mr. Nonito Dolera

Ingredient:

Filling:

• 2 tbsp. oil
• 2 piece garlic clove, crushed
• 2 piece onion, thinly sliced
• 4 oz/100 g parboiled lean pork, diced
• 2 oz/50 g ham, shredded (   shredded bacon bits/ chicken breast optional )
• 4 tbsp. peeled chopped prawn
• 2 oz/50 g cooked chickpeas
• 8 oz/200 g ubod (manila palm hearts), shredded thinly sliced.
• 6 oz/150 g French beans, shelled
• 1 carrot, shredded
• 12 oz/250 g cabbage, shredded
• sprigs onions
• salt and pepper
• 12 crisp lettuce leaves
• 12 lumpia wrappers

Lumpiang Bunga china ubod sauce

• ¼ pint (or more) chicken stock
• 2 oz/50 grams brown sugar or muscovado sugar 
• 2 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch / corn flour
• 3 tbsp. cold water
• 2-3 tsp. finely minced garlic
• crushed peanuts

Lumpia Wrapper:

• 2 to 3  eggs
• 3 oz/75 g cornflour
• ½ pint/250 ml water
• vegetable oil

How to cook the ingredients:

Filling:

• Heat the oil and lightly fry the onion and garlic  until soft.
• Add the pork and ham, cook, stirring for a few minutes.
• Add prawns and chickpeas and cook a little longer.
• Stir in the ubod, beans, carrot and cabbage.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Cover and simmer until the vegetables are just tender. Drain and cool.
• Wrap a portion of the filling and a sprigs onion in a lettuce leaf and then in a pancake.
• Serve with Lumpiang ubod sauce.

Lumpia Wrapper:

• Separate the eggs and whisk the whites until very stiff. Fold into the lightly beaten yolks.
• Blend the cornstarch with water, adding the water gradually to ensure smoothness.
• Stir thoroughly into the egg. Lightly brush the frying pan with oil and heat.
• Using 2 tbsp. of lumpia batter at a time, fry very thin pancakes.
• Tilt the  pan to spread the batter evenly, do not turn and do not allow the pancakes to color.

Sauce:

• Bring the stock to the boil with the sugar, soy sauce and salt.
• Blend the cornstarch with the cold water and stir it into the stock.
• Simmer, stirring for 3 to 4  minutes, until the sauce thickens.
• Sprinkle the minced garlic and chopped peanuts on the top.
• Add sesame seeds ( optional)