December 2016 - Expat In Bacolod

Hogmanay: Word Wednesday (Increase Your Word Power)

Hogmanay: Word Wednesday (Increase Your Word Power)

Published by Stephen Bentley on December 28, 2016

Hogmanay is a Scottish word and denotes New Years Eve and associated with a good few ancient traditions such as “first footing.” Note my use of the word “Scottish.” Nothing is more infuriating to a Scot, or this Brit with Scottish blood, than the use of the word Scotch in place of Scottish or Scot. Scotch is the drink! Rampant Scotland is where I found this information about the word Hogmanay: What does Hogmanay actually mean and what is the derivation of the name? Why do the Scots more than any other nation celebrate the New Year with such a passion? Why should a tall dark stranger be a welcome first foot visitor after midnight, carrying a lump of coal and a slice of black…

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And the Winner Is … Happy Christmas

And the Winner Is … Happy Christmas

Published by Stephen Bentley on December 22, 2016

And the winner is … there are three – so Happy Christmas to all of them and my readers worldwide. All of the competition winners have now received the signed copy of my book. The winner is … Carol – The winner is … John – The winner is … Tony – All three were winners of a signed copy of a paperback of my book Undercover: Operation Julie – The Inside Story and in addition will shortly receive an Amazon gift voucher to the value of $50. They have all supported me in my efforts and helped enormously by participating fully in all my pre-publication promotions including the three competitions I ran. I value that and am most grateful to them and all the…

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Pervert: Word Wednesday (Improve Your Word Power)

Pervert: Word Wednesday (Improve Your Word Power)

Published by Stephen Bentley on December 21, 2016

Pervert is today’s word and it is a word, at least in the UK, that has connotations with sex offenders. A “perve” is often the abbreviated derogatory version of the word likely to be spat out with some venom in the direction of an actual or perceived sex offender. Yet as is the case with many words in the English language, “perve” is flexible and is often heard as part of banter between friends. So if friend A does or says something gross then a typical response from friend B would be “you perve”! What does Merriam-Webster have to say? Definition transitive verb 1 a : to cause to turn aside or away from what is good or true or morally right : corrupt b…

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Why I Support the James Bulger Memorial Trust

Why I Support the James Bulger Memorial Trust

Published by Stephen Bentley on December 20, 2016

This post first appeared on my author website. James Bulger Was Murdered in 1993 Below I republish an old post from my personal blog Expat in Bacolod. I was prompted to write about why I support the James Bulger Memorial Trust because I answered that very question when I was the subject of an author interview in connection with Mystery Thriller Week. This is how I answered the question: James Bulger was a toddler murdered in the Merseyside area of the UK in 1993. It became a high-profile case and shocked the nation not just because he was a toddler but the fact his killers were aged about 10 or 11. My early detective experiences were on Merseyside. About one year ago, Stuart Fergus contacted…

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Philippines Got Talent: Carlo Martin Yrure

Published by Stephen Bentley on December 19, 2016

Listen up! Carlo Martin Yrure is the man!! Yes it’s a fact – the Philippines Got Talent! No matter where I go, no matter what I see, hear or read, this country has a rich abundance of talented people. This post will concentrate on music and some of my latest friends I met here in Bacolod. First there is Carlo and man, what a talented guitarist he is as well as being a super friendly guy! It was Carlo who encouraged me to exercise my vocal chords last Friday night and I wrote about that here. Understandably I still want to call him Carlos after one of my music heroes Carlos Santana. This is Carlo in action so listen – it is beautiful: And…

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Christmas in the Philippines

Published by Stephen Bentley on December 19, 2016

Christmas in the Philippines “Maligayang Pasko Sa Inyong Lahat” or Merry Christmas to Everyone! The typical Filipino does not need much of an excuse to celebrate and party. Christmas in the Philippines is no exception. The manifestations of the onset of Christmas start here as early as September. That is when you first notice the street vendors and stalls selling their Christmas lighting and decorations. It is a sight particularly noticeable after dusk when you cannot fail to see the twinkling, flashing lights of reindeers and other Christmas paraphernalia. There is no room here for “bah humbug” type sentiments I used to hear back in the UK – “Oh – I can’t get in the mood for Christmas” type of comment. I suggest if you…

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What This Expat Does to Chill Out in Bacolod City

Published by Stephen Bentley on December 17, 2016

There is an answer to every question and the question What This Expat Does to Chill Out in Bacolod City certainly has an answer! Allow me some slack please as I know it isn’t a question 🙂 This post is a follow up to my last one about a great night out at the Hat Trick Sports Bar and Grill. I don’t wish to say much about my singing as I have had better nights at the mic 🙂 Ultimately I don’t believe I will be giving up my “day job” of writing books! In my defense, the invitation to sing with the band was both sudden and unexpected. Get Back is a song I have sung before but never Let It Be and I struggled…

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Market Pub and Hat Trick Sports and Grill Bar Bacolod City

Market Pub and Hat Trick Sports and Grill Bar Bacolod City

Published by Stephen Bentley on December 17, 2016

The Market Pub and the Hat Trick Sports and Grill Bar are to all intents and purposes the same bar (but not – read on) owned and operated by Miguel Rivero and supervised by John Yves Ronaldo Gargalicano. You can find the Market Pub on Facebook here and the Hat Trick here. I have also written about Miguel and the Hat Trick several times and you can find those here and here and here. Last night I dropped in unannounced primarily to check out the the Market Pub now that Miguel has put the finishing touches to the interior. It was always his intention to re-create an English-style pub and he has done a very good job of it. Of course it is football themed as Miguel, John…

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Jude Roy: Author Interview – Mystery Thriller Week

Jude Roy: Author Interview – Mystery Thriller Week

Published by Stephen Bentley on December 16, 2016

The following post first appeared on my author website. Jude Roy is the first author in my new series of author interviews to be run in conjunction with Mystery Thriller Week (MWT). MWT is for authors, bloggers, reviewers, fans and readers and will run from February 12 – 22, 2017 – to find out more click on the link below: Mystery Thriller Week Annual Event Facebook You will be greeted with this welcome message: Welcome to The Official group for Mystery Thriller Week 2017! This group is welcoming all mystery and thriller Fans, Authors, Bloggers, Podcasters, and book enthusiasts, that want to know more about the genre and sub-genres. Join in and participate. It is a way to keep up with all the happenings concerning…

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Flammable vs Inflammable: Word Wednesday

Published by Stephen Bentley on December 15, 2016

A little late with the Word Wednesday post [but it’s still Wednesday somewhere, right?] owing to the vagaries of the Philippines infrastructure in particular my internet service provider! Flammable vs inflammable! Two words that for many years confused me and no doubt countless other people. Let me go to a different source to see the meaning of these two words and if there is any difference between flammable and inflammable. This is what Stack Exchange has to say: English Language & Usage Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts. Join them; it only takes a minute: This was the question preceded by a similar question: Possible Duplicate: Why are not infamous and inflammable the opposite of…

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Month: December 2016