CA-360°

“We're Not Threats”

2012-01-15T01:06:00.000+08:00

I checked my twitter timeline earlier and GMA News flashed: “Pope: Gay marriage a threat to humanity's future”. And then later a “married” gay couple answers the pope back, saying “We're not threats”. Obviously the pope was referring to the phenomenon of gay marriage, but the couple was referring to their persons. There is a difference. Don't be misled by others—the Catechism mentions that homosexuals “must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided (CCC 2358).”

The Holy Family

In the Reuters report Gay marriage a threat to humanity's future — Pope, Pope Benedict said that gay marriage was one of several threats to the traditional family that undermined the future of humanity itself. While it is true that there are many assaults on the traditional family, a legalized gay marriage turns the institution itself inutile.

“Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled; for God will judge the immoral and adulterous (Heb 13.4 RSV).”

For some, the family is just a partnership, and it is devoid of responsibility in rearing children, the natural consequence. To initiate a family, legitimate marriage is the prerequisite. “The family unit is fundamental for the educational process and for the development both of individuals and states; hence there is a need for policies which promote the family and aid social cohesion and dialogue (Reuters).”

“The fruitfulness of conjugal love extends to the fruits of the moral, spiritual, and supernatural life that parents hand on to their children by education. Parents are the principal and first educators of their children. In this sense the fundamental task of marriage and family is to be at the service of life (CCC 1653).”

The Pope is the prophet of our time, and unfortunately, no prophet is welcome in his time. He's not there to make life miserable, but to make it better if only everyone heeds.

“Do you not know that the unjust will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor boy prostitutes nor sodomites nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God. That is what some of you used to be; but now you have had yourselves washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God (1 Cor 6.9-11 NABRE).”

Folks, many of us fail, but there is redemption. It's never too late to change...

Reproductive Health Bill

I started to write something about this several months ago, and it was never finished; blame procrastination. Although I guess it's still in the news on occasion, especially when Sen. Defensor-Santiago delivered those pick-up lines, much better than Boy Pick-up™.

The controversial Reproductive Health (RH) bill is labeled as House Bill (HB) No. 4244 (in substitution of HB 96, 101, 513, 1160, 1520 and 3387). It is entitled The Responsible Parenthood, Reproductive Health and Population and Development Act of 2011. Section 1 says "The State recognizes and guarantees the exercise of the universal basic human right to reproductive health by all persons, particularly of parents, couples and women, consistent with their religious convictions, cultural beliefs and the demands of responsible parenthood..."

The way I see it, two issues are at the core of why the Church is against it. While we are the Church, there is a thing called the Magisterium—its teaching authority. The reader has to know that many groups who call themselves Christian teach that artificial contraception is okay. All the "churches" succumbed to the culture of death; only the Catholic Church remains standing. And when the Church teaches, the faithful listen. While the primary target of the pronouncements is the faithful, the message nonetheless is sowed on the entire human race, and it's profitable to heed her call.

The bill incorporates artificial contraception; the Church naturally will oppose it. The church is entirely pro-life, and conception of new life is part of that. If conception gives new life, naturally any means that frustrates it is immoral. I agree, it's a hard doctrine, but it's the doctrine. [Read Humanæ Vitæ]
The bill will use tax-payers' money to pay for the available contraceptives. If the bill passes, those against artificial contraception will, in effect, be buying them. While the church frowns upon the dissemination of contraceptives, it has to accept it because it's private funds that are used, and individuals are free to do things. At least it's not public funds.

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Proverbs 1.7 RSV)

Pictographs

2011-04-22T23:03:00.000+08:00

Unless you're a child, birthdays come and go, often without any fanfare, just some food and drinks, and perhaps a cake with a candle on top for the romantics. And gifts are out of the picture.

The usual monotony was broken when my niece Terê gave me a simple birthday card. It was done on plain bond paper using a pencil and an eraser (if you work near kids, you notice the eraser is busy). Well... in short, that made my day!

Little things matter a lot, especially if you see the underlying effort and thought invested in the task.

Communication is universal regardless of age, and it's not even a human monopoly. Other life forms use it. Adults invariably use letters, numbers and other symbols in their messages. Children on the other hand use drawings no matter how rudimentary they may look. And since they are virtual pictographs, the readers understand the message. Obviously we cannot over-analyze the drawings.

Pope Benedict XVI once said that "children truly are the family's greatest treasure and most precious good." Especially for the parents, we should nurture the children and give proper attention to them. The little thing you utter today may go a long way. And because of this, people around kids should shun saying bad words. There are many things that turns me off, and cursing is on top of the list!

Surely as children, we can remember one person in our lives who we idolized and gave us good advice and pointers growing up. We can become such person to the young ones. "All grown-ups were once children—although few of them remember it" (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry).

Admittedly it's difficult with this kind of media, inclusive of the Internet's dark edge, but let's preserve our little angels' innocence, and protect their dignity as human beings, sons and daughters of God above. Our Lord Jesus Christ himself mentioned it in Matthew 18.6; 19.14 (RSV):

"...But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened round his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

"Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven."

Same Old Same Old

2011-03-09T17:11:00.001+08:00

For fear of being misunderstood, or perhaps akin to going against the flow, I hesitated writing about this topic. I'm a little fed-up by the constant promo of taking the "straight path" (matuwid na daan) not because I'm against it but because it's just a slogan, not something tangible. It's just lip service, I'm afraid. But it's the same old story.

It's good to prosecute erring officials but I guess the process is not ideal; I want it to be more legal than political, and nothing personal. There should be fairness and equal protection under the law, not skewed or selective.

One issue at hand is the not so subtle attempt to purge officials of important offices whose only sin is being appointed by the previous dispensation. There are many areas in constitutional bodies but let's focus on the judiciary, particularly the Supreme Court (SC). The administration is sending mixed signals, saying one thing and doing another. One time they say they are hands-off to possible impeachment of justices, some other time hints otherwise. We always hear them say the present SC is beholden to the previous president, so they want them replaced. But unless it's not yet obvious, when they appoint new justices, aren't they beholden to the present leader if we follow the logic? They in effect are replacing the Arroyo SC with the new Aquino SC. That is if we follow their way of thinking. So the SC spokesman is correct is his pronouncements; I don't agree with the palace's assessment (see http://bit.ly/igS65j if anybody is interested). They want to have their cake and eat it too!

The case of the Ombudsman is similar but more obvious this time. It's clear the executive wants her out. By this time, she's already impeached by the lower house of Congress, save for a final vote by plenary. Unfortunately for the ombudsman, the process is political rather than legal as voiced out by the Justice Committee chairman himself—at least he's honest. Again the question may be asked, "are they removing her to give way to a friendlier ombudsman?" Do they have friends and relatives with pending cases at her office? They can't think differently for different circumstances. And to add injury to this, the final judge will be the Senate—I don't know if they are fair and independent enough to give a just judgment.

But that is not my thinking. No matter who appointed the officials (if proper procedures are met), we should let them be independent as can be, and let them finish their terms of office, unless there is real evidence of wrongdoing.

As I see the old faces in the Executive and Legislature who now are members of the majority block, I scratch my head in awe at the tyranny of the majority. When they speak on moral grounds, I ask silently, "look, who's talking!"

This opinion is written in a positive light, pointing to some issues that need change. I remain hopeful of having a responsive government, and as a good citizen, I am supportive of our present leaders. But our leaders should do concrete positive service to the people, not just superficial motions that only divide the nation. We need someone who works diligently outside of the media focus. Leadership is not just about reading speeches, it's making the right and timely decisions that are generally fair, unitive and beneficial to all people. Have a sense of urgency and fulfill your responsibilities and do your jobs. Above all, the good leader is a servant, and both terms are interchangeable.

"Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him, he will bring forth justice to the nations.

He will not cry or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice.

He will not fail or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law." (Isaiah 42.1-4 RSV)

Pray If You Want To

2011-02-08T12:35:00.000+08:00

I received the following email regarding prayer in the US and Canada, and I quoted it here entirely even though I'm from the Philippines because I guess we'll come to this stage sooner or later. It seems faith is being marginalized in order to create a fully secular and atheistic order. People must be free to pray and express their faith in a democratic environment where all rights are guaranteed... Prayer can't be banned!

CBS and Katie Couric et al. must be in a panic and rushing to reassure the White House that this is not network policy--re: Andy Rooney's commentary on prayer. Folks, this is the year that we retake America and Canada. Get Ready...

Andy Rooney and Prayer

I don't believe in Santa Claus, but I'm not going to sue somebody for singing a Ho-Ho-Ho song in December. I don't agree with Darwin, but I didn't go out and hire a lawyer when my high school teacher taught his Theory of Evolution.

Life, liberty or your pursuit of happiness will not be endangered because someone says a 30-second prayer before a football game. So what's the big deal? It's not like somebody is up there reading the entire Book of Acts. They're just talking to a God they believe in and asking him to grant safety to the players on the field and the fans going home from the game.

But it's a Christian prayer, some will argue.

Yes, and this is the United States of America and Canada, countries founded on Christian principles. According to our very own phone book, Christian churches outnumber all others better than 200-to-1. So what would you expect -- somebody chanting Hare Krishna?

If I went to a football game in Jerusalem, I would expect to hear a Jewish prayer. If I went to a soccer game in Baghdad, I would expect to hear a Muslim prayer. If I went to a ping pong match in China, I would expect to hear someone pray to Buddha.

And I wouldn't be offended. It wouldn't bother me one bit. When in Rome.....

But what about the atheists? Is another argument.

What about them? Nobody is asking them to be baptized. We're not going to pass the collection plate. Just humor us for 30 seconds. If that's asking too much, bring a Walkman or a pair of ear plugs. Go to the bathroom. Visit the concession stand. Call your lawyer!

Unfortunately, one or two will make that call. One or two will tell thousands what they can and cannot do. I don't think a short prayer at a football game is going to shake the world's foundations.

Christians are just sick and tired of turning the other cheek while our courts strip us of all our rights. Our parents and grandparents taught us to pray before eating, to pray before we go to sleep. Our Bible tells us to pray without ceasing. Now a handful of people and their lawyers are telling us to cease praying.

God, help us. And if that last sentence offends you, well, just sue me.

The silent majority has been silent too long. It's time we tell that one or two who scream loud enough to be heard that the vast majority doesn't care what they want. It is time that the majority rules! It's time we tell them, "You don't have to pray; you don't have to say the Pledge of Allegiance; you don't have to believe in God or attend services that honor Him. That is your right, and we will honor your right; but by golly, you are no longer going to take our rights away. We are fighting back, and we will win!"

God bless us one and all. God bless America and Canada, despite all our faults, we are still the greatest nations of all. God bless our service men who are fighting to protect our right to pray and worship God.

Let's make 2011 the year the silent majority is heard and we put God back as the foundation of our families and institutions. And our military forces come home from all the wars.

Keep looking up.

Point well said! Some folks might be curious about some details mentioned... I agree with the Theory of Evolution but Darwin is not the theory, the theory is not Darwin (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution). Change is constant, so the term "greatest nations of all" may not be true.

"See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all. Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." ~St. Paul (1 Thessalonians 5.15-18 RSV)

Tragedy of Errors

2010-09-07T12:08:00.000+08:00

The 23^rd of August 1896 was a significant event in Philippine history, and regarded as the starting point of the Philippine revolution against imperial Spain. It was known as the Cry of Pugad Lawin (Balintawak). The hills of Balintawak, Quezon City are witnesses when Supremo Andrés Bonifacio and his comrades from the Katipunan tore their cédulas. This event is annually commemorated as National Heroes' Day, a public holiday in the Philippines.

Fast forward 114 years, a rainy day on 23 August 2010, glaring on television: a hostage-taking incident ended in carnage! Many victims bloodied, with 8 hostages dead--all Hong Kong nationals--making it an international incident. The hostage-taker, an ex-cop erstwhile S/Insp. Rolando Mendoza likewise died with many bullet wounds. He only had one demand: that of being reinstated again to the police ranks--very ironic, using crime as a ticket back! I think the authorities should have given in to that demand, which is much easier to grant than if he asked for $10 million cash. On-going investigations now say the government actually was doing that, but intervening events prevented that from pushing through, and they took a lot of time.

How could the authorities bungle such a thing? It makes you feel angry and embarrassed, and think about that loss of life!

By law it's Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim who is tasked to solve the crisis, together with the local district commander, which was C/Supt. Magtibay. While watching the events unfold on live TV, it's obvious the negotiations failed miserably, and they failed to second guess Mendoza. While being questioned, the assistant negotiator said that he could have subdued Mendoza, but one standing order was "not to harm" the hostage-taker. I don't have to mention that the assault team (SWAT) was unprepared! With those many hours lost, they failed to put eyes inside the tourist bus. It's very dangerous to blindly attack the enemy! They are blaming the lack of equipment, but such electronic or fiberoptic gadgets are very cheap nowadays. And why is the media broadcasting what the police are planning and doing? They failed in the most basic things like crowd control, which includes the media. I'm sure if the cops told the journalists to back off, they would have followed.

Other police personalities that should have asserted their authority were Dir. Santiago (Magtibay's superior and in-charge of the national capital) and D/Gen. Versoza, chief, Philippine National Police (PNP). If C/Supt. Magtibay did not misread the situation, he could have asked the NCRPO to take over, and allow the more experienced Special Action Force (SAF) deal with the stubborn hijacker. It could have been a different outcome.

Many other details happened but I guess it's best to wait for the official report, which I hope is credible and thorough.

Expert Notes

Charles Shoebridge, a security expert has made some observations on this issue. He has worked for counter-terrorism operations in the British Army and the Scotland Yard. Here are Shoebridge’s primary talking points on this event:

Determination — The first officers who tried to storm the bus were driven out by gunshots from the hostage-taker. Assault squads must "be made up of very special people, specially trained and selected for their characteristics of courage, determination and aggression. In this case they acted as 99% of the population would have, which was to turn round and get out. They didn't seem to have the necessary determination and aggression to follow the attack through."
Lack of equipment — The police spent a long time smashing the windows of the bus, whereas explosive charges (known as frame charges) would have knocked in windows and doors instantly. "They had no ladders to get through the windows. They smashed the windows but didn't know what to do next. They almost looked like a group of vandals." Their firearms were also inappropriate -- some had pistols, some had assault rifles. Ideally they would have carried a short submachine gun, suitable for use in confined spaces.
Lost opportunity to disarm the gunman — There were numerous opportunities to restrain the gunman. "The negotiators were so close to him, and he had his weapon hanging down by his side. He could have been disabled without having to kill him."
Lost opportunity to shoot the gunman — The video of the drama also shows there were occasions when the gunman was standing alone, during the course of the day, and could have been shot by a sharpshooter. "You are dealing with an unpredictable and irrational individual. The rule should be that if in the course of negotiations an opportunity arises to end the situation decisively, it should be taken." Either this possibility did not occur to the officers in charge, or they considered it and decided to carry on talking.
Satisfying the gunman’s demands — "I wondered why the authorities just didn't give in to all of his demands. A promise extracted under force is not a promise that you are required to honor. Nobody wants to give in to the demands of terrorists, but in a situation like this, which did not involve a terrorist group, or release of prisoners, they could have just accepted his demands. He could be reinstated in the police -- and then be immediately put in prison for life for hostage taking." The Philippine authorities did in fact give in to the gunman's demands, but too little, too late. One message promised to review his case, while he wanted it formally dismissed. A second message reinstating him as a police officer only arrived after the shooting had started.
Televised proceedings — The gunman was able to follow events on television, revealing to him everything that was going on around him. This was a "crucial defect in the police handling." The police should always consider putting a barrier or screen around the area, to shield the scene from the cameras and keep the hostage-taker in the dark.
No element of surprise — It was clear to the gunman what the police were doing at all times, not only because the whole incident was televised, but also because they moved "laboriously slowly". The police did not distract him, so were unable to exploit the "crucial element of surprise".
Safeguarding the public — At least one bystander was shot, possibly because the public was allowed too close. The bullet from an M16 rifle, as carried by the gunman, can travel for about a mile, so preventing any risk of injury would have been difficult, but a lot more could have been done. "When you saw the camera view from above, it was clear there was little command and control of the public on the ground."
Using the gunman’s brother to negotiate — Relatives and close friends can be a double-edged sword. While they may have leverage over the hostage-taker, what they are saying cannot be easily controlled. In this case, the gunman's brother was included in the negotiations -- however, at a certain stage he became agitated and police started to remove him from the scene. The gunman saw this on television, and became agitated himself. According to one report he fired a warning shot.
Insufficient training — In some parts of the Philippines, such as Mindanao, hostage taking is not an uncommon occurrence, so the country has some forces that are well trained in the necessary tactics. The group involved in the incident clearly was not. After smashing the windows, one of the officers eventually put some CS gas inside, though "to what effect was not clear". A unit involved in this work, needs to be "trained again and again, repeatedly practising precisely this kind of scenario".

Present State of the Philippine National Police

The Philippine National Police (PNP) is the police force of the Philippines, providing all law enforcement services throughout the country. It was activated in 1991, resulting from the merger of the Philippine Constabulary and the Integrated National Police. It is a noble organization with noble goals. As an organization, it has many problems, and many of these are self-inflicted. It's good to ventilate these problems in public so as to find solutions. Reform may be slow in coming, but as long as something is being done to solve the problems, the citizens should be content. For an organization to be viable, it must learn from its mistakes, and rise immediately after every fall.

There are around 135,000 police personnel, allocated to administrative work and operations, with a work shift of 12 hours (not the usual 8 hours), and on-call 24/7. Two thousand officers are assigned to secure VIPs, excluding those assigned to mayors and governors throughout the land which may come in hundreds. The problem is that even the police's logistics are utilized especially by legislators and cabinet officials--vehicles, communications equipment, guns, etc. The effective police-civilian ratio then becomes 1:900, very far from the ideal ratio in first-world countries.

This practice of using the cops as private security should end! They should hire protection agents from private security agencies for this purpose. PNP personnel should not be used as building security guards; logistics should not be touched by these VIPs. But if the police would not give them security, their budgets will be delayed if not slashed, donations will not be given, and officers for promotion will be blocked. Politics is to blame.

Perhaps another issue is the enforcement of vehicle traffic laws, again depleting needed personnel. Managing the traffic situation is not primarily a police duty. The various local governments (including the MMDA) should take care of this problem, in tandem with appropriate national offices, particularly the LTO and DOTC. Obviously this is just the tip of the iceberg, and many more problems are bugging the organization.

And sometimes the problem lies in the lack of creativity of the different police commanders in different corners of the country. The botched hostage crisis 2 weeks ago was blamed on the lack of appropriate equipment and training. Money is available (just scrutinize their budget) but they didn't purchase the items. Are the commanders just that lazy to conduct training exercises? The Philippines is a vast training ground already. Security people from first-world countries come here to train! Obviously we have the knowhow, we just left our brain in the closet.

There is hope, there is change...

"To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong." ~Joseph Chilton Pearce

Grace and Truth

2010-03-08T12:14:00.001+08:00

After ignoring this most famous book for so long, maybe it's time to shake the dust off our bibles and begin reading it again. Beginning with the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) is a good starting point for the historical context, although there is also that in John. Personally, I like to commence with the gospel according to St. John because it exhibits a deeper theological insight. Many are familiar with the "In the beginning..." of the Old Testament--in the book of Genesis. So St. John now begins the gospel:

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ²He was in the beginning with God; ³all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. ⁴In him was life, and the life was the light of men. ⁵The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

⁶There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. ⁷He came for testimony, to bear witness to the light, that all might believe through him. ⁸He was not the light, but came to bear witness to the light.

^₉The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world. ¹⁰He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world knew him not. ¹¹He came to his own home, and his own people received him not. ¹²But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God; ¹³who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

¹⁴And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father. ¹⁵(John bore witness to him, and cried, "This was he of whom I said, `He who comes after me ranks before me, for he was before me.'") ¹⁶And from his fulness have we all received, grace upon grace. ¹⁷For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. ¹⁸No one has ever seen God; the only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known. (John 1.1-18 RSV)

The way this was capsulized and written points to its possible origin as an ancient song of the first Christians. It looks like a summary or formula for those pioneer believers. This is the hidden treasure (cf. Matthew 13.44) mentioned in Christ's parables, treasure that we sell everything for just to acquire. We'll understand the true nature of Jesus, full of grace and truth, misunderstood by the world but we ourselves see clearly.

If folks memorize the lyrics of many songs playing in the airwaves, might it not be asking a lot if these few verses are known by heart?

Aftermath

2009-10-13T00:20:00.000+08:00

These last two weeks was a period of upheaval for our country, meeting 2 strong typhoons, and we are now living it their aftermath--great devastation, never before seen in history. The image on the right shows a satellite image of Luzon (NMFC MODIS) more than 1 week after Typhoon Parma's first landfall; rivers are still swollen. Weather is fine with a ridge of high pressure area extending over Northern Luzon. The image at the extreme right shows a hemispheric satellite image (JTWC NMFC) demonstrating no current tropical cyclone warnings; TS Nepartak is moving northeast, while TS Parma is moving westward. A Low Pressure Area (LPA) however is seen about 700 km east of Catanduanes island. Hopefully this fine weather continues.

As of this writing, the combined figures are mind-boggling. About 1.3 million families were affected, translating to about 6.6 million individual persons, or 7% of the national population. Of these affected people, 952 lost their lives, and many are still missing. Thousands of houses (about 66,000) were destroyed. The total damage to agriculture, infrastructure and many utilities amounted to more than P15 Billion or roughly about $320 Million, or about 1% of the national budget for 2009. To restore electricity, some areas will have to wait at least a month. The socioeconomic devastation will now be slowly felt my all, more so for the poor. In many places floods are everpresent; some estimates say floods will recede in 3 months, especially in areas near the lakes and rivers.

Incidentally the Gospel passage yesterday (Sunday) talks about giving away "all you have" for the kingdom. Many people lost everything (albeit by force of nature) and many more gave away some treasure for their relief, which has to continue for a long time. Let's do whatever we can to help our neighbors rebuild their lives. Relief from all groups is welcome, be they private, or government; the private component may cease (hopefully not), but the government portion must continue and be sustained indefinitely. If anything has to be done, it should be done, and forget politics.

Part of the gospel goes...

And Jesus looking upon him loved him, and said to him, "You lack one thing; go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." At that saying his countenance fell, and he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions.

And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it will be for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!" And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, "Then who can be saved?" Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God." (Mark 10.21-27 RSV)

Good Works and Media

2009-10-06T23:37:00.001+08:00

The Philippines, particularly Luzon was recently devastated by two powerful typhoons--Ketsana (Ondoy) and Parma (Pepeng)--leaving behind a lot of miserable people, needing humongous relief, mainly food, clothing, medical care, and shelter. The image on the right shows typhoon Parma almost stationary above North Luzon, soaking it, being followed by supertyphoon Melor (went to Japan). Obviously there is a need to give relief packages to them, and people who actually do the handing of the items. Some popular personalities however said things on air that prompted this writing. One says that people, particularly politicians and actors, ought not to show their faces while handing the packages, or perhaps not to give their names when donating. Please, let's not criticize people for doing good! Let's not put malice where there is none. The faint of heart might lose interest in the whole thing just because of such idle talk. They somehow remind us of the following biblical passage:

"Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them; for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when you give alms, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you." (Matthew 6.1-4 RSV)

They do seem to have a point, right? But then turn one chapter back and read...

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5.14-16 RSV)

Now this is the reason why private interpretation of scripture does not always work. The two passages seem to be contradictory at first glance; note that both came from St. Matthew's gospel. But there is no contradiction! It boils down to the real intent of the person. If the real intention was to be seen doing good, then the act of gift-giving is hypocritical--there'll be no reward from God. For politicians, it is indirect vote-buying at the least. But if the person goes to the aid stations with pure intentions, then the presence of cameras is incidental only. So folks who condemn these people need to shut up; nobody can really read minds, nobody can see the intent of people. In conclusion, I leave this passage for our own meditation:

"Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, `Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. Do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under foot and turn to attack you." (Matthew 7.1-6 RSV)

Let's continue being neighbors to everyone; let's rise again after this fall. Think positive, walang iwanan!

Typhoon Lands

2009-10-03T11:57:00.000+08:00

About 12 hours ago, slightly weakened Typhoon Parma (local name: Pepeng) was located at about 360 km NE of Manila, moving 315° at 7 knots (13 kph), in the general direction of Isabela province Saturday (image 1). A multispectral satellite image obtained now shows the further weakened typhoon accelerating to 22 knots (41 kph) moving NW, located just east of Isabela (image 2, both from NMFC/JTWC). It's obvious by now that typhoon Ketsana's (Ondoy) fury will not be repeated in Metro Manila, and other nearby provinces. Brace yourselves, people from Isabela, Cagayan and other adjacent provinces. Incidentally, one knot (nautical miles per hour) is equal to exactly 1.852 kph.

Kudos to members of the Police (PNP) and Armed Forces (AFP) as they are rarely mentioned in the media, nevertheless they are the unsung heroes. While many others are also giving relief and assitance, they are really the frontliners; before politicians and actors come, they have already cleared the way. For responding to the call for help from our countrymen in dire need, I also pat the backs of many folks. The work is not over (may continue indefinetely) but it's okay to pause and think about this once in a while. To all: keep up the good work! To our very much affected people: keep the faith, keep the hope, things may become worse before it becomes better. May God be with you and all!

On a related note, some sort of order must be implemented in the relief areas. Relief giving should be an art: there's a minimal structure that should be there before distribution is allowed. A few unruly people must not cause anarchy; people can't kill just to get aid! In crisis or not, discipline must be maintained. The elderly and children can't fight it out against these rouges.

"One great form of wealth is kindness. It does not diminish no matter how much you give. It increases the more it is shared."

Supertyphoon

2009-10-02T02:12:00.001+08:00

After 24 hours and using the previous parameters, the shaded area now is forecast to include the entire Luzon island and Samar; it is affecting Samar by this writing. Using NMFC/JTWC (mtsat 2009-10-01 05:30), we can see the extent of Typhoon Parma (locally named Pepeng); the associated clouds are now covering the entire country, especially the eastern sector. The eye of storm is located about 460 km east of Samar island, moving in the general direction of Northern Luzon (image on right).

The latest image (left) demonstrates supertyphoon Parma (2009-10-01) with maximun winds of 220 kph, gusts reaching 260 kph, and moving NW at 22 kph (http://www.wunderground.com). It is category 4 (up to 250 kph) until it makes landfall in Northern Luzon on Saturday. Superimposed is the satellite image showing the extent of the typhoon.

Let us hope for a non-destructive outcome, or better still, for it to change course and dissipate away from land.

Bracing for another Storm

2009-09-30T00:17:00.000+08:00

After being battered by tropical storm (TS) Ketsana last Saturday where at least 240 people died and hundreds of thousands displaced from their homes (as of this writing), another TS is coming--Parma (19W). Its effects are expected to be felt this weekend; northern Luzon is a possible landfall (NMFC/JTWC). As many more weather disturbances are expected after this, let's all pray for a tamer storm.

Proud To Be A Filipino

2009-08-07T00:12:00.003+08:00

When great things happen that put the Philippines in a good light, people would instinctively exclaim "I'm proud to be a Filipino!" "I was hiding my head in a hole until this thing happened, what a wonderful feeling!" Many such things come to mind: the restoration of democracy through a peaceful revolution in 1986, the triumph of Lea Salonga in the music and entertainment scene, victories of many sportsmen and women in their fields, especially for Manny Pacquiao lately, and many others...

When bad things apparently happen, these same folks profess to be ashamed of their nationality. Surely, bad things always happen, and we should do our part in stopping them, or at least mitigating their effects. But our national pride never fades; it goes on and on.

Perhaps it is similar to what happened (it may still be happening) to the Church in the past few years. I guess everybody remembers the clerical scandals involving minors. Many Catholics lost their faith. They failed to see the forest because of the rotten trees. You know what? I'm proud to be a Catholic. I might include here the politicking of many bishops and priests--I'm very disappointed with them, but I'm still a proud Catholic. [Obviously, pride as used here pertains to its positive meaning, not its negative, being the first among the 7 capital sins.]

I'm proud to be a Filipino, no matter what!

Cory Aquino, Farewell

2009-08-03T00:48:00.005+08:00

At 3:18 am last Saturday (1 August), Madam Corazon "Cory" Aquino, Philippine president from 1986-1992, passed away after a long bout with colon cancer. She is rightly called the Icon of Democracy from the recent past as she led the country out of a protracted one-man rule, "introducing" peaceful revolution via "people power". It may not be acknowledged by western historians but this manner of government change started it all--dominoes started tumbling! Remember Poland? This was followed by the eastern European countries, and also the former U.S.S.R.! The late Pope John Paul II incidentally had a hand there too.

February 1986 was really very memorable for many folks over here. As Mr. Ferdinand Marcos (ruling president at the time) was preparing to take a "new" mandate after "winning" the snap elections, a military coup was simmering. A violent uprising being hatched very high in the defence establishment. This plot was however uncovered and many officers were detained, and later presented to the public. Because of this, Misters Juan Ponce-Enrile (Defence Minister) and Fidel Ramos (Vice Chief of Staff) with their loyal followers, jumped the gun, fortifying their defences at the headquarters building, and shrewdly calling a press conference about their captured colleagues and their plan, hoping to gain public support. While they attracted a few, this provided for the "two fish and five loaves" for what will happen next.

When then Archbishop of Manila Jaime Cardinal Sin was informed, he called for "people power". People flocked the areas of concern to protect the "rebels". For some reason, I wasn't concerned about these things, and there was no sense of urgency or danger. Perhaps the millions of people who went at EDSA were also unaffraid. Perhaps there was safety in numbers. Perhaps as Filipinos it's in our nature to be fatalistic and just go go go! I guess religion also played a role--the government soldiers still didn't want to massacer millions just to protect a few people. The rest was history. Cory was installed as the eleventh president of the country, and the first female to take the post.

There was euphoria everywhere, and it took some time to put things back as before. That was a great achievement by all, and particularly for the new president. While I maintain my admiration for Tita Cory (fondly called by many), there are many things that could have been done to translate this revolution to benefit the majority of our countrymen who are poor. [What could have been done is anyone's guess; positives and much negatives in her administration--better discussed in another post. Because of this, people should not overdo the lip-service for the fallen leader. Let's give her the respect and not use this for personal or political purposes. I placed this side note because Filipinos have a penchant for turning anything to politics.]

President Cory Aquino... farewell! Now you're with Ninoy, your spouse and our hero, and there's no longer any pain from the illness. Now you can do much more for the country from there.

Goodbye, Michael Jackson

2009-07-07T17:31:00.003+08:00

Four months has elapsed since my last entry, and many things happened, including socio-political and economic developments here and abroad. While these are important, they often become so boring that we sometimes forget their significance. We never run out of doomsayers who always see the negative in things. We see politicians and "pundits" creating ghosts, and then becoming frightened by them. Mere speculations end up in front pages; lies being repeated several times and then admitted as gospel truth. They are asking, "what is truth" but they already have answers! Religious events become politicized, and politics become sacralized. People who ought not to be believed are put in a pedestal and almost worshipped! This can go on forever.

More than a week ago (June 25), the famous singer Michael Jackson passed away for a still unknown etiology at a young age of 50. Inspite of the numerous negative comments, Jackson was a great man for his circumstances, mainly out of his control. They focus on his defects, but ain't we all imperfect?

Let's celebrate his musical genius, his songs, his contribution to the entertainment part of our lives. I remember his songs during those good old days--Ben, I'll Be There, One Day In Your Life and the ubiquitous Christmas songs Give Love On Christmas Day and I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus. I still remember the vinyl album Thriller, with all those famous tracks. I'm always entertained by his unique dance steps, perhaps similar to what magicians do in their routines. Many performers mimicked such moves but no one gets them as rhythmic as the original.

There are many things I would like to say but it's early morning already. But before retiring, I'm sending my best wishes to his soul... Goodbye Mike!

Revisiting Death

2009-03-11T23:44:00.003+08:00

Less than a week ago (March 6), a very popular music/rap icon passed away after a painful and protracted bout against leukemia (AML). He's the forever young Francis Magalona, a.k.a. Francis M--his 44 years looks like just 22--that baby-faced. His fight against this kind of stubborn cancer is well-publicized. Many people unrelated to him, including me felt the loss, as if losing a brother. This incident made me revisit our old friend--death.

Death is a friend, but we don't seek it, it seeks us. It becomes an enemy if we actively long to see him. It's a mystery why some go through a lot of pain and suffering before he comes. It comes to some with no pain at all. Don't get me wrong, euthanasia is an abominable sin; as Christians, we accept the suffering and pain with its coming, as if it replaces our purgatory.

We should not dread death. I believe in God's mercy and we will surely have an opportunity to ask for mercy, only God knows when. One nanosecond on earth may represent a very long time in that instant when mercy is offered. Besides, death is the door to life, life of glory up there. "...Beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves in the love of God; wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life (Jude 20-21 RSV)."

Guide the Children

2009-02-17T23:18:00.002+08:00

A few hours ago, a nephew asked me about the meaning of some words he's trying to read from the computer screen. It's in fancy fonts and written in Spanish. In decades past, children were familiar with Spanish. That's not the point anyway...

The problem phrase in Spanish was: "Cinco Diablo". It pertains to the title of the music album of a certain band he's scrutinizing. I told him it stands for "five devil" [maybe that's five devils], and warned him of the dangers of being attracted to such things--the name might become a reality--meaning the devil might influence him sooner or later. It's laughable I have to admit, but who knows? It's similar to playing with ouija boards, e.g.; dangerous to the soul.

Then I asked the name of the band. I was surprised the group's name was "Saliva". What? I'm wondering, if such are the band name and album titles, the lyrics would also be garbage. I then intended to speak to his parents about this seemingly innocent stuff. That I'm going to do, but lest I forget, at least many of you readers out there get to read it first.

What is it about these stupid music that kids like? Worse, it might be something about bad or even "evil" lyrics. And the effect? I can only guess!

Please investigate these kinds of music! Let's guide our children, and make the good, the holy, and the moral attractive to them...

Rational Chess 2

2009-02-17T23:04:00.004+08:00

I few months ago I posted a lightning chess game in which I lost, and then proceeded to write about the irrationality of lightning chess (see previous blog post). Well, some people agreed but some didn't, and so this post. There has to be another side to this thing. I got some insights from Sarah (at Chess.com), and I'm putting a piece of her mind here (with her permission):

"...Basically, it's doing what you already know, but by instinct and without deep analysis. I think to believe that even lightning is just mindless moving of pieces is shaky ground. Of course, it can be, but doesn't have to be. Many great players were great blitz and/or lightning players--Tal, Fischer, Fine, Petrosian, Korchnoi, Bronstein, Spassky, Taimanov, Dzindzichashvili, Tal's uncle Nezhmetdinov, Svidler and, of course, Chepukaitis. None of these players made many random moves. But time is an important factor, maybe the most important one, everything else being equal, since the clock ends the game for sure.

"So successful blitz/lightning players have well rehearsed opening repertoirs. They also often use pet lines that are more complex than they are sound. They know their traps, but don't waste time on material since endgames are rare and usually flawed. And they learn to attack, to pose problems and to offer choices (to make their opponent waste time, of course).

"Time is your friend and your enemy. The best players keep on its friendly side.

"The point is, that it's not really chess. Chess requires a great investment of time, energy and ego. It's just a frivolous, fun thing. You can lose 10 in a row in 30 min. or an hour and shrug it off.

"The only ways to get good at lightning or blitz is to either have a natural talent, a la Morphy, or play thousands of games at those speeds.

"On the other side of the coin, someone once asked Botvinnik if he ever played blitz. He said he played it once, on a train ride, and didn't like it."

I changed my mind since then. I don't think I can say more... thanks Sarah!

This blitz game I played more than a year ago (see diagram); at least I won this one.
PGN, Diagram

Of Manny Pacquiao And Mar Roxas

2008-12-20T23:55:00.003+08:00

Two weeks ago, the country was glued to the TV waiting for the Dela Hoya-Pacquiao Dream Fight. Incidentally, the crime rate was zero--the criminals are also watching! Manny who is fondly called Pacman didn't disappoint his countrymen. He did what he said he'll do, and I think had he lost, nobody would have been disappointed. His training regimen is sometimes shown on prime-time news, and he's really doing his best to turn his body into a rock, and no beating from Oscar would affect him. The maxim "no pain no gain" really is true. Oscar is now definitely retired after that 8-round punishment, and I respect him for standing opposite a respectable boxer.

Congratulations Pacman!

A few days later, a large political rally (called "interfaith" rally) was held at the financial district of Makati. I would like to please the participants in saying that there was a "massive" crowd as reported by a news channel, but just a few went there (I'm speaking in relative terms). Just to make the story short, Mar Roxas, a "respected" senator, had his 15-minutes of fame on stage delivering a speech on the many ills of the country caused by the government. That's alright--we all respect the people's right to speak freely in a democracy. I was horrified--he cursed in no vague terms! I can't even mention what he said; we were trained from childhood to refrain from saying bad words. There goes that "good boy" image to the trash bin.

Worse, he refused to apologize to the people. How can he present himself for a higher office later? No congratulations for you...

Wherever we are placed, at home, work, on the street, or others, we must always do the right thing, big or small. People always cried that we have corruption all over; if we all become faithful in small things, we'll be faithful in larger things, ergo, no corruption. We all like to hear our divine master tell us one day, "...Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master (Matthew 25.21 RSV)."

Happy Birthday, Tommy!

2008-11-19T17:56:00.005+08:00

It's little Tommy's 5^th birthday today! The photo shows him blowing the candle, with cousin Ling-Ling looking on.

With the looming economic meltdown, such occasions must continue for the sake of our children. Some people say that there'll be no Christmas because of difficult times. No, this kind of mentality must be stopped! We might say that it's the quality that is important, not the quantity of food and drinks. Let the spirit of love prevail always!

"Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me; but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened round his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea." (Matthew 18.3-6 RSV)

Pangadi Bayu Tuglung King Internet

2008-10-05T11:12:00.002+08:00

Prayer Before Connecting To The Internet
by Fr. John T. Zuhlsdorf

Translated to Capampangan (major Philippine language) from English by Renato B. Alzadon of Academia Ning Amanung Sisuan (ANASI)

Pangadi Bayu Tuglung King Internet

O kipnuan king upaya at alan-anggang Dios,
king anyu Mu lelang Mu kami
at sinabi Mu kekami ing dulapan mi ya ing cayapan, ing catutuan, at ing caniwan,
lalu't lalu na ing tagle cabanalan na ning Bugtung Mung Anak, Y Jesucristong Guinu mi,
itulut Mu, pagamu-amu mi Keka,
king kapamilatan nang San Isidro, Obispo at Doctor,
a sana king penandit ning pamaglayag mi king Internet
iyungyung mi la ding mata at gamat mi bucud mung king bague munie ligaya Keka
at pakibagayan mi la sana king mitmung lugud at kapakumbaban ding maldang caladwang kekaming akatalamitanan.
Kapamilatan na ning Cristong Guinu mi. Amen.

Rational Chess

2008-09-10T21:10:00.003+08:00

Three weeks ago, I tried a Live Chess game against a member of Chess.com. I intended to accept an open challenge with a duration of at least 10 minutes but inadvertently clicked a lightning game (it's a 2-minute clock). I was a bit surprised and I even forgot about the abort option, and I continued on. I have to admit that that was the very first lightning game I did and I was off-balanced! I guess you have to see the diagram (I was Black, White to move) here to understand my point, about how irrational chess becomes in these types of fast games.

The game is the Open Game: Patzer/Parnham Opening (C20), which is otherwise known as the Terrorist Attack. I knew about this opening but I was left totally surprised! I had the position where I can be checkmated in one move! But the greater surprise is the fact that my opponent didn't do it! The rest of the game is not that significant, although the randomness of the game is obvious, similar to watching an average football (soccer) game where there's a lot of kicking but no points.

What is the lesson? Well... if you want stupid moves, try lightning or any fast chess. Chess is the philosophers' game, and not the idiots'. The standard game is the way to go. Of course it depends on each person--to each his own (no offense to lightning players). But for me I have to maintain the rational in chess.

PGN, Diagram

Gloria Catacutan Vargas, 1927-2008

2008-08-27T23:51:00.003+08:00

Three days ago, my beloved aunt, a great person we lovingly call Ima, passed away while confined at Luna Hospital in Quezon City, Philippines. I'm sure she's resting there in heaven, reunited with Tatay, her husband who prepared the place there, watching over us on earth. Requiescat in pace...

Family members, many relatives and friends here and abroad gave their gestures of love and support. A notice was disseminated by her second son, P/SSupt Noel Vargas...

Pagpanaw ni Ima

Maraming salamat po sa pakikiramay at pakikidalamhati ninyo sa pagpanaw ni Ima noong nakaraang Linggo, 24 August 2008... Last year si Tatay (9 September 2007)...

Nakaburol sa Matuang Bale sa Pampanga
Libing sa Sabado 30 August 2008 at 9:00 a.m.

This message was accompanied by a poem in our mother tongue, Capampangan, which was translated into Tagalog subsequently. A short note follows.

Alang Cayangganan Ing Lugud Na Ning Indu

Alang cayangganan ing lugud ning indu
Keka o penganac supling kang tinubu
Anti ka mong sibul a malati tulu
Malino ka danum, maniaman kang tutu.

Keka o penganac sucat mung ganacan
Cabuctut daca pa tatangka na na ngan
Detang sablang bage a kekang kailangan
Ban king kabait mu e ka wasang-wasang.

Siam ka pang bulan atiyan nang Indu mu
Dakal nang pasakit a kaya binie mu
Menganib yang mate king pangabait mu
Pauli na ning sakit a emu magkanu.

Iniang mibait ka king yatu misapuac
Pemalut na keka ing maputing ulas
Ing kayang delanan e ditac apuyat
Penese na keka mayumu nang gatas.

Potang masakit ka ating panamdaman
Karing keyang tacde karin naka y duyan.
Eya mipatudtud, eya makapangan
Pauli na ning lingap, keka anac ng mal.

Iniang malati ku kenu ku sinusu?
At kenu la tacde ding kinaul kaku?
Ninu ring minuma mingatbang pisngi ku?
Ala't e aliwa nune mu Indu ku.

Ibpa at Indu mu tutung pikabaluan
Ing tutu lang martir king kapibabatan
Mayumung lugud da, mayumung tagimpan
Dapot ing ablas mu mapait nung misan.

Potang matua naka ating panamdaman
Karing kakung tacde, ika ing kandungan
Bakung makayablas king kekang depatan
Indung mal kanaku keti king sikluban.

Pangacu ku Indu potang mirate ka
Aku ing tumanud kagum ning siping mu
Aku ing lumingap, sumaup mibata
Angga king kutkutan Indu yatad daka.

Kakutkut mu Indu aku muli naku
Layun kong lingapan detang kapatad ku
Uling aku namu ing matuang likwan mu
Lumingap karela, ita ning bilin mu.

Kasakit napala ing mamangulila
Likwan mong anac mu keti king masala
Nung akit mula mu mipapanangis la
Paninintunan da, lugud mu karela.

Nung datang na ing Pasku ampong Bayung Banwa
Ditac a tinape babo ning lamesa
Ela makapangan mipaglalawe la
Kabud na tutulu ing luwa karing mata.

Kasakit na pala ing ala nang matua
Ala nang mamaplus potang masakit ka
Ala nang dalungan nung atin problema
Ala ne ing Indu ku, ala na...
Ala na.

Tagalog (slang) translation:

Walang Hangganan Ang Pagmamahal Ng Ina

Walang hangganan ang pagmamahal ng ina
Ikaw na pinanganak, anak kang lumabas
Para kang sibol na maliit ang patak
Malinaw ang iyong tubig, masarap kang totoo.

Ikaw na pinanganak dapat mong tandaan
Nasa sinapupunan ka pa lamang meron ng plano si Inang
'Yung lahat ng bagay na iyong kailangan
Para pagkapanganak sa iyo dika kawawa.

Siyam na buwan ka palang sa tiyan ng ina mo
Marami ng hirap sa kanya binigay mo
Muntik ng mamatay sa pag silang mo
Dahil sa sakit na di mabibili.

Nuong pinanganak ka dito sa mundong ibabaw
Pinagbalot sa iyo puting kumot
Ang kanyang pinagdaanan ay hindi konting puyat
Pang-alaga sa iyo matamis n'yang gatas.

Kapag may sakit ka may dinaramdam
Sa kanyang balikat doon ka n'ya iduyan
'Di s'ya makatulog, di s'ya makakain
Dahil sa pag alaga, sa iyo anak nyang mahal.

Noong maliit ako kanino ako sumuso?
At kanino balikat ang yumakap sa akin?
Sino humalik sa magkabilang pisngi ko?
Wala at hindi iba kundi ang ina ko.

Ama at Ina mo totoo nating alam
Na totoo silang martir sa pag-titiis
Matamis na pagmamahal nila, matamis tamasin
Kaya lang ang binalik mo mapait kung minsan.

Kapag matanda kana't mayroong sakit
Sa aking balikat, kakalungin kita
Para maka bawi sa mga ginawa mo
Inang mahal sa akin dito sa mundo.

Pangako ko Inang kapag ikaw ay maysakit
Ako ang magbabantay dito sa tabi mo
Ako ang mag alaga, tumulong magtiis
Hanggang sa libingan Inang ihahatid kita.

Pagka libing mo Inang ako uuwi na
At aking lilingapin ang mga kapatid ko
Dahil ako na lang ang matandang iniwan mo
Alagaan sila, ito ang bilin mo.

Masakit nga pala ang na uulila
Iniwan mong anak mo dito sa liwanag
Kung makikita mo lamang na nag-iiyakan sila
Hanap-hanap nila, pagmamahal mo sa kanila.

'Pag dating ng pasko at ng bagong taon
Kaunting tinapay taas ng mesa
'Di makakain nag titinginan lamang
Basta nalang tumutulo ang luha sa mga mata.

Masakit pala ang wala ng magulang
Wala ng mag aalaga kapag may sakit ka
Wala ng pagsasabian kapag may problema
Wala na ang Inang ko, wala na...
Wala na.

Ito ay katutubong kanta ng Kapampangan. Ang kapantay na Tagalog na kanta nito ay Ugoy Ng Duyan. A tribute sa lugud (pagmamahal) nina Ta'ta o Ta'tang at Inda, I'ma o Indu. The most famous Kapampangan songs are: Atin Ku Pung Sing-sing, Legwan Na Alayu King Bulsa, Aklis Ning Lub Ku... If you happen to know any Katutubong Kapampangan song, hardly heared or sang, paki e-mail sa akin para ma isaplaka/disk ng Kundiman Ning Kapampangan... Salamat!

Mensahe Ibat Kang Ninong Amor

Makatagulaling ya ing poema babu, kang Ima, kakang Glo, malugud a pengari, mapagmasabal a kapatad at kamaganak, ulirang talaturu at meging tapat a asawa at masuyung penganak. Ing bakas mong likwan keti king masala, ya ing matibe sandigan ding kekang bunga at sapni balang mipanginlag king maruc a gawa at mie lang lulugud king Guinu at parang tau. Ipangadi mi ing tanggapan naka ning Mayupa ketang karinan nang alang kapupusan a ligaya at katajimikan. Kaluguran daka Ate Glo.

King panga-anggu na bie ning pisan kung alang pilatan, Mrs. Gloria de Jesus Catacutan vda. Vargas, piragli keng gewa ining macuyad a poema at kaya at aliwa pang indu makaparikil ya...

Lugud King Mal A Indu
neng Almario C. de Jesus

Nung kakung isulat, lugud ku king Indu
Letrang Pilak o Guintu, ela pa makagyu
Uling Sinta keya, Sisuan na ning Pusu
Karing kandungan na, meragul, tinubu.

Ninu mo'y Indu mo? Metung yang Kometa,
mebaldug, kinislap, ya ing minie sala...
king dalumdum ning bye, bang ding kekang mata
akit da' ng dalise, at tapat a sinta.

King pangabait mu, itang penandaman na
alos kamatayan, ya ing meging dalo na.
Ena na pikabyang itang sakit at pibata na
baka musang luntu, keti king masala.

Pepasusu naka, at peparagul pa
karing uma't aplus a alang kapara.
At king pamagaral ing sabla tiru na
ytang Lugud king Dios, king tau't balen pa.

Anya nung ma-anggu ing bye nang Indu mu,
Anti mung mepitna, sala na ning yatu.
Ing silbag nang lugud nita nang Bathala
kabud na mipanpan, gulutan ding Tala.

Ala nang mamapis, kakaul, mumuma
ala nang tuturu at keka mamingwa,
ala kang lapitan busal na ning lugma
dapot ing lugud mo keya, e mapupus at dakila.

Senior Citizens

2008-07-31T21:33:00.002+08:00

I received the following jokes through email. The original authors were not mentioned...

Lost In The Darndest Places

An elderly Floridian called 911 on her cell phone to report that her car has been broken into. She is hysterical as she explains her situation to the dispatcher: "They've stolen the stereo, the steering wheel, the brake pedal and even the accelerator!" she cried.

The dispatcher said, "Stay calm. An officer is on the way."

A few minutes later, the officer radios in. "Disregard." He says, "She got in the back-seat by mistake."

Family

Three sisters, ages 92, 94 and 96, live in a house together. One night the 96-year-old draws a bath. She puts her foot in and pauses. She yells to the other sisters, "Was I getting in or out of the bath?"

The 94-year-old yells back, "I don't know--I'll come up and see." She starts up the stairs and pauses, "Was I going up the stairs or down?"

The 92-year-old is sitting at the kitchen table having tea, listening to her sisters. She shakes her head and says, "I sure hope I never get that forgetful, knock on wood." She then yells, "I'll come up and help both of you... as soon as I see who's at the door."

Old Friends

Now this one is just too precious...

Two elderly ladies had been friends for many decades. Over the years, they had shared all kinds of activities and adventures. Lately, their activities had been limited to meeting a few times a week to play cards.

One day, they were playing cards when one looked at the other and said, "Now don't get mad at me... I know we've been friends for a long time, but I just can't think of your name! I've thought and thought, but I can't remember it. Please tell me what your name is."

Her friend glared at her. For at least three minutes she just stared and glared at her.

Finally she said, "How soon do you need to know?"

Senior Driving

As a senior citizen was driving down the freeway, his car phone rang.

Answering, he heard his wife's voice urgently warning him, "Herman, I just heard on the news that there's a car going the wrong way on Interstate 77. Please be careful!"

"Heck," said Herman, "It's not just one car. It's hundreds of them!"

Driving

Two elderly women were out driving in a large car, both could barely see over the dashboard. As they were cruising along, they came to an intersection. The stoplight was red, but they just went on through. The woman in the passenger seat thought to herself, "I must be losing it. I could have sworn we just went through a red light."

After a few more minutes, they came to another intersection and the light was red again. Again, they went right through. The woman in the passenger seat was almost sure that the light had been red, but was really concerned that she was losing it. She was getting nervous.

At the next intersection, sure enough, the light was red and they went on through. So, she turned to the other woman and said, "Mildred, did you know that we just ran through three red lights in a row? You could have killed us both!"

Mildred turned to her and said, "Oh, crap, am I driving ?"

Don't laugh now, we'll all become seniors soon!

4 Belts For Manny Pacquiao

2008-06-30T00:03:00.002+08:00

A few hours ago, Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacqiao snatched a new title from David Diaz of Chicago (formerly from Mexico), making him the new WBC Lightweight champion of the world. He's truly the modern-day hero of the Philippines.

God bless you!

Science and Faith

2008-05-29T23:30:00.005+08:00

In these past few days, I've been involved with a friend debating via email on the existence of God because science for him seems to disprove God's existence. Obviously I defended God's existence, but I had a hard time explaining how can faith and science be not contradictory using his viewpoint. On my friend's part, he used knowledge of quantum theory in "demolishing" God, but I stood my ground. I had difficulty giving my side because he doesn't accept the usual commonsensical explanations, like the first cause and the designer principles. He's asking for direct evidence from science, and of course there's no such thing. You can't see under the electron microscope an angel's feather, or perhaps look through a very powerful telescope and see God there at the edge of the universe! So how can we go about that predicament?

And of course I could not offer up the bible because for him all these stories were "made up". He made the bible at par with fairy tales, and others like Greek mythology and other folk stories in many countries. It seemed the conversation was drowned by an ocean of relativism, where nobody can possibly know the truth, or which truth. And because one can never know the truth, no truth is accepted except that which is founded on the natural sciences. Such way of thinking is obvious scientism, but most of the time the one scrutinizing the truth only has a superficial scientific knowledge. God can't be "undone" by science, real science. In such a situation, what am I to do? There is no ground to stand on!

A few hours ago, while viewing EWTN, I encountered a certain Dr. Anthony Rizzi Ph.D., who providentially was the guest at EWTN Live! He's a physicist who seems to have all the answers regarding my problems. See his website at www.iapweb.org and look around the site. There is a book for sale entitled The Science Before Science: A Guide To Thinking In The 21st Century; I would try to obtain such book. Alternatively, I'll try to watch his upcoming TV series on EWTN this coming September; that way I won't have to purchase it. There are many other books dealing with the proper understanding of science in the real world.

I ended my conversation knowing that his issues were left hanging. If we see each other again (on-line), I'll be better prepared. I do hope that the Holy Spirit will be with him in his quest, and likewise to all of us believers.

Keka Judge Fullen Anicete

2008-04-23T22:04:00.003+08:00

by Amor C. de Jesus

Juez yang mituringan, king kekaba na ning bie na
Uling malwat menungculan alang matsurang gewa na
Detang taung makadalum a mamarap king Sala na king balen ning Santo Tomas at Minalin a pagsilbyan na, mididinan lang justicia at pareas ing lawe na.
Gewa na ing catungculan, uling biasa ya caring batas at ilang meging giya na.
E na lalun ing bili mu, ma-influencia o makwalta, at caring decision na bucud mu ding ebidencia yla retang tutukian na.

Familya nang caluguran, pepakit na ing lingap na
Uling angga king tauling inawa, e kinupas ing lugud na
Lalu na kang Natividad, ing maganaca nang asawa
Labis-labis ing panirug matyagang menese kaya
Ena alos atanggap-tanggap ing macu at lakwan nala detang anac at apo na a mal dili ketang bie na.
Ngeni ing catataulian muli at marap ne ketang miglalang kaya.

Anya balen Capampangan pasalamat ka't kilala
Ning maningning a licwan na at agawa king balayan
Itang Knights of Columbus nung nucarin mig Grand Knight ca
Carela pepakit mu ing lugud pamanpalataya at mal mung Iglesya.
E wari maging Rotarian ca, Presidenting menungculan
Ticyan mu detang Four-Way Test detang apat a surian king pamicaparang tau at caring abe mung Rotarians.
Eulogy o tawling pamun ing buri ku sanang gawan ketang pamaglacbe mu ketang aliwang karinan:

Metung kang mayap a tau, Lider ning balen a tibwan,
Carapatdapat a Juez, maguinu at gagalang,
Modelu ding Cayanacan a dapat ping paciapusan.

At king sariling canacu O canacung caluguran
Judge Fullen Z. Anicete, era na ka acalingwan.

Jesus Saves!

2008-04-10T22:24:00.002+08:00

The following joke (entitled Jesus Saves!) seems to be irreverent but such conversations--between God and Satan--occur in the Holy Bible. In the Book of Job, God argued with the devil. From Job 1.6-12 RSV, the following is read:

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. The LORD said to Satan, "Whence have you come?" Satan answered the LORD, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it." And the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?" Then Satan answered the LORD, "Does Job fear God for nought? Hast thou not put a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But put forth thy hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse thee to thy face." And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power; only upon himself do not put forth your hand." So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.

This story partially answers the persistent question on God's goodness. If God is good, why is there suffering on earth? Job suffered a lot, including the loss of his family and all his property, just to test his faith. And who did it--the devil! God allows suffering but it's not for us to split hairs about it. Good may come from evil.

Jesus Saves!

Jesus and Satan were having an on-going argument about who was better on the computer. They had been going at it for days, and frankly God was tired of hearing all the bickering.

Finally fed up, God said, "That's it! I have had enough. I am going to set up a test that will run for two hours, and from those results, I will judge who does the better job."

So Satan and Jesus sat down at the keyboards and typed away.

They moused; they faxed; they e-mailed; they e-mailed with attachments; they downloaded; they did spreadsheets! They wrote reports; they created labels and cards; they created charts and graphs; they did some genealogy reports; they did every job known to man.

Jesus worked with heavenly efficiency and Satan was faster than hell.

Then, ten minutes before their time was up, lightning suddenly flashed across the sky, thunder rolled, rain poured, and, of course, the power went off...

Satan stared at his blank screen and screamed every curse word known in the underworld. Jesus just sighed.

Finally the electricity came back on, and each of them restarted their computers. Satan started searching frantically, screaming:

"It's gone! It's all gone! "I lost everything when the power went out!"

Meanwhile, Jesus quietly started printing out all of his files from the past two hours of work... Satan observed this and became irate.

"Wait!" he screamed. "That's not fair! He cheated! How come he has all his work and I don't have any?"

God just shrugged and said, Jesus saves!

Have a great day!

Judge Fulgencio Z. Anicete, 1931-2008

2008-03-03T21:59:00.003+08:00

Exactly a week ago, my beloved father passed away quietly, ending a long bout with COPD, exacerbations of which became more frequent lately. I'm sure he's resting there in heaven, watching over us on earth. Requiescat in pace...

Many relatives and friends gave their gestures of love and support, including from my godfather, Ninong Amor, all the way from California. He sent me and the family many letters of condolences. I published part of his letter to me in Capampangan, our mother tongue...

'...Ketang belita meng meangu bie at angga na ketang aldu ning pangakutkut na, alos e mamaku keng kanakung kaisipan itang larauan na, babalik itang milabas a madalas keng misasabi ketang Judge's chamber na, at kareng lakad mi keng Rotary Club. Unabis, keng pamiabe mi, ala kung atatandanan a mikontra kami. Istung ating pisasabian keng kapulungan a tatagunan mi, parati keng mikakampi anya malagad mung tutu ing ating sasalangsang. Balu re amanu ing Compare ku. Mayap at tapat yang kaluguran y Daddy mu. Dakal ya likuan a kayapan.

Nung sanang mikapamikatagun ku, adinan ke sanang makuyad a eulogy ketang burul na; a sabi ku sana...

"Makanyan lalabas keti babo yatu,
anti mung paninap ing bye na ning tau;
ayup yang linimpad, besibas yang atu,
sala yang kinislap, mipaid yang banglu,
ban lalam ning aun kasakmal nyang abu!

"At ika Judge Fullen Z. Anicete, e raka kalupa
deta ning keraklan taung mauala bie,
ayalang melakwan nanu man ping bague;
king ika daka'la't myaliwang adle
ding keke likwan mu king ba'kang e mate.

"Lalam nang marimla ning kekang kutkutan
painawa nakang mitmung karatunan,
ya nang sunlag keka ing tune katutwan
at king paglakbe mu aliwang balayan
manatili keka tutuk mung kanwanan!"

...Nung nanu ing panandam yu king panga-angu na bie ning Compare ku, aliwa mu ykayu ing menandaman. Dakal la, at kayabe ku kareta. Sana ing panaun supan nakung masalese, at king pamanantabe ning Mayupa, itang meging kaburian na, mipamintu keti sulip anti banua, kalupa na naman ing pamagbalik na kaya ning kayang lelangan y Fulgencio Zabala Anicete. Midinan ya sanang lubus a katajimikan...'

Offer The Other Also

2008-02-06T18:00:00.000+08:00

It's Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the liturgical season of Lent--time to look inwardly and see the more important things in life, things overlooked in our daily routines. We have people around us--friends and strangers--who may need assistance of any sort. We look after those in need, providing what we can depending on our means. When we meditate on the more profound realities, our quarrels with one another seem very insignificant.

When someone hurts us, saying all sorts of things about us, we seek vengeance almost immediately! We cry foul and look to heaven for some justice. Yet, in spite of that feeling, even calling to God for vengeance, we ourselves do to the 'offending' person what we complained about. The Christian way in dealing with such problems is to look at the crucified Lord and see how much pain and suffering he endured for all of mankind. He didn't do anything to deserve that torture. If one cursed us, we don't curse back but bless. The injustice we endured will be without merit if we take revenge and do the same to them. Jesus said, "To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from him who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt (Luke 6.29 RSV)."

People Are Politically Mature, I Think

2008-02-04T21:42:00.000+08:00

Maneuverings for the position of Speaker of the House (Philippines) are again dangled at the surface, and I am amused. The present speaker is in danger of being ousted by his peers, but he seems to be clinging to his chair no matter what. He just finished delivering a speech where he 'divulged' information that seem to throw mud at the administration (specifically the president). Now the people are fed up with this circus. If he speaks the truth, then why only now? If he witnessed irregularity in the past, then why did he remain silent? It's even worse on his part if he's just making all these up!

There's nothing to it--people are mature enough to judge character. Let the reader decide. Let peace reign!

[I deliberately omitted names and issues so as not to add to the circus.]

Robert James Fischer, 1943-2008

2008-01-19T23:58:00.000+08:00

The great legend, Grandmaster Bobby Fischer passed away yesterday, sending shock waves all over the chess world. He was 64 years old, symbolically representing all the 64 squares of the chessboard. He might have been a controversial figure, but that should not take away his legacy of brilliant chess play. I don't judge the man--I'm not worthy. Let history do that; it's not my job.

Requiescat in pace, Bobby...

The game above was taken from a large database of games, played in 1955 between Bobby Fischer who was only 12 years old and Ames. Although it ended in a draw, it showcased the brilliant mind of this boy. His 5. Bxf7+ was a good way of getting the pawn back and at the same time destroying his opponent's position. Black has the slight advantage (bishop pair) but perhaps out of respect (or fear) for the future grandmaster, draw was agreed.

Merry Christmas to All!

2007-12-23T11:09:00.000+08:00

God grant you...
the light in Christmas which is faith;
the warmth of Christmas, which is love;
the radiance of Christmas, which is purity;
the righteousness of Christmas, which is justice;
the belief in Christmas, which is truth;
the all of Christmas, which is Christ...
~ Wilda English

Another year is almost over, and a new one is about to begin. Let's all forget about the past, and have a clean slate again--turn a new page as they say. We learned from our mistakes, and let us go forward and really understand what is really important in life--people and our mutual love and concern. Yes, work is important, game is important, but we shouldn't forget the essence--God; and he's reminding us this season to retreat temporarily... inwardly, to think and to meditate... Put back Christ in Christmas.

Merry Christmas!

Sequela Christi

2007-11-30T20:59:00.000+08:00

Just yesterday, an uprising happened in Makati City, Philippines, where personalities charged for rebellion (there are many versions of what they actually did) walked out of a court proceeding, and going to a luxury hotel nearby. (Are they really makamasa, why the propensity to 'raid' luxury hotels?) A number of their guards followed their leaders, who not only disrespected the president but the entire people as well. They pointed to numerous complaints against the government as if they know everything. While they were conducting a press conference, I just thought to myself--what have they done to their followers? I pity the followers because they are putting their trust is such stupid men.

Where can we find the leader who does not disappoint? Through God's grace we know that such a person exists--Jesus. He doesn't disappoint and he doesn't leave his followers to ruin. Folks, we can trust Christ and there's not malice or unseen agenda in him. I'm presently reading Veritatis Splendor, encyclical written by the late John Paul the Great 14 years ago (might be better now to read it). The following of Christ (L. sequela Christi) is both easy and hard. It's easy because God provides the help and grace for the endeavor, and hard because it's really a cultural counterflow... really a radical change in outlook. It's really hard looking through the world's scope. We can't boast about ourselves because it's not we who are the power behind this 'following' but Christ himself. It's not a one-time event, it's lifelong; it's not a sprint, it's a marathon. We fall, but we rise again. It's a constant decision to follow, against the current...

We are citizens of another world, much better than here...

Naïveté

2007-10-25T21:27:00.000+08:00

In our present culture, politicians and media people victimize common folk for their credulity. It seems that anyone who claims to be a whistle-blower should be believed no matter what! Without naming names, the testimony today will be different or padded tomorrow. And evidence hangs on saliva, not anything concrete. We have to use our brains, and not fall to the usual naïveté. It may not be accurate but the body language and facial expressions demonstrates the lies, half-lies... and some kind of vendetta, using words instead of bullets. The maligned people would have preferred real guns than the vicious tongue as written by St. James...

"So the tongue is a little member and boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is an unrighteous world among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the cycle of nature, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by humankind, but no human being can tame the tongue -- a restless evil, full of deadly poison." ~ James 3.5-8 RSV

We will be judged by the words we thoughtlessly spew...

Quickly

2007-10-18T22:45:00.000+08:00

"What you are going to do, do quickly." ~ John 13.27 RSV

Maybe it's just me, but I always want to go straight to the point. In the quote above, Jesus was talking to Judas at the moment of his betrayal. In the present political condition, where politicians and other media-hungry people threaten to do this or that, I get reminded of this bible quote. They're always talking especially when they see cameras and reporters around. Whatever they're going to do, they should just do it quickly. I sleep soundly and just let God take care of the outcome.

Desperate Housewives Faux Pas

2007-10-05T22:33:00.000+08:00

The following is the protest letter of Ambassador Willy C. Gaa on the racial slur against Filipino and Philippine Medical School graduates made on the ABC show Desperate Housewives. Let the Filipino community be one in protest against this insult to our people.

PASUGUAN NG PILIPINAS (EMBASSY OF THE PHILIPPINES)
Washington, D.C.

03 October 2007

Ms. ANNE SWEENEY
C-Chair, Disney Media Networks
President, Disney-ABC Television Group
The Walt Disney Company, Corporate
500 S Buena Vista St.,
Burbank, CA 91521-6369 (Fax: 816-560-1000)

Dear Madame:

I wish to express our grave disappointment and displeasure over a scene in the episode of the ABC television series Desperate Housewives which aired last Sunday, 30 September 2007. In that scene, the character named Susan (played by Teri Hatcher) told her gynecologist, "Before we go any further, can I check those diplomas because I would just like to make sure that they're not from some med school in the Philippines."

It is a surprise that such an unfounded and disrespectful remark would even be allowed to be aired on US television. Such insensitivity betrays a complete ignorance of the fact that through the years, Filipinos and Filipino Americans have made quite a mark in the medical field across the entire United States.

In fact, many US hospitals employ a large number of Philippine-trained doctors, nurses, and medical technologists, and some hospitals in major cities would in fact not be able to operate to full efficiency without the considerable presence of their Filipino and Filipino-American medical staff.

This kind of message, coming from such a popular TV show, would tend to damage the credibility and hard-earned reputation of these medical professionals, all of whom passed stringent US requirements to be allowed to practice their profession in this country. It could also damage the credibility of all other professionals of Filipino descent, which is most distressing given the fact that Filipinos now constitute the second largest group of legal migrants to the United States.

It would therefore be most appreciated if your company could issue a public apology to those Filipino-American groups who are even now raising their voices in protest over this development, with the affirmation that no harm was intended and that your distinguished network would henceforth refrain from featuring such unfounded statements in your regular programming.

Thank you for your kind attention.

Sincerely yours,
WILLY C. GAA
Ambassador

Dumpsters, Bridges, and Children

2007-09-11T21:22:00.000+08:00

This article was written by Fr. Frank Pavone
National Director, Priests for Life

Some years ago, a phone call came into a Milwaukee police department. Children were throwing stones off of a bridge, the officer was told. When police arrived at the scene, they asked the children what they were throwing. The reply came, "Little people."

These children had discovered small grey containers that held the remains of aborted children. The containers had been thrown in the trash of a nearby abortion mill. "Little people" had become playthings, because the law taught the slightly older children well. What is disposable, after all, can also be used for play. Yet the children had not lost their straightforward honesty, and ability to call things by their names. These aborted babies were people.

My friend Monica Migliorino Miller, a professor, author, and pro-life activist, is also straightforward and honest. She writes of one of the times that she and other activists went to retrieve the bodies of some of our aborted brothers and sisters in Chicago. This effort eventually led to a burial service conducted by the Archdiocese of Chicago. Monica writes,

"When we pulled our cars slowly into the dark alley behind the Michigan Avenue Medical Center, rats scurried before our headlights, frightened by the noise of our intrusion. Our three-vehicle caravan parked in the alley off Monroe Street in downtown Chicago. We stopped in front of a loading dock upon which stood three garbage dumpsters and a filthy blue-colored trash barrel. ...We climbed onto the loading dock, opened the dumpsters, and began to search through the trash. I opened a red dumpster ... At the very bottom was a small, heavy cardboard box. It was about the size of two shoe boxes and was sealed in silver duct tape. I carefully cradled the box in my arms and placed it in the back seat of one of the cars. ...

"We drove to Joe Scheidler's garage to examine the contents of the box, first setting it on a table beneath a bright light. We all gathered around the table as Peter carefully peeled off the silver duct tape and opened the flaps of the box. Inside were small plastic "specimen" bags. Each bag contained the remains of an aborted baby with placenta and uterine tissue. We took the bags out and laid them on the table. There were forty-three of them in all which represented about three or four days worth of abortions at the Michigan Avenue Medical Center.

"Several bags were marked with the name of the aborted baby's mother, her age, the gestational age of the fetal child, the date of the abortion and a number. ...Despite the small size of the fetal remains, their tiny arms, legs, hands, feet, rib cages, spinal columns, eyes (floating free out of their sockets), bits of skull tissue and sometimes even an intact face were plainly visible through the plastic windows of the specimen bags."

Sometimes it takes dumpsters, bridges, and children to wake us up to the reality of what the "choice" of "abortion" really is.

Note: The photos of many of the children taken from the Chicago dumpster can be seen at www.priestsforlife.org/images.

This column can be found online at
www.priestsforlife.org/columns/columns2007/07-09-10dumpstersbridgeschildren.htm.

Fr. Frank's columns can be heard via podcast. See www.priestsforlife.org/podcast for more details.

Fr. Frank's columns can be listened to in MP3 format at www.priestsforlife.org/columns/columns2007/index.htm.

Let's Play Chess

2007-09-03T21:08:00.000+08:00

If anyone is looking to play chess, one site I discovered is Chess.com. Chess.com is dedicated to becoming the premier online community for chess players around the world. It aims to provide a safe and enjoyable environment where chess players of all skill levels can learn, contribute, play, build, chat, and share. We may differ in our culture, beliefs, geography and social status, but we achieve equality when playing this royal game. May the force be with you!

Typhoon Egay

2007-08-16T22:12:00.000+08:00

From PAGASA (our local weather bureau), at 2:00 p.m. today, Typhoon Egay (international code: Sepat) was located based on satellite and surface data 450 km east southeast of Aparri, Cagayan (17.7ºN, 126.2ºE) with maximum sustained winds of 215 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 250 kph. It is forecast to move northwest at 15 kph. Moderate to strong southwesterly surface windflow prevailing over Luzon and western sections of Visayas. The satellite photo here (taken 2007-08-16 13:11 GMT) shows the dog's head (storm) about to bite the northern portion of Luzon, but the entire country is covered by vicious clouds.

After being lashed by a typhoon last week, here we go again! Although the typhoons didn't traverse land, lots of rain did the actual damage. Hundreds of millions of dollars worth of crops and infrastructure are destroyed. Several levees are collapsing, no match to nature's fury.

For many people, especially policy makers, when they talk about the so-called global warming phenomenon, they become so abstract and academic as if it becomes a game for them. Perhaps that's the kind of attitude because they don't know what to do! With this prevailing attitude, nothing will come out from the warnings of several scientists. For us here in the Philippines, we actually feel the painful effects of the weather gone mad. I can't quantify it, but the storms that come our way through the years have become more devastating and claimed more lives. I'm afraid that there is no solution in sight.

Are They Human?

2007-07-26T21:51:00.000+08:00

Kidnapping, mass murder, mutilation, torture... the list goes on and on. All such things are utilized by terrorists. And to add insult to injury, such people do these abominable acts in God's name! No wonder some people shy away from religion. They are the purveyors of hell on earth, pure evil, evil incarnated. God forbid, if a friend or loved one is victimized by them, it'll be better that they killed them immediately. It would have been better than torture, including mental torture. If they kidnap someone and demands for ransom are made, just leave the victim's fate to God, because no matter what you do, they kill them. I just saw an episode of the TV series 24: whether the authorities give in to the demands is immaterial. They still do their heinous crimes. In that episode, a nuclear bomb detonated even if the demands are met. While this is fictional, it can very well happen; truth is always stranger than fiction.

In all news sources, it's glaring how people hate US President G.W. Bush. You know what? Who are the terrorists angry about? Bush. Who are the demons' enemies? God and his angels. I'm not equating the two, but you are known by your enemies. Bush is their whipping boy, but he is just the symbol. Behind Bush are many layers of policy makers, etc. To the dismay of other countries, the US does what it says. The US is willing to pay the price of war. I'm sad when soldiers die, but that is their calling... to die so that others may live. Locally in the Philippines, soldiers are faithful in their calling and die heroically. You know what? Their salaries are shamefully near the poverty line! Yet they persevere and stay. Many people leave the country and utter many insults to the country in general. It's okay to work abroad, but they should at least appreciate those who choose to stay. The soldiers choose to stay, and obviously it's not for the money. An acquaintance once pitied himself that he only received a few more pesos in his military benefits. He asked me why he's not resigning from the service. I told him it's not the money. And he agreed. Going back to the US soldiers, if they are afraid to die in battle, they are always free to resign. There are many opportunities in their country--lots of my Filipino folks are there looking and finding good high paying jobs.

Just a few days ago, our valiant Marines were looking for kidnapped priest Fr. Bossi in Basilan island in southern Philippines. They were ambused by Islamic terrorists (Abu Sayyaf and MILF rouge elements), 14 of them. God bless their souls. And their ordeal didn't end there. The dead soldiers were mutilated and 10 were beheaded. Why? Are they human? Honorable warriors respect their fallen enemies. Obviously these evil men are not subject to any international conventions. In addition to such war atrocities, they also target doctors, journalists and other noncombatants. When Fr. Bossi was interviewed after being recovered, he said that he confronted his captors about their violence and that the Koran does not agree with what they were doing. Their leaders are more influential than the Koran! In the end the priest, who was born in Italy, just remembered the Mafia, saying that the kidnappers were mafia members. But the Mafia are better because they don't justify their actions by using God's name. The local terrorists are using God's name in vain!

The good in man is being perverted by these evil men. I'm afraid of the future of our children. God help us!

Time

2007-06-21T21:09:00.000+08:00

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
a time to rend, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.
~Ecclesiastes 3.1-8 RSV

I guess our folks know about the hospitalization of my father, and no matter how serious or trivial any illness is, hope springs eternal. Your constant prayers are appreciated. During these days, my mind is blank and can't seem to write in this blog. There's only one thing that sticks to my brain—the verses from the bible quoted above. We are just pilgrims here on earth...

Assault on Reason

2007-05-29T21:04:00.000+08:00

In the past few days, Al Gore came out in two talk shows (Larry King and David Letterman) to draw attention to his recently published book Assault On Reason. He has a point, but I suspect it'll be lacking. He tells the viewers that Iraq should not have been invaded at all. Their leaders are not using reason in their decision making. The problems in the environment are likewise coming from the same flawed use of reason. As a liberal, I suspect Al is pro-choice, allowing abortion to take place if the mother wishes it. Well, Al, you're assaulting reason by allowing abortions to happen! If you use reason you'll realize that that piece of bloody tissue is a human being, or at least a body part, perhaps a piece of hand, or an eye, or perhaps the primitive brain. Why not use reason in such situations.

As with most of us, we choose which things to believe in and which things to discard. It is through reason that we know that if we have two opposing views, both can't be true; one can be true and the other false, or that both arguments are false. But they can't be both true! Al, I hope you read your own book and apply what is written there.

Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? ~1 Corinthians 1.20 RSV

Political Rip-off

2007-05-22T18:39:00.000+08:00

The upright man is so hard to find these days. If you're not careful, even your friends will rip you off. How much more your enemies? In the just concluded elections, the candidates of the opposition (national seats for senate and party list) are elated because they are front runners! Their cohorts are very silent, contented with the results. As the administration's candidates are beginning to catch up (exit polls project 4 will make it), they suddenly changed tactics and are crying foul. They are planning a big protest rally in the following days saying that there was massive cheating. If that's the case, then why are their candidates winning? Are they admitting they are cheating their way to victory? Are they crying now because their adversaries are catching up? Why not accept the results?

Yes, there is this allegation of cheating in a southern province, but is it not right to investigate this first? The Commission on Elections is very busy these days and the delays are understandable. It is very palpable that they are poisoning the minds of the people. All of them are sure to win as long as no cheating occurs. Upright people know how to give credit where credit is due. They are stealing victories from the candidates who won; the joy of winning is not given to them.

Please grow up people!

Miss Teen Luzon

2007-05-11T22:46:00.000+08:00

While many of us are busy about our ins and outs, Patricia has been busy competing in various beauty competitions, which folks here in the Philippines are excited about. Last night, she got the Miss Teen Luzon title, otherwise known as fourth runner-up to Miss Teen Philippines. There are no pictures yet but you may want to see her pictures in the said contest's prepageant activities last April 1. Other pictures, old and new are placed at my PicasaWeb Album.

If you want to delete a picture, just email me.

Julia in the Philippines

2007-04-19T18:15:00.000+08:00

More that a week ago, US Peace Corps volunteer Julia Campbell, a fellow blogspotter, died in the northern Philippines, around the well-known Banaue Rice Terraces. The precise cause of death is still being investigated but a crime is being suspected by the local police. She left behind a 2-year journal entitled, Julia in the Philippines. Please read her blog to see that even foreigners are here to commune with local folks. There are many Filipinos who are spreading a spirit of hopelessness (especially self serving politicians), particularly in this election period. We have here an American, living that hope in us, hope that will never be extinguished.

To all Filipinos: don't believe people when they spread lies of hopelessness.

Philippine News

2007-04-11T01:01:00.000+08:00

I heard Tatang Gus was asking for recent news from the Philippines... Just tell him to go to http://www.gmanews.tv.

Happy Easter season to all people of good will!

Democracy's Dark Side

2007-03-22T21:40:00.000+08:00

This is a reaction of mine taken from an email-reply to a cousin regarding the sad state of politics in the Philippines.

We have to be pragmatic... that is democracy... the candidate who gets the highest number of votes wins the post, no matter how disgusting he is. There are these candidates who cry to heaven against crime and corruption, and yet we have here Erap (their leader) who I believe is guilty of the same and I'm just wondering why the Sandiganbayan takes so long to release the verdict! (From reliable sources whom I know personally: do you remember those midnight cabinet meetings where they gamble and drink and who knows what else?... they are true!). I'm not necessarily rooting for the administration, but I hate the hypocrisy of these people. The church leaders are also dipping their dirty fingers in politics! Endorsements by people like Mike Velarde, folks in INC, Eddie Villanueva, etc. give the wrong precedent. How can we be sure that they don't receive money or favors for their endorsements? I can go on and on and on... Sometimes it becomes worse if the losers cry foul and say they were cheated. The good people don't run for office, and if they run they lose! Maybe let's move to change the constitution, requiring candidates to be at least college graduates, or perhaps requiring them to go to a special school for politicians.

"Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people" (Prov 14.34 RSV). Perhaps each individual should examine his conscience and maybe we can change things for the better, beginning from within.

Sleepless in Tacoma

2007-03-22T11:32:00.000+08:00

Ate Lelette is in Tacoma, WA for continuing training in the field of Nursing. I don't know but I think it's freezing out there. Just insulate yourself appropriately.

Check out this web page for an overview.

ChessPad

2007-03-15T22:49:00.000+08:00

In my last posting I recommended Arena as a good chess game for Windows. You can play that program if you like; it's a good interface. Now I'm using ChessPad v. 1.0.10 because it's easier to incorporate other chess engines. It's also very easy to post to the webpages, as I demonstrate here. In this game I played Crafty 18.10 (good chess engine; download at ftp://ftp.cis.uab.edu/pub/hyatt) and I resigned after only 29 moves! (I don't like to show this because it's bad PR but I'm showing it as a demo.) I have to admit I'm a bit rusty because my last tournament was a quarter of a century ago.

The moves: 1. e4 c5 2. c3? The pawn push cramps the knight; not a good move to prepare for a possible d4. 2. ... Nf6 3. d3? Nc6 4. Bg5 h6 5. Bxf6 exf6 Black captured the pawn from center to the side; I often heard that it's best to capture from the side to the center (e.i., gxf6). 6. Nf3 d5 7. h3 dxe4 8. dxe4 Qxd1+ 9. Kxd1 Bd7 10. Kc2 Be7 11. Nbd2 Rd8 12. Rd1 O-O 13. Bb5? Black's Nb4+ will cost White a good position. 13. ... Nb4+ 14. cxb4 Bxb5 15. bxc5 Bxc5 16. Nb1 Ba4+ 17. b3 Bc6 18. Rhf1 Bxe4+ 19. Kb2 Rxd1 20. Rxd1 Bxf2 21. Nc3 f5 22. Rd2 Bg3 23. Re2 Re8 24. Nd2 Bc6 25. Rxe8+ Bxe8 26. a4 Bc6 27. Nf3 g5 28. Nd1 g4 29. hxg4 fxg4 0-1 White resigns; this demonstrates the better outcome with 2 bishops as against 2 knights in the end game. It's the opposite in the middle game where the knight's unusual move dominates. [Date: 2007-03-15; White: Human; Black: Crafty 18.10]

Computer Chess

2007-03-09T17:39:00.000+08:00

What is common to many great persons in history? They play chess... that royal game. While it's just a game, it mirrors the battles of life. If you still don't play the game, it's never late to learn and enjoy. In Linux (it will be the default chess GUI in the upcoming Ubuntu upgrade -- Feisty Fawn), get glChess if you still don't know which to choose among many. Go to its website. You can then download any chess engine you like, as long as they follow the standard protocols. The following is a screen shot of the game.

In Windows a good Chess GUI is called Arena if you're still looking for one. It's free! It's better to go to its website and choose the stable release, which is version 1.1.

Enjoy your game!

Forcing the Issue

2007-02-27T22:26:00.000+08:00

It's election fever here in the Philippines, and as much as the people demand platforms, nothing is provided. A good debate is frowned upon by a number of candidates, asserting that intelligence is not the issue but the patriotism of the candidate. The people are forced to see the personalities, and guess their leadership qualities. It becomes a guessing game!

Now because the opposition's only platform (it appears) is to impeach the president (with the consequent vicious chaos that ensues), as is broadcast in some venues, then the best that the people can do, the ones that think, is to elect the candidates who are willing to go forward, dropping all the unnecessary baggages (constant resurrection of past issues) that bring our country and people down. I'm not a member of any party, and clearly not paid by anyone. In my opinion, the administration's candidates should win, for the sake of national progress. Of course, with all the noise and political mudslinging, I'm afraid that the opposition will take a number of seats in congress. Why do I think this way? The other side is not proposing any viable alternatives! The economy is obviously improving, but they belittle that. Ironically I guess that an administration victory is beneficial to the opposition, at least if the good of the citizens is in their hearts.

For those who don't believe me, I just pray that you think beyond self. "For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life?" (Mt 16.26).

Tony Joacquim's Baptism

2007-02-12T18:02:00.000+08:00

Cousin Dodo invites everyone to the baptism of his brand new baby—Tony Joacquim—who was born in December 2006. Tony will be baptized at the National Shrine of the Sacred Heart, on February 18, 2007, 12:00 noon along Kamagong Road, San Antonio Village, Makati City, PH. Reception immediately follows at DAD's – Kamayan, Glorietta, Makati City.

Portugal: Abortion Referendum

2007-02-12T12:18:00.000+08:00

There was failure of the recent referendum in Portugal that should have legalized abortion. That's great but the results were not so good. Since only about 40% turned out to vote (below the required 50%), the anti-abortion side won. But among those who voted, about 60% were for legalizing abortion. I'm disappointed because if all practicing Catholics voted against legalizing abortions, then that would have been a very strong signal against preborn killing. Where are the people? Why didn't they vote? Although the vote was a failure, it shows that the culture of death has overwhelmed Europe. Perhaps the only remaining Catholic country in Europe is the Vatican (Holy See)! Everyone else allows abortions to exterminate our babies!

No wonder the traditionally Christian population of the First World is decreasing exponentially. The large families are becoming extinct. And you know what? Immigration from the Muslim world will one day overwhelm Europe and efforts to increase the population will be in vain.

The signs of the times are all over, but no one is listening. The prophets have spoken... What's our response?

Unborn: Human Being With Potential

2007-02-03T22:48:00.000+08:00

People in the pro-choice side should realize what they are choosing when they opt for abortion. It's absurd to speak of choice when the choices are between murdering and saving. We don't have a choice to kill others for no reason at all. Self defense is legitimate; otherwise it's a crime.

Such people say that the unborn is not a person at all. They like to save the whale or the eagle rather than their fellow human being even if that person is still in his mother's womb. They say that the mass of tissues is just a potential human being. No! That so-called mass of tissue is truly a human being with potential! It becomes human at the time of conception (fertilization); it is at that time when the 46 chromosomes that contain all the genes of that human being come together.

The photo here is taken from Priests for Life website and everyone is encouraged to disseminate the images of aborted babies so that the secular media and the public in general will be informed of what's happening around us, and help in stopping abortions around the globe.

Triceratops

2007-01-26T18:25:00.000+08:00

The seldom seen Anicete clan, clockwise from left: cousin Kata, nephrew Gian (Kiko's son), Diding, Kiko's daughter (forgot the name), Rex Torres (his father is second cousin of Apung Moises so he's a distant uncle), Cora, Alex, Mommy (Naty), Judy and Indang Iling (2006-12-24).

In front of dinosaur models along Roxas Boulevard near the U.S. embassy, Abing and Tere pose impatiently under the hot sun (2006-12-26).

Apalit Matrons

2007-01-26T17:49:00.000+08:00

Just a photo from Regina's wedding last October; the dabarkads: Titas Let, Elvie (proud mother of the bride), Naty and Linda.

No Conflict Between Science and Religion

2007-01-18T21:05:00.000+08:00

There is no conflict between true science and true religion because both serve the truth; the contradiction is in the eyes of the interpreter, and those who write about such false interpretations. First, we look at the false interpretation of the so-called scientists. If you examine the works of eminent scientists, e.g., Albert Einstein, you will discover that they (or a majority of them) believe in God. The controversy happens when some scientists say that there is no God. They should know better! Science deals with things physical, and those that can be examined by the senses. The true scientist sees all the laws of nature and he or she knows its limits. While it is evident that there is an intelligent being that designed all these wonderful laws, that is also not direct evidence of God's presence. So it goes both ways. The point that I'm driving at here is that true scientists cannot make pronouncements on the absolute presence or absence of God; if they're honest, they will not say such things. If they insist that God does not exist, that is their opinion; they should not misrepresent science in general. This conflict is demonstrated in the movie Contact, which I saw recently (rerun from HBO).

On the other hand, there are those who call themselves religious teachers or evangelists who absolutely reject science because it contradicts the bible. After reading Genesis (describing the creation of the universe in just six days), they insist that God literally created the world in 6 days. They then start to discredit such disciplines as archeology, paleontology, geology, biology (evolution, e.g.) etc. and disrupt the proper education of their listeners. The bible is not a science book! Contrary to others' bias against it, the Church insists on the complementarity between science and religion, between faith and reason. Others may retort that the Church suppressed such scientists in the past like Galileo or Darwin, and surely some clerics overstepped their roles as ministers. If people try to examine what happened, perhaps they should focus on that the scientists said. People of faith cried foul when such learned scientists started to develop their own philosophies and overstepped their roles as scientists. How can science disprove God's existence? Without science we'll still be living in the dark ages, so it surely is very important. But theories cannot delve into things spiritual, as it is largely physical and intellectual.

Remember, the bible is not a science book; it's not even a history book (not written the way historians write history). On the other hand, a science book is not a religious book. There is really no conflict—Faith and Reason need each other.

Happy New Year!

2006-12-31T11:55:00.000+08:00

Two thousand six was the year 3 of our folks passed away: Tita Adíng, Tito Ben and Tito Áble, all Anicéte brothers and sisters (Tito Pol's siblings for those who may not know them) whom we all love. Tito Áble just passed yesterday, and we all grieve with his loving widow Tita Atríng, and children Diding, Paeng, Omar, Tess, Kiks, Cathy, Leah, Grace and Anoy (sorry if I missed a name), and many grandchildren and great grandchildren. Someday we'll all get together in that great mansion that Christ prepared to all.

Then 2 of our cousins continued with that cycle of life: Sonny married Juzy, and Regina wed Cliff in June and October, respectively. Dennis and Tina gave birth to Neo Dennis Jr. last 7 December, and likewise Kuya Dodo and Jen brought a baby (what's the name?) days before Christmas. Let's all pray that graces always come their way, and everything turns up well.

Several devastating typhoons also visited us (as always because we're in the typhoon belt), and one in particular (Durian) destroyed Bicol, particularly Albay, and killed several people around Mayon Volcano. All over the world, violence and darkness are on the headlines. Saddam Hussein was hanged with mixed reactions (I'm against the death penalty by the way) among his people. I don't know if there will ever be peace in the Middle East, especially with Iran's president's rhetorics (he wants to erase Israel from the map, remember?).

With all these things happening in 2006, some people are now hopeless and afraid of the coming year. But all we have to do is "only to be still, and God will fight for us" (cf. Exodus 14.14). Let's pray for this needed grace, and trust in Jesus, whether we're down or up.

Happy New Year to all! May 2007 Anno Domini be a wonderful year for all of us.

Mutya Ning Kapampangan (2)

2006-12-11T15:21:00.000+08:00

Breaking News: Patricia was the first runner-up in the previously mentioned pageant. Thanks for all your support. The photos will follow soon.

Mutya Ning Kapampangan (1)

2006-12-10T12:36:00.000+08:00

I was texted by Kuya Noel about today's coronation of the 2006 Mutya ning Kapampangan wherein his daughter Patricia (Samek) is among the candidates. It'll be held at 6:00 pm at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center at the City of San Fernando, and quoting him about the situation inside the gymnasium: "masikip, marakal a tau, maingay la reng cheering barangay, CR is outside" Let's support our folks and hope for a good outcome.

By the way, it's the second Sunday of Advent, so go to Church first...

On-line Games (12/3/06)

Do you have any free time? Well, Abing suggests to everyone with an Internet connection to try Armorgames.com. All kinds of games are there: action, arcade, mystery, etc. I have to caution you though, some are addictive. Just have your pick and enjoy. Other sites that you may try: Funbrain.com, Games for the Brain.com, and others. I hope you'll enjoy playing!

Decriminalizing Libel

2006-11-15T12:15:00.000+08:00

In a free world or democracy, it's been mentioned that the Media is the fourth estate. We need a free media in order to know the truth and also to guard our rights as people. We need courageous reporters and journalists to seek for this truth. But these people are not angels or other superior beings; they often make mistakes, and worse if these mistakes were deliberate. They can report on things that are not true at all! They can destroy the reputation of people, which can never be put back after a later apology. So what do people resort to? Only by filing criminal charges against the said writer or journalist. I don't agree with their arguments that such filing of charges are persecutorial or represent some kind of harrassment! This I think is just and reasonable.

I'm very much disappointed by the move of some sectors in trying to decriminalize libel. They should think again. If libel is not a crime, then these rouge writers will have all the fun, without the responsibility. Journalists (not all) are clamoring for this to happen; what are they up to? If the "victims" are not given an opportunity in court to seek justice, then I'm afraid that they will put things into their hands (a number of journalists and columnists were already murdered perhaps because they stepped on some powerful people's feet). I'm afraid that there will be more of these incidents! No... libel should remain a crime. It's actually a crime against justice and charity.

Use Open-source Software (11/11/06)

While trying to find the weather report on INQ7.net, I happen to click its Technology (Infotech) section, and Mr. Erwin Oliva's article Congress sets public discussion on open source legislation (last updated 10:51pm 11/10/2006) emerged. I perfectly agree that the use of free and open source software (FOSS) should be legislated for the good of the country for several reasons—the most tangible is the savings that will surely ensue.

This open-source movement was started in the 1980s, and was boosted in the 1990s with the introduction of the Linux kernel by Linus Torvalds in Finland, based on the UNIX platform. This movement began tentatively through the collaboration of several unnamed people, and it's now blossoming everywhere. Initially, only techies used it, but now even the uninitiated can use it. (There are several open-source platforms out there, but the most popular is Linux.)

Presently, several Linux platforms are available for use (e.g., try Ubuntu if you really want to get your hands dirty). Pinoy computer experts may someday even develop our very own operating system, especially with our hundreds of languages. Being tied to proprietary software, especially Microsoft is so frustrating. You can't do anything without having to buy their expensive products. So what do people resort to? They purchase pirated ones (MS is becoming more choking by preventing use of their software by such means). Note: I'm not promoting the use of pirated software; I'm just showing the way towards open software.

Not only do we become liberated from such monopolistic companies (freeing our pockets), but actually use genuine open software without restrictions, which are more flexible and uplifting to the mind. Ordinary people can learn to make their own software because many development features are incorporated with the package. If you try Ubuntu (e.g.) as I did, not only will you have the operating system, but also have built-in software including the now famous OpenOffice.org software (free counterpart of MS Office). Why use Windows when you can have the same functionality sans expense?

Kudos to Congressman Teodoro Casiño of Bayan Muna party who authored the bill; I often don't agree with his ideology, but this time I very much agree with him. I hope he'll work very hard to really pass this bill (House Bill number 5769).

Ubuntu Linux (10/28/06)

My very first encounter with computers was with the Apple II and the only way to use it was to know BASIC (PCs were called microcomputers then). That was way back in 1982. Later Microsoft was used specifically with DOS. I don't recall the exact dates but later I used MS Windows. All of these were machines used in the institutions I studied and worked in. The very first computer in the house was bought by my brother and it had Win95 and later Win98 installed. We occasionally installed some other versions (Me and 2000) but it always gravitated to Win98. Only recently was WinXP used.

In late 2002, I decided to try Debian GNU/Linux (kernel 2.2.20) mainly because Windows was very expensive, and also because Linux was nice and free. You only pay for the plastic (CD) and delivery. At that time, I had a hard time and I didn't even recommend it to others. You have to read a lot of documentation, but the more important side-effect was that I appreciated the inner workings of a computer. It also demanded that I use text mode more often (console) than GUIs. After a year or so, I backslid to using Windows again although my PC was dual-boot (can be booted with Windows or Linux). With some emails I received from a classmate of mine (UPCM '91), I decided to again dabble in Linux.

Using Google, I searched: "best linux distribution". The results were unequivocal. Ubuntu always popped up. So I went to its website and ordered Live CDs, and I was surprised that they were given for free, including the stamps! I then installed Ubuntu 6.06 (dual boot with WinXP), nicknamed Dapper Drake. A screenshot of its desktop is included here. It worked perfectly well: everything you can do with Windows, you can do in Ubuntu Linux. And everything is so easy. The picture below was taken while actually upgrading to the newer 6.10 version (called Edgy Elf). Everything was done while on-line, no need to buy a new CD!

After fetching all the needed files for the upgrade overnight (my broadband WiFi is very unreliable and erratic), a new version suddenly popped up (see screenshot below). It's now brighter and the sounds are much better. Everything was very nice. By the way, the desktop was GNOME, which some say looks like a Mac (I don't know if this is true because I never owned a Mac).

I never liked orange before but this kind of theme looks nice now. And maybe after 6 months, a new version will be available and I'll do the same routine as this one. Try Ubuntu; if you have only 1 PC, do a dual boot (disc has to be partitioned or sliced if only 1 HD is present). But I have to warn you that you have to read a lot. More on this later.

Why Do We Fall?

2006-10-25T00:12:00.000+08:00

Sometimes, inspite of our resolutions to do better, we fall and metaphorically become the prodigal son in the gospel. But what makes it worthwhile? As the bible says, "for a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again; but the wicked are overthrown by calamity" (Proverbs 24.16), even the saints fall. But the important thing here is that we rise again. Perhaps one reason why we fall is that God wants to teach us a lesson. Perhaps he wants us to become understanding and merciful toward others when we see their failings and sins. We are reminded not to judge them because we ourselves fall likewise. How can we notice the plank in their eyes without seeing the beem in our own eyes? Really, everything has a purpose, even what seems evil in our sight. The evil of sin is allowed to happen so as to enjoy the happiness of mercy and forgiveness subsequently, and solidarity with all of humanity.

Don't Be a Crybaby (10/24/06)

I'm a little intrigued by the so-called pressure that the executive and legislature is putting on the Supreme Court. This is nothing new, and yet these mainly opposition politicians are suggesting that they're surprised. You are condemning the administration for pressuring the High Court to legalize or allow the amendment of the constitution through people's initiative. Okay, the government may be pressuring the Court, but is the opposition (some quarters) not pressuring it? The mere fact that they are warning the Justices to do what is right is actually putting pressure! They are pressuring the Court to go their way! The opposition is hypocritical in this regard. Enough of this nonsense. If the Court is really doing its job, Justices should not talk about this matter at all.

Pressure is two-way. The Supreme Court should not be a crybaby.

The Marine Uniform (10/19/06)

The following article speaks for itself; it was sent to two major Philippine Newspapers (2006.10.19), and I'm posting it here in its entirety. The article (edited) was subsequently published on Page A12 of the November 4, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Reaction To Binay's Use of the Marine Uniform

Dear Sir/Madam:

I would just like to make a reaction on the picture of [Makati City] Mayor Binay that was published in your paper today, wherein he was wearing a Philippine Marine uniform, unbuttoned, orange civilian shirt inside is displayed, without any HBT (the PMC cap that should be worn with it), with long and unkempt hair, the pair of pants that goes with it is not worn and not to mention the boots! He even flaunted his rank of Colonel in the process of doing this. Tsk tsk tsk... That picture paints a thousand words! To put it simply, Mayor Binay disrespected and defiled our uniform.

As a Marine officer, we were taught from the very first day that we entered the Corps to respect our uniform (second only to our flag) and wear it proudly. You will notice this even if you go to the farthest baranggay [village], the highest mountain or the remotest island of our country where a Marine (even the lowest trainee and private) is stationed; that even in the thick of battle, he wears his uniform proudly! He will not wear it if he has long hair (especially if it is unkempt, 'yung ibang Marino naming barbero, kasama namin sila wherever we go), or if he is unshaved. He will not dare wear it if it is un-ironed; he will not wear it if his boots are unshined (even in the muddiest of all situations in the field); he will not wear it if the pair of pants is absent; if he wears it, all the buttons are properly buttoned. In short we wear the uniform properly! Otherwise, we will not wear it at all, or bear the brunt of the rage of our seniors. In other words, hindi namin binabastos ang uniform namin, rinerespeto at minamahal po namin ito. This uniform carries with it the proud martial tradition of the Philippine Marine Corps.

A long time ago, while I was still in the field with a Marine Batallion Landing Team in Basilan (or maybe Jolo), I heard our former Commandant, Brig. Gen. (now Senator) Pong Biazon, answer a question from a journalist. He was asked what makes a Marine stand-out from other soldiers (meaning the Army soldiers, the Navy sailors, and the Air Force airmen); he said that it is the uniform. As a young officer then, I thought that was a dumb answer coming from the Commandant of the Corps. He could have given a more substantial reason, I thought... But later on in my career, I realized Biazon was correct. The Marine is different when he wears his uniform; he becomes more disciplined, more proud, and makes him a better warrior. The uniform is a source of pride; as such, it makes the Marine work harder, fight harder and become more disciplined... Similar to Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne.

I realized this, more, now because it was highlighted by a reserve Marine Colonel defiling our uniform with the whole world as the audience! Tsk tsk tsk...

Going back to the interview of Gen. Biazon: In the said interview, the Commandant rationalized his answer by saying that even generals and officers of other branches of service are ashamed to stand near or beside an ordinary Marine because the Marine wears his uniform more smartly and with more spic-and-span than the officers of the other branches of service... Proof: When the Marines were called to support the police in securing Metro Manila during the time of President Estrada, nahiya ang mga pulis to work side-by-side with the Marines because the Marines carried themselves snappily than their counterpart policemen. Why? This is because we respect and honor our uniform! Hindi namin binabastos ito, minamahal namin at ginagalang. Bago kami lumabas ng campo sinisigurado na plantyado ang uniforme, shined ang sapatos at mga buckles, etc.

I hope "Colonel" Binay and other reservists will realize this and respect our uniform as a true Marine. I'd rather be with an ordinary Marine wearing the uniform with respect and pride than a Mayor/Colonel who wears it shabbily.

When I was a young lieutenant based in Jolo, I saw a civilian wearing a Marine top (just like Mayor Binay did in the said picture). I asked him respectfully if he was a Marine (if he said yes, I would surely have whacked him for such shabby appearance and disrespect for the uniform) and he said no. At that point, I told him to remove it and surrender it to us, which he did. I told him never to wear a Marine uniform and asked him where he got it, but he couldn't answer; we just let him go for humanitarian purposes. My point is, we love and respect our uniform; we do not defile it!

This Marine uniform (the unique PMC camouflage) has gained fame and notoriety that civilians, and even rebels want to have it and wear it. They also feel the pride that such uniform brings or carries with it. I cannot blame them. It makes them feel like a Marine. But that will not make them a Marine, it takes more than wearing a Marine uniform to make you a proud Marine warrior. That uniform will not save them in times of trouble because, unlike true-blue Marines, they do not know the essence and history behind the uniform.

With all due respect to Mayor/Colonel Binay, please wear our uniform properly and with honor, dignity and respect next time, sir. And, please understand that this reaction has no political intonation to it; I just felt offended by how you wore our uniform. I don't even know what issues you are fighting for. I hope you will understand. Sir.

Lastly, I hope this reaction will be published in your newspaper so that it will reach Mayor Binay and the other Philippine Marine reservists of our country, as well as the regular Marine officers and enlisted men deployed all over the country.

More power to all of you sirs/mesdames.

Shalom!

Plaridel Mercado
Camp Aguinaldo, Q.C.

Wonders of Life (10/18/06)

Cousins Joy and Joji (back) at the Butterfly Haven in Bulacan, PH. Even as adults, we should maintain this sense of wonder in everything and perhaps even more with nature. I see this in my nephews and nieces, the way their eyes sparkle while they are looking at insects and some other bugs. They ask me, "What kind of skin do they have?" or perhaps, "which is the largest beetle in the world?" (I hope I was right when I said they don't have skin but they have an exoskeleton; and that the biggest beetle and insect is the Goliath Beetle.) And then their eyes enlarged when I explain their life cycles and the concept of metamorphosis.

It's at this point that we should teach the children several concepts on life. I remember in my childhood when I catch a dragonfly, I remove its legs to get amused seeing that the poor thing flies continuously because it can't land! I think someone told me not to do it because it hurts the dragonfly. People who torture other people perhaps started their childhood torturing animals, and no one prevented them.

Let's give focus to life, and find the time to teach our children well.

Violence - Anathema to Religion

2006-09-20T11:24:00.000+08:00

I'm a little disappointed with how certain Muslim quarters misinterpret what the Pope said in a recent speech at the University of Regensburg in Germany. People and the media are putting words in the Pope's mouth. In this day and age, even the Holy Bible and Koran are taken out of context, and consequently some people can justify all kinds of actions. Some even justify the killing of innocents and children. I hope things and ideas can be debated upon without the use of violence. The following material was emailed to me by Joy and I'm posting it here entirely...

Statement By Tarcisio Cardinal Bertone, S.D.B., Holy See Secretary Of State
Saturday, 16 September 2006

Given the reaction in Muslim quarters to certain passages of the Holy Father's address at the University of Regensburg, and the clarifications and explanations already presented through the Director of the Holy See Press Office, I would like to add the following:

The position of the Pope concerning Islam is unequivocally that expressed by the conciliar document Nostra Aetate: "The Church regards with esteem also the Muslims. They adore the one God, living and subsisting in Himself; merciful and all-powerful, the Creator of heaven and earth, Who has spoken to men; they take pains to submit wholeheartedly to even His inscrutable decrees, just as Abraham, with whom the faith of Islam takes pleasure in linking itself, submitted to God. Though they do not acknowledge Jesus as God, they revere Him as a prophet. They also honor Mary, His virgin Mother; at times they even call on her with devotion. In addition, they await the day of judgment when God will render their deserts to all those who have been raised up from the dead. Finally, they value the moral life and worship God especially through prayer, almsgiving and fasting" (no. 3).

The Pope's option in favor of inter-religious and inter-cultural dialogue is equally unequivocal. In his meeting with representatives of Muslim communities in Cologne, Germany, on 20 August 2005, he said that such dialogue between Christians and Muslims "cannot be reduced to an optional extra," adding: "The lessons of the past must help us to avoid repeating the same mistakes. We must seek paths of reconciliation and learn to live with respect for each other's identity".

As for the opinion of the Byzantine emperor Manuel II Paleologus which he quoted during his Regensburg talk, the Holy Father did not mean, nor does he mean, to make that opinion his own in any way. He simply used it as a means to undertake—in an academic context, and as is evident from a complete and attentive reading of the text—certain reflections on the theme of the relationship between religion and violence in general, and to conclude with a clear and radical rejection of the religious motivation for violence, from whatever side it may come. On this point, it is worth recalling what Benedict XVI himself recently affirmed in his commemorative Message for the 20th anniversary of the Inter-religious Meeting of Prayer for Peace, initiated by his predecessor John Paul II at Assisi in October 1986: " ... demonstrations of violence cannot be attributed to religion as such but to the cultural limitations with which it is lived and develops in time. ... In fact, attestations of the close bond that exists between the relationship with God and the ethics of love are recorded in all great religious traditions".

The Holy Father thus sincerely regrets that certain passages of his address could have sounded offensive to the sensitivities of the Muslim faithful, and should have been interpreted in a manner that in no way corresponds to his intentions. Indeed it was he who, before the religious fervor of Muslim believers, warned secularized Western culture to guard against "the contempt for God and the cynicism that considers mockery of the sacred to be an exercise of freedom".

In reiterating his respect and esteem for those who profess Islam, he hopes they will be helped to understand the correct meaning of his words so that, quickly surmounting this present uneasy moment, witness to the "Creator of heaven and earth, Who has spoken to men" may be reinforced, and collaboration may intensify "to promote together for the benefit of all mankind social justice and moral welfare, as well as peace and freedom" (Nostra Aetate no. 3).

Music: Ogg Codecs

2006-08-21T23:21:00.000+08:00

I have uploaded the music of Terê, Bing and Eli, and also Tatang Gus at my Multiply site, and some folks can't seem to play them. And that's because they are in OGG format; "Ogg Vorbis is a completely open, patent-free, professional audio encoding and streaming technology with all the benefits of Open Source" (taken from Vorbis.com). You may download VLC Media Player (for free) or any other cross-platform media player to listen to them. If you're using Windows and you don't want to download anything, and you can't open OGG files, please download and install Ogg Codecs for windows, or go to http://www.vorbis.com and follow their simple instructions.

Anybody with musical-technical skills may add some accompaniment or instruments to the songs (this can be done in today's technology). Thank you. Enjoy the music!

Catacutans of California

2006-08-21T12:24:00.000+08:00

Uncle Rudy and Aunt Miling recently returned to the U.S. from a 2-month vacation in Apalit. Cousin Lyn sent several pictures of their family, and I selected the picture here from 64. See more of her photos at http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome ?sid=9AauWrFk4as1u. Our relatives (and countrymen) are all over the earth, as if Jesus' words (the meek inheriting the earth from Matthew 5.5) are being fulfulled in Pinoys. Let's spread God's love wherever we make our temporary abode for we're all pilgrims on earth; our citizenship is in heaven.

U2: Christian Band

2006-07-21T18:45:00.000+08:00

Just a few hours ago, I happen to come across a report about U2, stating that it's a Christian band. I read the entire article because I also had this suspicion in my brain before. One thing that also convinced me is who the source of the material is—a newly ordained Catholic priest. Their song Vertigo seems to have spiritual insight: in this world there's no firm ground to place our feet, we become dizzy. Father Rutten (the source) noted... "that's how they describe the modern world." Later in the song, Bono sings: "Your love is teaching me how to kneel." It's the idea that "in the midst of the chaos or the confusion or the vertigo, you can find some stability through faith," again quoting the source. U2, with lead singer Bono (short for Bono Vox, Latin for good voice) first came into fame in the 1980s, and continue to perform these days. Bono or Paul Hewson was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1960. Scripture (Matthew 7.17-18 RSV) says, "...every sound tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears evil fruit. A sound tree cannot bear evil fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit." Perhaps it is well known that Bono has done a lot for many people in poor countries, including debt relief. U2 is really bearing good fruit which somehow confirms the report. See http://www.catholic.org/hf/teens/story.php?id=20435.

Sonny & Juzy Wedding Photos (link)

2006-07-19T22:04:00.000+08:00

From the wedding of Juzy and Sonny. To see more pictures, go to http://www.photos.ph/kix_tavora/kasal_sonny_juzy.

About Purgatory

2006-07-14T23:14:00.000+08:00

In the current state of the world today, the real hope for all people is the reality of purgatory as taught by the Church's Magisterium. People may be discouraged because they think that they will not attain perfection here on earth; sins are always before us. Many people question the doctrine of purgatory because they say it's not in the scripture. Of course the word itself is absent, but the concept or idea is there. Firstly, people in the bible prayed for those who died. "...Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, 'It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.' Thus Job did continually" (Job 1.5). "Therefore he made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin" (2 Mac 12.45). The last reference was taken from the second book of Maccabees which only Catholics and Orthodox (I think) have, but not Protestants (regarding it as apocryphal).

The New Testament offers some passages that may point to purgatory. "If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire" (1 Cor 3.15). Jesus distinguished two instances about the forgiveness of certain sins. The following passage even speaks of sins that can be "forgiven" in the next world, i.e., after death. "...every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever says a word against the Son of man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come" (Mt 12.31-32).

There are two "places" people go after death, heaven or hell; purgatory is not a third "place", but those in purgatory are on their way to heaven. People are tested with fire "...the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold which though perishable is tested by fire, may redound to praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ" (1 Pet 1.7). As you may meditate once in a while about the last things, purgatory is really a consoling doctrine as defended by the church.

At Hong Kong Disneyland: Uncle Gus and Family

2006-06-15T18:16:00.000+08:00

These photos were emailed to me by Tim a few hours ago. They're taken from their Hong Kong vacation recently...

Tim, k'wento naman d'yan!

Our Beloved Ate Ying

2006-06-14T20:59:00.000+08:00

Everybody knows Ate Ying for she took care of us from the beginning, before most of us were born. Whether we have problems or not, she was there, not calculating the cost or inconvenience incurred on her. She's family. The photo shows her at the extreme right, watching over us watch the roasting of the pig near the home of Uncle Rudy, which was in the early 70s. Remember that time, the good old times of yesteryears?

Last May 20, during the celebrations of Tatay and Ima's golden wedding anniversary, a letter written by Ate Ying was read in front of all the guests. Tears fell as the words were being read. We have in our midst a faithful friend and family member. With Ima's permission, I have printed her entire letter (handwritten) below for all of us to think about. It's addressed to Tatay and Ima, and written in Tagalog. So here it is...

May 20, 2006

Mahal Kong Kuya at Ate,

Sa mahalagang araw na ito sa inyong muling pagpapakasal ay ibinibigay ko ang aking taus pusong pagbati ng tapat na pagmamahal!

Hindi ko malilimutan ang araw nang una kong pagdating sa inyong piling; ako noon ay labing-pitong taong gulang pa lamang, at hangga ngayon na sinapit ko ang gulang na animnapu't dalawa ay nasa inyong piling pa rin ako. Ang pagsisilbi ko sa inyo ng apatnapu't limang taon ay nakapagdulot sa akin [ng pagkakataon] upang matikman ko kung paano ang mahalin at ituring na isang miyembro ng pamilya. Pinalaki ko ang inyong mga anak na itinuring ko ring parang akin. Hindi ako nagkaproblema sa pagpapalaki dahil sa kabaitan na itinuro ninyo sa kanila. Hangga ngayong malalaki at nasa estado na, kabaitan pa rin ang ipinadarama sa akin. Ngayon ang mga anak naman nila ang aking pinalalaki at inaaruga.

Nagkaroon ng pagkakataon na inisip kong umuwi noon at umabot ako ng dalawang buwan sa amin sa Matayumtayum, hindi ako mapakali at ang isip ko ay nasa inyo, hanggang magdesisyon ako na bumalik sa inyong piling; ganyan pala pag napamahal ka sa mga taong naging bahagi na nang iyong buhay. Totoo, Ate at Kuya, at sa inyong mga anak at apo, bahagi na kayo ng aking buhay; kayo na ang aking pamilya at siguro Panginoon na lang ang may alam kung kailan tayo maghihiwalay.

Idinadalangin ko sa Panginoon na sana'y bigyan pa ako ng lakas at mahabang buhay upang maipakita ko pa ang pagmamahal ko sa inyo, at mapagsilbihan ko pa kayo ng buong puso, at idinadalangin ko rin sa Panginoon na bigyan din kayo ng mahabang buhay upang madama ninyo at makita ang pagmamahal kong ito.

Sa inyo na aking itinuturing na pamilya: Kuya, Ate, Hil, Lelette, Noel, Joji, at Joy, maraming maraming salamat sa lahat lahat, sa biyaya, sa pagmamahal, sa pag-iintindi at sa pang-unawa sa akin, wala akong masasabi kun'di salamat sa Panginoon at ibinigay kayo sa akin.

Ang nagmamahal nang tapat,
Auring

There you have the entire letter.

Welcome to Uncle Rudy & Aunt Miling!

2006-06-04T17:21:00.000+08:00

Last week Uncle Rudy and Aunt Miling arrived here in Apalit from the States for a 2-month vacation, spanning several events including the town fiesta (28^th-30^th of June) and Sonny's wedding. I took this snapshop an hour ago while he's waiting for the car to be ready, and after the story-telling ends. Stories never end, but at least I have a picture of the man for all seasons. Yesterday was Inda's 26^th death anniversary, so just say a little prayer for all those who passed to the other side.

Vargas Golden Wedding Anniversary

2006-05-25T13:40:00.000+08:00

Last 20 May 2006, Ret. Lt. Col. Honorio V. Vargas and Mrs. Gloria C. Vargas (we fondly call Tatay and Ima) renewed their marriage vows at the historic Binondo Church, as witnessed by their children and grand children; it was their golden wedding anniversary. The occasion was very happy and solemn.

The family offers sincere thanks and gratitude to all those friends and relatives who graced the occasion physically, and in spirit. These images are sent with love from our humble home in Apalit to all the world, particularly those in the States and Canada.

To see more pictures (photos are not repeated), see 4 at the Vargas url, and 64 from my Multiply site (Parts I, II, and III).

By the way, belated Happy 71^st Birthday to Uncle Rudy (or Ruding over here)! Please extend our greetings from the Philippines!

Word of God

2006-05-10T18:18:00.000+08:00

Some quarters in society are almost entirely preoccupied with politics. They will obviously go nowhere. I don't know if it's true, but the more people indulge in politics, the less progress will ensue. The converse is true: in the first world, the citizens don't care about politics; they become apolitical. Common sense tells us that the right route is in the middle. What we need is constructive politics, not destructive as is the case. Instead of this nonsense, people should instead read and understand the Bible.

But why is the book not being read by people? One obvious reason is that it is a big book! Another not so obvious reason is that it is a dangerous book; what do I mean by that? It's dangerous if you read it and don't intend to follow what is written there. There are several warnings regarding this danger. In Matthew 7.24-27 (RSV), a metaphor is presented in following or not following the bible's message; I'll quote it...

"Every one then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock; and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And every one who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand; and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell; and great was the fall of it."

If you read the bible carefully, it'll stir your soul; you have to do something about it. Hebrews 4.12 (RSV) mentions, "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." It becomes a font of graces without ever knowing it. Although scripture gives warnings, they're there for a reason. The road is much more dangerous it no traffic signals or signs are available.

Begin reading at the New Testament, the Gospel according to St. Matthew, perhaps one topic or chapter at a time, and allow time for meditation or comtemplation. A good translation is the Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition or the New American Bible; if you already have a bible, then use that. The best bible translation is the one you read. If you prefer reading on-line, try http://www.usccb.org/nab/today.shtml. In 2-3 years, you would have read the entire bible. Have a fruitful reading everyday!

Spoon And Fork

2006-05-05T16:17:00.000+08:00

Three days ago I received an email from Ate Edith about a racist controversy in Canada, about the eating habits of Filipinos, and the way it was handled by Canadian authorities, especifically by the school system. It happened when a grade school student named Luc Cagadoc ate a meal using both spoon and fork. A school supervisor insulted the child and said that it was disgusting to eat using two utensils at the same time. Where did that come from?

It's absurd. I can eat with fork only if the food was spaghetti or noodles, and spoon only if it's soup. Why can't we eat with both? Why does such stupidity occur in Canada of all places? And that's not even the traditional way of eating in the Philippines as was mentioned; Filipinos (and perhaps other ethnic groups as well) use both bare hands for eating (after washing of course). This we call kamayan (using hands). Try to eat crab (freshly boiled and unshelled) with spoon or fork (or even both). To better savor the taste, it's best to eat using hands (without any utensils). Luc Cagadoc's behavior in eating is very normal, nothing to be ashamed about. Westerners should not be shocked to see people eating with hands (kamayan). If you watch a cooking show, a lot of times the chef handles the food (or ingredients)! It's okay to handle food directly as long as strict hand washing is done.

Now, because of the risk of disease, eating using spoon and fork is recommended. Since these utensils are readily available (folks in remote rural areas don't even see such utensils), why not use them? Hygiene is one factor, but from experience and observation, people who eat using no utensils come out stronger and healthier than people who used utensils. Perhaps the immune system is challenged in such cases. But that's beside the point here.

Let's learn about the cultures of other people and then at least try to respect them. God bless the Philippines!

Easter Photos from Apalit

2006-04-18T11:07:00.000+08:00

After Good Friday, of course Easter comes next; here are just 5 photos from Easter celebrations here in Apalit. Uncle Rudy wants to see Tita Linda's picture, so here it is (in #2 and #4). If anyone wants to get somebody's picture, just blog here or maybe email me, and say you need a picture of so and so...

(1) Jen, Maureen, Ricky, Liezl, Juzy, Sonny, Yen-Yen (Hil's daughter) and Alex; (2) Tita Linda, Florence (Rowena's bunso), Tita Poy, Tita Naty (Mom) and Tita Let; (3) Mommy; (4) our elderly folks; (5) Daughter Maureen with Mama Liezl.

Let's make everyday Easter!

Apalit 2006 Holy Week

2006-04-15T17:21:00.000+08:00

Here are some selected pictures taken during the Good Friday procession in Apalit (4/14/06); click on the image to enlarge it.

(1) In front of Lola Ima's house: Gerlie's Marian, Dennis' Ella, Florian's Chabeng, and Poopsie's Therese; Abing is at the back. Taken in front of of the caro of The Agony in the Garden. (2) Agony in the Garden. (3) Jesus' Entry into Jerusalem. (4) our kinsfolk, patiently watching the long procession; Raia is in the middle.

(5) The Pieta. (6) Santo Entierro; as children, we were terrified when this image passes by. Nowadays, nobody is afraid I don't know why. (7) Sonny is all smiles nowadays; beside him is fianceé Marinela Juzy Haldos (I hope the spelling is correct). The couple is to be married in June, I think (call him for the schedule). By the way, she's a physician. (8) The last of the caros—Mater Dolorosa.

Happy Easter to everyone!

Gospel of Judas

2006-04-10T11:06:00.000+08:00

Last night I saw this feature from National Geographic Channel about a recently discovered ancient manuscript of the Gospel of Judas, written in Coptic. Judas Iscariot was rehabilitated there and he seems to be Jesus' beloved disciple, and not the traitor that we know of. As mentioned, the gospel was probably written by the so called gnostics in the early church, somewhat similar to the esoteric New Age beliefs. Jesus allegedly said that the creator of this world is not the God that we worship. What ever happened to the Genesis account where God saw that everything that he created was good? Obviously, the early church fathers were right in not including this gospel and dozen others extant at that time, in the bible.

One expert blamed St. Irenaeus for the non-inclusion of the Gospel in the New Testament. Well, St. Irenaeus lived from A.D. 125-202; born in Asia Minor and later joined the missions to Gaul. In Lyon he served as priest and later bishop. His writings "entitle him to a high place among the fathers of the Church, for they not only laid the foundations of Christian theology but, by exposing and refuting the errors of the gnostics, they delivered the Catholic Faith from the real danger of the doctrines of those heretics... His tomb or shrine was destroyed by the Calvinists in 1562, and all trace of his relics seems to have perished" (courtesy of Catholic On-line). The National Geographic feature only highlights the need we have for Church authority to preserve the bible, particularly the New Testament.

Perhaps one lesson we can get from this is that we should not judge other people, no matter how notorious they were (Hitler, Judas, Lenin, Bin Laden, etc.). Let's leave the judging to God.

Photo taken from Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ courtesy of Coolbuddy.com.

Outstanding Student

2006-04-06T22:36:00.000+08:00

Just this afternoon, Abing was recognized as an outstanding student from Grade 2 at the Mary the Queen Academy of Pampanga in Bacolor. Although he sometimes hates studying and reviewing his lessons, Gabriel is hard-working and of course intelligent! The stress of childhood is always there, I mean the urge to play, etc. He was accompanied by his proud parents—Larry & Poopsie, his little brother Elijah, little sister Therese, and of course, his grandma Naty, and several others... Little Thomas was very angry because he was left in Apalit, crying for several minutes over his fate...

So Gabriel, congratulations!

Just Go Easy

2006-04-06T15:25:00.000+08:00

What is the secret to a happy life? Sometimes we move about like busy bodies, as if doing something, seemingly confused as to where we are going. This is the natural way of those who insist that we are here on this planet by chance alone, that everything is all that we can see or hear or feel, etc. The happiest people on earth are those who have no material possessions! Of course the source of this happiness is something spiritual, or abstract to the ordinary person. Happiness is in the little things!

Children are happy because they trust their parents and yayas, not thinking of what to eat or drink. If we trust God, then we'll be happy. Matthew 6.26 (RSV) says "Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?"

Let's be like children, and begin to trust God in the little things of our lives. Have a solemn Holy Week!

John Paul II

2006-03-31T10:21:00.000+08:00

Can anyone forget the great and holy man that was John Paul II? On Sunday April 2, it'll be Pope John Paul the Great's first death anniversary. At that time, perhaps lasting a month, the world stood still at the events unfolding before us, invariably covered by all media outlets including the secular ones. In remembrance of this man's legacy, I'm printing Erin Berghouse's song here entitled John Paul II. Go to http://www.lily4life.com/music.htm for Erin's site. You may download the song from there; it's offered free to the public (usual conditions).

JOHN PAUL II
2003 Lily Productions/Erin Berghouse

Chorus

Holy Father
Here we gather
John Paul II
We love you (repeat)

You’re the Roman Pontiff
You’re the Vicar of Christ
In the words that you speak to us
And the letters you write
You bring hope to our lives

Chorus

You’re the Shepherd of Bishops
You’re the voice of the Church
Your holiness nourishes
All across this earth
You bring hope to our lives

Chorus

You’re the Valiant Defender
Of our beautiful faith
You’re the Pilgrim Leader
Of World Youth Day
You bring hope to our lives

On Ima's 79th Birthday

2006-03-26T14:35:00.000+08:00

Pretty getup Joy! I'm sorry you were unable to attend Ima's 79^th birthday; so many friends and kinsfolk visited. All kinds of food make her handa. We have kare-kare, lechon manoc, sisig, broiled fish with buro (fermented rice sauce), etc., and all kinds of dessert, including sweet mangoes. A broad tent was set-up over the front lawn for protection from the sun and possible rain. Her apos and extended apos ran and played all over the place. Of course the celebrant came prepared.

She started the day at 5 am in church for the Sunday Mass on Lent's 4^th week, and received our Lord at communion. What better way to celebrate one's day, to recharge one's batteries!

Happy Birthday Ima!

See the photos at http://anicete.multiply.com/photos/album/10.

Of Mice And Men

2006-03-23T13:39:00.000+08:00

A few minutes ago, a mouse was caught on sticky fly-paper, the second victim of mine. The more they struggle the more trouble they get into, like quicksand. Sometimes I imagine that people are like mice, going into trouble frequently, and adversely affecting others in the process. And perhaps a higher being puts some trap to see what happens. The mouse first becomes curious about the trap, and when even just a small portion of its tail sticks to it, the entire body soon follows. Something to think about... Leviticus 11.29-30 (RSV) mentions, "these are unclean to you among the swarming things that swarm upon the earth: the weasel, the mouse, the great lizard according to its kind, the gecko, the land crocodile, the lizard, the sand lizard, and the chameleon." Sorry but I can't say that no animal was hurt in making this picture.

Happy first birthday to Mog-Mog (Dennis and Tina's baby); papansit naman!

From My Rome Visit...

2006-03-21T14:40:00.000+08:00

Here's a picture from the Eternal City. It was a beautiful fine morning. I hope you can go there someday.

The More The Merrier

2006-03-18T17:39:00.003+08:00

It's fun to be with babies! I found this video from YouTube. Psalm 8.1-2 (RSV) mentions "Thou whose glory above the heavens is chanted by the mouth of babes and infants..." Let's stop selfishly thinking about ourselves, and start making this world a better place for all children, protecting their innocence.

Welcome, Joy!

2006-03-11T11:43:00.000+08:00

Hello, Joy! You're welcome to our site! You can now post your ideas here at will and of course you can also comment anywhere. Joy is residing in Canada; originally from the Philippines, and graduated from UP. Abing asks, "Capilan ka muli?"

Memoriam

2006-03-06T15:00:00.000+08:00

This week we remember the passing of a remarkable cousin -- Joel, Coya or Kuya Joel to the younger ones... A year ago, God snatched this wonderful person from us, perhaps to get him there at God's heavenly rest! St. Dominic said to his brothers before dying, "Do not weep, for I shall be more useful to you after my death and I shall help you then more effectively than during my life." I'm sure that he helps us from the other side.

"Death is the end of earthly life. Our lives are measured by time, in the course of which we change, grow old and, as with all living beings on earth, death seems like the normal end of life. That aspect of death lends urgency to our lives: remembering our mortality helps us realize that we have only a limited time in which to bring our lives to fulfillment: 'Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, ... before the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it' " (Eccl 12:1, 7; CCC 1007).

Please say a prayer for the eternal repose of Coya Joel's soul...

It's Not A Game

2006-03-01T22:31:00.000+08:00

Regarding the so-called crisis in the Philippines... I heard one so-called pundit on TV this afternoon, about his reaction to the present State of National Emergency proclaimed by the president; I think It's about the so-called silencing of the press. He said in the vernacular, "Ang pikon ay laging talo" (I can't translate this, but it may mean that a sensitive person is always a loser). It seems that this is just a game for him and his cohorts. My opinion here is that "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Will you wait for the shooting to happen before acting? It goes without saying that these people actually want this government to fall, that's why they're protesting the proclamation (1017). They can't wait to take over control of the country! Everybody wants to rule the world!

On other occasions, they broadcast in all media outlets everything malignant that they can say about this government. In my opinion, sometimes they become seditious. And then after a few moments, these same persons proclaim to the world that there is a crackdown on press freedom, that there is no freedom of expression. Who are they kidding? In the end, I honestly think that the majority of Filipinos are fed up with all of this politicking... all this propaganda ad nauseam... If this administration become what they insist it is, all of these people are either in jail or perhaps working in government (loyalty as a virtue is almost dead here). Let's go back to the elementary school and learn Loyalty all over again...

Freedom of Expression

2006-02-28T21:10:00.000+08:00

Contrary to some people's views, freedom is not absolute. When that freedom already impinges on others (individually or collectively as in the state), then it should be controlled. As St. Peter said in his first letter (1 Peter 2.16 RSV), "Live as free men, yet without using your freedom as a pretext for evil; but live as servants of God." Sometimes I shake my head, the people demanding freedom of expression just give lip service. If in the remote possibility that they become successful and take over the government, everyone will be silenced... goodbye, freedom! Look at China. The citizens can't even utter anything against their leaders; the Internet is censored! They can't even access the western news entities (e.g., BBC). Just think about this... before you join these mass actions...

We should follow St. Peter's warning in his second letter (2 Peter 2.19 RSV): "They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption; for whatever overcomes a man, to that he is enslaved."

Rulers And Authorities

2006-02-28T20:49:00.000+08:00

The present crisis in Philippine politics, if it can be considered a crisis, is really a crisis of character. As long as only civilians are involved, no problem is foreseen; but when the armed groups join the rallies, that is another matter. As I mentioned in a previous blog, if a soldier wishes to joint politics, he should resign first. In 2003, some soldiers involved in a mutiny (Oakwood) said that they were protesting the corruption of certain officers who sell bullets and other ammunition to the communist rebels. How come they are joining the NPA now in undermining the state? This outlawed organization is bent on destroying our democratic way of life. Are they willing to kill fellow soldiers? If they are so frustrated, why not resign? I'm enjoining the readers to think deeper and see the bigger picture. Bringing down this government will only benefit all these anti-democratic forces, now utterly discredited globally. I think North Korea (and perhaps Cuba) remains as the only communist state on earth. Our communists here are out of date! Some Catholic priests unknowingly are helping them; Christianity is not an ideology, it is something more sublime. It not only concerns the body, but the soul...

The people must support the government authorities. St. Paul said to Titus (3.1 RSV), "Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for any honest work." At that time, the ruling authority was the Roman Empire.

No Signs Of Life

2006-02-20T17:24:00.000+08:00

The following is the latest on the Leyte landslide; taken from The Philippine Star (leading Philippine Newspaper) website. I've printed it here entirely. It was written by Roberto Dejon, with Miriam Desacada, AP, AFP.

No signs of life
By Roberto Dejon
The Philippine Star 02/20/2006

SAINT BERNARD, Southern Leyte — After more than 48 hours of digging into what is left of Barangay Guinsaugon here, everyone speaks in hushed tones, ears to the ground, hoping the slightest sound would signal that life still stirs under tons of mud. The search has been complicated by heavy rains, on top of the threat of another landslide from an adjacent mountain as well as the possibility that the rescuers themselves could get sucked into the soft, shifting mud. Isidro Elumba, team leader of an emergency rescue team from Surigao City, said the possibility was remote that any more survivors could be pulled from the sea of mud and boulders that crashed down on Barangay Guinsaugon last Friday.

Photo: US soldiers disembark from their helicopter in front of the Saint Bernard town hall in Southern Leyte to join search and rescue operations. Photo By Joven Cagande.

"We need miracles to find (any more) survivors," he said.

Health department official Cornelio Solis, when asked if anyone could have survived this long, said, "By this time I don't think so. There is no way they could survive this by now."

"I have been to ground zero, and there is water and mud seeping through," he said.

As rescuers from all over the world arrived in this small farming village, they also said that nobody could have survived 48 hours trapped underneath tons of mud. An international team of rescuers joined the military and local volunteers in trekking to the site. The situation remained so dangerous yesterday that even some volunteers were kept out of the area. The Philippine Air Force and local officials had imposed a no-fly zone over the site on fears that helicopters' down wash and vibrations could set off a fresh landslide. Weather forecasts, on the other hand, predicted more rain over the weekend. The area has been drenched by 68 centimeters of rain over the last two weeks. Elumba stressed the need for heavy equipment to make it easy to find more survivors — or cadavers. Survivors of the tragedy had a tough time figuring out where their houses used to be since familiar landmarks have been also wiped out by Friday's landslide. Sketches of what the village used to look like didn't help either the locals or the visiting rescuers. Only 65 bodies have been recovered so far. Estimates of the number of people still buried range from 1,400 to between 2,000 and 3,000, and hopes are fading that any of them are still alive. An early morning drizzle failed to discourage a swarm of flies, while health workers are busy cleaning the bodies using water fetched from the nearby river.

"The mud is like quicksand. It is very deep and you have to be very careful," Army Maj. Gen. Bonifacio Ramos, who is heading the overall rescue effort, said at a makeshift command post.

"Because of the low pressure area that is causing rains, we can't move very fast and it's very difficult to bring in advanced heavy equipment because it may just get sucked into the mud," he said.

Rescue teams, roping themselves together and using only shovels, have been working very slowly because the mud is constantly shifting.

"Careful with your footing, that area is very deep, very deep!" one rescuer shouted at a group of local volunteers, one of whom gets sucked waist deep into the muck.

He is quickly pulled out by his companions but they are told not to proceed any further — the trail they had just taken has vanished. The military says up to 10 meters of mud — deeper in some places — has buried Barangay Guinsaugon, covering an area of nine square kilometers. The one-time lush rice paddies and the buildings have been obliterated except for the occasional tin roof and treetops jutting from the mud. Army rescuers in green fatigues and volunteers in bright orange jumpsuits fight their way across the desolate landscape of brown mire. The smell of decay hangs in the breeze, while low-lying dark clouds hover above Guinsaugon – roughly translated as the verb "to pull" in Waray dialect. The only visible signs of the disappeared lives are clothes, broken cups and plates and a brown family photo album floating on the muddy surface. One of the volunteers tries to reach for it, hoping to get a clue to where its owners are, but he loses his footing. Ramos says they lack equipment to probe under the muck and appeals for outside help. Special drilling equipment is needed, he says, as well as probes that can detect body heat.

"US lift helicopters may also be needed to move some of the boulders away. This is going to take very long to clear but I am hopeful that there could still be people alive," he said.

However, Ramos said the last clear indication of survivors was a cellular phone message by a person under the rubble to a relative two nights ago.

"We haven't received anything more (since yesterday)," he said.

The scale of devastation is so complete that US Marines at the site are shocked.

"This is total devastation, it's just acres and acres of mud and rock and that is all you see," said Lt. Joel Coots.

The hard truth

The regional Office of Civil Defense (OCD) here counted 410 people retrieved from the muck with 21 critically injured. OCD regional chief Adriano Fuego said 2,318 individuals from 12 nearby villages surrounding Guinsaugon have been evacuated along with 1,342 others to the town proper. The numbers tallied with figures from the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) based in Manila. About 1,400 remain missing based on the latest population estimate for Guinsaugon, although some local officials said the number could be much higher. Local officials claimed that at least 1,400 people and possibly up to 3,000 were buried alive in the mudslide. The bodies of 50 unidentified victims were buried in a mass grave yesterday for health reasons. Some lay in crude plywood coffins or black body bags laid out in the town proper after the supply of proper coffins ran out. A local priest sprinkled holy water on the bodies, some wrapped in bags, others in cheap wooden coffins, then said a prayer. Volunteers lowered the bodies to men who placed them side by side at the bottom of the mass grave. The confirmed death toll was 68, but hopes of finding more survivors are fading quickly. Rescuers roped together for safety hunted in vain for survivors and found only a few bodies in the muck.

"I don't think we can find anybody alive," Vice Mayor Felix Lim said.

"The mud is just too deep," he said. "That's the hard truth we have to face."

Rescue efforts were focused on the presumed site of the elementary school and the village hall, but progress was slow. At the briefing headed by Southern Leyte Gov. Rossette Lerias, the plan is to penetrate the school site where some 206 children and 40 teachers were believed to have been buried under mud. Lerias said three teams have been sent to search the area where the school building once stood. Aided by police search dogs, teams were also digging around the village hall, where about 300 people were attending a women's conference at the time of the disaster. Hopes ran high as rescue workers frantically dug through tons and tons of mud on reports by some officials and residents who claimed to have received text messages from people trapped underneath. Reports said buried children and teachers had been sending text messages calling for help. The messages then stopped, sending rescuers on a frantic mission to race against time digging into the muck despite miserable weather conditions. Dr. Ted Esguerra, a Coast Guard physician and medical officer of the first Filipino Mt. Everest expedition team, said there are slim chances of finding anymore survivors considering 48 hours have already passed. Esguerra added that they already pinpointed the exact location of the school but it was buried in 30 feet of muck.

Tragic tales

Farmer Ruben Duhiling still could not believe his son Ariel was among those still buried at the school. He also lost his wife Anne on that fateful day when the passenger jeepney she was riding was also buried by the mudslide. Duhiling claimed he was tending their farm when the tragedy struck and witnessed how the 700-foot mountain crashed on their village. Duhiling said he would be happy if somebody could help him find his missing wife and son. He had been married to Anne for ten years and he could not even remember having a heavy argument with her. "Kada adlaw malipayon bisan pobre (We're happy everyday even if we are poor)," he said.

For Irene Pajuta, losing her 12-year-old daughter is a hard reality to accept. Pajuta said she could still remember her daughter's smile when she left home that fateful day. She, too, is hoping her daughter would be found alive. British consul John Paragner, on the other hand, also went here yesterday to check out reports of a Briton found among the casualties.

The body of a certain Trevor White was found by rescue teams.

Paragner said he wants to clarify the reports which also said White was in the village that day to propose marriage to a local lass identified as Gloria Patricia, who was not listed as among the missing. Saint Bernard Mayor Maria Lim said she could only express her gratitude to those who immediately helped her town mates during the crisis. Lim, her voice cracking at times, told local reporters, that residents have been overwhelmed by the extent of assistance given to them. The ABS-CBN website said the OCD had confirmed White was among the casualties in the tragedy. The OCD also released some of the names of the casualties.

Apart from White, the other fatalities identified were Vilma Albero, Elma Bacor, Maya Bolasco, Sharon Bolasco, Cherelyn Cabillo, Marilyn Celmar, Christin Jane Pia, Nikki Gwen Dayandayan, Loloy Celmar, Angelita Espinosa, Carlos Flores, Lilia Garcia, Novern Garcia and Premo Japson. The other fatalities whose bodies were plucked out and have been identified were John Michael Labrador, Judith Labrador, Felipe Libaton, Vidita Libutan, Suzette Libutan, Gemma Malapit, Emelia Mondano, Lolly Navos, Gloria Navos, Leoni Navos, Julius Omela, Estafanie Omela, Leonora Peligro, Anabele Poño, Rey Raullo and Marvin Zamora. Aside from those first mentioned, authorities said Guinsaugon barangay chairman Absalon Libaton, municipal social worker Felicidad Ilagan, town nurse Athena Letegio and midwife Susan Sabandal were also buried alive and are presumed dead. - With Miriam Desacada, AP, AFP.

Article courtesy of The Philippine Star.

Are You Okay?

2006-02-19T04:02:00.000+08:00

Charlie, I heard on the news about the mudslide in the Philippines, are you okay? I didn't hear what part of the country it occurred in.

Google Earth

2006-02-15T22:31:00.000+08:00

Google Earth is an excellent program given free by Google. These 3 maps are taken from this application. It is where I live. You may zoom out to see the entire planet (picture 1), you may zoom to see my country (an archipelago of about 7,107 islands), or zoom even further, etc... Some places are better rendered than others, but it's a start. I always see such maps on CNN!

"Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own"

2006-02-09T15:48:00.000+08:00

In the just concluded 48^th Grammy Awards, U2's album How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb was awarded Album of the Year; and Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own became the Song of the Year. I guess a lot of you folks are U2 fans. More power!

Soldiery And Politics Don't Mix

2006-02-07T23:27:00.000+08:00

Soldiery is a very noble calling, as it is service to the nation; it is termed armed service. Soldiers have to remain professional and not at all dirty their hands in politics. In the past, soldiers were mercenaries, hired by who knows who, to their own destruction... There are those who call themselves idealistic, but they forget the true discipline involved in their profession. Can a soldier complain first before following orders? But some people might say that several instances of coups or mutinies happened in the past; should we follow an error? If a soldier can't help but talk politics, he or she should resign immediately. You can't have your cake and eat it too.

Imagine

2006-02-07T15:39:00.000+08:00

What the Muslims are doing these days, all these violence... burning of buildings, and all things hateful speaks ill of them. While insulting their religion is very bad, against the commandment of loving our neighbor, their reaction is not called for. Common sense tells us that the government of Denmark, e.g., does not control their media... why punish them? They're barking the wrong tree. They should condemn the person who insulted them, but use the court or justice system. Violence and revenge is not the answer! Even the nearby Church was not spared (Beirut). "From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and men of violence take it by force" (Mt 11.12). People who have no faith are put off from religion. It is here that John Lennon's song Imagine takes significance... (though it seems to be negative, the context is the message)

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try,
No hell below us
Above us only sky.
Imagine all the people
Livin' for today...

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do,
Nothin' to kill of die for
And no religion, too.
Imagine all the people
Livin' life in peace...

Refrain:
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one.
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be (live) as one.

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can,
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man.
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world... (ref.)

Give peace a chance!

Welcome Jean!

2006-02-05T15:20:00.000+08:00

A few days ago, while a bit bored, or perhaps to stop the monotony of work, I clicked the Next Blog button while in my site. I was immediately given Jean Madigan's blogsite, http://writereverywhere.blogspot. com, which I read subsequently. It was completely random. Then I commented on her blogs, and that's history. Yesterday Jean posted her first blog on this site, and it was wonderful!

Welcome, Jean!

She's a writer from Phoenix, Arizona; visit her web page at http://jean.handsforhope.com. The picture shows her beautiful rose garden.

Perpetually Ascending Staircase

2006-02-04T20:32:00.000+08:00

How can the man go up all the time and come back to the same place over and over? This item was emailed to me by Mark. So never make a decision based on your observations. Things are not what they seem to be.

Stampede!

2006-02-04T18:04:00.000+08:00

If you watch CNN or BBC, the Philippines is again hugging the headlines (second only to the ferry disaster in the Red sea where at least 100 died). At least 79 people died when a stampede broke out outside the ULTRA stadium in Pasig City! All government and private entities are now helping the victims of this senseless tragedy. And you know what adds fuel to the fire? The comments of some personalities! They blame the government for not providing a livelihood for these poor people. They claim they died because they're poor (see related blog below). Being poor does not justify a tragedy such as this! You can be poor and at the same time remain alive. I'm just a little disappointed with these commentators.

When there is a gathering of a crowd in the thousands, a security plan should be in place. In Mecca as few weeks ago, hundreds of people died in a similar fashion. This disaster should not be repeated in the future.

Why Are We Poor?

2006-02-04T17:48:00.000+08:00

Although the people are "poor" here in the Philippines, I always see the radiant smile of all the folks. When something goes wrong, the culprit always smiles, as if he has found someone to blame for the misfortune. This might be shocking to the West, but it's something which sociologists and anthropologists understand. We are closer to nature this way, although I can see the attitude changing. Modern technology somehow confounds this; it made us more narrow in our views. People get too much from nature, without giving back to it. Floods are common occurences now, especially in the countryside. The culprit? Well.. it's logging, commercial logging! When the flood subsides, we see ubiquitous logs scattered everywhere. A lot of our poverty stems from the exploitation of others, especially foreign companies. Now I don't blame any particular people here, but a lot of these companies are American, and with increasing frequency, Japanese and now even Chinese (no offense meant). The laborers are not paid properly; minimum wage is about 70 cents an hour (if they're paid at all)! Now you might ask, how can the people live? One solution is migration--more than 10% of our population is located abroad. I often joke that in the year 3000, Filipinos will rule the Earth! Maybe you're familiar with the diaspora of the Jews. This is our diaspora as a nation. As Jesus said in the Beatitudes, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth (Mt 5.5)."

Hi, Charlie!

2006-02-04T11:41:00.000+08:00

WRITE ABOUT THE VIEW FROM THE HILLTOP

I stood with Keith on a ledge at the top of Gooseberry Falls, looking down at the forest of red maples and oaks, it was quiet, save for little animals skittering in fallen leaves, it was beautiful, but I was afraid of heights.

Keith said to me, “Are you sure you need to go into treatment, you’re not that bad, Shara.”

I looked at this man I’d met three months ago, what did I know about him? I’d met him at a bar one night, and in the light of day, I saw an old man with white hair, but I didn’t care…he’d offered to take me to treatment and I accepted. Now, I saw something strange in his eyes.

“Yes, I need to go, Keith, and so should you.”

“Uh uh, not me, I don’t need it, I’m going to miss you, though.

I looked around, no cars but Keith’s in the parking lot, and I didn’t see any hikers.

“Come closer to the edge, Shara, you’d have a better view,” he urged.

“No, I don’t want to, let’s go.”

I’d heard that people sometimes have an urge to jump when in high places, not me, I’d heard about a lady visiting Yellowstone, they say she was pushed off the railing, no railing stood between me and the abyss.

Keith made one step closer to me and reached out his arms, “We’ll go together, Shara.”

“No we won’t,” and I gave him a shove with all my strength, and heard his screams all the way down, it was him or me, but who would believe me.

I sat down by a tree, far away from the edge of the cliff, what to do, what to do, my hands shook, I could use a drink, but hadn’t brought any liquor. If I took the car and turned myself in, no, it would be my word, if I drove to the Canadian border, I couldn’t produce registration in my own name, and the Mounties would call Keith’s wife. Only one thing to do, stay here for a month, sleep in the car, I could think no further than this. My suitcase was in the car, a lot of goodies were in the trunk that Keith bought me.

Each day passed like a year, at first I had fun communing with nature and writing down my experience. But I had no human companion, the quiet, the thoughts whirling in my head about Keith, I heard his screams in my sleep and when I awoke each day, I was bathed in sweat.

One night, I awoke to grunts and something pounding on the car window, I turned on the interior light and saw a bear. I hadn’t remembered to keep food trash picked up, I had to get out of here. I got into the front seat, started the car with shaking fingers, but in my haste to get away, I put the car in forward motion, instead of reverse, and I accelerated. Oh no, I don’t want to be down there with Keith, no, God, please aaaaaaaahhhh.

State troopers and highway patrolmen, plus local police searched the canyon at Gooseberry Falls, “Well, whadda ya know,” they said to each other, "we finally found Keith Carradine, and got a serial killer off the streets."

Charlie, I write a variety of things, so don't be shocked when I write about murder. There's always a moral to my stories. I have a great many to edit, so a lot of them won't make their way here, because they will be put up for publication, if I'm lucky.

~ Jean