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Triceratops

2007-01-26

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).

Unborn: Human Being With Potential

2007-02-03

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.

Portugal: Abortion Referendum

2007-02-12

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?

Tony Joacquim's Baptism

2007-02-12

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.

Forcing the Issue

2007-02-27

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).

Common Sense

2007-03-02

"Common sense is not so common."
~Voltaire, Dictionnaire Philosophique (1764)

One trait that is missing nowadays is common sense. Anywhere we go, we should not leave this stuff. A well-known movie director recently announced that the tomb of Jesus was found south of Jerusalem, together with wife Mary and a son. Can you imagine Jesus having a wife and child? The evidence they point to are the labels on those tombs (family tomb). Think about it... can 2000 years of history and faith be destroyed by that so-called evidence? Perhaps deep inside these people, they know that they are just kidding; they are making this allegation just to make money. The non-thinking public (I hope this is a small percentage only) will see the movie or documentary based on speculations generated by such claims. Is there a concerted effort to discredit Christianity, or religion in general? What happened to the book/movie Da Vinci Code? It's forgotten the moment it was released for viewing! The author (Brown) may have gotten the money, but what can that money do? Is he happy? All these things are evanescent.

On the local front (Philippines), it's election fever. Before believing the things (or trash) politicians say, think first. When pointing at his opponent, three fingers point back at him. Matthew 7.12 RSV says: "So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; for this is the law and the prophets." And when the results come, accept the verdict of the people: this is the essence of democracy.

Sa Aking Pagtanda

2007-03-10

I got the following email from Coya Noel in Tagalog; it was originally written by Fr. Ariel Robles...

Sa aking pagtanda, unawain mo sana ako at pagpasensyahan. Kapag dala ng kalabuan ng mata ay nakabasag ako ng pinggan o nakatapon ng sabaw sa hapag kainan, huwag mo sana akong kagagalitan. Maramdamin ang isang matanda. Nagse-self-pity ako a tuwing sisigawan mo ako.

Kapag mahina na ang tenga ko at hindi ko maintindihan ang sinasabi mo, huwag mo naman sana akong sabihan ng "binge!" paki-ulit nalang ang sinabi mo o pakisulat nalang. Pasensya ka na, anak. Matanda na talaga ako.

Kapag mahina na tuhod ko, pagtiyagaan mo sana akong tulungang tumayo, katulad ng pag-aalalay ko sa iyo noong nag-aaral ka pa lamang lumakad.

Pagpasensyahan mo sana ako kung ako man ay nagiging makulit at paulit ulit na parang sirang plaka. Basta pakinggan mo nalang ako. Huwag mo sana akong pagtatawanan o pagsasawaang pakinggan. Natatandaan mo anak noong bata ka pa? kapag gusto mo ng lobo,paulit-ulit mo 'yong sasabihin, maghapon kang mangungulit hangga't hindi mo nakukuha ang gusto mo. Pinagtyagaan ko ang kakulitan mo.

Pagpasensyahan mo na rin sana ang aking amoy. Amoy matanda, amoy lupa. Huwag mo sana akong piliting maligo. Mahina na ang katawan ko. Madaling magkasakit kapag nalamigan, huwag mo sana akong pandirihan. Natatandaan mo noong bata ka pa? Pinatyagaan kitang habulin sa ilalim ng kama kapag ayaw mong maligo.

Pagpasensyahan mo sana kung madalas, ako'y masungit, dala na marahil ito ng katandaan. Pagtanda mo, maiintindihan mo rin.

Kapag may konti kang panahon, magkwentohan naman tayo, kahit sandali lang. inip na ako sa bahay, maghapong nag-iisa. Walang kausap. Alam kong busy ka sa trabaho, subalit nais kong malaman mo na sabik na sabik na akong makakwentohan ka, kahit alam kong hindi ka interesado sa mga kwento ko. Natatandaan mo anak, noong bata ka pa? Pinagtyagaan kong pakinggan at intindihin ang pautal-utal mong kwento tungkol sa iyong teddy bear.

At kapag dumating ang sandali na ako'y magkakasakit at maratay sa banig ng karamdaman, huwga mo sana akong pagsawaan alagaan. Pagpasensyahan mo na sana kung ako man ay maihi o madumi sa higaan, pagtyagaan mo sana akong alagaan sa mga huling sandali ng aking buhay. Tutal hindi na naman ako magtatagal.

Kapag dumating ang sandali ng aking pagpanaw, hawakan mo sana ang aking kamay at bigyan mo ako ng lakas ng loob na harapin ang kamatayan.

At huwag kang mag-alala, kapag kaharap ko na ang Diyos na lumikha, ibubulong ko sa kanya na pagapalain ka sana ... dahil naging mapagmahal ka sa iyong ama't ina...

by Rev. Fr. Ariel F. Robles
CWL Spiritual Director
St. Augustine Parish
Baliuag, Bulacan, PH

The Atheist

2007-03-18

I got the following article back in 2006-12-16, an email from Joy (forwarded message from Althea, her friend).

An atheist was walking through the woods. "What majestic trees"! "What powerful rivers"! "What beautiful animals"! he said to himself. But just then, he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him. He turned to look. He saw a 7-foot grizzly bear fly out of the bushes and charge towards him. He ran as fast as he could up the path. He looked over his shoulder and saw that the bear was closing in on him. He looked over his shoulder again, and the bear was even closer. He tripped and fell on the ground. He rolled over to pick himself up but saw that the bear was right on top of him, reaching for him with his left paw and raising his right paw to strike him. At that instant the atheist cried out, "Oh my God!"

Time Stopped. The bear froze. The forest was silent.

As a bright light shone upon the man, a voice came out of the sky. "You deny my existence for all these years, teach others I don't exist and credit creation to cosmic accident!" "Do you expect me now to help you out of this predicament? Am I to count you as a believer?"

The atheist looked directly into the light, "It would be hypocritical of me to suddenly ask you to treat me as a Christian now, but perhaps you could make the bear a Christian?"

"Very Well," said the voice.

The light went out. The sounds of the forest resumed. And the bear dropped his right paw, brought both paws together, bowed his head and spoke:

"Lord bless this food, which I am about to receive from thy bounty through Christ our Lord, Amen."

Democracy's Dark Side

2007-03-22

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.

Julia in the Philippines

2007-04-19

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.

Tacoma, Washington

2007-04-22

On 21 March 2007, Ate Lelette arrived in Tacoma, WA for her schooling in nursing at the Madigan Army Medical Center. On this date in 1521 Ferdinand Magellan arrived in the Philippine islands. She's staying for less than a year to complete her studies.

The pictures here are courtesy of Google Maps, and it's better to go there for any geographical query. This is the satellite photo (hybrid) of Washington State; Tacoma is pointed to by a green arow. Mount St. Helens is about 70 km to the southwest.

If you are in Seattle, travel south to reach Tacoma...

...and proceeding south on the main road, left and lower edge of the map, you reach Jackson Avenue.

The avenue is on the left side of the main road, towards the Fort Lewis Military Reservation.

The medical center is seen in this photo; road on the right edge is Jackson avenue. All our prayers and love go to you, our dear cousin. So folks, visit her in Washington.

What's the Matter?

2007-05-04

"To what then shall I compare the men of this generation, and what are they like? They are like children sitting in the market place and calling to one another, `We piped to you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not weep.' For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine; and you say, `He has a demon.' The Son of man has come eating and drinking; and you say, `Behold, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is justified by all her children." ~Luke 7.31-35 RSV

In recent local news (PH), the first gentleman was hospitalized for dissecting aortic aneurysm and coronary artery disease; he was confined for 3 weeks or so, and against all odds he got well. Perhaps he had a lot of time to think about his future here on earth. Then he dropped all libel cases he filed against some members of media. But those concerned were probably shocked and didn't accept such developments. They want to pursue the cases even if they are defendants in the cases. They want the cases to continue! Before such gesture was made, they are complaining in the media about harrassment, saying that there is no press freedom. They don't want to go to court if they had the choice. Now that the charges are being dropped, what are they saying? There's something wrong with this picture.

Miss Teen Luzon

2007-05-11

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.

Hell Exists

2007-05-14

While browsing this site of mine, I found an ad at the right column saying that hell does not exist. This is the kind of ads I worry about when writing in blogs (where ads are present). Well, sorry, but hell is a reality, not in this physical world (although we sometimes see hell physically, e.g., the concentration camps), but in the spiritual world. The bible says: "do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matthew 10.28 RSV). People should not talk about things they don't know anything about; better to keep silent than spread error. And if one insists that hell doesn't exist, can it be denied if you're actually there when the time comes? There is no scientific proof for hell, yes, but there are things that can't be explained in this world.

What is the point in this? We see all sorts of evil, crime, etc., because people don't believe in hell's existence. Why will I sacrifice a lot of things, when there's no hell at all. If you imagine there's no hell below us; then people will live only for today. There will be no sense of sin, and there goes morality and ethics to the garbage dump. No! We as people have more dignity than that! We are called to a higher calling. We have to change before it's too late.

Political Rip-off

2007-05-22

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.

Assault on Reason

2007-05-29

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

It's Great to be a Senator

2007-06-02

The following article (in Tagalog) was emailed to me, and the original author is not known. It's about the perks every senator gets in the Philippine Senate. Here goes...

Maganda rin naman ang naidudulot ng pagiging prangka ni Senador Miriam Defensor-Santiago. Ayon kay Santiago, marami ang tumatakbong Senador dahil sa laki ng budget na ibinibigay sa kanila kada buwan.

Lumalabas na P35,000 suweldo nila kada buwan ay pakitang-tao lang sa milyun-milyong budget ng bawat senador. Kada buwan ay may Fixed Monthly Budget ang bawat Senador ng humigit-kumulang P2 Milyon.

Sa opisina pa lang nila ay humigit-kumulang P500,000 and budget nila sa Maintenance and Operating Expenses (Rental, Utilities, Supplies at Domestic Travels) at P500,000 para sa Staff at Personal expenses. Kaya para makatipid ang ibang Senador, kaunti lang ang staff na kinukuha nila. Nagtataka ka pa kung bakit mayroong mga Ghost Employee?

Bukod diyan, may P760,000 allowance pa sila kada buwan para naman sa Foreign Travel. At ang masakit pa nito, hindi na kailngan i-liquidate ang mga resibo ng mga gastusin 'yan kundi Certification lang ang Requirement.

Heto pa, lahat sila ay Chairman ng mg Komite sa Senado. Ang Committee Chairman ay tumatanggap din ng budget na sinlaki ng tinatanggap ng mga Senador na humigit-kumulang P1 Milyon din! Hindi sila mawawalan ng Komite dahil 24 lang ang ating mga Senador at 37 naman ang Committee sa Senado. There's food for everybody 'ika nga! Lumalabas na doble ang kanilang benepesiyo at kita kapag sila ay nabiyayaan ng Committee Chairmanship.

Sa P200 milyon na Budget para sa Pork Barrel ng mga Senador bawat taon, awtomatikong may 10% na S.O.P. o kita ng Senador na P20 milyon. Ito ang porsiyento na ibinibigay ng mga kontratista sa mga Senador na nagbibigay sa kanila ng mga Infrastructure at Livelihood Project.

Bago matapos ang termino ng isang Senador, kumita na siya ng P100 milyon sa Pork Barrel pa lang. Yung ibang Senador mas gahaman, hindi lang 10% kundi 20 - 30% ang komisyon hinihingi sa mga kontratista.

Pansinin niyo na lang ang pagbabago ng buhay ng ilan sa ating mga Senador simula nang manungkulan sa puwesto. Kung dati ay simple lang ang kanilang pamumuhay ngayon ay nakatira na sila sa mga eksklusibong subdivision, maraming bahay sa Pilipinas at abroad at mahigit lima ang sasakyan.

Ngayon nagtataka ka pa ba kung bakit gumagastos ng daan-daang milyong piso ang mga Senador sa kampanya para sa isang posisyon na P35,000 lang ang suweldo kada buwan? Bawing-bawi pala ang gastos kapag naupo na! Ang sarap maging senador!

Time

2007-06-21

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...

Are They Human?

2007-07-26

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!

Handling Telemarketers: Andy Rooney's Tips

2007-07-27

The following was emailed (forwarded) to me by Amie, a former classmate back at the UPCM. How can we outlaw these unsolicited phone calls?

Three Little Words That Work!

(1) The three little words are: "Hold On, Please..."

Saying this, while putting down your phone and walking off (instead of hanging-up immediately) would make each telemarketing call so much more time-consuming that boiler room sales would grind to a halt. Then when you eventually hear the phone company's "beep-beep-beep" tone, you know it's time to go back and hang up your handset, which has efficiently completed its task. These three little words will help eliminate telephone soliciting.

(2) Do you ever get those annoying phone calls with no one on the other end?

This is a telemarketing technique where a machine makes phone calls and records the time of day when a person answers the phone. This technique is used to determine the best time of day for a "real" sales person to call back and get someone at home. What you can do after answering, if you notice there is no one there, is to immediately start hitting your # button on the phone, 6 or 7 times, as quickly as possible. This confuses the machine that dialed the call and it kicks your number out of their system. Gosh, what a shame not to have your name in their system any longer!

(3) Junk Mail Help:

When you get "ads" enclosed with your phone or utility bill, return these "ads" with your payment. Let the sending companies throw their own junk mail away. When you get those "pre-approved" letters in the mail for everything from credit cards to 2nd mortgages and similar type junk, do not throw away the return envelope.

Most of these come with postage-paid return envelopes, right? It costs them more than the regular 37 cents postage "IF" and when they receive them back. It costs them nothing if you throw them away! The postage was around 50 cents before the last increase and it is according to the weight. In that case, why not get rid of some of your other junk mail and put it in these cool little, postage-paid return envelopes.

Send an ad for your local chimney cleaner to American Express. Send a pizza coupon to Citibank. If you didn't get anything else that day, then just send them their blank application back! If you want to remain anonymous, just make sure your name isn't on anything you send them. You can even send the envelope back empty if you want to just to keep them guessing! It still costs them 37 cents.

The banks and credit card companies are currently getting a lot of their own junk back in the mail, but folks, we need to OVERWHELM them. Let's let them know what it's like to get lots of junk mail, and best of all they're paying for it...Twice! Let's help keep our postal service busy since they are saying that e-mail is cutting into their business profits, and that's why they need to increase postage costs again. You get the idea!

If enough people follow these tips, it will work -- I have been doing this for years, and I get very little junk mail anymore.

Philippine Diaspora

2007-08-06

I just received an email from Tatang Amor, and one topic that emerged is "why will a military officer become a nurse". There was this junior officer who resigned from the military to go to the US and become a nurse. The topic seems to be a hot issue here so I've published my response.

Nursing is the most sought after course here and we all know why. Well, to start things up, I have a colleague here, a fellow radiologist (an M.D.) practicing in Manila who actually studied nursing and passed all the required examinations to practice in the US. She's already a doctor and yet she is now a registered nurse! Another collegue in Gen. Santos City also studied to be a nurse, and I don't know if he pursued it in the US. I don't want to judge people but I guess the number one reason is economics, and of course there are other countless reasons. These kinds of things we don't question anymore. For others it's a long ranging dream to go to the US, for others, it's some kind of a conversion reaction, perhaps they have relatives who are asking or petitioning for them, and perhaps God has a plan for each one of us, his creatures, which includes the change in residence and job. But for every one who succeeds, I guess 99 don't.

As a people, we Filipinos are meek and humble, and Christ said that "they" will inherit the earth. We are in a diaspora but we remain to have a headquarters here. But I'm a little disappointed when instead of bringing with us our culture and faith, a lot of our folks lose it and gain a foreign and sometimes blatantly pagan one. We are diffusing throughout the globe but let's not forget our roots.

Typhoon Egay

2007-08-16

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.

On Rick Warren's Perspective

2007-08-28

The following article was emailed to me by my godfather living in the United States. Spend some time reading it. Why is this writing powerful? This is actually a Catholic viewpoint; everything has a purpose, even suffering and pain...

Rick Warren's Perspective

You will enjoy the new insights that Rick Warren (author of Purpose Driven Life) has, with his wife now having cancer and him having wealth from the book sales. This is an absolutely incredible short interview with Rick Warren. In the interview by Paul Bradshaw with Rick Warren, Rick said:

People ask me, What is the purpose of life? And I respond: In a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity. We were made to last forever, and God wants us to be with Him in Heaven. One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end of my body-- but not the end of me. I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend trillions of years in eternity. This is the warm-up act - the dress rehearsal. God wants us to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity.

We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn't going to make sense. Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you're just coming out of one, or you're getting ready to go into another one. The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort. God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy. We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that's not the goal of life. The goal is to grow in character, in Christ likeness.

This past year has been the greatest year of my life but also the toughest, with my wife, Kay, getting cancer. I used to think that life was hills and valleys - you go through a dark time, then you go to the mountaintop, back and forth. I don't believe that anymore. Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it's kind of like two rails on a railroad track, and at all times you have something good and something bad in your life. No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on. And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something good you can thank God for.

You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems. If you focus on your problems, you're going into self-centeredness, which is my problem, my issues, my pain. But one of the easiest ways to get rid of pain is to get your focus off yourself and onto God and others. We discovered quickly that in spite of the prayers of hundreds of thousands of people, God was not going to heal Kay or make it easy for her. It has been very difficult for her, and yet God has strengthened her character, given her a ministry of helping other people, given her a testimony, drawn her closer to Him and to people.

You have to learn to deal with both the good and the bad of life. Actually, sometimes learning to deal with the good is harder. For instance, this past year, all of a sudden, when the book sold 15 million copies, it made me instantly very wealthy. It also brought a lot of notoriety that I had never had to deal with before. I don't think God gives you money or notoriety for your own ego or for you to live a life of ease. So I began to ask God what He wanted me to do with this money, notoriety and influence. He gave me two different passages that helped me decide what to do, 2 Corinthians 9 and Psalm 72.

First, in spite of all the money coming in, we would not change our lifestyle one bit. We made no major purchases. Second, about midway through last year, I stopped taking a salary from the church. Third, we set up foundations to fund an initiative we call The Peace Plan to plant churches, equip leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, and educate the next generation. Fourth, I added up all that the church had paid me in the 24 years since I started the church, and I gave it all back. It was liberating to be able to serve God for free.

We need to ask ourselves: Am I going to live for possessions? Popularity? Am I going to be driven by pressures? Guilt? Bitterness? Materialism? Or am I going to be driven by God's purposes (for my life)? When I get up in the morning, I sit on the side of my bed and say, God, if I don't get anything else done today, I want to know You more and love You better. God didn't put me on earth just to fulfill a to-do list. He's more interested in what I am than what I do. That's why we're called human beings, not human doings.

Happy moments, praise God.
Difficult moments, seek God.
Quiet moments, worship God.
Painful moments, trust God.
Every moment, thank God.

Dumpsters, Bridges, and Children

2007-09-11

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 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 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.

Desperate Housewives Faux Pas

2007-10-05

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

No Tears For Estrada

2007-10-09

In any situation, for politicians or not, guilty or innocent, "let the chips fall where they may (from Fight Club)". I received the following article through email regarding Ex-president Estrada's guilty verdict for plunder...

Telltale Signs: No Tears For Estrada
by Rodel E. Rodis, September 17, 2007

On the day the Estrada verdict was announced last week, a retired man who needed my help in his claim for social security benefits in the Philippines professed sympathy for the former president, expressing his hope that he would be shown mercy because he had "suffered enough".

Like most people, he had not read the 212-page decision of the Philippine Antigraft Court (Sandiganbayan), finding former president Joseph "Erap" Estrada guilty of plunder. If he had read the complete decision, he would have discovered the ironic connection between his problems with the SSS and the basis for the plunder verdict. (For the transcripts, log on to www.manilamail.com).

It took six years for the Sandigan court to try the Estrada case, most of the delays caused by Estrada himself. At one point, he fired all his attorneys so that a mistrial could occur. But after the court provided him with new attorneys, which he promptly rejected, Estrada retained new counsel and proceeded with a strategy to run out the clock until his close personal friend, Fernando Poe, Jr. (FPJ), could win the presidency in the May 2004 elections and dismiss all the charges against him.

But when FPJ lost, Estrada had no choice but to finally deal with the prosecution's case by seeking to undermine the credibility of the court and by claiming that the trial is "politically motivated" to justify his removal from office. Very little was done by his lawyers to debunk the voluminous evidence presented in court.

In the course of the trial despite innumerable delays, dozens of witnesses described how Estrada collected billions of Philippine pesos in "jueteng" protection money which they regularly delivered in cash to his Polk Street mansion in San Juan in Metro Manila. It was like a mob scene from "The Sopranos". But the most damning witnesses against Estrada were those he appointed to public office.

Carlos "Chucky" Arellano testified that he was a childhood friend of Estrada who appointed him chairman and president of the Social Security System (SSS) in 1998. On October 6, 1999, he received a call from Pres. Estrada instructing him to buy Belle Corporation stock. He hesitated to do so, he said, because that decision belonged to the SSS investment committee which selected the stocks to invest in for the millions of Filipinos who had contributed to it. However, after further prodding from Estrada, Arellano unilaterally authorized the purchase by SSS of P900-M ($20-M) in Belle stocks on October 21, 1999, just 15 days after he was directed to do so.

Federico Pascual testified that he was the president of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) in 1999, appointed by Estrada, when he was instructed to purchase Belle shares. He hesitated to do the president's bidding, he said, because the Belle Corporation was involved in jai-alai and gambling and had a speculative flavor. But after receiving another call from Estrada on October 9, 1999, he went ahead and authorized the purchase by GSIS of P1.1-B ($25-M) in Belle stock.

A close crony of Estrada, Jaime Dichaves, facilitated the transaction. Belle Corporation executives testified that they issued a cashier's check to Dichaves in the amount of P189-M($4-M) (International Exchange Bank Check No. 6000159271 dated November 5, 1999) as his 10% commission for securing the purchase by SSS and GSIS of close to P2-B ($45-M) in Belle stocks.

Bank executives then testified that Dichaves deposited the 10% commission of P189-M ($4-M) into the bank account of Jose Velarde, in Equitble Bank. Dichaves deposited an additional amount of P74-M into the same account.

Clarissa Ocampo, an Equitable Bank manager, testified that she personally witnessed Estrada sign his name as Jose Velarde in withdrawing funds from the Equitable Bank, an allegation that was openly admitted by Estrada himself. Bank executives testified that there were Joint accounts in the bank of Jose Velarde and Loi Ejercito (Estradas legal wife).

Bank executives also testified that it was from this same Jose Velarde account that Estrada purchased the "Boracay Mansion" near Wack-Wack Golf Club for the use of his favored mistress, Laarni Enriquez. The man who facilitated the purchase of this mansion was Jose Luis Yulo who, because of this "housing" experience, was then appointed by Estrada to be his Secretary of Housing, replacing the very competent Karina Constantino-David.

The prosecution's evidence was just too overwhelming, the Sandiganbayan justices had no other choice but to find Estrada guilty of plunder, beyond a reasonable doubt. Sifting through the testimonies of eyewitnesses, one concludes that Estrada never believed that he would ever have to account for his actions so he didn't care who witnessed what he was doing. Transparency turned out not to be a virtue and stupidity not a viable defense.

But the joke was on the people. When GSIS and SSS bought Belle stocks, as instructed by then Pres. Estrada, in 1999, they were priced at P3.14 a share. One year later, on December 29, 2000, their value had sunk dramatically to P0.60 a share. Two years later, Belle stock crashed to a staggering P0.40 a share, from purchase price of P3.14 per share. Now they are virtually worthless! Two billion pesos of the people's investments down the drain!

While I congratulate the Sandiganbayan Justices for finding Estrada guilty of plunder, my regret is that he was never charged for his possible role in the abduction and murders of Salvador "Bubby" Dacer, Emmanuel Corbito and Edgar Bentain. According to members of his family, Bubby Dacer was bawled out by Estrada in Malacanang in November of 1999 shortly before he and his driver, Corbito, were abducted by members of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF) headed by Gen. Panfilo Lacson and tortured and executed. The PAOCTF soldiers who admitted killing Dacer and Corbito pointed to Col. Glenn Dumlao as their commanding officer. Before he fled to the US, Col. Dumlao pointed to Col. Cezar Mancao and Col. Michael Ray Aquino as the officers who gave him the orders. Before they could point their fingers as to who directed them, Mancao and Aquino fled to the US upon instructions of Lacson. If Lacson had been fingered by Mancao and Aquino, would he have pointed the finger to Estrada?

Edgar Bentain was a casino worker at the Casino Filipino located at the Heritage Hotel in Manila when he secretly released to the press the videotape of Estrada playing high-stakes poker with his crony, Atong Ang.

The videotape was then shown on TV to the embarrassment of Estrada who ordered an investigation into who leaked the videotape. According to Ador Mawanay's sworn testimony on August 17, 2001, PAOCTF men abducted Bentain outside the casino and immersed him with cement inside a drum and dumped his corpse in Pampanga. The leader of the PAOCTF team, he said, was Col. Michael Ray Aquino. Mawanay identified Estrada's son, Jude, as the man he saw give a black bag containing money to Aquino as payment for the killing of Bentain.

Estrada "suffered enough"? Pls. forward to all Filipinos. Thank you.

[Just recently, Estrada was pardoned by the president; maybe it pays to be a former president.]

Quickly

2007-10-18

"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.

Naïveté

2007-10-25

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...

The Duck & the Devil

2007-11-22

This article was emailed to me through Joy.

There was a little boy visiting his grandparents on their farm. He was given a slingshot to play with out in the woods. He practiced in the woods; but he could never hit the target. Getting a little discouraged, he headed back for dinner. As he was walking back he saw grandma's pet duck. Just out of impulse, he let the slingshot fly, hit the duck square in the head and killed it. He was shocked and grieved!

In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the wood pile only to see his sister watching! Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing. After lunch the next day grandma said, "Sally, let's wash the dishes" but Sally said, "Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen." Then she whispered to him, "Remember the duck?" So Johnny did the dishes. Later that day, grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing and grandma said, "I'm sorry but I need Sally to help make supper." Sally just smiled and said, "Well that's all right because Johnny told me he wanted to help." She whispered again, "Remember the duck?" So Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed to help.

After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally's; he finally couldn't stand it any longer. He came to grandma and confessed that he had killed the duck. Grandma knelt down, gave him a hug and said, "Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window and I saw the whole thing, but because I love you, I forgave you. I was just wondering how long you would let Sally make a slave of you."

Thought for the day and every day thereafter

Whatever is in your past, whatever you have done, and the devil keeps throwing it up in your face (lying, cheating, debt, fear, bad habits, hatred, anger, bitterness, etc.)... whatever it is... You need to know that God was standing at the window and he saw the whole thing. He has seen your whole life. He wants you to know that he loves you and that you are forgiven. He's just wondering how long you will let the devil make a slave of you. The great thing about God is that when you ask for forgiveness; he not only forgives you, but he forgets. It is by God's grace and mercy that we are saved.

Go ahead and make the difference in someone's life today. Share this with a friend and always remember: God is at the window!

When Jesus died on the cross; he was thinking of you!

Merry Christmas to All!

2007-12-23

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.