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Wednesday, July 30

The Real State of the Nation



street kids rummaging the garbage for food

What progress is she talking about? Hello, get real lady.

This is the real state of the nation...

  • sa taas ng presyo ng gas at buwis, tumaas lahat ng bilihin + mababang sweldo = kahirapan ng milyon milyong mga Pilipino
  • mga gurong nagtia-tiaga sa maliit na sweldo/benepisyo + gutom na mag-aaral = low literacy rate; high percentage of grade schoolers who dropped out during their 1st year in school
  • pangungurakot sa DECS = shortage in classroom and shortage in books
  • mga pulis na kulang ang sweldo = maraming pangongotong/ extortion
  • mga pampublikong hospital kulang sa gamot at equipment + walang concern na mga doktor = kaawa-awang maysakit naghihintay na lang ng kamatayan
  • mga empleyadong kapos na kapos ang panggastos sa pamilya = more overtime, more loans, more sideline, less time for family
  • mga mahirap na walang trabaho, nagbebenta na ng kanilang kidneys, mata, liver o dugo
  • mga kabataang naghahalukay ng basura para me makain
  • mga sundalong naghihirap ang pamilya = pag-alis sa serbisyo o pag punta ng palihim sa Iraq at Afghanistan kapalit ng $600
  • isang ordinaryong pamilya nagtia-tiaga sa instant noddles and sardinas na pag hahatian ng 4-6 miembro ng pamilya, ang iba naman kumakain na lang ng isang beses sa isang araw
  • mga jeepney/tricycle/bus drivers, di na alam paano pagkasyahin ang kita sa isang araw sa taas ng presyo ng krudo = gutom na pamilya
Samantalang ang mga maswerte nating mga opisyal ng gobyerno nagpapayaman sa pwesto, sa kanilang mga mansyon, magagarang alahas at sasakyan, pag shopping sa abroad, pag papa-aral sa kanilang mga anak sa mga exclusive school o ang iba sa abroad pa lalo na ang mga nagsisilbi kuno ("public service") sa Congress, BIR, Bureau of Customs, Land Registration Authority, mga nakaupong comptroller sa iba-ibang ahensiya, sa PNP, AFP, DPWH, DOH, DOTC, DECS, PCSO, PAGCOR at mga government corporations. Kung alam lang nyo lang magkano sweldo at benepisyo nila pati mga under-the table deals, mag aalsa talaga mga mahihirap na gutom na gutom na at wala ng mapakain o mapag-aral sa kanilang mga anak. I should know, I've worked in government service for ten years, worked with quite a number of our "honorable" legislators and have dealt with almost all government agencies. The P3 billion fund for anti-graft program is all crap. Only a miracle can stop corruption in this country.

Saturday, July 26

Photo Hunt: Hanging



To join the hunt, click here.



my kid Nicole enjoying the hanging hammock at the Westin


hanging tv monitors inside the abs-cbn studio


hanging bridge at Fun Ranch

Friday, July 25

Sneak Peek- High School Musical 3: Senior Year

My kids favorite movie created for tv by Disney, High School Musical is now on film. It would be shown by September. I bet almost all teenagers in the country are waiting for this movie. And I'm sure my kids would be bugging me again to watch it and buy more of its merchandise. Thanks (or no thanks) to Disney...



Source: Inquirer.net and Disney

Tuesday, July 22

Pio Says.....

Here's another conversation between my kids and with me....

Mama: (To hubby) He should really be that good (talking abt. a certain politician). Mabango pa ang pangalan nya.

Pio: Mama, me mabaho bang pangalan?

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While kids are playing a car racing game over the net...

Bea: Oh no Kuya Pio, you run over the man...

Pio: Eh di magpyansa (get a bail) ... (Golly, I should save now for this little fellow...)

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Mama: kids you should finish your food, no leftovers please, the rice is so expensive nowadays...
To Pio- are you done? You ate so little.

Pio: You said, magtipid sa kanin eh....(hmmp....)

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Tuesday, July 15

Tagged: Kids Fave Stuffed Toys

Cookie tagged me to post my kids' fave toy, the one they always bring around. I can't find pics of my kids with their toys. See, no camera phones yet that time. I can only remember Nicole would always ask me to buy any teletubbies merchandise she sees on the mall, be it a stuffed toy, a bag, belt, shirts, shoes, costume, etc. I even bought the talking Po because she really thought the toy is alive. he he he. She eventually grew tired of her little friends, shifted to Winnie the Pooh, then to Barbie dolls and Barbie playsets. Now, Gabbie and Bea are enjoying their teddies, Piglet and Barbie dolls also.


Winnie the Pooh and Teletubbies, my kids' little playmates


Gabbie's fave stuffed toy- the Blue Teddy. She sleeps with it
in her bed and brings it to the car and even kisses teddy
before she goes to school.


Nicole's sleeping companion when she was only one year old.
The teletubbies, Dipsy and Tinky Winky. She still has Po
and Lala. They're all "sleeping" now in Nicole's old crib....


Bea's fave stuffed toy- Piglet

Monday, July 14

We Need Leaders....

  • who cannot be bought;

  • whose word is their bond;

  • who put character above wealth;

  • who possess opinions and a will;

  • who are larger than their vocations;

  • who do not hesitate to take chances;

  • who will be as honest in small things as in great things;

  • who will make no compromise with wrong;

  • who will not say they do it "because everybody else does it";

  • who are true to their friends in adversity as well as in prosperity;

  • who do not believe that shrewdness, cunning, and hardheadedness are the best qualities for winning success;

  • who are not ashamed or afraid to stand for the truth when it is unpopular, who can say "no" with emphasis, although all the rest of the world says "yes"

WHOSE AMBITIONS ARE NOT CONFINED TO THEIR OWN SELFISH DESIRES


* This post is among my first few posts when I was just starting my blog last year. I just change the title, instead of we need men, to we need leaders. Author is unknown. I just thought of re-posting this timely quote for our leaders and would-be leaders.

Tuesday, July 8

Is Your Headache Giving You A Headache?

If you've noticed I've been re-printing and posting articles from newspapers which I think would be useful to me, to my friends or to some readers who have health problems. Like this article on headaches, I've been having migraine attacks once or twice a month ever since I was in college. The pain is so unbearable that I sometimes think of banging my head on the wall. I would take meds only when I cannot take the pain anymore. On worst times, I would make bilin to my hubby on what to do with my kids like a last will. Call me OA, but I did that. You can just imagine me, my kids and hubby praying the rosary during such attacks. I didn't bother to see a neurologist either, I just leave it all to God. And thankfully, last month I didn't have one. Because I try not to be so stressed out, I control myself more so as not to get angry on some matters in the household or in business and I avoid thinking of negative thoughts and stay away from negative people. Lastly I asked and prayed to God to give me more patience. There, my simple tips.

On the other hand, below are tips/ advice from a doctor which I saved on my files last March. Hope this article helps.

Is your headache giving you a headache?
AN APPLE A DAY By Tyrone M. Reyes, M.D.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Philippine Star

If you have an occasional headache, you’re far from alone. During the past year, nearly 90 percent of men and 95 percent of women have had at least one headache, according to the American Council for Headache Education.

Headaches come in several varieties. “The types of headache include tension headache, sinus headache, migraine headache, and cluster headache,” says Camelia Davtyan, MD, associate professor and internist at UCLA Medical Center.

Here’s an overview of causes, symptoms, and treatment options for different types of headache.

Tension headache. The most common headache is a tension headache, which often results from muscle tension and stress in the neck and shoulders, and may last for several hours. The dull, constant pain is sometimes described as feeling like a tight band being squeezed around the head. Noise, glare or fatigue can intensify the pain. “Eye strain can cause a variant of tension headache, which resolves if the eye problem is corrected,” notes Dr. Davtyan.

Many get complete relief from over-the-counter medications, such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen. Dr. Davtyan suggests applying moist heat and/or massaging tense neck and shoulder muscles, as well as utilizing relaxation and deep-breathing exercises, getting adequate sleep, and engaging in regular physical exercise to reduce the pain and prevent recurrence of a tension headache. For some, physical therapy or acupuncture can bring relief.

• Sinus headache. A sinus headache occurs when the sinuses are inflamed or congested. Pain or pressure is felt in the forehead or around the eyes and cheeks, and may be accompanied by tender skin and bones near the eyes.

“Sinus headaches are usually associated with infections and allergies, so the patient’s physician should decide if an antibiotic is needed,” says Dr. Davtyan. “Antihistamines and nasal corticosteroid sprays can help with an allergic cause.”

• Cluster headache. Pain from a cluster headache is severe, localized around one eye, and can last from minutes to hours. They occur at the same time each day for a period of days or weeks, until the “cluster” ends. Treatment with prescription medicine is often necessary. The cause of cluster headaches has not yet been identified.

• Migraine headache. Migraine affects up to 17 percent of women and six percent of men. For some, migraines are infrequent. For others, they recur frequently and become debilitating. Fortunately, progress is being made in migraine management. Although an individualized treatment approach is often necessary, most people can be helped.

During a migraine attack, throbbing (pulse) pain may occur on one side of the head and gradually spread, but it’s not uncommon to have pain on both sides of the head. Nausea with or without vomiting may occur. A migraine may last anywhere from a few hours to several days. The pain of a migraine may be aggravated by light, sounds, odors, exercise, and even routine physical activities. Some people experience a visual distortion (aura) — such as blurred vision, sparkling flashes or jagged lines — or localized numbness just before migraine pain. Sometimes, an aura occurs during a migraine, and occasionally, auras may occur without headache pain.

The cause of migraines isn’t fully understood. However, migraines often run in families, so it’s generally thought that genetic predisposition likely plays a big role. Women are three times more likely to have migraines than are men.

Determining a treatment route depends on the characteristics and frequency of your migraines. Medications for migraine generally fall into two classes. There are drugs to prevent migraines and drugs for pain relief (acute treatment). Your doctor may recommend preventive medications if you have two or more debilitating attacks in a month, if you use pain-relieving medications more than twice a week, if those medications aren’t helping, or if you have uncommon migraine attacks that include prolonged aura or numbness on one side of the body. Preventive medications typically are taken at regular intervals, often daily, whether you have a headache or not. Among the medications that may be considered for preventive use are:

Cardiovascular drugs. Beta blockers, such as propanolol (Inderal) and metoprolol (Betaloc and others), are commonly used. The calcium channel blocker verapamil (Verelan, Isoptin) may help. And one study has suggested an angiotension receptor blocker (ARB) — candesartan (Blopress) — may be beneficial in preventing migraine.

• Antidepressants. Tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline, nortriptyline, and protriptyline may be particularly helpful.

• Anti-seizure drugs. Some of these — divalproex sodium (Depakote), gabapentin (Neurontin), and topiramate (Topamax) — seem to prevent migraine, although the reason is unclear.

Infrequently, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) — such as ibuprofen or naproxen — may be tried as migraine preventive, and are also used to treat migraines when they occur.

Pain relief drugs for migraines are to be taken as soon as you experience signs and symptoms of a migraine. However, the overuse of pain relief drugs may interfere with migraine therapy. A good rule of thumb is to limit their use to no more than two days a week. Your doctor can help tailor a treatment plan to your situation and may recommend one or a combination of the following drugs to treat your acute migraine:

• NSAIDs. A mild migraine may respond to ibuprofen or aspirin. A moderate migraine may respond better to nonprescription combination drug containing acetaminophen, aspirin, and caffeine. Your doctor may prescribe stronger NSAIDs at times, if needed.

• Triptans. Sumatriptans (Imigran) was the first drug specifically developed to treat migraine by mimicking the action of a brain chemical called serotonin. Relief with this drug usually occurs within two hours of taking it. Some triptans are available as nasal sprays, orally disintegrating tablets, or injection and may work faster.

Triptans generally aren’t an option if you have cardiovascular problems or known cardiovascular risks. Side effects may include nausea, dizziness, and muscle weakness. A recent study has found that combining a single dose of sumatriptan with naproxen helped relieve migraine symptoms more effectively than did either medication taken alone.

• Anti-nausea (anti-emetics) and related drugs. If your migraine attacks typically include nausea and vomiting, anti-emetics taken early on with your headache medication may be helpful. Metoclopramide (Plasil, Reglan, and others) can help nausea and vomiting.

• Ergots. Ergotamine was used for decades before the release of triptans. Today, an ergot may be used if triptans aren’t helpful. Side effects may include anxiety, nausea, and vomiting. As with triptans, ergots generally aren’t prescribed if you have known cardiovascular risks or problems.

In addition to medical treatments, you may find relief from alternative therapies, such as acupuncture, massage, and biofeedback. The National Institutes of Health concluded that acupuncture can play a role in containing headaches. Biofeedback may also be useful in helping you to understand how your body reacts during times of stress and then how to mentally “dial down” that stress.

Some have found meditation and yoga helpful. A study in the May 2007 issue of the journal Headache showed that a combination of yoga, breathing exercises, and relaxation reduced migraine frequency and pain among adults with migraine. Some find benefit from herbal remedies, such as butterbur, which appears relatively safe if taken for a short period of time. In addition, the supplement coenzyme Q10 appears to reduce migraine frequency for some.

Certain vitamins and minerals may also have a place in migraine treatment. Taken over time, riboflavin — vitamin B2 — may help prevent migraine. Studies suggest maintaining an adequate amount of magnesium levels may also prevent migraines. When considering these and other alternative migraine remedies, consult your doctor first about the pros and cons, and how to prevent possible drug interactions.

There is help available for headaches!

Monday, July 7

Tips For A Perfect Wash

As some of you knows, I'm into the laundry business. I would like to share some tips to follow for a perfect wash.

1. Sort The Laundry. Separate garments depending on how soiled they are: very stained or not very stained. Wash white and pale garments separately from colored or dark garments. Zip all the zippers, button all the shirts/dress.

2. Read The Clothing Labels Carefully. To check the garment's maximum washing temperature and wash type (hand wash, machine wash or dry clean).

3. Select The Appropriate Wash Cycle And Temperature. The temperature, wash cycle and spin will vary according to the garment composition. Natural fabrics such as wool, linen and silk will shrink if washed at excessively high temperatures and will lose shape if spun or hung vertically. Artificial and synthetic fabrics are very sensitive to heat, and therefore must be washed in warm water and ironed out at a low temperature. Jeans must be washed inside out and never at more than 40C.

4. Add The Correct Amount Of Detergent. Adding too much detergent damages clothes, harms the environment and if the detergent does not dissolve correctly, clothes may become stained. Do not overload the washing machine: overloading may prevent the clothes from being properly washed.

5. Dry The Clothes. Spin drying and direct exposure to sunlight during drying tends to make clothes lumpy. After machine washing, it is a good idea to dry clothes immediately, as leaving laundry in the washing machine for an extended period may cause unpleasant odors and humidity in garments.

6. Iron The clothes. Start ironning at the lowest temperature. Iron the clothes slightly damp or inside out in case of dark colored clothes.

Thursday, July 3

Breaking News: After 6 years, kidnapped Colombian Senator rescued...

(CNN) -- In a secret operation a U.S. official called "brilliant," the Colombian military infiltrated rebel group FARC and deceived its members into giving up 15 hostages including former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, Colombia's defense ministry said.

Ingrid Betancourt, right, with her mother as she walked off a military plane following her rescue Wednesday.

Ingrid Betancourt, right, with her mother as she walked off a military plane following her rescue Wednesday.

Appearing healthy after being held hostage for six years in the jungle, Betancourt walked down from a Colombian military jet in Bogota on Wednesday and hugged her mother and husband, a broad smile on her face.

"God carried out this miracle," she said. "This is a miracle because I know that all of you suffered with my family, my children, with me. This is a moment of pride for all of Colombia for such a perfect operation."

Along with Betancourt, three American contractors and 11 other hostages who were Colombian police were rescued in Wednesday's operation.

The 46-year-old Betancourt is a former senator who fought Colombia's drug cartels as a congresswoman in the 1990s. She ran for president in 2002, calling for a nation "free of corruption, violence and free of drugs."

As a hostage, she was reduced to a frail woman whose health was reportedly in serious jeopardy.

She said she awoke Wednesday at 4:30 a.m. and said the rosary, then was told by her guards that she and the other hostages were to be transferred to another location, where their detention was to continue.

"My heart broke because I did not want another transfer, another time, in captivity," she said.

But her guard, a woman, was unmoved, and ordered Betancourt to cross a river to the pickup spot -- "very harsh, move, hurry up fast, as always," she said.

Soon, two white helicopters approached and several men approached the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia commanders who were overseeing their transfer, she said.

"They spoke with Commander Enrique and Cesar," she said of her captors. As she looked closer, she saw that the men from the helicopter were wearing shirts emblazoned with the likeness of Che Guevara, the Argentine hero of the Cuban revolution. "I thought, this is FARC," she said.

Placed in handcuffs, Betancourt got into the helicopter, still unaware of what was happening. "They closed the helicopter doors, the helicopter started flying and suddenly there was something happening," she said.

"Suddenly I saw the commander who, during four years, had been at the head of our team, who so many times was so cruel and humiliated me, and I saw him on the floor naked with bound eyes."

Then, the reality of her liberation hit home.

"The chief of operations said, 'We are the national army and you are all free,' and the helicopter almost fell because we started jumping, we screamed, we cried, we hugged. We couldn't believe it." Video Watch Betancourt call the operation 'perfect' »

Not a single shot was fired, she added.

Colombian Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos said the Colombian military infiltrated the FARC leadership and arranged for the hostages to be taken to the south of the country, where they were to be picked up by helicopters that the rebels believed were controlled by another group.

They were initially transported to a military air base southwest of Bogota, from which they were to travel later Wednesday to the capital, a military spokesman said.

She added that she hopes that FARC commanders would not punish the guards who were fooled. It was not their fault, she said; the operation was too perfect for them to detect the deceit.

The FARC, which has fought a longstanding and complicated conflict with Colombia's government and right-wing paramilitary groups, defends the taking of captives as a legitimate act of war and is believed to hold roughly 750 prisoners in the nation's remote jungles.

The freed hostages also include Americans Keith Stansell, Marc Gonsalves and Thomas Howes.

A senior U.S. State Department official told CNN the families of the hostages had no idea the rescue operation was taking place.

The plight of Betancourt, who has French and Colombian citizenship, has attracted worldwide attention.

She was abducted February 23, 2002, after venturing into rebel territory while campaigning for the Colombian presidency. Videos later showed a slim Betancourt, sitting silently in a jungle setting.

News of her deteriorating health came after the FARC released six hostages this year. One of the freed hostages, Luis Eladio Perez, said that Betancourt had suffered from chronic liver problems since 2004.

He said he last saw her February 4 this year.

"Ingrid made a sign for me to go to the bathroom, and she did the same, and we were able to talk for about five minutes," Perez said. "I saw she was very ill and wasting away. She looked much worse than in that 'proof-of-life' video the rebels filmed in October."

Betancourt "seemed desperate," even though "she told me to stay calm and that the guerillas were giving her vitamins and calcium," he said.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy expressed gratitude to Colombian authorities and said Betancourt "is in good health." Video Watch Sarkozy give thanks »

Betancourt's jubilant daughter, Melanie Delloye, said, "I feel like I've just awakened from a bad dream."

She and other members of the family spoke alongside Sarkozy.

U.S. President George W. Bush congratulated Colombian President Alvaro Uribe by phone. Uribe is slated to address the nation at 10 p.m. ET (0200 GMT).

A senior State Department official said the United States played no role in the operation, though it was briefed on it ahead of time. The official called the operation "brilliant" and "a huge success," saying it involved a deception operation against the FARC.

According to Pentagon officials, Colombians told the United States about the operation in the past few days. The U.S. approved the plans but had no part in them.

The United States is offering medical support to the three American contractors, including a medical evacuation back to America.

William Bronfield, a senior U.S. ambassador, confirmed the United States was briefed about the operation. He is on his way to the Colombian airbase where the hostages were taken.

Contractors Stansell, Gonsalves and Howes have been held since February 13, 2003, when their single-engine plane crashed in the mountains south of Bogota. The Americans were working for Northrop Grumman Corp. as part of a U.S.-funded counternarcotics effort.

Two other men on the plane, American pilot Tommy Janis and a Colombian, were shot to death by FARC. A rescue plane searching for the men crashed six weeks later, killing its American pilot, Butch Oliver, and another American crew member.

Stansell, Gonsalves and Howes were last seen in a 2003 interview by a Colombian journalist who made his way into a FARC stronghold. The journalist's video was shown on CBS' "60 Minutes."

"To our country, we miss you, and we hope we return one day. We're alive and well," said Stansell, then 38, a systems analyst.

"We expect to get out of here one day. We can't say for sure," said Howes, then 50, a professional pilot. "But our main concern is the welfare of our families."

"I'm a proud American," said Gonsalves, then 31, also a systems analyst. "I look to you guys, and I ask for a diplomatic solution to get us home safe, please."

Taggged :: Birthday Power

Rachel tagged me to do this birthday meme.

Rules:
* 1.Determine your birthday month and get a word that rhymes with it or you can affix to it. Caps lock your birth month (ex: MAYday! JUNE dune, APRILicious, JULYvely, AUGUST pocus, parched MARCH…). Be unique.
* 2.Your birth month plus the word affixed or rhymed shall become the tag’s title in your case.
* 3.Get your birthday and add the digits involved. Example, if your birthday falls on the 25th of July, add 2 and 5 you get 7.
* 4.Whatever is the sum, write a list of the MATERIAL gifts you wish to receive, the number of which shall correspond to the sum of your birthday. For example, applying the case above (in rule number 3), you will write seven (7) things you wish to receive.
* 5.After your wish list, put your name and birthday in the Bloggers’ Birthday Directory, with a link to your blog/s. Note: when you add your birthday, please place it in a way that the dates appear chronological (January, February… 1, 2, 3)
* 6.Pass this tag meme by tagging as many people as you want.


Name: Rowena
Birthday: March 18
Calculation: 1 + 8 = 9

My Wish List (as per Rachel, wishing is free so here goes):

1. a new lacoste bag
2. n95 cellphone
3. room makeover set
4. membership at punta fuego
5. LCD monitor
6. plasma tv
7. a new toyota prado
8. a white gold bracelet
9. unlimited spa visits at Discovery Suites


Bloggers’ Birthday Directory:
February 20 - Caryl February 23 - Jammy March 7 - Mari March 29 - Rachel May 3 - Vannie May 8 - joanjoyce May 27 – Zang Caesar September 30 - Mckhoii October 22 - MommyBa December 18 - JoshuaOngYS December 19 - Alpha December 20 - Suzanne March 29 Rachel, March 18 Rowena YOUR BIRTHDAY HERE


I'm tagging Gina of Not from the Peanut Gallery, Cookie of Scrooch Chronicles, Chats of Imomonline, Yen of Me and Mine, Girl For All Status, Cess of Occupation: SAHM, Chesca of Skindiving and Lynn of Mommy Zone...Keep on wishing my dear blogger-friends, remember the Law of Attraction. Whatever you wish and think hard for, it will be yours sooner than you expected...