MY POINT OF VIEW

SLLEPING

2013-11-05T23:26:00.000-08:00

I wish sleeping was a normal habit for me. I don't think most people know how debilitating it can be to be so tired that your face starts twitching, yet you still lay in bed all night staring at the clock just thinking how miserable of a day it will be tomorrow due to lack of sleep. Eventually, the act of sleep starts turning into a nightmarish event. As soon as the sun sets, the fear of sleep sets in and all you can think about are those approaching hours of hellish anguish you have to endure in the prison of your own bed.

PRISONERS

2013-11-03T19:00:00.001-08:00

How far would you go to protect your child? Most parents would do anything to protect their child. I will do anything to protect my child even if it means sacrificing my own life!

Prisoners is a 2013 American thriller film directed by Denis Villeneuve and is executive produced by Mark Wahlberg. The film premiered at the 2013 Telluride Film Festival and was released theatrically in North America on September 20, 2013.

The title is an apt one - not only are people imprisoned literally but everyone is held captive and controlled beyond their will by something, whether it be their grief, anger, faith, mental capacity, past or even their job, with the latter being the case of Gyllenhaal's detective.

The Cast:

Hugh Jackman as Keller Dover
Jake Gyllenhaal as Detective Loki
Viola Davis as Nancy Birch
Maria Bello as Grace Dover
Terrence Howard as Franklin Birch
Melissa Leo as Holly Jones
Paul Dano as Alex Jones
Dylan Minnette as Ralph Dover
Zoe Borde as Eliza Birch
Erin Gerasimovich as Anna Dover
Kyla Drew Simmons as Joy Birch
Wayne Duvall as Captain Richard O'Malley
Len Cariou as Father Patrick Dunn
David Dastmalchian as Bob Taylor
Jeff Pope as Elliot Milland

The Plot:

Hugh Jackman,( Les Miserables and The Wolverine), who plays Keller Dover, a deeply religious man who runs a struggling carpentry business, is facing every parent's worst nightmare. They attended a Thanksgiving dinner with his family at the house of their neighbors, the Birches. After dinner, his six-year-old daughter, Anna, is missing, together with her young friend, Joy. As minutes turn to hours, panic sets in. The only lead is a dilapidated RV camper that had earlier been parked on their street. After a police hunt, the RV was found outside a gas station next to a wooded area. Heading the investigation, Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal) confronts Alex Jones (Paul Dano), the RV's driver, Jones tries to speed away but crashes into the trees.

Alex is revealed during Detective Loki's interrogation to have the approximate I.Q. of a ten-year-old and is released due to lack of evidence. As the police pursue multiple leads and pressure mounts, knowing his child's life is at stake the frantic Dover decides he has no choice but to take matters into his own hands. Personal surveillance by Keller convinces him that Alex knows where the girls are. He abducts and imprisons him in an abandoned apartment building that he owns. With the reluctant help of Joy's father, Franklin Birch (Terrence Howard), Keller repeatedly beats and interrogates Alex for days without any further information. Overcome with guilt, Franklin tells his wife Nancy (Viola Davis) what they have done and brings her to see Alex. The Birches eventually decide to let Keller continue the torture, neither helping nor interfering. After Alex mentions escaping from a maze, Keller visits Alex's aunt, Holly Jones (Melissa Leo), to gauge her reaction when he mentions mazes.

Loki confronts a suspect named Bob Taylor (David Dastmalchian) at his home and finds that the walls are covered in drawings of intricate mazes. In a back room, locked crates filled with maze books, snakes, and bloody children's clothing are discovered. In custody, Taylor manages to grab a gun and commit suicide. Taylor is revealed to have faked his involvement in the killings; the blood on the children's clothes is pig's blood and the clothing had been stolen after the abduction.

Some days later, Joy is found drugged and is hospitalized, but Anna is still missing. In her drugged state, Joy rambles that she had heard Keller while imprisoned. Keller soon rushes off as Loki chases him. Loki loses him, but heads toward the apartment complex and discovers the imprisoned Alex. Keller goes to Holly's, realizing that the Jones house is where Joy had heard him. Holly confronts Keller and holds him at gunpoint, subsequently drugs him and reveals that she was responsible for the abduction of the girls. She and her husband had abducted several others before, including Bob Taylor, in order to make the parents lose their faith, as part of "waging a war on God" for letting their son die of cancer at a young age. Alex was the first child they abducted. She shoots Keller in the leg and imprisons him in an outside pit hidden under a car, where he finds a whistle that belonged to his daughter. As Keller knows that he is losing blood and about to die, he prayed for God to watch over Anna.

Loki goes to Holly's house to tell her about Alex being found. He discovers Anna, about to be killed by Holly. Loki orders Holly, at gunpoint, to show her hands; Holly turns and fires at Loki with a revolver, Loki shoots and kills Holly. He rushes Anna to the hospital where she recovers. At the hospital, Grace thanks Loki, but also asks Loki whether Keller has to go to jail if he's found, to which Loki says "Probably." Anna, still drugged and unable to speak, appears with a red whistle around her neck, much like the one she had owned. Grace tells Loki that she bought a new whistle, though Anna claims to have found her old one with Joy before they were abducted. When Loki is alone at the Jones residence, he hears the faint sound of a whistle and starts to investigate.

My Review:

I hate to watch lengthy movies especially if the pacing is too slow and it gets boring. But watching this film for almost two hours, 1:53 to be exact did not bother me at all. Prisoners is haunting and will stick with you. Its horrifying when you come to think of it that our love ones could be taken away from us and our being powerless to do anything about it.

The brutality and torture displayed by the “hero” of this film makes for several uncomfortable moments. When Keller can’t get him to admit his guilt in the face of horrifying torture, we begin to feel our emotions swinging in a different direction. 

If he is, in fact, innocent, then what Keller is doing is an unholy atrocity. But what if he’s guilty? Is Keller’s one-man torture-squad tactics justified then? And what if many people (along with the law) would declare that no, those tactics are still not justified? What should Keller do, given that every bone in his body is telling him that this is the only way he’ll ever see his daughter again? What if every bone in his body is right? Keller's desire to save his little girl himself is the one motivation that keeps him from letting common sense temper his rage. 

Hugh Jackman's staggering performance, acts with an unbridled rage, and he invests every snarl and rasp of that anger with meaning. Keller knows that in missing- child cases, each day the victim doesn't turn up radically increases the chances that she never will, and so his fury, even at its craziest, comes off as a desperate display of committed action. Haunted by what might be happening to his daughter, he has — at least in his own mind — transcended the law, yet that leaves him with nothing to believe in but himself, and Jackman takes us on every step of that brave, terrible journey.

But what exactly is the movie saying about all this? It could be that torture is always morally culpable, that it never elicits anything of value – or it could be that it is dirty work that gets results. There is a kind of ambiguity about righteous violence in this film and how exactly we are supposed to feel about it. The film finally effects an evasive blend of condemnation and sentimental exoneration.

This is an extremely powerful and unforgettable film. A kind of a thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. A real powerhouse of a drama that delivers go for the throat tension and hard-boiled suspense. Prisoners is a masterpiece plain and simple.

It is a solid film from scene one. Superb cast with good screenplay. Bello creates a mother so distraught that her daughter might be dead that she goes into a deep depression staying in bed day and night, which cleverly leaves her out of the way for Keller to proceed with this plan.

Hugh Jackman’s performance in this film should earn him a nomination at next year’s Oscars. If he doesn't get a nomination, then I think there's something wrong with the Oscar's.

PSALM 23

2013-10-21T01:03:00.000-07:00

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters.

He restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness

for His name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil, for You are with me;

Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

you anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,

and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

PINAY BEAUTIES ON A RUN

2013-10-03T02:14:00.003-07:00

With the recent triumph of Megan Young in the 2013 Miss World beauty pageant held in Indonesia, the Filipinas are seemingly on a run in international beauty contests. Megan's crown was the first ever Miss World crown for the Philippines.

These some kind of a run started in the 2010 Miss Universe beauty pageant wherein Venus Raj finish fourth runner-up. Venus could have taken home the crown in that year if not for her major-major blunder in the question and answer portion. She was a heavy favorite to win the crown.

In the following year 2011, Shamcey Supsup finished a notched higher as 3rd runner-up in the 2011 Miss Universe tilt. The Filipinos was really hoping for Shamcey to finally take home the crown. Shamcey was simply gorgeous to the highest level ! She seems perfect. But still short of winning the elusive Miss Universe crown.

Janine Togonon came close to winning the 2012 Miss Universe beauty pageant. She finished 1st runner-up. She almost made it! Oh boy! But the breaks did not go our way. Even as Miss USA Olivia Culpo was crowned Miss Universe 2012 and the most beautiful woman in the world, her victory came as a big surprise as a majority of viewers were expecting Miss Philippines Janine Tugonon to win the crown. Yet we're proud because our contestants consistently placed among the top 5 in three consecutive years.

The last time the Philippines has won the contest was in 1973 when Margie Moran won. The first who won it for the country was Gloria Diaz in 1969. Since 1973 there was a long drought except in 1999 when Miriam Quiambao came close to winning being the first runner-up.

Early this year, Mutya Johanna Datul won the fifth edition of the 2013 Miss Supranational beauty pageant which was held in Belarus on September 6, 2013. Johanna was the first Asian winner of this contest.

I hope these run continues until we win again a Miss Universe title. The signs are promising. It could finally be this year. If we win it this year it's kinda grand slam year. Miss Supranational 2013, Miss World 2013 and Miss Universe 2013! Our bet for the 2013 Miss Universe pageant is Ara Arida. The photo below shows the four of them Janine, Shamcey, Venus and Ara. Look at the standings of the previous three. 4th by Venus, 3rd by Shamcey, and 1st by Janine. Will Ara finally nail it and win the third Miss Universe title for the Philippines?

Photo credit Arnold Mercado

By the way, congratulations to Aces & Queens headed by Jonas Gaffud. These guys are the ones behind the training of our beauty contestants. For the 2013 Miss Universe pageant which will be held on November 9 at Crocus City Hall in Moscow, Russia, I'm sure Aces and Queens will move heaven and earth to make sure that Ara is more than ready to face the universe once the competition begins.

I don't believe in number thirteen to be unlucky. I think 2013 is a lucky year for Filipina beauties. Wanna bet?

Ara Arida

MANNY PACQUIAO: Still our hero in VICTORY and in DEFEAT

2012-12-10T00:43:00.000-08:00

Sunday, December 9, 2012 was a day of mourning for Philippine Sports and the entire nation. The whole nation reacted with shock and sadness as Manny Pacquiao was knockout cold by his long time nemesis Juan Manuel Marquez at the end of the 6th round of their fourth fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, USA.

Manny's defeat dampened the spirits of the Filipinos from all walks of life, from the man on the street, street vendors, drivers, farmers, police and military personnel, and up to the highest corners of government. It was a big blow to a country much worst than those delivered by Pablo-a killer typhoon that left 1,200+ dead or missing and devastated thousands of homes in Mindanao just early last week.

The 39-year-old Marquez sent down Pacquiao, 33, face first to the canvas with a right hand with one second left of the round to win their welterweight fight.

President Benigno Aquino’s spokesman Edwin Lacierda said despite the defeat, the country would not turn its back on the superstar fighter who has won world titles in an unprecedented eight weight divisions.

“Nothing will change. The people of the Philippines will continue to support Manny. We join them in praying for the return of his strength and determination,” Lacierda said in a statement.

The whole nation is indeed behind Manny Pacquiao in Victory and in Defeat! We all know that Manny can't win them all. It was just a matter of time because nobody stays at the top forever.

Guys! We all shared with Manny in his time of triumph and victories. Let's reunite once again and share with him in his time of sorrows and defeat. He is our Sports Hero and will always be that way and nothing can ever changed that.

Let's Count our Blessings, Not Everyone is Fortunate as we are

2012-11-29T21:34:00.000-08:00

Life is not fair. Yes of course! It's never been fair and it will never be. Each and everyone of us are blessed differently. Some people are blessed with incredibly superior and powerful advantages while others are born with crippling disadvantages. Let's count our blessings! Some people are not as fortunate as we are. We may have food for three meals today but there are people out there with nothing to eat for just one meal.

We may have our homes for shelter with warm beds, pillows and blankets. But there are people and families out there who live on the streets under the heat of the sun and the biting cold of the night.

We may have clothes, shoes and sandals to protect our bodies while others have hardly enough to cover themselves.

If you have hot food on your table and some in your fridge, clothes on your back, a roof on your head and a place to sleep, you are richer than the 75% of the people in this planet.

If you have money in the bank, your wallet, and some spare change, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.

If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million people who will not survived this week.

If you have never experienced the danger of war, the agony of imprisonment and torture, or the horrible pangs of starvation, you are luckier than the 500 million people alive and suffering.

If you can read this blog you are more fortunate than 3 billion people in the world who cannot read it at all.

Life may not be perfect, every dream may not be fulfilled, every material need may not be achieved and everyday may not be as peaceful and stress free as we hope, but we are fortunate than most people in this world.

So as we struggle for the day to day challenges and responsibilities of our lives, as we work and sometimes hope for a little more of everything in life, we should not forget to count our blessings and most of all to be ever grateful to GOD for what we have received and continue to receive.

Being grateful to GOD may also be well expressed by sharing our blessings too to those in need.

Life is not fair! But so what? There's nothing that can be done to eliminate the unfairness, yet there's plenty that can be done to thrive and prosper in spite of it, and even because of it.

FOOD CRAVINGS THAT WRECK YOUR DIET

2012-08-27T20:12:00.001-07:00

BREAD
Craving a big, fluffy hunk of warm bread does not mean your body is deprived of grains. Food cravings have little to do with nutrients and plenty to do with the brain chemistry of pleasure and reward. Cravings may center on texture( creamy, crunchy) or taste( sweet, salty) but they all have something in common- overindulging can sabotage your diet.

ICE CREAM
People who get cravings tend to have higher BMIs- no surprise since fattening foods are often the object of desire. The combination of coll, creamy and sweet makes ice cream an irresistible treat- but a costly one in terms of calories. A typical serving of vanilla has 230 calories

POTATO CHIPS
It's the combination of salty and crunchy that give potato chips their allure. Depending on the flavor, a 1-ounce snack bag has at least 150 calories. Munch your way through a large 8-ounce bag and you're looking at 1,230 calories!

CHOCOLATE
Almost half of women crave chocolate on a regular basis. There have been many theories to explain why, ranging from magnesium deficiency to mood swings. But one thing is certain: Consuming a chocolate bar is a quick way to add a couple hundred extra calories to your day.

POPCORN
Sometimes a setting can trigger a craving, like the desire for popcorn at the movies. Memory pllays a big role in cravings- you've enjoyed popcorn at the movies before, so you expect to enjoy it again. Popcorn itself can be a healthy snack. But movie theaters tend to pop it in coconut oil with buttery sauce. The result: 400 to 1,200 calories per tub!

STREET & PARK FOOD
Watching a game or just strolling in the park is not the same without a hotdog or nachos or peanuts. Just seeing or smelling the concession stands can make it tough to resist. But consider these numbers:

8 ounces of cheesy nachos-900 calories
8-ounce bag of raw peanuts-800 calories
Hotdog on a stick-400 calories

DOUGHNUTS
If you're on a diet, doughnuts are like the forbidden fruit. That fact alone may be enough to trigger a craving.

Doughnuts are an American favorite- from jelly filled to bear claws and those that are pink frosted or sprinkled. They're a sweet treat that people love but feel bad about eating. Unfortunately, the nutritional information of doughnuts is enough to make anyone think twice before taking a second serving- and sometimes even a first.

Doughnuts are high in calories which may contribute to weight gain. A 2-ounce doughnut has 220 calories. Most doughnuts however are at least 3 ounces or larger. Dunkin Donuts' website states that one of it's chocolate-frosted cake donuts has 340 calories, while one of it's jelly-filled donuts has 260. One doughnut, although usually not enough to make a person feel full on its own, has as many calories as one regular-sized, hearty breakfast.

RED MEAT
Do you feel like a meal is not a meal unless it involves a big chunk of meat? The good news is you don't have to give up meat to achieve a healthy weight- just be choosy about your cuts. A typical flank steak has about 700 calories.

PIZZA
Pizza is America's favorite food. It does have some health benefits: A typical slice has 12 grams of protein and 2.5 grams of fiber. But pizza also has about 280 calories a slice - more if you add meat toppings.

PASTA
Pasta ranks among the top five favorite foods in many countries. The trouble is most people eat white pasta, which is made with refined flour. White pasta has only a fifth the fiber of whole grain pasta, which means it may take more to fill you up. Pasta sauces can be diet-killers too. A large bowl of fettuccine Alfredo has 800 to 1,200 calories.

FRENCH FRIES
This salty side dish is hard to turn down when ordering at a drive-thru. But a large order of fries can have as many calories as a burger-about 500 at a typical fast food restaurant.

NUTS
Whether in a bar or party or strolling in the park, it's easy to keep dipping your hand into the nut bowl, but all those handfuls add up. A cupful of roasted nuts packs more than 800 calories.

COFFEE
Coffee craving may go beyond your typical food craving, thanks to the addictive powers of caffeine. You may feel you can't full wake up without your morning dose. Fortunately, coffee has very few calories- until you load it up with cream and sugar syrups. Large flavored lattes and mochas can have more than 400 calories.

COOKIES
Taking cookies for snacks is a very bad habit because cookies is high in sugar and much more in calories.

PRACTICAL WAYS TO CONTROL YOUR CRAVINGS

2012-08-26T23:22:00.004-07:00

Sometimes, going on a diet can really be hard. We are forced to stop eating the food that we love to eat so much. There's always a price for everything and that's the price we have to pay keeping our bodies fit and healthy and to attain that slim and trim figure that we so desire.

However, there are moments that just when we suppress our appetite for a certain favorite food the more that the desire grows and intensify. Ever found that your cravings got worse the harder you tried to ignore them? A study published in the journal Appetite suggested that many people crave the foods that they most attempt to resist. The more we crave to eat it. Food cravings has little to do with nutrients and plenty to do with brain chemistry of pleasure and reward. As a result, a battle is on to test your will. Should we fight the urge to eat, or to just give in to the craving. We emerge from this battle victorious sometimes, but with a pang of regret. Sometimes we give in to the craving and then wallow in guilt and self-loathing.

Personally, I don't think it to be that way. That should not be the case. Going on a diet should not be synonymous to deprivation, or even self-torture. Doing so we'll end us bingeing later and gaining more weight than what we thought we have already lost. Given this, how then can we fight the urge to eat the forbidden and keep to the diet plan?

Going on a diet requires more discipline of the mind than of the body. The mind should rule over the body. Our planned diet should not equate with deprivation in our mind, simply because it should not be that way. We can still eat whatever we want to eat whenever we want it. Rather than going cold turkey on your junk food addiction, having a little of what you fancy should help to reduce the temptation to binge on your favorite treats. You could try following the 80/20 rule; eating healthily 80 per cent of the time and being less strict for the other 20 per cent. There's one thing though that we have to remember, is for us to eat our food in portions and try to burn whatever excess calories that we have eaten. We can either spend extra time in the gym or added repetitions in our workouts. We can also spend just more time walking. Any form of movements helps burn calories.

More often than not, eating a small portion of the food we crave is better than just suppressing. If we suppress our craving, we will just end up bingeing when we let go. Whereas when we eat just a small amount, the craving will be satisfied and we will not end up taking to much.

But there is a limit as to giving in to our cravings. Eating a small portion when done regularly many times of the day defeats the purpose of your diet plan because you will be unable to burn the excess calories. One best thing to do to avoid the craving is to get our mind as far away from it as possible. We should stash the booty where we cannot easily find it or so reach for it when the cravings come a-calling. To keep our mind off the craving, we should keep our self busy and do something else, like read or do chores or go out for a walk to kill time and get the craving out of our system. By the time we are done, the craving is most likely gone too.

However, sometimes we just need to sit down and analyze why we crave a certain food so much. Food is known to bring comfort to some people in the face of emotional distress; could it be that we just eat just to drive the pain away? Unfortunately, no matter how much food we eat, the source of our pain will not go away.

It's not wrong to crave for food. We should, however, learn to watch ourselves so we won't overdo it. That is all it takes to control the craving. But there are cases wherein craving is not just a simple as that.

If you experience regular, intense cravings for particular foods, it may be that you are suffering from a nutritional deficiency which your body is trying to address. It is believed that chocolate cravings can stem from a magnesium deficiency, while a lack of chromium in the diet can lead to sugar cravings. Maintaining healthy levels of zinc can also help to regulate your appetite. Make sure you are eating a wide variety of nutritious foods to address any deficiencies in your diet.

Whether your cravings stem from hunger, boredom or lack of motivation, heading out for a run or hitting the gym could help you not to give in. Exercise is not only a great distraction from your cravings, a study led by a researcher at Loughborough University has also found that aerobic exercise can help to suppress your appetite. Furthermore, getting active will help you to feel great about your body, and you wouldn't want to ruin all that hard work with a junk food binge now would you?

Just because you've decided to eat healthily, that doesn't mean you can never snack again. Rather than giving in to your junk food cravings, try experimenting with healthier alternatives, such as frozen yoghurt or sorbet instead of ice cream, seasoned popcorn rather than crisps and sweet potato wedges instead of fries.

If you're struggling to resist sugar cravings, try investing in a vanilla scented candle or air freshener for your home or wearing a vanilla scented perfume to curb cravings while on the go. A study at St George's hospital, south London, found that using vanilla-scented patches on the back of participants' hands significantly reduced their appetite for sweet foods and drinks. It is believed that this is because the smell of vanilla can help to suppress sweet cravings.

Research has found that eating carbohydrates such as pasta, bread and potatoes stimulates the production of the 'happy hormone' serotonin in the brain. This may explain why many of us crave these 'comfort' foods when we're feeling down. To cut your cravings, try to find healthier ways to give your serotonin levels a boost, such as meeting up with a friend, watching a comedy movie, taking part in an exercise session or smelling some uplifting essential oils such as neroli or lemon.

Just as many of us indulge in comfort eating when we're feeling down, stress can also be a powerful trigger for cravings. Research from the University of Cincinnati has shown that sodium in salt inhibits the body's stress hormones, meaning that cravings for salty foods could be your body's attempt to deal with stress. To overcome these cravings, try to avoid the things that cause you stress as much as you can and make relaxation a regular part of your routine. Find a healthier way to deal with stress when it occurs, such as working out, meditating or talking through your problems with a friend.

According to research results published in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, your environment can be a powerful trigger for food cravings. Maybe you associate going to the cinema with eating popcorn, for example, or watching your favourite TV show makes you reach for a snack. To banish habit-formed cravings, try to avoid the environments that trigger them. Take up a hobby that reduces your TV time, or walk a different route to work so as not to pass by your favourite coffee shop. By avoiding certain places or activities, you can help to kill those cravings.

While it may sound counterproductive, if your cravings are really getting on top of you, breakfast could be the perfect time to indulge. Researchers from Tel Aviv University found that participants who ate a 600-calorie breakfast which included dessert lost an average of 40lbs more than those who had a smaller 300-calorie one. This is thought to be because the metabolism is more efficient in the morning, and also because giving into cravings first thing can help to banish them for the rest of the day.

Researchers at the University of Chicago have found that not getting enough sleep affects our appetite-regulating hormones, meaning that we feel hungrier the next day and are also more likely to crave calorie-rich, high-carbohydrate foods. Not only that, lack of sleep decreases willpower, meaning that you are less likely to resist those cravings. To help reduce your cravings, make sure you get a minimum of seven hours of sleep a night.

And oh, one more thing, this all seems like complete common sense to me, but researchers discovered by looking at brain scans that simply showing test subjects pictures of yummy foods engaged the same parts of the brain associated with appetite and pleasure. Just looking at a photo was enough to ignite cravings and spark appetite.

That part seemed obvious to me- that looking at yummy pictures can make you feel like you 1.) are suddenly hungry and 2.) are suddenly hungry for what you are looking at!

The more interesting part of the study was that these bodily reactions are similar to those found in cocaine addicts, when they were presented with pictures of needles or their drug of choice. The cocaine addicts' brain regions lit up in the same manner as the people looking at pictures of super yummy foods. That's a bit scary isn't it? More evidence that sugar and fat can become addictive, just like drugs. It's the same way as looking at adult pictures that sets your mood and appetite for sex.

So guys, avoid looking at yummy pictures to control your cravings. That's it ! Happy Diet!

EMOTIONAL ATTACHMENT TO SIRI

2012-08-23T21:25:00.000-07:00

How many of you have your phone lying next to you in bed at night? Or feel a form of anxiety or emptiness when your phone is not around or not working? Chances are you recognize this. You can argue whether this is a bad thing or not, and though many will probably have the realization with a sense of embarrassment, the fact remains that most of us are in some way emotionally attached to our mobile phone.

There is a quite logical explanation for this. Over the years our phones grew from a useful communication tool to an entity that is an icon of who we are. With its contacts, messages, photos, high scores, likes and dislikes it is the embodiment of our social and emotional life. Imagine a situation where you accidently swapped your phone with somebody else’s. You would either be very curious to take a look inside this person’s life or you would feel awkward knowing that you can. Possibly both. Even more so, you would likely feel very uncomfortable knowing that this other person has this embodiment of your life in their hands. Not because it contains a list of phone numbers that could also be found in a phone book, but because it is such a personal part of your life that you might not even be comfortable sharing it with others. All these emotions prove that there is in fact something more going on than having a convenient tool to stay in touch with others.

With the iPhone 4S, Apple introduced Siri to the world, the intelligent voice recognition assistant. And though the technology might not be entirely new, as with other Apple introductions, it is the first time that this technology will be put to use by the masses. I don’t really want to get into the discussion on whether or not Siri will deliver on its expectations, but there’s a big chance that eventually this form of interaction with our phone will happen on a big scale. Especially now that Apple put its money on it. The technology will evolve and it won’t be long before you have comfortable conversations with your phone without choosing your words carefully to make it understand you. Interaction will go fluently and you’ll be able to personalize your assistant by choosing your own name for it and downloading custom voice packs.

What is that biggest infidelity cliché again? Right. The boss and his secretary. Let’s just say that when two people spend a lot of time together and know intimate details about each other, a certain bond develops. There is, hopefully, no sexual power play going on between you and your phone but you might get my point. Siri might become the one that you talk to most consistently throughout the day. The one that knows all your likes and dislikes, the one that knows your favorite restaurant, where you’ve been and where you are, the one that is always with you and the one that wishes you a good night every evening when you tell it to set your alarm. (And let’s not forget: it never argues with you and always has your best interest at heart). I’m very carefully referring to Siri as “it” here but in many reviews, podcasts and YouTube demos I have already heard many say: “she uses information from...” or “she seems to respond best by…”, etc.

There is no denying that we tend to grow emotionally attached to our phones. And I for one am very interested to see what kind of influence the introduction of Siri will turn out to have on this matter. Will people start seeing their phone as a person? Because that is clearly the metaphor Apple is going for with Siri and her human voice and human way of answering (not: “-no results-” but: “I’m sorry, I couldn’t find any information on that.”). How often will the iPhone’s processor have to analyze sentences like “thank you” or “thanks for that”, a politeness that is completely irrelevant to say to a lifeless object but feels like the proper thing to say to a person who helped you out with something.

I am sure people graduated on the concept of emotional attachment to artificial intelligence, a topic that probably has been around ever since we started fantasizing about robots. The remarkable thing about last October 4th is though, that it marks the date when, for the first time in history, millions of people started using artificial intelligence in their everyday life. And for the first time we will find out how (or whether) the average human grows feelings for something that talks like a person but is in fact nothing more than an arrangement of plastic, metal and silicon.

http://www.allcoolandnew.com/emotional_attachment_to_siri_editorial_.php

What's SIRI?

Siri (pronounced /ˈsɪri/) is an intelligent personal assistant and knowledge navigator which works as an application for Apple's iOS. The application uses a natural language user interface to answer questions, make recommendations, and perform actions by delegating requests to a set of Web services. Apple claims that the software adapts to the user's individual preferences over time and personalizes results, and performing tasks such as finding recommendations for nearby restaurants, or getting directions.

Siri was originally introduced as an iOS application available in the App Store by Siri, Inc., which was acquired by Apple on April 28, 2010.Siri, Inc. had announced that their software would be available for BlackBerry and for Android-powered phones, but all development efforts for non-Apple platforms were cancelled after the acquisition by Apple.

Siri, Inc. was founded in 2007 by Dag Kittlaus (CEO), Adam Cheyer (VP Engineering), and Tom Gruber (CTO/VP Design), together with Norman Winarsky from SRI International's venture group. On October 13, 2008, Siri announced it had raised an $8.5 million Series A financing round, led by Menlo Ventures and Morgenthaler Ventures.^[8] In November 2009, Siri raised a $15.5 million Series B financing round from the same investors as in their previous round, but led by Hong-Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing. Dag Kittlaus left his position as CEO of Siri at Apple after the launch of the iPhone 4S.

Siri was launched first as an application available on Apple's App Store in the United States. It integrated with services such as OpenTable,Google Maps, MovieTickets and TaxiMagic. Using voice recognition technology from Nuance and their service partners, users could make reservations at specific restaurants, buy movie tickets or get a cab by dictating instructions in natural language to Siri. Siri was acquired by Apple on April 28, 2010, and the original application ceased to function on October 15, 2011.

On October 4, 2011, Apple introduced the iPhone 4S with their implementation of Siri. The new version of Siri is integrated into iOS, and offers conversational interaction with many applications, including reminders, weather, stocks, messaging, email, calendar, contacts, notes, music, clocks, web browser, Wolfram Alpha, and maps. Currently, Siri only supports English (American, Australian, British), German, French, and Japanese, and has limited functionality outside the United States.

After announcing that Siri is included with the iPhone 4S, Apple removed the existing Siri app (which ran on all iPhone models) from the App Store.

Independent developers claim that they have ported Siri into the other iOS devices. However, some news sites suggest that the videos posted by the developers as "proof" only show the user interface of the Siri software, and not the voice commands, implying that developers have not been able to port the application with full functionality. However, new reports from January 2012 suggest that independent developers have succeeded in porting Siri to earlier iPhone models, the iPod Touch and iPad. i4Siri.com, a United States based team, have demonstrated Siri working as intended on the iPhone 4, iPod Touch, and iPad, communicating without the Apple servers.

In later January 2012, independent developers successfully created and distributed a legal port of Siri to older devices via Cydia.The port, however, requires authorization keys from another iPhone 4S, which can exploited in the form of a proxy server, or by transferring the Siri authorization file from an iPhone 4S. Due to this requirement, developers have bypassed Apple's Siri server completely by creating their own backend using APIs from services such as Google and Wolfram Alpha.

In June 2012, at Apple's WWDC conference, Apple announced that Siri will be available on the 3rd generation iPad beginning in late 2012 with the release of iOS 6. Also in June 2012, at Apple's WWDC conference, Apple announced updates for Siri coming in iOS 6 (launching in fall 2012.) These new features include: opening apps, telling sports scores and other sports related information, checking movie times, finding restaurants and also ordering reservations. Siri can also tell the height of sports players in iOS 6.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siri_(software)

Chinese kids' brutal training for the Olympic Gold

2012-08-09T20:40:00.000-07:00

China leads the medals table at the London Olympics. The Chinese athletes are breaking Olympic records. Apparently the Chinese athletes are well prepared. Have you ever wonder what goes into preparation for the prestigious sporting event as they outclass and strike gold in most of the events.

According to a report on an inside story about the training camps at China, athletes who shine at Olympics would have undergone a horrid time at their camps, as they would be beaten into shape and trained to be tough since their childhood. Training starts as early as 5 years old. Parents take initiatives to send their children in ruthless training camps across the nation to learn how to shine in Olympic competitions.

Kids in the Philippines and most countries, aged 5 or 6 would enjoy their childhood playing games, learning a few lessons at its play school and kindergarten and basically have fun.

But it's not the same in China, as they are made to train tough and are trained to become Olympic stars when they are aged 5 or 6, which might help the kids to excel in Olympics years later but the physical strain that they undergo at a tender age seems unacceptable for most people.

While we have heard of the training offered for cadets, considered to be the hardest of all and the suffering that is involved in such training camps, the camps at China are no less than a torture, especially to the kids who are trained to win medals no matter what happens to their health, as their main aim is to win medals for their country.

There are reports that suggest that the trainers have no mercy on kids, as they are made to train hard. The sight of kids who are put to training at these camps is indeed a pain, as the photographs of these Chinese camps, videos on YouTube would make any individual feel bad and pity the kids.

Five-to six year old kids are made to stretch their legs, swinging on the beams, hanging from pairs of rings, bounding across floor mats during the physically strenuous training sessions.Kids are trained in order to learn how to be tough, how to outclass other athletes who come from other parts of the world to take the top of the podium.

China, no wonder is a sports power and leading medal winners at the Olympics. Though the outcome is pleasing, the amount of physical strain that the kids go through makes one feel why children are made to go through such suffering when they should enjoy their childhood.

What do you think guys? Do you think it's okay to adapt this one here in the Philippines. If you're a parent, would you dare send your kids to training camps like that for the sake of national glory?

PHILIPPINES' OLYMPIC GOLD QUEST

2012-08-05T23:32:00.000-07:00

The country's quest for Olympic gold hit the wall again with the defeat of it's last hope the light flyweight boxer Mark Bariga. Bariga fought well enough in his first match with Cappai of Italy. But lost his fight in the round of 16 to Zhakypov of Kazakhstan. It was a controversial win for the much taller Zhakypov who eked out a 17-16 squeaker over Bariga. With a very clear advantage in their physique, Zhakypov seemed to bully and pushed Bariga around. Bariga was slapped by the Canadian referee Roland Labbe with a questionable penalty in the third round for for head-butting awarding Zhakypov an automatic two-point advantage.

Actually before the fight I already had it in my mind that Bariga is going to lost in that match simply because he was going to face a Kazakhstan fighter. Kazakhstan is an influential nation in AIBA with two representatives in the 27-members of the Executive Committee. It is also the headquarters of the Asian Boxing Confederation and host of the AIBA Boxing Academy. The secretary-general of Asian Boxing Confederation Aziz Kozhambetov is from Kazakhstan.

Two Kazakhstan fighter were already a beneficiary of controversial victories under dubious circumstances that seemed to favor Kazakhstan fighters. Zhakypov happens to be the first beneficiary in his 18-17 victory over France's Jeremy Beccu, and another Kazakhstan lightweight Gani Zhailauov who pulled off a hairline victory over Thailand's Saylom Ardee. The crowd was clearly surprised with the win on a count-back after a 12-12 draw.

Bariga's performance last Saturday was not good enough for a convincing win. It was his only way to win that match-a convincing win. He should have taken it away from the judges and the referee to have a say on the final outcome. His performance against Cappai of Italy was lot better and that was a convincing win.
Last Saturday, I think his coach made a mistake of not advising Bariga to stay away from Zhakypov. Or maybe Bariga did not follow instruction from his coach. What he should have done was to fight a hit-and-run style wherein he delivers a 1-2-3 punch combination and then ran away. Then comeback with a 1-2-3 combination again and so on.. In that way Zhakypov cannot execute his bullying tactics. Bariga was ahead by two points at the end of round two. So he can afford a hit and run because he was not catching up with the score. That could have been a different story. He should have not been slapped with a penalty because he would be fighting away from his opponent. Mark did not use his head. He was simply fighting and it was awful because he was clearly out of gas in the last round.

In Olympic boxing, a pure boxing skill is not enough to win a gold. A boxer has to think cleverly. He has to out wit his opponent. That separates the champions from the rookies. Bariga is just a rookie with a raw talent. No doubt this boy from Panabo, Davao is talented. He needs a good trainer and a good coach. Above all he needs funds for a good professional training.

So it's back to the drawing boards for the country's quest for that ever elusive Olympic gold. The question is are we on track to inch closer and closer and get there someday. For me the answer is yes we have a glimpse of hope. We are capable of producing someday Olympic gold caliber athletes because we have a young and ever growing population. Unlike other countries like Japan, China, European countries, Korea and some South American countries, they have an aging population. They have either a small or zero birth rate. So in the years to come they will have few and fewer athletes to compete because there will be less and less younger population.

For the Philippines, it's not enough to have good caliber athletes. The government has to have a resolve and commit to provide the necessary funds to support the training and livelihood of the athletes. The sports power countries are pouring millions of dollars into sports. How about us? We are putting millions of pesos in the pockets of politicians. If only all the congressmen can set aside Php.1 million each from their pork barrels for an Olympic gold incentive fund, then that could be a very very good start.

But before I forget, the politics in the Philippine Olympic Committee has to end once and for all. My goodness there a lot of deserving good athletes out there but could not get a chance to represent this country because of stupid politics within the sports associations , the Philippine Olympic Committee, and the Philippine Sports Commission!!! F_ _k you people!!!

I am very sure that the first ever Olympic Gold medalist of this country is going to be very rich in due time. The parents would be very proud of him. That hero is still out there waiting to be tap. I'm not sure though if that hero is already born. Good luck to all of us!

HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE WITH MRT

2012-06-17T21:43:00.002-07:00

Today is June 18,2012. The day started with a strong rains with floods in some areas of Metro Manila. I left my home around 7:00 A.M.Trying to take a ride of a jeep was already something that wasn't normal today. There's a lot of passengers waiting to take a ride. I guess some jeeps and buses decided to skip to avoid the floods. That's why I have to run after a jeep and muscle my way to take a ride. While on the jeep on my way to the Quezon Avenue station of the MRT, I thought if it was hard with the jeeps then it could be the same way with the train.

When I arrived at the MRT station, well, I wasn't surprised because it was exactly as I thought of- a sight of a horrible long queue of passengers outpouring all around the station. At first I hesitated to join the queue and thought of proceeding to the LRT Munos station. But then I still decided to go ahead with MRT.

Oh my God! It took me 1 hour and 12 minutes just to board the stupid train! It was a horrible long queue that barely moves. I sweated profusely because of the body heat generated by the large crowd. Inside the train still it was hot because the air-conditioning system wasn't working well.

What is wrong with the MRT? Their service is really very poor. What I heard MRT is operating on a loss. But it should not be the reason for a poor service. Comfort of the riding public should be the primary consideration. The air-conditioning system of their coaches is way inferior compared to the LRT and much worst compared to the other train systems in Asia.

I wonder if the DOTC is aware of the problems with MRT operations. I think Secretary Mar Roxas should look into their operations before it gets worst and worst.

PACQUIAO'S LOSS SHOCKS BOXING WORLD

2012-06-10T22:58:00.000-07:00

Manny Pacquiao's loss to Timothy Bradley on Saturday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas via a controversial split decision shocks the boxing world. The decision was a big surprise as Pacquiao was expected to lead in all scorecards.

It ended Pacquiao's 15 consecutive winning streak. Bradley improve his record to 29-0 and Pacquiao slipped to 54-4-2 with 38 knockouts.

Well, just as I have told you in my previous post that Pacquiao's going to lost, what happened last Saturday was no surprise to me. I saw it coming. All the elements for it to happen were all in place. As if everything was all set. The circumstances leading into that fight made it all ripe for Manny to lost a fight.

I predicted for Pacquiao to lost on points and it ended exactly like that. I thought Manny fought good enough last Saturday for a win. Personally, I scored it 7 rounds to Manny and 5 to Bradley.

But then something was supposed to happen that day. And the only way for Pacquiao to lost was to get robbed! It was destined to happen just as Pacquiao was destined to lost that day.

The presence of the whole family of Pacquiao for the first time was for me a spoiler. It's kinda bad omen. And Pacquiao's sudden move to become a preacher was also one of the reason for his loss.

God works mysteriously. Maybe GOD was just trying to test Manny's faith that giving him a loss will truly test his character and faith in GOD.

TIPS ON HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT NATURALLY

2012-06-07T23:23:00.001-07:00

Basically, losing weight is burning more calories of the food we eat. It looks simple as that though, if it's that simple enough, nobody would have a weight problem then. The problem of losing weight consistently persist as more and more people especially the women these days need to shed those
extra pounds in order to look good and healthy.

Oftentimes, we take on measures and programs hoping for quick and instant results. Losing weight too quickly can be dangerous.There are a lot of weight loss programs available but they require drastic changes in your diet and also requires extreme exercises to drive and force those extra pounds away. The problem with these programs like fad diets, pills, fasting program or exercise gadgets that promise instant success is that it may cause severe health complications and it is very difficult to keep up with them.

The secret to losing weight effectively is to take a slow and make small but steady and lasting changes. Aiming for big instant results is hard to maintain so often times you end giving up. You may have lose a weight but when you stop with the program there you gain it back again and maybe more. So forget about drastic and instant results and focus on a safe, easy but long term program.

Here are my tips on how to lose weight naturally:

To jump-start a lose weight program you have to overhaul your eating and lifestyle habits. Change your eating habit by reducing the amount of food that you usually eat, the kind of food and the time that you eat. You don't need to fast and go hungry.
Eat regularly meals. Never skip a meal especially breakfast. It's always been a wrong idea not to eat breakfast or to skip a meal so as to avoid gaining weight.
Eat small meals enough to make you feel full but not hungry.Instead of three big meals, eat five or six small meals.
Avoid added sugar on your food,
Avoid trans fats.
Reduce your carbohydrate intake like rice. and eat more on vegetables and protein
Drink more water. Taking a glass before meals reduces your appetite to eat more.
Following the above tips may not make you gain weight but maintain. So to start losing weight avoid a sedentary lifestyle. Move that ass of yours! Exercise!
Try to start walking and progressing to brisk walk. Walking around 2000 to 3000 steps a day will help you maintain your weight. Doing more than that around 5000 steps a day or one hour of brisk walk will burn extra calories and helps you lose some weight.
As much as possible avoid using the escalators and elevators.
Avoid the tricycles if it's a walking distance.
Do some stretching and simple exercise at the start. Do not overdo it. Just let it happen freely. Do it progressively until your body get used to it and it becomes your daily routine. If you do it abruptly chances are that you will quit. Some women who goes on jogging and overdo it the first day, When they get back home they get a good sleep because they are very tired. Upon waking up the tendency is to eat a lot. The following day they will have body pains and they quit afterwards.
Once your body has adjusted to daily exercises, slowly routines to your workouts on a weekly basis. You may add intervals, variations, weights, but always do it progressively. Keep it harder slowly. Push yourself to your limits. Remember the saying " No pain no gain" .
Avoid starving yourself. When you are hungry, the tendency is to over eat.
Use a smaller plate when eating. More food on the plate will cause you to eat more.
As much as possible avoid eating out. Food in restaurants are loaded with fats.
Eat only when you feel really hungry. At first, take a glass of water. Then if you still feel hungry that's the time to eat just enough.
Reduce your TV watching hours. The more time you watch TV the more is the tendency to eat more.
Eat fruits for snacks.
Make love as often as possible. It burns a lot of calories!
Always keep in mind of your objective to lose weight. It's about discipline! Stay focus on your goals. Remember that what you are is what you eat!

PACMAN VS. BRADLEY : Take your pick!

2012-06-05T20:56:00.000-07:00

Manny Pacquiao's custom bus rolled to Vegas Monday night for his World Welterweight title fight against the undefeated Jr. Welterweight Champion Timothy Bradley on Saturday, June 9 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Thousands of fans greeted Pacquiao's arrival at the MGM Grand. It was at this very venue in which Pacquiao dominated sports headlines, arriving as a late sub for a title shot against Lehlo Ledwaba in June 2001. Pacquiao then was a 22 year old former flyweight king.He scored a major upset of the rated Ledwaba in the sixth round of a supporting bout to a card headlined by Oscar De La Hoya.

Boxing fans all over the world are expecting a good fight because both fighter have something to prove. Pacquiao (54-3-2,38KO's) needs an impressive performance. He openly admits "the pressure is there" to look impressive. Manny needs to prove that there's something left in him after a lackluster win against Mosley and a very close and controversial win against Juan Manuel Marquez.

On the other hand Bradley, (28-0,12KO) is going all out for a win because he knows that a loss would set him back. He wants a knock down to win impressively.

Pacquiao hasn't lost in a long time. I've got this feeling that the "Law of Averages" is catching-up with him this time. He's going to lost in this fight by points.

Personally, of course I want him to win. It's just that there's this feeling that I have that this could be the time for a loss because of some first times. This will be the first time that the whole family of Pacquiao is going to watch live. Then Manny has suddenly become a preacher. So I expect spoilers out there.

What do you think guys? take your pick!

HUNGER & POVERTY : MY GREATEST BATTLE

2012-06-05T00:12:00.002-07:00

Guys, take a look at these pics. These are some of the millions of starving children in Africa and some parts of the world. Actually, the first time I saw these pics and learned about the widespread poverty and hunger in some parts of the world, I didn't notice that I was in tears. I can't believe that there are people who can't even eat a single meal in a day. I can't believe that a child dies in every three seconds due to extreme poverty. I can't believe that with all the advances in technology, with all the wealth of the powerful nations, with all the millions and billions of dollars of the rich and famous, there still exist of people who continues to survived and fight for a days meal. The wild animals are far better off because they have food in the jungle. But for these very unfortunate people living in what we call a civilized world, it's very intriguing and amazing why these things happen. It's very shameful for all the people who are aware of these but did nothing. For me, one thing that is missing from most of us is this thing: COMPASSION ! Do you have it , friend? Do you care for these hungry children? To give you an idea how serious is this problem please read further..

THE WORLD HUNGER & POVERTY PROBLEM: FACTS,FIGURES AND STATISTICS

Based on global hunger statistics, it is estimated that around 854 million around the world are suffering from hunger and malnutrition, about 100 times as many as those who actually die from it each year.
The Indian subcontinent has nearly half of the world's hungry people. Africa and the rest of Asia together have approximately 40%, and the remaining hungry people are found in Latin America and other parts of the world.
Every day, more than 16,000 children die from hunger-related causes--one child every five seconds.
Every year 15 million children die from hunger. In essence, hunger is the most extreme form of poverty, where individuals or families cannot afford to meet their most basic need for food.
One in twelve people worldwide is malnourished, including 160 million children under the age of 5 according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture.
Hunger manifests itself in many ways other than starvation and famine. Most poor people who battle hunger deal with chronic undernourishment and vitamin or mineral deficiencies, which result in stunted growth, weakness and heightened susceptibility to illness.
Half of all children under five years of age in South Asia and one third of those in sub-Saharan Africa are malnourished.
About 183 million children weigh less than they should for their age
Malnutrition is implicated in more than half of all child deaths worldwide.
In the U.S. hunger and race are related. In 1991 46% of African-American children were chronically hungry, and 40% of Latino children were chronically hungry compared to 16% of white children.
In the Asian, African and Latin American countries, well over 500 million people are living in what the World Bank has called "absolute poverty"
According to UNICEF, nearly one in four people, 1.3 billion - a majority of humanity - live on less than $1 per day. Among this group of poor people, many have problems obtaining adequate, nutritious food for themselves and their families. As a result, 820 million people in the developing world are undernourished. They consume less than the minimum amount of calories essential for sound health and growth.
3 billion people in the world today struggle to survive on US$2/day.
The current world population is 7.018 billion people
Part of the developed or industrialized world is the United States, which consists of about 57 countries with a combined population of about 1 billion, less than one sixth of the world’s population.
In contrast, approximately 5.1 billion people live in the developing world. This world is made up of about 125 low and middle-income countries in which people generally have a lower standard of living with access to fewer goods and services than people in high-income countries.
The remaining 0.4 billion live in countries in transition, which include the Baltic states, eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Majority of the victims of hunger are the children and malnutrition is implicated in more than half of all child deaths worldwide. Children who are poorly nourished suffer up to 160 days of illness each year.It is estimated that malnutrition affects 32.5% of children in developing countries. Geographically, 70% of malnourished children live in Asia, 26 % in Africa and 4% in Latin America and the Caribbean. In many cases, their plight began even before birth with a malnourished mother.

Undernourishment negatively affects people’s health, productivity, sense of hope and overall well-being. A lack of food can stunt growth, slow thinking, sap energy, hinder fetal development and contribute to mental retardation.

Economically, the constant securing of food consumes valuable time and energy of poor people, allowing less time for work and earning income.

-Socially, the lack of food erodes relationships and feeds shame so that those most in need of support are often least able to call on it.

There is enough food in the world to feed everyone. Yet, malnutrition and hunger still afflict one out of every seven people on earth. Why? The number of hungry children in Africa could increase by 3.3 million by 2025 unless politicians change their plans, a new report has warned.

It is estimated that for the price of one missile, a school full of hungry children could eat lunch everyday for 5 years.

It was also estimated that the 100 million deaths in the 1990's could have been prevented for the price of ten stealth bombers or what the world spends on its military in two days!

There is enough money in the world to to buy food and feed everyone. Only that its not more or less evenly or proportionately distributed. The world's 358 billionaires have assets exceeding the combined annual incomes of countries with 45 percent of the world's population according to UNICEF. The assets of the world's three richest men are more than the combined GNP of all the least developed countries on this planet.

While some progress has been made to improve the life conditions of those in hunger, there still a vast need for awareness, movement, consciousness and action. It is inspiring that others have similar interests and made the transition from simply wanting to learn about world hunger and poverty to the effort and much more an attempt towards making a difference. I strongly believe that if one has the strength to fight for once cause; one can find the strength to fight for another. I have come with the conclusion that this issues are not only for one person, for one community, for one town, nor for one nation alone to assimilate, but for the totality of the human race.

This is my biggest battle in life and the time to get started with this fight against hunger and poverty is now! Join me if you are convinced and truly believe with this cause. Please take action no matter how small it is whether it is by writing to congress to advocate or by making a monetary contribution or by solicitation. If you're an artist, maybe you can stage a concert and donate some of the proceeds. A small way can go a long way. Thank you for your support and interest on spreading awareness!

"If many little people, in many little places, do many little deeds, they can change the face of the Earth!!"

CORONA TO TEACH? OMG!!!

2012-06-05T00:11:00.000-07:00

A jobless Renato Corona is considering going back to teaching at any of the country's leading universities. OH MY GOD!

A teacher is a model of the students. what values is he going to impart to his students? What is he going to teach? Teach them how not to declare one's SALN correctly? or teach them how to acquire properties when you are working for the government? or maybe how to open bank accounts?

What moral implications will this have on the students if they have a teacher or professor who is not morally fitted to become one..He maybe cloning himself in that process. Teaching is not just about the subject matters. It is also about molding the students to become morally upright and responsible citizens. A teacher is a role model. How can you expect the former chief justice to be a role model with that kind of reputation?

I don't think it will be wise for a university to get his services as a teacher. So much so that the government is preparing to file some cases soon against him. Personally, I think he should refrain himself from such plan so as not to add more insults to injury.

Meanwhile some sectors of society and some senators have appealed to the palace to spare Corona from criminal or civil charges saying he had suffered enough during the impeachment trial.

Personally, I think he should be made to account for any misdeeds if there are any. While he should not be singled out for criminal prosecution, neither should he be exempted from it. While showing compassion is laudable it should be done in consonance with the law.

Filipinos easily forgives by nature. That's the mean reason why some cases of some important personalities in the past are forgotten. We as a nation has to change that attitude. Those people who have committed crimes in government should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Otherwise people like them will just keep on cloning.

GUILTY AS CHARGED!

2012-06-05T00:10:00.002-07:00

The impeachment trial of the Philippines' Chief Justice has finally come to an end after 43 days of trial. The impeachment court with the senators sitting as judges delivered the verdict: Guilty as Charged!

The Senators voted 20-3 voting for the removal of the Chief Justice from office thereby making him the first Philippine government official to be convicted by an impeachment court.

If I were one of the Senators, I would have voted the same with the majority. It was very clear that the Chief Justice intentionally did not declare his huge peso and dollar accounts in his SALN. I found it hard to believe that the 80-million peso account was not all his money. If I own part of that money I will never agree for such amount to be deposited in his name alone. If indeed some part of that money belongs to his children then why was it not deposited in their own accounts His children are all of legal age. So I don't see any reason for their father to keep their money in his account. If part of that money belongs to some of his friends or business partners that makes it even more complicated and incredibly unbelievable!

He had his day in court to defend himself. But his testimony made himself look very stupid. It would have been better if he opted not to testify. Well, he can lie, but he's not a good liar.