Crying Free-man

Gadget Show

2009-12-17T21:35:00.000-08:00

This is my first serious ventures to advance photography although I have no idea how to take pictures perfectly. I bought this one coupled with 18-55mm lens and a 70-300 telefoto lens, bought a cheaper small/aluminium tripod as well. Still exploring how the camera works perfectly to my preferences and this will be very handy on my up coming holiday. I originaly craved for EOS 50D unfortunately my favorite seller no longer offers the said model. This was the display set I got from the store since their stores nationwide hasn't received any new stock from canon and that it will take 2-3 weeks for my order to arrive, I was offered the EOS 450D but I prefer EOS 500D than the EOS 450D so I ended up begging from the manager to give me the display set which he gave in anyway in the end.

Features
15.1 MP CMOS sensor Full HD (1080p) movies High ISO up to 12800 for low-light conditions 3.4fps with up to 170 JPEG burst 3.0” Clear View LCD with Live View mode 9-point AF system DIGIC 4 EOS Integrated Cleaning System EF/EF-S and EX Speedlite compatibility

15.1 MP CMOS sensor Ideal for those who want to create large, poster-size prints – or crop images to perfection without losing any of the detail necessary for printing – Canon’s 15.1MP CMOS sensor is outstanding in low light, and produces images with incredibly low noise. Full HD movie recording The EOS 500D combines exceptional still shooting with the ability to shoot Full HD (1080p) video. For occasions when larger amounts of footage need to be stored on a memory card, users can also choose to shoot at 720p or VGA resolution. An HDMI connection allows High Definition playback of footage and images on any HDTV. High ISO for low light When light levels fall, the EOS 500D offers an ISO range of up to 3200 – expandable to 12800 for those environments where using flash is undesirable. 3.4fps with up to 170 JPEG burst The EOS 500D features shooting speeds of up to 3.4fps in continuous bursts of up to 170 large JPEG images (9 RAW). 3.0” Clear View LCD with Live View mode Detailed checks on images and video are possible with a 3.0” ClearView LCD screen, which features an ultra-high 920,000 dots for increased clarity. Switch to Live View mode and use the real-time visual feed to shoot from awkward angles. 9-point AF system A high-precision AF system employs 9 AF points AF Points are located throughout the frame to better accommodate off-centre subjects. For accurate focusing with fast aperture lenses, the central AF point features a high sensitivity cross-type sensor, suitable for lenses with an aperture of f/2.8 or faster. DIGIC 4 Canon’s DIGIC 4 processor works with the CMOS sensor to deliver 14-bit image processing, for smooth gradations and natural looking colours. DIGIC 4 also powers advanced Noise Reduction when shooting at higher ISO speeds, plus split-second startup times and near-instant image review after shooting. EOS Integrated Cleaning System Canon’s built-in dust prevention system offers three ways of guarding images against the effects of dust: reduction of internal dust generation; an in-camera sensor cleaning mechanism; and the ability to map stubborn dust sports for removal with the included Digital Photo Professional software. Full EF/EF-S and EX Speedlite compatibility The EOS 500D is compatible with Canon’s full range of EF and EF-S lenses and EX-series Speedlites. This allows the creation of a shooting system as unique as the photographer using it.

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This is my latest mobile phone, Sony Ericsson Satio , I'm back to ericsson after they released this camera brilliant phone as I always wanted to have a camera ready in hand and since I will be giving my Nokia N96 to my wife. I still haven't explored much of the phone's features but one thing that puts me off is that their is no dedicated slot for the stylus, touchscreen is resistive. You will not regret with the camera of this phone though.

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This is my third laptop within a period of three years time. After the warranty of my Expensive Compaq expired, along with it the laptop decided to stop working properly showing a multiple scrren on desktop. I was very disappointed with Compaq and I wouldn't waste next time buying any from Hp and Compaq so I decided to try Vaio instead. I don't like the specs of this one though but I had no choice as I badly needed an immediate replacement for my Compaq.

Product Features

Smart personal laptop in Silver with 3 Gb RAM for efficient everyday computing
15.4 inch X-black LCD for sharp and bright pictures
Integrated 1.3 megapixel camera for instant video chat with friends and family
Maximum connectivity with 4 USB ports – no need to use an external USB hub
Enjoy effortless multimedia creation with VAIO Movie Story and VAIO MusicBox

Technical Details

Operating System: Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium SP1
Chipset: Mobile Intel GM45 Express Chipset
Cover Colour: Silver
Processor: Intel Pentium Processor T4200 with Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology
Processor Speed: 2 GHz
Number of Cores: 2
L2 Cache: 1 MB
Frontside Bus: 800 MHz
Memory Size: 3 Gb
Memory Speed: 800 MHz
Memory Type: DDR2 SDRAM (1 x 2 Gb, 1 x 1 Gb)
Max. Supported Memory: 8 Gb
Max Memory Comment: In the case of 4 Gb or more, a portion of the system memory over 3 Gb might not be available to the 32bit operating system
Hard Drive: 250 Gb SATA 5400 rpm
Optical Drive: CVD+-RW/+-R DL/RAM
Optical Drive Speed (Read): CD x24, CD-R x24, CD-RW x24, DVD x8, DVD-R DL x8, DVD-R x8, DVD-RW x8, DVD+R DL x6, DVD+R x8, DVD+RW x8, DVD-RAM x5
Optical Drive Speed (Write): CD-R x24, CD-RW x24, DVD-R DL x6, DVD-R x8, DVD-RW x6, DVD+R DL x6, DVD+R x8, DVD+RW x8, DVD-RAM x5
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My first camcorder Sony HDRX-R105E.CEH. The high definition video taken from this cam is really amazing, crisp and clear. I originally thought this has a night mode video shooting capability and I was frustrated it doesn't have. Could have taken the HDRXR200 if given a chance which has night mode shooting and a GPS. GPS? for what?

Features

Full HD 1920 x 1080 video recording at high bit-rate using AVCHD format

Up to 33 hours HD recording on 80GB hard drive plus HYBRID recording on optional Memory Stick.

Exmor CMOS sensor for brilliant picture quality with high sensitivity and low noise

BIONZ high-speed image processor for enhanced image quality and responsive performance

Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens with 10x optical zoom / 120x digital zoom

SteadyShot image stabilization for clearer video and stills when shooting handheld x.v.Colour mode for vivid, lifelike colours with compatible TV

Face Detection automatically gives clearer, natural looking faces. Smile Shutter automatically captures photos of smiles even during video shooting

D-Range Optimiser with Auto Backlight Correction adjusts exposure and contrast for evenly-exposed backlit shots

4 megapixel still photo recording onto internal HDD or removable Memory Stick

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Hp Pavilion DV2750ea. This is my current gaming notebook. It's fast although not fast enough to my expectation but tweaking/adding memory will surely make it lighting speed. Has only two usb port and these are so close together that you may not be able to use them both at once as what I had experienced.
Lights flashing when in sleep mode using uneccessary battery power. Graphic card will still struggle with the latest games as what I had experienced when playing Assissins Creed (this probably calls for a Sony PS3 console), no HD/BLUE RAY drive that will accomodate my Full HD camcorder videos.
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This is not my first laptop. My first one was an IBM ( I already forgotten what model). An Hp (I can't remember the model as well because I don't have it anymore)....?

This was taken hostage by my ex in exchange for my papers and certificates. And as if she still hasn't got the best of her so called "revenge" after I gave this laptop, she decided not to give my papers and certificates unless I again give her a monthly dues worth around £400.00 which I declined and ended up losing all my papers and certificates - that's after I sent her to college(De La Salle University to be exact) shouldering her daily expenses and apartment, supported her family, lended £650.00 to her aunt and ended not being paid as well.

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My first compact Digital camera Casio Exelim EX-S770. A friend from Qatar paid me a visit and toured them into places unknown even to myself. we ended up alighting at the wrong station, in short we got lost. After a series of picture taking, my friend accidentally dropped this camera more than a meter to a concrete floor breaking not but a little portion of top cover.

If you’re thinking of buying a new camera, the chances are that you’re considering one of the big brands you’ve often heard of, such as Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Olympus or Fujifilm. Maybe you’ll consider a Sony, a Panasonic or a Samsung, since you’ve heard they’re pretty good. However the chances are you’ll overlook the longest-established consumer digital camera brands of them all: Casio. Unfortunately for Casio its name is associated in the public consciousness with cheap pocket calculators and digital watches, and for some reason this seems to have negative connotations, despite the fact that Casio calculators and watches have always been very good.

The fact is that it was Casio that produced the world’s first consumer digital camera way back in 1996, was the first to include an LCD monitor, was the first to launch a 10MP compact, and has always been one of the leading innovators in the field. The Exilim series of high-quality pocket compacts are among the smallest, most advanced and best value for money on the market, but hardly anyone ever considers them.

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My third current phone.The camera, the memory lured me to get this model when it came out. Accessing internet videos is quick and simple. The Nokia N96 supports common video formats including MPEG-4, Windows Media Video and Flash Video, making favorite videos easy to view. Transferring and accessing videos is even faster with the high-speed USB 2.0 connection and WLAN and HSDPA support. In select markets, the integrated DVB-H receiver offers live broadcast TV with an automatically updating program guide. The massive memory can store up to 40 hours of video content. The storage capacity of the Nokia N96 can even be further expanded with an optional microSD card, such as the new Nokia 8GB microSDHC Card MU-43 which increases the available memory of the Nokia N96 to a total of 24 GB. For added convenience, the Nokia N96 features a 'kickstand' on the back cover that allows for hands-free viewing.

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The phone that lured me to try using Nokia again because I though Nokia's phone's were boring.

S60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 1, with the combined Web/WAP browser and miniUSB connectivity
HSDPA, UPnP and Wi-Fi (all fairly cutting edge in a phone when announced but more commonplace today)
a largish, recessed 2.6" screen
an utterly superb 5 megapixel stills camera with great optics, light sensitivity and options, protected by a physical shutter and spoilt slightly by slow image processing and slow camera startup
a great VGA-res video recorder (producing good video images but only mono sound)
a very full set of media software, with all audio and video codecs, video and image editing suites, online integration
the facility to work in portrait or landscape mode
a built-in low power GPS with 'Assisted GPS' for fast lock-on times
great and tactile d-pad and button set
TV out for video echoing of any application or media item to a TV or other video equipment

It was quite a package for a 'phone', but despite the plus points above and even with latest firmware, two big negatives remained. The 950mAh BL-5F battery just wasn't up to the job of powering all the multimedia and comms goodness, with most power users of the N95 finding that the battery sometimes didn't last the day and with I'm irritated by having to recharge every single night. I'm looking forward to upgrade this to N97 in two months time.

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My second Sony Ericsson phone which I am stll using until now and intend to keep this for roaming purposes.

The Sony Ericsson W850i is a 3G Walkman® phone & is beautifully designed to be fun, useable & compact. The handset has a slide opening mechanism & is available in two stylish colours which are precious black & golden white which provides the user with a sleek looking & tactile handset. The W850i is a mobile phone, camera phone & music phone all in one.

Between the soft keys is a dedicated Walkman control that's used to activate the music player. Though it's easy to identify because of its bright orange color, the Walkman button has a long thin shape and is squashed next to a raised silver bar. Unfortunately, those two features make the control very difficult to press unless you have nails. The main navigation array that sits below the display has such an unintuitive design, I can't imagine what Sony Ericsson was thinking when it rolled this one out of the design lab. Instead of a traditional toggle or a joystick, the W850i has a recessed OK button surrounded by four pressure points for each direction (up, down, left, right). After a year of pressing these buttons, the front panel gave in and broke.

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After the bad omens I've experienced with Samsung units, I decided to grab Sony Ericsson K800i right away when this first came out. The efforts of phone manufacturers to cram more and more pixels into the lenses of the built-in cameras is nothing short of relentless. In 2006, Samsung has hit 10-megapixels with its SCH-B600 phone, but that is of course no more than a technology statement and is only available in Korea anyway. The best we can get that time was a 3.2 million courtesy of Sony Ericsson’s K800i, the first SE phone to carry the Cyber-shot branding. It is not just about pixels, though, and Sony Ericsson has added in some non pixel-count features which augment the K800i’s potential as a cameraphone.

I gave this to my ex which I later found out not a sound decision.

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My third official phone the Samsung E730. The picture quality of this phone is awesome although it is just 1.3 megapixel. Everything is fine with this phone. Just that the memory is not big enough. I gave this to my ex after I got bored with it.

She was on a jeepney in between two lads. The first lad dropped a coin on her feet and while he was attempting to retrive the coin while attracting the attention of the victim, the second lad open the victim's bag and took the phone without her knowing it. The two lads alighted saying "miss we're sorry" to her.
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A Motorola C200, I ended up using this phone after I lost my precious Samsung V200. Theres nothing special with the features of this phone aside from it is small and cuteness. And since I can't no longer afford to buy expensive one's, I happened to repaint this several times to give it new looks after a couple of months. The kind of phone that will still send and recieve text and call after a seven story fall, trust me!

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This phone, Samsung V200 appeared in the second movie "The Matrix". One of the best selling phone in 2003. This is my second official phone, the phone that made me a samsung fanatics because of its brilliance in camera although limitation can't be denied but in all, I simply just love this phone.

We boarded a jeepney in Baclaran, a tall, dark man forced to sit on my left side although the rest of the space were empty. My temper rushed to it's summit and a stared at the bloody bastard until my ex decided to pull me to avoid confrontation. We alighted at Edsa MRT, and spent the rest of 30 minutes chatting with Vincent (a workmate from Lion Air) until I rested my palm on my left pocket and I was horrified. I used to slid my phones on that pocket no matter what and right there and then I knew that the tall, dark guy in the jeepney stole it. We managed to call my number and the voice from the other end replied " I bought this phone from a guy two days ago"!

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I don't really owned this phone but after I sold my 8210, Uncle died unexpectedly without signs nor warnings. We brought him to the hospital and nobody has any idea how to contact his family. A friend (Edison Toledo), a very good friend of mine lend me this phone for three weeks. And I usually recieved a text mesages from his wife "take care always and I love you's" and I had as I remembered sent a replies as well saying "I Love You Too". All of my friends burst into laughter when I told them this story.

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This is the first phone I bought from a friend (Leah Velasco - before she got married), Nokia 8210. My Uncle resisted when he learned I was saving my money for this saying that I am just wasting my money and after a couple of months I decided to sell it to a close friend (Roderick Bulgar - who once gave me an advice to better hang myself/end my own life rather than seeing me sobs from problems I thought were insurmountable) half my buying price. This phone appeared in the movie Charlie's Angel.

GORRES IN COMA AFTER BRAIN SURGERY

2009-11-14T07:36:00.000-08:00

GORRES IN COMA AFTER BRAIN SURGERY; ALDEGUER ASKS FOR PRAYERS

Z Gorres has been medically-induced into a coma at the University Medical Center (UMC) in Las Vegas after his skull was opened to drain the fluid in his brain to relieve pressure. Gorres was rushed to the hospital after he collapsed in his corner right after he was proclaimed the winner by unanimous decision against Luis Melendez of Colombia Friday night at the House of Blues at the Mandalay Bay Hotel, a boxing event organized by Top Rank as a precursor to the mammoth match-up between Filipino ring icon and pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines and WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto of Puerto Saturday night at MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Dr Allan Recto, who visited Gorres in the hospital Friday night, said that the UMC is well equipped to work on Gorres' condition. However, Gorres remains critical and Recto said he was told by Dr Michael Seiss, the critical care specialist attending Gorres, that Gorres would be in coma for three to five days and "hopefully he will return to consciousness."

"If an ordinary person, like you an me, will be in Gorres' condition," Dr Recto said, "the chances of survival is very slim. Only because Gorres is an athlete that he has more chances to survive."

ALA Gym President Michael Aldeguer and Vice-President Dennis Canete are in the UMC to monitor Gorres' condition.

Meanwhile, ALA chairman Antonio L. Aldeguer, who has nurtured Gorres' boxing career since Gorres was about nine years old, has ask for prayers from everyone who follow boxing and who knows Gorres to pray for Gorres' recovery.

"Gorres is a very good family man with a loving wife and four children. He is a very kind and gentle person. A rare human being. Please ask the Lord not to take him yet. We need your prayers for him," Aldeguer said in a text message.

PhilBoxing.com is with Aldeguer and the whole ALA family and Gorres' family in this most difficult time of Gorres life. We would like to ask everyone in Pacland and the whole boxing community to offer prayers for the recovery of Z Gorres.

http://philboxing.com/news/story-29654.html

What Softdrinks Are Doing To Your Body

2009-11-02T21:17:00.000-08:00

By Dr. Maoshing Ni - Posted on Fri, Oct 30, 2009, 12:29 pm PDT

Soda, pop, cola, soft drink — whatever you call it, it is one of the worst beverages that you could be drinking for your health. As the debate for whether to put a tax on the sale of soft drinks continues, you should know how they affect your body so that you can make an informed choice on your own.

Soft drinks are hard on your health
Soft drinks contain little to no vitamins or other essential nutrients. However, it is what they do contain that is the problem: caffeine, carbonation, simple sugars — or worse, sugar substitutes — and often food additives such as artificial coloring, flavoring, and preservatives.

A lot of research has found that consumption of soft drinks in high quantity, especially by children, is responsible for many health problems that include tooth decay, nutritional depletion, obesity, type-2 diabetes, and heart disease.

Why the sugar in soft drinks isn’t so sweet
Most soft drinks contain a high amount of simple sugars. The USDA recommendation of sugar consumption for a 2,000-calorie diet is a daily allotment of 10 teaspoons of added sugars. Many soft drinks contain more than this amount!

Just why is too much sugar so unhealthy? Well, to start, let's talk about what happens to you as sugar enters your body. When you drink sodas that are packed with simple sugars, the pancreas is called upon to produce and release insulin, a hormone that empties the sugar in your blood stream into all the tissues and cells for usage. The result of overindulging in simple sugar is raised insulin levels. Raised blood insulin levels beyond the norm can lead to depression of the immune system, which in turn weakens your ability to fight disease.

Something else to consider is that most of the excess sugar ends up being stored as fat in your body, which results in weight gain and elevates risk for heart disease and cancer. One study found that when subjects were given refined sugar, their white blood cell count decreased significantly for several hours afterwards. Another study discovered that rats fed a high-sugar diet had a substantially elevated rate of breast cancer when compared to rats on a regular diet.

The health effects of diet soda
You may come to the conclusion that diet or sugar-free soda is a better choice. However, one study discovered that drinking one or more soft drinks a day — and it didn’t matter whether it was diet or regular — led to a 30% greater chance of weight gain around the belly.

Diet soda is filled with artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose, or saccharin. These artificial sweeteners pose a threat to your health. Saccharin, for instance, has been found to be carcinogenic, and studies have found that it produced bladder cancer in rats.

Aspartame, commonly known as nutrasweet, is a chemical that stimulates the brain to think the food is sweet. It breaks down into acpartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol at a temperature of 86 degrees. (Remember, your stomach is somewhere around 98 degrees.) An article put out by the University of Texas found that aspartame has been linked to obesity. The process of stimulating the brain causes more cravings for sweets and leads to carbohydrate loading.

Carbonation depletes calcium
Beverages with bubbles contain phosphoric acid, which can severely deplete the blood calcium levels; calcium is a key component of the bone matrix. With less concentration of calcium over a long time, it can lower deposition rates so that bone mass and density suffer. This means that drinking sodas and carbonated water increases your risk of osteoporosis.

Add in the caffeine usually present in soft drinks, and you are in for even more trouble. Caffeine can deplete the body’s calcium, in addition to stimulating your central nervous system and contributing to stress, a racing mind, and insomnia.

Skip the soda and go for:

• Fresh water
Water is a vital beverage for good health. Each and every cell needs water to perform its essential functions. Since studies show that tap water is filled with contaminants, antibiotics, and a number of other unhealthy substances, consider investing in a quality carbon-based filter for your tap water. To find out more about a high-performance filtration system, click here.

On the go? Try using a stainless steel thermos or glass bottle, filled with filtered water. Enhance the flavor of your water with a refreshing infusion of basil, mint leaves, and a drop of honey.

• Fruit Juice
If you are a juice drinker, try watering down your juice to cut back on the sugar content. Buy a jar of organic 100% juice, especially cranberry, acai, pomegranate, and then dilute three parts filtered water to one part juice. You will get a subtle sweet taste and the benefit of antioxidants. After a couple of weeks, you will no longer miss the sweetness of sugary concentrated juices.

• Tea
Tea gently lifts your energy and has numerous health benefits. Black, green, white, and oolong teas all contain antioxidant polyphenols. In fact, tea ranks as high or higher than many fruits and vegetables on the ORAC scale, the score that measures antioxidant potential of plant-based foods.

Herbal tea does not have the same antioxidant properties, though it is still a great beverage choice with other health benefits, such as inducing calming and relaxing effects.

If tea doesn’t satisfy your sweet tooth, try adding cinnamon or a little honey, which has important health benefits that refined sugar lacks. For a selection of healthy teas that promote total body wellness, click here. Drink up!

I hope you find the ways and means to avoid soft drinks. I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me.

May you live long, live strong, and live happy!

Dr. Mao's Secrets of Longevity
by Dr. Maoshing Ni a Yahoo! Health Expert for Alternative Medicine

Visit Alternative Medicine Home »

Nikon D3S

2009-10-23T12:49:00.000-07:00

Nikon is all about the "S" here in 2009. Nikon's newest pro-level DSLR
checks in at $5199.95, which is about $200 more than its predecessor, the
D3. Notable upgrades come in the form of an HD video mode capable of
capturing 1280 x 720 (720p) footage at 24 fps.

There have also been some substantial upgrades in the ISO department. They
have added a ISO 100 setting on the low end, as well as expanded sensitivity
settings of ISO equivalent 25,600, 51,200, and an impressive 102,400.

At the heart of the D3S is a newly-designed FX-format 36x23.9mm CMOS sensor
that boasts the same pixel size and 12.1-megapixel resolution as the D3.
They claim the new design gives it a higher signal-to-noise ratio as well as
an "unmatched" dynamic range for both stills and video.

Other upgrades include a self-cleaning optical low-pass filter that
oscillates to shake off particles.

There's also a monaural microphone built-in, as well as an input for a
stereo microphone if you want higher fidelity sound with your video.

All in all, the changes are few, but also quite signiicant. The increased
sensitivity alone is groundbreaking, marking the first time any camera has
allowed an ISO over 100,000. Photos are sure to be quite noisy at that
level, but will let you capture images that weren't possible before this
camera came along.

You can expect the D3S to show up at your Nikon dealer by the end of
November.

-- 12.1-megapixel FX-format CMOS sensor (36x23.9mm)
-- ISO range from the equivalent of 100 all the way to the equivalent of
102,400
-- Self-cleaning optical low-pass filter
-- Quieter shutter noise
-- HD video recording up to 1280 x 720 (720p) at 24 fps
-- Full aperture control from f/1.4 to f/16 in video mode
-- Full-res image capture at 9 fps in FX format or 11 fps in DX crop mode
-- 1.2x crop mode
-- 2 UMDA compatible CompactFlash card slots for consecutive recording or
simultatneous recording
-- HDMI-out port
-- Multi-CAM 3500FX focus module with 51 AF points: 15 cross type sensors
and 36 horizontal sensors
-- Three AF modes: Single point, dynamic area AF, and auto-area AF
-- Live View mode
-- Latest generation EXPEED Image Processing System provides faster
processing and lower power consumption
-- 3D Color Matrix Metering II references the scene against 30,000 images in
its internal database to calculate correct exposure
-- Moisture-, dust-, and shock-resistant body with a shutter system tested
to 300,000 cycles
-- 100% viewfinder with .7x magnification
-- 3-inch LCD with 921,000 dot resolution
-- Up to 4200 shots per single battery charge

Canon 1D Mark IV

2009-10-23T12:36:00.000-07:00

If you have been waiting for Canon to unleash an update at the top of their
DSLR line-up, you might want to get that credit card ready. As the name
would suggest, this $4999 body is a follow up to the 1D Mark III, to which
it's almost physically identical.

Inside, however, lives a completely new 16.1-megapixel APS-H CMOS sensor.
The pixels are actually smaller than they were on the Mark III (5.7 microns
down from 7.2), but Canon claims to have actually reduced noise levels.
We're certainly glad to hear it, because the expanded ISO range goes from 50
all the way up to the 102,400 mark hit last week by Nikon's D3S.

The Mark IV has also received the full HD video capture treatment, sporting
a list of video features similar to that of the 7D. It's capable of full
1080p HD at 30 fps and 24 fps, but can churn out 60 fps if you're willing to
settle for 720p.

The autofocus system has also been completely redesigned, boasting 45
selectable points. Dual Digic 4 processors help faster frame rates when
shooting stills, maxing out at 10 fps for up to 28 frames in RAW mode.
Shooting JPEG? You can get up to 121 before you run out of clicks.

On first look, this body sure looks like a real winner. Having seen some of
the low-light video footage shot with it, we wouldn't be surprised to see
these making their way into the bags of pro video shooters as well as pro
photographers.

-- Redesigned autofocus system has 45 AF points including 39 high-precision
cross-type focusing points for tracking moving objects
-- 10 fps in still image mode
-- New AI Servo II AF predictive focusing algorithm improves responsiveness
and stability
-- Native ISO settings from 100 to 12,800. Expanded settings go down to 50
and up to 25,600, 51,200 and 102,400
-- Full 1080p video capture with total manual exposure controls
-- Full HD at 1920 x 1080 in selectable frame rates of 24p (23.976), 25p, or
30p (29.97); and 720p HD or SD video recording at either 50p or 60p (59.94)
-- Three RAW modes: Full RAW (approx. 16 million pixels), M-RAW (approx.
nine million pixels), and S-RAW (approx. four million pixels)
-- Peripheral Illumination Correction corrects for light drop off around the
edges of the frame that can happen at a lense's widest aperture
-- 3-inch Clear View II LCD screen with 920,000 dot resolution
-- Completely weather-resistant, made from magnesium-alloy
-- Compatible with Canon's new WFT-E2 IIA Wireless File Transmitter for
sending files directly to a computer. It also allows you to fire the shutter
using the web.
-- Available in December. Body only, $4999

$3 for Daniel

2009-09-22T12:39:00.000-07:00

This was copied from Niko's Blog

Who is Daniel?

George Daniel Arevalo Samson, is a 5 months old son of my high school friend Clarissa who has biliary atresia with cirrhosis and is in immediate need of liver transplant. Since liver transplant is not yet done locally Daniel is scheduled to have the operation at Chan Gung Hospital in Taiwan on November 24 which will cost P3 Million pesos ($60,000).

Now, no matter how much I feel ashamed for asking help again, there is a must in my heart that says I have to do it for the sake of the child and their family. I am now on my knees, with tears in my eyes knocking on each of your hearts for $3 to help save Daniel’s life...

I know God moves in mysterious ways and I have faith that the Lord will grant us our fervent wish if we ask in group. I am asking for prayer power and blog power, if you have a blog please spread about this $3 for Daniel Project.

If little Daniel will not be able to have a liver transplant soon, he will die.

All donations to Daniel can be send through his mom's bank account: Bank of the Philippine Islands under the account name Ma. Clarisa A. Samson, S.A. No. 3536 0445 53. Her letter, contact details and email address are at the post below.

Or you can simply send your donation at my paypal address: leonytimbas@gmail.com. Let us help Daniel on his fight, your 3$ can make a BIG difference on Daniel's life.

May God continue to bless you more!

Floyd Mayweather vs. Juan Manuel Marquez

2009-09-19T21:40:00.000-07:00

When the eagerly anticipated fight was first announced in May, it was described as a welterweight bout with a catch weight limit of 144 pounds.

However Golden Boy Promotions chief executive Richard Schaefer told reporters on Friday weight penalties had been added to the contract in case either fighter came in too heavy.

With Mayweather exceeding the limit by two pounds, Marquez would benefit financially, Schaefer said.

"All parties signed the agreement and he (Mayweather) will have to come up with a substantial amount of money," he added while refusing to disclose the figure.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. is a five-time world champion and an Olympic Bronze Medalist. Over the last few years of his career, he was widely recognized as the best boxer, pound-for-pound, in the world. Mayweather comes from a prominent boxing family, which includes his father Floyd Sr. and uncles Jeff and Roger, who was a world champion in two weight classes.

Mayweather lost to Augie Sanchez in the 1996 U.S. Olympic Trials, but defeated Sanchez twice in the Box-offs to earn a spot on the Olympic Team. He turned pro after the Olympics, achieving much early success. He got a title shot at the age of 21 against WBC Super Featherweight Champion Genaro Hernandez, who had lost only once in 40 fights. Mayweather dominated the fight before Hernandez's corner conceded defeat after six rounds. Mayweather fought Angel Manfredy just two months later in a high-profile bout, which Mayweather won by a second-round TKO. After defending his belt four more times, Mayweather was matched with the undefeated Diego Corrales. Mayweather dominated the entire fight, knocking down Corrales five times before the latter's father stop the contest.

After two more title defenses, Mayweather moved up in weight and fought WBC Lightweight Champion Jose Luis Castillo, a veteran of many battles, including a win and a draw against the crafty Stevie Johnston. Mayweather, fighting with an injured shoulder, won by a controversial unanimous decision. A rematch was immediately scheduled to end the dispute, which Mayweather won by a clear unanimous decision. Wins against Victoriano Sosa, Phillip N'dou, and DeMarcus Corley followed.

Mayweather then had what some termed a "superfight" with the popular but limited WBC Super Light Champion Arturo Gatti. Gatti had beaten a number of high profile opponents, including Leonard Dorin, Micky Ward, and Jesse James Leija, but he had failed to face any of the top fighters in the division. On June 25, 2005, Mayweather beat Gatti to become a three-division champion. However, Mayweather's claim to the world 140-pound championship was tenuous at best, given that he failed to face the universally-recognized legitimate champion, Ricky Hatton.

On April 8, 2006, Mayweather won the IBF Welterweight Championship with a unanimous decision over Zab Judah. The win garnered Mayweather his fourth world championship in four weight classes. However, once again his claim to the title was considered spurious by most, given that the linear title ran through Carlos Manuel Baldomir, who defeated Judah in his previous fight. On November 4, 2006, Mayweather earned an easy decision victory over Baldomir, shutting him out on two of the three scorecards.

On May 5, 2007, Mayweather defeated WBC Super Welterweight Champion Oscar De La Hoya by a split decision to become a world champion in five different weight classes. After the fight, Mayweather announced that he was retiring, but on Dec 8, 2007, he fought Ricky Hatton, retaining his WBC Welterweight Championship by a tenth-round TKO. Mayweather landed a left hook to Hatton's jaw early in the 10th that sent the challenger down. Hatton bravely got up but was quickly knocked back down, and the fight was called off. Mayweather was ahead 88-82, 89-81, and 89-81 at the time of the stoppage.

It appeared that Mayweather was going to have a rematch with De La Hoya on September 20, 2008, but Mayweather announced his retirement on June 6, 2008.

On May 2, 2009, Mayweather announced his intentions to return to the ring and fight Juan Manuel Marquez in July 2009.

Source: boxrec.com

The July 2009 fight was called off due to alleged Floyd's shoulder blade dislocation after a tedious boxing training.

Hp DV2750ea Failure

2009-09-18T10:19:00.000-07:00

This is the first thing that appears in the screen few seconds after turning the power button on.

This screen display will be displayed moments later.

And you will be asked which program to use before strating. Either start with the last known working config, safe mode etc.

Starting using either of the given option will lead you to this display while loading.

And this is the final displayed images on desktop which is now divided into eight desktop displays. Clicking the icons on the desktop will still open the specific folder but the division made it impossible to read what you are clicking and opening.

PayPal Scam

2009-09-16T13:46:00.000-07:00

I had been using my PayPal account in internet buying and transaction for quite awhile already and I surely didn't expect that time that I will be encountering the problem I had been through/and still working out right now. almost a week ago I bought something in ebay through PayPal and almost spent the rest of my account balance on something else; such as foods and some delicacies. Then I was expecting that I still probably have around $200 in my current account and decided to withdraw the rest few days ago and I was surprised to see what I've got is zero balance. I ignored it for few days until tonight when I went to check my current account online and found that I've just made a payment to someone somewhere in the USA for $250.00 worth regarding (MintDNS v2.0 2008) - I had just unknowingly paid such amount for a server I myself didn't know existed! and worst, I received a restriction usage of my PayPal account from PayPal itself since the balance in my current account when the purchased was made wasn't enough.

This is not the first time that my account had been attacked my internet fraudsters. few months ago somebody has managed to stole my debit bank details and has able to use my account to pay for a monthly basis of something else I didn't myself what. I also Ignored it on the first month since it was just $45.00 and I thought of just giving it to him as gift but to my horror I was again deducted the same amount the following month at almost the same date. Fortunately my bank has managed to blocked the said fraudster before he was able to used my card for the third time.

Lesson Learned: I really do like the hasslefree of using debit cards/Paypal online but being a victim for the third time, I may be having a second thought of using PayPal next time. PayPal used to be a secured online portal but not anymore this time because this guy has managed to stole my PayPal Account at his heart content.

F1 - Schumacher's Comeback

2009-07-31T21:03:00.000-07:00

Michael Schumacher returned to the wheel of a Formula One car on Friday when he tested a 2007 Ferrari in the first step of his comeback.

The 40-year-old, who retired at the end of 2006, drove 67 laps at the Mugello track near Florence. "It's a great thing getting back on the track with an F1 even if this was a car from 2007," he said after the session.

F1 testing is banned during the season but Schumacher was allowed to drive an old car as he undergoes a programme of preparation to make sure he is fit to race.

Michael Schumacher is due to take part in the European Grand Prix in Valencia on August 23 as a replacement for Brazilian Felipe Massa, who was seriously injured in a freak accident during qualifying for last weekend's Hungarian Grand prix in Budapest.

F1 rules says: NO IN-SEASON TESTING! Yet Ferrari They 'get by that rule' by saying it is last years car! Michael Schumacher get out there testing, and may have 'found' some changes that should be made to the 2009 car! What the Ferrari just did 'IS' mid season testing, pure and simple! Getting the greatest driver in F1 history to 'fill-in' is great, but to do that by breaking the rules is DIFFERENT! Do you think Mclaren, Brawn, ect, would be allowed to play that game, I THINK NOT! The rules SHOULD be applied to EVERYONE, and there should be NO exceptions!

Fr. Al's Children Foundation, Inc.

2009-07-16T14:01:00.000-07:00

For PayPal/Credit Card Donation, Click here.

About Us

Fr. Al's Children Foundation, Inc. (FACFI) is a non-stock, non-profit organization duly registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the laws of the Republic of the Philippines. It was established on November 26, 1992 after the demise of Msgr. Aloysius Schwartz, founder of the Sisters of Mary congregation, to assist the charity programs of the Sisters of Mary Boystowns and Girlstowns in the Philippines.

The foundation is a recognized donee institution and certified by the Philippine Council for NGO Certification (PCNC): Certificate No. : 044-2007

Note: PCNC Certificate entitles the donation received by the Foundation for full/limited deduction from the donor's taxable income.

Vision & Mission

VISION

The Foundation envisions itself as the funding arm of the Sisters of Mary in their service to the poorest of the poor Filipino children and a channel wherein concerned people contribute to the upliftment of the lives of the needy and the suffering Filipino people.

MISSION

The Foundation's mission is to establish and maintain a relief organization by means of accepting donations, contributions, bequests and gifts of any kind from local donors for children from the poorest of the poor families in the Philippines by providing them with food, clothing, shelter and education through the Sisters of Mary Boystown and Girlstown Schools.

Our Goal

1. To tap many people who could become potential donors to the foundation through solicitation letters and other ways;

2. To support the majority, if not all, of the basic needs of the poor children through the Sisters of Mary charity programs: food, clothing, academic & technical education.

3. To intercede for the rich to help the poor, for the powerful to assist the helpless, and for the poor to help those who are poorer than themselves.

How Can You Help

FACFI is authorized to receive, and accept donations or contributions and gifts of any kind from donors for the benefit of children from the poorest of the poor families in the Philippines through the Sisters of Mary’s Boystowns and Girlstowns.

The poor, also, deserves the best education. Help us in fulfilling this goal, deposit your contributions to:

Account Name: Fr. Al's Children Foundation, Inc.
Account Number: UCPB CA 167-000716-1
PNB SILANG CA 665-830129-0
PNB MAND. CA 210-20400002-1

For PayPal/Credit Card Donation, Click here.

Call Us or Visit our office at:

FR. AL’S CHILDREN FOUNDATION, INC.
The funding arm of the Sisters of Mary in the Philippines

The Sisters of Mary Girlstown Complex
Room 102, Fr. Al’s Museum & Retreat House
Bo. Biga, Silang, Cavite 4118 Philippines
Tel. Nos. 046-865-3097 / 02-529-8321
Email: faco_al@yahoo.com.ph
Website: www.facfi.org.ph

Boystowns & Girlstowns in the Philippines

The Sisters of Mary Girlstown
Bo. Biga, Silang Cavite
Tel No: (02)529-8321, (046) 865-3097
Fax No: (046) 414-2575
Maximum Capacity: 3,500 high school girls

The Sisters of Mary Boystown
Bo. Adlas, Silang Cavite
Tel No. (02) 529-8318; (046) 865-2546;
Fax No: (046) 865-2830
Maximum Capacity: 2,200 high school boys

The Sisters of Mary Girlstown
J.P. Rizal St., Talisay Cebu City
Tel No. (032) 272-3828
Fax. No. (032) 272-6865
Maximum Capacity: 3,300 high school girls

The Sisters of Mary Boystown
Minglanilla, Cebu
Tel No. (032) 272-8638
Fax No. (032) 272-3686
Maximum Capacity: 2,200 high school boys

In 1964, Fr. Aloysius Schwartz founded the Sisters of Mary in Busan, Korea to serve the poorest of the poor in the spirit of the Gospel.

Adopting the Virgin of the Poor as the group’s patroness, the Sisters of Mary fulfill in their own little way the Virgin of the Poor’s message of relieving the suffering of the poor by establishing child welfare programs like Boystown and Girlstown Schools, setting up medical service to the sick, and providing shelter for the homeless and handicapped.

All charity programs in Korea had been established even before the death of Fr. Al. In Korea the Sisters of Mary take care of the poor from the womb to the tomb.

THE SISTERS OF MARY BOYSTOWN & GIRLSTOWN
BUSAN, SOUTH KOREA
Date Started: August 15, 1964

1. Boystown 1	7. Swiss House (for Kindergarten)
2. Boystown 2	8. Girls Middle School
3. Boys Middle School	9. Girlstown Main Building
4. Boys Technical Schoo	10. Infants’ House (old)
5. Mercy Hospital	11. Babies’ Home (new)
6. Unwed Mother’s House

THE SISTERS OF MARY BOYSTOWN & GIRLSTOWN
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
Date Started: August 15, 1975

1. Elementary School	5. Doty Memorial Hospital
2. Girlstown	6. Boystown
3. Children’s Vi

n 1990, Fr. Al was already afflicted with ALS, yet his deep faith and love of the Lord in the poor gave enormous strength to his ailing body. So, he accepted the invitation of His Excellency, Msgr. Jose Maria Hernandez Gonzalez, bishop of the diocese of Nezahualcoyotl, Mexico in establishing Boystown and Girlstown.

In 1998, six years after the death of Fr. Al, Sr. Michaela, the successor of Fr. Al, received an invitation from His Eminence Juan Cardinal Sandoval Iniguez, archbishop of Guadalajara and governor Alberto Cardenas Jimenez to start a Boystown in Guadalajara, Jalisco. Through their generosity, the sisters started their Boystown program on November 15, 1998 in such place.

Girlstown accommodates more than 4,000 secondary school and high school students and offers training in the follwing: Culinary Arts, Dressmaking and Embroidery, Computer Prgramming.

At this time Boystown can accommodate 2,000 young boys for their secondary school program with specialized training in the following: Carpentry, Restaurant Management, Refrigeration, Automechanics, Electronics, Industrial Electricity, Agro Reforestation, Jewelry, Computer Design and Programming, Accounting.

VILLA DE LAS NIÑAS
(GIRLSTOWN CHALCO, MEXICO)
Date Started: October 1991
Capacity: 4,000 girls

There are about 3,800 girls living in Chalco (near Mexico City), and in Guadalajara 2,000 boys.

In 1996 His Excellency Most Reverend Prospero Penados, Archbishop of Guatemala City, and Guatemalan President, Alvaro Arzu, invited the Sisters of Mary to establish similar charity program that they have heard was already existing in Mexico.

In 1997 the sisters opened medical and dental clinics equipped with x-ray machines and laboratory apparatus in order to serve the indigent patients. Consultation, laboratory tests, medications and other needs of the patients are given totally free of charge.

In 1998 the sisters accepted the first group of students for the newly opened Boystown and Girlstown Complex. Two years after, the boys transferred to a new Boystown Complex in Zona 6. To date(2007) both Boystown and Girlstown can accommodate 1,000 young girls and 1,000 young boys.

Girlstown’s secondary school offers gratuitously special training for: Dressmaking, Computer Education Culinary Arts, Handicrafts, and Typing. Another year for High School is being offered for Advanced Dressmaking and Fashion Design, and Culinary Arts.

Boystown’s Secondary School offers gratuitously training in the following skills: Electricity, Welding, Carpentry, Tailoring, Automechanics, Typing, and Computer Education. Another year in High School is being offered for the specialization of the mentioned vocational skills.

VILLA DE LAS NIÑAS
(GIRLSTOWN GUATEMALA, CA)
Date Started: March 1998
Capacity: 1,000 girls

In the year 2000 His Eminence Jose Cardinal Falcao invited the Sisters of Mary to establish a house in his archdiocese in Brasilia, Brazil. In 2001 the Sisters of Mary accepted the land offered for them in the city of Sta. Maria, Distrito Federal, and the groundbreaking ceremony where the future Clinic will rise follwed.

In March 2002 the construction of the 2-storey building was completed, thus the ground floor of the building served as clinic and the second floor was temporarily used as dormitories and classrooms of the newly accepted young girls. The clinic can serve 50-75 patients daily.

On October 7, 2003 the newly built 7-storey Girlstown building was blessed. To date, Girlstown provides primary education from grade 5 to 8 to young girls aged 12-18 years old coming from the poor families. It can accept 1000 young girls for its educational program which offers special training in Culinary Arts, Dressmaking, and Computer Education.

Recently, on July 1, 2004, the sisters opened a Day Care Center where children agend 3-5 years old are being taken care of the sisters while their mothers are at work. The children arrive at the Complex at 8:00 am and are being fetched by their mothers at 5:00 pm.

All benefits given at the Sisters of Mary Boystowns, Girlstowns, Medical Clinics and Hospitals are totally free of charge.

VILLA DAS CRIANCAS
(GIRLSTOWN BRASILIA, BRAZIL)
Date Started: April 2002
Capacity: 1,000 girls

The Sisters maintain Vila das Crianςas in Santa Maria, Brasilia. This is a home for some 800 girls. The sisters, also, have acquired a place in Sāo Paolo where they will soon establish a charity program to help the poor uplift their lives.

IRMÃS DE MARIA – VILLA DAS CRINÇAS

Seven storey Girlstown building with 508 girls today (2007), grade 5 to 7.

The Sisters of Mary School - Boystowns & Girlstowns

The Sisters of Mary starts its operation in the Philippines in 1985 through its founder, the late Msgr. Aloysius Schwartz. The sisters work primarily by establishing Boystowns and Girlstowns that serve as a school and home for deserving students coming from poor families. The sisters take proper care of the indigent youth entrusted to them by giving them free food, clothing, shelter, medical and dental services, and quality high school education.

With complete facilities and highly qualified teachers, each Boystown and Girlstown School aims to achieve excellence in both academic and vocational training. Because these students are living inside the school, additional hours are spent in studying and training. Aside from the required academic subjects in the secondary education, the students are also given additional skills with more than 160 hours of training in each vocational course.

With discipline, good working attitude, and love for virtues instilled in the minds of the students, the Sisters of Mary Schools aim to provide graduates fully equipped with knowledge that will lead them to a better life of an ideal Christian.

Students at the Girlstown Schools are being trained in the following: dressmaking, industrial sewing machine operation, steno-typing and bookkeeping, electronics, advanced dress making and basic computer systems, call center training and culinary arts.

Students at the Boystown Schools are being trained in the following skills: Electricity and Electronics, Machine Shop and Welding, Computer Technology (CADD), Automechanics and Driving, Mechanical Process, Agriculture Technology and Culinary Arts

To qualify for the live-in high school offered by the Sisters of Mary, applicant must:

a. have completed his/her elementary education;
b. belong to the poorest of the poor family;
c. pass the interview and screening conducted by the Sisters

The Sisters of Mary Schools join hands with the industry sectors for the upliftment of our country’s economy by providing honest, dynamic and disciplined workers who would be responsible enough to answer the needed workforce in the different industries.

The Sisters of Mary Congregation

“Let us serve the Lord with joy…”

This passage from the Psalms is the motto of the Sisters of Mary.

The Religious Congregation of the Sisters of Mary was founded in Busan, South Korea in 1964 by the Servant of God, Msgr. Aloysius Schwartz. Their apostolate is to serve the poorest of the poor in the name of Christ, inspired by their patroness, the Virgin of the Poor, who appeared in Banneux, Belgium, saying, “… I come to relieve suffering.”

Strengthened by their love and devotion to Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, they serve and relieve the suffering of Jesus in the poor by establishing Boystowns and Girlstowns to care for and educate the orphans, abandoned and very poor children; charity clinics and hospitals for the sick people; and homes for the homeless elderly and disabled men, women and unwed mothers.

The Sisters of Mary can be described as “contemplatives in action.” That is, they strive to unite the vocations of Martha and Mary. Their active life of service for the poor is balanced by three hours of daily prayer and contemplation.

After approximately four years of formation, the sisters profess the religious vows of poverty, chastity, obedience, and service to the poor. These vows are being renewed each year at the end of the annual retreat.

Through the invitation of ecclesial and government authorities, the sisters have expanded from Korea to the Philippines, Mexico, Guatemala and Brazil and currently care for tens of thousands of needy people in these countries. “The harvest indeed is great but the laborers are few…..” A lot more poor especially the children and the youth are in need of help… physically and spiritually. Many do not know the way to save their souls, many feel hopeless because nobody leads them the way… and few are those who truly love and serve in the name of Christ.

Candidates should be between the ages of 18 and 30; have at least a high school education; be in good health and above all have a sincere desire to serve the poor with the heart, mind and spirit of Christ.

(No dowry or entrance fee is required.)

HISTORY

Foundation of the Brothers of Christ

Its founder, Msgr. Aloysius Schwartz planted the seed. This seed sprouted because of his tremendous love for the poor. Thus, the seed germinated and began to grow.

There are two developments with the Brothers of Christ. First the development of the external organization and second the development of internal spirituality of the Order. The external development is the services rendered to the poorest of the poor and the suffering patients in the name of Christ. It is the development through which service can be done systematically, voluntarily, and with responsibility. The development of the internal spirituality is the one through which the spirituality of the Brothers of Christ is established. It is based on the prayer of Jesus. They are to offer an average of three hours of prayer everyday in imitation of Jesus on the cross.

The Beginning of the Brothers of Christ

On May 10, 1981, Msgr. Schwartz planned to start a practical service to the mentally and physically handicapped homeless men at the Kaengsaengwon which was formerly ran by the Seoul City government and was turnover to the Sisters of Mary in January, 1981. Since all the inmates were male, Msgr. Schwartz thought that men were also needed to give them full-time service, that is: 24 hours a day – bathing, feeding, working with them and teaching them skills and spiritual values. The brothers are more appropriate to give these services rather than the religious sisters. Thus, he decided to look for dedicated young men willing to serve these underprivileged, mentally and physically handicapped homeless men.

On June 1, 1982, instead of being merely volunteer workers, these young men began their religious lives. From then on they serve the homeless men without receiving compensation. Members of the community started to live the life of service and prayers according to the rules established by Msgr. Schwartz. They were engaged in the service to the poor like a Good Samaritan and prayed like St. Paul the Apostle.

The Formation of the Brothers with Msgr. Aloysius Schwartz

Msgr. Schwartz gave classes, sermons, monthly recollection and annual retreats to the Brothers and directed them with the assistance of the Sister of Mary. Sister Cecilia Shim was in charge of the Brothers' daily activities and Sr. Scholastica assisted Msgr. Schwartz in the formation of the novices.

It is also required for the Brothers to spend at least 30 minutes in contemplation and visit the Blessed Sacrament; they have to observe an average of three hours of prayer daily which is the source of grace for them to serve more effectively.

As the number of the Brothers was increasing, Brother Joseph Kim was sent to study in the seminary. On November 1, 1991 he was ordained to the priesthood. Meanwhile the Sisters of Mary assisted the Brothers of Christ in their charity works.

Transition Period with Fr. Joseph Kim

In 1992, the Brothers of Christ had prepared themselves to stand by their own. From then on, they became responsible for the management and operation of the institution, as well as their spiritual formation. Three sisters, however, remained to assist them in the kitchen, medical clinic, and office.

Father Joseph Kim had been actively involved in the Sister of Mary's welfare institutions in Seoul and Busan. He celebrated masses, heard the confessions of the sisters, children and adult inmates, and gave monthly recollection to the sisters. On Saturdays, he offered two masses: one at the Kaengsaengwon and the other at Boystown and Girlstown in Seoul. On Saturday evenings, he went down to Busan and offered two Sunday masses in the morning: one for Busan Boystown and Girlstown and at the Kuhoso Sanatorium. Then he returned to Seoul on Sunday afternoon. He was doing this for 16 years. After the Father Founder's death, Fr. Joseph has to preach the sermons for the sisters' annual retreat and renewal of vows in Korea, the Philippines, Mexico, Guatemala, and Brazil.

As of June 1, 1995, Father Joseph Kim became the superior of the Brothers of Christ. He was also appointed director of the institution of the homeless by the board meeting of the Sisters of Mary Corporation.

In 1994, Brother Ignatius Ku was sent to the Sisters of Mary in Chalco, State of Mexico to learn the Spanish language and after a year, he studied in the Late Vocation Seminary at the Diocese of the Texcoco, Mexico City. On August 10, 2003, he was ordained to priesthood by His Excellency Jose Maria Hernandez Gonzales of Nezahualcoyotl, Mexico. He is serving as a chaplain at Boystown and Girlstown in Mexico.

On March 2, 1995, Brother Francisco Chang was sent to study at the Archdiocesan seminary in Seoul City. And on June 20, 2002, he was ordained to priesthood by Bishop Lee Han Taek (Joseph) of the Diocese of Seoul. He served as chaplain for the children of the Pusan Boystown and Girlstown. He hears the confessions of the children, officiates Masses, and gives sermons.

To broaden their knowledge in the welfare services, the Brothers visit other welfare institutions for the homeless people located in the major cities in Korea and some Brothers attended social welfare classes to obtain a social worker license.

The Development of the Brothers of Christ

After three years training of the Brothers directed by Father Haedong Yeo of the Olivetan Benedictine Fathers, the approval of the foundation and constitutions of the Brothers of Christ was granted by Bishop Paul Kim, who was the vicar general and in charge of the religious congregations of the Archdiocese of Seoul, on September 15, 1999, the feast day of our Lady of Sorrows. A thanksgiving Mass was officiated by Bishop Kim himself, in the present of the jubilant Brothers, Sisters and the inmates.

This has encouraged the Brothers of Christ to live their life of prayer and service with more fervor and responsibility. To give a better and more active service to the poor, the Brothers of Christ established a social welfare corporation on November 22, 2000 and the rehabilitation center in Paju, Kyenggido, became operational on November 16, 2001. In the center, the Brothers give physical and spiritual training to the rehabilitated alcoholics and the mentally disturbed to prepare them to be productive and self-reliant when they go back to the society. There are 50 men selected from inmates of the Eunpyongmaul and sent to this Paju Rehabilitation Center. The brothers with the help of social welfare specialists are apply modern methods to rehabilitate those who once have lived on the streets. The training includes group therapy, humanistic education, and social skill and social adjustment training. Five men per month in average from this center return to the society and that number of men from the Eunpyongmaul fill up the vacancy.

As of July 1, 2003, Father Joseph Kim, handed over his directorship of the Eunpyongmaul to Brother Peter Seo, for the purpose of the voluntary and responsible religious life. He is now thoroughly engaged in the training of aspirants and novices.

Future Expansion

The future history of the Brother of Christ will be that of expansion. The tree named the Brothers of Christ has not grown enough to be a big tree, which can provide a place for birds to rest and sing, thus the need to spread it’s branches in the Philippines and Mexico.

The Brothers will pursue to attain a full growth in prayer and service following the spirit of the Father-founder. As flowers emit fragrance, the prayer and service of the Brothers of Christ will automatically emit the fragrance of the spirituality. The spirituality of the Brothers is that they don't spare their love and passion but consume them completely. This we can call children's spirituality. It is the spirituality of the moment in which the kingdom of heaven is realized "now" and here". It is the spirituality of the death of the ego, which is to be resurrected in God. It is Christ's history through which the fragrance of the spirituality of the Brothers of Christ is made and spread all over the universe. In this sense, the history of the Brothers of Christ is being recorded vividly not by letters but by their lives.

The history of the Brothers of Christ is rather of spirituality than the history of events. So, those forgotten of unrecorded events have not been deliberately dug up for recording. It is only expected that the authentic character of the history of the Brothers of Christ cannot be described enough by letters but be understood.

Our Homes - KOREA

PAJU REHABILITATION CENTER

Paju Rehabilitation Center becomes operational on November 16, 2001. The brothers give physical and spiritual training to the rehabilitated alcoholics and the mentally disturbed to prepare them to be productive and self-reliant when they go back to the society. Also together with the social welfare specialists they are apply modern methods to rehabilitate those who once have lived on the street. Training includes group therapy, humanistic education, and social skills and social adjustment training. Five men per month in average from this center return to the society and that number of men from Eunpyongmaul fill up the vacancy.

EUNPYONGMAUL (Village of Peace and Grace)

Eunpyongmaul (Village of Peace and Grace) has the capacity of 2,000 mentally and physically handicapped homeless men. The brothers give full-time service; that is, 24 hours – bathing, feeding, working with them and teaching them skills and spiritual values.

MUKDANG RETREAT HOUSE

Mukdang means a place to hear God's sound - The people come and make their retreat and spend their time in deep prayer and meditation. The Brothers of Christ community headed by Rev. Fr. Joseph Kim BC, who is the general superior of the Brothers of Christ, conducts and organizes the activities and gives spiritual guidance.

Our Homes - PHILIPPINES

GREEN GRASS OF HOME

Green Grass of Home is a charity institution that will give vocation welfare for the out of school youth boys, the Brothers will guide and teach them, also to teach spiritual values to prepare and mold them to be the hope of the society.

SHARING CHRIST HOME

A home where the Brothers shares Christ's love for the mentally challenged elderly men, to let them feel the love of Christ the Brothers serve them and take care of them unselfishly.

Our Homes - MEXICO

LOS HERMANOS de CRISTO (Villa de Gracia AC)

Villa de Gracia (Village of Grace) Guadalajara Mexico, the Brothers of Christ provides free shelter for the homeless elderly men, giving them medical assistance and teach them spiritual values.

Copyright © 2009 • The Brothers of Christ of Banneux, Inc.
Km. 47 Trece-Indang Road Brgy. Luciano Trece Martirez Ciy, Cavite Philippines
(T): (046)686.35.89, 0919.815.49.47 • Bro. Matthew: 0929.731.09.32
Email: brothers_phils@yahoo.com.ph • www.brothersofchrist.org.ph

The Servant of God, Msgr. Aloysius Schwartz

Msgr. Aloysius Schwartz was born in Washington D.C. on September 18, 1930. He grew up with the idea of becoming a secular priest, work as a missionary and his apostolate would be to the poor. In 1944, he entered St. Charles Seminary in Maryland, finished his B.A. Degree at Maryknoll College and studied his Theology at Louvain Catholic University in Belgium.

He used to spend his vacation helping at the rag-pickers’ camps for the derelicts of the French society.

Visiting Banneux, where the Virgin of the Poor appeared, he was more inspired to dedicate his priesthood to the service of the poor in fulfillment of her message.

He was ordained as a diocesan priest on June 29, 1957. He founded the Religious Congregation of the Sisters of Mary to serve the poorest of the poor on August 15, 1964 and the Brothers of Christ on May 10, 1981. He established Boystowns and Girlstowns to take care, educate and give a bright future to the orphans, abandoned and children coming from very poor families. He also built hospitals and sanitoriums for very indigent patients; hospices for the homeless, handicapped elderly men, retarded children, and for unwed mothers. He was also involved in the pro-life activities.

In 1985, he started his charity programs in the Philippines. In 1989, he was diagnosed to have a terminal illness - Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), which he accepted with joy and serenity as a gift from God. In spite of his deteriorating health, he established Boystown and Girlstown in Mexico.

With humility, courage, and unwavering faith, he suffered and accepted a lot of humiliations, criticisms, trials, pains, and difficulties, just to e able to serve and love God through the poor. His illness made him immobile but still even on a wheelchair, he continued to fulfill his duties with joy. He spent hours before the Blessed Sacrament, praying the rosary, hearing confessions, and heroically preaching in words and examples the virtues of truth, justice, chastity, charity and humility. His love for God and the poor consumed him. He did not only help the poor but he also lived poorly.

On March 16, 1992, he breathed his last at the Girlstown in Manila and he was buried at the Boystown in Cavite, Philippines.

The Sisters of Mary and the Brothers of Christ, continue to live his charism of serving gratuitously tens of thousands of the poorest of the poor in Korea, Philippines, Mexico, Guatemala and Brazil.

Father Al's Biographical Timeline

Born September 18, 1930, Washington, D.C. His parents: Louis F. Schwartz and Cedelia A. Bourassa.

1936 - 1944--Holy Name Elementary School in Washington, D.C.

1944 - 1948--St. Charles Minor Seminary in Catonsville, Maryland.

1948 - 1952--Maryknoll College, B.A. Degree, Lakewood, New Jersey and Glen Ellen, Illinois.

1953 - 1957--Theology Degree, Louvain University, Belgium.

June 29, 1957--Ordination to the Priesthood in St. Martin's Church, Washington, D.C. Bishop McNamara, Auxiliary Bishop of Washington.

December 8, 1957--Arrived in Korea; Incardinated in the Diocese of Busan, Korea.

January 20, 1958--Afflicted with hepatitis; returned to U.S. for recuperation.

1959 - 1961--Toured U.S. and Europe with Korean Bishop to raise money for the missions.

March 1961--Established Korean Relief, Inc., fundraising Operation in Washington, D.C.

December 1961-- Returned to Korea to begin again his Missionary Work.

June 1962--Appointed Pastor of Song-do Parish in Busan, Korea.

1963 - 1969--Initiated Operation Hanky Self-help Embroidery Program in Busan, Korea which employed 3,000 slum dwellers.

August 15, 1964--Founded the Sisters of Mary in Busan, Korea, (Originally called the Mariahwe Sisters, a Religious group now numbering 300 Sisters working in Korea, the Philippines, Mexico, Guatemala and Brazil.)

August 15, 1964--Started family-unit orphan program in Busan, Korea; accepted first group of orphans.

September 1966--Opened first dispensary in slums in Amni-Dong in Busan, Korea.

January 1967--Opened two more slum dispensaries in Anam-Dong and Bosudong in Busan, Korea.

October, 1967--Resigned as pastor to work full time with Orphan Program.

December, 1968--Built Amni-Dong Free Middle School for children in Busan, Korea.

July 1969--Took over operation of Kuhoso Sanatorium in Busan, Korea now serving 75 TB patients.

October 1969--Built Amnamdong School in Busan, Korea; intended to be a middle school for boys in Busan and became first Boystown Program.

April 10, 1970--Accepted 300 vagrant boys and greatly expanded Boystown program.

October 25, 1970--Built Sisters of Mary Mercy Hospital in Busan, Korea; 120-bed full-service hospital totally free for the poor.

1972 - 1976--Built Elementary School, Middle School, Technical High School in Busan, Korea. (All future Boystown\Girlstown Programs would include a fully-accredited school program.)

January 1, 1975--Inauguration of the Boystown Program in Seoul, Korea.

July 1978--Inauguration of the Girlstown Program in Busan, Korea. (The Boystown\Girlstown Programs in Korea at full capacity serves 3,000 orphans.)

January 6, 1981--Began program for 400 severely retarded children in Seoul, Korea.

January 6, 1981--Took over care of 1,800 destitute and homeless men from the City of Seoul, Korea.

May 10, 1981--Founded the Society of the Brothers of Christ Religious Order who care for the homeless men in Seoul, Korea.

June 29, 1982--Built second Sisters of Mary Doty Memorial Hospital in Seoul, Korea; 120 bed full-service hospital totally free for the poor.

June 29, 1982--25th Anniversary of Fr. Al's Ordination to Priesthood.

February 12, 1985--Arrived in Manila at invitation of Jamie Cardinal Sin to begin Boystown\Girlstown Program in Manila, Philippines.

1985 to 1992--Began Medical Program for 2,000 destitute tuberculosis patients in Manila, Philippines; Sisters of Mary operated the Charity Pavilion at Quezon Institute until the facility was closed by the government.

August 15, 1986--Inauguration of the Girlstown\Boystown Program in Manila, Philippines; at full capacity serves 3,500 children.

October, 1989--Diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease).

February 1, 1990--Elevated to Right Reverend Monsignor; Investiture ceremony in Manila, Philippines.

August 23, 1990--Inauguration of the Girlstown Program, Talisay in Cebu, Philippines; at full capacity serves 3,000 girls.

September 12, 1990--Sisters of Mary arrived in Mexico to begin Boystown\Girlstown Program in Chalco, Mexico.

October 1, 1990--Father Al Celebrated 60th birthday in Busan, Korea; 1,000 graduates returned for celebration.

July 23, 1991--Inauguration of the Boystown Program in Silang, Cavite, Philippines; at full capacity serves 3,000 boys.

October 7, 1991--Inauguration of the Boystown\Girlstown Program in Chalco, Mexico; at full capacity serves 3,000 youngsters.

March 16, 1992--Father Aloysius Schwartz died from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease), Manila, Philippines, a few hours after naming Sister Michaela Kim of the Sisters of Mary as his successor.

Father Al's " Poor House"

Father Al moved into his "Poorhouse" in 1961, to give the Benedictine Sisters a place to stay in the parish rectory.

A miniature representation of the poorhouse is on exhibit in the Father Al museum.

Fr. Al stayed in his poorhouse until 1965, when he left the Parish of Song-do in Busan and moved to another location, where he set up the headquarters of the "Mariahwe" Sisters and his Child Welfare Program.
Father Al recalled:
"While living in the shack I wrote my first book, "The Starved and the Silent," concerning the poor in Korea and the poverty of Christ. Also, I founded the Sisters of Mary and started my apostolate to the poor. This shack-living certainly was not essential to these programs, but I felt it was quite helpful."
"All in all, I consider my years in the poorhouse as one of light and grace. And I look back upon this period of time with gratitude and nostalgia."
Here is Father Al's first hand account of his years in his poorhouse.

You may ask what helped me relate to the poor. As I mentioned previously, I was named pastor of Song-do Parish in Pusan. In the spring of that year, I moved out of the Bishop's house where I was staying to take up my duties as a parish priest.
At first I lived in a small Korean cottage, which was part of the parish plant. After considerable effort and using the good offices of Bishop Choi, I prevailed upon some Korean Benedictine Sisters to come live and work in the parish. Korean Sisters are a great asset to any parish in Korea. They conduct catechetical classes, work with the children, do home visitations, help with the liturgy, and assist the Pastor in many other ways. Their presence heightens the spiritual tone of the parish and very often means the difference between a parish which is alive and dynamic and one which is dying.
I was delighted that three Sisters were coming, but there was one problem. There was no place for them to live. I could have built a convent on a small piece of ground adjacent to the Church, but this would take time. Since the demand for Sisters at that time was very great and the supply was very short, I felt that any delay in establishing the presence of the Sisters in the parish might result in losing them.
At that time there was a Korean squatter family living in a shack which they had built on church property. The shack was a non-descriptive hovel with a tarpaper roof and mud walls, similar to what other people in the parish were living in. I offered this squatter family a sum of money to purchase or rent shelter elsewhere, and prevailed upon them to move out.
My idea was to fix up the shanty in which they were living and use it as a temporary rectory. After the premises were vacated, I went to inspect my future dwelling with my parish assistant, Damiano. The place looked very uninviting and I wasn't sure whether it was livable or not. I turned to Damiano and asked what he thought. His reply was simply, "Sure, Father, with determination you can do it." That simple remark was decisive and I decided, under the circumstances, to give it a try.
When people in the parish got wind of what I was going to do, they reacted with horror. The fact that the shack differed very little from the houses in which many of them were dwelling seemed to make no difference. They uttered dire predictions, which had a somewhat unsettling effect on me.
They predicted that if I didn't die of tuberculosis, I would be eaten alive by the rats and bugs, and if sickness and rodents didn't do me in, then robbers, who would assault the place at night and smash my head, would finish the job.
Frankly, what worried me more than the tuberculosis, rats and armed robbers was the simple fear of making a fool of myself. But the words of my faithful servant, Damiano, "With determination, you can do it" urged me on. Of course, what I might term "determination" another would call "bullheadedness," but that's another matter.
I fixed up the shack as best I could and move in. It worked, but just barely. I encountered a number of difficulties. First was the smell, a rich, earthy, overpowering smell, composed of human excrement, dead animals, garbage, bugs and dirt. At first, the smell was so awful I had trouble sleeping at night.
But I kept shifting my sleeping bag about the house until I eventually found a corner where the air was somewhat breathable. Then I made a determined assault to extricate the cause of the odor. I discovered one or two dead rodents in the walls, and using some chemicals eventually changed the odorous aspect of the parish house. Also, I am sure that unconsciously my sensitive American nose became desensitized with time, and although the smell lingered on, my reaction to it diminished.
The smell from the dead rats was one problem. The noise at night from the live rats which scurried about in the space between the roof and the ceiling was another problem. Rats are real swingers, and every night when I lay down to sleep, they would come alive and start a disco dance just over my head. Before crawling into my bed at night, I would position a broom alongside me.
When the rats got too exuberant, I would hit the ceiling with a broom. This would startle them into immobility for a period of time. I waged constant warfare with the rats and although at times I seemed to be winning, I guess the final result would best be termed a "stand-off."
Another problem was the cold. During winter months cold, icy wind would find its way through many cracks, holes and crevices and at times, heating the place properly became something of a problem. The shack was heated by yonthen coal, as are most homes in Korea.
Yonthen coal briquettes are made of compressed coal dust and clay. They heat the floor from below and this works pretty good except they give off a deadly, odorless carbon monoxide gas which every year claims many lives in Korea. While living in my "poorhouse," on two or three occasions when the floor cracked, or at night when the air was laden and heavy and prevented the smoke from exiting property, the cottage became filled with yonthen fumes.
Several times, I remember stumbling out the front door semi-conscious and reeling as a drunkard leaving a tavern at night. After awhile, I considered the yonthen too dangerous and eventually installed a small diesel-burning space heater. One night I woke up to find my shack on fire as a result of the diesel fuel leaking, but the fire was quickly put out and there was very little damage.
A final problem, which is in a category by itself, was the problem of the outhouse. The outhouse was located about 20 feet from the front door. I grew rather fond of it over the years. It was a little smaller than a telephone booth and consisted of a leaky roof, four walls made out of planks, and, of course, the strategic hole in the middle of a shaky wooden floor. I have a clear recollection of days when a trip to the outhouse required uncommon courage.
It was the rainy season, the wind was blowing, the rain was coming down in sheets, it was cold. An umbrella was useless because of the strong wind, so I would simply fling open the front door, dash 25 feet across the muddy yard, shoot into the outhouse, and position myself. So far, so good.
Then as the rain was leaking on my head and I was wondering whether the planks would resist the wind, I glanced down at the spot where a roll of toilet paper should have been. It was gone. The mysterious "toilet-paper-snatcher" had struck again. This was the final blow.
I could take the rats and the cold and the deadly gas, but this was something else. It happened repeatedly, and the culprit would leave nary a clue. My toilet paper was not such a luxury, but simply something sold on the Korean market for about 10 cents or so. I didn't like the dirty, inky Korean newspaper which most people in Korea used, so I indulged in genuine toilet paper. But someone, I never found out who, always slipped into my outhouse and absconded with it.
Such were the perils of trying to live with the poor life in Korea. But poor style living had its positive elements as well.
One's surroundings definitely conditions one's thinking. By living more or less poor, I discovered it was easier to think poor, to feel poor, and to stay on the same wave length as the poor.
I lived in this parish shack for nearly five years from 1961 to 1965, when I left the parish with the Sisters and the children to move to another location where I set up the headquarters for both the Mariahwe Sisters and our child welfare program.
While living in the shack I wrote my first book, The Starved and the Silent, concerning the poor in Korea and the poverty of Christ. Also, I founded the Sisters of Mary and started my social apostolate to the poor. This shack living certainly was not essential to these programs, but I feel it was quite helpful.
My shack also served as something of a protection. More and more funds were coming into Korean Relief in Washington. Word was getting around that I had control of large sums of money for welfare work. Many people began calling on me with various schemes and projects, all requiring capital. Some of these people were bishops and priests and religious.
Many of the schemes were half-baked, others were outright phony. Anyhow, I discovered that the office, in my shack, was the perfect place to discuss, and more frequently than not, turn down useless requests for relief funds. Many of the people requesting funds lost their initial enthusiasm when they saw my simple living quarters.
Also, my little shack protected my own reputation. At that time there was a great deal of hanky-panky in relief goods and relief funds in Korea. After awhile no one trusted anyone who had at his disposal considerable amounts of relief goods or relief funds in Korea.
Since the funds at my disposal were gaining in importance, I automatically would be subject to suspicion and possible accusation of misuse and skimming for my own benefit. But when people saw my living style, any suspicion automatically dissolved.
Also, many of the Christians in my parish were "kujae pum Christians," or "relief goods Christians." Many of them entered the Church to get free grants of cornmeal, flour, milk powder and used clothing. Many of them still approach the church with a bad "gimmie" complex. So when they discovered that their pastor had control of large relief funds, many of them considered that they had a God-given right to a share.
But because of my lifestyle I was in a strong position to refuse useless requests, and I began a campaign of spiritual brainwashing. If I were living in more luxurious surroundings, it would have been very difficult to do this as effectively.
Of course, shack living has its negative aspects also. As mentioned before, many of the parishioners had their pride hurt. But after awhile they came to accept the fact that their pastor was something of a nut and they laughingly let it go at that. Some of the other priests were not quite so accepting. My lifestyle was a silent reproach to them and they found this difficult to accept. "Why don't you live like everybody else?" was a frequent question they threw at me. "What are you going to prove?" "Why don't you live in a place where you can adequately work and function as a pastor?"
Some priest called my house "the monkey cage." I have no intention of giving a lesson to anybody and I was somewhat embarrassed by these questions. However, I thought the positive aspects outweighed the negative ones, and so I opted to continue. I moved out in 1965.
All in all, I consider my years in the "poorhouse" as one of light and grace. And I look back upon this period of time with gratitude and nostalgia.

Father Al's Journey Toward Sainthood

The Process for the Causes of Beatification and Canonization has been officially opened by the Vatican.
This is the historic first step toward Father Al one day being declared a Saint by the Catholic Church.
You are cordially invited to visit this web site often and follow news of events leading toward his Sainthood.
Already prayers are being answered through Father Al's intercession with God. Please go here if you need a miracle in your life.

The word "saint" comes from the Latin word sanctus, which translates to "consecrated" or "holy."

Saints are men and women who have lived their lives, (and very often gave them up freely), in such a way as to be rewarded with the Kingdom of God. The road to being officially recognized by the Church as a saint is a long one.
The formal process of sainthood is complicated, and takes time, money, testimonies, and miracles.
The church follows a strict set of rules in the process.
There are three levels of sainthood. First, the candidate is named Venerable, then Blessed, and then finally a Saint.
Venerable is the title given to a deceased person recognized formally by the pope as having lived heroic virtues.
To be beatified and recognized as Blessed, one miracle acquired through the candidate's intercession is required in addition to recognition of heroic virtue or martyrdom.
Canonization, or sainthood, requires a second miracle after beatification, though a pope may waive these requirements. The process is rigorous and involves a very detailed examination of the person's life and also the effect of that person on others.
First, to determine who qualifies, the Vatican looks to its Congregation for the "Causes of Saints." Typically, a would-be candidate's "cause" is presented to the local bishop by his or her admirers who persuade him that the life of the candidate was a model of holiness.
Once the applicant is approved as a candidate, an appointed postulator interviews those who knew the individual. Personal testimonies, letters, and writings of the candidate's are put together.
A relater then sifts through this information and prepares a position paper. If the volumes of evidence prove a life of "heroic virtue," the person is given the title "venerable" by the Pope.
The next title, beatified (blessed), is attained if it can be proven that a miracle occurred after the death of the candidate, the result of someone praying to that person for help.
To finalize a canonization, it must be established that a second miracle occurred.
Martyrs are the exception. The pope can reduce their miracle requirement to one or waive it altogether.
Verifying a miracle is considered the most difficult hurdle in the process. Just deciding what constitutes one causes debate. A life of heroic virtue is obviously easier to establish than a healing that results from prayers.
Pope Benedict XVI canonized four new saints to the Catholic liturgy:
1. 19th-Century Italian priest Gaetano Errico.
2. Mary Bernard (Verena) Bütler, a Swiss nun and missionary in Latin America who died in 1924.
3. Alfonsa of the Immaculate Conception, a nun who died in 1946, and is the first named female saint from India.
4. Narcisa de Jesús Martillo Morán, a pious laywoman from Ecuador who died in 1869.
In the Catholic faith, only God can make a saint; these four are among those who "have emerged as individuals who can light the way ahead," as the Modern Catholic Encyclopedia puts it. But the means by which these saints are identified - and by whom - has varied over the history of the church.
Even more about Sainthood
The first Catholics revered as saints were martyrs who died under Roman persecution in the first centuries after Jesus Christ was born.
These martyrs were honored as saints almost instantaneously after their deaths, as Catholics who had sacrificed their lives in the name of God. Over the next few centuries, however, sainthood was extended to those who had defended the faith and led pious lives.
With the criteria for canonization not as strict, the number of saints soared by the sixth and seventh centuries. Bishops stepped in to oversee the process, and around 1200, Pope Alexander III, outraged over the proliferation, decreed that only the pope had the power to determine who could be identified as a saint.
Alexander was reportedly angered about one saint in particular whom he believed had been killed in an alcohol-fueled brawl and was therefore not worthy of canonization.
In the 17th century, the Vatican's standards for sainthood were formalized. A non-martyr would need to have performed four posthumous miracles, usually spontaneous healings.
Today, the church requires a team of doctors to verify their veracity and prove that miraculous healings were not the result of modern medicine.
Mother Michaela Kim, Sister Sophia Kim and Sister Juliana Hed carry three boxes of the original Acts (documents) that were prepared about the life of Father Al to hand carry to the Vatican for the Beatification Cause.

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

2009-07-15T13:49:00.000-07:00

The latest adventure of the teen wizard, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," took in $22.2 million domestically from midnight screenings, distributor Warner Bros. said Thursday. That breaks the record set by another Warner blockbuster, "The Dark Knight," which grossed $18.5 million from midnight shows last summer.

The sixth installment in the "Harry Potter" franchise also topped this year's biggest hit, "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen," which pulled in $16 million from midnight screenings on its first day in June.

"Half-Blood Prince" focuses more on the developing romantic relationships between the characters, and less so on the action and adventure. And even though it is more grounded in reality and less fanciful than previous installments, it is still spellbounding.

Mixed feeling were aired after watching this movie. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince is very interesting and the best Harry Potter film so far for some while others thought that it was one of those films that you could have easily gone to sleep in

Broken Britain

2009-06-20T12:18:00.000-07:00

Who would have guessed that The Great Britain known to almost everyone a first world country infact has by far a worst than a third world country mystery hidden within. I myself wasn't expecting that this is really happening and what I hasn't prepared myself is that the horror will be knocking one day upon my own doorstep.

The first thing I was told a day I moved into this flat is to take every valuables I've got everytime I'll leave the house or gotta work. They requested to repair their drainage and the next thing they knew without signs of forced entry or whatsoever, all the room's door were force opened. Three Laptops were stolen, a cellphone, £300 notes and a necklace. The only suspect, a possiblre suspect was the guy who did the repairs unfortunately after a series of police inquiries....nothing happens until the issue died out.

Here I am, packing my laptop everyday of my life, my camera, handphones, necklace not trusting anyone come nearer to it.

A year after I moved into this flat, the house next door has been burgled, three weeks after, our flat has been burgled with signs of forced entry this time. All the doors had been hacked. The theft got nothing aside from one handphone by the way. Police did a fingerprint identification but I wasn't impressed with how she conducted the search. It was just as if to show that they're trying to track down this bloody bastard. One month after, while my not so feeling well housemate was resting upstairs, a group of Bloody Brits kicked a room's door downstairs. When my housemate raced downstairs to see what's happening, two brits went outside scrambling. The funny side of story like this is that you can't afford to scratch this guy's skin or cut even his hair because it will cost you a fortune in court more than what the burglar could have stolen. It does appeared the theft has gotten more rights that than the person being stolen because you can't harm the bloody bastard.

I went out last night to see the movie Transformer-Revenge of the Fallen with my mates, we played billiard afterwards, drunk and danced at Revolution in Cambridge later on and found out that my lovely chained bicycle was stolen. It's not the first time. My friend chained his Bicycle in front of his house, left the door open and few minutes later to check his cycle it was stolen. My other friends woke up one morning and found out the cycles on their back garage(an expensive bicycles) were stolen. A friends house was burgled, two laptops were stolen from two rooms and the theft went back the day after to stole the laptop from the third room-who would have expect that such theft has the courage to go back his traces. A friends house has been burgled four times with several laptops stolen at different incident until they decided to move somewhere else. A friend valuables in the car has been stolen. Who would have thought that this is happening here in Britain-cambridge to be exact.

Cambridge City is where the known Cambridge University located but STUDENTS from around the globe be prepared to face your worst nightmare if you opted to go to CAMBRIDGE.

My Lemon Pie

2009-06-20T11:35:00.000-07:00

I recieved a surprise today from my Lemon Pie. It was her pictures, a card and a prayer booklet sent through snail mail.

My Lemon Pie is a Graduate of BS Psychology and BS Management unfortunately after the painstaking efforts and struggles she decided not to work and stayed at home instead. It's not that she's lazy nor she's lame but what she wanted all along is just to be a plane housewife; doing household chores; and taking care of our coming babies which I've strongly objected. But I can't coerced her to do all the things I wanted her to do because each one of "US" has surely its unique characteristic that differ "US" from the rest.

Until recently my Lemon Pie decided to take a little step forward as a volunteer teacher at Sienna Convent. Although this wasn't what I was expecting but Who am I to say no to such simple way of extending hands towards our fellow mortals, to show them the light at the end of the tunnel, to show them that there's always rainbow after the rain since I was once a wandering soul, lost in transition between childhood and adulthood until I was taken cared of by my great Father Al. I know my Lemon Pie who was once wanted to be a Nun is happy with what she's doing right now and the only thing that matters for now is to stand beside her all the time.

Thank you so much for the Pictures and the Card honey. I Love You So Much. Thank you for coming into my life.

Benadryl

2009-06-12T10:11:00.000-07:00

I've been experiencing if not the worst but by far not an ordinary allergy ever I had encountered. It started from my right hand a year ago. I went to see the Doctor whom I've been paying thru monthly insurance contribution of more or less £170.00 (P13,000). After seeing this Expensive Doctor, all I've got was disappointment because it was the Doctor who asked me how did I possible acquired this allergy? instead of the other way around. After he gave me the prescription I didn't bother seeing the answer seeking Doctor because what I need is an answer giving one for my questions.

Then few weeks ago, my viral friend must have missed me so much and paid me a visit. I thought it was just "hish and hush" but behold he wanted to stay longer. I called the Doctors receptionist on Friday and I was told I have to call first thing in the morning for an appointment to see the same doctor. I did not. I opted to self medicate. Bought packs of BENADRYL - fast effective relief from allergies. My viral friend decided to explore my whole body affecting mostly my face and my legs. I just can't resist this friend of mine. He was/he gave a feeling too good not to scratch to and too resilient to be affected by BENADRYL. The fast relief from allergies, active in 15 minutes has by now taken more than 15 days and it still doesn't show signs of my viral friends weakening. I tried calling the same receptionist yesterday and she said call us tomorrow morning! I guess I've got no choice but to really take my viral friend seriously and see the doctor on monday. My viral friend might be too serious for BENADYRL to handle all by itself although it has at some point really alleviate itchiness.

Eastern Airlines, Everglades, Florida

2009-06-12T08:52:00.000-07:00

An Eastern Air Lines Lockheed Tristar crashed into the Everglades killing 103 people. In the darkness, the crew, preoccupied with a landing gear problem, failed to notice the autopilot had become disengaged and the plane was losing altitude until it flew into the ground.

The co-pilot was trying to replace the landing gear indicator light, while on autopilot and in a holding pattern. As the captain got up to help, he inadvertently pushed on the yoke releasing the autopilot. With no ground reference and under nighttime conditions, the aircraft gradually descended until it crashed into Everglades, 18.7 miles west-northwest of Miami. The accident wascaused by the failure of the crew to monitor the flight instruments during the final 4 minutes of flight and to detect a descent soon enough to prevent impact with the ground. After spare parts from the crashed L-1011 were used on other planes, apparitions of the dead captain, Bob Loft and the FE Don Repo, began to be reported by Eastern Air Line employees on the planes using the spare parts. The book and movie "Ghost of Flight 401" is based on this accident.

Date:	December 29, 1972
Location:	Everglades National Park, Florida
Aircraft:	Lockheed L-1011 TriStar1
Reg:	N310EA
Airline:	Eastern Air Lines
Flight No:	401
Fatalities:	176 : 103

5 Worst Aircrashes in the World

2009-06-11T11:17:00.000-07:00

1
Wreckage of United Airlines Flight 93, a Boeing 757, on a scheduled flight from Newark to San Francisco, which crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

American Airlines, Flight 77, a Boeing 757, on a scheduled flight from Washington D.C. to Los Angeles, moments after crashing into the Pentagon.

The 9/11 attacks have spawned a number of conspiracy theories challenging the mainstream account. One of the best-known theories was put forward by Thierry Meyssan which contends that the Pentagon was not hit by a Boeing 757, but by a missile launched by the American military. Proponents say that the 75-foot (23 m) hole is too small to account for an aircraft with a wingspan of 124 feet (38 m). Mete Sozen, a member of the ASCE team onsite after the crash, explained that an airplane does not create a "cartoon-like outline of itself" when crashing into a reinforced concrete building. Conspiracy advocates also point to other minutiae such as small amount of debris or the condition of grass on the lawn. The documentary film Loose Change asserts that there were no discernible pieces of debris from Flight 77. Blast expert Allyn E. Kilsheimer was the first structural engineer to arrive at the Pentagon after the crash and helped coordinate the emergency response. He states that Flight 77 "was absolutely a plane. I saw the marks of the plane wing on the face of the building. I picked up parts of the plane with the airline markings on them. I held in my hand the tail section of the plane, and I found the black box." In addition, Kilsheimer's account is supported by the photos of plane wreckage inside and outside the building. The Sheraton National Hotel may have recorded footage of the events that happened at the Pentagon however, the FBI seized a CCTV recording. They had also hastily seized footage from several other private businesses in the area that claimed they had filmed the events.

United Airlines, Flight 175, a Boeing 767, on a scheduled flight from Boston to Los Angeles, crashes into the south tower of the World Trade Center in New York.

They argued that the aircraft that hit this tower evaporated as well, taking everything with it as ashes falling with the building to the ground and isn't it amazing how they were able to salvaged the pilot's passport from the wreckage? They failed to recover the black box of this aircraft due to its alleged evaporation considering black boxes are enclosed in a heavily thick metal to ensure its survival even with the most severe impact and explosion. I pitied for the non-surviving metal pieces of black box and I rejoiced for a piece of paper that survived it all after all those metal evaporating temperature. Atta pasport! - Ironies...

American Airlines, Flight 11, a Boeing 767, on a scheduled flight from Boston to Los Angeles, crashes into the north tower of the World Trade Center in New York.

Date:	September 11, 2001
Location:	New York, NY New York, NY Arlington, Virginia Shanksville, Pennsylvania
Aircraft:	Boeing 767-223ER Boeing B-767-222 Boeing B-757-223 Boeing B-757-222
Reg:	N334AA N612UA N644AA N591UA
Airline:	American Airlines United Airlines American Airlines United Airlines
Flight No:	11 175 77 93
Fatalities:	265 : 265 +2583

Hijacking and deliberate destruction of 4 separate aircraft by terrorists resulted in the deaths of thousands.
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2
The remains of a Pan Am B747 (top) and KLM B747 (bottom) in Tenerife, Canary Islands in the second worst aviation disaster in history, which killed a total of 583 people. The KLM 747 collided with a Pan Am 747 after the captain of the KLM plane started his takeoff roll without clearance.

Date:	March 27, 1977
Location:	Tenerife, Canary Islands
Aircraft:	Boeing B-747-121 / Boeing B-747-206B
Reg:	N736PA/PH-BUF
Airline:	Pan American World Airways / KLM
Flight No:	1736 / 4805
Fatalities:	644 : 583

Last word from the Pilot:There he is .. look at him! Goddamn that son-of-a-bitch is coming! Get off!

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3

Date:	August 12, 1985
Location:	Mt. Osutaka, near Ueno Village, Japan
Aircraft:	Boeing B-747-SR46
Reg:	JA8119
Airline:	Japan Air Lines
Flight No:	123
Fatalities:	524 : 520

The wreckage of a Japan Airlines Flight 123, a Boeing 747 that crashed on Mt. Osutaka, Japan. Five-hundred twenty people out of 524 aboard were killed. Improper repairs by Boeing after a tail strike 7 years earlier, led to a rupture of the pressure bulkhead and loss of all controls.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4

The remains of a Saudi Arabian Airlines Boeing 747 after a midair collision with a Kazastan Airlines Ilyushin 76 over New Delhi, India resulting in the loss of 349 lives. Reports vary but a misunderstanding of directions between the ATC and the Ilyushin 76 plane seems to have led to the accident.

Date:	November 12, 1996
Location:	Near Charkhidadri, India
Aircraft:	Boeing B-747-168B / Ilyushin IL-76TD
Reg:	HZ-AIH / UN-76435
Airline:	Saudi Arabian Airlines / Kazastan Airlines
Flight No:	763 / 1907
Fatalities:	349 : 349

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5

Date:	March 03, 1974
Location:	Near Ermenonville, France
Aircraft:	McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10
Reg:	TC-JAV
Airline:	Turkish Airlines
Flight No:	981
Fatalities:	346 : 346

Not many pieces of wreckage larger than 3 feet long could be found after a Turkish Airlines Flight 981 DC-10 crashed into a forest at a high rate of speed at Ermenonville, France. A defective latching mechanism on the cargo door caused it to fail in flight resulting in decompression and loss of all hydraulic control.

H1N1 influenza A / Swine Flu Pandemic

2009-06-11T10:51:00.000-07:00

GENEVA – The World Health Organization declared H1N1 influenza A or a Swine Flu Pandemic Thursday — the first global flu epidemic in 41 years — as infections in the United States, Europe, Australia, South America and elsewhere climbed to nearly 30,000 cases. WHO chief Dr. Margaret Chan made the announcement Thursday after the U.N. agency held an emergency meeting with flu experts. Chan said she was moving the world to phase 6 — the agency's highest alert level — which means a pandemic, or global epidemic, is under way.

WHO said 74 countries had reported 28,774 cases of swine flu, including 144 deaths. Still, about half of the people who have died from swine flu were previously young and healthy — people who are not usually susceptible to flu.

The last pandemic — the Hong Kong flu of 1968 — killed about 1 million people. Ordinary flu kills about 250,000 to 500,000 people each year. Swine flu is also continuing to spread during the start of summer in the northern hemisphere. Normally, flu viruses disappear with warm weather, but swine flu is proving to be resilient.

Chile has the most swine flu cases in South America, and the southern hemisphere is moving into its winter flu season.

In the United States, where there have been more than 13,000 cases and at least 27 deaths from swine flu. The government has already taken steps like increasing availability of flu-fighting medicines and authorizing $1 billion for the development of a new vaccine against the novel virus.

In Mexico, where the epidemic was first detected, the outbreak peaked in April now has less than 30 cases reported a day, down from an average of 300. Mexico has confirmed 6,337 cases, including 108 deaths.

Many experts said the declaration of a pandemic did not mean the virus was getting deadlier. But the swine flu virus might evolve into a more dangerous strain in the future. "That is always a possibility with influenza viruses," said John Oxford, a professor of virology at St. Bart's and Royal London Hospital.

Peaceful Warrior

2009-06-08T13:53:00.000-07:00

I accidentally saw this movie in a friend's laptop and I copied it without any intention of watching it or whatsoever. Then one night, I got bored doing the same old stuff after work and tried welcoming different avenues while my lovely wife wasn't arround(in internet) and I tried watching this film without so much expectations of what it has to offer. I thought it will be boring. But this conversation caught my attention.

Dan: What the hell did you just do? How the hell did you get up there?
Socrates: You like things explained, ....don't you?
Dan: Look! thats roof's gotta be at least ten, maybe twelve feet high, no human can do a vertical leap over four-five feet tops I know, I'm a gymnast. Toughest man sport in the world most people don't know that.
Socrates: Spartans of ancient Greece where gymnast too, they evolved through their balls, trained their leap warriors with their prey did you know that?
Dan: I know more than you think
Socrates: And you think more than you know
-----------------------------------
Dan: What kind of a warrior trains by sitting around!, scrubbing toilets!?
Socrates: When you become a warrior you learned to meditate your every action.
Dan: Scrubbing toilets!?
Socrates: Let go of attachments, .....like your pride. Giving up your addiction
Dan: Yeah! name one thing I'm addicted to?
Socrates: Talkin', specially interrupting, knowing everything when infact you know nothing.
Dan: You really think that this is going to expand my awarenes of everything?
------------------------------------
Dan: There's never nothing going on. There are no ordinary moments
Socrates: Somethings wrong?
Dan: We don't do this anymore remember? We know better.
Socrates: We're better than anyone who doesnt know what we know of the way we do, is that what you mean?
Dan: Not better maybe, ....smarter
Socrates: There is no better...you will never be better. Same way you'll never be less than anybody else. The habit is the problem. All you really need to do is be conscious of your choices and responsible for your actions.

“Faith means living with uncertainty - feeling your way through life, letting your heart guide you like a lantern in the dark”

“Everything you'll ever need to know is within you; the secrets of the universe are imprinted on the cells of your body. But you haven't learned how to read the wisdom of the body”

“If you don't get what you want, you suffer; if you get what you don't want, you suffer; even when you get exactly what you want, you still suffer because you can't hold on to it forever. Your mind is your predicament. It wants to be free of change. Free of pain, free of the obligations of life and death. But change is a law, and no amount of pretending will alter that reality.”

I ended up finishing the entire movie. A gymnast that broke his leg in a motorcycle accident.

Overcame all obstacle and eight months after the accident, won the championship even with metal braces on his leg. A story of Dan Millman who became an author afterwards and motivational speakers. Indeed, in our lives, it was and it will be the journey that brought us and will bring us more happiness and not the destination.

Father Aloysius Schwartz

2009-06-06T13:21:00.000-07:00

Msgr. Aloysius Schwartz, 1930-1992.

A Servant of God.
Ordained a diocesan priest in 1957, and assigned
to Busan, Korea, his was a life of love for children
in need. “Father Al” helped the poor and lived
a life of poverty. He founded the Sisters of Mary
School and Asian Relief now World Villages for Children
and his work spread to the Philippines, Mexico,
Guatemala and Brazil. His last three years were full
of pain and suffering from ALS disease. But even in
a wheelchair he continued to fulfill his duties with
joy. He was buried at our Children’s Village for
Girls in Cavite, the Philippines. The Process for the
Causes of Beatification and Canonization has been
officially opened by the Vatican, which hopefully
will one day lead to Father Al being declared a
Saint by the Catholic Church.

The Beatification of the Servant of God, Msgr. Aloysius
Schwartz, is on process. For favors granted, kindly write to:
World Villages for Children
6411 Ivy Lane, Suite 204
Greenbelt, MD 20770
Tel. No. 301-779-4141

Source: www.worldvillages.org

ANGELS & DEMONS

2009-06-01T13:30:00.000-07:00

The team behind the global phenomenon The Da Vinci Code returns for the highly anticipated Angels & Demons, based upon the bestselling novel by Dan Brown. Tom Hanks reprises his role as Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon, who once again finds that forces with ancient roots are willing to stop at nothing, even murder, to advance their goals. Ron Howard returns to direct the film, which is produced by Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, and John Calley

Church officials condemned The Da Vinci Code on its release in 2006, calling it "an offence against God" because it was based on the premise that Jesus married and fathered children. They banned the film-makers from shooting the sequel inside the Vatican, forcing director Ron Howard to reconstruct the settings in Los Angeles.

However, in its first pronouncement on the film, Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano described "Angels and Demons" as "harmless entertainment which hardly affects the genius and mystery of Christianity".

While the "gigantic and smart commercial operation" is filled with inaccuracies and stereotyped characters, the camera work is "splendid", Howard's direction "dynamic and alluring" and the reconstruction of St Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel is "magnificent".

Air France

2009-06-01T13:14:00.000-07:00

"AIR FRANCE" Officials said they had "no hope" for Air France Flight 447 which dropped off the radar three hours and less than 200 miles into a flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris. As the Brazilian air force mounted a search and rescue operation for the Airbus 330-200k in the waters around the archipelago of Fernando de Noronha, families of passengers gathered at a crisis centre in Paris's Charles de Gaulle airport awaiting news.

The flight left Rio at 7pm local time (11pm British time) and was due in Paris at 11.15am (10.15am BST).

It was 190 miles north east of the coastal Brazilian city of Natal when it was lost contact three hours and 20 minutes later.

Authorities began the operation around Fernando de Noronha, an idyllic holiday destination but they cautioned that the search area could be three times the size of Europe.

The company said the plane had probably been struck by lightning. An Airbus source described the failure as "catastrophic" suggesting a sudden and unexplained systems failure.

A source at the airline told Le Monde: "The plane disappeared from the screens several hours ago.

"It could be a transponder problem, but this kind of fault is very rare and the plane did not land when expected."

Now We Are Free

2009-05-31T13:48:00.000-07:00

One of the most electrifying and touching soundtrack I've ever encountered. Enjoy and reflect the message behind the sound so soothing that transcend mind and body into a realm unknown and exist nowhere but beyond the rivers of belief.
"NOW WE ARE FREE"

Anol shalom
Anol sheh lay konnud de ne um {shaddai}
Flavum
Nom de leesh
Ham de nam um das
La um de
Flavne...

We de ze zu bu
We de sooo a ru
Un va-a pesh a lay
Un vi-i bee
Un da la pech ni sa
(Aaahh)
Un di-i lay na day
Un ma la pech a nay
mee di nu ku

La la da pa da le na da na
Ve va da pa da le na la dumda

Anol shalom
Anol sheh ley kon-nud de ne um.
Flavum.
Flavum.
M-ai shondol-lee
Flavu... {Live on...}
Lof flesh lay
Nof ne
Nom de lis
Ham de num um dass
La um de
Flavne..
Flay
Shom de nomm
Ma-lun des
Dwondi.
Dwwoondi
Alas sharum du koos
Shaley koot-tum.

NOTHING ELSE MATTERS

2009-05-31T11:13:00.000-07:00

"Nothing Else Matters" is a song by heavy metal band Metallica. It was first released in 1991 on the self-titled Black Album. Many long-standing Metallica fans, who were used to the harsh lyrical nature of the first three Metallica ballads, did not appreciate the inclusion of a love song. It was one of the principal songs fans pointed to when accusing the band of "selling out." Regardless, the song is now very popular among Metallica fans and hit #11 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks Charts in 1992. It is still played frequently on the radio.

Singer and rhythm guitarist James Hetfield initially wrote it to a former girlfriend, but now he cannot remember why; some say it meant that "no matter how far" he was (since Metallica spent most of their time on tours), he was still "so close" with the heart. He considered it a very personal song and was not going to publish it, but once lead guitarist Kirk Hammett heard it he wanted it on the Black Album. Now Metallica consider it a song dedicated to all their fans. It has become a staple of their live performances.

Its intro is an E minor arpeggio beginning with the open E, G, B and high E strings. It was first rumoured, and then confirmed[citation needed] by Hetfield on Classic Albums: The Black Album DVD, that he started composing it while he was on the phone with his girlfriend and only had one free hand. Also on the Classic Albums DVD, Hetfield admits that at that time in his career, girlfriends came and went and were a regular happening on the road.

This arpeggio is considered very simple to play, and as such many Metallica fans learn this song when they are first beginning to play guitar. However, the beginning of the song does sound like two guitars playing, so the easiest 'one' is easy, but in reality Hetfield plays one guitar and makes it sound like two (rhythm and lead), so played properly it is not that easy.

The first word described METALLICA when I was still in S.O.M was "Satanic" but then this song open up the birth of a Death Metal fan inside "ME", and the rest is history.

PURPLE RAIN - Ruth Lorenzo

2009-05-31T10:18:00.000-07:00

Ruth Lorenzo rendetion of Prince Purple Rain was "for most listeners point of view" way better than the original. Prince response was banned all video's in the youtube related to his musics and Lorenzo's version. I however managed to grab this one from DAILYMOTION and I'm sharing it to all of you. This was a series on X-FACTOR, a UK talent competition base program on TELLY. Have fun!

A400M disaster

2009-05-23T13:02:00.000-07:00

The project has been plagued by delays and excess costs, entailing €1.7bn (£1.57bn) in penalties.

European states have ordered 180 of the giant transporters, designed to carry up to 32 tonnes, but France has already threatened to cut back.

The aircraft is over-weight. Its turbo-prop engines built by Rolls-Royce and France's Snecma are under-powered. There have been serious glitches in the software from MTU Aero Engines.

to be continue....

Art of Kissing

2009-05-21T12:22:00.000-07:00

Kissing is a delicate art and must be taken slowly with a new partner. It can be part of foreplay/sex - or simply an incredibly enjoyable act of romance and intimacy in its own right.

A good kisser knows how to pace themselves, has an active imagination, and understands what their partner likes or may not expect, but will enjoy. When kissing, remember the following: never slobber (though moistened lips are fine and helpful), don't stare and always pay attention with your non-visual senses (touch, hearing, etc.). Also, there is no such thing as 'too slow'.

If you are unhappy with a kiss then chances are your partner is going to feel the same way. The best thing you can do is relax, and not just in your body, but your face, lips, neck, everywhere. Be relaxed and confident with how you kiss. Let yourself go with the flow of the moment and savour every second of it.

While you are kissing, remember to use your hands, nose, and breath to entice your partner's senses. Everyone enjoys being touched anbd caressed while being kissed. Use your hands to gently caress the cheek, the jawbone, the back, arms, and collarbone. A gentle exhalation of air (remember that good mouth hygiene is important), can provide your partner with extremely light, warm feelings on their face, mouth and neck that are quite arousing.

Never "attack" someone when you kiss them, unless they like that sort of thing - and most people don't. Treat their lips like you would a dangerous creature. Move in slow and prepare for the kiss. Initial contact should be lips only, firm, yet gentle. React to how your partner is kissing. If they speed up, speed up with them. If they slow down, follow suit. Try to synchronize your actions with one another and always pay attention to their body language.

The following is a list of some simple techniques to spice up a kiss:

French Kiss

Usually romantic or sexual in nature (so not usual for a 'first date', in which one person's tongue touches the other's tongue and usually enters his or her mouth.

Triumverat

Kiss between the eyes, on the tip of the nose, and then on the lips.

Top and Bottom

Kiss the top lip, then the bottom lip, then both.

Lickable Lips

Run the tip of your tongue along your partner's lips.

Earlobecstacy

Gently kiss, nibble, and suck on the earlobe.

Facial Lines

Trace the neck and jawbone with your lips and tongue.

The Big Tease

Kiss everywhere but the lips, until your partner pulls you to their lips.

Caressed Lips

Rub your finger gently across their lips and then go in for a kiss.

Sensuality

Look in their eyes and whisper you want to kiss them. Press your lips gently to theirs', caress their lips with yours and then give her/him a passionate kiss.

Cheeky

Gently brush cheeks with your partner.

Eskimo Kiss

Gently rub the tips of your noses together.

Butterfly

Brush eyelashes with your partner. Make a fluttering motion of the eyelash by quickly opening and closing the eye.

Rose Petals

Make a small "O" with your lips. Press your lips against your partner's skin and suck softly. Lift your lips off a little, move over slightly, and repeat.

Hostage Kiss

Cover your lips with tape and get your partner's attention. When they come near, make noises like you're trying to tell them something and motion as if you can't get the tape off. Once they remove the tape from you to hear what you're trying to say, tell them, "I've been saving my lips all day just for you!" Then kiss them passionately.

Strawberry Secret

Place a strawberry in your mouth without your partner knowing. Crush the strawberry in your mouth and feed some to your partner while you kiss.

Cold as Ice

Put a piece of ice in your mouth without your partner knowing. Kiss them on the neck and let the ice softly touch their skin.

Back Kisses

Snuggle up behind your partner and proceed to cover their back with little kisses.

Foot Kisses

When your lover comes home from work, or wherever, wash their feet and give them a massage. While you're giving them the massage, lean over and give little kisses on their feet.

Hershey's Kiss

Try not to kiss your partner all day. Throughout the day leave Hershey's kisses or some sort of romantic candy in places that they will know it's for them. Later in the day start leaving notes with poetry or quotes on kissing for them. After that, leave a love letter describing how you'd like to kiss them and the satisfaction that it would bring you. Once you feel they've had enough teasing, spend sometime rewarding them with lots of kissing! This is rewarding for yourself as well, since you've been thinking about kissing them all day too.

Red Light Kiss

When in the car with your partner, every time you stop at a red light, lean over and kiss them until the light goes green.

Recorded Kiss

Record the sound of yourself blowing a kiss. Then either e-mail it to your partner or leave a note somewhere with instructions to press play.

Video Kiss

Record on a videotape or web cam yourself blowing kisses to your partner and tell them how much you miss them.

E-mail Kiss

Draw or animate a pair of lips kissing. Then send it to your sweetheart.

The Lost Kiss

Look around your partner, looking under things and appearing like you're searching for something. When asked what you're looking for, say "I've been looking for a kiss all day but I can't find one anywhere. Oh wait, I found it." Then give your partner a kiss.

Wake Up Kiss

Before your partner awakes, lean over and kiss their cheek. Then give soft kisses across their cheek until you reach their lips.

Make Up Kisses

At the end of the day, sit down with your partner and ask them how his/her day went. Silently keep track of all the bad things that happened during the day. When he/she is finished, give them a kiss for each one. When asked what you are doing, say you are helping make up for all those bad things.

Post-It Kiss

Make a post-it note trail that leads to your lips. On each note leave a lipstick kiss and an arrow or clue to find the next note. Place the last note over or near your lips.

Full Body Meltdown

While your partner is laying down, slip over to them and start running your tongue, very gently, up their leg, arms, reaching their lips give them a full passionate kiss.

The Grandious Tease

Softly run your fingers across your partner's lips, lure them in to kissing you, but before you kiss, pull away and then go in for the kiss, then pull away again, etc., etc.

Teleportation

2009-05-20T11:41:00.000-07:00

How do you define Teleportation? my own understanding about it is that it is a way of transporting humans or anything smaller to start the least from a given point into a certain distance in a flash or in a speed few times faster than the speed of light. I'm not so sure if this mode of transporting is even possible although in theory experts says YES!. But in reality, This involves disassembling an atom or deconstruct an atom to extract the photons and transport this into different places to be reconstructed afterwards in a flash/microseconds perhaps.

Transporting a photograph or a still life objects might be the first thing experts can have a look into. Unlike human beings and other living species which I think and I'm sure will give them greater threat because deconstructing and reconstructing our heartbeat and our brainwave is still something beyond our own understanding.

Teleportation, like they are doing it today, is the breakdown of an object to reveal its properties. That info is sent to another location, and NEW matter is used to construct a new one. You need to understand that, since that's how it is being done, and that's how it will probably be done in the future. But I don't call this one as teleportation. Because destroying the object as what they have been doing using "quantum entanglement" to send the information to other location and reconstruct using a "different matter" then this is something different.

Teleportation should be the creation of a structure on one end using the material from the other end, so that one side doesn't then have to be destroyed.. It should basically be a way to mail something to someone, just very quickly. Basically traveling through some type of wormhole, or converting the matter into some kind of energy, like sending it through a "phoneline", and then coming out on the other side in a flash or in a speed of light.

Teleportation could be the cure of global warming we are experiencing today. Imagine a world without aircrafts that's blindly polluting our atmosphere, a deserted streets and highways without cars. I can now imagine working here in UK and resting with my family at home thousand miles away at night! Waking up 15 minutes before 8am without worrying of being late because in an instant I'll be sitting at my desk. Wooooow....!

The Art Behind My Passing

2009-05-18T21:41:00.000-07:00

How do you want to transit between life and death? many will likely say through a "fast and painless", "smooth and swift" transition without sensing anything. But in realities, although some really did drifted away while they're deeply slumbered, others passed out and died few minutes after chatting with their mates and love ones. But designing a denoument of our own, to make it more appealing to ourselves and inspiring to our "to be left behind" is something really beyond our own control. Because we can neither predict when nor how are we gonna pass from this realm of realities into the ghostly dimension of Eternity. Death is just lurking around the corner, patiently waiting to take his shot, sometimes he strikes too fast and sometimes too slow until each slight glimmer of hope fade unto abysmal depth of despair and hopelessness.

Why there has to be an end to everything especially human life form? isn't it more romantic if we all has to live "if only" for eternity? I beleived in GOD, the FATHER ALMIGHTY, the SAVIOR of HEAVEN and EARTH. I have no right to question HIS every wants and decisions. Let's say nobody will die. That's adsurd! Imagine how crowded not only the earth but our galaxy perhaps unto this day. Imagine how awful it will be seeing old people strolling the streets with shoulders leveled with their knees......these only shows how GOD created everything in HARMONY that fateful days/a week to be exact.

I myself has honestly cheated death twice. Surviving the first time was hard luck. The second time, there was a mysterious GUY popped out of nowhere, patiently watching my back while I was too weak to get up. He was silently sitting beside me when I woke up at the grassy ground of BACLARAN CHURCH, escorted me to where I was heading....And right then I realized there's someone really leading me away from the mess, from the quagmire I've been envolved with all those times. I started appreciating life back again, bravely faced the obstacle that challenges the intensity of my resolves because I knew the next time I'll face death might be my last.

I've learned that death shouldn't be feared of. It wasn't really an enemy as how it was portrayed for ages by our ancestors. For me, HE is a friend, someone reliable to offer us freedom from this sinful world where we've existed. What I've been starting to fear is that HE might take me too quick this time; at this time when I've already found the reason why I must exist longer; at this time when I already have the special person I wanted to spend the rest of my lifetime. But whatever GOD has planned for me, so be it! who am I to questioned HIS judgement anyway?

The Notebook

2009-05-17T12:53:00.000-07:00

watch this video I edited myself using madalamenti's brilliant soundtrack

QOUTES from the movie THE NOTEBOOK

--"I am no one special, just a common man with common thoughts. I've led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me, and my name will soon be forgotten. But in one respect, I've succeeded as gloriously as anyone who ever lived. I've loved another with all my heart and soul, and for me, that has always been enough."

-- "Southern summers are indifferent to the trials of young love. Armed with warnings and doubts, Noah and Allie gave a remarkably convincing portrayal of a boy and a girl traveling down a very long road with no regard for the consequences."

--"It was an improbable romance. He was a country boy. She was from the city. She had the world at her feet, while he didn't have two dimes to rub together."

--"Summer romances end for all kinds of reasons. But when all is said and done, they have one thing in common: They are shooting stars-a spectacular moment of light in the heavens, a fleeting glimpse of eternity. And in a flash, they're gone."

--"The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds. And that's what you've given me. That's what I'd hoped to give you forever."

Havainnas vs. Spartan

2009-05-17T04:10:00.000-07:00

Pangalan: Havaiannas

Lugar na pinanggalingan: São Paulo, Brazil

Pagbigkas:ah-vai-YAH-nas (Brazilian Portuguese)
hah-vee-ah-naz (American English)
OMG! hah-va-yaH-naZz! (Filipino)

Materyal na ginamit: Malupit na goma (high-quality rubber).

Presyo: Depende. Ganito na lang, 1 pares ng Havaianas = 100 pares ng Spartan.

Mga nagsusuot: Mga konyotik at mga mayayaman (na noong una ay nababaduyan sa mga naka-de sipit na
tsinelas at sasabihing, "Yuck! So baduy naman nila, naka-slippers lang."

Malulupit na katangian at kakayahan:
- Masarap isuot.
- Shock-absorbent
- Malambot ngunit matibay
- Makukuha sa sandamakmak na kulay, disenyo at burloloy
- Maaaring isuot sa loob ng Starbucks
- Mainam na pang-japorms
- Mainam i-terno sa I-Pod at Caramel Macchiato
- Mapipilitan kang maglinis ng mga kuko mo sa paa
- Maaari ka nang mag-dikwatro sa loob ng mga pampublikong lugar at sasakyan
- Magiging 'fashionable' ka kapag ikaw ay nagkukuyakoy

Olats na mga katangian:
Mahal!
Mahal!
Mahal!

Pangalan: Spartan

Lugar na Pinanggalingan: Metro Manila, Philippines

Pagbigkas:
spar-tan (American English),
is-par-tan (Filipino).

Materyal na ginamit: Pipitsuging goma (Low-quality rubber).

Presyo: Wala pang 50 pesos.
Isang pares ng Spartan = 20 piraso ng pan de coco.

Mga nagsusuot: ang masa (gaya-gaya lang ang mga sosyal at pasyonista)

Malulupit na katangian at kakayahan:
- Maaring ipampatay sa ipis
- Maaring ipampalo sa mga batang suwail at damuho
- Pwedeng ipanglusong sa baha at putikan
- Pwedeng ipamalengke
- Mainam gamitin sa tumbang-preso
- Mainam gawing 'shield' kapag naglalaro ng espa-espadahan
- Mainam isuot sa siko bilang proteksyon habang naglalaro ng piko
- Mainam na pambato sa picha o shuttlecock na sumabit sa puno
- Mainam na pangkulob sa pumuputok na watusi
- Kapag ginupit-gupit nang pahugis 'cube,' e maaari mo nang gawing pamato sa larong Bingo na
kadalasang makikita sa mga lamay ng patay.

Olats na mga katangian:
- Madaling magkawalaan kapag hinubad dahil halos pare-pareho lang ang itsura
- Masakit isuot kapag may mga balahibo ang mga daliri mo sa paa
- Minsan kapag ipinambato mo ito sa picha o shuttlecock na nakasabit sa puno, e nadadamay pati
yung tsinelas...

Katrina Halili Scandal

2009-05-16T20:36:00.000-07:00

This is the known video between Katrina Halili and her estranged lover who's said to be Belo's doctor. Seeing the video, I guess the pair are just rehearsing in tuned with this erotic sound background. What happened before or after this scene? nobody can ascertain really.

The Crow

2009-05-16T10:27:00.000-07:00

When a building got torched, all that is left are ashes. These I thought the truth about everything, families, friends, feelings. But now I know that sometimes if love holds a trail,
two people were meant to be together...nothing can keep them apart.....

Youtube tried to blocked the sound of my video when I've uploaded this one and I've decided to post it in here instead.

People once belived that
when someone dies a crow
carries their soul to the land
of the dead.
But sometimes, something so
bad happens that a terrible
sadness is carried with it and
the soul can't rest.
Then sometimes, just sometimes
the crow can bring that soul back
to put the wrong things right...

I really do love this movie so much.....if Brandon Lee hasn't been dead yet, who knows what this series brings although Mark Dacascos has done great wonders with this genre as well.

Do Fairies Really Exist?

2009-05-15T21:08:00.000-07:00

The Coal Basket Bible

2009-05-15T15:01:00.000-07:00

The story is told of an old man who lived on a farm in the mountains of
Kentucky with his young grandson. Each morning, Grandpa was up early
sitting at the kitchen table reading from his old worn-out Bible.
His grandson who wanted to be just like him tried to imitate him in any
way he could.

One day the grandson asked, "Papa, I try to read the Bible just like
you but I don't understand it, and what I do understand I forget as soon
as I close the book. What good does reading the Bible do?"

The Grandfather quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and
said, "Take this coal basket down to the river and bring back a basket
of water." The boy did as he was told, even though all the water leaked
out before he could get back to the house. The grandfather laughed and
said,

"You will have to move a little faster next time," and sent him back to
the river with the basket to try again.

This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he
returned home. Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was
"impossible to carry water in a basket," and he went to get a bucket
nstead. The old man said, "I don't want a bucket of water; I want a
basket of water. You can do this. You're just not trying hard
enough," and he went out the door to watch the boy try again. At this
point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show his
grandfather
that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before
he got far at all.

The boy scooped the water and ran hard, but when he reached his
grandfather the basket was again empty. Out of breath, he said, "See
Papa, it's useless!" "So you think it is useless?" The old man said,
"Look at the basket."

The boy looked at the basket and for the first time he realized that
the basket looked different. Instead of a dirty old coal basket, it was
clean.

"Son, that's what happens when you read the Bible. You might not
understand or remember everything, but when you read it, it will
change you from the inside out. That is the work of God in our lives.
To change us from the inside out and to slowly transform us into the
image of His son."

Take time to read a portion of God's word each day, and remind
a friend by sharing this story.
Live Simply, Love Generously, Care Deeply, Speak Kindly, Leave The
Rest To God"

Desiderata

2009-05-15T14:19:00.000-07:00

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,

and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

Echoes of our Hearts

2009-05-15T14:01:00.000-07:00

By Joe D'Mango

Sometimes we close our eyes and just listen to the echoes of our hearts. We all fall in love and there are times that we love so much that we lose ourselves in our own emotions. More often than not, we wonder why there are love that grows and love that grows cold. We would start to search for answers and try to find where love has gone wrong. But in the end we find ourselves where we started. We cannot question love when it has its own reasons. Love will always be as it always has been. Silent, mysterious, and deeply profound. Many of us believe that love is forever. That love never dies, only to be disillusioned in the end when we find our hands empty and our hearts longing. We mistakenly have looked at love as need to be fulfilled. But love is only a gift given to us. We should not hold it in our hands for we may never find the strength to let it go when it decides to leave. We should only embrace its warmth and glow while it lasts and then freely open our hearts when it's time to say goodbye. When we fall in love with someone, we don't want that feeling to end for it is everything that we are and everything we wanted to be. We pray that love will stay and grow in our hearts. But if it doesn't, then we should never let our lives be taken by it for life should not end where heartaches begin. There's always a reason why we have to move on. When we have to say goodbye to the feelings we wanted to stay forever, let us not wave our hands with a heavy heart for love will have to set its wings free and find a place where it belongs. We may have lost it but then again, when we close our eyes and listen to the echoes of our hearts, we will hear that feeling resounding silently forever then we'll know that it has never left us for the good we have become because of love will always stay. It will always be there reminding us that we should be thankful and happy not because we have lost love but because for once in our lives that feeling lived in our hearts and made us happy.

COURAGE OF LETTING GO

2009-05-15T12:55:00.000-07:00

A dear friend of mine recently talked about his grief when he finally decided to let go of someone he loves dearly. Many people often say that if you love someone, you should let him or her go. Whether or not to let go is one's issue. To hold on to a losing ‘battle’ and losing your dignity is another.

The very first notion would be if the person comes back to you, then he or she is yours. But if he or she doesn’t then he or she was never meant to be.

However, no one in his right mind would let someone he loves go. Yet, we all want to do the right thing because if we ever want to look back, we want to be able to say that at least, at one time in our lives; we were once generous and brave. Still the cost of magnanimity and courage, believe it or not, hurts.

The truth is when someone we love pulls away from us, our first instinct is to hold on. We hold because the thought of losing the one person we love is just too painful to bear. And in our pain, we lose sight of what is sane and only see the need to stop him or her from fleeing and so instead of giving way, we block the path of their getaway.

But it is absolute madness to cling on to someone who perhaps no longer wants you. So let the person go. What are you afraid of? That he or she won’t come back? The truth is that you can’t really hold on to someone who doesn’t want you anymore, so there really is no point in holding on. You might as well let go with dignity and grace. Hold your head high and let go. But this is no easy task. It will take a lot of courage, patience and time.

Letting go is difficult because it is against human nature. It is just like saying “No” when all you wanted to say is “Yes”. It is resisting the flow, going against the wind and is like walking away when all you wanted to do is stay. It is transcending our humanity and rising to our divinity. Letting go commands us to be larger than life.

Ultimately, it is vital to let go only when you are ready. Don’t be so hard on yourself if you can’t let go. No one ever said it would be easy. But if you know what is good for you, then you must learn to do what is hard and painful. For if you really want to know if this love is meant for you, then, you must have the courage to submit to its ultimate test.

Of course it will be terrifying and painful. And if he doesn’t come back, then of course it will be devastating. But surely, there will be life after the tears and the heartbreak, if you can let go of your love and hold on to your faith.

I think that all stories can end happily. They may not always end the way we wanted them to but then who wants a boring and predictable story anyway? I, for one, am certainly against monotonous tedious endings.

They say it’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. But I personally say it is better to have loved and let go then to have loved and held on to the unworthy one.

Jesus Is GOD

2009-05-15T12:40:00.000-07:00

Jesus is God of both Old and New testament. in fact, He is the fulfillment of the prophecies of the OT that God will manifest in flesh.

Isaiah 9:6-7 Isaiah, who lived 700 years before the time of Jesus, gave a prophecy about a "son" who would be called "Mighty God." Jesus fulfills this prophecy by being God incarnate as a man. Jesus is fully human and fully God. He is the Son of God. As such, he is both "son" and "Mighty God."

Isaiah 7:14- will be a born of a virgin
Micah 5:2 - will be born in Bethlehem
Genesis 12:3; 18:18 - will be a descendant of Abraham
Psalm 16:10,11 - will be resurrected
Psalm 22 - will be crucified
Psalm 22:17 and 34:20 - bones will not be broken although traditionally they do.

and many more. these prophecies prove Jesus' uniqueness among other prophets. all of it are fulfilled by Jesus in the NT.

God's purpose to incarnate Himself to man is to unite earth to heaven. mission of the Son's coming included a plan that would enable man to see and know himself as God sees and knows him. God wanted show His love and compassion to His creation by being one of them. and of course to redeem us.

The following Scriptures, given the character of Jesus Christ, are only logically explained on the basis of His deity:

-I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I AM!" (John 8:58)
-All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you. (John 16:15)
-Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him. (John 3:36)
-I and the Father are One. (John 10:30)
-He who has seen Me, has seen the Father. (John 14:9)
-[The Father has entrusted all judgments to the Son] that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him. (John 5:23)
-"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."Jn 1:1."And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us"Jn 1:14
-"For this is how God loved the world: He gave his unique Son so that everyone who believes in him might not be lost but have eternal life.John 3:16
-"Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins."John 8:24

Christ conforms the attributes of deity:

ETERNITY - In the beginning, He always was (John 1:1, 2, 14, 15). Jesus had glory with God before the world was created (John 17:5).

OMNIPRESENCE - He is with us always (Matthew 28:20). Where two or three are, He is there (Matthew 18:20). He is in every believer (John 14:20-23). He fills all (Ephesians 1:23; 4:20).

OMNISCIENCE - He knows people’s thoughts (Mark 2:8; Luke 6:8; 11:17). He knew the manner of His death (Matthew 16:21; John 12:33). He knew who would betray Him (John 6:64, 70-71). He knew the future (John 2:19-22; John 18:4; John 13:19; Matthew 24:35).He knew all men (John 2:24, 25). ONLY GOD KNOWS THE FUTURE

OMNIPOTENCE and SOVEREIGNTY - He is the Almighty (Revelation 1:8). He does whatever the Father does (John 5:19). All authority, including over all mankind, is given to Him (Matthew 28:18; John 17:2, 3). He has power to subject all things unto Himself (Philippians 3:21). He exerts control over His own life and death (John 10:18). He has power over nature (Luke. 8:25). He is Lord of all (Revelations 19:16; 1 Peter 3:22, Colossians 1:18; Acts 10:36).

IMMUTABILITY - He is always and forever the same (Hebrews 13:8 cf., 1:12, 8, 10). His words will never pass away (Matthew 24:35).

HOLY - He is holy (Revelation 3:7). He is the holy offspring that will be called the Son of God (Luke 1:35). He is holy, innocent, undefiled, and separated from sinners (Hebrews 7:26).

TRUTH - The truth is in Jesus (Ephesians 4:21). He is full of grace and truth (John 1:14). He is the truth (John 14:6).

Designations of God in OT Ascribed to Christ in NT:

- The first and the last—Isaiah 41:4; 44,6; 48:12 / Revelation 2:8; 22:13
- I AM—Exodus 3:14 / John 8:58; John 13:19
- Author of eternal words—Isaiah. 40:8; Psalm 119:89 / Matthew 24:35; John 6:68
- Forgiver of sins—Jeremiah 31:34 / Acts 5:31
- Redeemer—Hosea 13:14; Psalm 130:7 / Titus 2:13,14; Revelation 5:9
- Light—Psalm 27:1 / John 1:4-9; 8:12; 1 John 1:5
- The Lord of Glory—Isaiah 42:8 / John 17:1-5; 1 Corinthians 2:8
- Shepherd—Psalm 23:1 / John 10:11; Hebrews 13:20
- The First Coming God—Isaiah 40:3 / Matthew 3:3
- The Second Coming God—Zechariah 14:5 / Matthew 16:27; 24:29-31
- The Lord Almighty—Isaiah 6:1-3; 8:13-14 / John 12:41; 1 Peter 2:8
- King of Glory—Psalm 24:7, 10 / 1 Corinthians 2:8; John 17:5
- Judge—Joel 3:12 / Matthew 25:31-46
- Emmanuel—Isaiah 7:14 / Matthew 1:23
- The eternal God and Creator—Psalm 102:24-27 / Hebrews 1:8, 10-12
- Lord of the Sabbath—Genesis 2:3 / Matthew 12:8
- The great God and savior—Isaiah 43:11-12 / Titus 1:3-4; 2:10, 13; 3:4-6
- Confess that He is Lord—Isaiah 45:23 (Jehovah) / Philippians 2:11 (Jesus)
- Creator of all things—Isaiah 40:28; Psalm 148:1-5 / John 1:3; Colossians 1:16
- Lord of All—1 Chronicles 29:11-12 / Acts 10:36; Romans 10:11-13
- The Judge of all men—Psalm 98:9 / Acts 17:31
- Raiser of the dead—1 Samuel 2:6; Psalm 119 (11 times) / John 11:25; 5:21 w/Luke 7:12-16
- Judge of the nations—Joel 3:12 / Matthew 25:31-41
- Salvation by calling on the name of the Lord—Joel 2:32 / Romans 10:13

Prerogatives of Deity Ascribed to Christ:

- Giver of eternal life with authority over all mankind (John 17:2; John 10:28).
- Worshipped by angels (Psalm 148:2): God—Hebrews 1:6; Jesus—Luke 4:8.
- Addressed in prayer (Acts 7:59).
- Raising the dead while on earth (Matthew 9:25 Luke 7:12-16 John 11:44)
- Forgives sin (Matthew 1:21; Mark 2:7)
- Raising the dead for judgment (John 5:24-29; Acts 10:42; Acts 17:31
- Power to transform the bodies of all believers (Philippians 3:21).
- Worship by people. Only God is worthy of worship (Psalm 95:6). Neither people (Acts 10:25-6), nor angels (Revelation 19:10) are to receive worship, only God (Luke 4:8). But Jesus received worship from:
>man born blind (John 9:38); the disciples (Matthew 14:33; 28:17); the wise men (Matthew 2:2, 11); the young ruler (Matthew 9:18); women (Matthew 28:9); the disciples (Matthew 28:17); the demons (Mark 3:11; 5:6); everyone (Philippians 2:10, 11); the four elders (Revelation 5:14).

scripture explicitly saying Christ is God:

- John 1:18 "The only begotten God."
- John 20:28, Thomas said to him [Jesus] "My Lord and my God."
- Titus 2:13, "Our Great God and Saviour Jesus Christ."
- 1 John 5:20, "Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life"
- Colossians 2:9, "In Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form."
- Colossians 1:15-17, "He is the image of the invisible God… by him all things were created."
- Romans 9:5, "Christ, who is God over all, forever praised."
- 2 Thessalonians 1:12, "Our God and Lord Jesus Christ."
- John 10:33 "You a mere man claiming to be God" (the Jews)
- Mark 14:61-64 "You have heard the blasphemy" (high priests)
- John 5:18 "Making Himself [Jesus] equal with God" (John)

I Will Remember

2009-05-14T21:31:00.000-07:00

I was born in the land of the sun
And the tall green grass
And I don't understand
How all this has come to pass
How we've come to surround ourselves
In a sea of thieves
In a land without learning
Only the fools believe

I went driving last night
On a dark canyon road
Had the sky to myself
But I wasn't alone
Had the pain of my lifetime
For my company
How did it end up like this
For you and me

As I open my eyes to one more day
The wind burns my face
As it whispers your name
As it's pulling me forward
It tears me free
And the only thing left
Is the tears for you and me

'Cause when love breaks the promise
The heart has to keep
It leaves only truth here to find
When the spirit is crushed
And hurt is so deep
Between you and I

Even when love has come and gone
And our hearts have moved along
I will remember
There was a time we had the trust
And that always was enough
I will remember

Even when love has come and gone
And our hearts have moved along
I will remember
There was a time we had the trust
And that always was enough
I will remember.....
I will remember you

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXzArmGh6hs

Short prose for HONEY (19 Jan 2008)

2009-05-14T21:17:00.000-07:00

If fate wouldn't be too kind enough...i know i can still wait for you somewhere else....someplace where you will no longer hesitate about my intention, someplace where there will be no "HOW" and "WHAT IF's" , not today, not tomorrow, and if not even in the near future.... may be at life after death.. do you believe in reincarnations? me, i dunnno, but if there is really such a reincarnation thing......in my next life, I wanted to be a bird. where i can freely glide smoothly between winds beneath my wings, soar freely to an unimaginable heights and swiftly strike freely a moving target beneath whenever i wanted, but the good thing in life we had right now is that if i'm just a reincarnation of whatever i was before, GOD didn't made me into a bird otherwise it would have been impossible for Ms. Felicita Galman Bartolome to be courted by Mario in a form of a bird.

I just want to say thank you so much honey for saving for me, for sharing with me a portion of your heart though it's not as big as the space I prepared for you here in my heart yet you don't know how it does made a big difference in my life. I do hope that our stay on each other's heart isn't just in a fleeting moments but lasting and till eternity. I Love You HON...

Letter from a lowly heart (10 Jan 2008)

2009-05-14T21:13:00.000-07:00

I have uploaded this wonderful music and slideshow on youtube and I thought it will be best to share it with you here as well. This was lovingly dedicated to my Lemon Pie few months ago. Enjoy the music....

I hope this will be the exit from the gloomy and hollow years I've spent and I had while traveling down this long and winding journey of uncertainties. The release from the enclosing nightmare that I may just one day fall on a wrong woman and not the lady in dreams I had ever since been drawing out bit by bit, through the years. As jig saw puzzle come alive. Though I don’t know who she was? What she would be like in the near future. I never did honestly entertain the possibility that I would on that fateful day find you at ASMSI. And deep in my heart right then I knew that you’re all I ever wanted. The master piece lady in dreams, come fully alive.

And I was hoping that you can save a little space in the heart of your heart, a place wherein my love may reside and never forsake us as we both struggle through hardships, through trials that may shake the very foundation of this love I am trying to nurture and grow. This very same love will be your shield and armor not to suffocate you (as love sometimes tend to build walls) but to protect you from any danger along your way. But will you give my love a try?

I am hopeful that you’re willing to take the risk of riding the same boat with me and experience together how rough and bumpy the rides may be. I know, as long as we‘re rowing n’sync and smoothly I believe we will surely succeed and reached the farthest distance wherever life may wants us to carry. Although sometimes while the tides are high, HEAVENS may pour an endless rain that may left us in awe and disbelief of all the misfortunes. But rains sometimes purposely passes and go to wash our tears so we can have a fresh and have a beginnings anew. Thus, I can’t surely promise you heaven and eternity because being human and mortal, I only have this love of mine to offer you. This love, my love will always be on its way and it’s up to you to decide whether to let it stray outside or open up the door gently for me; Row the same boat with me or leave me wander alone in the vastness of an open sea. Because I know this time will be a new season. A season of wiping tears shed for years from failing remarks. A season to leave all the dreaming far behind because you are here now and I believe if given a chance, we can together make everything all right. I’m very much willing to carry you through the shore line; I would be very grateful to walk you across the water; I’m very much willing to believe in your strength and understand your weaknesses as I am hoping you would do the same for me. Because life is a constant struggle and there’s nothing really permanent in this world but change. Thus, if left unwanted, even love, I believe tend to change itself over time. I love you so much HON! I hope you’ll consider having me in your lifetime and not only for today and tomorrow. But even at life after death. I LOVE YOU…

A Love Letter for msbartolome (05 Jan 2008)

2009-05-14T13:38:00.000-07:00

I think I'll be running out of words and vocabularies that would best describe this unseen feelings and emotions I had. You could have already said "YES!" if only I was around there in the Philippines. That's what you've said. Yet, on the other hand you said you can't say you love me as well because we still haven't met personally in the first place, right? Yeah, although I've never seen you and I've heard your voices just once but even before hearing your sweet sounding voices I still had gladly exclaimed that I'm really in real love with you. This what differs us from each other. Meaning, because I'm loving with all the consequences however painful they may be and however ugly they may sound in reality. I knew it. Because I had never been misguided ever since by what my emotions and my instinct dictates. I had never been dismayed by the choices I've made however quick and fast the picking process because I've known ever since that the moment I've chosen something or someone they had, and they possessed the best qualities envied by most. They had these qualities so outstanding that it made me into this fool of a person, this crazy of a lover. While you, I don't really have any slightest idea what your requirements are, how you size and measure the personalities of the person you've wanted to be with for the rest of your life. Of course, I know, it wasn't always that easy on your part as much as it wasn't that easy for me to have waited and found you lately after all this time. For I had waited a hell of years before I found you, before fate allowed me to crossed-path with you. I've waited almost half of my entire lifetime for this one real love and I'm thankful that I had waited patiently enough otherwise I would be spending the rest of my life regretting to see you, contemplating why I hadn't waited long enough for you. But as fate had it. He was too generous for leading us into this same journey of trials and difficulties while we're still both available. Because life wouldn't be that easy and fate probably wanted us to go through this journey successfully, hand in hand. Taking turns of carrying one another through our life cycle of up's and down's. Because we can never make it happily alone. Although we may stumble together along the way as there has really no perfect trails in reality but at least we have each other's shoulder to lean on. For today you may be headstrong but as you fumble along the way, I wanted to be that special someone who will pick you up and help you make it through wherever you wanted to go. I wanted to be that special someone who will give you comfort and dry the tears on your cheek when you're weary and crying. I can be your shelter from a cold stormy weather to a piercing, burning summer heat. I wanted to try to offer you anything possible under this heavily laden sphere as long as you wanted me to. But if you think my love offerings weren't that good enough for you and decided later on to move along in search for someone else who could ease your obstacles. I will still be there for you, lurking in a distance no matter what, watching you and if possible to guide you on a high-rise hindrances so you can move swiftly on your own again. However painful it may be if you're
with someone else.

A Love Letter for msbartolome (03 Jan 2008)

2009-05-14T13:33:00.000-07:00

Honestly, I was convincing and trying myself not to think of you today, because if as what I usually did I would just end up daydreaming for the rest of my day. But sadly, with aircraft's manual and wiring diagram now laid down before me, I still ended up writing this piece of note to let you know how much I really care for you and that in everything I did for these past few days and for everything I'm about to do....you're still the one who had and who will occupy my mind every now and then. I simply can't help neglecting the thought that I have these feelings, these very special emotions that in the coming days or years I simply don't want to be wasted. To be wasted because I didn't have enough courage to tame every-inch of your belief. To be wasted because I failed to extract the magic words that would in response had have sent you lovingly shouts "YES!" Oh yes! I'm probably stupid falling in love with a girl I've never met and had never known ever since. What a crazy feeling is this? How did I fell in love with a girl I've only known through her write-ups and fading images? You know, it's totally beyond explanation perhaps, for I myself don't understand it either. And if I ended up mocked by whomever, "You shut up!" I'm just in real love would always be my response. Because it would be unfair if someone argued about one's feeling and emotions because I surely have known better my very own feelings and emotions than anyone else. This is my own heart and mine alone. No one can tell what I am feeling isn't for real but I. Nobody might had even portrayed how important you are to someone's life at this very moment (except your families) but me. You were sooo very important to me but I cant simply find the exact words to justify that what I' saying weren't due to insanity - infact I had the exact counts of screws in my head, and my systems are functioning well except for this "Heart". If it was only possible for human not to have a heart to be free from all these unfathomable emotions often misunderstood as craving insanity, as autism desires. I would have opted one. Because I don't want to be misunderstood as someone playing marbles with a woman's heart and ended up bruising each marbles or hearts in the long run.

To be honest with you and to myself, what I'm feeling right now is totally different from the love at first sight thing I once had. Yes! very different because the first time I saw you I thought you belong and you were one of those persons perceived by most as "pangarap na lamang". My first impression is that I'm a way too far from your standards and qualifications thus I hesitated and tucked myself in silence. My first mail wasn't intended to ignite my hidden admirations but it was only out of kindness and pity because you've posted one message at newbies corner only and nothing else.
My only intention was to make you feel at home and stay because I would surely love it to see you here always. And the key that triggered everything was your replies and if I didn't grabbed that once in a lifetime opportunity I would have gone mad this time. But the challenges didn't stop right there and then. For it has always been a part of our everyday living and only the degree differs to some extent. Others struggled to survive a meal while I myself struggled to convince you that what I had is purest intentions. I had summoned every brand of pen at the malls including calligraphy last holiday season hoping that each of them were capable of extracting the magic word I've been longing for. But now I ended up relying on how I really felt hoping that my breast will open and a "hand-heart" holding a magical pen will emerge writing down itself everything, every single emotions I can express and every love definitions I might had forgotten. But with all our human limitations I can only manage to tell and express what ever crosses my mind when I'm with this mighty pen and translucent paper. It's real love! I'm sure of it. But I'm been wondering how this "love" will ever move mountains to show you it's authenticity. Does love really move mountains? that's at least what they said. But literary speaking this love I'm feeling right now can't even move this thin sheet of paper, so does love really move mountains? Or does this mean I'm totally hopeless if my love can't move this thin sheet? I don't get it myself thus, the convincing part really had as always been the challenge.

Now, you can call me whatever you wanted! crazy, insane, autistic. All I know is that deep down inside I'm just madly, deeply in love with you. Hope, the best of things? Yes perhaps! unless we ended up hoping for the remainder of our stay here in this labyrinth universe. Waiting? Yes I can surely wait though sometimes time can draw out like a blade. Because not all fantasies had a happy ending. When the reality strikes in the end that you had just waited for nothing, the lengthy process you've spent waiting will cut you into pieces thus hurting your every inch like a blade. When I was a boy before SOM, I used to imagined and dreamed of beautiful grill-walled houses only exist in my fantasies. But as a product of an innocent young mind imaginings, surprisingly there was no woman in that dream. Pero ngaun...ikaw nlng nakikita ko parati sa panaginip na un.

Autobiography - life before SOM (21 Dec 2007)

2009-05-14T13:31:00.001-07:00

Looking back at the early chapters of my life, I've seen nothing worthwhile but rubbish, hatred and agony. I was well-known for never being beaten even by older guys in a "taksi" (a game played in a plane earth-surface by placing a bet (money) in a square box and then aiming with all your might from a certain distance hoping that each strike will send all coins outside the box to win). And everytime I needed money, I would scout every stores in the market who has the highest buying price per kilo of rice and alas!….sold the stocks we had!. You won't believe it but with a cents, I had exchanged it with four dozens of biscuits. How the hell I did that? I called it Devil's guts! Ayo! Papalit og kendi (Tao po! pabili ng candy)… the store keeper approached me and handed me the candy and after I gave her the cents and since the drawer was a bit farther and she's walking towards it and I supposed she don't have eye on her back I took a whole pack of biscuits to the horror of my younger cousin while I afterwards was just like walking in a park. I was only third grader in Compostela then. In second grader, I had injured my back after falling from avocado tree and swollened that reduced me to almost hunchback of Compostela.hehehe. In fourth grader I had injured my right arm after falling from mango tree and since my parents were not around, nobody knew it. I had a short-lived amnesia once after falling from star apple tree doing a superman stunt as my brother said what I looked like. Quickly stand afterwards as if nothing happened and went inside the house to the horror of my mother minutes later because I was already crying from pain, from aftershock. We found out later I had injured a ribs.

My sufferings and agonies started when I was transferred to Catbalogan Samar in early November of 1998 when my father lost his job. My grandfather owns a coconut farm but since Samar usually was a pathway of typhoons eversince, most of the coconut trees only had a few every harvest. I was the oldest from four lads but usually outdone by them in physical labor. I was outdone in transporting coconuts from every now and then. I remember after my SOM life when I went to Davao and help my two brothers and my father did rice harvesting. They were so good and fast at it since they had been doing it for ages while for a guy like me it was a nightmare of a job. And to the horror of them all I was already crying from behind. I was crying because I pity myself, I'm not much of a help. My mother was probably right when she said that my body isn't suitable with the work we were doing. Sometimes my family would spend weeks staying in our farm at the mountains in Samar but we never stop attending school. Three of us would race all the way down from the mountain to go to school. I was even branded by a classmate who happened to be my crush a "Rebelde". Eto na ung NPA. And every Sunday I would spend my day selling all kind of stuff's at Catbalogan City (Pier Dos ata un)-down there everything sells. I was the only one from six siblings who had the guts to sell. My guts were so amazing even to this day because where I am now wasn't done through smooth rides and hitches. It took me a hell of courage and days of questioning myself "should I" or "better not" when the opportunity was right in front of me. I took the courage by offering everything to GOD thinking if whatever HE wanted so be it, my intentions wasn't for my own gratification anyway but for my whole family and the families surrounding me, and if HE wanted me to suffer, if that's the path HE had long laid down for me then why would I care so much about being shorthanded in everything. I was an undergrad when all they wanted was a college professional. Some may argue that I had outwitted the others but for me I was just playing fairly enough from this so called unfair battle-field earth.

After Catbalogan, Samar we were all transferred to San Juan. Hilongos Leyte as the Family grew weary of the life in the mountains where we achieved nothing but same old pains and hardships. What we found out in Leyte weren't much of a difference. It was even worst since we don't have anything in Leyte. We had experienced where we had nothing at all in the table and being the oldest son I took the initiative and it was there in Leyte where I had almost given up. I was thinking of abandoning the whole family to fend for my own and survive. Believe it or not but if some of you were familiar of rice milling machines in the provinces where the waste rice hulls usually just dumped backyards of the factory, my mother ask me out of desperate measures to filter rice hulls hoping to find some (ulon ulon) as what they call it in Bisaya (don't know what's the Tagalog term – I'm sorry). It's not the usual whole grain of rice but tiny particles as a result of too much friction from machinery (hope you got the picture). Know what? I found nothing. It was the most embarrassing time of my whole childhood, the very first time I felt I was humiliated so much. And it was right then that I've realized I just can't simply leave my good mother behind. Mama's boy pa naman ako.hehehehe…it was very humiliating really, we slept with just cardboard to protect our back from the beating colds of the floor in an old house ruled by gigantic lizard at night as big as four fingers combined. And the only thing I was proud of was a Mighty Kid shoe bought by my father when he still had better jod in Davao, at times where he used to send us and our cousins altogether to school every morning and fetched everyone of us in the afternoon, at times where I spent in a day an equivalent of week long "Baon". Aside from the lonely mighty kid shoe….nothing else. I wasn't even so proud being born, I guess because I sometimes thought I should have never been in this world after all. I had been doing a man's labor at grade five with only 7 pesos per day in Samar. It was so terrible.

When the opportunity for an SOM stint arrives, I went there but I had no idea at all or whatsoever. It was funny since I was only copying the answers of my older sister but it was only I who passed while she herself failed. The fact that I don't even know the answer to "what is the color of the grass" question baffled me even more. Guess what? My choices that time was violet and brown..hahahaha..and I just asked my sister afterwards for the right answer tto my embarrassment when sje said "green".di ko nacopya sa kanya yon eh. The only English I knew and I can exactly remember then was "mommy I'm hungry" taught by our grade five teacher in Samar. Aside from the failing grades in elementary and with almost no skill and talent at all I had no idea that there was even a GOD behind everything who made it all possible for me. I prayed of course but not to the extent that I know who HE was and where HE came from. At SOM, I used to cry a lot for months, as expected from being a mama's boy as I was. I even cried if my mother leaves our house leaving me behind and I will never ever let go of her as a leech will never ever leave their prey unless my mother would say okay let's go, how much more being an island away. I remember my mother told me months ago that when the boat that would take us from Hilongos to Cebu was about to leave, I run outside crying, hugging my mother murmuring between my sobs "I'm not going". BIYA-HILO pa ako….haaaayyy…suka to the max.hahaha. But not anymore, not this time.

2 Peter 1:3-10

2009-05-13T21:06:00.000-07:00

3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and Godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. 4 Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness and to goodness, knowledge 6 and to knowledge, self control and to self control, perseverance and to perseverance, Godliness 7 and to Godliness, brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. 10 Therefore my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall

The above scripture contains the blueprint for growth in Christ. For the word of God to reach its full potential, it has to be spoken out into the atmosphere, and not just anyone can do this. The person proclaiming it, must have faith in the principles that are spoken.

When a person is shot and killed, it is true to say the bullet killed him. But before this could happen, even though the bullet contained all the power to do the killing, three objects had to come together: the person to pull the trigger, the gun from which the bullet was fired, and the bullet that does the killing. Only when this combination is met, can the bullet reach its full potential. Likewise, a threefold combination is required for the release of the spoken word: the person that speaks it, the faith that releases it, and the word that performs the transformation.

Jesus demonstrated this three fold combination when he spoke to the fig tree destroying it from the roots up, and when he spoke to the spirit of death which was over Lazarus, and when he spoke to the widow's son being carried in his coffin to his own funeral, and also to Jairus's daughter who had died. He also demonstrated this when he spoke to the infirmities of leprosy, blindness, deafness, or to the dumb.

These miracles did not happen through some mystical power of mind control. Jesus, full of faith and power, spoke to the problem, and the word came forth out of his mouth; like a bullet leaving the barrel of a smoking rifle and finding the target it was sent to neutralize. For the Christian to become effective in the realm of the supernatural, it is essential to realize the power of the spoken word in faith.

2 Kings 2:19-22

2009-05-13T20:59:00.000-07:00

19 The men of the city said to Elisha, "Look, our lord, this town is well situated, as you can see, but the water is bad and the land is unproductive". 20 "Bring me a new bowl", he said, "and put salt in it". So they brought it to him. 21 Then he went out to the spring and threw the salt into it, saying, "This is what the Lord says ", "I have healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive". 22 And the water has remained wholesome to this day, according to the word Elisha had spoken.

Do you know what the waters were causing? Miscarriages. The effect that it had was on the weak productive organs of the animals and the people. There were no children. There was no new birth. Nothing on the face of the earth will destroy a move of evangelism greater than bitterness. If you have conceptions they will be born and die. They will not grow. You can lead people to the Lord and all of a sudden they get along side of a bitter well and that bitter well will pollute them and next minute their spinning out back into the world spiritually dead. Yet the church as a whole goes through it time after time after time.

When the bible says here that Elisha put salt in, we are the salt of the earth and if the salt loses its flavour it then becomes decaying. It is the preservative of the world.

Hebrews 3:19, 4:1, 2

2009-05-13T20:53:00.000-07:00

19 So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief. 4:1 Therefore, since the promise of entering His rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. 2 For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith.

PREACHER'S MESSAGE

Do you know that I can preach the Gospel every Sunday morning and people can say that was the greatest message in the world and they walk out of the door and they have this principal of truth but it won't profit them one lick because they never mixed faith with it? Do you know that they could even be in a worse state because of unbelief?

You might say that "Oh no brother, when I specifically read in the covenant and in the journey of Exodus that the reason they got dealt with was because they murmured." What is the root of murmuring? Murmuring is to speak evil about something which is good. It comes from unbelief, they didn't believe that God was a giver. They believed that God was a punisher. So the devil was a thief and could come and steal from them all that God had promised them and they would accept it as being God. Then they would get even angrier with God.

When you hear people start to murmur and speak in a negative way, they have unbelief in their heart. The only way that you can deal with unbelief is to make a decision to believe.

Mother's Day

2009-05-13T13:13:00.000-07:00

Different countries celebrate Mother's Day on various days of the year because the day has a number of different origins.

One school of thought claims this day emerged from a custom of mother worship in ancient Greece, which kept a festival to Cybele, a great mother of Greek gods. This festival was held around the Vernal Equinox around Asia Minor and eventually in Rome itself from the Ides of March (15 March) to 18 March.

The ancient Romans also had another holiday, Matronalia, that was dedicated to Juno, though mothers were usually given gifts on this day.

In addition to Mother's Day, International Women's Day is celebrated in many countries on March 8.

The United States version of the Holiday can trace its origins back to 1912 when Anna Jarvis trademarked the phrases "second Sunday in May" and "Mother's Day", and created the Mother's Day International Association to continue the tradition of honoring mothers that had long been established in the United Kingdom where her ancestors originated.

Valentine present(March 7, 2009)

2009-05-13T13:05:00.000-07:00

This was the valentine gift I surprisingly gave to my beloved honey although it was a bit late but as the old adage says: It's better late than never at all and It's the thought that counts, this simple gift probably still lives its purpose.

Once upon a time....

2009-05-13T12:59:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time there was an island where all the feelings lived; Happiness, Sadness, Knowledge, and all the others......, including Love.

One day it was announced to all of the feelings that the island was going to sink to the bottom of the ocean.

So all the feelings prepared their boats to leave. Love was the only one that stayed.

She wanted to preserve the island until the last possible moment.

When the island was almost totally under, Love decided it was time to leave.

She began looking for someone to ask for help. Just then Richness was passing by in a grand boat.
Love asked, "Richness, Can I come with you on your boat?" Richness answered, "I'm sorry, but there is a lot of silver and gold on my boat and there would be no room for you."

Then Love decided to ask Vanity for help who was passing in a beautiful vessel. Love cried out, "Vanity, help me please." I can't help you", Vanity said, "You are all wet and will damage my beautiful boat."

Next, Love saw Sadness passing by. Love said, "Sadness, please let me go with you." Sadness answered, "Love, I'm sorry, but, I just need to be alone now."

Then, Love saw Happiness. Love cried out, "Happiness, please take me with you." But Happiness was so overjoyed that he didn't hear Love calling to him.

Love began to cry. Then, she heard a voice say, "Come Love, I will take you with me." It was an elder. Love felt so blessed and overjoyed that she forgot to ask the elder his name.

When they arrived on land the elder went on his way. Love realized how much she owed the elder. Love then found Knowledge and asked, "Who was it that helped me? "It was Time", Knowledge answered. "But why did Time help me when no one else would?", Love asked.

Knowledge smiled and with deep wisdom and sincerity, answered,
"Because only Time is capable of understanding how great Love is."

Love Nortured by SALT

2009-05-13T12:55:00.000-07:00

He met her on a party. She was so outstanding, many guys chasing after her, while he so normal, nobody paid attention to him. At the end of the party, he invited her to have coffee with him, she was surprised, but due to being polite, she promised. They sat in a nice coffee shop, he was too nervous to say anything, she felt uncomfortable, she thought, please, let me go home.... suddenly he asked the waiter. "would you please give me some salt? I'd like to put it in my coffee."
Everybody stared at him, so strange! His face turned red, but still, he put the salt in his coffee and drank it. She asked him curiously; why you have this hobby? He replied: "when I was a little boy, I was living near the sea, I like playing in the sea, I could feel the taste of the sea, just like the taste of the salty coffee. Now every time I have the salty coffee, I always think of my childhood, think of my hometown, I miss my hometown so much, I miss my parents who are still living there". While saying that tears filled his eyes. She was deeply touched.
That's his true feeling, from the bottom of his heart. A man who can tell out his homesickness, he must be a man who loves home, cares about home, has responsibility of home. Then she also started to speak, spoke about her faraway hometown, her childhood, her family. That was a really nice talk, also a beautiful beginning of their story.
They continued to date. She found that actually he was a man who meets all her demands; he had tolerance, was kind hearted, warm, careful. He was such a good person but she almost missed him! Thanks to his salty coffee!
Then the story was just like every beautiful love story , the princess married to the prince, then they were living the happy life... And, every time she made coffee for him, she put some salt in the coffee e, as she knew that's the way he liked it.
After 40 years, he passed away, left her a letter which said: "My dearest, please forgive me, forgive my whole life lie. This was the only lie I said to you---the salty coffee. Remember the first time we dated? I was so nervous at that time, actually I wanted some sugar, but I said salt It was hard for me to change so I just went ahead.I never thought that could be the start of our communication! I tried to tell you the truth many times in my life, but I was too afraid to do that, as I have promised not to lie to you for anything..
Now I'm dying, I afraid of nothing so I tell you the truth: I don't like the salty coffee, what a strange bad taste.. But I have had the salty coffee for my whole life! Since I knew you, I never feel sorry for anything I do for you. Having you with me is my biggest happiness for my whole life. If I can live for the second time, still want to know you and have you for my whole life,even though I have to drink the salty coffee again".
Her tears made the letter totally wet.Someday, someone asked her: what's the taste of salty coffee?
It's sweet. She replied.

Love is not 2 forget but 2 forgive, not 2 c but 2 understand, not 2 hear but 2 listen, not 2 let go but 2 HOLD ON !!!!

Don't ever leave the one you love for the one you like, because the one you like will leave you for the one they love.

Forget the things make u sad....
Remember the things make u Glad...

FAITH

2009-05-13T11:41:00.000-07:00

Faith is to believe what we do not see, and the reward of faith is to see what we believe.
-st. Augustine

The fields were parched and brown from lack of rain, and the crops law wilting from thirst. People were anxious and irritable as they searched the sky for any sign of relief. Days turned into arid weeks. No rain came.

The ministers of the local churches called for an hour of prayer on the town square the following Saturday. They requested that everyone bring an object of faith for inspiration.

At high noon on the appointed Saturday the townspeople turned en masse, filling the square with anxious faces and hopeful hearts. The ministers were touched to see the variety of objects clutched in prayerful hands – holy books, crosses, rosaries.

When the hour ended, as if on magical command, a soft rain began to fall. Cheers swept the crowd as they held their treasured objects high in gratitude and praise. From the middle of the crowd one faith symbol seemed to overshadow all the others: A small nine-year old child had brought an umbrella.

source:Chicken soup for the Christian Soul

Psalm 25:9

2009-05-12T22:41:00.000-07:00

He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way.

Is it wrong to fail? No, it is wrong to not admit that we failed. Failing doesn't make you a failure, living in it makes you a failure, for all have failed and sinned and come short of the glory of God. He gave us power, power to what? He gave us power to humble ourselves because sometimes it's hard. We do need that supernatural power to humble ourselves.

Have you ever been in an argument and gone so far in that all of a sudden you get a glimpse that your wrong but you shake it off and go on anyway? Or you know that you've taken the wrong road but instead of stopping the car and turning around and going back, you hope you can make it right and just try and cut across here and cut across there until you get hopelessly lost and you think, "If only I had have stopped back there and just turned the car around but you try to make a bad situation right by pushing further into the bad situation rather than to stop and say, "Now, lets rearrange this, lets look at this the right way." Amen. This is the power of God, being able to confront our fears.

Hans Zimmer

2009-05-12T20:54:00.000-07:00

Zimmer was born in Frankfurt am Main, Germany and moved to London as a teenager, where he went to Hurtwood House School. While he lived in London, Zimmer wrote advertising jingles for Air-Edel Associates. Zimmer began his musical career playing keyboards and synthesizers. In 1980, Zimmer worked with Buggles, a New Wave band formed in 1977 with Trevor Horn, Geoff Downs, and Bruce Woolley. Zimmer can be briefly seen in the Buggles music video for Video Killed the Radio Star (1979). After working with Buggles, he started to work for the Italian group Krisma, a New Wave band formed in 1976 with Maurizio Arcieri and Christina Moser. He was a featured synthesizer for Krisma’s third album, Cathode Mamma. He has also worked with the band Helden (with Warren Cann from Ultravox).

In the 1980s, Zimmer partnered with film composer Stanley Myers, a prolific film composer who composed scores for over sixty films. Zimmer and Myers co-founded the London-based Lillie Yard recording studio. Together, Myers and Zimmer worked on fusing the traditional orchestral sound with state-of-the-art electronics. Some of their first movies with this new sound include Moonlighting (1982), Success is the Best Revenge (1984), Insignificance (1985), and My Beautiful Launderette (1985). His first solo score was for the low budget feature "Terminal Exposure" for director Nico Mastorakis, where Zimmer also composed all songs. In 1986 and again in 2005, Hans Zimmer joined David Byrne, a Scottish-American musician and artist, and Ryuichi Sakamoto, a Japanese musician, composer, producer, and actor, on their Oscar-winning score for The Last Emperor (1988).

Soon after The Last Emperor, Hans Zimmer began working on his own solo projects. During his solo career years, Zimmer experimented and combined the use of old and new musical technologies. His first solo work for composing a score was for Chris Menges’s film A World Apart (1988). However, Zimmer’s turning point in his career came later in that year when he was asked to compose a score for Barry Levinson’s film Rain Man (1988). In the score, Zimmer uses synthesizers (mostly a Fairlight CMI) mixed with steel drums. In a reflection on his greatest scores, Zimmer said that Rain Man was a road movie, so the music is full of guitars strings. Zimmer did not want the music to be bigger than the characters, so he kept the music contained and not overbearing. Since the Raymond character saw the world as different from everyone else, Zimmer wanted to compose his own music for a world that does not exist, like in Raymond’s mind. Zimmer’s score was nominated for an Academy Award for Rain Man in 1989.

In 1994, Zimmer won his biggest commercial hit for Disney’s The Lion King (1994). Zimmer wanted to go to South Africa himself to record the soundtrack for The Lion King but could not because he had a police record in South Africa for doing 'subversive' movies. Zimmer used African choirs, which was inspired by his previous film score for The Power of One (1992), which he used African choirs and drums. The Lion King soundtrack won numerous awards, including an Oscar, a Golden Globe, and two Grammys. His soundtrack was then adapted for the Broadway Musical, which won the Tony for Best Musical in 1998.

film scores written by Hans Zimmer

-Crimson Tide (1995) Won a Germany Grammy Award
-The Thin Red Line (1998) Satellite Award
-The Prince of Egypt (1998)
-Gladiator (2000) Golden Globe Award
-Hannibal (2001)
-The Last Samurai (2003) Satellite Award
-King Arthur (2004)
-Batman Begins (2005)
-Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006)
-The Da Vinci Code (2006)
-The Dark Knight (2008) Grammy
-The Contender
-Blood+.(Anime series - 2005)
-Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron 2003(nominated for best song)

The Last Of The Mohicans

2009-05-12T11:13:00.000-07:00

Based upon the classic novel by James Fenimore Cooper, the story of The Last of the Mohicans is set against the backdrop of the French-Indian wars in the wilderness of the English colony of New York during 1757. England and France are at war for the possession of a country neither one was destined to retain. Native Americans fought on opposing sides, the Huron tribe fighting with the French, and the Mohicans with the English and American colonists.

The daughters of Colonel Munro, Cora and Alice, begin a journey through the wilderness to join their father at Fort William Henry, which is under his command. They are accompanied by a small contingent of militia and their guide for the trek, Magua, a Mohawk Indian. Along the way they rendezvous with Major Duncan Heyward, a childhood friend, who has been assigned to serve under Colonel Munro at the fort. Heyward is in love with Cora and wants to marry her. Although Cora's feelings for him don't go beyond friendship, he convinces her to consider his proposal. As they make their way through the forest, they are attacked by Huron Indians. It's an ambush that they were led into by Magua, who is not a Mohawk, but a Huron, and a spy. Most of the party are slaughtered, but the women and Heyward are rescued by Hawkeye, a frontiersman and two Mohicans. In order to hide their trail, Hawkeye releases their horses on their own and they continue to travel on foot to the fort. Hawkeye, the man who has become their guide and savior is Nathaniel Poe, adopted by Chingachgook, a Mohican and raised with his Mohican brother, Uncas. These three lead the women to their father, but when they arrive at the fort they find it under siege by the French. What follows are the intrigues of a frontier war and a clash of cultures as Cora and Hawkeye fall desperately in love with each other.

The film's opening scene is a deer hunt in which Hawkeye, Uncas and Chingachgook pursue an elk through the woods. The elk is seen running and at the moment of impact, when it is shot, it tumbles over a hill. The camera does not linger on the dead animal, but on Chingachgook, who chants in Mohican that they are sorry to have killed him and asks the animal's forgiveness because they honor his courage, speed and strength. This scene was filmed in cuts. The deer was filmed separately and the actor's aiming the rifle and shooting were filmed on a different day. The real elk was not pursued in any manner but merely filmed running from A to B within a fenced area. At the point where the elk is shot, a taxidermied elk mounted on a dolly on a track, was used. The taxidermied elk was pulled on the dolly in such a manner that when it reached the end of the track, it tumbled. The same taxidermied elk is used again in the scene where Hawkeye and the two Indians take their kill to the settler's cabin for dinner. The elk is slung over a horse. Dogs are also seen as atmosphere around the settler's cabin in this scene.

Because the film takes place in the 18th century, horses are seen throughout, either as carriage horses or pulling wagons, or with riders mounted on them. During the ambush scene a horse and rider are injured and the horse falls over sideways. This was accomplished with the help of a stunt person on a trained falling horse. The area where the horse fell was properly prepared to cushion the horse's fall and the rider merely signaled the horse with a pull on the rein as to where and when the horse should fall. The wound on the horse was painted on with non-toxic make-up. A trained rearing horse was also used in this scene. A stunt person doubled for the actress.

When they approach the besieged fort, oxen and horses can be seen walking and hauling various loads while gunfire and cannons explode in the background. The animals were not close to any of the explosions, most of which were lighting effects with much of the explosive and gunfire sounds added in post production. The oxen teams pulling carts and the horse teams pulling a carriage were all driven by trained handlers.

There is a second ambush scene when the Colonel is betrayed after agreeing to a truce and surrender. After the Colonel, his daughters, some settlers and militia have evacuated the fort, they are ambushed. Although there are two or three horses present, it is basically a hand to hand battle and does not involve the horses, except for Colonel Munro. He is on horseback when his horse falls, pinning him underneath. This scene was filmed in cuts. A trained horse was used for this scene. The horse was cued with a pull on his rein to rear and then fall on soft ground. A veterinarian then sedated the horse for the part of the scene where the Colonel is pinned under his dead horse. The horse was sedated for 25 minutes with a veterinarian and a representative of the Greenville Humane Society present throughout. The production company had attempted to film this scene without sedating the horse, using a fake horse. However, when the fake horse appeared to be too obviously phony they decided to film this scene with a sedated horse.

Dogs are present, primarily as atmosphere, in several scenes. As Cora embarks on her journey to join her father, she observes a cougar in the forest, watching them as they pass through. The cougar had no action, just a "sit" and "stay".

Crying freeman

2009-04-01T11:47:00.000-07:00

Yo is one of the world's greatest hitmen, and not only that, but he works for a mysterious Chinese mafia organization called Sons of the Dragons. He has been given the honor of being called Freeman, a title only given to a special type of assassin. Though Yo doesn't want the honor, there is little he can do. His obligation is more important than personal want.

After each killing, Yo must cry silently for the victims. One day he bumps into Emu O'Hara, a beautiful woman who witnesses Yo killing three Yakuza on a rugged stretch of California coastline. Though Yo's natural assassin instincts cannot let any witness alive, his heart helps him resist the urge and instead he falls in love with Emu. Hunted by his own people for not doing what he was ordered to along with the police, Yo and Emu try to get away and begin a new life.

F E W L I N E S F R O M T H E M O V I E

Today is my birthday, and for the first time in 20 years I'm alone. You see, I met someone. A man, a killer, and soon he will kill me....

It was supposed to be a holiday, a trip to San Francisco to paint, to rest. I had to return to Vancouver that very morning but I changed my mind. That simple decision has sealed my fate.

----Emu O'Hara saw Yo killing his victims in the mountain where she was painting---

My name is Yo, He said. I lowered my head and he vanished as I gazed upward.

20 years since my parents died, 20 years I've been alone. I supposed I paint when I'm afraid what to wish for. He's called the freeman, and now...He will free me.

I always thought that...Death will be cold, ....and awful. Not like him. I want him to
come back.

-------------------

Our enemies are many...if we destroy the trace of ourselves, even then, they will keep searching for us. The code of honor demands it. The fires will not burnt that away. But I've never been afraid of death and whether we live or die....WE will be free

Let me Love you

2009-03-27T23:50:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time, there was a guy who was very much in love with this girl. This romantic guy folded 1,000 pieces of papercranes as a gift to his girl. Although, at that time he was just a small executive in his company, his future doesn't seemed too bright, they were very happy together. Until one day, his girl told him she was going to Paris and will never come back. She also told him that she cannot visualise any future for the both of them, so let's go their own ways there and then... heartbroken, the guy agreed.

When he regained his confidence, he worked hard day and night, slogging his body and mind just to make something out of himself. Finally with all these hardwork and with the help of friends, this guy had set up his own company...
"You never fail until you stop trying." he always told himself. "I must make it in life!"

One rainy day, while this guy was driving, he saw an elderly couple sharing an umbrella in the rain walking to some destination. Even with the umbrella, they were still drenched. It didn't take him long to realise those were his ex-girlfriend's parents. With a heart in getting back at them, he drove slowly beside the couple, wanting them to spot him in his luxury sedan. He wanted them to know that he wasn't the same anymore, he had his own company, car, condo, etc. He had made it in life!

Before the guy can realise, the couple was walking towards a cemetary,and he got out of his car and followed them...and he saw his ex-girlfriend, a photograph of her smiling sweetly as ever at him from her tombstone... and he saw his precious papercranes in a bottle placed beside her tomb.

Her parents saw him. He walked over and asked them why this had happened. They explained, she did not leave for France at all. She was stricken ill with cancer. In her heart, she had believed that he will make it someday, but she did not want her illness to be his obstacle ... therefore she had chosen to leave him.

She had wanted her parents to put his papercranes beside her, because, if the day comes when fate brings him to her again he can take some of those back with him. The guy just wept ...

The worst way to miss someone is to be sitting right beside them but knowing you can't have them and will never see them again

THE WEDDING VOWS

2009-03-27T23:46:00.000-07:00

When I was six years old I met him in the playground and he came up to me with a daisy, just the one, and knelt on both knees and asked me to marry him. So I pushed him over then ran away. Two days later he came over and asked if he could play cops and robbers with me and from that day on we played everyday.

At 11 on my first day of Secondary school I was so nervous but at lunch time he came to find me, and we sat down and ate lunch together. We did this everyday for an entire year. You were the first person I told about everything, about my crushes, about my lessons and about all the people I hated, and when I was 13 and thought I was the only one who had never been kissed, you offered to show me how, and by the tree in your backgarden we shared our first kiss.

At 15 we went to our first proper house party, and I got drunk. Even though I made a fool of myself you were there to help me stand strong. You didnt judge and you didnt make fun.

Over the next year we began to seperate, made different friends. I got my first serious boyfriend and you went through quite a few girlfriends. And then it got to May and that meant the prom. Everything had been arranged, I'd been getting my outfit for months and then the day before I found out my boyfriend had cheated on me. The first person I turned to was you. You turned up at my door with a bouquet of roses and a vintage 1950's car.

I laughed that night. I cried that night.

We had three glorious yars together, when everyday I would smile. Even on the last when your mother stood up, in the church infornt of your coffin and began reading from your diary:

"I saw you when I was six stood by the bench in a blue checked dress and daisy shoes and I needed to give another daisy just because.... Because i loved you from that day on."

His wedding vows written the day after prom, that I will never get to hear.

Truth about Failure

2009-03-27T23:16:00.000-07:00

* Failure doesn't mean you are a failure...
--- it does mean you haven't succeeded yet.
* Failure doesn't mean you have accomplished nothing...
--- it does mean you have learned something.
* Failure doesn't mean you have been a fool...
--- it does mean you had a lot of faith.
* Failure doesn't mean you have been disgraced...
--- it does mean you were willing to try.
* Failure doesn't mean you don't have it...
--- it does mean you have to do something in a different way.
* Failure doesn't mean you are inferior...
--- it does mean you are not perfect.
* Failure doesn't mean you've wasted your life...
--- it does mean you've got a reason to start afresh.
* Failure doesn't mean you should give up...
--- it does mean you should try harder.
* Failure doesn't mean you'll never make it...
--- it does mean it will take a little longer.

The Perfect Heart

2009-03-27T23:03:00.000-07:00

One day a young man was standing in the middle of the town proclaiming that he had the most beautiful heart in the whole valley.

A large crowd gathered and they all admired his heart for it was perfect. There was not a mark or a flaw in it.

Yes, they all agreed it truly was the most beautiful heart they had ever seen. The young man was very proud and boasted more loudly about his beautiful heart. Suddenly, an old man appeared at the front of the crowd and said,

"Why your heart is not nearly as beautiful as mine." The crowd and the young man looked at the old man's heart. It was beating strongly, but full of scars, it had places where pieces had been removed and other pieces put in, but they didn't fit quite right and there were several jagged edges.

In fact, in some places there were deep gouges where whole pieces were missing.

The people stared -- how can he say his heart is more beautiful, they thought? The young man looked at the old man's heart and saw its state and laughed. "You must be joking," he said. "Compare your heart with mine, mine is perfect and yours is a mess of scars and tears."

"Yes," said the old man, "yours is perfect looking but I would never trade with you. You see, every scar represents a person to whom I have given my love - I tear out a piece of my heart and give it to them, and often they give me a piece of their heart which fits into the empty place in my heart, but because the pieces aren't exact, I have some rough edges, which I cherish, because they remind me of the love we shared. Sometimes I have given pieces of my heart away, and the other person hasn't returned a piece of his heart to me.

These are the empty gouges -- giving love is taking a chance. Although these gouges are painful, they stay open, reminding me of the love I have for these people too, and I hope someday they may return and fill the space I have waiting. So now do you see what true beauty is?"

The young man stood silently with tears running down his cheeks. He walked up to the old man, reached into his perfect young and beautiful heart, and ripped a piece out.

He offered it to the old man with trembling hands. The old man took his offering, placed it in his heart and then took a piece from his old scarred heart and placed it in the wound in the young man's heart. It fit,

But not perfectly, as there were some jagged edges. The young man looked at his heart, not perfect anymore but more beautiful than ever, since love from the old man's heart flowed into his. They embraced and walked away side by side.

The True meaning of PEACE!

2009-03-27T23:02:00.000-07:00

There once was a king who offered a prize to the artist who would paint the best picture of peace. Many artists tried. The king looked at all the pictures. But there were only two he really liked, and he had to choose between them.

One picture was of a calm lake. The lake was a perfect mirror for peaceful towering mountains all around it. Overhead was a blue sky with fluffy white clouds. All who saw this picture thought that it was a perfect picture of peace.

The other picture had mountains, too. But these were rugged and bare. Above was an angry sky, from which rain fell and in which lightning played. Down the side of the mountain tumbled a foaming waterfall. This did not look peaceful at all.

But when the king looked closely, he saw behind the waterfall a tiny bush growing in a crack in the rock. In the bush a mother bird had built her nest. There, in the midst of the rush of angry water, sat the mother bird on her nest - in perfect peace.
Which picture do you think won the prize? The king chose the second picture. Do you know why?

"Because," explained the king, "peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. Peace means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your heart. That is the real meaning of peace."

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

2009-02-12T12:45:00.000-08:00

Tough, you think you’ve got the stuff
You’re telling me and anyone
You’re hard enough
You don’t have to put up a fight
You don’t have to always be right
Let me take some of the punches
For you tonight

Listen to me now
I need to let you know
You don’t have to go it alone

And it’s you when I look in the mirror
And it’s you when I don’t pick up the phone
Sometimes you can’t make it on your own

We fight all the time
You and I, that’s alright
We’re the same soul
I don’t need, I don’t need to hear you say
That if we weren’t so alike
You’d like me a whole lot more

Listen to me now
I need to let you know
You don’t have to go it alone

And it’s you when I look in the mirror
And it’s you when I don’t pick up the phone
Sometimes you can’t make it on your own

I know that we don’t talk
I'm sick of it all
Can you hear me when I sing
You’re the reason I sing
You’re the reason why the opera is in me
Well, hey now
Still got to let you know
A house doesn’t make a home
Don’t leave me here alone

And it’s you when I look in the mirror
And it’s you that makes it hard to let go
Sometimes you can’t make it on your own
Sometimes you can’t make it
Best you can do is to fake it
Sometimes you can’t make it on your own

This song was sung by U2, written by Bono as dedication for his father which he himself never get along with nicely. This was first played by the band during the funeral of Bono's father. Originally 'Steinhegvanhuysenolegbangbangbang,' it evolved to 'Bonavox of O'Connell Street' after a hearing aid store in the centre of Dublin, before eventually being shortened to 'Bonavox,' 'Bono Vox' – cockeyed Latin for 'good voice' – and finally 'Bono.' Credit for this goes to his mate Guggi (real name Derek Rowan), a childhood friend.

Bono says: "My father worked in the post office by day and sang opera by night. We lived on the north side of Dublin in a place called Cedarwood Road. He had a lot of attitude. He gave some to me - and a voice. I wish I'd known him better."

THE GREATEST IRONY OF LOVE

2009-02-11T22:29:00.000-08:00

THE GREATEST IRONY OF LOVE - Loving the right person at the wrong time Having the wrong person when the time is right and Finding out you love someone right after that person walks out of your life Most relationships tend to fail, but not because of the absence of love. Love is always present. It’s just that one was being loved too much, and the other was being loved too little Most often we fall in love with the person we think we love, but to only discover that for them, we are just for past times while the one who truly loves us, remains either a friend or a stranger. So here’s a piece of advice: Let go when you’re hurting too much Give up when love just isn’t enough and Move on when things are not like before