Rule of three

Three things you need to know about Life

Life is best for those who want to live it
Life is difficult for those who want to analyze it.
Life is worst for those who want to criticize it.

Three ideas on how you can enjoy your Life

Laugh so hard the even sorrow smiles at you.
Live life so well that even death loves to see you alive
Fight so hart that even fate accepts its defeat.

Three essential stages of Life

The Teen Stage; You have all the time and energy but no money.
The Working Stage: You may have the money and energy but no time.
The Oldies Stage: You have all the time and money but not enough energy.

Three things in life that never come back when gone

TIME
WORDS
OPPORTUNITY

Three things in life that should never be lost

PEACE
HOPE
HONESTY

Three things in life that are most valuable

LOVE
FAITH
PRAYER

Three things that make a person

HARD WORK
SINCERITY
COMMITMENT

Three things that can destroy a person

LUST
PRIDE
ANGER

Three things in life that is constant

CHANGE
DEATH
GOD

Books for Pre Adolescents to Early Teens

Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan
The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks
The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
The Giver by Lois Lowry</b>
James and the Giant Peach: A Children's Story by Roald Dahl
Matilda by Roald Dahl
Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer
Tales of Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume
The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White
The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery
Harrit the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
Stuart Little by E. B. White

Recommended Reading for Toddlers to Early Grades

Books by Shel Silverstein
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do You See? by Bill Martin Jr.
Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney
The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
Love You Forever by Robert N. Munsch
The Velveteen Rabbit by Margaret Williams
The Complete Tales of Winnie the Pooh by A. A. Milne
The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper
Curious George by Hans Augusto Rey
Arthur series by Marc Tolon Brown
Clifford, the Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell
Books by Dr. Seuss

Five famous Accomplishments made in Life

You are never too old to make your mark or it's never too late to accomplished what you want to do in life. Like these famous people who has accomplished something late in life.
Grandma Moses picks up a paintbrush
A self taught artist started painting at the age of 76 despite being crippled by arthritis. She painted everyday, turning out more that 1000 works in the 25 years until her death at 101. She became a celebrity with exhibitions in the US and abroad.


Ray Kroc franchises fast food
Ray Kroc spent 17 years of hist adult life as a paper-cup salesman, then another 17 peddling the Multimixer a machine that could make five milkshakes at once. At 52 Kroc started building the McDonald's brand, later becoming the owner of a franchise that would sell more than a billion hamburgers by 1963.

Granny D walks for a cause
At the age of 89, Doris "Granny D" Haddock began a 14-month walk across the US to raise awareness for political campaign finance reform. She walked 16 kilometers a day, relying on strangers for housing and meals. In 2004, at age 94, she ran unsuccessfully for the US Senate.

Peter Mark compiles thesaurus
At age 61 Roget retired from medicine and began a scientific ordering of language. Following the publication of Roget's Thesaurus at age of 73, he oversaw every update until his death at 90.

Julia Child learns to cook
It was not until her mid 30s that Julia moved to France and decided to master the art of French cuisine. Despite a decade of rejection, she published her first cookbook then appeared in her own TV series at 51.

kampo2: Numbers That Can Help Save the Environment

kampo2: Numbers That Can Help Save the Environment

Kobe Bryant's traits and the Stock Market

Focus. Study and analyse the figures in investing. Study how the trend goes. Keep yourself updated by reading business books, news, etc. and about the economy. Religiously follow the stock market. Eat, breathe and sleep the stock market you will definitely improve your success in investing.
Practice hard work and diligence. Practice hard and continue to study in order to be successful. Warren Buffett spends 75 to 80% of his time reading while the rest is spent talking on the phone, playing bridge and a little bit of time buying or selling investments.

Passion. Loving what you are doing. Try to emulate Buffett's passion by reading as much as you can on the companies or stocks that you like; keeping abreast with the latest developments; spending time to look at charts, earnings, corporate and macroeconomic statistics and anything to do with stocks and markets.

Perserverance and determination. In the stock market there will be always failures and mistakes. You must have a fortitude and resolve to stay in the game. Success is more meaningful after overcoming failure. With blood, sweat and tears, victory is sweeter.

Learning from mentors. Virtually anyone can benefit from a mentor.

Learning from the greats. You can learn from the greats like Warren Buffett, Benjamin Graham, Philip Fishers, Peter Lynch, and George Soros.

Having competent team. In investing you the need the advice from other people who are knowledgeable.Get a competent stockbroker who gives good advice. Invest with an experienced fund manager who will grow your portfolio.

Leadership Lessons

Basic Ingredients of Leadership according to Warren Bennis
Guiding Vision: You have a clear idea of what you want to do—professionally and personally—and the strength to persist in the face of setbacks, even failures.
Passion: You have an underlying passion for the promises of life, combined with a very particular passion for a vocation, a profession , a course of action.
Integrity. Your integrity is derived from self-knowledge, candor, and maturity. You know your principles, and have learned from experience how to learn from and work with others.
Trust. You have earned people’s trust.
Curiousity. You wonder about everything and want to lear as much as you can.
Daring. You are willing to take risks, experiments and try new things.
Farsightedness. You keep your eyes firmly fixed on the far horizons, even as you take steps toward it.
Mastery of change. You regulate speed, direction and rhythm of change in the organization so that its growth and evolution match the external pace of events.
Organizational design. You are an institution builder whose legacy is an organization capable of success in realizing the desired vision.
Anticipatory learning. Lifelong learner.
Initiative. Ability to make things happen.
Mastery of interdependence. You inspire others to share ideas and trust each other to communicate well and frequently to seek collaborative solutions to problems.
High standards of integrity. You are fair, honest, tolerant, dependable, caring, open, loyal and committed to the best traditions of the past.

What's Eating Earth? Ways to Help

How true is it that our dietary choices can affect our planet's health?
It's clear that our dietary choices particularly the ones that tend to have meat in them, do contribute significantly to climate change. If we choose to act on this, how do we go about it. Here are some doable acts or tips

1. Meat free Monday. Green entrepreneur Craig Sams said: If everyone stopped eating meat every Monday it could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of 200 million tons of carbon dioxide a year and save tens of millions of hectares of rainforest from being destroyed to grow animal feed. The health benefits are a nice bonus, too."

2. Considering going vegetarian or vegan. The well being of the environment has become another reason to embrace vegetarianism.

3. Support organic stores and shops. Organic refers to the growing, raising or processing of food without drugs, synthetic chemicals or hormones using methods that conserve natural resources and limit the effects on the environment.

4. Avoid genetically modified foods.

5. Know what's in your plate. Read food labels, particularly those of processed food, which most likely contain additives.

What's Your Carbon Footprint?

(Cut out this checklist and see if you are doing your part to save Mother Earth.

I do not throw waste into bodies of water like rivers and lakes.
I plant indigenous plants such as narra, antipolo, etc.
My baby (if I had one) uses cloth diapers, instead of disposable diapers.
I recycle and reuse non biodegradable wastes.
I join Earth Hour. I switch off my lights.
I switched from incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs).
I do not litter.
I use reusable grocery and shopping bags.
I go up or down one floor using the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator.
I ride mass transit systems like the MRT, LRT, buses and jeepneys.
I buy organic products like organic food, soap and detergents.
I turn off the air conditioner one hour before the end of office hours.
I use a glass while brushing. I don’t let the water run when brushing my teeth.
I compost my biodegradable wastes.
I turn off my lights and unplug my appliances when not in use.
I turn my car engine off instead of idling.
I do not burn my wastes.
I take my used car batteries and empty ink cartridges to accredited recyclers.
I do not buy dynamited fish and endangered animals like turtles, manta rays, wild birds, etc.
I conserve water by using pail and dipper when bathing.
I don’t overcharge my cellphones.
I fix leaky faucets and check them regularly.
I minimize the use of disposable cutleries and plates during parties.
I recycle used water from washing clothes. I use this to flush the toilet and to clean the floors.
I do not ride smoke belching vehicles and report them to LTO at tel no. 09217411111.
I make rags out of old towels and t-shirts.
I collect rainwater and use it to wash clothes, flush the toilets and water houseplants and the garden.
I drive carefully. I avoid rapid acceleration since this can burn as much as 50% more fuel.
I reuse scrap papers. I use clean paper for external communications only.
I ride a bike or walk when going short distances.

If your scored
0-10 Needs for effort, but the skies are clear on the horizon.
11-20 Almost there, just needs a few more daily Green habits.
21-30 Congratulations. You have done your part to help save Mother Earth.

Things To Do to Help Save Mother Earth

Conserve electricity. Unplug all electrical appliances from outlets after use.
Use compact fluorescent bulbs for they have longer life and consume less
electricity.

Observe proper trash disposal.

Walk or ride a bicycle. Bike will lessen he air pollution.

Patronize mass transport vehicles. If you have a car share a ride to others.

Follow the 3Rs Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Buy items that are made of reused or recycled materials which in turn, will allow us to have less garbage to dispose.

Practice garbage segregation. Sort your trash into biodegradable and non biodegradable.

Save water. When taking a bath use a dipper instead of using a shower to save water.

Substitute plastic bags with cloth bags.

Support organic farming. Organic farming limits the use of pesticides and other harmful materials in plant produce.

Improve the green thumb. Try planting small plants and flowers for your garden. All plants contribute to the cleaning of the air from toxins.

A Father's Son is not His Father

My best friend is an avid Noynoy-Mar shipper. She wears the baller, has the sticker ontherear-endof her car, and wears yellow on Fridays. When I asked her why she supportsthe tandem, she said it was because they represented hope for the Philippines. She goes on to say that the Philippines has been wracked by corruption for so long that political integrity must be an essential trait of the country’s next set ofleaders. This was the only way change could finally make its way to the Philippines, she adds.
>
>And while this well-worded reasoning has worked for millions, I’ve been fortunately taught to question everything I’m told.That said, I am writing this not because I mean to slander Noynoy and Mar but because I feel as if their tandem seems too fantastic. Their campaign reminds me of magic: amazing but nonetheless fake.
>
>
>Maka-Diyos at pro-poor, these two have been marketed as defining qualities of Noynoy while Mar has taken it upon himself to rechristen himself as Mr. Palengke. What I find odd in all these (aside from the glaring tastelessness of Mar’s nickname!), is how nobody ever bothered questioning the authenticity of these claims for the two are practically scions of elitist society! Just the other day, I was thinking how clever the pairing was. It was as good as a marriage between the Cojuangcos and the Aranetas, those influence-peddling clans who’ve managed to hold ownershipof their lands despite the fact that CARP was passed into law decades ago. And to think these are the same people who consistently hurl accusations toward Villar saying he isn’t tunaynamahirap!
>
>Let’s also not forget the E-VAT Law, authored by Senator Mar Roxas in 2003, which put an extra 12% on the cost of all our expenditures, including our most basic necessities. Notwithstanding, the idea behind the E-VAT had been a noble one (i.e., raising government revenue so as increase funding for healthcare, public infrastructures, etc.). However, a quick look at status quo would clearly show that things have not turned out the way Mar intended them to be.Perhaps we now know where PGMA got the money for her fancy steak dinner party?
>
>Have we been given a glimpse of the obliviousness and selfishness of the arrogant elitist class or must we wait for Kris Aquino to utter, “Let them eat cake” before we realize the pitfall we have dug ourselves?
>
>With an administration such as ours, politics is too easy. A candidate must only declare himself as opposition and he instantly has the entire populace at his side.Marcos was corrupt, so Aquino was the solution. Estrada was corrupt, so Arroyo was the solution. And now that we hate Arroyo’s guts, here comes Noynoy and Mar, claiming to be “opposition” and we have hoards of people willing to eat up everything they say.Never mind that Noynoy has practically done nothing in his 12 years in Congress and the Senate. Never mind thatNoynoy and Mar are practically the face of elite society. What’s important is they’ll be sending GMA to jail, right?
>
>And while I have nothing against retribution for soon-to-be-ex- president GMA, I just have to ask: what happens afterwards? If Noynoy’s track record is any indication of what to expect from his presidency, then Philippines, start familiarizing yourselves with the word “stagnate”.
>
>They say Noynoy would not dare tarnish the reputation of the Aquinos. Ironically, the same people said the exact same thing about Gloria, daughter of the late President DiosdadoMacapagal, otherwise known as the Incorruptible. The lesson here?First, not all desirable traits can be passed down the gene pool. Second and more importantly, a father’s son is not his father.
>
>When I was a freshman at UP Diliman, I interviewed Professor Edmund Tayao, a renowned political analyst, for a history project and asked him if he believed there was still “hope” for the Philippines. His answer slightly embarrassedme as he laughed and said, “Hope is the only cheap and accessible thing we can have as a people, but to tell you frankly, it’s not too far in the future that a good number of us would also lose it!”
>
>I don’t mean to diminish the hope inside you. What I do hope to achieve by all this however, is to raise a simple question: are Noynoy and Mar really worth elevating to the pedestal?
>Don’t vote for someone because of what they haven’t done. Vote for leaders who’ve actually earned it. Examine the choices and pick a set of leaders who would not just give hope, but would actually deliver.

fr. debbie cruz

The Confucius Way

The natures of men are alike it is their habits which make them difference.

Be cautious in speaking then mistakes shall be less .

Learn from the strong points of others and learn from the mistakes of others to improve ourselves.

One who corrects others must be able to correct one’s self first.

The superior man is modest in his speech but exceeds in his actions.

If a person has no foresight he shall suffer sad difficulties.

Whenever there are three people together for sure I shall learn something new.

Honesty and integrity are the fundamental foundations of one’s character.

To know your faults and be able to change is the greatest virtue.

Confucius discouraged four things:
Speculation
Baseless opinion
Inflexibility
Selfishness

It is not possible for one to help others if he cannot help himself.

Things that Changed our Lives this Decade

AIRPORTS
Remember when you did not have to take off your shoes before getting on a plane? Remember when you can bring bottled drink on board. Political terror has changed all that

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
From acupuncture to herbal supplements to alternative ways of treating cancer, alternative medicine became more mainstream than ever.

BLOG
A way of expressing oneself. There are more than a million of these Web logs out there.

BLACKBERRIES
Considered essential by corporate chief executives and moms planning playdates.

CABLE
Remember the time when you have to use outdoor antenna to get into the channels. Cable 24 hour news made the evening network news seem quaint.

CAMERAS
Remember those trips to get film developed? Even your grandmother has a digital camera and she is probably emailing you photos and uploading it to photosharing sites.

CELLPHONES
Remember the pagers before and now the mobile phones which you can easily communicate with the person you want to get in touch with

CHEFS
Chefs are hot. The Food Network whose viewership tripled this decade.

DATING
Dating was transformed like everything else by Internet sites, rendering other ways of meeting people obsolete. Seniors found love online too.

FACEBOOK
Can you believe that this social networking site was once limited only to Harvard students? Now it is time sucking obsession for more than 300 million users globally and a whole new form of social etiquette.

FAT
This was the decade that fat became the enemy of the state. Transfats are banned.


FOODIE
This was the decade of the foodie, when we all developed gourmet palates. Even a burger became a gourmet item as in a Daniel Boulud's truffle burger, stuffed with foie gras and short ribs.

GOING GREEN
From the kinds of light bulbs we the kind of shopping bags we carry to the cars we drive, to the products that we use.

GOOGLE
This is the decace that Google became a part of our brain function. Remember the guy who was in the movie when was it? Just Google it.

GPS
We cannot get lost anymore or at least it is pretty difficult, with the GPS systems. But you have to better type in your location carefully.


HELICOPTER PARENTING
Translation helicopters hover and so do many parents. After years of obssessive attention to safety and achievement of the youngest children some said a backlash was under way.

INSTANT GRATIFICATION
Otherwise known as being able to get anything you want within an instant. From instant noodles, instant coffee, instant oats, etc. The theme of the decade.


IPODS
An icon of the digital age, it is hard to believe this portalbe media player was launched in 2001. Six years later the 100 millionth IPOD was sold.

LIFE COACHES
Before the word coach is used in sports while now coach is used in everything so why not life itself? Some say that life coaches are merely therapists without the license or regulations.

REALITY TV
As a nation we become addicted to reality TV like the Pinoy Big Brother or Pinoy Dream Academy.

RECESSION CHIC
Fashion skewed to more severe styles, and much black, and so called "recession chic" took hold in the latter part of the decade.


STARBUCKS
It is a cliche that there is one on every block, but sometimes it seemed liked it, and millions now consider it normal to spend $4 or so on a coffee every morning.

TV SCREENS
Television screens became bigger and slimmer, making some ordinary living rooms and dens the equivalent of big studio screening rooms.

TWEEN CULTURE
Tweens, especially girls, became an economic force to be reckoned with, buying everything from clothes to electronic devices or gadgets to music concert tickets.

TWITTER
The social network introduced tweets, retweets, follows, trending topics, as long as the message fit into 140 characters.


WII
In a sea of ever more sophisticated video games, this simple console became the decade's breakout hit by appealing to the nongaming masses. It became the center of family gaming, home fitness and even senior socializing.

WIKIPEDIA
An open source encyclopedia used by lazy students, used the masses to police its entries and keep them accurate.

YOUTUBE
The video sharing site was born in 2005. You can share and view anything.

Almond Best Fruit

Almond is not the cheapest nuts to munch , their price is justified by its health benefits. Even the Bible has said that its "among the best of fruits".

The health benefits of almond

a healthier heart it is a fantanstic source of vitamin E that can reduce the risk of heart attack by up to 50%. it has also antioxidants that lessens a person's heart disease tendencies and lowers the amount of C reactive protein which causes the damage to the arteries.

it will help to regulate cholesterol levels. rich in monosaturated fats a good HDL cholesterol that lower the bad LDL cholesterol. a handful of almonds a day can reduce bad cholesterol levels by up to 12%.

it will help better blood circulation with its high level of potassium and low levels of sodium found in almonds work hand in hand to improve blood circulation and regulate the blood pressure. Their magnesium content acts as a declogger and helps improve the flow of nutrients in the bloodstream. this is supported by the generous dose of iron that transports oxygen in the cellular level.

it will help reduce the risk of cancer. The vitamin E, phytochemicals and flavonoids in almonds help supress the growth of breast cancer cells. It also helps prevent colon cancer because of its high fiber content. It also contains boron, which help in preventing prostate cancer.

a good substitute for carbohydrates. the almond flour is use as a wheat flour substitute, for people who have gluten sensitivity, coelian disease and wheat allergies. You can also use almond flour if you want to restrict your carbohydrate intake because a cup of which only has a net carb content of 10 grams.

it will give more energy. Almonds are well known energy booster, being a key ingredient in many energy bars. They ar erich in protein, manganese, copper and riboflavin all sources of energy.

it will help lose weight. Almonds are also dense in nutrients that consuming them makes one feel full, that will prevent from overeating and would eventually translate into weight loss.

it will help prevent birth defects. Folic acide is one of the best defenses against birth defects, being a promoter of healthier cell growth and tissue formation. Pregnant women who eat almonds regularly can significantly reduce their offspring's risk of birth defects because of the folic content of the nut.

it will help to maintain sugar levels. Almonds are good for diabetics because they're a low glycemic food. They have a stabilizing effect on sugar and insulin levels when consumed after meals. This prevention in spikes would also be helpful to people who are at risk to have the condition.

Numbers That Can Help Save the Environment

18% of all greenhouse gases come from livestock. Producing and consuming meat takes 16 times more energy and resources than its vegetable equivalent. For every .45kg of beef we do not eat, we save 11,000-19,000 liters of water we avoid polluting our streams and rivers better that any other single recycling effort, we avoid the destruction of topsoil and tropical forest if the average car produces 3kg/day of CO2 to clear rainforest to produce beef for one hamburger produces 75kg of CO2 the same damage as driving your car for more than three weeks. 37,000 cows consume 25 tons of corn every hour. 4.5 liters of oil are used to make the fertilizer for each bushel of corn. The cow will have consumed 1,000 liters of oil. Livestock now produces 130 times the amount of waste that people do--bubbling with chemicals and disease-bearing organism that are poisoning rivers, killing fish and getting into human drinking water.

Save Water Tips

Get hold of a wrench and fix all dripping faucets, pipes, water containers and toilet tanks.

Use a glass of water when brushing your teeth. Don't let the water run while you're brushing your teeth, shaving or washing your face and hands.

Use a pail and dip (tabo) when taking a bath, keep your bath short, and use just enough water.

Fill up a half gallon container, seal and put inside the toilet tank to cut on water use in every flush.

Collect water dripping from air conditioners, use it to wash your mop or water the plants.

Organize your laundry schedule and wait until you have a full load before you use the washing machine.

Use laundry water for cleaning used bottled, cans and other recyclables, blinds, rugs, doormats and car wheels.

Keep a bucket in the bathroom and laundtry area for the grey water. Use this water to flush your toiler, clean the laundry area and car port or to dampen dustry roads.

Do not hose down your driveway or footpath. Use the broomstick to sweep the place clean.

Wash fruits and vegetables in a basin instead of running water from the tap, reuse the water for watering the plants.

Do not throw rice wash down the drain; use it for washing dishes or watering plants.

Thaw frozen meat in the refrigerator overnigh, not on running water.

Use fewer cooking and dining utensils and dishes to cut down on the water needed for dishwashing.

Never waster water served during meals; drink it up.

Harvest rainwater through the gutter and use the water collected for your essential needs.

How to Get Things Done

Capture and document the things that you are strugglng with.
This might be a project which maybe little or big, easy or difficult that you need to deal with all the time. Jot down information you want to remember, your dreams, the things you want to do and your future plans. This will clear the brain from the need to store and recall all the things, people, events, cues and details you need to recall. Keeping a journal will be helpful in storing all these as they may come in handy later on.

Clarify and clean your list.
After capturing process, go through each item and determine which entries requires immediate action or attention of which one can be phase in or put off. Continue to write new ideas that come your way.

Organize to have control
It simply means making sure you can find what you need when you need it. Knowing where to find your stuff.

Reflect of deflect failure. Reflecting is spending ample time to make sure things haven't fallen by the wayside or through the cracks. It is ensuring that you are on the right track with your project and that your data storage and management hasn't fallen apart. You have to review, review and review every step of the way.

Engage both heart and mind. In doing your project , it is clear that you are not doing this in a vacuum. You engage and affect other poeple as you perform all that, and as the series of action moves, you should consider the impact you create when you reflect on the choices you're making. A key part of the engagement process is putting to heart the true core values of your life. Distinguish the essential from non essential. It makes you manage the elements of control you have over your time with more effectiveness and efficiency.

Questions that will Guide you
What is your next step?
Whatever fire needs to be put out at the moment but at other times, the choice is profound.

What projects should give you immediate action?
It depends on the relative importance of the project. How you define the relative importance of the actions you have to take relies on your own "of the moment" perspective.

What facets of your life need to be protected?
Two things come into play here focus and responsibility. What are your areas of focus? What is you priority?


What do you want to achieve with your life? Assess what you have accomplished in the last 10 or 20 years of your life. Was it too much or too little? Was it extraordinary or commonplace? What mark are you going to leave in the world.

What and how much else can you achieve? What do you want to be written on your epitaph. Beyond your life goals, purpose and principles that will put you in the place where you actually want to be.

From the Book Making It All Work by David Allen

The Only Hope for the Philippines by James B. Reuter, S.J.

Our republic has become one of the weakest nations, steadily left behind by its more progressive neighbors. Forty years ago, we were only second to Japan in economic stature, and way ahead of Singapore , Hong Kong , Malaysia , and Thailand . Today, at our present growth rate, it will take us 30 years to get to where Thailand is.
Our national debt is estimated to be at US$200B (compared to US$28B when Marcos fled). We will be competing, not against Thailand or even Vietnam , but against Bangladesh. We will be the most corrupt nation in Asia , if not in the world (we're already ranked 11th most corrupt nation by Transparency International) ...

The signs are clear. Our nation is headed towards an irreversible path of economic decline and moral decadence. It is not for lack of effort. We've seen many men and women of integrity in and out of government, NGOs, church groups & people's organization devote themselves to the task of nation-building, often times against insurmountable odds. Not even people's revolutions, bloodless as they may be, have made a dent in reversing this trend. At best, we have moved one step forward, but three steps backward.

We need a force far greater than our collective efforts, as a people, can ever hope to muster. It is time to move the battle to the spiritual realm... It's time to gather GOD's people to pray for the economic recovery and moral reformation of our nation.

Is prayer really the answer?
Before you dismiss this as just another rambling, I'd like you to consider some lessons we can glean from history. England 's ascendancy to world power was preceded by the Reformation, a spiritual revival fueled by intense prayers.

The early American settlers built the foundation that would make it the most powerful nation today --- a strong faith in GOD and a disciplined prayer life. Throughout its history, and especially at its major turning points, waves of revival and prayer movement swept across the land.

In recent times, we see Korea as a nation experiencing revival and in the process producing the largest Christian church in the world today, led by Rev. Paul Yongi Cho. No wonder it has emerged as a strong nation when other economies around it are faltering.

Even from a purely secular viewpoint, it makes a lot of sense. For here, there is genuine humbling & seeking of GOD through prayer, moral reformation necessarily follows. And this, in turn, will lead to general prosperity. YES, we believe prayer can make a difference. It's our only hope.

Today, we launch this email brigade, to inform Filipinos from all over the world to pray, as a people, for the economic recovery and moral reformation of our nation. We do not ask for much.

This is the kind of resolve and unity which can make a big difference. Of course, if you feel strongly, as I do, about the power of prayer, you can be more involved by starting a prayer group or prayer center.

We have tried people power twice before; in both cases, it fell short. Maybe it's time to try prayer power. GOD never fails. Is there hope? YES! We can rely on God's promise, but we have to do our part. If we humble ourselves and pray as a people, GOD will hear and heal our land. By GOD's grace, we may still see a chance of a better future for our country.

'If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sins, and will heal their land...
(2 Chronicles 7:14).

If you care for your children and grandchildren, let's not abandon the Philippines.

7 Secrets of the Rich

The following are list of things that were probably not taught to many of us in our younger years. Things that maybe we regret not knowing from the start, yet we will appreciate once we start practicing them now. This listing is based on the experiences of successful businessmen & experienced financial coaches themselves.

1) Rich people believe failures are essential part of growth and success. It is not a few times when we have been conditioned not to make mistakes -- whether at home, school or work. Most of us grew up "afraid to fail" because we're used to have it accompanied by a punishment. The worst is people in our past used these failures and mistakes against us, that made us go for the safer sail. Notice therefore that 90% of Filipinos would go for job security (afraid to take risks) rather than aim for perfection in business . Because we're afraid of the unknown and the unfamiliar, we'd rather not talk about money and instead go on with our mediocre life expecting everyday to be the same at the office. Yet, when you think of the most successful and the wealthiest people on earth, none of them talked about a perfect journey while in the process of getting rich. The successful people have also their share of downfalls & failures before and yet they made it to the top. The secret therefore is to strengthen your tolerance to failure, and to get yourself educated to lower the risk especially in doing business and investing.

2) Rich people are not the smartest, they just have better money management habits. The wealthiest of men practice proper handling of finances and allocating their income into different purposes (e.g. 50% of income goes to Necessities, 10% goes to Charity or Give Account). The discipline to stick to the habit is already within their being since they have been practising it for years. They are also skilled in differentiating Assets from Liabilities, and in handling their Financial Statements. They know for instance that Assets are properties that put money INTO their pockets while Liabilities are things that take money OUT of their pockets. The wealthy are skilled in updating their financial statements, means they're taking account of every peso & every centavo. For ordinary Filipinos to have access on how to start writing a financial statement, the rich recommend getting a mentor who can teach you the basics of personal & business finance. You'll discover that it really is just simple math, you don't need to be a wizard in order to become financially successful.

3) Rich people value the spirit & culture of sharing. In a world where most people think scarcity, the rich believe that resources are abundant and that the world is overflowing with opportunities. While the poor practice the infamous "crab mentality" habit (pulling down whoever's on top), the rich like the idea of seeing everyone succeed in business & life. You may have witnessed this among the circles of Chinese businessmen where they push each other to become richer because by then, their own businesses improve as well (i.e. they get more potential investors, people have more purchasing power, the economy gets stronger). The wealthy recommend an average person to practice sharing everyday -- share information, ideas, opportunities and resources to others so that once wealth is in his hands, he is ready to grow it. If one wants to be successful and truly wealthy, it is crucial that he gives up attachment to money and material wealth. The most valuable factor in your journey to becoming financially free is the mindset. It's not about how much you have now, but how ready you are for future wealth. Share what you have -- be a generous giver and an excellent receiver as well. Feel like you are already wealthy by having the "abundance mentality". The world is full of blessings & opportunities if you just look around & seek for them.

4) Rich people use the art and science of leverage in business. Leverage means using OPR or "Other People's Resouces" (i.e. time, money, talent, skills) to speed up one's growth in business and in life. It is indeed never new to the wealthy to define an authentic business as that with atleast 500 people working for the owner or with the owner as partners. It's just natural (a universal rule), nobody gets successful in life by doing it alone. That's why 90% of small business owners fail in the first 5 years due to mismanagement as backed up by DTI. Small businesses,specifically traditional ones, find it hard to expand with just a few workers because their income reaches a certain limit. The owner of a small business usually runs out of money or energy after a few years of operation. It lacks a system, and the power of leverage. Yet, take a look at what Mark Zuckerberg did with Facebook. As the youngest billionaire quoted by Forbes magazine, he reaches out to billions of Facebook users worldwide and leverage on them & and his system to earn $150 million annually from his advertisers. It means he can leave the business operation to his workers & the system while earning (a great example of "people & system working for him, and NOT him working for the business"). There are thousands and thousands of business ideas being created every hour at different places in the world. Yet, they are not being executed because of lack of knowledge on systems and the use of leverage.

5) Rich people think long-term. While the poor spend for their present lifestyle, the rich think long-term by buying Assets (e.g. real estate properties, businesses) that could generate passive income (income without work) and eventually give them time to enjoy their wealth. The reason most employees remain broke is that they buy liabilities (e.g. a car, a house under years of mortgage) that take money out of their pocket. While the poor and middle class spend for now, the richest of people believe that the secret to long-term wealth is to "delay gratification" . Thus, they add more to their passive income generators (e.g. buy more properties, invest more on paper assets & businesses) so that in the future they could enjoy their wealth. They know for a fact that Financial Freedom means having not only the money but BOTH the money & the time. Lots of people nowadays may find excessive cash is not really that hard to earn, but how many of us can really enjoy these cash? How many can take vacations for the whole year & come back to find their income still flowing or even getting stronger? Not a lot I could guess. Like what my mentors would always say "better work your ass off for the first 5 years & enjoy wealth for the rest of your life THAN work easy all your life without ever having a chance to enjoy what you've worked for." Yet as crazy as it may sound, statistics show that most Filipinos would rather stick to job security than start a business full time. There must be something wrong somewhere with the way we were raised and the values that were instilled in most of us.

6) Rich people prioritize financial education. One of the biggest myths in business believed by many is that a huge capital (let's say, 20 million pesos) should be available before you can do business to enjoy the success of business tycoons like Mr. Henry Sy. Of course capital plays a role in business, but it shouldn't be the first priority. If you talk to any of the wealthy people living today, they will tell you the same thing -- focus on your financial education first. Get yourself educated in matters of business. There are thousands of books written about leadership, success and getting rich (e.g. "Secrets of the Millionaire Mind" by T. Harv Eker & "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" by Robert Kiyosaki are highly recommended) . These authors gave us a chance to access the minds of the wealthy & what made them successful. There are also seminars & workshops being held by financial gurus & financial education advocates. Their aim is to make it available for ordinary people the secrets & the values practised by the wealthy. Take advantage of these opportunities. David Bach, an American author once said "financial education needs to become a part of our national curriculum and scoring systems so that it's not just the rich kids that learn about money... it's all of us."

7) Rich people find mentors that they could model and learn from. This is perhaps the most important of all the 7 secrets mentioned above. Because without a mentor, somebody won't know where & how to start. If you do not have a "rich dad" to model, the rich recommend that you search for virtual mentors (i.e famous authors & inspirational speakers)or find a group from which you could learn BOTH the mindset and the skill set to be able to make it successful in business. Remember to look for mentors who have the experience and a good track record that prove their success. One of the great things about having mentors & coaches is that you can leverage on their past failures & experiences. Means, you do not have to undergo the same trials & downfalls because what your mentors present to you is already the proven road. Friends, family members & colleagues who aren't experienced in business don't count. Why listen to these people while deciding for something when they haven't even proven to be financially free themselves? This is insane, yet most Filipinos are guilty of this. Environment, no doubt, plays the most influence in a person's decision. If you want to get ahead of the business game & in life, surround yourself with people who can build you up & people you can model. True enough, if you want to learn yoga, you find a yoga coach. And if you want to learn business, you find a business coach. It's pure simple logic. To learn more about financial education,and to meet other Filipinos of the same wealthy-mindset. ..

Protect Your Heart at Every Age

By Woman's Day Staff

Follow these easy health tips specific to every stage of aging
You're never too young—or too old—to start lowering yourheart disease risk. Of course, exercising, eating healthyand reducing stress are key throughout life, but due to physiological changes that happen as we age, certain risk factors do become more of a threat.

In Your 20s

Stub Out a Social Smoking Habit
Smoking is enemy number one when it comes to heart disease, and even just a few cigarettes can do damage: New research from McGill University in Montreal found that smoking just one cigarette a day stiffens your arteries by a whopping 25 percent. Plus, smoking erases the hormonal advantage you have from estrogen, which can leave you vulnerable to a heart attack before menopause, explains Dr. Bonow.

Don't Ignore the Birth Control Factor
Remember that hormonal contraceptives slightly increase the risk of blood clots, so if you've ever had one, make sure to discuss it with your doctor before going on birth control. And if you're currently a smoker, don't take oral contraceptives, because the combo can be especially dangerous, says Sharonne N. Hayes, MD, director of the Women's Heart Clinic at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

Watch Your Alcohol Intake
Moderate amounts of alcohol can have a beneficial effect on your heart. (By "moderate," we mean one drink a day or about 5 ounces—but many restaurants serve far more than that.) Overdoing it can raise triglycerides, increase blood pressure and lead to weight gain, thanks to all those empty calories.

In Your 30s
Get a Grip on Stress
When you're juggling career and family, it's crucial to find stress management techniques that work. "Untamed stress has a direct negative impact on heart health," says Dr. Stevens. "The constant bombardment of adrenaline raises blood pressure and destabilizes plaque in your arteries, making it likely to cause a clot or heart attack."

Lose the Baby Weight
No, you don't have to fit into your skinny jeans by the time the baby's 6 months old, but do aim to get back to your pre-pregnancy weight within one to two years. "Carrying around extra pounds can lead to high cholesterol, high blood pressure and other heart disease risk factors," Dr. Bonow says. Also remember that it's easier to lose weight in your 30s than in your 40s, when your metabolism slows down.

Stay Social
It's important to stay connected to friends and family for the sake of your mood and heart. Research at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine found that high levels of loneliness increase a woman's risk of heart disease by 76 percent. On the flip side, having strong social support can help lower your blood pressure and improve other cardiovascular functions. Set aside time once or twice a week to call friends, or make a monthly dinner date.

In Your 40s
Make Sleep a Priority
Thanks to peri-menopause, fluctuating hormone levels can interfere with a good night's sleep. But not getting at least seven hours of shut-eye regularly can lead to increased blood pressure, low-grade inflammation and higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol, all of which are harmful for your blood vessels and heart, explains Jennifer H. Mieres, MD, a cardiologist at New York University School of Medicine and coauthor of Heart Smart for Black Women and Latinas. Lack of sleep has also been linked to weight gain. So establish good habits: Turn in (and wake up) at the same time every day—even on weekends—and do your best to relax before going to bed, whether it's watching a favorite funny TV show or reading.

Reassess Your Risk Factors
You may discover that your cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar levels have changed in this decade, even if you aren't doing anything differently, says Dr. Hayes. In fact, 22 percent of 40-something women have high blood pressure and 50 percent have high cholesterol (a jump from 38 percent of women in their 30s), according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Also, be sure to get your thyroid checked around 45;hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid gland), which becomes more common as women get older, can negatively affect your cholesterol levels as well as your heart.

Step Up Strength Training
You start to lose muscle mass more rapidly in your 40s, which causes your metabolism to slow down since muscle burns more calories than fat. Unfortunately, this makes it harder to stave off those extra pounds. To help maintain muscle and keep your metabolism going, aim for two 15-minute sessions weekly of lifting weights, using a resistance band or doing other toning exercises.

Carve out Personal Time
"Between the demands of work and family, it becomes even more challenging to find time for yourself in your 40s," says Dr. Mieres. But it's crucial to do so—not only to help ease stress but also to guard againstdepression, which commonly crops up in this decade and can raise your risk of heart disease. "Find at least 10 minutes of ‘me' time every day to do something—even if it's just chatting on the phone with a friend—that helps you destress and regroup," says Dr. Mieres.

In Your 50s

Move More
Around menopause, you tend to gain extra weight around your belly, which can lead to insulin resistance, inflammation and heart strain. Cardiovascular fitness also starts to decline, particularly if you're not that physically active to begin with. "Unfortunately, at this point, women have to burn more calories to stay at the same weight," Dr. Stevens says. Start taking the stairs instead of the elevator whenever you can, walk faster around the mall, or jog to the mailbox to send letters instead of sticking your hand out the car window as you drive by. Small changes really do add up.

Have an ECG
Silent heart abnormalities become more common in your 50s, and an electrocardiogram (ECG) to check your heart's electrical activity can pick them up, says Dr. Goldberg. Also ask your doctor if you should have a stress test; this is especially important if you're just starting to exercise.

Add Fiber
Besides being good for your cholesterol and blood sugar, pumping up your fiber intake (think whole grains like oatmeal, brown rice and flaxseeds, as well as beans, fruits and veggies) can help prevent constipation, which becomes more of a problem as you get older and your digestive system starts to slow down.

In Your 60s
Get Even More Vigilant About Screenings
After you go through menopause and get older, your blood pressure and cholesterol tend to go up, and blood vessels get stiffer. "Have your blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol measured yearly," advises Dr. Goldberg.

Consider Medication
If you have hypertension or high cholesterol, the way you've been managing it before may not be enough. "As you get older, you may need more aggressive therapy," Dr. Bonow says. "High blood pressure that was controlled with one medication may now require three to control it." Talk to your doctor about whether you need to add to or adjust your medications to control your risk factors.

Be Alert to Symptoms
Now is when the first noticeable symptoms of heart disease may appear, so it's important to know what's normal for your body and be on the lookout for worrisome signs like chest discomfort, shortness of breath or changes in exercise tolerance—meaning you suddenly feel winded going up a flight of stairs or feel unusually tired for no apparent reason, says Dr. Mieres. If these appear, see your doctor pronto!

Bohol Food Trip

Amarela Resort: Panglao Island
Tel No. +63-38-502-9497
Email : reservations@amarelaresort.com, www.amarelaresort.com

Aup-Aup: Inday Campos
Tel No. +63-38-504-9467; +63-928-399-9376
Maribojoc Town, Bohol, towards the wharf past the big church

Bohol Bee Farm Resort and Restaurant
Vicky Wallace, DAO, Dauis Panglao Island
Tel No. =63-38-502-2288 +63-917-304-1491
Email: vickywallace@boholbeefarm.com

Cafe Olegario
Poblacion Ubos, Loay Bohol 6303
Tel. +63-917-304-0293
Email cafe_olegario@yahoo.com

Casa Genaro Bed and Breakfast
Sitio Ubos, Causeway, Tagbilaran
Tel. +63-38-501-8910 +63-917-895-1157

Cafe Lawis Dauis Pilgrim Heritage Center, Poblacion Dauis
Tel. +63-905-231-1268 +63-38-502-3016
Email. armae28@yahoo.com

Lic-Lic's Sugba Tula Kilaw
Tel. +63-910-301-2193 across Manga Market, Tagbilaran Bohol

Lisa Suarez for heritage and culinary tour
Tel +63-920-950-3799
Email melissa_suarez95@yahoo.com

Sampaguita Broas and Sikwate, Baclayon
Tel. +63-38-540-9281

Soledad Suites
Lou Square, J.C. Borja cor M. Parras Sts. Tagbilaran
Tel. +63-38-411-3074
Email _soledad@mozcom.com or visit www.soledad-suites.com

kampo2: Lucky Colors in the Year of Tiger

kampo2: Lucky Colors in the Year of Tiger

Ten Commandments for Responsible Voting fr. PPCRV

Thou shalt vote according to the dictate of your conscience.

Thou shalt respect the decision of others in choosing their candidates.

Thou shalt seek to know the moral dignity, capabilities and other personal qualities of the candidate you will vote for.

Thou shalt strive to understand the issues, platform and programs of candidates and parties seeking your vote.

Thou shalt not sell your vote.

Thou shalt not vote for candidates using guns, goons, and gold.

Thou shalt not vote for candidates with records of graft and corruption, and human rights violation.

Thou shalt not vote for candidates just because of utang na loob, personal appearance, popularity or pakikisama.

Thou shalt not vote for candidates living an immoral life.

Thou shalt not put the welfare of the country above all else in choosing the candidate you will vote for.

Lucky Colors in the Year of Tiger

The ancient science of FengShui says that colors are important because it determines the overall ambience of the home as well as influence the energy patterns within. This in turn affects your energy and the experiences you have in your home. For this year the lucky colors are:

Blue Considered as the most auspicious color for the Year of the Tiger, Blue represents blessings and is a calming, peaceful color for meditation. Perfect for bedrooms and areas for worship. It is lucky for those born during the year of rat, rabbit, dragon, snake and rooster.

White White represents spiritual and moral purity is encouraged for areas of spirituality and for areas where children usually stay in. While is auspicious for those born on the year of the ox, tiger, sheep and monkey.

Green Green represents lush growth, vegetation, and the rebirth of springtime. And because it represents longevity and vitality, it is perfect for the family or recreation areas of the home.

Red: Symbolizing virtue and truth, red wards off evil and is believed to be life-affirming. It is the color of life, luck prosperity, power, glory and happiness.

Purple Similar function to red, purple can be used with read and gold to symbolize wealth. Just like red, it's best used for the wealth area of the home.

Pink A combination of red an white, pink is good for the relationships/romance area of your home.

Black Seriousness and justice, deep waters, the darkness of winter. Not usually considered lucky, but when used in balance with other colors it can absorb negative chi. Black or dark blue are best for Career area of your home.

Mother's Love

P1010080
Originally uploaded by yenako

This photo was taken when we were in Subic last year. We had an early morning walk by the sea to breathe fresh air. The three kids enjoyed the water while their mommy is watching over them. There's no other pure love than the love of a mother for her child.
We have to show our love for our mothers now that they are still with us.

Book Lovers

Bookay-Ukay
55 Maginhawa Street UP Village
Diliman, QC

Where you can find second hand bargain pieces of various genres. The young and artsy owners refuse to call it a bookstore. Instead they refer to the piles of reading materials in the shop as "inspired art installations". It aims to inspire and push more young people to read quality magazines, comics and of course books.
Here you can sell, trade, leand and borrow art, biograpy, fiction, self-help and new age books.

Bound Bokshop
105A Scout Castor St.
Barangay Laging Handa, QC

Owned by five members of the National union of Journalists of the Philippines. It claims to have "the best collection of new and read books". It has over 1,500 titles, 65% of which are pre owned. As independent seller, the owners sell their quality accumulated items, from imported selections to local works. at rates lower than bargain books. Their shelved occupy a spacious area designed in light bright hues, lending to an ambience of learning and knowledge. Books can go as low as P5 on sale period.

Popular Bookstore
305 Tomas Morato Ave., QC

Popular Bookstore has countless library and reference books, specialized and general books on arts and literature, engineering and the sciences, film, gender studies, health and sports , management and finance, mass communication, philosophy, political and social sciences, psychology, and more. The shop has three floors and more selections for bookworms.

The Book Fan
www.thebookfan.net
The Book Fan is trendy online bookstoe offering over 4,000 titles to busy, net savvy individuals. Their online catalogue spans across various genres such as fiction and fantasy, graphic novels, travels, lifestyle, Philippine literature, religion, pop culture, business, arts, children's literature, and more. They also have collectible Marvel an DC comics and mainstream bestsellers. Payments are done through Payeasy system which allows users to purchase using their credit card, ATM accounts, Globe G-Cash, Smart Money, Paypal and Western Union.

Conservation and Recycling Information

Did You Know?
7,500 trees are used for the Sunday edition of the New York Times each week
Recycling aluminum uses 96% less energy than it takes to produce the same amount of the aluminum from raw materials
Recycling paper uses 60% less energy than manufacturing paper from virgin timber
Recycling one glass saves enough energy to light a 100w light bulb for 4 hours

What You Can Do At Home

Recycle everything you can; newspaper, cans, glass, aluminum, motor oil, scrap, metal, etc.
Look for recycled and environmentally safe products and packaging whenever you shop
Use reusable containers to store food
Install a water saving shower head
Have your water heater insulated free of charge by your utility company
Burn only seasoned wood in your woodstove or fireplace
Try to use phosphate free laundry detergent & soap
Avoid the use of household pesticides
Write to companies that send unwanted junk mail… have them take you off their mailing list
Increase your awareness of conservation issues, share them with your family

What You Can at the Office

Use scrap paper for informal notes or messages
Print things on recycled paper
Re-use copier or printer paper when possible
Post memos and communications or route a single copy instead of making multiple copies
Start an office recycling program for paper, cardboard, aluminum, etc.
Car pool, take public transportation, or ride a bike to work.

Is The Home Library Threatened by Ipad?

Art Object
By CARLOMAR A. DAOANA
February 2, 2010, 2:19pm
Manila Bulletin

The Nova Scotia Legislative Library in Province House will become hallowed as a museum as book content migrates from paper to digital device. (Photo by CHARLES HOFFMAN)With the launch of Apple's newest device, the iPad (whose many features include an e-book reader), it seems that the future of books is doomed. Or at least the kind we are intimately familiar with: bound sheets of paper where words are printed in ink, protected by cardboard, and can easily slot in a shelf or on top of a toilet's water closet for that matter. The disappearance of books of course means the wiping away of the personal or home library—a somewhat romantic nook where the inveterate reader is surrounded by the creations of some of the brilliant minds of the world, past and present.

I don't have a personal library (how I wish I have one) but I have a bedroom completely overtaken by books: inside clear storage boxes, on top of my dresser, inside their proper shelves, inside cabinets meant for clothes, and every available space that invites anything flat and rectangular. All the books that I own, I reckon, can digitally fit into a Kindle DX that can store a whooping 3,500 titles, enough to occupy me for nine years if I were to read one book a day.

Imagine the clutter that will be totally eliminated. Clothes dangling from improvised hooks can now be folded and stored inside cabinets. The dedicated bookshelf can now be disposed of. The space under my bed will be empty save for luggage and my dog that has claimed it as her own. And my desk, which is swimming with pens, CDs and electronic chargers as it is, will breathe a sigh of relief.

But imagine the poverty as well. Left with an e-reader device, I will feel compelled to finish a freshly downloaded book. With no physical thing to hold on to, I can't lend it to a friend or donate it to a library just in case I no longer want it in my life. No spines to titillate my attention, I won't be able to take a random book in my hand and read on a whim anymore. And as digital objects, I won't be able to arrange them according to categories I have haphazardly created in my life as a reader: books that are vital, books closest to my heart, books to be read for later, books to be shared with the world.

As an author myself, I have high hopes for books to continue in their current stage as paper, glue and ink but I have my doubts that this will be the way of the future. It is simply not sustainable anymore. Printed books come from trees and trees are some of the things we need in this time of environmental crisis. Books as physical objects also need to be shipped, leaving conspicuous trail of carbon footprint unlike a digital book that is electronically transmitted and lands on the e-reader device in no time. Books as paper may seem to be economical but that was before. Amazon has proven that it can lower the price of an e-book way below the price of its hardbound counterpart. Devices are costly but with the entry of iPad and other players, it is expected that their prices will significantly drop, just like what happened to that of cell phones.

And so yes, the home library and its various permutations will be a thing of the past and libraries in institutions and universities will become hallowed spaces similar to museums. The romantic few will feel lucky to be surrounded by the books that they have collected through the years. Yellowing and some of them bored through by insects for sustenance, the printed books will be a reminder of the time past when reading meant cracking open a book by its spine, the sound of paper crisp and smooth as the hand turned the page.

Leaders and Managers

Warren Bennis in "On Becoming a Leader" contrasts leaders and managers as follows:

The Manager administers; the leader innovates.
The Manager is a copy; the leader is an original.
The Manager maintains; the leader develops.
The Manager focuses on systems and structure; the leader focuses on people.
The Manager relies on control; the leader inspires trust.
The Manager accepts reality; the leader investigates it.
The Manager has a short range view; the leader has a long-range perpective.
The Manager asks how and when; the leader asks what and why.
The Manager has his/her eye always on the bottom line; the leader has his/her eye on the horizon.
The Manager imitates; the leader originates.
The Manager accepts the status quo; the leader challenges it.
The Manager is the classic good soldier; the leader is his or her own person.
The Manager does things right; the leader does the right thing.

Apple to unveil new product, amid speculation

All eyes are in the technology world as Apple prepares to unveil its latest creation, amid speculation it is a tablet computer.

At 1800 GMT on Wednesday the company will hold a news conference in San Francisco to launch the new product.

Media and tech blogs have been in overdrive, amid rumors the product will be a keyboard-less tablet device.

For weeks, a flurry of photos and videos purporting to show the new device have been circulating.

"One never knows what Apple might or might not do on any given Wednesday in January," said Mike Gartenberg, vice-president of strategy and analysis at research firm Interpret.

Market winner?

"One thing we do know for sure is we are going to see some sort of new device or category of device." The safe money is on the product being a tablet or slate-like computer which traditionally bridges the gap between smart phones and laptops.

"The question here is does Apple have a different take on this category? It has to be something that has a reason to exist all by itself and not something that lives between a phone and a computer," Mr Gartenberg told BBC News.

Until now the tablet market has been regarded as a middling one with revenue of around $950m (£597m).

But many industry watchers believe Apple will do for this sector what the iPod did for MP3 players. Apple said it sold 21m iPods last quarter and, while that represented a drop of 8% on the previous year, the company boasts a 70% market share. "Our base case assumes the new tablet adds four million shipments, $3.2bn (£2.1bn) revenue and 82 cents of earnings per share in 2010, but we see potential upside to six million units," said Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty.

"Apple is not building products for tens of thousands of enthusiasts. They are building products for tens of millions of customers," he said.

'Jesus Tablet'

Speculation has been rife about what this mythical device, sometimes dubbed the "Jesus Tablet", will actually do.

The closest followers of these trends are the blogs and so-called Apple fan sites which have tracked everything from patents to supposed leaks from various manufacturers and people claiming to have actual photographs. Apple has done an amazing job keeping this thing under wraps," as told by Paul Miller, editor of tech blog Engadget.

"We have just tracked eight years of rumour and speculation about a tablet device from Apple, and here we are the day before the big announcement and there is basically zero tangible information on it," said Mr Miller.

Among the rumours is that the gadget will be a gaming device, an "e-reader killer" or a really big iPhone.

Multi-touch will be at the heart of everything.

"Apple is looking at a new paradigm of user interface where the finger replaces the mouse and the keyboard," said Leander Kahney, founder of CultofMac.com and author of Inside Steve's Brain, a book about Apple boss Steve Jobs.

"This is a very important step in mainstream computing."

The tablet is expected to connect to the internet via Wi-Fi and 3G cellular networks.

'Very excited'

It will have a full browser and access to more than 125,000 software applications found in the Apple App store.

In terms of partners, Apple has reportedly been talking to publishers to bring books, newspapers and magazines to the tablet as well as to broadcasters to bring TV shows and movies to users.

Cost will be crucial and commentators say with an expected price tag of possibly between $700-$1000 (£440-£680) people could be put off.

"We're betting even die-hard adopters [those who are first to embrace new gadgets] won't be showing up en masse to buy the tablet," said Wired blogger Daniel Dumas.

For those interested in technology, the wait will soon be over. But not without Apple's boss doing his bit to whet everyone's appetite.

Mr Jobs said on Monday: "The new products we are planning to release this year are very strong, starting this week with a major new product we are very excited about."

Tablets take off in 2010 but solar power may struggle

"Tens of millions" of tablet computers will be sold in 2010, according to technology analysts at Deloitte.

The keyboard and mouse-free devices are likely to be a top trend among consumers, they anticipate.

Deloitte's prediction fuels rumours that Apple is set to unveil a tablet-style computer at a press event it is hosting on 27 January.

However, the impact of tablet sales on the burgeoning e-reader market could be substantial, the report said.

"For every million net tablets sold there will be a corresponding impact on e-readers," said Jolyon Barker from Deloitte's Technology, Media and Telecommunications department.

The company's report, which forecasts the tech trends for 2010, describes tablets as "the Goldilocks of devices (not too big, not too small)".

It said that previous attempts to launch tablet PCs - notably by Microsoft - had been largely unsuccessful for many reasons.

"The graphics, software, and user interface were underwhelming, not well connected to cellular or WiFi networks, and, most important, they have largely served as work-oriented data-entry devices."

"By contrast, an easy-to-use, consumer-focused device used primarily for media and web browsing is much more likely to be widely accepted by the market."

The report also explored other technologies.

Despite a focus on environmentally-friendly technology at this year's Consumer Electronics Show held in Las Vegas earlier in January, Deloitte predicts that cheaper electricity rates may put a dampener on the demand for alternatives - particularly solar power.

"Solar power technology could struggle in 2010 due to the cost of solar equipment, tools and raw materials, overcapacity and weak economics," said Jim Sloane, Deloitte's lead technology partner.

The firm also predicts that the computer chip industry is going to focus on size and low-cost rather than performance and power.

Deloitte says that this move is driven by portable devices such as netbooks and laptops - especially as the more economical chips require less electric power.


Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8467654.stm

New Year List

by Anonymous

Health
Drink plenty of water.
Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper.
Eat more food that grows on trees and plants, and eat less food that is manufactured
in plants.
Live with 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy.
Make time to pray.
Play more games.
Read more books than you did last year.
Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
Sleep for seven hours per night.
Take 10 to 30 minutes walk daily. And while you walk smile.

Personality
Don't compare your life to that of others. You have no idea what their journey is all about
Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy on the positive present moment.
Don't over do keep your limits.
Don't take yourself so seriously; no one else does.
Don't waste your precious energy on gossip
Dream more while you are awake
Envy is a waste of time. You already have what you need.
forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with his/her past that will ruin your present happiness.
Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum, they appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons your learn will last a lifetime.
Smile and laugh more.
You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

Society
Call your fmaily often.
Give something good to others every day.
Forgive everyone for everything.
Spend time with people over the age of 70 and those under the age of six.
Try to make at least three people smile each day.
What other people think of you is none of your business.
Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

Life
Do the right thing
Get rid of anything that isn't useful beautiful or joyful.
God heals everything.
However good or bad situation is, it will change.
No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
The best is yet to come.
When you wake up in the morning thank God for it.
Your innermost is always happy so be happy

The Gift

The Gift
Originally uploaded by yenako

One of the gift that I received last Christmas was the pillow am holding in the picture, with lettering Nobody Nobody But You from the song Nobody But You. It was given to me by my niece who took time to buy it when she felt depressed in school, so I treasure the gift and appreciate what she has given to me.

Fireworks

Fireworks
Originally uploaded by yenako

My nephew looking at the fireworks. He is enjoying the sight even if
he is a little bit afraid of it. This little boy is three years old and he speaks in English. Just like his big brother he likes chocolates and
play station. One time when his mom who is my sister scolded him,
he answered his mom "Why are you always angry at me, Mom?" and then my sister just laughed at his son.

The Lost Boy

The Lost Boy
Originally uploaded by yenako

On the eve of Christmas the church was filled with people. We tried to attend the mass scheduled at 9:00 but we arrived a little bit late squeezing our way to the altar. We have been standing for more than an hour and the kids who were with us are playing while hearing the mass. Finally the mass was finished, when we went outside the little boy slipped from the hands of her mom, until we were already outside the church we cannot find the boy. How fast he disappeared from our sight. My sisters and I went back to the church to find the boy but we can't find him and besides the church was filled with human beings, it's not easy to find the little boy. The mother of the boy was already worried and almost in tears. While I was waiting at the car I got a call from my other sister that the boy has already gone home. The call erased our fears and worries. We went home and the boy was already there waiting for us, there is fear in his eyes but trying to conceal it with his strength. The mother scolded the boy and he asked for forgiveness for what he has done.
The scene is familiar, it's like when Jesus got lost in the temple but He was listening to the scribes, while the other boy went home on his own. The boy has learned his lesson he will never ever leave his mother and he will not be impatient but will wait for his companion.