MikeLigalig.com

cat bandanna.

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Consider meditation. Studies have shown that oldest populations worldwide all have one thing in common: they all participate in quiet, restful activities that involve no speaking, each day. Many perfectly normal people enjoy the relaxation involved in meditation, and you don't have to be a yoga master to experience the benefits.

Simply sitting quietly in or outdoors for 20 or 30 minutes each day can drastically reduce your stress. Start watching the sunset or rise each day as a way of relaxing and centering yourself.

https://www.wikihow.com/

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Participate in relaxing and healthy hobbies. You don't have to start building ships in bottles to calm down. Find something that excites you and distracts you from the stresses of life. Want to start playing paintball? Get out there and try it. Do something that will be fun, something that exercises your mind and your body. Try:

-Playing games like poker or chess
-Doing outdoor activities like hiking, biking, or swimming
-Reading more
-Picking up an instrument, or renewing an interest in an old one
-Taking a class or lessons

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Take some time off of work. You deserve a break, especially if you're concerned about your health. Discuss the possibility of taking some brief time off from your job to rest up and eliminate some of the stress that you're concerned about from your life. Forget about your work worries for a while and come back refreshed and rested. Go on vacation. Visit family. Do what will relax you.

If your job is a constant source of agitation and stress in your life, you might consider switching jobs, transferring, or finding a new line of employment altogether.

Part 3

Managing Your Stress


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Learn to recognize stress triggers in your life. Taking steps to manage your stress level can help you avoid developing an aneurysm or, quite literally, "popping a blood vessel." If you want to lessen the amount of stress in your life, start by learning to recognize the things that cause stress that you can work on. You might stressed out about:

-Relationship issues
-Work
-Family commitments
-Financial problems
-Other trauma

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Monitor your overall health. Key factors to avoiding an aneurysm or preventing one from rupturing include monitoring your weight, cholesterol, blood glucose and blood pressure levels. Scheduling regular doctor's visits and staying on top of your health is the best way to avoid aneurysms altogether.

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Exercise regularly. Maintain good cardio health and do some light strength training to maintain a healthy body weight and physique. Exercising at least 30 minutes every day will help you avoid an aneurysm or prevent one from rupturing. Your doctor can recommend suitable exercises for you if you want to get started. You don't have to go all out. If you want to start exercising, try starting with:

*Light stretches in the morning before breakfast. Just doing some calisthenics for 15 or 20 minutes each morning will get you moving and can be a nice warm up to stimulate other activities.
*Short sets of sit-ups and pushups. You don't have to start dead-lifting heavy weights or running marathons. Do sets of 20 sit-ups and 10 pushups to get started with and gradually work your way up.
*Check out some exercise videos online or at your local library for some guided instruction, or talk to your doctor for more possibilities.

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Adopt a healthy diet. Choose a diet with a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meat and non-meat protein sources. Avoid excess fats, cholesterol, sodium and sugar. Eat smaller portions, or start preparing more of your own meals to have more control over your portions. Consider eating several smaller meals throughout the day, rather than two or three big ones.

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Use drugs correctly. Abusing drugs, prescription or otherwise, can lead to inflammation in blood vessels and the formation of aneurysms. Habitual cocaine and amphetamine users are particularly susceptible to the development of brain aneurysms.

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Moderate your drinking. Drinking too much alcohol can also weaken blood vessel walls, increasing the possibility of developing an aneurysm. If you have other problems related to excessive drinking, you may need to give it up entirely.

Part 2

Managing Your Health


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Quit smoking. In addition to increasing the risk of developing emphysema and lung cancer, smoking also increases your chances of developing an aneurysm. You may need your doctor's help to find the right program to help you quit.

Also avoid exposing yourself to secondhand smoke. If you fit the risk profile, avoid indoor areas that allow smoking.

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Talk to a specialist. If your doctor notices something in a scan, or if you're concerned about the possibility of an aneurysm, you'll probably be referred to a specialist. If you fit the risk profile or have experienced any of the symptoms of an aneurysm, talk about your tests with a neurosurgeon or neurologist to get more information. Further tests and screens may be required, and you'll be able to get more specific information from an expert in the field.[3]

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Learn the different types of scans. Your doctor may throw a lot of technical possibilities at you, so it helps to be somewhat informed before getting stuck in his or her office and getting locked into possibly-expensive tests that you might not want done. Generally, the scans performed will include:

#Computerized tomography (CT). This is a special kind of X-Ray usually used to detect bleeding. The scanner produces slice-like sections of your brain to examine, and might also involve injections of fluid that will illuminate the blood in the images.
#Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An MRI generally uses a combination of radio waves that interact within a magnetic field to produce a detailed 2D or 3D version of your brain. Fluid may also be injected to improve the image.
#Cerebrospinal fluid test. Also known as a "spinal tap," this is used in cases in which you've experienced a hemorrhage that isn't showing up on another scan. Despite the gruesome common name, most patients don't experience much discomfort during or following the test.
#Cerebral angiogram. During this test, a thin probe is inserted near your groin and and threaded through your arteries to your brain to inject a dye, which is used to track the flow of blood and check for hemorrhaging. It's the most invasive of the tests, only used when the others don't reveal anything.

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Recognize the symptoms of an aneurysm. If you experience eye pain, specifically pain coming from behind the eye, as well as blurry vision and paralysis of the face, you need to talk to your doctor immediately and request that a screen and scan be performed.

Part 1

Getting Screened


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Learn your family history. If at least two other members of your family have had aneurysms, either recently or in the past, you should be screened for the possibility of developing an aneurysm yourself. Doctors normally recommend such screenings every five years.

Most aneurysms are detected after the fact, when they've already become medical emergencies, or when brain imaging is performed for other purposes. Because it's a difficult thing to screen for, most doctors will recommend against testing and looking for aneurysms that are not ruptured, unless you've experienced any of the symptoms or fit the profile of an aneurysm.

How to Avoid an Aneurysm

Three Parts: Getting Screened | Managing Your Health | Managing Your Stress

An aneurysm is a bulge in the wall of a blood vessel caused by the weakening of the vessel wall. Aneurysms can occur in any blood vessel, but the most dangerous aneurysms are those that form in the aorta or the arteries in the brain. Ruptures in the vessels can lead to death up to half the time they occur. Aneurysms are often difficult to detect until they rupture, and equally difficult to prevent, but there are steps you can take to lower your risk of an aneurysm and understand whether you may need screening. (See Step 1 for more information.)

The Spirit

The final stage of life is the spirit stage. In this stage, we realize that we are more than what we have accumulated â€" be it money, friends, possessions, good deeds, or milestones in life. We are spiritual beings. We realize that we are divine beings in a journey of life that has no real beginning and no end. The spirit phase is characterized by a sense of “getting out of your own mind” and focusing on what is waiting for us beyond our physical beings. The philosopher Lao Tzu proposed a question over 2500 years ago that perfectly describes the spirit phase: ““Can you step back from your own mind and thus understand all things? Giving birth and nourishing, having without possessing, acting with no expectations, leading and not trying to control: this is the supreme virtue.”

http://iheartintelligence.com/

The Statement

When the warrior phase in our lives is coming to an end, we find ourselves asking: “what have I done for others?” Your focuses shift from your personal achievements to accomplishing goals based on forwarding other people’s lives. This stage is often correlated to parenting, because your focus becomes providing a better life for your children, and what it is you need to do that. The statement phase for many people is much more than a correlation to parenting, and more about leaving a legacy or a footprint in life. The statement phase is a time to reflect on what you have accomplished, and how you can continue moving forward â€" not just for you, but for the other people in your life. As far as maturity goes, the statement phase is a huge step forward from even the warrior phase.

The Warrior

Moving forward in our lives, we reach the warrior phase. This is where we begin to take on responsibilities and get the desire to conquer the world. Well, maybe not the world for some of us, but this is when we become more goal oriented. All of the sudden we can see objectives that we want to accomplish and the vanity of the athlete phase begins to fade. The warrior phase is really characterized by the struggles in our lives that early adulthood can throw at us. The warrior phase is also the most common pshase that people revert back to throughout their lives as they “re-invent” themselves.

These Are The 4 Stages Of Life, According To Carl Jung:

The Athlete

The athlete is the phase in our lives when we are at our most self-absorbed. There are people in our lives that have never made it out of this phase, or often revert back to it. Of the 4 stages, it tends to be the least mature. It is characterized by being obsessed with our physical bodies and appearance. For an example of the athlete phase, watch teenagers walk past a mirror. The athlete phase can be narcissistic, critical, or even both.

The 4 Stages of Life According to Carl Jung

BY JUSTIN GAMMILL



As we wander through this journey that is life, we go through fundamental changes. Some people use terms like “quarter-life crisis” or “middle age” to define where it is we think we are in our lives along the way. To me, there aren’t destinations in life. There are milestones for sure, but we can often come back to the same places that we were before.

That Is What I Love About Swiss Psychologist Carl Jung’s 4 Stages Of Life. As He Described Them, These Stages Have To Do With Who We Are As People And Our Motivations.

They have nothing to do with age or accomplishment, and throughout our lives we often move forward and backward from these stages. As Jung once said, “Thoroughly unprepared, we take the step into the afternoon of life. Worse still, we take this step with the false presupposition that our truths and our ideals will serve us as hitherto. But we cannot live the afternoon of life according to the program of life’s morning, for what was great in the morning will be little at evening and what in the morning was true, at evening will have become a lie.”

who says only crazy cat ladies exist?

Ten Tips for Taking Care of Your Dog

Posted by Diane Johnson in Dog Care Information

Provide a protected and clean living environment for your dog. Shelter from the elements and hazards, as well as good hygiene, are basic to a quality life.
       
Always keep fresh water available.  Maintaining optimal hydration is important for health and energy.

Feed a quality diet and prevent obesity.  Overweight humans and animals can adversely affect health in many ways.  Follow the dietary recommendations that your veterinarian will make according to the nutritional needs of your dog, based on size, age, level of activity and breed.  Remember to provide healthy treats rather than table scraps, as rewards.

Have your pet examined by a veterinarian on a regular basis.  Your veterinarian will provide you with the information on vaccination schedules, deworming and external parasite control.  Keep a copy of your pet’s vaccination records in your home or with you when you travel.  Contact your veterinarian if you believe that your pet may be ill, injured, or if something just doesn’t seem right.  Your veterinarian is the expert on keeping your dog healthy.  Work as a team with him or her.

Provide ample opportunities to exercise.  Make sure your dog gets the regular exercise needed to enable it to be fit.  By being in shape, your dog will be more capable of participating in the activities that it enjoys.

Communicate with your dog and develop a relationship.  Dogs are social creatures and they need to interact with their owner.  Quality time will help you get to know your dog and understand  particular needs that it might have, as well enhance your ability to recognize early signs of an illness that could be developing.  In addition, time spent in developing a relationship will help prevent many undesirable behavioral patterns.

Train your dog to follow the simple commands. Puppy and dog training classes can be very helpful.  The better your dog is at following basic and necessary commands, the greater the chances are that your dog will live a safe and long life.

Practice reproductive control.  If you do not intend to create puppies, spaying or neutering is a certain option.  If you plan to breed your dog or are opposed to spaying and neutering for other reasons, take appropriate measures to prevent mismatings.  Consult with your veterinarian in regard to other options that are available.

Dental care is very important.  Many breeds are prone to gum disease, which can have serious implications.  Infection resulting from this condition leads to premature tooth loss, and can commonly cause infections in major organs, including the heart valves.
   
Don't overlook grooming and nail trimming.  Long coated dogs are prone to developing matts and ice balls in their hair.  Overgrown nails are common in elderly dogs and can make it more difficult for them to walk.  In addition, such nails are much more prone to breaking, which can be quite painful.     

In conclusion, knowledge is power. Read up and learn as much as possible about your dog's breed specifically, and about raising, training and living with dogs in general. The more you know, the more confident you'll be in providing a safe and enjoyable home for your dog.

Dr. Stuart Nelson, Jr., DVM
Chief Veterinarian, Iditarod

http://iditarod.com/

dental sticks for dogs

A foreign body which is causing an obstruction of the digestive tract causes specific symptoms, nearly always including vomiting and dullness. When the vet feels the abdomen, sometimes the hard object can be palpated. More frequently, an X-ray may be taken, and the object may be seen in the stomach or intestines. Some foreign bodies are not visible on X-ray, which makes the diagnosis more complicated. In these cases, the vet will look for more subtle signs on the X-ray, such as abnormal accumulations of gas.

Surgery to remove the foreign body is usually necessary. This type of operation can be complicated and difficult, because there is often considerable damage to the intestines at the site where the object was lodged. However, most dogs cope well with this type of operation, and after a few days of intensive care in the veterinary hospital, they go home to live normal lives again.

https://housemydog.com/

They also enjoy chewing, and they may accidentally swallow smaller pieces which break off a larger object. The gullet of a dog is very distensible, and it is possible for dogs to swallow remarkably large objects. Domestic dogs have descended from wild dogs which survived by eating carrion. In the past, it was very important that they were able to gulp down large amounts of meat, skin and bones very rapidly. Modern dogs retain this ability, but it does cause periodic problems. I once saw an X-ray of a Yorkshire Terrier which had swallowed a bone which was about six inches long. The bone was almost half the length of the dog.



Any object from golf ball diameter upwards can cause problems in an average collie-sized dog. Smaller objects can cause obstructions in smaller dogs. Certain objects seem to cause more problems than others. Fruit pips (e.g. peach stones), Corn-on-the-Cob cores, rubber balls, stones and pieces of bone commonly cause obstructions. Baby soothers are a common cause of intestinal obstruction in puppies, who seem to enjoy chewing them. There is a very long list of ‘sporadic foreign bodies’, including engagement rings, false teeth and bath plugs!

After sorting out the terminology miscommunication, the situation was much more straightforward. A foreign body (often abbreviated to F.B.) is the term used to describe any external object which enters the body. A foreign body may be a grass seed lodged inside an ear, a piece of glass which has penetrated a dog’s paw, or even a peanut which has been inhaled into the lungs. However, the most common foreign bodies in the animal world are ingested foreign bodies â€" i.e. objects which are swallowed, and which may become lodged in the stomach or intestines, causing an obstruction.

Ingested foreign bodies are uncommon in cats, because they have fastidious eating habits. Dogs have indiscriminate appetites, and will often hungrily swallow anything which seems even only vaguely edible.

“What if my dog swallowed a foreign body?”

by Pete the Vet



‘I think that my dog has swallowed a U.F.O.’, the man told me, in obvious distress. There are many abbreviations in the veterinary world, but U.F.O. is not associated with any disease condition. As far as I was aware, U.F.O’s were Unidentified Flying Objects, commonly known as space ships or flying saucers. The man with the dog seemed to be very serious about his problem, so I questioned him further. It turned out that his dog had been vomiting for two days. He was concerned that his dog might have swallowed a child’s toy, and that this might now have become lodged in the intestines.

‘You mean you feel your dog may have swallowed a Foreign Body?’, I asked him. ‘Yes, that’s right â€" a U.F.O. My last dog had the same problem after swallowing a stone’, he replied.

humans are copycats (and copydogs)!

siyaro na man pod si daddy hubag. wa na lang ba gyoy laing matungtongan?

Positive traits

On the other hand, positive traits possessed by Generation Me include being more open (pluralistic, tolerant, diverse), self-confident (unless it leads to narcissism), ambitious (with frequent course/job/career hoppers) and collaborative (in general). They like to serve their community by trying to find meaning in their work (what Simon Sinek similarly observed in today’s job-hopping millennials).

However, sensitive issues this generation has to deal with that others before them have not are how to cope with more rampant bullying (be it online, physical or verbal), the ease of porn availability in websites, magazines and books, how reading has taken a back seat, while gaming and social networking is allocated more time.

In September, the Atlantic posted an article (“Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?”) that discussed how post-millennials had become affected by mental health issues because of this artificial “living” setup. Higher screen time meant higher cases of depression and unhappiness. The figures are all from the United States, but I can see how the results can be similar locally. â€"CONTRIBUTED

http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/

“They confuse communication with self-expression at all costs; their writing lacks depth because their words stem from little reflection,” she said.

As for the poor reading skills, Chua has this advice: Read! Limit TV, computer and gaming time. Children below two years old should have no screen time (as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics). Parents should set these goals with their children to enable buy-in of such rules and be consistent with enforcing them together with other caregivers like nannies and grandparents.

Poor students

Chua said at one time she allowed some of her students to just take photos of the day’s notes on the blackboard with their phones instead of writing them down. She noted later that photo-taking students landed at the bottom of the class.

The process of note-taking engages the mind more and helps in retaining, processing and understanding the information being received, so Chua said she has since forbidden such photo-taking of notes at her sessions. There is value in acquiring knowledge the “hard” or “old-fashioned” way.

Because they often escape into the virtual world, Chua said that today’s youth have difficulty relating in-depth and lack empathy, which leads to loneliness and depression.

“Every parent has to decide for themselves whether they will let their children watch and, if so, under what conditions,” said Melinda Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

“Generation Me is used to instant gratification, which translates into boredom, short attention spans, multitasking, lack of focus, and constant entertainment,” said Chua.

“There is little emphasis on the mind and learning and more emphasis on the body and entertainment. They can be self-absorbed or narcissistic and can depend on others more than on themselves (such as in the case of parents feeling pressure to hire outside academic support, which communicates lack of confidence in the child, which leads to poor study habits).”

Demographers have christened today’s kids as the “iGen.” The demographic describes today’s generation as internet-driven, and self-absorbed and narcissistic.

Materialism and hedonism propagated by advertisements proclaim that “virginity is for losers” and “suffering has to be avoided at all costs; pleasure is supreme,” Chua said. Pornography is rougher, more violent nowadays, and freely accessible.

In 2014, the Philippines racked up $1 billion in porn transactions. Unrated TV shows in the new binge-watching format made popular by Netflix such as “13 Reasons Why” make suicide appear noble, glamorous and righteous, when it is, in essence, sadly narcissistic.

Pornography

Chua, who wrote “Growing Up Wired: Raising Kids in the Digital Age” (Anvil, 2013), said normal teens would be self-conscious, acne-ridden and either skinny or pudgy, unlike the avatars or alter egos they had created for themselves online. So they’d rather spend more time in an alternate universe where they could be their definition of cool!

But she warned that the brain would change the longer a person stayed in virtual worlds. She warned against an “impaired mesocorticolimbic dopamine system,” which is like being “high” on drugs. Such cue-induced cravings lead to substance dependence.

Gray matter, Chua explained, decreases in the prefrontal cortex, and in functional connectivity in the cortex/subcortical areas (like when using cocaine/heroin).

But Chua forbade parents from banning children from shows and games, as it might only push them further to consume them, secretly or defiantly.

Instead, she encouraged two-way, open-family communication. The self-professed gamer suggested watching or playing shows or games deemed controversial with their kids, and then talking about what was happening onscreen to help them process what they’d just consumed. Parents need to be truly engaged and actively listening, and withhold judgment as much as possible.

“Model real-life rather than online communication,” Chua said. “Favor real-life friends over Facebook friends. Invest in both quantity and quality time. The little things count: bonding and spending time with each other.”

Wired generation prone to violence, narcissism, depression

Teacher and author warns about how video gamers may accept violence as the norm, and how young people’s easy consumption of pornography can make them hedonistic

By: Jemps Gallegos Yuvienco
Philippine Daily Inquirer
AM November 08, 2017

Violence in video games and the media desensitize people. Computer games are especially designed to be addictive, isolating users from real people.

This was the gist of the lecture “Wired: Effective Child Rearing on the Use of Technology,” by Inquirer columnist and teacher Queena Lee-Chua at De La Salle Zobel recently.

The psychologist said gamers and users think that the technology merely provides passive entertainment, but it is in passivity when people are most receptive to subliminal messages, accepting violence and negative messages as okay. By the age of 13, a child would have already witnessed 18,000 murders on media, she explained, and he would find violence the norm.

The Constitution does not place a limit on the number of times an impeachable position can be vacated. However, this assumption is based on an even more fundamental principle: That the process of impeaching and removing a high official, even a chief justice, follows reasonable rules and meets common-sense expectations.

This brings us to the fourth and main point. The damage to the Supreme Court that Roque so piously fears can only come from a few sources: A disrespect for the rule of law, a sweeping disregard for truth, a disdain for those who are at the mercy of the powers-that-be.

It will not come from the acts of someone defending herself in the rightful way; the damage will come from politicians and lawyers who place power over law.

http://opinion.inquirer.net/

In short, he did not know but merely assumed that it was so.

There may be no question that the President wants Sereno out, but the role of the presidential spokesperson is to speak for the President, not to make policy and then merely attribute it to an assumption that the policy (nothing less than calling on the head of the third branch of government to resign) “should be” the position of the President. (This is how you damage the office of the spokesperson.)

Third, the constitutional order established by the framers assumes that the system, including the judiciary, can survive the impeachment and conviction of the highest officials any number of times.

Now, as spokesperson of the President, he no longer enjoys that capacity; instead, when he speaks for the President (and that is the only reason the reporters and the cameras are there to record his statements), he speaks for the Executive â€" the same executive branch of government that earlier said, as it was duty-bound to say and to do, that it was observing a hands-off attitude to the Sereno impeachment. Roque had yet again overstepped his bounds.

Second, reporters in the press briefing took notice, and asked him whether his call for Sereno to resign was in fact the position of the President, the principal he is merely the agent of.

He replied: “It should be because he called for the impeachment and removal of the chief justice.”

“I do not think the judiciary can survive another decision that would remove an incumbent chief justice,” he said by way of explanation.

This is rich, or to create a new category of irony that reflects the reckless sense of privilege of those new to high office or real power, nouveau riche.

In the first place, Roque was one of those who sought to impeach the chief justice, in his capacity as a member of the House of Representatives.

So when Roque alleges that the impeachment of Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno may damage the Supreme Court itself, we have no choice but to listen.

“I call on Chief Justice to consider resigning to spare the institution from any further damage,” Roque said on Monday.

He was responding to Sereno’s speech earlier in the day, where she spoke, in passing, of the “resurgence of political forces threatening and harassing the independence of the judiciary.”

The stench that emerged from those House justice committee hearings continues to stick to the Batasan grounds, and has even wafted its putrid way to the Supreme Court.

It was this unbecoming conduct that forced Roque’s Kabayan party-list group to sanction him, and eventually oust him. As it stands, the current jurisprudence favors incumbents, even those expressly nominated to represent party-list groups.

Even as Kabayan’s reputation took a hit, Roque, its first nominee and the cause of its reputational damage, continued to serve as representative.

EDITORIAL

Damaging the Court

Philippine Daily Inquirer
November 08, 2017

New presidential spokesperson Harry Roque knows first-hand what it means for an institution to sustain substantial damage to its reputation.

As a first-term congressman, he gleefully dove into the cesspool that was the congressional inquiry into Sen. Leila de Lima’s alleged sins.

The participation of the former human rights lawyer in the demonization of President Duterte’s chief critic, especially his salacious, sexually charged questioning of Ronnie Dayan, the senator’s former driver and lover, was a disgusting display of power and prurience.

i don't know these infighting politicians nor do i care about how they end up. but roque strikes me as one of the more opportunistic loudmouths around. when, oh when will our country ever be spared from such kind of disgraceful clowns who deign to have themselves addressed as "honorables"? 

Photo Credit: NASA

Splashdown

Once the spacecraft gets through most of Earth's atmosphere, it will pass through the sound barrier; the recovery team in the Pacific will hear it when Orion emits a sonic boom. The spacecraft will jettison a protective thermal cover and deploy drogues, then parachutes, to slow down. During the last phase, Orion will pop out three main parachutes to prepare for splashdown. In 20 minutes, the spacecraft will slow from 32 times the speed of sound (Mach 32) to 0.

After reaching the ground, Orion will stay powered on while Navy divers approach it from a nearby recovery ship, using small boats. The divers will attach tending lines and a towline, and then tow the ship into the recovery ship's well deck. Once the ship is safely inside, controllers will close the gate and drain the deck, completing Orion's 25.5-day mission.

https://www.space.com/

Photo Credit: NASA

Re-entry

When Orion gets close to Earth, it will jettison the service module that held most of its crucial components for the mission. Controllers will orient Orion's heat shield in the direction of travel to get it ready for re-entry, which starts at about 400,000 feet (122,000 m) above the Earth.

The spacecraft will slam into the atmosphere at 24,500 mph (39,500 km/h) and decelerate at up to nine times the force of gravity. Outside, temperatures surrounding the spacecraft will soar to close to 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit (roughly 2,800 degrees Celsius), but it will be protected by the heat shield.

Photo Credit: NASA

Return

While Orion is still at the moon, recovery teams at Naval Base San Diego will get ready for Orion's eventual splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Meanwhile, controllers on Earth will fire the spacecraft's engines again to speed up Orion, allowing it to break free of lunar orbit and coast home â€" a journey that will take four days.

Along the way, Orion will keep its back end pointed toward the sun to maximize cooling. Its trajectory may be adjusted to make sure that it hits Earth's atmosphere at just the right angle.

Photo Credit: NASA

Lunar entry and orbits

When Orion gets close to the moon, it will perform a lunar-gravity-assist maneuver to enter orbit. This means that the spacecraft will turn on its engine to slow Orion down and let it be "captured" by the moon's gravity.

Orion will pass over the moon with a closest approach of just 62 miles (100 kilometers). But it will be in a highly elliptical orbit,called a distant retrograde orbit,that will bring it farther from Earth than any other crew-capable spacecraft. Its maximum distance from Earth will be 270,000 miles (435,000 kilometers) â€" â€" about 1,000 times farther than the International Space Station is from Earth. The spacecraft will work in this orbit for about a week.

Photo Credit: NASA

Coast phase

It will take about four days to get to the moon, but first, the spacecraft will still have a few milestones to reach. About 1.5 hours after launch â€" when TLI is finished â€" Orion will separate from the propulsion stage. Then, it will have to pass through all the satellites and satellite debris encircling Earth, as well as the Van Allen radiation belts.

After it passes the belts, Orion will be in deep space. The spacecraft will remain in communication with Earth to make any necessary trajectory adjustments as it approaches the moon.

Photo Credit: NASA

Leaving low Earth orbit

The rocket will reach its maximum dynamic pressure â€" the moment at which the atmosphere exerts its maximum force on the rocket â€" just 90 seconds into the mission. It will jettison its solid propellant boosters after 2 minutes, then let go of its service module fairings at 3 minutes to lighten the load and make sure Orion's solar arrays are exposed. Then, it will throw away the launch abort system at 3 minutes and 40 seconds after launch.

The engines will shut down when the rocket reaches the right speed, allowing the core stage to separate. Then, an interim propulsion stage powered by fuel cooled to very low temperatures, along with the Orion spacecraft, will orbit Earth and get ready for moon operations. Orion will deploy its solar arrays, and the propulsion stage will change the spacecraft's orbit, raising the point at which it'd make its closest approach to Earth (called perigee).

When that is finished, Orion will receive the all-clear for its 20-minute-long trans-lunar injection (TLI) burn â€" the engine fire that will bring it coasting to the moon.

Photo Credit: NASA

Liftoff

Shortly before liftoff, service lines to the rocket will be severed by retracting umbilical plates, some of which are mounted on arms the size of tractor trailers. The core stage engines also will be prepared ("thermally conditioned" is how NASA puts it) for the burst of cryogenic fuel needed to power the rocket upon ignition.

At 15 seconds before liftoff (T-15 seconds), water will be turned on to suppress the sound and ensure vibrations do not disturb the launch. At ignition â€" T-0 seconds â€" fire from the rocket will flood a trench below. When the rocket starts moving a few milliseconds later, all the umbilical arms will retract. The rocket will climb past its launch tower in just a few seconds.

At liftoff, the vehicle will produce roughly 8.8 million lbs. (4 million kilograms) of thrust to counteract the 6-million-lb. (2.7 million kg) weight of the launch stack.

Photo Credit: NASA

Launchpad checks

Engineers will spend several days making sure the rocket is ready for launch. Final safety checks will be performed, including a test to ensure that the spacecraft is cleared to leave Earth. Work crews can gain access to the spacecraft through a crew access arm, located a dizzying 300 feet (90 meters) above the ground.

One of the final steps involves loading cryogenic (very low-temperature) fuels onto the rocket to give it the required boost to leave Earth, and prepare the spacecraft for its ultimate destination: the moon.

Photo Credit: NASA

Rollout

As EM-1's launch date approaches, the 32-story Space Launch System â€" with the Orion spacecraft perched on top â€" will begin its rollout from Kennedy Space Center's Vehicle Assembly Building, the same location in which the Apollo rockets and space shuttles were prepared for launch.

On top of a crawler, the rocket and spacecraft will roll along a 4-mile (6.5 kilometers) crawlway at a top speed of 1 mph (1.6 km/h). When they reach the launchpad, the rocket and spacecraft will climb a ramp over the flame trench. Then, the rocket will be lowered onto the pad, and the crawler will roll away.

Space.com>Spaceflight

NASA's Exploration Mission 1: A Step-by-Step Return to the Moon in Pictures

By Elizabeth Howell
Space.com Contributor
November 2, 2017


Photo Credit: NASA

Returning to the Moon

NASA is getting ready to send humans back to the moon again. The agency â€" tasked by the Trump administration to land there â€" is preparing for an uncrewed test of its spacecraft out past low Earth orbit, called Exploration Mission 1 (EM-1). The mission is slated for 2019 and will test both the Orion spacecraft and the Space Launch System rocket that will bring it into space.

can't see the heart? then you don't have one.

the best defense there is. swat teams of the world, take note!

"It's better not to eat too much sugar so that you don't become obese," he said. "And if at the same time, you also decrease your risk of cancer, the better -- but this is something we cannot make a statement about at this moment."

If anything, he would suggest that cancer patients eat less simple sugars and more complex sugars, such as those found in starch and whole grains. Complex sugars are released more slowly and are taken up by the body more slowly, and this might be helpful to cancer patients.

"That would be our message," Thevelein said: "Try to look for alternative ways of providing sugar and energy to cancer patients rather than rapidly metabolized simple sugars."

http://edition.cnn.com/

Sugar can cause obesity which leads to cancer

Asked whether he believes that eating more sugar leads to more cancer, Thevelein immediately answered, "No! definitely not." He and his co-authors do not state that in the paper; instead, they explain how normal, healthy cells can handle sugar in a controlled way.

"On the other hand, we all know that when you eat a lot of sugar, you have a tendency -- that has been clearly shown -- to become more obese," Thevelein said. "And obesity is linked to a higher risk of cancer."

Though it's "too early to say," Thevelein said that when you eat too much sugar over a long time, "maybe this can also lead in some way to dysregulation of the RAS protein in the normal cells," and possibly it is this "dysregulation" that triggers RAS genes into becoming mutants.

Studies in breast cancer patients have compared low-carbohydrate diets to low-fat diets and found that the amount of weight people lost, not the diet itself, was important, Ligibel said. If it led to weight loss, either diet brought an identical lowering of sugar in the blood stream and an identical lowering of insulin.

"Whether you achieved that through one diet versus another didn't seem to be as important as the amount of weight you lost if you were overweight or obese," she said. Translated into practical advice for cancer patients: "If you have someone who is obese or overweight, helping them to lose weight is going to be an important thing. We know that from a lot of different lines of study.

"I think that sugar definitely contributes to weight gain. I think that sugar doesn't have a lot of nutritional value," Ligibel said. Still, cancer patients need to focus on maintaining a healthy weight by balancing exercise and the food they eat.

At the same time, studies that have tried to look at how eating sugar might be linked to cancer risk "have been much less consistent," she said. One large study of older US adults, for instance, did not find a relationship between the amount of sugar people ate and the risk of developing cancer.

Conversely, she noted, other studies show that people diagnosed with colon cancer who ate a higher proportion of their total calories in sugar had a higher risk of cancer recurrence -- but only for people who were already overweight and obese. Once again, how the body manages sugar -- and not the sweetener itself -- may be key.

"When we think about the relationship between sugar and cancer -- when we think about what drives the level of sugar in someone's body -- it's primarily related to their weight," Ligibel said.

When people are heavier, their bodies manage sugar differently than those of people who are lighter. This sugar management is what leads to type 2 diabetes, a disease in which blood sugar is high and levels of insulin, the hormone the body uses to manage blood sugar, begins to rise because the body becomes resistant to its effects.

"We've known for a while that having a higher blood sugar and having a higher level of insulin in your system are both linked to the risk of developing cancer," Ligibel said.

Eating sugar or too much weight?

Even though the researchers pinpointed some similarities between yeast and human cancer cells, Ligibel explained, "it's important to recognize we're a few steps away from even human cancer cells in a test tube."

The study showed only an increased rate of cell growth triggered by glucose, she said. Even though the team showed RAS pathways being activated, this "actually didn't result in the cells replicating more quickly," she said.

Still, the data are "incredible," said Ligibel, who is also an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. "This is really one of the first studies that's provided a biologic mechanism that could explain a relationship between glucose itself and cancer progression.

This cycle seen in yeast cells might help explain the aggressiveness of cancer.

"Very interesting," said Dr. Jennifer Ligibel, chairwoman of the American Society of Clinical Oncology's energy balance committee. Still, she urges caution in interpreting these findings.

"It's important to not make too many jumps into a patient message based on a study of yeast," she said.

The researchers found an intermediate compound that is a "potent activator" of the RAS protein. RAS is a proto-oncogene: a gene that codes for proteins that help to regulate cell growth and differentiation. Proto-oncogenes can become oncogenes or cancer-causing genes when mutations occur. Mutant forms of RAS proteins are present in many tumors, Thevelein said.

The new study, then, reveals "a vicious cycle," he said.

As sugar is broken down in cells, the intermediate compound activates the RAS proteins, and this in turn stimulates cell proliferation, he said.

Fermentation of sugar to lactic acid produces about 15 times less energy than respiration of sugar, Thevelein noted. Yet cancer cells "grow much more rapidly than normal cells, and yeast actually grows the fastest when they ferment," he noted.

"This is weird," he said, and it raises an important question: Is the Warburg effect a symptom of cancer -- or a cause of it?

Searching for the answer, Thevelein and his colleagues experimented with yeast cells since, just like cancer cells, they are known to favor fermentation over respiration.

Scientists understand that cancer cells support their rapid reproduction by rewiring their metabolisms to take glucose, ferment it and produce lactate.

Conversely, healthy cells continue with normal respiration, a process in which they take glucose and break it down into carbon dioxide and water.

This "switch of cancer cells from respiration to fermentation is something that was discovered by Otto Warburg, a German biochemist, about 70 or 80 years ago," said microbiologist Johan M. Thevelein, senior author of the study and a professor at KU Leuven in Belgium. It is known as "the Warburg effect."

Sugar and cancer: Is there a link?

By Susan Scutti, CNN
October 27, 2017

Story highlights

Healthy cells and cancer cells metabolize glucose differently

A cycle seen in yeast cells might help explain the aggressiveness of cancer

Eating sugar doesn't necessarily raise cancer risk, but obesity can

(CNN)Does sugar, which makes all things delicious, lead to cancer?

A biologic mechanism in yeast cells may explain the relationship between sugar and malignant tumors, according to a recent study published in the journal Nature Communications.

The nine-year research project may even influence personal medicine and diets for cancer patients, the authors concluded. The study begins by looking closely at cancer cells' appetite for sugar.

Quote from: hubag bohol on August 30, 2013, 07:10:50 AM

Philosopher cat pondering on the mystery and melancholy of hanging fish

Quote from: hubag bohol on October 30, 2017, 04:25:42 PM



Mystery and melancholy begone! 

pondering on the fish and the background, i philosophize that it's the same cat who has finally solved the sweet, oops, salty mystery of life.

Anyway, Carpio easily disposes of every substantive (very few) and procedural (very many) argument made by the majority. Says he: “Based on the Information itself, the accusation of illegal trade in drugs … is blatantly a pure invention. This Court, the last bulwark of democracy and liberty in the land, should never countenance such a fake charge. To allow the continued detention of petitioner under this Information is one of the grossest injustices ever perpetrated in recent memory in full view of the Filipino nation and the entire world.”

Free Leila de Lima!

http://opinion.inquirer.net/

In a word, his dissent was like a juggernaut that reduced to rubble any and all pretensions of the majority. I especially admired how he threw the ponente’s (and a lot of the majority’s) previous decisions in their facesâ€"where they repeatedly ruled that the Information must allege all the essential elements of the offense charged. Yet in the De Lima case, this was all ignored.

According to Carpio, “what is apparent is that the crime alleged in the Information [against De Lima] is Direct Bribery.” So why do the authorities insist on the latter? Simple, really. Direct bribery is bailable, and illegal drug trading is not. Remember, Mr. Duterte wanted her to “rot in jail.” See what I mean?

Let’s talk about that decision of the high court for a while. On the face of it, all four Duterte appointees and five of the six Arroyo appointees voted as a majority. And all five of the Aquino appointees plus the one other Arroyo appointee constituted the minority. So on that basis, it seemed the high court voted along “party lines.”

Be that as it may, to remove any of those nasty suspicions, I will quote only from the opinion of the lone justice who crossed party lines: Antonio Carpio. One cannot accuse him of bias: He voted with Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno (who had earlier nudged him out of the chief justice’s post) and against so many of his long-time colleagues in the high court. So what did Carpio’s dissent say?

Is the IPU bullying us, as Communications Secretary Martin Andanar claims? Of course not. Its human rights committee makes a report every year to the assembly about human rights violations against legislators (members of parliament). Last year it reported 456 cases all over the world. So we are not being singled out.

Why is De Lima being persecuted? She has been in police custody for eight months and counting, for the crime of trading in illegal drugs. But the Information offered by the Department of Justice against her, and which was the basis of the judge’s warrant of arrest, did not include any of the essential elements of that crime. It failed to identify who the buyers were, who the sellers were, what the product was, and when the deliveries and the payments for them took place. There was even no presentation of the corpus delicti (in this case, the illegal drugs traded). And yet the judge issued the warrant of arrest (that’s gross abuse in my book). And worse, the Supreme Court, by a vote of 9-6, gave its imprimatur. (This act evoked memories of the Supreme Court in the 1970s giving its imprimaturâ€"only 2 dissents out of 11.) Imprimatur to what? To the violation of De Lima’s constitutional right to know what she is charged with, and, as far as I am concerned, her right to justice.

GET REAL

One of the grossest injustices in recent memory

By: Solita Collas-Monsod
Philippine Daily Inquirer
October 28, 2017

Reader, I am obsessed with the case of Sen. Leila de Lima and her persecution by President Duterte and his minions. You should be, too, because if it can happen to the senator, the more it can happen to any of us: victims of blatant abuse of authority, victims of persecution through prosecution. Truly, this is exactly what happened during the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos (although he often didn’t bother to prosecute). But wait a minute. We are not under a dictatorship now, are we? So why is it happening?

And, it is obvious, the outside world is worried, too. The 128-year-old International Parliamentary Union (IPU), composed of 176 member-countries and 11 associates (regional assemblies), has made representations that the senator should be released because the charges seem baseless (false and incredible witnessesâ€"not the IPU’s language but mineâ€"SCM), and if that does not happen, it will send someone to attend and observe her trial.

Cancer with no warning signs


Your doctor will be able to diagnose any of your symptoms. | NanoStockk/iStock/Getty Images

There are a few cancers with no indicators at all. Pancreatic cancer may not show any signs until it has progressed to an advanced stage. Your doctor may recommend regular cancer screenings if you have a family history of the disease.

According to Healthline, despite the warning signs (or lack thereof), it’s impossible to know exactly how an individual might respond to a certain type of cancer, as the symptoms vary.

https://www.cheatsheet.com/

13. Pain


It is important to keep track of serious symptoms. | SIphotography/iStocks/Getty Images

According to the ACS, pain may be an early symptom with bone cancers or testicular cancer. A persistent headache that doesn’t get better with treatment could be a symptom of a brain tumor. Most often, pain due to cancer means it has already spread (metastasized) from where it started.

Unusually heavy and painful periods are a common sign of uterine cancer, and back pain can be an early sign of liver cancer. Many people don’t know that breast cancer can exhibit itself through back pain as well; the tumor may press backward and spread to your spine or ribs.

12. Unexplained anemia



Regular blood tests and checkups are important in prevention and early diagnosis. | Dontree_m/iStock/Getty Images

Anemia, a condition that results from a lack of red blood cells, leaves you feeling tired, weak, and lightheaded. Cancer can slow down your body’s ability to make red blood cells or interfere with your body’s ability to use already-stored iron.

Bone marrow cancers like leukemia and lymphoma commonly cause anemia. Cancers that lead to blood loss like gastrointestinal, urinary tract, cervical, and vaginal cancers can cause bleeding and lead to iron deficiency anemia.

11. Cramps or a frequent upset stomach


Ask your doctor about regular pain in your stomach. | Champja/iStock/Getty Images

If you’re experiencing cramps or a sick stomach, you may be exhibiting early signs of colorectal cancer. Cramps and stomach issues are common and can be a result of multiple mitigating factors, so it’s easy to ignore these symptoms.

See a doctor if you notice persistent stomach cramps or are suddenly, frequently nauseous. Gas, indigestion, cramping, and unexplained stomach pressure can all be a sign of ovarian cancer in women. Pain and cramping in the pelvis can be linked with leukemia, which enlarges the spleen.

10. Lumps


Your doctor can check for any lumps during regular checkups. | Bojan89/iStock/Getty Images

You know to check for lumps in your breasts or testicles as signs of breast or testicular cancer. However, persistent lumps that occur in the lymph glands in your throat, armpits, or groin are also a cause for concern.

Lumps can represent cancer or a swollen gland that’s related to cancer. While most are harmless, such as a benign cyst, any lumps or glands that remain swollen for three weeks should be evaluated.

9. Skin changes


If you notice any skin changes, let your doctor know. | Razyph/iStock/Getty Images

Noticeable changes are most often linked to skin cancer, however they can indicate other types of cancer as well. If you notice increased hair growth or jaundice, you may be at risk of adrenal and liver cancers respectively.

Changes in moles and skin pigmentation are a potential sign of skin cancer and still a cause for concern. Consult your doctor if you notice a mole is asymmetrical, has irregular borders, gets darker, or grows.

8. Chronic cough


Could it be more than just a cough? | Samotrebizan/iStock/Getty Images

A chronic cough or chest pain usually indicate a common infection like bronchitis or sinusitis. If the symptoms persist longer than a month, they could indicate a more serious disease. Leukemia and lung tumors show symptoms that can mimic a bad cough or bronchitis. Some patients also report a chest pain that extends to the shoulder and down their arm.

If you notice an ongoing cough or produce blood in coughed-up mucus, see a doctor immediately. It could be a sign of lung or neck cancer.

7. Nail changes


Pay close attention to any changes in your nail health. | MichalLudwiczak/iStock/Getty Images

Melanoma, the deadliest type of skin cancer, begins in 1% of Caucasian patients and 20% of African American patients as a brown stripe underneath the nail. Pale or white nails can be a sign of liver cancer. “Clubbing”, the enlargement of the fingers and nails that curve down over the tips, can be a sign of lung cancer.

6. Indigestion and difficulty swallowing


Watch out for these signs. | Champja/iStock/Getty Images

Both of these issues may indicate esophagus, stomach, or throat cancers. Dysphagia, the term for difficulty swallowing, is the most common sign of esophageal cancer.

The ACS explains how you may be unknowingly adapting to dysphagia and ignoring the early signs of throat cancer. “When swallowing becomes harder, people often change their diet and eating habits without realizing it. They take smaller bites and chew their food more carefully and slowly. As the cancer grows larger, the problem can get worse.”

5. Unexplained weight loss or weight gain


Your appetite can say a lot about your current state of health. | Ensuria/iStock/Getty images

According to the ACS, many undiagnosed cancer patients unexpectedly lose 10 or more pounds as a result of the disease. This may be the very first sign of cancer. As cancer cells begin to attack your healthy ones, your body may respond by losing weight. Unexplained weight loss is a sign cancer has spread to the liver, affecting your appetite and the body’s ability to get rid of waste.

Cancer-associated weight loss is most prominent in cancers of the esophagus, lungs, pancreas, and stomach. Ovarian cancer patients report unexplained and ongoing stomach weight gain or bloating.

4. Excessive bruising


If you are concerned about bruises, let your doctor know. | iStock.com

Finding a black and blue bump following a scrape or fall is rarely a reason to worry. If you start to notice bruises popping up consistently or in strange places (think hands, fingers, and toes), you may want to get them looked at.

Excessive or unusual bruising can be a sign of leukemia, according to Cancer Treatment Centers of America. Leukemia cells block out red blood cells, hindering their ability to carry oxygen, which leads to blood clotting.

3. Loss of appetite


You might have lost your appetite. | Lolostock/iStock/Getty Images Plus

A lack of appetite or feeling full without eating are key signs of ovarian cancer. Stomach, pancreatic, and colon cancers can also can put pressure on your stomach and make you feel too full to eat. According to WebMD, consult with your physician if you notice a change in your appetite that lasts two weeks or longer.

According to the ACS, symptoms of stomach cancer like appetite loss often don’t appear until the disease has advanced. Only about 1 in 5 stomach cancers in the U.S. is found at an early stage, before it has spread to other areas of the body.

2. Frequent infection


Your immune system might be trying to tell you something. | iStock.com

Infection is frequently a sign of leukemia, a cancer of the blood cells that starts in bone marrow. It causes the marrow to produce abnormal white blood cells that hinder your body’s infection-fighting abilities.

Both cancer itself and cancer treatments like chemotherapy weaken your immune system, leaving it more prone to infections. Infections can start anywhere in the body but common sites are the mouth, skin, and lungs.

1. Fatigue


Your constant fatigue could be a sign of something more serious. | G-stockstudio/iStock/Getty Images

Fatigue is an early warning sign of cancer. Unexplained exhaustion is the most common sign of the disease, and Johns Hopkins Medicine listed it as a key sign of cancer you shouldn’t ignore. Cancer-related fatigue is different than normal tiredness; it isn’t a result of activity and can’t be fixed by sleep.

Tiredness may be related to the blood loss from other cancers like leukemia and lymphoma. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), fatigue is extremely prevalent in leukemia patients.

Early Warning Signs Cancer Is Growing Inside Your Body

Emma Bleznak
October 27, 2017

An estimated 1.6 million cases of cancer were diagnosed in the U.S. last year and nearly one-third of those cases were estimated to be fatal. It’s no secret that all kinds of cancer wage war on your body and have plenty of detrimental side effects.

It’s estimated that thousands of deaths could be avoided each year if the cancer is diagnosed early; some cancers’ survival rates increase by over 70% when detected and treated early. Here are some key early warning signs that may indicate cancer (No. 7 seems so innocent).

The barb wire symbolizes the impunity of the Marcos dictatorship. The watch symbolizes the extravagance, especially of Imelda Marcos.

Remember the Marcos myth â€" si Malakas at Maganda?

That should be changed to â€" si Marahas at Mapurot â€" ugly and undesirable.

09 February 2014
https://www.raissarobles.com/

I would now like to show you two souvenirs from that era.

On the night the Marcoses fled Malacanang Palace, my husband scrambled over the gates of Malacanang. But before that, he took this piece from the barb wire outside Malacanang.

Marcos was afraid of his own people.

This is what I call my “Macky watch.” It’s a gold watch that was given to guests during his birthday celebration in 1977. It was given to me by a dear friend.

And we need to engage the Marcos lovers online, by vigorously challenging their delusions and their attempts to erase history.

The Marcoses destroyed our country and now they are covering up for their crimes.

Please note that during Martial Law, a seminar like this would have been impossible. All of us would have been arrested within an hour.

That we are speaking freely now is a testament to how far we have gone in our democracy. That we are still talking about the Marcoses’ probable comeback to center stage shows how dangerously we are regressing and forgetting.

What we can do as Filipinos

My husband, who is also a journalist, has repeatedly pointed out to me that Berlin has a documentation center for Nazi crimes. We need to have the same that document what the Marcoses did: especially the actual records of torture, Amnesty International reports of that era and first-person accounts from all sides, including those of the Marcoses.

My husband has compiled a short list of sources in his satirical website hotmanila.ph. But he has been unable to work on it. Hotmanila is the oldest satirical site, put up 14 years ago. It broke the story on the Love Bug virus.

A Berliner told me last October that school children are told of Hitler’s crimes. The Marcos crimes should be written down as well â€" in black and white â€" in our history books.

Besides writing such books, academics can compile â€" online and offline â€" a list of credible references about Martial Law. A historiography of Martial law.

Associate Justice Artemio Panganiban who penned the decision wrote then that:

“The waiver of all claims against the Marcoses would be a virtual warrant for all public officials to amass public funds illegally, since there is an option to compromise their liabilities in exchange for only a portion of their ill-gotten wealth.”

That is the message of Marcos to all politicians, actually. If you must steal, steal big.

A third reason, I believe, why Marcos has been rehabilitated and the Marcoses are back in power is the kind of leadership we have had since 1992 â€" or six years after the Marcos  fall. As soon as President Fidel Ramos warmed his seat in Malacañang, plans were afoot to forge a compromise settlement with the Marcoses.

By 1993, one was drawn up and it went something like this: 75% of the Marcos loot would go to the government. But the Marcos family would keep 25%, tax free. All their cases would be dropped. And who’s to say what the total loot really was.

Just think. If the late Atty. Frank Chavez had not petitioned the Supreme Court to stop this deal, the Marcoses would have walked off with billions of pesos, no sweat.

President Joseph Estrada, who succeeded Marcos Ramos, tried to push the same deal. Fortunately in December 1998 the Supreme Court threw out the deal and all future talks of compromise.