MikeLigalig.com

I hate depression. Though it is a medical condition and is caused by enzymatic imbalances within the neural system, the manifestation of the actions of people with clinical depression makes me hate the idea, the concept of depression.

I hate it how it took my best friend from me. I hate it how it ruined our senior year of college in that it took away a person that was part of our lives. A big gaping hole was left in our lives and it has already been imprinted in my mind and my friends' minds of the devastation of depression and suicide.

Depression and Suicide is a bad combination and what is worse are individuals who are severely clinically depressed and do not show it. Those who hide their feelings behind smiles, behind laughs, but deep inside, deep down they are suffering massive internal conflict.

When one takes his or her own life; they might think that by doing it they sever themselves from their pain. It is an act of selfishness. Because they, by their act, ruin the lives of their families, their friends, their loved ones. Because it is the living who have to deal and cope with death. The dead no longer feel; their bodies no longer feel sensation, their mind no longer operates. Their bodies are but shells. The soul has already left.


Think about your mother, your father, your brothers, your sisters, your cousins, your grandparents, your friends, your girlfriends,  your boyfriends, your husbands your wives. Your Children.

Be brave, be confident. If you have a problem, talk it over. Find a friend to talk to, find a councilor to talk to, find a priest to talk to, find a minister to talk to.

Go to church and pray. Pray hard, pray until your tears fall from your eyes. For Our Father in Heaven is NEVER EVER deaf to our prayers. For HE who even knows what we are thinking about every single moment of our lives, nothing is too much or too small for HIM.

For me, Depression and the Thoughts of Suicide are of the Devil. You must fight it. You must rise above the occasion and bear the cross that you have been given. Bear it with pride, bear it with confidence. Bear it with faith.

Christ Have Mercy On All of US.

Did basic auto maintenance today on my Mitsubishi. Changed oil filter, changed and filled radiator coolant, windshield wiper installments, windshield fluid, added more power steering fluid. Then general clean up/vacuuming of my SUV. Interior clean up.

She looks like brand new again.

Honest

Leo

Let us all forgive and move on

Orchid Extraordinaire

Ms. Orchids

Historian-Businessman

Mr. Rald Ampong

imagination

I can't stand women that nag constantly.

Definitely a turn off and a pet peve.

For me it sends chills down my spine to know that there are priests in every single diocese that is trained in demonology and trained to combat demonic possession.

There is a specific college for Priests in the Vatican that trains priests and educates them on this matter.

For me, I don't know how some of the priests that have battled such demons can sleep at night. The things that they know.

Yup Yup! It's getting dark early again.

I cannot take the Russians seriously or even fear them. They bully a nation as puny as Georgia that doesn't even have a military force worthy of being feared.

The Russian's activities in Georgia is nothing new; typical of the Russians to bully smaller neighbors that do not have the capability of defending itself.

Russia, found itself in a quagmire this time, however. They thought that the West wouldn't care. Worst, they thought that the United States wouldn't intervene.

The United States and the entire EU and the NATO fold responded aggressively even so much as to cancel total communication with Russia. Immediately, Russia agreed to start talks of ceasefire and eventual military withdrawal.

--

The situation in Georgia is more complex than what media portrays it. The only reason why the Russians had the audacity to invade Georgia is because Russia fears loosing its hegemonity in the region to the United States.

The United States and Georgia have already agreed to a missile defense shield to be installed. This installation, will effectively place an umbrella over Georgia. Both Poland and Georgia have agreed to American requests for installment of the missile shield system.

Now that Russia invaded, this will only fuel greater American-Georgian cooperation and strengthened military friendship.

Also one needs to understand why the Russians ceased their aerial bombardment of Georgia after 4 days of combat.

REASON

The United States agreed to send humanitarian aid to Georgia and with this, included an American naval task group, including 3 Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyers, which changed the situation dramatically. These Arleigh Burke class Destroyers have complete missile range of the whole territory of Georgia and the Russians don't have anything that can stop them. The Russians canceled all aerial bombardment because the American Navy has a policy called 'Total Defense' meaning that any foreign, Un-allied fighter plane that is within a 100 mile radius of the Destroyers will be shot down. The Destroyers that were sent to the Georgian Coast covers most of the territory of Georgia and thus forced the Russians to cancel all flying sorties.

Russia Fears American Naval Power.

No USN ship commander will allow possible enemy planes to get close to his ship, that is why those destroyers were sent there. They will be just there patrolling the coast and shooting down every "OSETIAN PLANE" in their range smile. And Russian missile cruisers will be forced to leave Georgian waters. Now that Ukraine is denying Russian docking ships from their port in Odessa; Russia is already hindered in its military options.

The Russians have ceased military activity because the United States' Mediterranean Fleet is active and if the United States sends an Air Craft Carrier into the region; it will include a support ships of at least 5-6 destroyers, 1-2 cruisers, squadrons of submarines and support transport ships.

The United States will then 'neutralize' any 'South Ossentian forces' A.K.A Russian troops and convoys.

The Russians talk big talk. And exercise their military muscle; but whenever the USA gets involved, the Russians silence themselves remarkably. LoL

To what extent do you believe Violence to be a part of Culture? For instance, can we say that a culture is violent? OR is Violence some sort of extraordinary thing, outside of Culture?

This is an argument that has formed within anthropology and History, where some believe that Violence is harbored within a specific culture. Empiricist Historians would, perhaps, suggest that German culture in certain periods was filled with violence. Others believe that this is a misconception and that there is no connection between culture and violence, they are mutually exclusive.

What is your view on the matter?

hahaha, i'll have to add that in my 'to-do' list, JanJan.

Oh i bet it was, 'te. It must be a great site especially during this time of the year.

The leaves here are beginning to change colors already..

motion

LoL,

I've never heard of Marmaduke the spoiled dog. Na'ay picture ani, 'te?

Thats one awesome name tho. Marmaduke.

It is a polar bear; the only reason why the bear is limited to 1km in the said direction because that is the area of the North Pole.

The North Pole and arctic region is the natural niche of the polar bears; they evolved in that region.

Zurich, Germany

One favorite character is Magneto from X-MEN.

He can fly, and all metal objects are under his whim.

Nature-Lover

Ate Belle

How was the lake today, 'te? Sounds like you guys had a busy busy day.

His Imperial Japanese Majesty's Infantry
(late 19th century)


Japanese Officers


General Katsura Tarō in 1886


Imperial Army Uniforms; used during Sino-Japanese War and Russo-Japanese Wars

Jang, if it starts raining over there, just go outside and run around.

Run free, run wild! Hahaha Very exhilarating baya.

Just beware of the lightnings.

Perfect!

Next: Greek Deity


_ _H_ _ A

Mexican Imperial Army (1821-1845)


Before the Mexican-American War.


early 19th century uniforms


Soldado Cuera (Mexican Light Cavalry)
Note; the Uniforms the Mexican Empire used are exactly the same uniforms that was worn by Royal Spanish Army before the Independence of Mexico.


Mexican Cavalry; Image of General Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón.


Mexican Grenadiers


Mexican Cavalry

Prussian Imperial Army (German)




Prussian-Austrian Grenadiers charge forward. During Napoleonic Wars


Prussian Officer w/ Banner


Prussian Dragoon


Prussian Light Cavalry Scout

British Uniforms during the British-American War of Independence of 1776



British Grenadiers attack the redoubt on Breed's Hill.  A highly stylised picture
that does not portray the reality of the turnout or drill of British troops of the time.



An Officer of His British Majesty's Army.
Note** this is Major General John “Gentleman Johnnie”
Burgoyne at the Battle of Saratoga

The Infantry-Ground Units

His British Majesty's Royal Infantry
(early 19th century attire)




British Dragoon Unit


The French Imperial Infantry


French Heavy Cavalry


French Infantry


French Cabinineers


His Imperial Spanish Majesty's Army
(early to mid 19th century)




His Spanish Majesty's Light Dragoon


Royal Army Uniforms

(more to come)

This thread will illustrate the uniforms, the weapons, and faces of the soldiers of major Empires of the World.

History, politics, and the lot will be discussed in relation to the soldiers at hand. Feel free, ladies and gentlemen, to take part in this thread.

Answer: Unmoved


Next: Thinking

_ _ A _ _

Some SUVs that I like:


Range Rover


Volvo XC60


Nissan Murano

An apple a day?

Well, that's one great source of Vitamin A, B and C.

ABCs. haha.

hahaha!

Morag hot oven, diay, 'te?

Fall here we come!

Here's another one.

High Heels. I had a student come to my Molecular Biology Lab last year wearing stiletto high heels. She was all decked out; make up and an attractive perfume scent whose name alludes me.

I, being the Lab instructor in class, noticed that most of the men in class were staring at her.

I mean, seriously, we all know how attractive high heels are on a woman, but there are places where even heels aren't necessary.

Experience tells me that when you go apple picking, don't forget to bring a helmet.

Sometimes, an apple manages to fall on one's head.

So better to come prepared, eh? eh? hahaha!

No, but I'll have to check it out.

Cheers!

Women can be a distraction for me. Especially when I give presentations and lectures, if a woman enters a room, I cannot help but look.

Hahaha, what a man!

Excellent points, Sir.

True, of course; capitalism as a form of activity has always had some place in most societies. But historically, that place has always been marginal; capitalist activity has been much more the exception than the rule. Weber wanted to investigate why the exception suddenly became the rule in the society of modern Europe. Why did an economic form that had traditionally been confined to corners of society come, in the relatively brief space of a few centuries, to define the activity of a whole civilization?

"I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins. Put Me in remembrance; let us contend together; state your case, that you may be acquitted."

-Isaiah 43:25-26

AND

"Come now and let us reason together," says the Lord,
"Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow."
Isaiah 1:18

Lord,

Thank you for making me imperfect, so that I may work and strive to be perfect, Like My father in Heaven

Thank You, Heavenly Father, for giving me the whit to understand when I am wrong,
so that I may learn from those who have more years than I and have more experiences than I.

Almighty Father, Thank You for giving me hardships in life, so that I know what it means to strive and to fight for what one believes in. Nothing is ever easy, and I know this, as even our Savior and Redeemer Himself, God Blessed Forever, died and suffered for the Love and the SALVATION of Man.

Eternal Father, thank you for instilling within me a FEAR of YOU. So that I may always remember my place in this world. Am but living ash. Of the Mud of the Earth. And like all mankind, shall return to the ashes of the Earth.

Forgiving Father, You who even hears the cries and prayers of a small child, thank you for teaching me all that I have learned and all that I will learn in the future. Grant me the grace to understand what I can; to help and change what can be helped. And the strength to accept the things that I cannot understand and change.


The Choirs of the Celestial Angels and Saints Sing Glory to Your Most Mighty Name!
Glorious Father!

I wish to be your tears
The tears that comforted me after my dark year of wandering
The tears that prayed with fervent passion in solitude
The tears that came upon me with a radiant smile and soft voice
Tears like the morning dew made after a long eternity's wait
Tears which I can embrace with my small heart
I yearn to share the love You showed
When You saved me in the lion's lair
Protected me from the valley of death
Led me in the desolate wilderness
Shined upon me in the dark world
I wish to share the love You shared with me in times of despair
I want to walk in your path
Though it may be rough, Though it may be painful
Though I may encounter storms of hardship, the sorrow of parting
I believe in Your peace
I have faith in Your blessing
I wish to walk in the path You walked, bearing the cross in solitude

The pleasure is all mine, Beloved GEC.

Though I admire Mr. Matig-a's romanticism and almost Virgin-esque article on indigenous Malay cultural discourse. I find it quite nostalgic of a time prior to Europeanization of the Philippines, and the very diction he uses in his paper bears testament to a feeling of Pan-Austroasiaticism.

As romantic and colorful as it is, it remains anything but historical without any proper historical citation. And in this world of professionalism and academic discourse, the paper remains only as the writer's personal dream.

Whatever information and history the Philippines did have prior to Hispanization has been alluded to us due to the assimilatory processes. As titanic as it is to loose one's proper indigenous history, for us to conjure and create what if scenarios is no help.

If Mr. Matig-a wishes to divulge more about pre-Hispanic culture, I suggest he visit the Royal Colleges in Madrid and read the thousands upon thousands of written articles and journals that the Spanish priests, monks, and explorers documented about the Filipino native and the Philippines during the epoch of Conquistadad in the archipelago.

The Spaniards were not the type to eradicate information and history, on the contrary, Spaniards have documented massive amount of information on Meso-American cultures and ways of life during their arrival in the New World. And their writings, as primary sources, have proven invaluable to many Historians in the field of Latin American History, Hispanic Colonial Discourse, and Hispanic National Growth etc (to name but a few).

It is not a question of history being wiped out totally, nay, it is a question of the lack of Filipinos acquiring information about their past. Many Filipinos do not even read or talk in the Spanish Vernacular anymore. This is an impediment when one is trying to acquire more historical information about the Philippines because all of the historical papers that are in Madrid were written in old Spanish.

The information, the history, is there. It is accessible. It just requires a mastery of Spanish and Old Spanish Vernacular.

Good Luck and Good Hunting.

Cheers,
Lorenzo 

Do you believe that evil exists in the world?Or, is this just a medieval/religious concept still employed out of "fear" of the unknown or inexplicable?

Share your view, please.

Weber believed that a society is shaped by it religious thought, not vice-versa, as Marx believed. Drawing on this principle, he believed Protestantism to be responsible for the birth of Capitalism. In essence there are two peculiarities about Protestantism, especially within Calvinism, that reinforce each other and help to create a Capitalist mentality. Asceticism, when coupled with the idea of predestination, seems to encourage the saving of capital. If a man believes his destiny to be predetermined, yet believing himself also to be good, he will behave virtuously (that is, ascetically) in his yearning to confirm his eventual entrance into heaven.

This seems pretty straightforward yet it has nonetheless been met by opposition. An English scholar by the name of Richard Tawney contests the causal relationship between religion and economics. He points to empirical evidence revealing a Protestant repudiation of Capitalism over the course of history.

Which side do you agree with? Firstly, does religion shape society or society shape religion? Secondly, is the protestant ethic responsible for capitalism or are other, more important variables at play?

Remark #2

The theory of natural selection is that, in a changing environment those organisms that have traits which gives them some sort of survival advantage in that environment will gain an egde over both other organisms within their species and in general gain an edge for their species over others. Because of this advantage, they will be survive more, and reproduce more. Thus, in an environment there will always be traits that are more dominant than others.

This is no different from today. Our environment has changed because we changed it, but there are still certain traits that are advantageous to those within our civilizations. Being physically strong is still considered advantageous, and while being weak can be easily overcome with an able mind or skill in some useful area, having a kind of physical/mental defect or illness will usually result in a death earlier than those who are healthier and their inability to reproduce. Also, intelligence is something that is very suitable for our environment, for it will allow you to really make something of yourself and will attract many more suitors/mates.

However, natural selection is not the only kind of selection that functions, at least not if you believe everything in Darwin's theory. He also argued for an artificial selection and a sexual selection. The former is a theory that, at best, only works within specific confines and never won over many adherents. Sexual selection, however, is something that I think has become much more prevalent with the advancement of our civilization. It has gotten to the point where our survival, even if you are somehow deficient in the 'survival of the fittest' way, is not nearly as big an issue as it would be in the past and so sexual selection - reproduction/choice is based more on sexually appealing traits rather than those better able to survive - has become more and more dominant. Still, a lot of people have argued that 'attractive' qualities in a mate are based on survival instincts; i.e., a woman with curves is seen as attractive, but biologically speaking the greater the ratio between chest, waist and hip (there's a name for the measurement, I just cant recall it) the better able they will be to bear children.

So all I think has happened is that human beings have become able to control their environments because of the advancement of civilization, and so they are to some extent able to control the function of natural selection, making it a bit more artificial if you will.

Has Civilization Halted Natural Selection In Humans?, Simple Question, Hard to Answer.

I can think of three arenas where natural selection could take place:

1. Physical: This would be attributes such as running faster to escape predators, reaching higher for fruit on trees, etc. It would seem to me that natural selection for humans has come to a halt in this arena. Also, medicine has advanced to the point that the unhealthy individuals still get a good chance to reproduce.

2. Intelligence: One would think that reproductive success would depend on one being more able to creatively solve survival problems. The individuals who can get the competitive edge would be more successful, right? However it seems that just the opposite is true - more successful individuals seem to reproduce less. This is something that is seen often in civilized societies.

3. Socialization: Here is a potential candidate. Those individuals who are more adept at creating social networks may have a greater reproductive success.

I realize the potential for turning this into a discussion about eugenics and class issues. I don't want to go there. I'm just thinking of whether humans are at an evolutionary dead end because our civilization seems set up to favor cooperation rather than competition.

what do you think?

No deal. The question brings about basic principles of mores and ethos. To 'deal' is not only in itself cruel, but barbaric in nature.

Absolutely inhumane.

It is totally un-Hippocratic.

Bacteria Make Major Evolutionary Shift In The Lab, A major evolutionary innovation has unfurled right in front of researchers


A major evolutionary innovation has unfurled right in front of researchers' eyes. It's the first time evolution has been caught in the act of making such a rare and complex new trait.

And because the species in question is a bacterium, scientists have been able to replay history to show how this evolutionary novelty grew from the accumulation of unpredictable, chance events.

Twenty years ago, evolutionary biologist Richard Lenski of Michigan State University in East Lansing, US, took a single Escherichia coli bacterium and used its descendants to found 12 laboratory populations.

The 12 have been growing ever since, gradually accumulating mutations and evolving for more than 44,000 generations, while Lenski watches what happens.

Profound change
Mostly, the patterns Lenski saw were similar in each separate population. All 12 evolved larger cells, for example, as well as faster growth rates on the glucose they were fed, and lower peak population densities.

But sometime around the 31,500th generation, something dramatic happened in just one of the populations â€" the bacteria suddenly acquired the ability to metabolise citrate, a second nutrient in their culture medium that E. coli normally cannot use.

Indeed, the inability to use citrate is one of the traits by which bacteriologists distinguish E. coli from other species. The citrate-using mutants increased in population size and diversity.

"It's the most profound change we have seen during the experiment. This was clearly something quite different for them, and it's outside what was normally considered the bounds of E. coli as a species, which makes it especially interesting," says Lenski.

Rare mutation?
By this time, Lenski calculated, enough bacterial cells had lived and died that all simple mutations must already have occurred several times over.

That meant the "citrate-plus" trait must have been something special â€" either it was a single mutation of an unusually improbable sort, a rare chromosome inversion, say, or else gaining the ability to use citrate required the accumulation of several mutations in sequence.

To find out which, Lenski turned to his freezer, where he had saved samples of each population every 500 generations. These allowed him to replay history from any starting point he chose, by reviving the bacteria and letting evolution "replay" again.

Would the same population evolve Cit+ again, he wondered, or would any of the 12 be equally likely to hit the jackpot?

Evidence of evolution
The replays showed that even when he looked at trillions of cells, only the original population re-evolved Cit+ â€" and only when he started the replay from generation 20,000 or greater. Something, he concluded, must have happened around generation 20,000 that laid the groundwork for Cit+ to later evolve.

Lenski and his colleagues are now working to identify just what that earlier change was, and how it made the Cit+ mutation possible more than 10,000 generations later.

In the meantime, the experiment stands as proof that evolution does not always lead to the best possible outcome. Instead, a chance event can sometimes open evolutionary doors for one population that remain forever closed to other populations with different histories.

Lenski's experiment is also yet another poke in the eye for anti-evolutionists, notes Jerry Coyne, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Chicago. "The thing I like most is it says you can get these complex traits evolving by a combination of unlikely events," he says. "That's just what creationists say can't happen."

Journal reference: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0803151105)
http://www.newscientist.com/channel/life/d...in-the-lab.html

Quote from: bonbonquest on June 21, 2008, 10:02:30 PM
hahahaha!... that video really sucks... big time... the face.. the camera angle (even if Ted was the one shooting it)... Jesat's face is often pressed against the camera-- so much so that the poor audio-video synchronization is made obvious...

plus, the clips of the "young achievers" suck bigtime...hahaha!

you may say I'm "maldito" for saying this... well, I really am, but that's beside the point... i'm just being completely honest here... the fact is, it really sucks... hahahahaha!

and by the way, the "hahaha" interjections aren't sarcastic... i really am laughing (genuinely) right now while typing this...

Sometimes civility is the best option.

If you don't have anything positive to say, why share it.

Be professional. Show some class.

I nominate the esteemed Dr. Zaldy Omandan Buac, M.D., F.A.C.S.

Dr. Buac was among 1,186 initiates from around the world who became fellows of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) during convocation ceremonies at the college’s recent 92nd annual clinical congress in Chicago. Dr. Buac is a graduate of Cebu Institute of Medicine (C.I.M).

Dr. Buac has a strong professional interest in General Surgery and holds membership in other professional societies, including Diplomate Board of Surgery; Fellow Philippine College or Surgeons Fellow, Philippine Society of General Surgeons; Philippine Medical Association; Bohol Medical Society.

Only the best of the best of Surgeons are ever admitted into the ACS and are conferred the title of F.A.C.S. (Fellow, American College of Surgeons).

Only excellence in the field of Surgery can lead to membership.

It is not everyday that a surgeon is admitted into the ACS; not to mention a Boholano Surgeon!


More Power to you, Dr. Buac, M.D!!

Dili pood diay mo offer ang government sa subsidies sa hospitals?

Asthma: precipitating factors for acute attack
DIPLOMAT:

Drugs (aspirin, NSAIDs, beta blockers, etc)
Infections (URTI/LRTI)
Pollutants (at home, at work)
Laughter(emotion)
Oesophageal reflux (nocturnal asthma)
Mites
Activity and exercise
Temperature (cold)

Did you know that over half of all the peoples in the world worship the same One God?

Christians, Jews, Muslims. All worship the same God. The God of Abraham/Ibrahim.

Bitaw no? These gas companies are making fools of us, 'te. They fluctuate prices of oil so much that we even appreciate prices that are over $3.

I can still remember back in 1998 when gas prices were still $1.10 per gallon.

haha, 'te, you don't like the cold diay?

I love making snow angels jud, 'te, and especially making igloo houses and snow men.

Gotta love snow fights.

Today I met and talked to some fellow medical students. We're all getting ready for orientation to start; they made jokes about my 'bones' lol.

Well I named my skeletal model as 'Mr. Boney' so jokes were circulated around hahahaha.

There is a cute girl in my anatomy lab group tho. Beautiful kaayo bajiha.

Lami i-kisson. hahaha

lol, GEC.

You always find a way to brighten even the morose of situations, threads.

Love it!

What a handsome name, indeed, kanang Calixto Ariston y Diosdada Vallar.

The Blessed Santo Nino

I don't like it how certain women have irresistible lips. Making even the serious of men buckle with internal turmoil.

To kiss or Not to kiss.



Woman is man's greatest weakness.

Suicidal thoughts are caused by clinical depression.

Please, those of you who are thinking of it, please seek clinical counseling. I lost my best friend last year when he committed suicide. He hid his depression from us and he hid it so well.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Don't you ever give up. When the going gets tough, the tough get going!

There is so much to live for.

Did you know that there are more insects in a single square mile of fertile soil than there are people on the entire earth.

Did you know that 2 is called the "oddest" Even Prime-number. 2 is a unique Even Prime because all Even-numbers are divisible by 2. But any number apart from 2 that is divisible by 2, is not a Prime.

Did you know that Human brains perceive time as linear, and space in three dimensions. But it’s a scientific fact that reality is far more complicated. Perhaps there are ten other dimensions. Gravity is a bending of space-time, whatever that means. How about the forward arrow of time? Is it a feature of reality, or just a point of view? How would a human brain sort out the difference? It’s like trying to fit the ocean in a teacup.

The Heart is responsible for bringing in oxygenated air into the bloodstream and oxygenating the blood; then sending that oxygenated blood throughout the entire body.

What role do these play?

1. Superior Vena Cava
and
2. Inferior Vena Cava 

Quote from: -<GEC348>- on August 21, 2008, 07:09:18 PM



Did you know that when time does not exist that's already eternity?

Never thought about that before.

Gace prices went down again. $3.25

Winter. Cold and snow winters.

I love blizzards, I love snow, I love shoveling snow, I love rolling around snow, I love the feel and sight of snowing and sun, I love having a nice warm cup of capuccino w/ marshmallows as I stand outside in the snowy setting.

I love the cold wind in my face. Love it jud.

Quote from: ms da binsi on August 22, 2008, 04:39:14 AM


I feel the same way Dodong. I would like to retire in the Scandenavian Continent, somewhere out there!(dili kanta ha?) but if cant ill just stick right here. Im loving the serenity here in my town, nothing feels like it.

Agree jud ko nimo Ate Belle. I mean I only lived in Philippines for give or take 4 years as a child. I grew up here sa 'States and am so acclimated to the weather and temperature here. I like it how its cool and cold sa fall, and cold and snowy sa winter, cool and breezy sa spring and warm and humid sa summer.

I like the 4 seasons jud diri. I don't think I could take a constant summer-like pattern of 80 degrees constantly.

Am not used to it.

Plus, when I'm older, I don't think I want to just lantaw-lantaw in the heat in Philippines uy. Very unealthy baya na for the elderly. Instead of walking around in old dotage, dili mo lakaw kai init rakaayo kai maka heat stroke. Mo sit inside ra lang sa AC room. Dili jud na productive.

I agree with you bitaw, 'te.

Hahaha, classic man gud! I find classic names so romantic jud.

Ahong great great great Lolo galing...his name was Ecsecal Del Torrero.

Kuyaw kaayo!

People in the past had more defined, sophisticated names than now, I think.

A net of 8k a month? They should seriously repair the medical situation in the Philippines. Increasing the salary of our nurses would be incentive to keep more nurses in the country.

Pray I ask, can you enlighten us about the synopsis of 'Trans formative Communications' ?

Interested lang ko.

Cheers.

I am praying for those who are injured, and those who have passed on.

Lord, comfort their families. Console them O Lord.

All Glories and All Praises are Yours, Mighty Father.
Through You, who created everything.
Eternal Loving Father, you giveth and you taketh.
Have Mercy on Us, Father.

This we pray in the Name of your Most Beloved Son,
Christ Jesus, God Blessed Forever.


Amen!

If only we could, I would want to go to the Throne of Our Heavenly Papa, I would give him a big hug and never want to leave from his sight.

The Love of the Father of Fathers IS truly incomparable to anything.

Littman Complete Surgical Kit.

The Knights of the English Lion


With the full might of England's army gathered before the besieged Stirling Castle, Edward II, Plantagenate, is confident of victory. To the west of Bannockburn, Robert Bruce, King of Scots, kneels to pray with his men and commends his soul to God. Patiently awaiting the coming onslaught in tightly packed schiltroms, his spearmen and archers are well prepared for battle. Unknown to the English, the open marsh of no man's land conceals hidden pits and calthrops, major obstacles for any mounted charge. Despite Clifford's and Beaumont's premature and unsuccessful attempt to relieve Stirling the day before, years of victory have caused the brave English knights to regard their Scottish foes with contempt. So, without waiting for the 'flower of the forest' (archers) to weaken the enemy formations, the order is hurriedly given to attack!



English Heavy Cavalry; 13th century armour


English Heavy Cavalry; 16th century armour


Royal Armour; King Henry VIII's armour. Armour of His British Majesty!

That is true, Leo. As History is written by the victors, am I right? However, it is up to the individual to make an informed decision based on historical facts that have been researched, approved by an Academic Board that verifies and scrutinizes accuracy of said anthropological, philosophical, historical, ethnological context.

Les anyone can just fabricate anything without any proper sources. And individuals, with  no knowledge of history and historiographical processes will, unfortunately, take and digest the said 'speculation' and 'what ifs' by certain individuals as facts.

This, to me, and to many academicians within Historical community, is a grave depravity to the common man. Because this is more destructive.

So I tell everyone, keep on reading, keep on researching.

Understand both sides of the prism. Make a decision afterwards.



Carpe Diem!

Beautiful creatures. One thing is clear, from species of animal to another, the Mother is always the one important to the child.

From feeding it, teaching it survival tactics, running, and physical support.

It is so beautiful how even in the woods, things are already ordered and organized in its own way.

From the lowliest shrub, to the Mama Deer and her doe.

Grace Is


1 Peter 2:19-21
19 This is indeed a grace, if for consciousness of God anyone endures sorrows, suffering unjustly.
20 For what is the glory if, when you sin and are buffeted, you endure it? But if, when you do right and suffer, you take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
21 Unto this, indeed, you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example that you may follow in his steps.

Amen! Brother Leo.

Amen, Amen!

Jn 6:32, 35, 51
32 "Truly, truly, I say to you, It was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven; My Father gives you the true bread from heaven..."
35 "I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst"
51 "I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh"

Jeremiah 20:8-9
8 "...Lord, I am ridiculed and scorned all the time because I proclaim your message.
9 But when I say, 'I will forget the Lord and no longer speak in his name,' then your message is like a fire burning deep within me. I try my best to hold it in, but can no longer keep it back..."

Mat 16:13-25
[13] Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesare'a Philip'pi, he asked his disciples, "Who do men say that the Son of man is?"
[14] And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, others say Eli'jah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
[15] He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
[16] Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
[17] And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.
[18] And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it.
[19] I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."
[20] Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.
[21] From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.
[22] And Peter took him and began to rebuke him, saying, "God forbid, Lord! This shall never happen to you."
[23] But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me; for you are not on the side of God, but of men."
[24] Then Jesus told his disciples, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
[25] For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Quote from: -<GEC348>- on August 22, 2008, 12:06:09 PM

What was the character of the inhabitants of the archipelago (now known as Filipinos and the Philippines, respectively) before the coming of the Colonizers? Due to the absence of our own written record, we could not really tell for sure. We rely on the written accounts of foreign historians and travelers who jot down their observations, if any at all.

Yes, we as a people suffered under the rule of the colonizers. The collective experience helped shaped what we are today -- our perspective on things, our resiliency, the ability to laugh at ourselves, to endure, to be patient, the level of contentment, the ability to grasp an opportunity to get rich quickly, our religiosity, our morality, our conservatism, our liberated thinking...

There are good sides and there are bad sides. It's not all black and white... It's mainly shades of gray.

Happy blood-letting 

GEC,

Well said, Sir. As always!

There are dichotomies, but it is part of our identity. We are because of their presence. To deny it, is a rejection of one's own identity.

History has declared it so.

Quote from: michael-ligalig on April 11, 2008, 09:13:00 PM
By Rudan Alberto Matig-a


If there were anomalies involved maybe it was on the part committed by Datu Sikatuna? I believe it was Datu Sikatuna who sold us for 30 pieces of silver to the Spaniards. The years from 1563 to 1565 when the name of Datu Sikatuna is active in Philippine history I tag him as the conspirator in putting down the Vijayans. Datu Sikatuna was not a Vijayan but a vassal of a Hindu king from the Majapahit Empire. The Spaniards called us “indios” because the Majapahit and Vijayans are of the same stock of people, coming from the south of India and Sri Lanka. While they may be the same people they don’t have the same cultural and religious background. Sikatuna is Hindu while Humabon of Cebu, Datu Dalisdisan and Pagbuaya are Buddhist. Tribal wars among the people living in Bohol at that time were caused primarily by religion.   

Mr. Matig-a,

As a member of Phi Alpha Theta, a prestigious Historical Society, and one who has attended many Imperial Spanish Forums during my college days, and doing collaborative research on Imperial Hispanidad with my professors, as well as teaching History Classes in college, I cannot allow you to proliferate extremely erred information.

You provide absolutely no valid historical source to even support your claims, especially the ones that I underlined specifically.

The truth to the matter, Mr. Matig-a, on the Spaniards' referring to the indigenous Filipinos as 'Indios' is because of a pre-established order of categorizing races from one another. When Cristobal Columbu (Christopher Columbus) discovered the new world in 1492 for the Royal Spanish Crown, he thought he landed in the spice islands of India, when in actuality, he actually landed in the island of Hispanola (in the Caribbean sea).

The historical context for this is because Columbu was hired by the Royal Spanish Crown to find a new navigational route to the Orient, especially new trade routes to the land of India, its spice islands and even to Cathay. It is the reason why the Spanish Delegation on board of the three notable ships, La Nina, La Pinta y La Santa Maria set sail towards the Western Hemisphere to find a new route to Asia/India.

Technically, they would have landed on the very shores of India or the Orient had there been no North or South America that stood in their way. And when the Spanish delegation led by Christobal Columbo (Christopher Columbus) arrived in Hispanola, he was met by indigenous people and immediately declared the new territory a property of the Royal Crown.

Columbus, thinking that he arrived in the new world, referred and documented the indigenous people as 'Indios'. Hence its use in Spanish vernacular in referring to indigenous people in the new lands it chartered under the Royal Crown.

Years afterwards, of course, after it was cleared that Columbus didn't actually land on India, but found the location of the two continents; North America and South America. The cartography and the illustration of the land masses was made note by the great cartogropher Amerigo Vespucci, who, too, was employed by the Royal Spanish Crown. And when Spain sent a military mission to the new world under the command of Don Senor Hernando Cortez, eventually conquered the Aztec civilization. Francisco Pizarro, too, was sent with a considerable military force and conquered the Incas of the south (present day coast of chile, peru, columbia).

And do you know what the Spaniards referred to the indigenous Meso-Americans as? They referred to them as 'Indios'. Not because they were related to the Indian civilizations of the Asian Subcontinent (India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh), but because the term 'Indio' had already manifested a new meaning in the Spanish Language.

'Indio' now referred to the Indigenous Populations in Lands that were chartered and administered within the continuum of the Global Spanish Empire.

Please check some very nice historical journals and absorb the wealth of information that it provides in the subject matter that we are discussing.

http://www.historycooperative.org/cgi-bin/justtop.cgi?act=justtop&url=http://www.historycooperative.org/journals/wm/61.3/martinez.html

http://www.historycooperative.org/journals/ahr/104.3/ah000814.html

---

When the Spanish discovered the Philippines in 1521 and later in the 1560s, they still retained and called the indigenous people as 'Indios' as it was the terminology to identify the races. When Spain colonized and incorporated the Island of Guam in its empire, it also referred the indigenous Chamorro people of Guam as 'Indios' as well.

In order for you to understand the reasoning for this, Mr. Matig-a, one needs to know that during the Spanish Empire, there was an established racial order. It followed:

La Peninsulare: Spaniard Caucasian who was born and raised in Spain. Peninsulares usually took high and notable positions within the Imperial Bureaucracy.

La Creole: Spaniard Caucasian that was born in the new world, or territories of the Spanish Empire.  Creoles took position of lesser administrators within the administratum, and or as officers of the Army, Navy, merchants etc.

Mestizo Espanol Mixed Spaniard with native Indio blood. The term reffered to half Spanish-Indians of the New World or half Spanish-Malay.

Indio Native Indigenous populations of North and South America, Philippines, and Guam.

Mulatto Mixed African and Indio

Negro African Blacks; imported slaves during the 16th to early 19th centuries.


----

So as you see, Mr. Matig-a, The Spaniards did not refer to the Philippines as 'Indio' because of a Hindu religion or Indian-Hindu culture. Nay, the Spaniards referred the the indigenous Malays of the Philippine Archipelago as 'Indios' because it was already a term that notes the racial category of the peoples. Established already starting in the late 15th century and early 16th century. Decades prior to the finding and landing of the Philippines.


Cheers and Happy Learning.



Absolutely Yours,
Bran Lorenzo

So what season of the year is your favorite? And why.

I don't think I would want to retire in the Philippines. Maybe maintain our family's homes in Bohol for summer vacation. In order to keep the families intact and in close contact to each other.

I would like to retire somewhere quaint. Spain, Greece, Netherlands, Argentina sounds attractive.

Barbaro,

Oh you have been to Viena? Oh how romantic..

For me, one city has already claimed my heart. Barcelona.

What a small world indeed! Orientation starts on the 1st for me and 1st day of Medical School is on the 2nd of September.

Inday!! All i can say is to enjoy your undergrad. Study hard, focus hard, but also make sure to make room to have fun and relax and just enjoy the college atmosphere. Because once you finish it jud, one wishes to be back there again. lol.

Wishing  you all the best and hoping you have a successful and opportune year!

God Bless,
Kuya

What country would you want to retire in?

Name a famous battle and provide a reason why you would claim it as the 'most' famous battle in human history.
(can be naval, air, or ground battle).

Should religious classes be taught in schools? (public and private) or do you think it should only be taught in religious schools?

Enlighten us with your views on the matter.

Name a military general in history that you think was the best in the world. Provide the reasons for it.

Name the city that you think is the most romantic in the world.

More good names for baby boys:

Rafael Ricardo
Alfonso Armand
Andres Asdrubal
Aureliano
Cipriano Demetrio
Hermenegildo
Lorenzo Marcio

I missed the historical debates in here.



PS. How's everything in your side of the world, Mr. Rald?

Absolutely,

Did you know that time is arbitrary?

Under the International System of Units, the second is currently defined as the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom. Time is completely arbitrary and does not exist.

Quote from: EL MUNDO on August 21, 2008, 02:32:04 PM
Yeah, it's true.

The Bohol Blood Compact is not the first international treaty of friendship. There were many Sanduguans before Legaspi and Si Katuna made a Sanduguan. There were in Samar, Cebu and Limasawa Island. It doesn't mean "friendship" on the side of the Europeans, it means other thing as "you're under our country."

Why it became a tag that "the first seed of international friendship was planted in Bohol"? It's merely political. Carlos P. Garcia, Phil. rep to the United Nations said that famous line..while our politicians that time were claiming about it. Historically speaking, it's not the first in Bohol and in the Philippines. There were many sanduguans before it happened. Si Gala, a compatriot of Si katuna made a sanduguan first.

Kadto lagi pud atong mga katiguwangan, wala lagi pud masayod unsay tuyo adtong mga tawhana, nalalo. It's the Filipinos genuine friendship and hospitality that they received the foreign visitors with open hearts. Gipakaon pa nila, gipabawnan pa nila. What did Karyapa, a psychic said? "Careful, careful, I see darkness.." But people won't believe her saying, "Karyapa, Karyapa, mining manalagna, ang imong mga tagana, pulos sulagma..."

Nabuta man sila sa kaayo... see what happened to Troy? They were warned not to accept the gift horse from the enemies...wala nagpatoo mao nangamatay sila. The same with the Philippines, after adto naunder ta 333 years!!!! Maskin naay development and changes, dili mabayran and dili mausab ang history.

We're tired about panlupig, war, etc... because the Filipinos have experienced it...and it lingers!!!!

Leo and colleagues,

I don't understand why so many of my fellow Filipinos find it embarassing and disgraceful to be considered part of the Spanish Empire; part of such a beautiful and magnificent political construct that was responsible for the spreading of the Christian Faith and the main and prime mover of European contact with the 'Virgin' world. Per se the Americas and the Orient/Asia.

I have attended historical forums; Latin American, European, and as a member of Phi Alpha Theta, have been in constant dialogue with many historians who specialize and focus in this particular aspect of Western History; Interaction in Asia-Pacifica, Asian Colonial Discourse, Rise of Patrimony after the Colonial Epoch etc.

Some individuals claim that being colonized was an act of bastardization of the Philippines and the Filipino people. The same as how some certain historians claim that Spain and other European Powers retarded the growth of many peoples and civilizations.

I refute such statements. Human civilizations are always successive waves; each historical epoch providing a historical layer of the historiography of a nation state. Its a unique aspect of humanity, actually. Think about the the creation of the Filipino identity. Was the Philippine Islands reserved only for 'Filipinos' ? I mean, if we go into such philosophical discourse, what does it really even men to be 'Filipino'? History and ethnology tells us that the earliest migrants into the Philippine Archipelago were the Africoid Negritoes, who came to the islands some 30,000 to 50,000 years ago. Millenias later, the arrival of the first Mongoloid Malay came some 10,000 years ago. Continued waves of Malay migration and inhabitation led to the movement of the indigenous Africoid Negrito to the north; many even intermarried and joined the greater body of the Malay invaders.

The 'Malay Filipinos' that contacted and met the Spanish Conquistadores themselves weren't pure Malay as they, most probably, had some kind of Ati-Atihan ancestry, due to the amalgamation of the islands during its rich 50,000 years of human interaction. Hence, the 'layer' of Filipino identity doesn't start with the Malay and doesn't end with it.

Hispanic patrimony in the islands, and colonization and eventual intermingling is but an example of one of the 'layers' that constitutes the abstract concept of 'Filipino-ism'.

If one looks at the discourse, in a species-level interaction, it is but a natural course.

----

Am I embarrassed that the Philippines made an integral part of the Spanish Empire? No I am not. The reasons for it is because both sides; Filipino and Spanish profited and benefited. The Filipino learned of the concept of confraternity, egalitarianism, universalism, humanitarianism, democracy, jurisprudence, medicine, philosophy (European Enlightenment Thinking). The Filipino inherited from the Spaniard, his religiousness, his deep devotion to God (in the Christian Sense), and the concept of nationhood.

The Spaniards benefited from the Philippines politically and economically, but it cannot be denied that there is an irrefutable dichotomy of pros and cons of both sides.

I am proud because the Philippines rose to the occasion and manifested many times our need to repudiate European control by proving time and time again of the intellectual faculties and economic ability of the Filipino to equal and even surpass the European partner. Rizal, Del Pilar, and the lot bears witness to this (not to mention the hoardes of Filipino ilustrados who studied abroad during the 18th till the 19th centuries).

I am proud because we, as a people, like many Latin Americans have risen above the call of duty and fought for independence. We, as a people, mastered the tools of the conqueror and proved to him of our ability to govern ourselves. As in taking part of the very bureaucracy that the conqueror put in place.

The trials and tribulations of the Filipino; specially the ones that he suffers during post-colonialism bears testament to his ability to rise above the occasion. And work toward a better future, despite the history, despite the depraving circumstance.

To me, that is the very definition of what it means to be HUMAN. To Progress.

Cheers,

Well said, Leo.

History is history. It is useless for us to think 'what if'. We cannot alter history, as it has already happened. Its all about accepting the fact and moving on forward.