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Numbers 21:5-9 divulges about the complaints of the Hebrews and their ill-contempt for the deliverance the LORD had promised them and had given them from Bondage.

'The people complained against God and Moses, "Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert, where there is no food or water? We are disgusted with this wretched food!'

In punishment the LORD sent among the people saraph serpents, which bit the people so that many of them died. Then the people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned in complaining against the LORD and you. Pray the LORD to take the serpents from us."

So Moses prayed for the people, and the LORD said to Moses,

"Make a saraph and mount it on a pole, and if anyone who has been bitten looks at it, he will recover."

Moses accordingly made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole, and whenever anyone who had been bitten by a serpent looked at the bronze serpent, he recovered.'

In this excerpt, it was the Hebrews that tempted the LORD with their arrogance and their ingratitude. They who were in bondage by Egypt for hundreds of years, whose same prayers rose to the Throne of Divine Mercy like sweet incense to be heard by The Almighty. That the Lord of Hosts sent Moses to be the deliverer of His People. Even after the miracles of the great plagues, even after the appearance of the Whirlwind of Fire that The LORD sent to hold back Pharaoh's charriots, and even after The LORD opened the Red Sea and SWALLOWED Pharaoh's Army at the same time; still the Hebrews would not stop complaining.

One here is reminded that 'tempting' the Lord Your God is by the use of words of arrogance, ingratitude, and sacrilegious actions in reference to the Divine Person.

We are reminded of this in In Deuteronomy 5, through Moses, He had rehearsed to the children of Israel the Ten Commandments. Then, in chapter 6, He told them to "love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might" (verse 5). He further told them to teach God's ways to their children, fear Him, stay away from other gods, and do "not tempt the LORD your God" (verses 7, 13-14, 16). As Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 show, God's blessings would flow to them if they were obedientâ€"blessings that include the promise of protection.

And again in another verse;

In Matthew 4, Satan tempts Christ in various ways. At one point, he tries to get Jesus to throw Himself off the roof of the Temple, saying, "For it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge concerning you,' and, 'In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone'" (verse 6). Here Satan twists Psalm 91:11-12, which says, "For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. They shall bear you up in their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone." God is promising protection to His people here, telling us that He will place His angels about us. He is not telling us to attempt to hurt ourselves in a deliberate effort to see if He will come through for us.

This, my brothers and sisters, is the ACT OF TEMPTING the Lord of Hosts. No One should EVER tempt the Lord, to see if the Lord Will Do or Not Do. The LORD wills things to happen because he has already seen the things that are yet to come. And came. As a Christian, all we have to do is BELIEVE and GLORIFY the LORD. Not 'tempt' him or 'test' him. In the grand scheme of things, we are but an insignificant speck in contrast to the Throne of the Divine Mercy. BUT it is in HIS GRACE that he cherishes us and LOVES us absolutely and UNCONDITIONALLY.

We are INSIGNIFICANT yet he LOVES us anyways.

We have NO RIGHT to Tempt the Lord, Our God. Only to Glorify Him. Now and Forever.

When Satan attempts to persuade Christ to jump off a building to prove that He truly is the Son of God, He answers the Devil, "It is written again, 'You shall not tempt the LORD your God'" (Matthew 4:7). Certainly, Jesus knew that God's angels were all about Him, but He also knew not to test God deliberately. Christ was quoting from Deuteronomy 6:16, where hundreds of years earlier, He Himself had said this very same thing to the Israelites. 


Tito Benne, The Only Bible I read is the one on my table, the Holy Bible: Catholica Magesterium

By John Mayer

The Theme Song for the movie "Bucket List"

[mp3tube]81d8e5b7c70dc76045c4d6aba70295f1[/mp3tube]

For my buddies: Don, Bryan, and Lisa.
Great Memories this past weekend. Great Times. Great Times.

Today, I miss my friends. Again.


This past Friday the 27th of June, I met up with my college compadres; Don, Bryan, Lisa and my sister Angel. Lisa, Angel and I drove to Newark International Airport to pick up Bry and Don this past Friday. We rented 2 rooms at Howard Johnsons and the next morning we took a beautiful tour to New York City: Chinatown, Little Italy, Downtown Manhattan and Central Park.

It was so beautiful. It rained but it made me laugh so hard as we ran away from the rain. lol.

"Finding" a cab was even more hilarious.

We drove back home on Saturday Evening.

Then on Sunday we drove to Atlantic City; where we went to Longport Beach and then to the slots in Atlantic City Casinos and the boardwalk.

I just came back after dropping them off at the Philly International Airport. Where I had to say goodbye to them again. Now I am missing them. 2 days went by like 2 hours.

Our next plan is to meet up again with all our friends some 5 years from now. Target trip will be in either Paris, or Berlin. One thing is clear; it will be somewhere in Europe.



To my college buddies;
I MISS you guys already. One Life. One Love.



Yours Truly,
Bran Lorenzo Lucino Jr.
--ALLEGHENY PRIDE--

"By the swords of the mighty ones I will cause your hordes to fall; all of them are tyrants of the nations, And they will devastate the pride of Egypt, And all its hordes will be destroyed."

-Ezekiel 32:12


How does history correlate with it?

Egyptian Historical Chronology

2420 - 2258 BC:     
Pepi I and Pepi II rule - government weakens

2150 - 2135 BC:
The political structure of the Old Kingdom collapsed. There was famine, civil disorder, and a high death rate.

1560 BC:
War between Thebes and Asiatic ruler; Egypt is conquered. Civil War erupts.

1532 - 1528 BC:
Asiatic kings conquer capital of Hyksos

1279 - 1213 BC:
Ramses II begins building projects - including his mortuary temple The Ramesseum (on the West Bank near Luxor). The Slaves are lost. The epoch when the slaves leave Egypt. Civil War in Egypt occurs.

1186 - 1089 BC:
The kings weakened, and Egypt was no longer a world power.
Civil war and foreign invaders tore Egypt apart.

984 BC:
Egypt is conquered by Libya; Osorkon the Elder becomes the first Libyan pharaoh

730  BC:
Conquest of Egypt by Kush under Kashta and then Piankhy.

712-657 BC:
Assyria Conquers Egypt

525-404 BC:
The Persians invaded and ruled Egypt. Pushed out for a time.

525 BC:
Persians invade Egypt, Cambyses defeats the Egyptians at the Battle of Pelosium.
Egypt becomes a 'province' of the Persian Empire.

332 BC:
Alexander the Great of the Greek-Macedonian Empire conquers Egypt.

31 BC-400 AD:
Egypt conquered and ruled by Roman Empire.

641 AD:
Egypt conquered by Muslim Arabs.

1200 AD:
Mongol Army invades Egypt.

1500 AD:
Ottoman Turks conquers Egypt and makes it into a 'province' of the Ottoman Empire

1800s AD:
France invades Egypt; followed by European Imperialism.

HIS JUSTICE is ABSOLUTE. Who can escape HIS Wrath?






Ruins of Gomorrah


Ruins of Sodom, desolated by the sands of time

And the Lord said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;
I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.
-Genesis 18: 20-21

Early the next morning Abraham got up and returned to the place where he had stood before The Lord. He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, toward all the land of the plain, and he saw dense smoke rising from the land, like smoke from a furnace.
-Genesis 19:27-28

Quote from: benelynne on June 27, 2008, 05:49:59 PM
(1) Exodus 14

This happened when Moses and the Israelites were pursued by the Egyptians and were hemmed in behind them by the marauding army and in front of them by the sea.

21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided,

22 and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.

(2) Joshua 3

This happened when the Israelites led by Joshua, after taking over the helm from Moses who already died, were about to cross to the Promised Land and were given a divine sign that they would defeat the occupants of Canaan.

14 So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them.

15 Now the Jordan is in flood all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water's edge,

16 the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho.

17 The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.

Well answered, Tito Benne. Very thorough.

Lets continue, shall we?

According to Numbers 21:5-9, in what way did the people tempt God? How were they punished for tempting God? Lastly,  What does Paul mean when he says we "tempt the Lord"?

@Kiams,

Communism, by definition, is a failed political concept. It is proven to never work. It has failed in Cambodia, failed in Africa, failed in the U.S.S.R and even in China it is a failed concept.

Pure Communism, denies capitalistic trends, which is something that the People's Republic of China is basking in economic glory. China succeeds only because it retains the autocratic political control of the country that 'Communism' allows; yet has operated in a very capitalistic way that violates Communist theory.

In regards to the Philippines and the NPA. The NPA are a failed group of people. Communism will NEVER succeed in the Philippines. The major claim the NPA rebels want is the 'distribution' of all land to all the proles.

It is ludicrous! How do they expect to divide all land to some 90+ Million Filipinos?
It not only is impossible, but is both improbable and impractical.

These NPA rebels are nothing more than rebels. A thorn to the Republic and one that must be CRUSHED by any government that is able to raise the power of the Armed Forces in the near future.

This is definitely one problem that the candidates of 2010 election need to focus on. These so called NPA terrorists must be dealt with. Once and for all.

Quote from: grazie7y on June 27, 2008, 02:46:55 AM
Dong, it's hard to believe Ping is considered one of the best bet for the next Philippine President.  tsk tsk tsk  When I think of him, among other things, I think of the Kuratong Baleleng Rub Out and all the whys and whats!  And then in 2001 he authored the Anti-Money Laundering Control Act. Ha!  What a joke!

Exactly 'te. This man is a living irony. Instead of picking out the flaws of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, this man should look at the 'splinter' in his own eye.

There is a verse in scripture that makes reference to men such as Lacson.

"You hypocrite, first take the splinter out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye."
-Mathew 7:5

I will NOT deny that I am a hardcore Federalist.

I personally do not believe that this Republic will last if we retain any 'loose-based' government, that allows and leads the provinces to make policies that go against the dictates and edicts by the National Government.

A WEAK government will NEVER last in the Philippines. Now I am not suggesting that we place an absolutist government, however, one thing is clear.

Nothing is ever attained when there is weak government in the country. Unrestricted 'People's Power' will only lead to the destabilization of the entire country. And will affect global confidence on the Philippine economy and in politics. This is why the country deserves some kind of 'STRONG' government.

Thats all that I will get into that.


To address the situation about Ping Lacson. This man has been on the fireburner and has been the typical supporter of the antagonist party. Supporter against ERAP, against GMA, against American presence. The architypical Socratic politician. He even denies that the fact that he does have linkage with the NPA.

He is the 'perfect' politician. A dirty slivering snake, if you ask me. Power hungry and will use subvertist activities to achieve a goal.


When i think of this man I think of one thing. BENEDICT ARNOLD.

You historians know what I mean

 In 2 Kings 2:8, we read that the waters of the Jordan were parted and Elijah and Elisha crossed over on dry ground. Where are there two more Biblical instances of waters being parted and the people passing over on dry ground?

Please write them.

Quote from: kiamoy` on June 26, 2008, 10:23:13 PM
                       

I smiled after looking at the first photo...you will also smile. Just scroll down and you will get to know the story of Will Power.
Here it goes....




You thought the dog is imitating the man.....





Entertaining the college kids...right?





Now have a close look at it....







So....




Got the message???





Despite being an animal he gets respect...




He gets warm welcome everywhere....


He is STAND-ALONE



The doors are open for only those who believe in themselves and Will Power which can make an animal walk on TWO LEGS...!!

A darn it. Kiams, you made me cry with these photos!

Luuy kaayo pood ning itoy.

A dog that does not give up, and makes the best of the situation he is in, with the life he is given.

Ah darn it, the tears keep on pouring.

I want to hug this dog.

God is GOOD all the time.


The LORD is GOOD. The LORD is deserving and worthy of PRAISES.

I have to share a story to you guys that I find very faith-oriented. Last night, when I had a disagreement with my sister in the garage of our house. As we were arguing, out of no where a little 'thud' hit the floor of the garage as we opened the garage door.

We turned around and noticed that it was a baby blue-jay. The blue-jay is no more than 1 month old; a little fledgling. We were amazed at how it got into the garage door and into our house, so we assumed that it situated itself near the garage handle. The little thing dropped at least a good 2 feet from the door.

Immediately we stopped our bickering and assessed the situation. I told my sister to get gloves, and we took a basket and filled it with hay from our backyard, then placed the little bird in it. We have been nursing it ever since and feeding it with wet dog food. We are planning to return the bird to a wild bird conservancy in Cape May County, which is a good 40 minutes south of our house.

However, my sister has already named the little thing as "Baloo" lol. She said to me that it is probably a sign from God. lol. I couldn't help but smile. But the more I think of it, I think it is probably a sign from God.

Because this little bird, this little baby blue-jay was able to stop our petty bickering. And allowed us to focus our energy in assessing the bird's health and situation.

As much as I would love to keep this little baby bird, it must return to the wild be nursed appropriately by wild-life experts. But the lesson I and my siblings have gotten from it is this: Family First--LIFE FIRST.

And when I thought of it. I realized that it TRULY and was REALLY the LOVING LORD that willed this to happen.
It was Love that allowed us to care for this baby bird and it was Love for Live that compelled us to help it, who was in need.

Then I realized something. I realized that this was mandated in scripture:

"And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us.  God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him."
-1 John 4:16 

Then I realized that this situation was indeed an act of God.

One of the 'little' miracles that HE showers us in our daily lives.


SO, as what Tito Benne said earlier in this thread, and I truly and faithfully reiterate, "GOD IS GOOD! ALL THE TIME!"

Amen!

One man that I hold to my heart closely is my good friend, Fr. Mark Hoffman. He was my college catholic chaplain back in Allegheny and was the one who presided over my sister and I's Catholic Confirmation in Easter of 2007.

He was the sheppard that led me back to my Catholic Christian Faith during my college career. Which helped to fill the void that was in my heart when I first moved to college. Through his teachings, and through his homilies, many of my questions were answered and I found peace with God.

Father Hoffman, you were a God-send. Wherever you go, from St. Mary's Parish and now at the new church in Mercer County. Continue to preach the word of God through the Holy Gospel. The Lord has worked his wonders and his power through you.

Amen, I say Amen. I pray that there will be more priests that are of such character, dignity, faith, and Fatherly-instincts as you.

I pray in Jesus' Name.

Quote from: C2H4 on June 25, 2008, 11:48:01 AM
hahaha

Resulta na sa Adobo PutoShop ni Mr Sigbin, Dong.

haha, 'te, what very piercing green eyes you have.



*Howls*

LOL

Quote from: bonbonquest on June 23, 2008, 01:12:18 PM
this is what i was talking about... I NEVER SUGGESTED IMPEACHMENT 'cause as what i've said, it's NOT viable for our economically depressed situation...

That may be so, but throughout your posts you were clearly implying the negatives of the President. And through your suggestive post, you were either directly or indirectly implying action. Pray tell me, what do you think would be optimum plan?

Or are you just relying on the soon-to-be 2010 election to solve everything?

What kinds of policies do you want changed? Specifically what part of the bureaucracy, the legislative, the judicial and executive powers changed, altered etc. Ergo, basically what kinds of REALISTIC changes do you think can be made by the candidates for presidency in 2010?

Will corruption be checked?

With every complaint, there should always be an answer to a problem; a complaint just to complain falls on deaf ears if there is no supposed answer to the given problem. Blind faith in thinking that a so called election will solve every problem is EXACTLY the kind of problem that has placed the Philippines in this kind of situation. In this kind of muddy stagnancy, politically speaking.



Absolutely,

Ping Lacson is one of the best candidates? The man was an endorser of many coup attempts as well as has links with the NPA.

Why are these 'candidates' so shady? Isn't there an Obama-like candidate in the Philippines? Someone new, capable, and clean?

Where are the Rizals of this country? Where are the Roxas' of the country? Where are the Macapagals of the country?

haha, cactus frenzy eh?

Cute pics yo

Wa jud ko kaibao. Kaibao ka, borob?

For those who are vivid poets, please post a video recording of your poetry reading.
Calling all poets, come and take part~


Let the creativity begin.

An entire family was wiped out. This is gruesome to read about. Again I am speechless.

Quote from: ms da binsi on August 25, 2007, 12:35:40 PM
I live in  Michigan, i was born and cultured as a very Bisaya from Mindanao. I still am very native (Filipino) in nature despite of the length of my stay here. I used to live in Los angeles and hang out with One of your peeps, Mikey Gatal, which is why i landed into this forum.

Hahaha hello there again, 'te!

Quote from: C2H4 on June 25, 2008, 11:51:23 AM
My dear Bulldogs, why Oh why? I almost had a heart attack. It all just fell apart. I can't believe it. why Oh why Oh why??? huhuhu

hahahaha! its okay 'te. Its okay.

There will always be better days.

Now how about them Lakers? Whats up with them?

Mi amigo, su hijo es tan adorable! Ello es su inspiración? Ello es tan adorable, mi amigo! Ello es una bendición de Dios! Un hijo hermoso!

Su hijo es mucho guapo y adorable'!

Ja! Si Supuesto!

Mi amigo, usted comio el buwad para el almuerzo hoy? Que un poco buwad era el? Ahora quiero el buwad! Por favor deme un cierto buwad! POR FAVOR! hahaha

Additionally again,

What will this "transformation" be like when we reach the end of one of these 17 calendars?

Quote
    "It will be the start of a new era resulting from and signified by the solar meridian crossing the galactic equator, and the earth aligning itself with the center of the galaxy.

    At sunrise on December 21, 2012 for the first time in 26,000 years the Sun rises to conjunct the intersection of the Milky Way and the plane of the ecliptic. This cosmic cross is considered to be an embodiment of the Sacred Tree, The Tree of Life, a tree remembered in all the world's spiritual traditions. Some observers say this alignment with the heart of the galaxy in 2012 will open a channel for cosmic energy to flow through the earth, cleansing it and all that dwells upon it, raising all to a higher level of vibration."

http://skepdic.com/maya.html

That sounds swell and we should all look forward to having our vibration level increased. However, the mundane facts indicate that the Mayan kings and nobles focused more on short-term projects like enriching themselves and building monuments (Diamond 2005: 177) than in predicting the dawning of the Age of High Vibration long after their civilization had collapsed.

Additionally,

According to Jared Diamond,

   " The famous Maya Long Count calendar begins on August 11, 3114 B.C.--just as our own calendar begins on January 1 of the first year of the Christian era....Presumably, the Maya...attached some significance to their own day zero, but we don't know what it was. (Diamond 2005: 167)"

So on all counts and purposes, there is a 'large whole' on the very prophesy in consideration. Therefore, it is already null-en-void. By practicality.

There was no writing in the New World until 2,500 years after the Mayan year zero but there is evidence of agriculture in Mesoamerica from about the time of day zero on the Mayan calendar. This could be just a coincidence, since the areas where agriculture first emerged were not the areas where the Maya would eventually build their cities.

The Mayan Long Count calendar is based on a complex system of units ranging from days (kin) to 144,000 days (baktun).

Whatever virtues the Classic Mayan culture might have had, predicting the future seems an unlikely one. This fact has not stopped some very bizarre speculation about Mayan astronomy. The speculators should ask themselves: what is the likelihood that a civilization that couldn't use its vast knowledge to save itself from self-destruction was concerned with predicting what would happen in a future millennium? The Mayan leaders couldn't see far enough into the future to plan for and solve the human problems they faced: too many people on too little land, destruction of their own environment, farming techniques and deforestation that depleted soil nutrients, droughts (partly brought on by their deforestation programs), and so on.

These prophesies are based on their own religion. To control their populace. What good is it when Maya is Dead. Their religion is no more; no one speaks the Maya tongue, no one writes their heiroglyphs, as there is no one alive to remember it. One of Anthropology's 'lost cases'.

haha, I actually read into this. And I couldn't help but laugh at the irony of the situation.

"Mayan urban culture, known as the Classic Period, flourished from about 300 A.D. until around 900 A.D. in Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula and parts of Central America. During this period the Maya built temples and monuments, created numerous works of art and writings, continued their  astronomical observations, and built a network of cities. These cities lay buried under jungle growth for centuries. One of the important discoveries from these ruins is that the Maya had several calendars. One is known as the Long Count calendar, which is reset to day 0 every 1,872,000 days, a period known as The Great Circle (Diamond 2005: 167). The next reset date, by some calculations, is December 21, 2012. Obviously, this calendar is of no interest to the Maya any longer, since their civilization collapsed over a thousand years ago. (Though there are people today who are the descendants of the Maya and the Mayan culture lives on through them.*) Nevertheless, this date is of enormous interest to certain doomsday prophets and New Age astrologers, such as John Calleman, who are spreading the good news either that the Maya knew the date when the world would end or they knew the date when a New Age of Transformation would begin."

The age of Transformation, which many suggests would be the end of this world and the beginning of another.

What many scientists and nay-sayers are pointing out is the irony of the situation. The Mayans 'predicted' the climactic end of this world and the beginning of another.

Yet they couldn't even predict the end of their own civilization, lol.

I don't believe it. Specially not one of a dead people's. There is no longer any Mayapan. Their civilization perished centuries before the rise of Azteca of MesoAmerica. Nothing left but ruins of their civilization. I personally and many others are not going to take into consideration 'prophesies' of a dead people. Specially not of those who aqueisced to barbaric practices of blood sacrifices, sacrificial rites and human cannibalism.

Azteca and Mayapan cultures indulged in such barbaric practices. More like devilry to me.

haha interesting.

Its interesting to read prophesies from different cultures. But I don't take these kinds of prophesies to heart. There were multiple 'end of the world' prophesies during the Age of Evangelization in the late 19th to early 20th centuries.

All prophesized the end of days. Did it happen? Not one was proven correct.

Food for the mind, but never more than that.

Mankind, which is made in the image of the Almighty, has already conquered the planet. Our advances sing praises of glorious advancement. The power of Human Mind cannot be denied. We have already conquered Space, landed on the moon, unfolded and charted the DNA, the chemical elements, and physics in its glorious wonders.

Man has done the unthinkable, mastered the unmasterable. The Mayans are a dead people; why should we take to heart a prophesy of a dead people?

Remember the Y2K scare? Big hype when the year 2000 was coming around the corner; but after 2000 came. It was proven to be just another hoax. Nothing more.

Man, chronologically and anthropologically speaking, is but an infant race. We have only been alive for some 500,000-1,000,000 years. Man has millions of years to go until the next cataclysmic cycle. And even then, we will probably survive due to our advanced sciences. Man, in a couple of thousand years, will have already charted the solar systems and colonized other worlds.

Even if life on Earth would become unbearable, Man's gene seed would have been secured in another planet. Another habitable environment. Where it will continue to proliferate. Never to die.

hahah de nada, mi compadre.

Yo gusto un buwad y pan de sal porque yo tengo hambre. Tengo hambre mucho!

haha sigoro ang fiberglass is a super power? Eh eh? close ba ni, 'te?

There was a little boy with a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, to hammer a nail in the back fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Then it gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence. Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there. A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one. Friends are a very rare jewel, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share a word of praise, and they always want to open their hearts to us.

Quote from: michael-ligalig on June 18, 2008, 07:23:59 AM
By Dave Branon
Our Daily Bread

Each new day, it seems, brings new ways our family sees the body of Christ at work. One demonstration of the fellowship of Christians sits on my desk as I write.

It’s a basket overflowing with letters from people I have never met. Since the time Our Daily Bread readers first learned of the car accident that ushered our daughter Melissa into heaven 6 years ago, we’ve received hundreds of messages from our brothers and sisters in the faith.

They’ve said things such as: “I grieve with you, my brother, and I will keep you and your family in my prayers.” “I weep at your loss.” “I hurt with you.” Many recommended books to read. Others sent poems or articles of comfort and hope. Some shared their own stories of bereavement as we discovered new partners on the path of pain. They demonstrate the principle of love among the family of God that’s commanded in 1 John 4:11.

Each of those gracious notes is different from the others, but they contain a common thread: Because of our shared faith in Christ, I find my heart joined to the hearts of the writers of these messages.

Hearts linked by Jesus create a chain of love that can encourage even the most grieving heart.

So very true. Just being heard and knowing that prayers are being ushered for a loved one or a friend can help even the broken hearted. I truly believe in the power of prayer. It is invaluable during the grieving process. Truly and absolutely.

Quote from: C2H4 on June 25, 2008, 12:06:36 PM
Thanks for this, Admin. I really needed this.

Coming from a very conservative Catholic family, daghan mga family members and relatives nako are deeply religious and very pious. Sometimes, I couldn't help but compare myself to them. And I end up feeling guilty and ashamed, feeling like I am not a good enough Christian.

'te, you are not the only one. I stand with you on this my dear. But the most important thing is that we believe. And you are a good Christian. In the end, it is the Almighty that judges diba? Dili ang mga tawo. Who cares what they think, or what they say. It is not their decision.

Quote from: bol-anon nga cebuano on June 25, 2008, 10:07:55 PM
ang lami kanang buwad pinikas nya piritohon unya usbon ug luto butangan ug ginisang kamatis, ahos, sibuyas nya sukaan then templahan ug asukar gamay, asin ug vetsin. asus kalami. maglaway laway jud sa kalami nya imnan dayon ug orange juice. tagbaw.

pisti! na gutom na jud ko reading that, amigo!


Jati pood ni uy. hahaha

di ko sabot. fiberglass?

Cheesy cheese sticks get sticky, lol.





mmmm 

Ya today was a long-asss day! The only thing that made it exciting was the fact that today was pay-day! hahahaha



But yea more work tomorrow. Work work work and more work.

Quote from: C2H4 on June 20, 2008, 02:57:20 PM
Ms Ginger, I love the hairstyle! love, love, love it! You need to adopt that hairstyle for real, bagay kaayo nimo...

Thanks for the link, Dai Smiff, nalingaw kaayo ko, nawala akong sapot. Hehehe.

Here's what I came up with: trashy tranny look.

O wow. Who is this gorgeous little vixen?

Sexy man ni siya uy!

Quote from: teng on June 24, 2008, 02:44:16 PM
ahahahahahahhahaha di ko oi...iyaha kong himoon nga babae matalbogan unja siya nako.....weeeeeeeeeeee mura raba to siya ug nawong ug iring gibidli....ahehehehe

Aha gud? Wa jud ko ka kita.

Quote from: C2H4 on June 24, 2008, 10:14:07 AM
My dodong, my candy connoisseur! When you're in Bohol, don't forget to try out the balikutsa. It's very yummy but can cause cavities after 5 minutes. Bring your colgate! LOL

Mwaahahahahaha! Candy connoisseur eh? I like that term, Lovely One.



You know what they say, 'te, a candy only lasts a short while. But the memory of the taste lasts a lifetime.

ngek!

Haha, 'te. Kaning Pinoy we have our 'silent' looks.
Ma interesado ang babahe sa 'silent' guys. I don't know but I really notice lots of puti girls are turned on by silent types.

Woot woot to us silent types

Quote from: Julai on June 25, 2008, 02:28:57 AM
mao jud dong kay wamay lami kaon on ang buwad ug di magkinamot..mura man ug di kompleto ang kaon ug mag kutsara,hehehe..aguyyyyyyyyy oii mag tobod man pod ato laway aning kalakiha..

hahaha mao lagi, Julai. Its part of the 'Filipino' identity eh? hahaha.
You know what would complete it? A nice cold glass of coke! With ice

Being alive, in itself, is a blessing from the Throne of Divine Mercy.

To have been made in His own image. Graced with the ability of free will, and purchased for us an eternal soul.

To have been loved so much that The Almighty Came down from His Seat of Power to die for us?

The weight of our sins warranted such sacrifice, so that our salvation would be secured.

For me, it is such a privilege to have been born a man. And the understanding to realize what we have and are given such blessings and graces.

Brothers and Sisters, always count your blessings.

Quote from: Julai on June 25, 2008, 01:16:05 AM
aguyyyyyyyyyy gimingaw ko sa buwad noon da..wana jd tawon ko kakaon ug buwad dugay na..ug starring pod ang caltex nga kabo.hehhehe..

fashizzlez.

Dude I'm so craving buwad dipped in suka and having a nice side of rice. Eat it kinamot style.

And put some tuyu on the rice. haha.

yum

Quote from: bol-anon nga cebuano on June 24, 2008, 03:56:25 AM
i basically started from zero when i left school. i started working as a trainee, then went to manufacturing and to sales before i was given a break by an american company who just started to build name in the technical support industry. good thing i was given a chance. it was a wonderful experience for me because it was there where i was able to utilize my brain more and technical skills.

Ah another great mind! This is what they mean about 'hidden greatness'. You don't know it until you meet him/her.

My hats off to you, Amigo!

I still cannot believe it, 'te!

Yes I LOVE Carlin. I loved his raw skits. I used to watch  his shows back at Nick-at-Nite in years past.

There will never be another Carlin. The world lost a great performer, a great comedian, a great Human Being.

hahaha awww. You're definitely something, 'te. Love you!

Muah!

LOL!!

No comment lagi, 'te!

Quote from: C2H4 on June 24, 2008, 10:09:56 AM
Dong, I think even your Ate Graz will back me up on this: A woman's love is more delicious than CnT lechon and Sr. Pedro lechon manok combined! LOL

Teng, I promise kung makauli ko's Bohol, kuyugon tika mamista ta didto sa akong amiga nga tag-iya Inabanga Funeral Homes. Lami kaayo na sila moluto humba. yum yum yum!

ahaha! But of course, my darling Ate. But of course.

Women can make and break men. I attest to that, personally.

There is a comment my buddy JR told me about women.

"Women are like candy; they come in different sizes, different tastes. But if you 'try out' too many, your teeth will go rotten."

hahaha!

And I told him, "Yea, but thats why you brush your teeth after every candy bar!"

ROFLMAO!

hahaha wa uy! Silent ko kaayo with the nurses, 'te. Pero I talk with my eyes. Alot of talking. LOL!!!

Joke! Ngek!

LoL, "A fiesta is temporary, but a woman is forever" kuyawa!

hahahahaha!

No comment!!!

Uy! Uy!

Ate Belle! You look so darn cute with your hat on your head! And the wheelbarrow!

Hahaha cute kaayo!

Ethylene, darling,

Post a picture of you. The beauty of beauties

hahaha di uy di uy. I am like an incompetent person compared to the two ladies I rotate with, 'te. Average ra lagi ko!

As for Dr. Ramachandra (that is him), I just wish he would chill out. He's a pretty young resident, and if he would smile more often, no doubt he would make the nurses flock to him.

Quote from: ytesski on June 23, 2008, 03:05:42 PM
Oh yeah, he plays so well Dong. Ate Ging saw him last month and she didn't even noticed him at first playing with one hand until I told her. Anyway, here's a photo of me and Adrian last month. He's only 24 or 25 I think, a very nice guy.

O wow what a gorgeous picture of you, Ate Haps.

No wonder why all the men are around you. They can't help but get attracted! haha.
You both look great. Excellent!

Amigo,
Perhaps he was, lol. One thing is very sure tho he clearly is experiencing Napoleonic Syndrome. lol!

Madam Ethyl,
Hahahahaha! All he needs is his cane.

hahaha gwapa lagi no? Ate Belle, hahaha ikaw ha!

Ahh natural man pood na lagi ug mo flirt. Professional flirting lang,
These ladies know what they want; very work oriented.

Spain. It has been the target of my affection for years.

I plan to buy a house there someday. A summer house.

At the hospital,

Learning suturing skills, while applying it on a banana. LoL
My female partners are so 'strict'. Not allowing me to have my share of practice until they are 'finished'. LoL

First and foremost I am a Medical Student (Allopathic Medicine; M.D)

I study Medicine in all of its facets in order to apply it to practice. A Doctor-In-Training, per say.

Hey little mama, oo your a seller,

im so glad to be yours, you're a class on your own
La La La La

If I've got you, I don't need money, I don't need cars   ooo

With You, With You,


Beautiful Song.

Sigbin, have you tasted any of Tolkien's works?

At work today, I had some strawberries with another intern. O how sweet they were!

Oh No!!

I loved this guy's comedic skits! No!

I cannot believe it!

Quote from: C2H4 on June 22, 2008, 02:35:05 AM
Ok ra nakuyapan ka, kay gwapo man ang doktor! Hehehe!

Naunsa man diay ka Ms Graz nga nagkinahanglan man ka orthopedic doctor?

Ako btaw sa una Ms Graz, ambot I loved clinics and hospitals gyud. I loved the smell. It gave me comfort nga mag cge ko pa konsulta. Nagsugod to siya when I was in high school sa tagbi, dayon naabot CDO, naabot Cebu. Nakig lalis pa ko ug doctor sa una kay gusto ko magpa admit, dili siya mosugot kay wala daw ko'y sakit, but I was convinced I was dying. Those were the times...haay, my parents had a lot to deal with gyud sa ilang anak nga dili ma spelling. LOL

Ate Ethylene,

I remember the incident when you had to deal with an arrogant pharmacy intern. Because today I had to deal with a very very arrogant GI resident. Ah, its so very belittling, but I guess the experience builds character.

The only solace my fellow interns and I could do was joke around after he left. He had a 'thing' for flaunting his white coat. As if it was a cape. The nurses even laughed at our imitation.

Today I was at Dr. Bermingham's office. From 10 am till 2pm.

There is a new resident there who is very rude; was very rude towards me and two other matriculating 1st years. We were just preparing Radiology charts for the PA when out of no where this resident comes and starts lecturing to us and yelling.

We just learned to shut up and take it in.

I was a little irritated by his arrogant attitude. But o well. I guess its part of learning, eh?

Quote from: ms da binsi on June 23, 2008, 08:51:29 AM


Did you lost some weight Dodong?

A little bit, 'te. Pero husky as ever hahaha.

Quote from: LanggamTamsi2 on June 23, 2008, 04:15:15 PM
nigamay bitaw ka dong,nice pose tuod.

haha thanks, 'te.

All the walking around at work and rotation work does add up.

Now I know why the 2nd years that I got to know were so 'active'. They are literally being told to go from floor to floor every hour. Imagine, they are paying to be slaves, LOL

Gotta love it tho. There is good camaraderie in it.

A video in tribute of the Mighty Roman Empire. The Empire whose territory stretched to 3 continents: Europa, Africa, Asia. The Empire that controlled 1/4th of all the people in the World.

The Greatest Empire ever to come out of Western History.
The Mother of Western Culture; Republicanism, Modern Democracy,
Imperial Thought, the Senate, Aristocracy, Military Engineering, Christian Thought

All are synonymous with the Empire of Empires.

After Rome, came out the civilized states of Europe.
Before Rome, Barbarism ed pragnum.


http://youtube.com/watch?v=eOwDCMd-oHA&feature=related

Another favorite is romance genre. Its a recent acquisition.

I just finished reading 'Left Behind'. A series that describes the life of the world after the Second Coming of Christ.

Very good, imho.

I just saw this on CNN News.

I am still in disbelief. My prayers go out to those involved.

haha gee thanks, 'te. We all have to start someday diba? lol.

Bitaw I want alot of kids someday. Minimum of 4 lagi ang plano nako.

Ate Haps, I do have a question for you regarding Adrian. He must be such a good player diba? For him to play so well even with an amputation? I really admire people like that who can rise up to the challenge and make the best of what life has to offer. Its such a sign of good character.

Thanks for sharing that, 'te. Very motivational!

The Rising Red Dragon

Quote from: ytesski on June 23, 2008, 02:34:37 PM
Oh I forgot that this thread is "What did you do today?"

Hehehe...I went to see my husband performed at Harlow's today here in Sacramento. I didn't join the band this time. Funny, because one of the guys (Adrian) who was in our band last time was featured today in our local news Channel 13.

The guy plays bass using just one hand because the other hand/arm and 1 leg were amputated when he had an accident few years ago. So, the news was all about him that even though he has disability, he didn't choose to receive social security to live but to have perseverance in life and just be positive in everything he does. He was told by doctors that he might not be able to walk and was in hospital and in therapy for almost 2 years. But amazing, he can now walk and live a normal life though his one leg is 2 inches shorter than the other because it was replaced with steel or something artificial (forgot the term, you probably know because you're a doctor)!

Before we saw him on TV today, we already knew the story because he told us when he was on our band few weeks ago. Funny because my husband wished Adrian was featured last month so he will be on TV too. I told him that it's okay because he was interviewed at CNN few times and Fox 40 news.

Hahaha! Sounds like you guys had alot of fun, 'te.

My brother Andre and I went walking in the bike trail earlier. One thing that I noticed was how my little brother was telling me to 'go faster' hahaha. Ngek!

The child whose diapers I used to change; whose powdered milk I would prepare in his bottle; and the child who I used to bathe when he was only a baby.

haha. Kids nowadays. Jeez.

Quote from: grazie7y on June 23, 2008, 08:48:38 AM
All I can say is that, if we still had Erap as our president, we would have been in worst situation.  That's my opinion and I so believe in that. He wouldn't be in the top most corrupt leaders for nothing. 

As to PGMA, it's hard to accept that she is one of the best presidents in our country after Marcos. Well, Marcos is another story.  He was smart and all that but we knew already his downfall and what he did to our country after ruling for more than 2 decades. Then we had Cory Aquino who became president by "default".  Then we had FVR and then Erap.  All these presidents were never exempted to criticism.  They were all full of flaw and marred with corruption.  And here comes PGMA.  Alright, she isn't perfect - far from perfect but she inherited many years and deeply ingrained corrupt system dating from way back Marcos time.  She inherited a government from Erap that was too far from perfect either.  We couldn't expect her to sit there in the presidency and wipe out all the years of decayed morals among government leaders.

The problem with us people is that we easily fall to amnesiac state of mind.  We forget about the past that brought us into this situation.  We blamed PGMA for all the social diseases our government is now afflicted with but in the meantime we continue to be corrupt ourselves.  How?  We didn't shun vote buying. We know who are buying our votes and yet we didn't go pay a full-page ad telling the world that this and that candidate is attempting to pay for our votes. We pay "under-the-table" to shorten the red tape.  If we inconvenience ourselves by not paying "under-the-table", these corrupt workers will not  be encouraged to continue milking us.  There's more but what I am saying is that we become party to our corrupt system, deliberately or not.  We want change, let's change ourselves first. 

So our question is, kinsa man if we think PGMA is not worthy to be our president?  Would you rather that we had Erap as our president instead of PGMA?  Would you want him to be president again?  The next presidential election is another chance for the Filipinos to exercise the right of suffrage.  It's another chance to make things better.  Hala, sugod na mo campaign whoever you think should be the  next president.  Sige lang ta reklamo but we didn't know what we want.  Pastilan!

Eloquently said. You basically summed up my points and my point of view, Ate Ging.

The present problem is that the people expect drastic change. As if social change can be decreed and just manifest over night. lol. It is fundamentally as well as politically impossible. And improbable. Change takes time; something many of our fellow countrymen need to digest into their head.

Additionally, I personally loathe the 'blame game' of many Filipinos. Instead of blaming, why not apply change.

Citizens who clamor about the corruption of government and vote buying, but when it comes down to it, are the ones that accept briberies and vote buying. And participate in the system that they are so 'against' in the first place.

Ay Caramba! Madre de Dios!

I have very mixed emotions right now, 'te. Part is focused on family and Bohol, but most of my worries are medical school; med books, kits, finding an apartment, cost of living etc.

Fun stuff. lol.

So how was your weekend?

The story of Saint Lorenzo Ruiz is definitely one that I take strength in. Faith despite struggles, Faith despite oppression. Faith even when one is in the most unlikely places. Lorenzo Ruiz' faith in God teaches us a good lesson.



Lorenzo Ruiz is the first Filipino saint. He is also the first Filipino martyred for the Christian Faith. Lorenzo Ruiz was a layman, married, and had two sons and a daughter. Born in Binondo, Manila, about 1600's, he was educated in the school of the Dominicans there. He served as an altar boy and later was a helper and clerk-sacristan in the church of Binondo. He was a member of the Confraternity of the Rosary. He made his living probably as a calligrapher, one who renders documents in beautiful penmanship for private or official use. To be sure, that work denoted an accomplished and educated person, especially at a time when many an illustrious personage were far from excelling in this art. An adverse event made him leave the Philippines in 1636. When he was in his late twenties or early thirties, he became involved or was accused of being involved in a criminal case, the circumstances of which are far from clear. Whether he was involved or not, one thing was clear, he was afraid that, as a consequence of a trial or mistrial, he might be given a death sentence. Upon landing in Japan where Christians were being persecuted, he was arrested and imprisoned together with his companions. He underwent inhuman tortures and valiantly confessed his Christian Faith. Refusing to renounce his Faith, he told his executioner that he was ready to die for God and give himself for many thousands of lives if he had them. On September 27, 1637, he was hung from a gallows by his feet, his body falling into a pit. After two days of agony, he died of bleeding and suffocation. His body was cremated and the ashes thrown into the sea. He and fifteen companions, martyred in the same persecution, were beatified by Pope John Paul II in Manila on February 18, 1981 and elevated to full honors of the altar by canonization on October 18, 1987 in Rome. Their feast day is on September 28th.

Congratulations, Amy!

A job well done.

Dr. Updike, Chief Gastroenterologist of University of Maryland School of Medicine Hospital.
This is taken after the end of my rotation with Dr. Updike. A great man, great teacher.


Me outside of University of Maryland School of Medicine.

President Emilio Aguinaldo

First President and Father of the Republic of the Philippines.

Quote from: simplylee on June 22, 2008, 09:35:31 PM
whoever is the head of any nation respect them.

I completely agree, Madam Lee. The President of any country at least deserves respect from the citizen of that country even if there are disagreements. I myself do not agree with the policies of President G. Bush Jr, sure I don't agree with his foreign policies, but I still respect him. He is the President of my country, and the symbol of state of the United States. He was elected BY the PEOPLE, to safeguard the best interests of the PEOPLE, whatever his views are. He is charged with the protection and honoring of the sacred Constitution and the Congressional House.

The same applies to President Arroyo. Elected by the people; chosen BY the PEOPLE to REPRESENT the people.

There is something sacred in that. Any president deserves some kind of respect. Even men such as Marcos.

Quote from: bonbonquest on June 22, 2008, 09:21:51 PM
so what then are you suggesting? let her stay for the rest of her life just because YOU HAVE NO IDEA whom to put in place of her? My, oh my! had that mentality been prevalent before, we wouldn't have a president now... if you're gonna stick to that kind of perspective, we might as well have a monarchic system instead...

kinsa'y i-ilis?... hmmmmmmmmnnn... here's an idea... why don't we all just wait for the 2010 elections??...

and oh, i never suggested impeachment.. that'd be taboo... not practical and most definitely not viable for a financially meager nation like the Philippines...

Impeachable? And who do you think would best take reigns of power? Perhaps you are a supporter of ERAP?  As if the members of the senate are free from such charges of graft and corruption? Some of the fiercest attackers of Arroyo in the political spectrum are, themselves too, guilty of rampant corruption.

This is the very stagnancy that I pointed out earlier; how can we even dictate changes when the tactics of politicians rely on 'blaming' and exposing each other's dirty diapers, pardon my figurative speech, in order to strengthen their own agenda and hide their own faults?

No politician is perfect; the same applies to President Arroyo.

Election 2010 should be interesting; perhaps the next president will change the system. Perhaps not. History shall decide and dictate. As History alway does.

Haha, I'm delighted to hear the story, Ate Haps. I can only picture the smile that was on your husband's face.


My day today was nostalgic. Preparing for the trip I'm having with my friends to NYC this coming weekend. A mini college reunion with some college friends.

With You,

This song has been in my head all day.

Definitely this woman was a model individual.

Mother of 9 children and a community builder to add. What a person she must have been in life.

The mighty and proud Monkey-Eating Eagle {Philippine Eagle}

What a powerfully beautiful bird. One of the largest Eagles to soar the skies of the Earth.

There is only so much the honorable team of physicians could have done for her. When one is called back, there is nothing one can do but accept the command. Madam lived a good life and this article made me cry. She lived a good life, fought the good fight, and mothered such wonderful children.

The good Lord blessed her with such a wonderful family and vice versa.

My prayers go out to the Pernia-Dejaresco Family.

Lord grant mercy unto the soul of the dearly departed.  Lord grant mercy and peace of mind to the dearly departed's bereaved family. Dear Lord grant infinite love and mercy unto Manang and welcome her into Your Eternal Kingdom.

Where there is neither pain, agony,  worry, anguish and all manner of human suffering. Where she will sing unending praises with the hosts of angels and the saints. In His Mighty Presence.

This we pray in the name of Christ Jesus. Whom all good things come from.
Amen.

In this case, Barbie fell for the dashing Filipino gentleman. lol.

Such a gorgeous couple.

"A great man is always willing to be little."

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

“The impossible often has a kind of integrity which the merely improbable lacks.”

~Douglas Adams

An article published in the open-access journal PLoS Genetics reports that male and female primates and humans have hundreds of biological differences that are evident in gene expressions in the cerebral cortex. The Uppsala University, Karolinska Institute, and University of Chicago researchers maintain that some of these differences first appeared a very long time ago. Notably, evolution has preserved these differences that indicate particular sex differences in the brain.

Although clear differences between males and females - like average body size, weight, and genitalia design - have been sustained during primate evolution, this new study has analyzed gene expression within the cerebral cortex. This part of the brain is responsible for complex functions in primates, including humans, such as memory, attentiveness, thought processes, and language.

Björn Reinius (Department of Development and Genetics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden) and colleagues conducted their study by measuring gene expression in the brains of male and female humans, macaques, and marmosets. The researchers took the products of genes (RNA) from each animal's brain and hybridized them to microarrays that consisted of thousands of DNA clones, coding for thousands of genes. The between-sex analysis required the authors to focus on DNA sequence differences for genes presenting different expression levels.

Co-author Professor Elena Jazin (Uppsala University) specifies that, "Knowledge about gender differences is important for many reasons. For example, this information may be used in the future to calculate medical dosages, as well as for other treatments of diseases or damage to the brain."

The authors found that, "Genes with conserved sexual gene expression dimorphism in the brain also evolve under more evolutionary constraint, compared with other genes, suggesting that they may have important roles during evolution of sex in primates. Moreover, we found higher evolutionary constrains in the coding regions of female-biased genes as compared to both male-biased and non sex-biased brain expressed genes." They believe that the insights provided by this study may help explain some of the psychiatric diseases with differences in males and females.

Reinius adds that future studies will be required to answer questions regarding whether these differences in gene expression are functionally significant.


http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/112266.php

Aciclovir, an antiviral drug, does not reduce the transmission of HIV-1 in women or men who have genital herpes who have sex with men, according to the authors of an Article released on June 20, 2008 in The Lancet.

Herpes simplex virus type-2 (HSV-2) infection, the most common cause of genital herpes, has been associated with a two to three-fold increased risk of HIV-1 infection. To help determine the nature of this association, Dr. Connie Celum, University of Washington, Seattle, USA, and colleagues, examined the effects of HSV-2 suppression with aciclovir on HIV-1. This was done using HIV-negative, HSV-2 positive women in Africa and men who have sex with men (MSM) from sites in Peru and the USA.

In the randomized, placebo-controlled phase III trial, participants were assigned to be administered 400mg of aciclovir (1,637 patients) or a placebo (1,640 patients) for 12-18 months. Followups were performed monthly to examine the dispensation of the study drug, perform adherence counseling, pill count (self reported), and risk reduction counseling. Every three months, genital examinations and HIV tests were performed. The tested outcomes were HIV-1 infection and and HSV-2 genital ulcers.

The participants were 1,358 women and 1,814 MSM included in the analysis: 1,581 in the aciclovir group and 1,591 in the control group. HIV-1 incidence was not significantly different between the groups. That said, the incidence of gentical ulcers was reducted by 47% in the aciclovir group, and 65% of genital ulcers confirmed to be due to HSV-2. There were no serious adverse events to the medication recorded.

In conclusion, the authors state that aciclovir has no impact on the HIV-1 transmission rates in these populations. "Our results show that suppressive therapy with standard doses of aciclovir is not effective in reduction of HIV-1 acquisition in HSV-2 seropositive women and MSM. Novel strategies are needed to interrupt interactions between HSV-2 and HIV-1." Additionally, they say, that futher studies should be performed to ascertain whether this lack of efficacy is due to drug absorption and metabolism, the clinical response of genital ulcers to the drug, or the persistent genital immune response after HSV-2 is activated.

Professor Ronald Gray and Professor Maria Weaver, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA, contributed an accompanying comment in which they debate if the control of sexually transmitted infections should be promoted for HIV prevention in HIV negative populations. "Thomas Henry Huxley commented that 'The great tragedy of science - the slaying of a beautiful hypothesis by an ugly fact.' It is time to reassess the hypothesis and to adjust prevention policy accordingly."

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/112066.php

President Ferdinand E. Marcos pictured with American President Lyndon B. Johnson.

Post some pictures of the Presidents of the Philippines. Your favorite, least favorite, etc.

The beauty of classic Filipiniana dresses. The Crowning Beauty.

My heart skipped a beat. So utterly beautiful.

Cannibals?

Reading this article reminded me of the works of Malthus. Interesting.