Shhhhh.....

For some decisions I have to make, I am comfortable consulting about it to some of my friends. I ask for their opinions then weigh the logic and practicality of it. In the end, if not most of the case,my final decision is the amalgamation of my thoughts and theirs too.

But just recently, actually about 5 months ago, something happened that convinced me to consider and believe that some things are better left unsaid. To view it in a better perspective, let me just say that anything I say (or do) can be held agaisnt me. Besides, I also have the right to remain silent so I better exploit it to my own advantage.

To conclude, at times, it is better to keep our mouth shut to keep the pesky bugs away.

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Listen to Hall and Oates' Some Things Are Better Left Unsaid (1984)

A Repost To All the Ladies Out There

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.

...And it is only fitting for edsabhrain weblog to honor this month with a blog posting dedicated to such a very important issue.

I would like to think that almost everyone of us, knew or have met someone who had died from breast cancer or had been inflicted with it. I, myself had a first cousin who passed away from this disease in 2004 and the irony was, she was a nurse. I thought to myself, she should have known better in terms of its early detection, but it turned out she was not :(

Alarmingly, the Philippines ranked number 1 with the highest prevalence of breast cancer in Asia (Source: International Agency for Research on Cancer, 2004). Chances are, 22 females out of 100 females and 1 male for every 105 males may be diagnosed with breast cancer in the Philippines. On a personal note, it is very hard to comprehend for a man to have this kind of disease but the statics cleary show that it is a disease that knows no boundaries, in regardless of someone's gender for that matter.

Just like any cancer, breast cancer is curable if you catch it early. Sadly, a lot of Filipinas with breast problems always consult with their doctors when it is too late and at this point, the cancer is most often at an advanced stage mainly due to the following reasons:

• economic factors.
• non-awareness of the gravity of breast cancer
• fear of being diagnosed with cancer.

For this post, I would like to encourage everyone (men included) please learn how to do a Breast-Self-Examination (BSE), and do not fear going to your doctor for a consultation.

Here's an excellent video on how to do a BREAST SELF EXAMINATION (BSE), just be sure to turn on your speakers; it will teach you the step-by-step procedures of BSE.

WARNING:

This video may contain content that is inappropriate for some readers. Please bear in mind that this has been posted to educate and to inform everyone on the early detection of breast cancer.

DISCLAIMER: This video has been posted by the author without malice.

An American Reflection on the Philippines-pt 2

Read Part 1 HERE.

I've been off from the Philippines for almost seven years now. For that period of time, I've been to Saudi Arabia, UAE and presently here in Bahrain. Being in these countries, it is inevitable to meet different people from different nationalities. Majority of them are from south Asia - India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, etc.

Sadly, being in constant connection with them, be it at work or in public places, some Filipinos had conceived some prejudices towards them. Some are funny, some are true, but most of them are just plain preconceived notions.

This made me into thinking if how are these people thought of ourselves in return? With that question in mind I would like to share with you this video made by whitedragonawa, wherein he talks about his reflections about the Philippines. He went to our country to do some missionary works for a period of six weeks. He is a white guy but claims that he is 100 percent pure Pinoy by heart (notice the shirt he is wearing).

SERIOUS REFLECTIONS:

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Mabuhay! Welcome to Third World Philippines.

"Majority are urban poor living in squatters area. The kind of houses they live in is ridiculous. Totally inhumane. But they survive. They just don't give up."

REFLECTIONS WORTH MENTIONING:

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Talaga lang huh?

"Friendship and family mean everything. It is like a medicine that eases the pain and sufferings of life."

Kain na tayo.

"People are loving and caring. They give you rice. You come in. They give you food. They give eventhough they don't have anything to give."

Kasi mga uzisero sila.

"In the US, people like to be isolated from each other, but in the Philippines they like to be close together."

FUNNY REFLECTIONS:

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Si Yaya.

"They don't want to call their helpers as "servants" (katulong). Because it's kinda strong word."

O sa'yo na lang 'tong t-shirt ko ha?

"A lot of kids just wear shirts (maybe its a hand-me-down from his kuya)not knowing what the printed word on it means about." - Referring to a kid he saw in a supermarket wearing a SUFFOCATION shirt (whatever it is).

Si Bantay, si muning at kung anu-ano pa.

"There are lots of stray dogs, cats and frogs in the streets. There are bats zooming around at nights."

Cool and Exciting. Hahaha :)

"There are lizards in almost every house. Cockroaches are all over the place. But its cool and exciting."

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For more Youtube videos by whitedragonawa click HERE.

Mark

Listen to the collective messages of Indian Evangelist Bro. Zach Poonen (in mp3 format below) as he talks about the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Mark, and if it challenges you, you may open your Bible and explore it further.

Mark



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Welcome to my The Holy Bible blog series. Today I will be posting about the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Mark.

This Gospel was written by John Mark, an associate of the apostles and mentioned in the writings of Paul and Luke. The Gospel, aimed at the Gentile (non-Jewish) reader, sets forth Jesus as the mighty worker and records many miracles He performed.

Although Matthew precedes the Gospel of Mark in the New Testament, Mark is considered the first of the four Gospels to be written. Possibly written and published in Rome between A.D. 60 and 70, Mark addressed his book to the Roman Christians. Romans were a practical people and did not care about Jewish history and beliefs. The Romans loved action. So Mark writes a brief Gospel full of Jesus’ miracles and deeds, not His sermons.

While Matthew described Jesus as a King, Mark tells of His servanthood. Therefore, Mark approached his Gospel differently. Mark shows how Jesus first directed His public ministry to the Jews, but when their leaders opposed Him, He also went to the Gentile world. However, both Matthew and Mark record the Great Commission of our Lord to go into all the world and preach the gospel.

Although Mark’s Gospel is the shortest, it is brimming with the love Jesus showed for others and the mission He came to complete.

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Taken in full from Bill Bright’s Campus Crusade for Christ (Ten Basic Steps Toward Christian Maturity)

Arnel Pineda's Journey

He's another Filipino talent making it big in the Americas. His voice has caught the attention of Neal Schon, lead guitarist of the American rock band Journey over at Youtube. And now, as they say, the rest is history. Arnel is now with the band on tour in the America promoting their latest CD album as its lead singer. Go Arnel, don’t stop believing and make the Philippines proud.

The Journey had several hits during the 80s. But the most popular among them was the song “Open Arms” which was revived by pop diva Mariah Carey in 1996. I remember it so well when this song was made as a love theme for Janice de Belen and JC Bonnin in the hit tv soap opera FLORDELUNA. I was a budding teenager at that time, kaya medyo may kilig factor na ‘yong mga eksena.LOLZ.

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Listen now to Journey's Open Arms (1982)

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Listen now to Mariah Carey's Open Arms (1996)

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FRASIER

I came to know FRASIER when I was still in the Philippines. It was his brother Niles that keeps me coming back to sit with them every night in my living room. The first time I saw them was when Daphne was about to give birth, Niles was so hilarious in that incident. There was no dull moments every time I am with them. It’s a good thing that they were so gracious enough to have the 11 years of their life occurrences be captured in DVD. That is why, I tried to get a copy of this memorabilia during my vacation in the Philippines last June.

I Voted for Efren Penaflorida

I received an e-mail sent forth to the TORCH Yahoo Group message board by Sis. Aileen Badiong and after checking the legitimacy of the story I casted my vote for Efren Penaflorida nominated for CNN's Hero of the Year.

edsabhrain weblogs would like to encourage everyone as well to support our fellow kababayan by casting your votes for him. The recognition comes with a great sum of cash, which hopefully will help Efren in his endeavors in case he wins the competition.

Read the full story of Efren and his Dynamic Teen Company (the organization he founded) HERE and cast your votes HERE (you can vote as many as you can).

I Survived Typhoon Ondoy

As the saying goes, truly a picture is worth a thousand words. It refers to the idea that complex stories can be described with just a single still picture. Point in case is the picture above.

You probably had already seen this from one of the attached pictures you had received from your e-mails. The catastrophic aftermath of Typhoon Ondoy "flooded" (no pun intended) the cyberworld with digital affirmation of its wrath as it passes through Metro Manila that fateful and unsuspectful morning of September 26.

This picture made me realized how fragile life can be. In a second you can be dead electrocuted from those dangling wires or be swept away by those strong currents. Its so frightening when the thought hit me. How will I decide if I am challenge with the same predicament?

Fairly enough, I had experienced a few disasters of lesser magnitude.

I had walked from the university belt all the way to Sampaloc district of Manila where I reside, right after the July 16, 1990, 7.8 Luzon earthquake. There was panic and stampede everywhere.

I had walked flooded streets of Manila countless times and also was stranded on a bus for the longest time because of it. Or when I was flabbergasted by the ash fall brought about by the cataclysmic eruption of Mt. Pinatubo when it awakened in 1991.

But, what if I am trapped in this kind of a situation. The water is neck-deep and with a strong current. I cannot be criss-crossing my feet over those electric wires. Look at that man in a black shirt, parang action superstar ang porma / he looks like an action superstar. I don't have the guts to do that. However, we really can not anticipate and underestimate the power and control when adrenalin overpowers us in cases like this. So the possibility is still there. LOLZ.

On the other hand, I can't swim either. I can not be walking in that street with a neck-deep high water. Because it would feel, for me, that anytime I will be sinking or be swept away by the strong current.

I guess the best decision for me in this kind of a situation is to just stay-put in a safer and higher grounds and just be a mere spectator of those people passing by. Look at those men in front of the PhilHealth branch office, mga uzis.LOLZ.

Thank God I survived the wrath of Typhoon Ondoy. Eventhough I was not there to experience it first hand, I could feel the worries and pain our kababayans had went through. My deepest symphaties and with much prayers goes to the victims of Ondoy a.k.a Ketsana, who as of this writing is pouring much rain in Vietnam and Cambodia.

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