A Filipino Applies for a Job at Wal-Mart

An office manager at Wal-Mart was given the task of hiring an individual to fill a job opening. After sorting through a stack of resumes he found four people who were equally qualified. .. An American, a Russian, an Australian and a Filipino. He decided to call the four in and ask them only one question. Their answer would determine which of them would get the job.

The day came and as the four sat around the conference room table, the interviewer asked, "What is the fastest thing you know of?"

Acknowledging Dave, the American on his right, the man replied, "A THOUGHT". It just pops into your head. There's no warning that it's on the way; it's just there. A thought is the fastest thing I know of."

"That's very good!" replied the interviewer.

"And now you sir?" he asked Vladimir, the Russian."Hmm.... let me see. A blink! It comes and goes and you don't know that it ever happened. A BLINK is the fastest thing I know of."

"Excellent!" said the interviewer. "The blink of an eye, that's a very popular cliche for speed." He then turned to George, the Australian who was contemplating his
reply.

"Well, out at my dad's ranch, you step out of the house and on the wall there's a light switch. When you flip that switch, way out across the pasture the light in the barn comes on. Yep, TURNING ON A LIGHT is the fastest thing I can think of."

The interviewer was very impressed with the third answer and thought he had found his man. "It's hard to beat the speed of light" he said.

Turning to Eleuterio, the Filipino, the fourth and final man, the interviewer posed the same question. Eleuterio replied, " Apter herring da 3 frevyos ansers sirrr, et's obyus to me dat the fastest thing known is Diarrhea."

"WHAT!?" said the interviewer, stunned by the response.

"O I can expleyn serrr ." said Eleuterio . " YOU SEE SERR, DA other day I wasn't Peeeling so good and I run soo fast to the CR or bathroom, But, before I could THINK, BLINK, or TURN ON THE LIGHT, ay 'tang ina, I already had a poo-poo in my pants.

Eleuterio is now the new "Greeter" at Wal-Mart.


FIlipino humor is hard to beat!

Fun Facts!!!

If you yelled for 8 years, 7 months and 6 days you would have produced enough sound energy to heat one cup of coffee.

(Hardly seems worth it.)




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If you farted consistently for 6 years and 9 months, enough gas is produced to create the energy of an atomic bomb.

(Now that's more like it!)




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The human heart creates enough pressure when it pumps out to the body to squirt blood 30 feet.

(O.M.G.!)




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A pig's orgasm lasts 30 minutes.

(In my next life, I want to be a pig.)




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A cockroach will live nine days without its head before it starves to death. (Creepy.)

(I'm still not over the pig.)




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Banging your head against a wall uses 150 calories a hour

(Don't try this at home,maybe at work)




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The male praying mantis cannot copulate while its head is attached to its body. The female initiates sex

by ripping the male's head off.

("Honey, I'm home. What the...?!")




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The flea can jump 350 times its body length. It's like a human jumping the length of a football field.

(30 minutes..lucky pig! Can you imagine?)




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The catfish has over 27,000 taste buds.



(What could be so tasty on the bottom of a pond?)




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Some lions mate over 50 times a day.

(I still want to be a pig in my next life...quality over quantity)




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Butterflies taste with their feet.

(Something

I always wanted to know.)




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The strongest muscle in the body is the tongue.

(Hmmmmmm......)




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Right-handed people live, on average, nine years longer than left-handed people.

(If you're ambidextrous, do you split the difference?)




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Elephants are the only animals that cannot jump.

(okay, so that would be a good thing)




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A cat's urine glows under a black light.

(I wonder who was paid to figure that out?)




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An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.



(I know some people like that.)




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Starfish have no brains

(I know some people like that too.)




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Polar bears are left-handed.

(If they switch, they'll live a lot

longer)




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Humans and dolphins are the only species that have sex for pleasure.

(What about that pig??)

A Reflection this Holy Week...

Jesus had no servants, yet they called him Master.

Had no degree, yet they called him teacher.

Had no medicines, yet they called him Healer.

Had no army, yet Kings feared Him.

He won no military battles, yet He conquered the World.

He committed no crime, yet they crucified Him.

He was buried in the tomb, yet He lives today.

Feel honoured to serve a Leader, who died for His Love for us!

Hope this thought will carry us all through the HOLY WEEK and beyond!

YOU KNOW YOU ARE LIVING IN 2006 when...

1. You accidentally enter your password on the microwave.

2. You haven't played solitaire with real cards in years.

3. You have a list of 15 phone numbers to reach your family of three.

4. You e-mail the person who works at the desk next to you.

5. Your reason for not staying in touch with friends and family is that they
don't have e-mail addresses.

6. You pull up in your own driveway and use your cell phone to see if anyone
is home to help you carry in the groceries.

7. Every commercial on television has a web site at the bottom of the
screen.

8. Leaving the house without your cell phone, which you didn't have the
first 20 or 30 (or 60) years of your life, is now a cause for panic and you
turn around to go back and get it.

10. You get up in the morning and go on line before getting your coffee.

11. You start tilting your head sideways to smile. : )

12. You're reading this and nodding and laughing.

13. Even worse, you know exactly to whom you are going to forward this
message.

14. You are too busy to notice there was no #9 on this list.

15. You actually scrolled back up to check that there wasn't a #9 on this
list.

AND NOW YOU ARE LAUGHING at yourself.

"The Computer"

A French teacher was explaining to her class that in
French, Unlike English, nouns are designated as either
masculine or feminine.

"House" is feminine-"la maison."
"Pencil" is masculine-"le crayon."

A student asked, "What gender is 'computer'?"

Instead of giving the answer, the teacher split the
class into two groups
- male and female - and asked them to decide for
themselves whether "computer" should be a masculine or a feminine noun.

Each group was asked to give four reasons for their recommendation.

The men's group decided that "computer" should definitely be of the feminine gender ("la computer"),
because:

1. No one but their creator understands their internal
logic;

2. The native language they use to communicate with
other computers is incomprehensible to everyone else;

3. Even the smallest mistakes are stored in long-term
memory for possible later review; and

4. As soon as you make a commitment to one, you find
yourself spending half your salary on accessories for it.


The women's group, however, concluded that computers
should be masculine ("le computer") because:

1. In order to do anything with them, you have to turn
them on;

2. They have a lot of data but still can't think for
themselves;

3. They are supposed to help you solve problems, but
half the time they ARE the problem; and

4. As soon as you commit to one, you realize that if
you had waited a little longer, you could have gotten a better model.

The women won ...

STEVE RAY'S OPEN LETTER TO THE FILIPINO CATHOLICS

For a change...a different and insightful view of Filipinos


----


We stepped into the church and it was old and a bit dark. Mass had just begun and we sat toward the front. We didn't know what to expect here in Istanbul, Turkey. I guess we expected it to be a somber Mass but quiet and somber it was not-I thought I heard angels joyously singing behind me.

The voices were rich, melodic and beautiful. What I discovered as I spun around to look did not surprise me because I had seen and heard the same thing in other churches around the world. It was not a choir of angels with feathered wings and halos but a group of delightful Filipino Catholics with smiles of delight and joy on their faces as hey worshiped God and sang His praises. I had seen this many times before in Rome, in Israel, in the United States and other countries.

Filipinos have special traits and they are beautifully expressed as I gazed at the happy throng giving thanks to God. What are the special traits which characterize these happy people? I will share a few that I have noticed-personal observations-as I have traveled around the world, including visits to the Philippines.

FIRST, there is a sense of community, of family. These Filipino Christians did not sit apart from each other in different isles. They sat together, closely. They didn't just sing quietly, mumbling, or simply mouthing the words. No, they raised their voices in harmony together as though they enjoyed the sense of unity and communion among them. They are family even if they are not related.

SECOND, they have an inner peace and joy which is rare in the world today. When most of the world's citizens are worried and fretful, I have found Filipinos to have joy and peace-a deep sense of God's love that overshadows them. They have problems too, and many in the Philippines have less material goods than others in the world, yet there is still a sense of happy trust in God and love of neighbor.

THIRD, there is a love for God and for his Son Jesus that is almost synonymous with the word Filipino. There is also something that Filipinos are famous for around the world - their love for the Blessed Mother. Among the many Filipinos I have met, the affectionate title for Mary I always hear from their lips is "Mama Mary." For these gentle folks Mary is not just a theological idea, a historical person, or a statue in a church Mary is the mother of their Lord and their mother as well, their "mama."

The Philippines is a Catholic nation-the only such nation in Asia-and this wonderful country exports missionaries around the world. They are not hired to be missionaries, not official workers of the church. No, they are workers and educators, doctors, nurses and housekeepers that go to other lands and travel to the far reaches of the earth, and everywhere they go they take the joyous gospel of Jesus with them. They make a somber Mass joyful when they burst into song. They convict the pagan of sin as they always keep the love of Jesus and the Eucharist central in their lives.

My hope and prayer, while I am here in the Philippines sharing my conversion story from Baptist Protestant to Roman Catholic, is that the Filipino people will continue to keep these precious qualities. I pray that they will continue loving their families, loving the Catholic Church, reading the Bible, loving Jesus, His Mother and the Eucharist.

As many other religions and sects try to persuade them to leave the Church, may God give the wisdom to defend the Catholic faith. As the world tempts them to sin and seek only money and fame and power, may God grant them the serenity to always remember that obedience to Christ and love for God is far more important than all the riches the world can offer.

May the wonderful Filipino people continue to be a light of the Gospel to the whole world!

Interview of Anne Graham: A Good Read

In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke, it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.

-------------

Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her "How could God let something like this Happen?" (regarding Katrina)

Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, "I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives.

And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?"

In light of recent events...terrorist attacks, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found recently) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK.

Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school . the Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said OK.

Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with "WE REAP WHAT WE SOW."

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says

Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing.

Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

Are you laughing?

Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they WILL think of you for sending it. Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.

Pass it on if you think it has merit. If not then just discard it... no one will know you did. But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in.

Bong Austero's Open Letter To Our Leaders

The original is in:


http://bongaustero.blogspot.com/2006/02/open-letter-to-our-leaders.html


This blog by Bong Austero caught my attention and I wanna share it with you. This is an excellent piece of writing.

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!


----

Open Letter To Our Leaders

Dear Tita Cory, Senators, Congressmen, Businessmen, Media people,
Leftists, and all Bleeding Hearts Out There:

I am angry. And I know that there are many out there who are angrier
than I am for the same reason. And that reason is simple. I am sick
and tired of all you guys claiming to speak for me and many Filipinos.
I feel like screaming every time you mouth words about fighting for my
freedom and my rights, when you obviously are just thinking about
yours. You tell me that the essence of democracy is providing every
citizen the right to speak his or her mind and make his or her own
informed judgments, but you yourselves do not respect my silence and
the choices I and many others have made. In other words, your concept
of democracy is limited to having your rights and your freedoms
respected, at the expense of ours.

I am utterly flabbergasted that you still do not get it: we already
responded to your calls, and our response has been very clear - we
chose not to heed your calls to go to EDSA or to Fort Bonifacio not
because we do not love our country or our freedoms or our rights, but
precisely because we love our country even more. Because quite
frankly, we are prepared to lose our freedoms and our rights just to
move this country forward. You may think that is not correct, you can
tell me all the dire warnings about the evils of authoritarian rule,
but quite frankly all we see is your pathetic efforts to prop up your
cause. You tell me that you are simply protecting my freedoms and my
rights, but who told you to do that? I assure you that when I feel
that my rights and my freedoms are at a peril, I will stand up and
fight for them myself.

You tell us that GMA is not the right person to lead this country
because she has done immoral acts. As someone who sees immorality
being committed wantonly in many ways every day and by everyone (yes,
including the ones you do), I may have become jaded. But you have not
been able to offer me any viable alternative, while GMA has bent over
backwards many times to accommodate you while continuing to work hard
despite all the obstacles and the brickbats you have thrown her way.
From where I sit, she is the one who has been working really hard to
move this country forward while all of you have been so busy with one
and only one thing: to make sure she does not succeed. So forgive me
if I do not want to join you in your moral pissing contest. Forgive me
if I have chosen to see things from another perspective. You say she
is the problem. I say, we are the problem, more to the point, I think
you are a bigger problem than she is. Taking her out may solve part of
the problem, but that leaves us with a bigger problem: you. That is
right, YOU!

While I felt outraged that she called a Comelec official during the
elections and that she may have rigged the elections, I have since
then taken the higher moral ground and forgiven her. Yes my dear
bishops, I have done what you have told me to do since I was a child,
which you say is the Christian and moral thing to do: forgive.
Especially since she has asked for forgiveness and has tried to make
amends for it. Erap certainly has not apologized and continues to be
defiant, continuing to insult us everyday with his protestations. Cory
has not apologized for her incompetence but we have forgiven her just
the same because like GMA, she has worked hard after all.

I know you do not think that GMA's apology was not enough, or that she
was insincere, or that that apology should not be the end of it, but
please spare me the hypocrisy of telling me that you do so for the
sake of protecting the moral fibre of society. The real reason is
because you smell blood and wants to go for the kill.

Well, I have news for you. I do not like her too. I did not even vote
for her. I voted for Raul Roco. But as much as I do not like her, I do
not like you even more. I may not trust her, but guess what, I do not
trust you even more.

You know why? Because all you do is whine and sabotage this country.
You belittle every little progress we make, conveniently forgetting
that it is not just GMA who has been working so hard to achieve them.
Every single day, we keep the faith burning in our hearts that this
country will finally pull itself out of the mess and we work so hard
to do that. Every little progress is the result of our collective
effort, we who toil hard everyday in our jobs. Yet, you persist in one
and only thing: making GMA look bad in the eyes of the world and
making sure that this country continues to suffer to prove your sorry
point. In the process, you continue to destroy what we painstakinly
try to built. So please do not be surprised that I do not share your
cause. Do not be surprised that we have become contemptuous of your
antics. You have moved heaven and earth to destroy her credibility,
you have convened all kinds of fora and hearings and all you have done
is test our patience to the core. For all your effort, you have only
succeeded in dragging us further down. I say enough.

Don't get me wrong. I am not asking that we take immorality lying
down, or that we let the President get away with anything illegal. But
you have tried to prove your accusations all these time and you have
not succeeded, so it is time to let things be. Besides, you are doing
something immoral as well if not utterly unforgivable. The Magdalo
soldiers are consorting with the communists - the same people who have
been trying to kill democracy for years. Cory has been consorting with
Erap and the Marcoses.

So please wake up and take a reality check. In the absence of true and
genuine moral leadership, many of us have decided to cast our lot with
the President, even if we do not like her. A flawed leader is better
than scheming power hungry fools who can not even stand up for their
convictions in the face of an impending arrest.

Your coup attempts and the denials that you have consequently made
only underscore what we think is true: you are spineless and
unreliable people whose only defense is to cry suppression when your
ruse do not work. You are like bullies who taunt and provoke, but cry
oppression when taken to task for your cruelty.

I would have respected you if you took the consequences of your
actions like real heroes: calmly and responsibly instead of kicking
and screaming and making lame excuses. You say you are willing to die
for us, that you do all these things for the country and the Filipino,
but you are not even willing to go to jail for us.

Come on, you really think we believe that you did not want to bring
down the government when that is the one and only thing you have been
trying to do in the last many months?

We love this country and we want peace and progress. Many among us do
not give a f*&k who sits at Malacanang because we will work hard and
do our share to make things work. If you only do your jobs, the ones
that we elected you to do, things would be a lot simpler and easier
for every one.

The events during the weekend only proved one thing. You are more
dangerous and a serious threat to this country than GMA is. We have
seen what you are capable of doing - you are ready to burn this
country and reduce everything to ashes just to prove your point. If
there is something that we need protection from, it is protection from
you.

MEDIA SENSATIONALISM: How the media treated the UAAP scandal By FRANZ FRANSISCO CHAN

WHEN THE DLSU administration found two Green Archers ineligible to play due to spurious documents, it directly distributed its press statements among the print and TV media – the supposed purveyors of truth and watchdogs of the society.

In the past months, there has been a non-stop onslaught if media stories regarding the issue, which what media is described as “doing their job”. Although today, the topic on eligibility case has been silenced because most likely, the media has already exhausted all possible angles.

The one thing they could take out and be better off with: media sensationalism.

According to Webster, sensationalism is defined as “to cast and present in a manner intended to arouse strong interest, especially through inclusion of exaggerated or lurid details.”

As a contemporary trend in reporting, news is “sensationalized” so as to have commercial gains whether directly or indirectly. Those “lurid details” can be anything from exaggerated figures or incomplete quotes that totally change how the audience views a certain piece of information that produces different implications.

What’s the word, that’s the word

For instance, in reporting on a story about a UAAP board meeting, the Philippine Star had the article’s title as "UAAP Junks DLSU report”, while the Philippine Daily Inquirer as “UAAP to probe deeper into La Salle eligibility case”, and The Manila Bulletin as “UAAP finds La Salle report shallow, orders own probe” as the story’s title.

The articles came out on November 9 to 10, and reported how the UAAP Board convened and was unsatisfied with how the rather short report of the findings submitted by DLSU officials. Thus, the Board decided to form its own fact-finding committee to reach a conclusive verdict. Now when the details come in, so did the differences too.

Judging by the titles alone, it would seem that “UAAP Junks DLSU report” would have greater impact than the other news articles. Looking deeper into the articles, the first one using “junk” as a verb makes it weigh heavier than the other two and attracts more attention because of the word usage.

In contrast, the Inquirer article implies a milder decision claiming that, “Calling La Salle’s report a bit shallow, the UAAP Board formed its own fact-finding committee yesterday to probe deeper into the eligibility case involving two Green Archers.”

Furthermore, the quotes from the press conference vary. In the Bulletin article, Rendon, the UAAP President, was quoted with saying, “The report should have been much deeper, but what they (La Salle officials) gave us was much too shallow.”

While in the Inquirer article, he was quoted with saying, “It was a bit shallow. Did it just end there, Lacson and assistant team manager Manny Salgado? After they denied everything, what now?” It would appear in the Bulletin article that Rendon found the report “too” shallow, while in the Inquirer article, it was just “a bit” shallow.

The Philippine Star’s article never made mention on “shallowness”. The articles also led to different endings and different implications. The Philippine Star’s article ended with Matibag (UAAP secretary-general) saying, “Then we will have to decide if it’s time to award it to FEU.”

While the Bulletin article ended with Cardona cleared of “wrongdoing” and Matibag assuring that DLSU will continue to complete in the second semester UAAP events.

What is the truth? It would appear that reading the articles side by side posted more questions than facts in the end.

Jigsaw Puzzle

A few months ago, or might we say before the UAAP season ended, the University was viewed highly by the media because of its strong call for President Gloria Arroyo to “make the supreme sacrifice”, when all of a sudden it became a 180 degree turnabout for the entire view on the University because of the controversy.

No more championship talks or good education. Haven’t people heard and read the same words a few months ago? The ineligibility issue must be the sports pages’ equivalent of the Gloria-gate scandal.

The negative reaction of certain alumni and opinionated mediamen don’t necessarily reflect the sentiments of the general public, but their opinions without objectivity reflect the over generalization arguments.

Philip Tangco, a DLSU alumnus, reacted, “Our media has deteriorated to become an instrument for manipulation, power brokering, and profit making. Rather than, and shamelessly contrary to their self-claim to be purveyors of truth, there was one “report” that DLSU merely disclosed the eligibility issue to preempt other sources from revealing it first…”

Unimpeachable reporting

Last year, when the media heard from unconfirmed sources that a certain hostage in Iraq was to be released, viewers were made to believe that he was really free and everybody tuned in to the newscasts in vain.

Likewise, Br. Armin told The Lasallian that there seems to be a mole inside DLSU, who have been feeding sources to the media, which they refer to as “unimpeachable source”. In fact, the administrators never released a press statement regarding the resignation of Br. Bobby and Edwin Santiago, but the story was published in Inquirer. Curiously, it was only the Inquirer which had the exclusive story that day.

An administrator commented that the sports journalists have been playing with the press releases of DLSU with regard to the issue, changing the contexts of the press statement. Context is vital to the substance and the interpretation of the news article as it is always assumed that the reader is not familiar with the background of the story.

With the scandal, DLSU’s statements made it clear that neither the Administration nor Department of Education knew of the spurious documents until the University officials asked for verification. However, the media highlighted on the supposed “cover up” of DLSU during the UAAP season using quotes taken from such press statements.

Another good example is the article “DLSU to endorse case to authorities” in The Philippine Star on Nov. 4 that stated, “It would endorse the findings of its four-man panel to the appropriate government agency, like the National Bureau of Investigation(NBI),” while on DLSU’s press statement, there is no mention of NBI, only “proper authorities.”

Media sensationalism was partially responsible for the University being branded such negatives and pointing fingers to athletes as if they were “criminals”. The University will absorb the hatred of their words through athletic losses, but the media aren’t helping anybody else but themselves.

Today, there aren’t many positive news stories on DLSU or other happenings in the campus; it is as if the scandal is the only thing happening around the school.

The ineligibility scandal is the current “saga” in news sensationalism, but the national journalists should find more ways to report the issue rather than twist the truth behind the story. They can start by rebuilding the school’s reputation and reporting on how badly they have handled the issue thus far. After all, the objective of news is to search the “truth” and not to sugarcoat it.

A Simple Plan for Advent

Six prayer habits to help us welcome Jesus into our hearts and homes

1. Go to Mass more often.

Consider whether you can clear out some time to attend as a family on certain weekdays during Advent. You might have to inconvenience yourselves a bit—get up earlier, give up a recreational activity, or have a quicker no-frills meal. Offer the sacrifice for the sake of a friend or family member who needs God's help.

2. Pray together as a family.

Experiment and find ways that work for you. Many families use an Advent wreath for mealtime or evening prayer. For a simple Advent wreath ceremony, just light the candle(s), sing "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel," and read the gospel for the day. Another idea for the season: Use an Advent calendar with Scripture verses; open a window each day of Advent, and use the verse as a springboard for prayer and discussion. Or pray with the help of a Jesse Tree: Each day of Advent, you hang an ornament that symbolizes a biblical person or thing connected with Christ's coming, and read the appropriate Scripture text. An even simpler suggestion: Pray the family rosary. Praying the joyful mysteries, especially, is a great way to get in touch with the events leading up to the world's first Christmas. Can't find time for the whole rosary? Pray one decade. I have friends, a large family, who pray a decade at the end of every dinner. Short as it is, it builds family unity and launches the evening in a peaceful, orderly way.

3. Offer short prayers during the day.

These are ideal for the times you're stuck waiting—for an elevator, for someone to pick up the phone, for the light to turn green, for a ride home from school. Just take a line from Scripture and pray it! Here are some Advent prayers you can tape to the dashboard, put on the fridge, or slip into a wallet or backpack. Use them, and teach them to your children.

"O Lord—how long?" (Psalm 6:3).

"Maranatha—Come, Lord ?Jesus" (Revelation 22:20).

"He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30).

"Increase our faith" (Luke 17:5).

"Lord, let me see" (Luke 18:41).

4. Examine Your Conscience.

Every night, take a couple of minutes alone, in silence, to look back on your day in the presence of God. Remember the moments when you experienced God's help, mercy, and presence. See how well you lived up to your calling, how far you've gone on your way to the goal. During Advent, you might focus on growing in some particular virtue with an Advent connection—peacefulness, humility, charity. End by telling God you're sorry for your sins. (And, of course, confess them to a priest, as needed.)

Depending on their ages, teach your children how they can take advantage of this traditional means for growing closer to Jesus. Offer guidance, but let them develop their own conversation with the Holy Spirit.

5. Do some fasting.

Jesus fasted. The apostles fasted. We know from Scripture that fasting is a powerful form of prayer. Though this is a less penitential season than Lent, Advent fasting is an appropriate way to express our longing that God's kingdom be more fully revealed in ourselves, in others, and in our world.

Talk it over with your spouse and children, and decide on a way of fasting as a family this Advent. You can choose not to eat between meals. You can give up desserts. You can forego a favorite food or go meatless on certain days. Or you can choose a non-food item to fast from, such as TV or the Web. The important thing is to make a real sacrifice—one you can feel—and to offer it to God.

6. Make your home a haven of charity.

Give some real-life expression to the divine grace and love received in prayer. Make it a family goal to treat one another with extra mercy and courtesy. Some families put this resolution into practice by drawing names, with each member becoming another person's "Advent Angel." Secretly, each "angel" offers prayers and little acts of kindness for the other; identities are revealed on Christmas Day.

Another idea: Use Advent as a time to develop more charitable habits of speech. If your family has fallen into any negative patterns—yelling, nagging, blaming, sarcasm, fault-finding, gossiping, talking back—now's the time to regain lost ground!

And of course, Advent and Christmas are traditional seasons for expressing love through hospitality and acts of charity. A third-century Christian wrote: "It's our care of the helpless, our practice of loving kindness that brands us in the eyes of many of our opponents, who say, 'See those Christians, how they love one another.'" This striking description of the Church offers an ideal for the "domestic church" that is our family.

Remember: They'll know we are Christians—not just by the nativity scene in our front yard, but by the love in our hearts, expressed in our homes

Merry Christmas!

Forever Is the Strangest Thing

Forever is the strangest thing:
It's shorter than you think.
It starts at any time you like
And ends in just a wink.

You can forever be: right now
Is just as good as then.
The moment is quite all there is,
No matter where or when.

The moment is eternity,
And now is just a dream.
We see our lives in futures past,
But that's just how things seem.

Beyond the motion of the mind
Is something that is true:
As awesome as the universe,
As small as me and you.

TAG FROM THE MAVEN

1. Anong oras ka gumising kaninang umaga?
> Kung kelan ko gusto.

2. Ano ka sa dalawa morning person o night owl?
> Night Owl.

3. Anong huling pelikula ang napanood mo sa sinehan?
> Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, tagal na pala nun ah...hehehe.

4. Anong paborito mong TV show?
> Depende sa mood ko, madalas sports events.

5. Anong kinain mo sa agahan?
> Wala!!!

6. Ano ang iyong panggitnang pangalan?
> Daroya

7. Ano ang paborito mong lutong pagkain?
> Sinigang! the best!

8. Anong pagkain ang ayaw mo?
> Wala eh, lahat ata kinakain ko. Grasya ng Diyos yan eh.

9. Paboritong araw?
> Biyernes! Wala na kasi pasok kinabukasan!

10. Paboritong CD sa ngayon?
> Nina: Live

11. Paboritong sandwich?
> Hamburger

12. Anong katangian ang ayaw mo?
> Yung nanggagamit lang...USER!

13. Anong ginagawa mo kapag nababagot ka?
> Nood lang ako ng TV o kaya maglalaro ng PS2.

14. Kung magbabakasyon ka sa ibang bahagi ng mundo, saan ka tutungo?
> Antartica, kung kaya ko...hahaha.

15. Paboritong tatak ng damit?
> Ukay - ukay lang mga damit ko eh...

16. Saan ka pinanganak?
> St. Luke's Hospital, QC

17. Ano ang pinakamagandang alaala ng iyong kamusmusan?
> Nung naliligo ako sa ulan ng hubo! walang kiyeme, walang malisya...hahaha

18. May alaga ka bang hayop?
> Wala sa ngayon eh...

19. Mayroon ka bang bagong balita na gusto mong ibahagi sa lahat?
> Ala eh, pag meron share ko sa inyo.

20. Ano ang gusto mong maging nu’ng musmos ka pa?
> Engineer, kaya lang di ko kinaya eh...hehehe. shift na lang ako.

21. Mga trabahong napasukan mo?
> Telemarketer ng Citibank Credit Card

22. Ano ang nauna, manok o itlog?
> Ewan!

23. Sinu-sino ita-tag mo?
> Anong tag???

SAMPUNG UTOS SA MAG-IINOM

1. HUWAG MAKULIT habang nag-iinom.

2. HUWAG MATAKAW huwag kamayin ang pulutan.

3. HUWAG PATAGALIN ANG BASO,may naghihintay pang tatagay.

4. HUWAG UMINOM NG UMINOM,kaylangan bumili ka rin.

5. MAGPAALAM KUNG UUWI NA athuwag yungbiglang nawawala

6. UMINOM NG DIRETSO SA TIYAN at huwag sa ulo upang maiwasan ang basag ulo.

7. MAGTIRA NG PANLAKAD, kahit hinlalaki ng paa, iwasan ding umuwi ng pagapang.

8. HUWAG MATUTULOG HABANG UMIINOM.

9. SIGURADUHING SA SARILING BAHAY ang uwi kung lasing na.

10. HUWAG MANAKIT NG ASAWA,kung hindi bigyan ng pang-inom, at dapat mo pang lambingin, at ng pagbigyang muli.

HULING PAKI-USAP< IWASANG SUMUKA AT UMIHI SA SALAWAL . . .

Corporate Basketball Champs!!!

This is a classic... just read on.

A soldier came to a fork in the road and saw a nun standing there

He asked her, "Please Sister, may I hide under your skirts for a few minutes? I'll explain why later." The nun agreed to his request.

Shortly thereafter, two MP's came running along and asked her if she had seen a soldier running down the road. She replied, "He went that way."

After the MP's disappeared, the soldier crawled out from under her skirt and said, "I can't thank you enough Sister, but you see, I don't want to go to Iraq." The nun said she understood.

The GI said, "I hope you don't think me rude or impertinent, but you have the most beautiful pair of legs I've ever seen!"

The nun replied, "If you had looked a little higher, you would have seen the most beautiful pair of balls you've ever seen! I don't want to go to Iraq either."

Read down to the very bottom, you don't want to miss this!

VERY INTERESTING -

1. The garden of Eden was in Iraq.

2. Mesopotamia, which is now Iraq, was the cradle of civilization!

3. Noah built the ark in Iraq.

4. The Tower of Babel was in Iraq.

5. Abraham was from Ur, which is in Southern Iraq!

6. Isaac's wife Rebekah is from Nahor, which is in Iraq!

7. Jacob met Rachel in Iraq.

8. Jonah preached in Nineveh - which is in Iraq.

9. Assyria, which is in Iraq, conquered the ten tribes of Israel.

10. Amos cried out in Iraq!

11. Babylon, which is in Iraq, destroyed Jerusalem.

12. Daniel was in the lion's den in Iraq!

13. The three Hebrew children were in the fire in Iraq Jesus had been in Iraq also as the fourth person in the fiery furnace!

14. Belshazzar, the King of Babylon saw the "writing on the wall" in Iraq.

15. Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, carried the Jews captive into Iraq.

16. Ezekiel preached in Iraq.

17. The wise men were from Iraq.

18. Peter preached in Iraq.

19. The "Empire of Man" described in Revelation is", called Babylon, which was a city in Iraq!

And you have probably seen this one. Israel is the nation most often mentioned in the Bible. But do you know which nation is second? It is Iraq! However, that is not the name that is used in the Bible. The names used in the Bible are Babylon, Land of Shinar, and Mesopotamia. The word Mesopotamia means between the two rivers, more exactly between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. The name, Iraq, means country with deep roots.

Indeed Iraq is a country with deep roots and is a very significant country in the Bible.

No other nation, except Israel, has more history and prophecy associated it than Iraq.

And also... This is something to think about! Since America is typically represented by an eagle. Saddam should have read up on his Muslim passages...

The following verse is from the Koran, (the Islamic Bible)

Koran (9:11) - For it is written that a son of Arabia would awaken a fearsome Eagle. The wrath of the Eagle would be felt throughout the lands of Allah and lo, while some of the people trembled in despair still more rejoiced; for the wrath of the Eagle cleansed the lands of Allah; and there was peace.

(Note the verse number!) Hmmmmmmm?! God Bless you all. Amen!

Pagbabago. Hindi pa huli ang lahat!

Gising, frend.

Tumatanda ka na, frend.

Nasa Friday Magic Madness na yung mga paborito mong kanta.Nakaka-relate ka na sa Classic MTV. Lesbiana na yung kinaaaliwan mong child star dati. Nanay na lagi ang role ng crush na crush mong matinee idol noon.

Dati, pag may panot, sisigaw ka agad ng "PENDONG!".Ngayon, pag may sumisigaw nun, ikaw na yung napapraning. Parang botika na ang cabinet mo. May multivitamins, vitamin E, vitamin C, royaljelly, tsaka ginko biloba.

Dati, laging may inuman. Sa inuman, may lechon, sisig,kaldereta, inihaw na liempo, pusit, at kung anu-ano pa. Ngayon, nagkukumpulan na lang kayo ng mga kasama mo sa Starbucks at oorder ng tea.

Wala na ang mga kaibigan mo noon.

Ang dating masasayang tawanan ng barkada sa canteen, napalitan na ng walang katapusang pagrereklamo tungkol sa kumpanya ninyo. Wala na ang best friend mo na lagi mong pinupuntahan kapag may problema ka. Ang lagi mo na lang kausap ngayon e ang kaopisina monghindi ka sigurado kung binebenta ka sa iba pag nakatalikod ka. Ang hirap nang magtiwala.

Mahirap nang makahanap ng totoong kaibigan. Hindi mokayang pagkatiwalaan ang kasama mo araw-araw sa opisina. Kung sabagay, nagkakilala lang kayo dahil gusto ninyong kumita ngpera at umakyat sa tinatawag nilang "corporate ladder". Anumang pagkakaibigang umusbong galing sa pera at ambisyon ay hindi talaga totoong pagkakaibigan. Pera din at ambisyon ang sisira sa inyong dalawa.

Pera. Pera na ang nagpapatakbo ng buhay mo.

Alipin ka na ng Meralco, PLDT, SkyCable, Globe, Smart, at Sun. Alipin ka ng Midnight Madness. Alipin ka ng tollgate sa expressway. Alipin ka ng credit card mo. Alipin ka ng ATM. Alipin ka ng BIR.

Dati-rati masaya ka na sa isang platong instant pancitcanton. Ngayon, dapat may kasamang italian chicken ang fettucinealfredo mo. Masaya ka na noon pag nakakapag-ober-da-bakod kayo para makapagswimming. Ngayon ayaw mo nang lumangoy kung hindi Boracay, Puerto Galera o Davao ang lugar.

Dati, sulit na sulit na sa yo ang gin pomelo. Ngayon, pagkatapos ng ilang bote ng red wine, maghahanap ka ng San Mig Light oVodka Cruiser.

Wala ka nang magawa. Sumasabay ang lifestyle mo sa income mo. Nagtataka ka kung bakit hindi ka pa rin nakakaipon kahit tumataas ang sweldo mo. Yung mga bagay na gusto mong bilhin dati nasinasabi mong hindi mo kailangan, abot-kamay mo na. Pero kahit nasa iyo na ang mga gusto mong bilhin, hindi ka pa rin makuntento.

Saan ka ba papunta?

frend, gumising ka. Hindi ka nabuhay sa mundong ito para maging isa lang sa mga baterya ng mga machines sa Matrix. Hanapin moang dahilan kung bakit nilagay ka rito. Kung ang buhay mo ngayon ay uulit-ulit lang hanggang maging singkwenta anyos ka na, magsisisi ka. Lumingon ka kung paano ka nagsimula, isipin ang mga tao at mga bagay na nagpasaya sa yo. Balikan mo sila.

Ikaw ang nagbago, hindi ang mundo.

Ring Mag lauds Pacquiao for relinquishing feather belt

The prestigious Ring Magazine, considered as "The Bible of Boxing", has nothing but words of respect and praise for Filipino sports hero Manny Pacquiao for relinquishing his Ring Magazine featherweight belt.

Ring Magazine recognized Pacquiao as its featherweight champion after the Filipino boxer’s masterful 11th round destruction of Mexican legend Marco Antonio Barrera on Nov. 16, 2003 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

But last June, Pacquiao wrote a formal letter to Ring Magazine signifying his intent to vacate his throne as the General Santos City fighter will now be campaigning in the junior lightweight division.

"Speaking of good guys, I’d like to thank Manny Pacquiao for taking appropriate action and relinquishing his Ring featherweight title, which he did in writing during the early part of June," stated Ring editor-in-chief Nigel Collins in his Ringside column in the magazine’s October 2005 issue.

"Pacquiao, who will now campaign as a junior lightweight, was aware that The Ring does not strip champions of belts won inside the ring, and could have procrastinated. But that might have denied other fighters the opportunity to vie for the now-vacant belt," added Collins.

"Like most fighters, Pacquiao is an honorable man and did the right thing. That’s the way boxing is supposed to work.

" Pacquiao is presently in the thick of rigid preparation for his Sept. 10 bout against Mexican Hector Velazquez at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.

Pacquiao’s tormentor Erik Morales will also appear in the same card against 1996 USA Olympian Zahir Rahim capping a pair of 12-rounder bouts topbilling Top Rank’s "Double Trouble" slugfest.

If Pacquiao and Morales both win, they will figure in an expected grudge rematch either in January 2006.

"Twelve (12) Little Things Every Filipino Can Do To Help Our Country,"

A simple enumeration of these "twelve little things" will not Do justice tothe work of Alex. You've got to read the whole text, but I shall try tocompress a few lines for some of the items mentioned.

1. Follow traffic rules -- Why is that the most important? The answer issimple. Traffic rules are the simplest of our laws. If we learn to followthem, it will be the lowest form of national discipline that we candevelop.Since it is totally without monetary cost, it should be easy for us tocomply with, and therefore should provide a good start.

2. Whenever you buy or pay for anything, always ask for an officialreceipt. -- If a seller does not issue an official receipt when you buya product, the seller may or may not remit the tax to the government.Without an O.R., there is no record of the sale transaction, and the taxthat you paid may not be remitted to the Bureau of Internal Revenue.

3. Do not buy smuggled goods. Buy local, buy Filipino. -- It may not begood economics to buy 100 percent local products. What I suggest is forus to take a "50-50" buying attitude. This means that we must developthe attitude of using 50 percent of our budget for local products andthe other 50 percent for imported choices.

4. When you talk to others, especially foreigners, speak positively ofour race and our country -- this is best addressed to the rich and themiddle class in our country, who have contact with the outside world. Itis they who talk to, dine or deal with foreigners either here or abroad.It is what they say and do which creates impressions about us amongforeigners.

5. Respect your traffic officer, policeman, soldier and other publicservants -- There is nothing like the power of respect. It makes a personproud. It makes one feel honorable. At the same time, courtesy to others isgood manners. It is class and elegance and kindness. It is seeing the valueand dignity in the other man. It is, in fact, a mark of a most profoundeducation.

6. Do not litter. Dispose your garbage properly. Segregate. Recycle.Conserve. -- As Louis Armstrong says in his song: "I see trees of green,redroses, too, I see them bloom for me and you and I think to myself, what a
wonderful world."

7. Support your church. (or charitable/ civic organizations -- :-)

8. During elections, do your solemn duty. -- Honesty, more than a masteralor doctorate degree, is what gives credibility. And credibility isessentialbecause it is a leader's link to the people. It is what makes the peoplelook to one direction, f ollow a common vision, and perform a uniform act.Inshort, credibility is what makes people follow the leader.

9. Pay your employees well. -- No exercise is better for the human heartthan to reach down and lift someone else up. This truly defines asuccessfullife. For success is the sum, not of our earthly possessions, but of howmany times we have shown love and kindness to others.

10. Pay your taxes. -- In 2003, P83 billion was collected from individualincome taxes. But 91 percent of this amount came from salaried workers fromthe government and private sector, people who had no choice since theirincome taxes were withheld mandatorily. Only P7 billion of the P83 billioncame from businessmen and professionals like doctors, lawyers, accountantsand architects,among others.

11. Adopt a scholar or adopt a poor child. -- You can make a difference inthe future of our country by making a difference in the world of children.

12. Be a good parent. Teach your kids to follow the law and to love ourcountry. -- Today's children will someday rule and lead this world. Butwhether they will be bad rulers or good leaders will depend largely on howwe raise them today. Our future is in the hearts and minds of our children.

Learn to read Chinese!!!! Its easy!!! 

Signs that your girlfriend / wife is cheating