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MEDICAL MISSION FEBRUARY 20 – 23, 2010

Submitted by Procy

The Philippine Medical Association in America, Inc. (PMAA) which is comprised of Filipino Physicians from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware holds a medical mission every year in different places in the Philippines. Usually the governor of the province or the congressperson invites the PMAA to go to their province to do the mission. This year the PMAA will go to Catbalogan, Samar for their mission. Catbalogan is one of the poorest towns in the Philippines and this Medical/Surgical/Dental and Humanitarian Mission will certainly help the indigent constituents of Catbalogan. We will do all kinds of surgery including cataract surgery, medical consultations, and dental procedures. We will be distributing free medicines as appropriate. We will also distribute eyeglasses, old clothes and shoes, toys and rice to needy families. We will be distributing school bags filled with school supplies to qualified school children. The Feed the Hungry, Inc. donated children’s books and these will be distributed to the four elementary schools in Catbalogan for their library.. The current president of the PMAA is Prospero A. Lim, MD a psychiatrist who is from Catbalogan Samar and so is Alfredo Donaire, MD a surgeon and coordinates the surgical part of the mission. Drs. Vivina Malantic and Elna Prado, both pediatricians coordinates the medical part of the mission. Nick Libramonte is the overall coordinator.

2010 Census To Begin - Be careful!

Submitted by Rading

This is good information - 2010 Census to Begin

THIS IS PRETTY BASIC ADVICE;

Be Cautious About Giving Info to Census Workers by Susan Johnson With the U.S. Census process beginning, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) advises people to be cooperative, but cautious, so as not to become a victim of fraud or identity theft. The first phase of the 2010 U.S. Census is under way as workers have begun verifying the addresses of households across the country. Eventually, more than 140,000 U.S. Census workers will count every person in the United States and will gather information about every person living at each address including name, age, gender, race, and other relevant data.

The big question is - how do you tell the difference between a U.S. Census worker and a con artist? BBB offers the following advice:

If a U.S. Census worker knocks on your door, they will have a badge, a handheld device, a Census Bureau canvas bag, and a confidentiality notice. Ask to see their identification and their badge before answering their questions. However, you should never invite anyone you don't know into your home.

Census workers are currently only knocking on doors to verify address information. Do not give your Social Security number, credit card or banking information to anyone, even if they claim they need it for the U.S. Census.

REMEMBER, NO MATTER WHAT THEY ASK, YOU REALLY ONLY NEED TO TELL THEM HOW MANY PEOPLE LIVE AT YOUR ADDRESS.

While the Census Bureau might ask for basic financial information, such as a salary range, YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER ANYTHING AT ALL ABOUT YOUR FINANCIAL SITUATION. The Census Bureau will not ask for Social Security, bank account, or credit card numbers, nor will employees solicit donations. Any one asking for that information is NOT with the Census Bureau.

AND REMEMBER, THE CENSUS BUREAU HAS DECIDED NOT TO WORK WITH ACORN ON GATHERING THIS INFORMATION. . No Acorn worker should approach you saying he/she is with the Census Bureau.

Eventually, Census workers may contact you by telephone, mail, or in person at home. However, the Census Bureau will not contact you by Email, so be on the lookout for Email scams impersonating the Census.

Never click on a link or open any attachments in an Email that are supposedly from the U.S. Census Bureau.

For more advice on avoiding identity theft and fraud, visit www.bbb.org

PLEASE SHARE THIS INFO WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

Hotel/Motel Scam

Submitted by Rading

This is kinda scary if only because of how simple it is. I'll bet this works all too often.

You arrive at your hotel and check in at the front desk. When checking in, you give the front desk your credit card (for all the charges for your room). You get to your room and settle in.

Someone calls the front desk and asked for (example) Room 620 (which happens to be your room). Your phone rings in your room. You answer and the person on the other end says the following, 'This is the front desk. When checking in, we came cross a problem with your charge card information. Please re-read me your credit card number and verify the last 3 digits numbers at the reverse side of your charge card.'

Not thinking anything you might give this person your information, since the call seems to come from the front desk. But actually, it is a scam of someone calling from outside the hotel/front desk. They ask for a random room number. Then, ask you for credit card information and address information. Sounding so professional that you do think you are talking to the front desk.

If you ever encounter this problem on your vacation, tell the caller that you will be down at the front desk to clear up any problems... Then, go to the front desk and ask if there was a problem. If there was none, inform the manager of the hotel that someone called to scam you of your credit card information acting like a front desk employee.

This was sent by someone who has been duped.......and is still clearing up the mess....

P.S.
Please everyone, help spread the word by forwarding this email to everyone you know.. Who knows, you might just help someone avoid a nasty experience.

The Lawyers' Party

Submitted by Nino

I didn't write this; but I'm forwarding it, because I have thought of some of these points myself. Maybe you should think about these points too!

The Lawyers' Party

This is very interesting! I never thought about it this way. Perhaps this is why so many physicians are conservatives or Republicans.

The Democratic Party has become the Lawyer's Party.

Barack Obama is a lawyer.

Michelle Obama is a lawyer.

Hillary Clinton is a lawyer.

Bill Clinton is a lawyer.

John Edwards is a lawyer.

Elizabeth Edwards is a lawyer.

Every Democrat nominee since 1984 went to law school (although Gore did not graduate).

Every Democrat vice presidential nominee since 1976, except for Lloyd

Bentsen, went to law school.

Look at leaders of the Democrat Party in Congress:

Harry Reid is a lawyer.

Nancy Pelosi is a lawyer.

The Republican Party is different.

President Bush was a businessman.

Vice President Cheney is a businessman.

The leaders of the Republican Revolution:

Newt Gingrich was a history professor.

Tom Delay was an exterminator.

Dick Armey was an economist.

House Minority Leader John Boehner was a plastic manufacturer.

The former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist is a heart surgeon.

Who was the last Republican president who was a lawyer? Gerald Ford, who left office 31 years ago and who barely won the Republican nomination as a sitting president, running against Ronald Reagan in 1976.

The Republican Party is made up of real people doing real work, who are often the targets of lawyers.

The Democrat Party is made up of lawyers. Democrats mock and scorn men who create wealth, like Bush and Cheney, or who heal the sick, like Frist, or who immerse themselves in history, like Gingrich.

The Lawyer's Party sees these sorts of people, who provide goods and services that people want, as the enemies of America . And, so we have seen the procession of official enemies, in the eyes of the Lawyer's Party, grow.

Against whom do Hillary and Obama rail?

Pharmaceutical companies, oil companies, hospitals, manufacturers, fast food restaurant chains, large retail businesses, bankers, and anyone producing anything of value in our nation.

This is the natural consequence of viewing everything through the eyes of lawyers. Lawyers solve problems by successfully representing their clients, in this case the American people.

Lawyers seek to have new laws passed, they seek to win lawsuits, they press appellate courts to overturn precedent, and lawyers always parse language to favor their side.

Confined to the narrow practice of law, that is fine.

But it is an awful way to govern a great nation. When politicians as lawyers begin to view some Americans as clients and other Americans as opposing parties, then the role of the legal system in our life becomes all-consuming. Some Americans become "adverse parties" of our very government. We are not all litigants in some vast social class-action suit.

We are citizens of a republic that promises us a great deal of freedom from laws, from courts, and from lawyers.

Today, we are drowning in laws; we are contorted by judicial decisions; we are driven to distraction by omnipresent lawyers in all parts of our once private lives. America has a place for laws and lawyers, but that place is modest and reasonable, not vast and unchecked. When the most important decision for our next president is whom he will appoint to the Supreme Court, the role of lawyers and the law in America is too b ig. When lawyers use criminal prosecution as a continuation of politics by other means, as happened in the lynching of Scooter Libby and Tom Delay, then the power of lawyers in America is too great. When House Democrats sue America in order to hamstring our efforts to learn what our enemies are planning to do to us, then the role of litigation in America has become crushing.

We cannot expect the Lawyer's Party to provide real change, real reform or real hope in America . Most Americans know that a republic in which every major government action must be blessed by nine unelected judges is not what Washington intended in 1789. Most Americans grasp that we cannot fight a war when ACLU lawsuits snap at the heels of our defenders, and wants to prosecute our troops as war criminals for giving a fat lip to muderers! Most Americans know that more lawyers and judges will not restore declining moral values or spark the spirit of enterprise in our economy.

Perhaps Americans will understand that change cannot be brought to our nation by those lawyers who already largely dictate American society and business. Perhaps Americans will see that hope does not come from the mouths of lawyers but from personal dreams nourished by hard work. Perhaps Americans will embrace the truth that more lawyers with more power will only make our problems worse.

The United States has 5% of the world's population and 66% of the world's lawyers! Tort (Legal) reform legislation has been introduced in congress several times in the last several years to limit punitive damages in ridiculous lawsuits such as "spilling hot coffee on yourself and suing the establishment that sold it to you" and also to limit punitive damages in huge medical malpractice lawsuits. This legislation has continually been blocked from even being voted on by the Democrat Party. When you see that 97% of the political contributions from the American Trial Lawyers Association goes to the Democrat Party, then you realize who is responsible for our medical and product costs being so high!

TO CALL THE POLICE

WHEN YOU'RE OLD AND DON'T MOVE FAST ANYMORE.

George Phillips , an elderly man, from Meridian , Mississippi , was going up to bed, when his wife told him that he'd left the light on in the garden shed, which she could see from the bedroom window. George opened the back door to go turn off the light, but saw that there were people in the shed stealing things.

He phoned the police, who asked "Is someone in your house?" He said "No," but some people are breaking into my garden shed and stealing from me.

Then the police dispatcher said "All patrols are busy. You should lock your doors and an officer will be along when one is available."

George said, "Okay."

He hung up the phone and counted to 30. Then he phoned the police again.

"Hello, I just called you a few seconds ago because there were people stealing things from my shed. Well, you don't have to worry about them now because I just shot them." and he hung up.

Within five minutes, six Police Cars, a SWAT Team, a Helicopter, two Fire Trucks, a Paramedic, and an Ambulance showed up at the Phillips' residence, and caught the burglars red-handed.

One of the Policemen said to George , "I thought you said that you'd shot them!"
George said, "I thought you said there was nobody available!"

(True Story) I LOVE IT!
Don't mess with old people.

THIS OUGHT TO MAKE YOU SMILE! (And surely,some of us can relate!)

Submitted by Ted

On the first day, God created the dog and said, "Sit all day by the door of your house and bark at anyone who comes in or walks past. For this, I will give you a life span of twenty years."

The dog said, "That's a long time to be barking. How about only ten years and I'll give you back the other ten?"

So God agreed......

On the second day, God created the monkey and said, "Entertain people, do tricks, and make them laugh. For this, I'll give you a twenty-year life span."

The monkey said, "Monkey tricks for twenty years? That's a pretty long time to perform. How about I give you back ten like the dog did?"

And God agreed......

On the third day, God created the cow and said, "You must go into the field with the farmer all day long and suffer under the sun, have calves and give milk to support the farmer's family. For this, I will give you a life span of sixty years."

The cow said, "That's kind of a tough life you want me to live for sixty years. How about twenty and I'll give back the other forty?"

And God agreed again......

On the fourth day, God created humans and said, "Eat, sleep, play, marry and enjoy your life. For this, I'll give you twenty years."

But the human said, "Only twenty years? Could you possibly give me my twenty, the forty the cow gave back, the ten the monkey gave back, and the ten the dog gave back; that makes eighty, okay?"

"Okay," said God. "You asked for it."

So that is why for our first twenty years, we eat, sleep, play and enjoy ourselves. For the next forty years, we slave in the sun to support our family..

For the next ten years, we do monkey tricks to entertain the grandchildren. And for the last ten years, we sit on the front porch and bark at everyone.

Life has now been explained to you.

There is no need to thank me for this valuable information. I'm doing it as a public service.

President Obama's State of the Union Address Jan 2010

By Albert Romero

One can berate Obama the way one wants. The fact remains that his address has given him a boost in his approval rating not just in USA but also globally all over the world. Britain, Australia, New Zealand and Canada (English speaking countries)’s poles have rated his speech good (72- 84 %) on various issues of international interests. In Europe the poles were similar (68- 88%) in boosting his global image. In Middle East the poles are no different either. Most (over 70%) have shown optimism and are more hopeful for the Middle East’s future after the speech. Even Iran’s poles are in Obama’s favor (52-66%). This could be because of Obama’s neutral stand on Israel. However on his criticism of Iran only 22 % agreed with Obama. In SEA the poles are also in the same ball park except in North Korea that has no opinion one way or the other.

In the south Asia, India (with over billion population) gave him thumbs up (66-84%).

However, Obama's worst rating came from Pakistan who gave him only 14-32 % approval. Most Pakistanis don’t think he is any better than Bush. According to Washington Post there is no shortage of people in Pakistan who consider him even worse than Bush.

Israel was another country that did not think that his address was of any value to them since he did not mention anything about Israel in his 71 minutes speech. Only 21-28 % thought he did a good job. Surprisingly Hamas considered his address favorable to them and rated his speech breath of fresh air (61%). His address may be encouraging for Hamas because Obama didn’t mention the word Israel “even once” in his long speech..

In China the polls were careful in giving him any special place. However, he was not down rated there either. On the other hand Russian polls were more in favor of Obama (54-67 %)

At global level (as a whole) he did very well in deed.

As I said, people who don’t like Obama can say anything negative they want to say about Obama. But all those poles (nationally and internationally), except two (Israel and Pakistan) spoke high of Obama. Therefore, “all” those can’t be wrong.

Albert

The Perfect Super Bowl Seat

Submitted by Ted

Bob received a free ticket to the Superbowl from his company. Unfortunately, when he arrived at the stadium he realized the seat was in the last row in the corner of the stadium. He was closer to the Goodyear Blimp than the field!

About halfway through the first quarter, Bob noticed an empty seat in the 10th row right on the 50-yard line. He decided to take a chance and made his way through the stadium and around the security guards to the empty seat.

As he sat down, he asked the gentleman sitting next to him, "Excuse me, is anyone sitting here?"

The man said "No."

Very excited to be in such a great seat for the game, Bob said to the man next to him, "This is incredible! Who in their right mind would have a seat like this at the Superbowl and not use it?!"

The man replied, "Well, actually, the seat belongs to me. I was supposed to come with my wife, but she passed away. This is the first Superbowl we haven't been to together since we got married in 1967."

"That's really sad," said Bob, "But still, couldn't you find someone to take the seat? A relative or a close friend?"

"No," the man replied, "They're all at the funeral."

"Growing Up Filipino-American"

by Jonathan Saethang
Submitted by Ted

Good evening everyone.

When Tita Marites asked me to speak tonight, I was very excited to do so. First of all, I would be getting a delicious free meal, and as a broke college student, I am always down for a free meal. No, but really, tonight I want to share a little bit about my experience growing up as a second generation Asian-American here in the United States.

Currently, I am in my last year of studies and am President of the Filipino Student Association at Georgia Tech. Many of you might remember me, however, as Little Mr. Fil-Am 1993...yup, I was that kid that sang "Ako Ay Pilipino!" To this day that memory still haunts me. Whenever I go to any Fil-Am event or party and introduce myself, I always am met with "Oh, you are the one that used to sing Ako Ay Pilipino, hahh? Do you still sing? Sing por us, haahh!"

Unfortunately, I'm pretty tone deaf and don't sing anymore. But that doesn't mean that I don't have anything to sing about. I could sing about Filipino history, culture, and traditions that surrounded me in my childhood. I could sing about the struggles that I had finding a place to fit in culturally growing up. I could sing about the rich tapestry of cultural experiences that has made me who I am today.

But why did I even sing in the first place? Well, my Lola taught me how. My Lola taught me a lot of things and continues to teach me a lot to this day.. For instance, she taught me the old adage "kung kumain ka nang gulay, mahaba ng buhay." That means that if you eat your vegetables, you will live long. She has plenty of wise words of wisdom like that, but perhaps the most important thing that she taught me was the universal sense of "pamilya," or family.

I grew up in a unique family situation. My mother came from the Philippines to work as a nurse, the first one in her family to leave the country. My father immigrated from Thailand in the hopes of running a business, also one of the first in his family to leave his country. And they met here in the US, and raised two children in the suburbs of Atlanta.

This unique situation often presses the question, "So what do you consider yourself?" For the longest time, I didn't know how to answer that. Was I Thai? Was I Filipino? Was I American? For so many children growing up here in the states, there is a distinct pressure to conform, to fit in. There is a pressure to identify with one race, one creed, one type. I was no exception. Who was I? Where do I fit in?

It took me until I was a little older to realize that those questions are irrelevant. I am who I am: all parts of me. I am proud to be an American-born- half-Thai- half-Filipino. Like I said, my Lola instilled in me a universal sense of family, meaning that family wasn't about race, religion, or creed. A family is not just limited to those that are like you - a family is inclusive of everyone you love and care for. Pamilya wasn't just limited to those that were blood-related to me, they it included everyone I knew, respected, and trusted.

This is why Filipino children have no shortage of titos, titas, ates, kuyas, lolos, lolas, ninongs, and ninangs: because the Filipino definition of pamilya is inclusive. Friends of my parents became my titos and titas, older friends became my kuyas and ates, and so forth...I think that Filipinos take the statement "It takes a village to raise a child" very literally.

This is the heart and soul of why I do the things that I do today. Because it is not enough to simply educate others about our culture. It is not enough to sing a song, perform the tinikling, or give a speech about Filipino history. While all those are important, we would be doing our fellow inhabitants in the world a disservice if we didn't pass on the most important aspect of Filipino culture: pamilya! This is the one thing that we cannot afford to lose as we continue on through the generations.

And how do you build a family, you might ask? By being active in sharing experiences with others. This is why I feel so passionate about the Filipino Student Association and what we do. Through our community service, professional development, social networking, and other displays of culture, we are able to unite students under the Filipino cultural values that have made each and every one of us who we are today. We are not just an organization: we are a family. We are there for each other in moments of joy, we are there for each other when things go wrong, we are there for each other just like any member of my family would be for me.

And I learned from the best - that's right, from all of you in the crowd. The reason why we have this mentality is because you instilled it in us. You are the ones that taught us to value our family, our values, our rich cultural heritage. You, the parents and titos and titas, are the reason why we are here: you have dedicated your lives to creating a better life here in the United States. We thank you wholeheartedly for all your support to date and look forward to your continued support and advice in the future.

As second generation Asian-Americans growing up in America, we have a markedly different challenge. We have the opportunity for a good education, a well-paying job, and an excellent life here all at our fingertips. Our challenge is to never forget where we came from. We are carrying the torch now-we are the ones that will shape the future of our community and nation. The fact that we have the unique ability to straddle the boundary between the traditional and the contemporary is our greatest strength. Therefore, we should continue looking forward without losing sight of where we came from.

I am proud to be an Asian-American. I am proud to be a Filipino. But moreover, I am proud to be part of a family whose branches extend from here in downtown Atlanta to the ends of the continent, and even further to the ends of the earth. We are one.

The Loyal Wife

Submitted by Rading

There was a man who had worked all of his life, had saved all of his money, and was a real miser when it came to his money.

Just before he died, he said to his wife, 'When I die, I want you to take all my money and put it in the casket with me. I want to take my money to the after-life with me.'

And so he got his wife to promise him with all of her heart that when he died, she would put all of the money in the casket with him.

Well, he died . . .
He was stretched out in the casket, his wife was sitting there in black, and her friend was sitting next to her. When they finished the ceremony, just before the undertakers got ready to close the casket, the wife said, 'Wait, just a minute!'

She had a box with her, she came over with the box and put it in the casket.

Then the undertakers locked the casket down, and they rolled it away.

Her friend said, 'I know you weren't fool enough to put all that money in there in the casket with your husband.'

The loyal wife replied 'Listen, I can't go back on my word. I promised him that I was going to put that money in that casket with him.'

'You mean to tell me you put that money in the casket with him !!! ?'

'I sure did' said the wife. 'I got it all together, put it into my account and wrote him a cheque. If he can cash it, he can spend it.'

Moral of the story: *Women are cleverer than Men* ......

A Phenomenal Video! You Must See this Video!!!!!

Submitted by JUANILLO MIEL

Just a little reminder that God always has an amazing plan…

You absolutely must take time to watch this video (it's about 6 min. long) from beginning to end. I guarantee that this phenomenal young man will put you in a better frame of mind for the rest of the day !! Click here...

Man Conching 40th day

more...

The Boy

Submitted by Rading

I was walking around in a WalMart when I noticed a Cashier returning some money to a little boy.

The boy couldn't have been more than 5 or 6 years old.

The Cashier said, 'I'm sorry, but you don't have enough money to buy this doll.'

Then the little boy turned to the old woman next to him: ''Granny, are you sure I don't have enough money?''

The old lady replied: ''You know that you don't have enough money to buy this doll, my dear.''

Then she asked him to stay there for just 5 minutes while she went to look around. She left quickly.

The little boy was still holding the doll in his hand.

Finally, I walked toward him and I asked him who he wished to give this doll to.

'It's the doll that my sister loved most and wanted so much for Christmas.

She was sure that Santa Claus would bring it to her.'

I replied to him that maybe Santa Claus would bring it to her after all, and not to worry.

But he replied to me sadly. 'No, Santa Claus can't bring it to her where she is now. I have to give the doll to my mommy so that she can give it to my sister when she goes there.'

His eyes were so sad while saying this. 'My Sister has gone to be with God. Daddy says that Mommy is going to see God very soon too, so I thought that she could take the doll with her to give it to my sister.''

My heart nearly stopped.

The little boy looked up at me and said: 'I told daddy to tell mommy not to go yet. I need her to wait until I come back from the mall.'

Then he showed me a very nice photo of himself. He was laughing. He then told me 'I want mommy to take my picture with her so she won't forget me.'

'I love my mommy and I wish she didn't have to leave me, but daddy says that she has to go to be with my little sister.'

Then he looked again at the doll with sad eyes, very quietly.

I quickly reached for my wallet and said to the boy. 'Suppose we check again, just in case you do have enough money for the doll!''

'OK' he said, 'I hope I do have enough.' I added some of my money to his without him seeing and we started to count it. There was enough for the doll and even some spare money.

The little boy said: 'Thank you God for giving me enough money!'

Then he looked at me and added, 'I asked last night before I went to sleep for God to make sure I had enough money to buy this doll, so that mommy could give it to my sister. He heard me!'' 'I also wanted to have enough money to buy a white rose for my mommy, but I didn't dare to ask God for too much. But He gave me enough to buy the doll and a white rose.''

'My mommy loves white roses.'

A few minutes later, the old lady returned and I left with my basket.

I finished my shopping in a totally different state of mind from when I started.

I couldn't get the little boy out of my mind.

Then I remembered a local news paper article two days ago, which mentioned a drunk man in a truck, who hit a car occupied by a young woman and a little girl. The little girl died right away, and the mother was left in a critical state. The family had to decide whether to pull the plug on the life-sustaining machine, because the young woman would not be able to recover from the coma.

Was this the family of the little boy?

Two days after this encounter with the little boy, I read in the news paper that the young woman had passed away.

I couldn't stop myself as I bought a bunch of white roses and I went to the funeral home where the body of the young woman was for people to see and make last wishes before her burial.

She was there, in her coffin, holding a beautiful white rose in her hand with the photo of the little boy and the doll placed over her chest. I left the place, teary-eyed, feeling that my life had been changed for ever.. The love that the little boy had for his mother and his sister is still, to this day, hard to imagine.

And in a fraction of a second, a drunk driver had taken all this away from him.

The quote of the month is by Jay Leno:

'With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, 'Are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?'

An Interactive Game in a British Bar

Submitted by Ted

This came as a big surprise to me !

Click-to-Open the PPS attachment to be surprised as I was, even as we are all familiar with this game.

TED Click here...

KAMOTE (SWEET POTATO)

Submitted by Cely

I hope this article will enlighten us. Did you know that kamote far exceeds the nutrition and health values of rice? Here are the benefits of substituting rice with kamote:

Kamote is more filling and suppresses hunger pangs longer. It is also cheaper than rice..

Unlike rice, kamote is so easy to grow. It grows in backyards with or without fertilizers. Local government executives can provide their poor communities with idle government land for planting kamote which the entire community can share.

Unlike rice which needs to be eaten with a dish, kamote tastes good and can be eaten by itself. Thus, substituting rice with kamote saves money for other needs.

Rice cannot match the nutritional values of kamote. Because rice converts to sugar in the body, the Philippines registers as a top producer of diabetics in the world.The poor tends to load up on rice and less on the dish which are more expensive. That makes them vulnerable to diabetes, an ailment known in developed countries as a rich man’s disease.

The nutritional values of a 3 oz baked kamote are: calories 90, fat 0 g, saturated fat 0 g, cholesterol 0 mg, carbohydrate 21 g, protein 2 g, dietary fiber 3 g, sodium 36 mg, vitamin A 19,218 IU, folic acid 6 micrograms, pantothenic acid 1 mg, vitamin B6 <1 mg, vitamin C 20 mg, vitamin E 1 mg, calcium 38 mg, manganese 1 mg, carotenoids 11,552 mcg, potassium 475 mg and magnesium 45 mg. Compare that to a 100 g serving of white rice with: calories 361 kcal, water 10.2 g, total fat 0.8 g, dietary fiber 0.6 g, calcium 8 mg, phosphorous 87 mg, potassium 111 mg, sodium 31 mg, vitamin B1 0.07 mg, vitamin B2 0.02 mg, niacin 1.8 g, protein 6 g and carbohydrates 82 g.

Too much rice consumption can make you sick but kamote can bring you to health and keep away some health problems. These have been proved medically.

In a medical documentary I watched recently on KBS World (the South Korean TV Network), I was awed by the results of the research the Koreans conducted on the nutritional and medicinal benefits of kamote (which they refer to as sweet potato).

In that Korean medical documentary I watched (which I followed through the English subtitles), they presented the research findings on people with established health problems who were placed on a kamote/sweet potato diet.

Believe it or not – kamote lowers hypertension, bad cholesterol and even blood sugar when eaten as SUBSTITUTE TO RICE! The purple sweet potato (kamote) is particularly effective for lowering hypertension.

Not only that, the Korean medical documentary credits the sweet potato (kamote) as high fiber and is one of the best foods that one can eat to prevent cancer! For those who are only impressed by US doctors, read this: the North Carolina Stroke Association, American Cancer Society, and the American Heart Association have all endorsed the sweet potato for its disease prevention and healing qualities.

The Americans, the South Koreans – both progressive nations – have raised the kamote to a high pedestal. Many of them even call the kamote a “super food that heals.”

IMPORTANT WARNING!!! RE: Phenylpropanolamine...found in common over the counter medications is DANGEROUS!!

Submitted by Rading

Not sure if this is true or not, but better to be informed just in case it its true.

You may have seen this before, but just in case you haven’t…this is not something anyone would want to have slipped through the cracks! Also here is some… Additional information:

Phenylpropanolamine - THIS IS SERIOUS - please read !! I received this information from a friend whose mother recently passed away. Apparently, this was caused by a medication that is deadly.

Here are the details, and I suggest you pass it on to your loved ones and others.

Subject: Phenylpropanolamine (PPA) I would like to thank those of you who expressed condolences on the recent passing of my mother. She suffered a hemorrhagic stroke while she was driving home from my house on July 30th and passed away on August 3rd. My mother's stroke and passing was an enormous shock to my family, because she did not have any symptoms or risk factors for a stroke. Just the week before she had gone to her doctor for a check up and received a clean bill of health.

She did, however, develop a cold while she was visiting me and had taken Alka Seltzer Cold Plus for 3 days. Since her passing, we have learned that Alka Seltzer is one of the many cold medicines that contains Phenylpropanolamine (PPA), which can cause hemorrhagic stokes or cerebral bleeding, even with the first use. I am forwarding a list of other medications that currently use PPA.. These medicines are supposedly being recalled but my mother just purchased this medication less than two weeks ago. Pharmaceutical companies have known about this danger for years, we unfortunately, did not.

I urge you to review the list of medicines with PPA and avoid these medications. All drugs containing YLPROPANOLAMINE are dangerous. You may want to try calling the 800 number listed on most drug boxes and inquire about a REFUND. Please read this CAREFULLY. Also, please pass this on to everyone you know. STOP TAKING anything containing this ingredient.

It has been linked to increased hemorrhagic stroke (bleeding in brain) among women ages 18-49 in the three days after starting use of the medication. Problems were not found in men, but the FDA recommended that everyone (even children) seek alternative medicine.

The following medications contain Phenylpropanolamine :-

1. Acutrim Diet Gum Appetite Suppressant
2. Acutrim Plus Dietary Supplements
3 Acutrim Maximum Strength Appetite Control
4. Alka-Seltzer Plus Children's Cold Medicine Effervescent
5. Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold medicine (Cherry or Orange )
6. Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold Medicine Original
7. Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold & Cough Medicine Effervescent
8. Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold & Flu Medicine
9. Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold & Sinus Effervescent
10. Alka Seltzer Plus Night-Time Cold Medicine
11. BC Allergy Sinus Cold Powder
12. BC Sinus Cold Powder
13. Comtrex Flu Therapy & Fever Relief
14. Day & Night Contac 12-Hour Cold Capsules
15. Contac 12 Hour Caplets
16. Coricidin D Cold, Flu & Sinus
17. Dexatrim Caffeine Free
18. Dexatrim Extended Duration
19. Dexatrim Gelcaps
20. Dexatrim Vitamin C/Caffeine Free
21. Dimetapp Cold & Allergy Chewable Tablets
22. Dimetapp Cold & Cough Liqui-Gels
23. Dimetapp DM Cold & Cough Elixir
24. Dimetapp Elixir
25. Dimetapp 4-Hour Liquid Gels
26. Dimetapp 4-Hour Tablets
27. Dimetapp 12-Hour Extentabs Tablets
28. Naldecon DX Pediatric Drops
29. Permathene Mega-16
30. Robitussin CF
31. Tavist-D 12-Hour Relief of Sinus & Nasal Congestion
32. Triaminic DM Cough Relief
33. Triaminic Expectorant Chest & Head
34. Triaminic Sy rup Co ld & ; Amp; Amp Allergy
35. Triaminic Triaminicol Cold & Cough

I just found out and called the 800# on the container for Triaminic and they informed me that they are voluntarily recalling the following medicines because of a certain ingredient that is causing strokes and seizures in children:

1 Orange 3D Cold & Allergy Cherry (Pink)
2. 3D Cold & Cough Berry
3. 3D Cough Relief Yellow 3D Expectorant

They are asking you to call them at 800-548-3708 with the lot number on the box so they can send you postage for you to send it back to them, and they will also issue you a refund. If you know of anyone else with small children, PLEASE PASS THIS ON. THIS IS SERIOUS STUFF!

Additional information:

PPA Info Sheet Click here...
Q&A on PPA Click here...

ALWAYS ASK, NEVER ASSUME !!

Submitted by Rading

His request approved, the CNN News photographer quickly used a cell phone to call the local airport to charter a flight.

He was told a twin-engine plane would be waiting for him at the airport.

Arriving at the airfield, he spotted a plane warming up outside a hanger.

He jumped in with his bag, slammed the door shut, and shouted, 'Let's go'.

The pilot taxied out, swung the plane into the wind and took off.

Once in the air, the photographer instructed the pilot, 'Fly over the valley and make low passes so I can take pictures of the fires on the hillsides.'

'Why?' asked the pilot.

'Because I'm a photographer for CNN' , he responded, 'and I need to get some close up shots.'

The pilot was strangely silent for a moment, finally he stammered, 'So, what you're telling me, is . . . You'reNOT my flight instructor?'

Hitler finds out about Scott Brown's victory!

This is really funny. Who creates these things anyway, and how do they do it so quickly?

TED Click here...

A TRIBUTE TO MAN'S INGENUITY !

Indeed a high tribute to man's limitless capacity for ingenious inventions !

TED Click here...

Katbaloganon USA 2010 Dulong

Click here...

C&P of ANOTHER OF TIGER WOODS NEW SPONSOR

Submitted by Ted Click here...

A Tiger Woods Song: TIGER BY THE TAIL

Submitted by Ted Click here...

SCAM WARNING !!

Submitted by Ted

Don't say you've not been warned!

I just got scammed outta $25!

I bought a Tiger Woods DVD entitled:
"My Favorite 18 holes".

Turns out it's about golf.
A Damn waste of money.

Pass this on so others don't get scammed

TED

Crime Alert

Submitted by Rading

If you are driving at night and eggs are thrown at your windshield, do not operate the wiper and spray any water because eggs mixed with water become milky and block your vision up to 92.5% so you are forced to stop at the roadside and become a victim of robbers.

This is a new technique used by robbers.

Frank Sinatra ..........THIS IS GREAT

Submitted by Nino

Thanks Nino it's really great
Narding Click here...

NEWS FLASH !!!

Jan. 11, 2010

Filipina White House Chef Won In Iron Chef America Contest

Submitted by Ted

Chef Cristeta Pasia-Comerford w/ First Lady Michelle Obama

Cristeta Pasia-Comerford team-up with the “Early Show” resident chef Bobby Flay defeating the renowned chefs Emeril Lagasse and Mario Batali in the Iron Chef America last Sunday night in the Food Network. In the Iron Chef challenge, Flay and Pasia-Comerford used Japanese eggplant and sweet potatoes — personally recommended by Michelle Obama — for their winning dish. Flay and Pasia-Comerford defeated Lagasse and Batali by just five points.

Cristeta Pasia-Comerford was born in Sampaloc, Manila. She completed her secondary education at the Manila Scence High School. She attended the University of the Philippines, Diliman in Quezon City and majored in food technology. However, she did not earn her degree as she left school to immigrate to the United States.

The 47-year old Filipina Chef has been the White House Executive Chef since 2005. Comerford was recruited by executive chef Walter Scheib III in 1995 to work in the Clinton White House. When Scheib resigned as executive chef in February 2005, Cristeta was appointed by First Lady Laura Bush on August 14, 2005 as the White House Executive Chef. On January 9, 2009, the Obama transition team announced that Comerford would be retained as the administration’s head chef.

She is the first female White House Executive Chef and the first person of ethnic minority origin to hold this position.

TED

UPDATE ON THE MAGUINDANAO MASSACRE COURT TRIAL

Submitted by Ted

Fortun’s antics – Partial

LOWDOWN -- Jojo Robles

Manilastandardtoday – 7 January 2010

I know that it’s Andal Ampatuan Jr. who’s on trial for the horrifying Maguindanao massacre. But Ampatuan’s lead counsel, Sigfrid Fortun, is certainly trying very hard to become at least as hateful as his client.

How else could we explain the stunt pulled by Fortun in front of Quezon City Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes last Tuesday, when the lawyer demanded an interpreter to read the charges to Ampatuan in Maguindanaoan, because the alleged butcher of 57 women and journalists supposedly could not understand English nor Filipino? If I were the judge, I would cite both Fortun and his client (who played along by gesturing all morning as if he had been struck dumb) for contempt for lying in court.

I hope someone from Maguindanao —perhaps from the families of some of the victims—attempts to converse with Fortun in the local tongue, using choice words that would be the equivalent of “bottom-feeding scumbag lawyer,” for instance, to find out if he can speak Maguindanaoan, as well. I’m almost tempted to think that lawyer and client use a language that is more universal (as in, accepted everywhere) when they talk about the case, since I’m pretty sure Fortun cannot speak Ampatuan’s native tongue and since the lawyer insists his client cannot understand either of the country’s two major methods of communicating.

Of course, Fortun needs only to make his paymaster happy. He could care less what everyone else thinks—or if by his lawyering he adds the truth to the long list of the victims in the Maguindanao killings.

What do we do then, with the extensive video coverage of Ampatuan when he was first brought to his detention cell at the National Bureau of Investigation, which shows the principal suspect and alleged mastermind explaining why he surrendered to the authorities “to clear my name” and blaming the Moro Islamic Liberation Front for the killings? And doing so at length and in fluent Filipino for the cameras?

Here’s how GMA News transcribed Ampatuan’s “defense” of himself to television reporters from behind bars at the NBI: “Wala po akong kasalanan. Kaya po ako pumunta rito, para po ipakita sa inyo na hindi po ako nagtatago at wala po akong kaalam-alam sa ibinibintang sa akin. Wala po ako nung time na ‘yon, dahil nasa munisipyo po ako. Ang posible po, ang MILF po sa pangunguna ni Ameril Umbra Kato. Ang MILF po, alam po natin na terorista po sila.”

Sounds like perfectly constructed Tagalog to me. Or perhaps, like Fortun, I woke up one day and am now inexplicably fluent in Maguindanaoan, which is why I can understand entirely what his client was shouting from his detention cell.

It is to the credit of the judge that she had the charges read to Ampatuan in English, anyway. To which—probably after a quick consultation with his lawyer in the language that they share—Ampatuan had no problem entering the expected plea of “not guilty.”

But I guess both Fortun and his client figured it was worth a shot to stymie the court with their demand for an interpreter. Just like, some time later, when the question of granting bail for Ampatuan came up, Fortun rose again to declare that the testimony of witnesses from the prosecution who will seek to deny the temporary release of his client was “irrelevant”—hey, maybe the judge will see it his way, right?

Judging from Fortun’s initial courtroom performance, I’m glad I’m not paying his reportedly stratospheric fees. Having covered my share of court proceedings in the past, I don’t think his dilatory tactics, reliance on legal technicalities and out-and-out lying will be enough to get his client off what many feel is his well-deserved hook—or even get him on the judge’s good side.

Perhaps Fortun has already been way too influenced by his old clients in show business, who feel that denial in the face of the most incontrovertible evidence will suffice, if it is made brazenly enough and repeated often enough. But this isn’t the case of some cosmetic surgeon-slash-celebrity wannabe on trial for messing up some rich matron’s butt job, unfortunately—dozens of lives were lost in the massacre for which Fortun’s latest client is now being tried, in case the lawyer has forgotten.

I have a friend who once suggested that, since lawyers share in the rewards of a successful suit, they should probably be made to suffer part of the penalties when their clients lose, as well. If lawyers were to spend some jail time or pay some of the damages and costs of the suit awarded by a judge, they probably would be more careful about how they defend their clients—or they would at least make an effort to take on only cases where they actually believe that their clients are in the right. It’s a proposal that has absolutely next to no chance of even being heard, given the number of lawyers who hold positions of power in this country. But one can’t help but wonder if maybe it’s based on the right premise, that no amount of lawyering is supposed to get in the way of ferreting out the truth and punishing the guilty.

As for Fortun, who once famously declared that he did not take on the Ampatuan case for money, he may console himself with his humongous fees and the mistaken belief that this is just another case involving just another client. And, like his insistence that Ampatuan cannot understand English nor Filipino, he would be overruled, once again, by the truth.#####

Pau Pau's SURPRISE 18th Birthday Celebration! Jan. 9, 2010

Photo by Tim
more...

Quote of the year

Submitted by Rading

Remember when Ronald Reagan was president?
We also had Bob Hope and Johnny Cash still with us.

Now we have Obama and no hope and no cash.

Live A Life That Matters

Submitted by Ted

This is a nice presentation of how to prepare ourselves for the mortal ending in all of us.

Inspiring & Meaningful words, and nice accompanying instrumental music. (speakers volume up please)

TED Click here...

Attention members of Katbaloganon Golf Club
Our next tournament will be in Las Vegas

Tiger Wood's 19th hole

Putting green at Para Mga Kalagasan La Ini.

SURPRISE: A New Tiger Woods Sponsor !

Submitted by Ted

Since his little affairs have come to light, several of Tiger Woods sponsors have dropped him. (like Nike, Accenture, AT&T, etc...)

However, Pfizer has decided to sponsor him. They are making a new drug called Tiagra. And it's good for 18 holes !

Ha ! Ha ! Ha ! Ha !