Jack and Suzy

Jack and Suzy Welch share their views about the One's recent pronouncements on business and owners of Business.  The last paragraphs below, but read all.

     In such moments—moments that happen every single day—you can see and hear and feel that corporations are people. That's all they are.
     This fact is so obvious that there can only be one conclusion drawn when we hear the pronouncement, "Corporations aren't people"—that it's doublespeak. That is, when people say that corporations aren't people, what they really want to say is, "Business is evil."
    They want to say what they feel, which is that capitalism doesn't work, that it's unfair, and that America needs another system—one that, to quote the president himself, "spreads the wealth around."
    Obviously, we're not in that camp. We know capitalism isn't perfect. But free markets are the best system there is to provide opportunity to those with an idea, or simply the motivation to work their butts off to make their lives better. We also know capitalism can spawn bad behavior; greed is part of the human condition and always will be. That's why regulations and controls exist, as they should.
     But this movement afoot that hates on business is craziness. It will destroy America as we know it because very few jobs get created in an environment that's outright hostile to business. And without jobs, the whole thing falls down. It becomes a welfare state. We become a welfare state.
     If that's what you want, we can't change your mind. But in your efforts, stop hiding behind words. Corporations are people. If you want to put an end to corporations, at least say what you mean.

Nifty shades

Yes, we've been asked also by friends and some about Fifty Shades of Grey.  Considering who and how they asked, I thought this might be another "one-of-those-raise-the-eyebrows-thingy".  So I googled and wiki'ed.  Oh so that's it.

Women should comment on this, I believe.  Here's one that I follow.  Let Pia do the talking.

It says a lot about our culture when so many women find their escape in an erotic novel in which there is clearly lacking a balance of power between the female and male protagonists, respectively. You’ve come a long way, baby, so far, in fact, that you’re further back than when you started. We used to call that denial.

Yes, what can we say to her?

Even as pro-choice people so dislike some pro-life groups' strategy of showing photos of aborted babies and baby parts, they actually hail this "un-mother" for her courage posting photos of her abortion. 

So, yes, what can we say to her?


Photo from Jill's blog.

Great seeing you again!

Photo originally found at:
http://www.rolandgarros.com/images/pics/misc/f_06-05-Portrait-henin.jpg

What they say about sportsmen and sportswomen

is true.  Ok, at least with many of them.  Fortitude, determination.  ABC News talks of one of them: Lolo Jones

By Sheila Marikar
@SheilaYM
Follow on Twitter

May 22, 2012 5:13pm

Olympic Athlete Lori ‘Lolo’ Jones Says She’s a Virgin

Credit: Roger Kisby/Getty Images.

The schedule of an Olympic contender doesn’t exactly allow for a lot of dating. That’s why 29-year-old track and field star Lori “Lolo” Jones has yet to find a boyfriend and is still a virgin.
In an interview airing tonight, Jones tells HBO’s “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel” that she has yet to have sex because it’s “a gift I want to give my husband,” and despite her hardest efforts, she hasn’t been able to find any contenders. Jones first announced she was a virgin on Twitter.
“I’ve been tempted,” she tells Gumbel. “I’ve had guys tell me … ‘Hey, you know, if you have sex, it’ll help you run faster.’”
Her response: ”If you marry me, then yeah.”
“This journey has been hard,” she adds. “It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. Harder than training for the Olympics. Harder than studying for college has been staying a virgin before marriage.”

Great man, Saturnino!

He is Saturnino.  A great man indeed.  A big man with the biggest of hearts.  I do not now much about him, and would have wished to know him much better.  But one generous act has me increasing my faith in people.

Last Wednesday, I flew to General Santos City, enroute to Polomolok, to spend a couple of nights with my parents.  Who would have known that that day would start the way it did?

I took a cab from my house to attend Mass at the Carmelite Monastery in Cebu. It was the best schedule for me since I had to be at the airport by 7:20a.  In the cab as we set off for the church, I needed access to my handerkerchief in my right pocket.  To get to it, I had to take off the belt bag where I had placed my phones and pda (so you probably know where this goes).  So I did, and placed the belt bag further to left of my bag that was on the seat next to me.

When we reached the church, I paid my fare and got off taking my bags with me.  I settled at the last pew, as even then, I was still perspiring and that area seemed coolest.  Then the Mass started.

At the sign of the cross, I suddenly realized that my belt bag was not around my waste.  The perspiration started again.  I was pretty much distracted.  I bent to take my bag off the floor and in my mind was deciding to bolt out of the church (anyway I can attend the afternoon Mass in my "hometown", or not really, since I had a talk to give in Koronadal at 6pm, what to do then?).  

But soon enough I realized that there was not much I can do.  I cannot run after the cab, that was 5 minutes ago when I got off.  Put down my bag, still a bit distracted.  I made a simple request from God, through Our Lady and St. Josemaria, that nothing more "tragic" should happen, and that I will continue attending His Mass as best I can.

After the Opening Prayer (and the First Reading was about to commence), I turned around to check my seat and seeing that there was nothing that will make the experience of listening to the Word of God anything but pleasant, I turned back my head and to sit.  But something caught my eye, someone by the door of the church.  I looked at him and just as quickly, he also saw me, and with an expression of relief on his face (I think I probably had the same look on my face), he pointed at me with his right hand, and in his left hand, now raised as well, my belt bag.

We stepped out.  He was gentleman driver Saturnino.  I did not check the contents of the bag, as I knew everything was there.  I thanked him and he said hat it was his obligation to return things left in his cab.  He was not even certain that he could see me there as he could not remember how I looked.  I told him that I will finish the Mass and if he wanted he can also take me to the airport afterwards (decided that I will give him a hefty tip).  But he had to go as he was taking the cab to the garage yet.

Surely there was something else I could do to reward him for that so unselfish act, but he said simply, "I-praise lang ko nimo sa Gino-o, sir".  

How do you really translate that?  

I praised the Lord for Saturnino, and for the many unsung heroes.  I praised Saturnino to God for allowing grace to fill his heart with generosity.  I praised God with Saturnino, even as he had to go his merry way, to fill this world with his kindness in the best way he could.

Back in Cebu now, I can only just now write about it.  Nevertheless, the joy that accompanied me on my visit with my parents and to my hometown, was only a fruit of the joy that Saturnino shared with me.

Put "smiley" face here

Is foregoing a previously carefully-vetted decision only because there seems to be an escalation of opposition to it (even as those opposed give you the benefit of "ultimately, it is up to you") good enough?  

Is that enough sign of humility (or obedience)?

So ... As Sarah says,

Funny how just moving my lips into the shape of a smile can change my outlook…

Two days

Had a great two days, waking up, to the news of Champions League wins (well, the good news of two losses!).  Yesterday, Barca got kicked out of another CL finals appearance by Chelsea.  Not really a team am rooting for, but a loss by Barca, who beat AC Milan in the quarters, was a "karma's-a-bitch" moment.  Yeah!  Today, although, a little belated because of internet connection issues, I found out my second team, Bayern Munich, won their semifinal match against Real Madrid, in Madrid, on a 3-1 win on penalties (after a 3-3 aggregate).  Another KAB moment, especially as they poached Kaka' from ACM some years back.  Yeah!  Double yeah!

Give me the luxury just this time to celebrate the losses.  Forza!

Parenting is funny

Shout-out for this blog: parentingisfunny.wordpress.com

It always ends happily

 Always. 

Although this article about NBA player JaVale McGee was not a pro-life write-up, but an NBA profile, it turns out happily a pro-life story.

On a Saturday morning in the spring of 1987, Pamela McGee sat on the shore at Dockweiler State Beach in Los Angeles, 72 hours from a scheduled abortion. "Do you want to be pregnant?" the counselor at the clinic had asked her. "No," McGee replied. She was a single, 24-year-old professional basketball player, and she could not take maternity leave. And even if she could, she couldn't imagine hauling an infant to Italy and parking the stroller next to the bench. But as McGee looked out over the Pacific, she began to reconsider. "I prayed and prayed and prayed and felt like I heard a voice from God," McGee says. "He was telling me, 'This is your gift.' " The next day she went to Faithful Central Bible Church in Inglewood, and the pastor delivered a sermon about not aborting one's blessings. O.K., God, McGee thought. You don't have to beat it into my head. She called the clinic to cancel, and on Jan. 19, 1988, gave birth to a boy with physical abilities that would border on the supernatural. ...

The day after last year's dunk contest in L.A., JaVale called his mother at 8 a.m. and told her he wanted to go to church. Pamela was exhausted, with only five hours sleep, and surprised. But she knew just the place. During the sermon at Faithful Central Bible, JaVale looked over at his mom, tears streaking her cheeks. "Why are you crying?" he asked. There, for the first time, Pamela told him about the clinic and the beach and the reason she cannot get all that upset about alley-oops gone awry. "For me," she told her son, "you've been such a blessing."

Today is the anniversary of the election of Pope Benedict XVI.  Here is an article by Elizabeth.  

Read.

Later that night, an exhausted Nicholas, who is four, snuggled next to me as we watched a replay of the announcement on the balcony.

"I see Benedict," he said.

"Yes," I encouraged my tender-hearted boy, "What does he look like to you?"

"He has very white hair, Nicholas observed. "And his cassock is white, too. That?s for celebration. He wears white for celebration."

I waited a moment, watching with him.

"I wonder," Nicholas said quietly, "what color his hair will be in ordinary time."

Fighting laughter, I let him wonder and watched him fall asleep. I was so grateful for our beautiful day. My children will always remember the day as one of celebration and they will always have a sense of having participated in a momentous event as members of the Universal Church. A beautiful, holy day, indeed.

Justice must be restored first

The injustice that is human IVF (injustice to the person formed) has far-reaching repercussions.  The problems that result from this injustice will only continue to increase for as long as the practice is not stopped.  And even if this "reproductive technology" is halted, there is also the question of what is to be done with the frozen embryos.  The Church and governments (and even the courts) are still at a loss as to how to resolve this, and even then, we hear almost everyday about all the problems that have arisen.

Case in point is that recent case just "resolved" by the court in Pennsylvania on the fate of 13 frozen embryos whose parents divorced:  the court says the mother can have the IVF despite the father's protest.  This is different from another case in Tennessee, where the court ordered the destruction of the frozen embryos in another case of divorced parents.  See how complicated the matter of IVF is.

Then there are also cases of surrogacy and same-sex couples who want to have children of "their own.

From lifenews.com:

Actually, this and other cases could be totally avoided if we did not allow mass manufacturing and freezing of human lives in a laboratory. These couples are already parents. The question is not whether parenthood is forced on them (they freely chose to become parents in undergoing IVF), but whether these embryos deserve a chance to finish their lives.


Step back and realize how surreal this situation is. These offspring have had their fates decided by a court where one parent wants to give at least some of them a chance to finish the lives that IVF started and the other parent just wants them destroyed. How far have we come in this world of “reproductive rights” for the parents that this scenario, where children’s lives are at the mercy of a court, is becoming more common place?

....


This is an untenable situation that we should never have allowed to happen. Until we regulate the fertility industry and realize that embryos are not “potential human life”, but instead “human life with potential”, our courts will continue to be charged with deciding the fate of these littlest of human lives. A decision they should never be charged to make.

Happy Easter!!!

Life is stronger than death.  Good is stronger the evil.  Love is stronger than hate.  Truth is stronger than lies.  Benedict XVI

"The little color wheel is flashing across a black screen"

Elizabeth tells us in a novel, friendly way about confession, the sacrament that serves us well this Lenten season.

Right now, there is no heavy truck careening toward you. There is no doctor pointing out the shadow of a deadly blood clot. There is no airplane heading toward the building where you sit at your desk. Right now, there are signs in every parish yard reminding you that you will lose everything. They say “The Light is On for You.” Right now, you are being invited — begged really — to bathe in grace of the sacrament of reconciliation.

Cat's eyes, anyone?

Lead author of a new paper, S. Matthew Liao, has something to say.

Even as he says the starting point of this paper is the anthropogenic cause of climate change, well, ok, of global warming, his realization that man should be able to "mitigate", with his intellect and will, with a bit of voluntary "re-engineering", and not by Big Government autocratic push for "change" (read:  consensus), is what we have seen and said long before (maybe not so much about the re-engineering thing though).  

Nevertheless, any modifications to the body as to the extent of human re-engineering may have serious ethical repercussions that need looking into more deeply.  It would seem that they know that they are treading on shaky if not very sensitive ground.

Taking a look at this from the perspective of deep ecology---is there something to be said for the idea that because climate change is human caused, that humans ought to be the ones that change to mitigate it---that somehow we ought to bear the cost to fix this?

Liao: That was actually one of the ideas that motivated us to write this paper, the idea that we caused anthropogenic climate change, and so perhaps we ought to bear some of the costs required to address it. But having said that, we also want to make this attractive to people---we don't want this to be a zero sum game where it's just a cost that we have to bear. Many of the solutions we propose might actually be quite desirable to people, particularly the meat patch. I recently gave a talk about this paper at Yale and there was a man in the audience who worked for a pharmaceuticals company; he seemed to think there might be a huge market for modifications like this.

Read the rest of the interview here or from the source here.

More from the interview:

Judging from your paper, you seem skeptical about current efforts to mitigate climate change, including market based solutions like carbon pricing or even more radical solutions like geoengineering. Why is that?

Liao: It's not that I don't think that some of those solutions could succeed under the right conditions; it's more that I think that they might turn out to be inadequate, or in some cases too risky. Take market solutions---so far it seems like it's pretty difficult to orchestrate workable international agreements to affect international emissions trading. The Kyoto Protocol, for instance, has not produced demonstrable reductions in global emissions, and in any event demand for petrol and for electricity seems to be pretty inelastic. And so it's questionable whether carbon taxation alone can deliver the kind of reduction that we need to really take on climate change.

With respect to geoengineering, the worry is that it's just too risky---many of the technologies involved have never been attempted on such a large scale, and so you have to worry that by implementing these techniques we could endanger ourselves or future generations. For example it's been suggested that we could alter the reflectivity of the atmosphere using sulfate aerosol so as to turn away a portion of the sun's heat, but it could be that doing so would destroy the ozone layer, which would obviously be problematic. Others have argued that we ought to fertilize the ocean with iron, because doing so might encourage a massive bloom of carbon-sucking plankton. But doing so could potentially render the ocean inhospitable to fish, which would obviously also be quite problematic.

Godspeed, Champ+

You are in better company now, Champ!

You will be missed Laddie!  and Joe's with the welcome committee.

Update: Laddie will be laid to rest on Saturday morning, March 17.  Happy that I will be there to send him off, but sad with his passing.  Intercede for us, Champ!

You go girl (woman)!

"That the whole world may recognise the contribution of women to the development of society".

This is the general intention of the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, for March.  

Today, we also celebrate International Women's Day (ever wonder why today's Google.com image is this?)

Duty to warn

Another ingenious defense for pro-life counselors outside abortion clinics.  Methinks this works for any pro-life cause outside of the abortion issue.

I also point out that from a medical viewpoint, the charge of trespassing a business holds only if that business is legitimate. In this case the medical “business” of aborting babies cannot be legal because: a) It is not proper medical practice; women are never given any alternative to abortion to “treat” a very wide range of problems, b) It is not conducted by a physician acting in good faith, (they don’t know the results of their procedure because they don’t do long term follow-up and they don’t keep up-to-date on the scientific literature etc. c) There are no scientifically established benefits to abortion, d) There are many harms and hazards. e) They don’t inform the patient fully and accurately so don’t obtain an informed consent, f) They don’t try less invasive and more reversible treatments first. Moreover, if it is, as they claim, a “business”, they cannot: charge the medical insurance scheme and taxpayers for costs, (large doctors fees etc) and they are using false advertising. In short this “business” only harms women and does so at taxpayer’s expense.

...

Using “duty to warn” as a defense for counseling pre-abortion women, might encourage a wider variety of people to follow their conscience or scientifically determined convictions to protect women from harm and to defend innocent life. Let us pray they will.

The road to hell is paved with good intentions

As we find a lull in the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Corona at the Senate, Congress will now have time to focus on some important bills since they will have the numbers to conduct business at the House.  About a month's worth of sessions were "wasted" as many congressmen found themselves front seats at the impeachment court.  Or elsewhere (I believe some others had better things to do; good for them).

Obviously, I also believe one of the more pressing bills that they might tackle is the RH Bill.

I only hope they look at what is happening in the US, especially the disregard of the conscience objections/protections through their national health care law, and the subsequent junking of the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act at the US Senate.

Congress need not look so far as to see that the RH Bill if passed into law will have the makings of a mess as they have in the US concerning the conscience rights and abortion (even in the context of abortifacient contraceptives), sex education and HPV vaccines even for the very young.  

And with parallelisms with BHO and BSA in social issues, the fear is not far-fetched.

The road to hell is paved with good intentions, the road to Heaven, with good deeds. (Not original to me.)

For the bad times, and good: prayer

Yet another shooting at a high school in Iowa.  And as far removed we are from them, we offer our prayers for the victims and their families, as well as for the gunman and his family.   Todd Starnes at foxnews.com asks: 

Why is school prayer only allowed during tragedies?

It was supposed to be a fairly quiet week at Chardon High School.
The boys basketball team, the Hilltoppers, was scheduled to play a game Monday night. Parent-Teacher conferences were set for Thursday.
It was just a normal day in Chardon, Ohio.
But normal changed at approximately 7:30 Monday morning.
Gunfire. Screams. Chaos.
A teenager – an outcast – armed with a gun – walked into the school cafeteria. In a matter of moments, five students were gunned down. At least one child died.
Terrified students huddled in classrooms. They called 911. They texted and tweeted. Teachers locked doors and implemented emergency procedures.
And at least one teacher chased the gunman out of the school – an act of bravery that possibly saved lives.

As police try to make sense of the senseless, the school superintendent called on people to pray.
It was a wise decision.
But perhaps lost in the chaos is the irony that in American public schools – people are not allowed to pray.
Liberals have successfully banished God from the classroom, replacing Him with the manmade god of secularism.
Yet in times of great tragedy, school leaders inevitably seek guidance and solace from the same God they’ve expelled. I’ve often wondered – if God is good enough for the bad times, shouldn’t He be good enough for the good times?
It’s a lesson I sadly suspect our nation’s educators will never learn.

True.  Why indeed?

We are still fortunate that prayer, even in public schools, in the Philippines is still allowed, or at the very least, no one gives a hoot about it when prayer is said in school.

In the public sphere, it is not uncommon that even the leftists offer Holy Mass before any protest action.  Why even NPA's or criminal elements when they find themselves cornered in a gun battle against the armed forces or police do not forget to seek the intercession of the saints in heaven.  

Any calamity or disaster strikes the faithfuls' hearts and souls with the fire to seek comfort in church and prayer, not only for their survival, but also petition strength for the victims that they may get back on their feet again.

Still, we notice that the churches are filled up few days prior and during final or board examinations, or when results are expected to come out; but very few come back after the good results are received.  The party places replace the churches, and the merry-making, the prayers of thanksgiving.

Now that we are in Lent, perhaps, we can find more time (the good times) with God.  Forty days is not that long.  So many to pray for as well.

Contempt and then some

Ambrose Gwinett Bierce “CONTEMPT, n. The feeling of a prudent man for an enemy who is too formidable safely to be opposed.”

That's what libs do, and more.  Like stealing documents (by deceit) and forging memos.  Much like what AGW environitwit Peter Gleick confessed to.  Although it does not seem that any apology, real apology, is forthcoming.  For these types of people, ethics sure goes out the window.  Especially if it is for Mother Earth. Here's Heartland Institute's response to what Gleick fessed to. “Earlier this evening, Peter Gleick, a prominent figure in the global warming movement, confessed to stealing electronic documents from The Heartland Institute in an attempt to discredit and embarrass a group that disagrees with his views. “Gleick’s crime was a serious one. The documents he admits stealing contained personal information about Heartland staff members, donors, and allies, the release of which has violated their privacy and endangered their personal safety. “An additional document Gleick represented as coming from The Heartland Institute, a forged memo purporting to set out our strategies on global warming, has been extensively cited by newspapers and in news releases and articles posted on Web sites and blogs around the world. It has caused major and permanent damage to the reputations of The Heartland Institute and many of the scientists, policy experts, and organizations we work with. “A mere apology is not enough to undo the damage. “In his statement, Gleick claims he committed this crime because he believed The Heartland Institute was preventing a “rational debate” from taking place over global warming. This is unbelievable. Heartland has repeatedly asked for real debate on this important topic. Gleick himself was specifically invited to attend a Heartland event to debate global warming just days before he stole the documents. He turned down the invitation. “Gleick also claims he did not write the forged memo, but only stole the documents to confirm the content of the memo he received from an anonymous source. This too is unbelievable. Many independent commentators already have concluded the memo was most likely written by Gleick. “We hope Gleick will make a more complete confession in the next few days. “We are consulting with legal counsel to determine our next steps and plan to release a more complete statement about the situation tomorrow. In the meantime, we ask again that publishers, bloggers, and Web site hosts take the stolen and fraudulent documents off their sites, remove defamatory commentary based on them, and issue retractions.” The Heartland Institute is a 28-year-old national nonprofit organization with offices in Chicago, Illinois and Washington, DC. Its mission is to discover, develop, and promote free-market solutions to social and economic problems. For more information, visit our Web site or call 312/377-4000. But where are mainstream media and AGW supporters now?  Where is the outrage?  The deafening silence is way opposite the noise from MSM and global warming advocates in the case of the "stolen" emails from East Anglia.

"Reality vs Alarm"

H/T:  WSJ

An invite from Dawn

Greetings from Eden--or make that Washington, D.C.!

I'm writing to invite you to save the date for the launch event for my new book, My Peace I Give You: Healing Sexual Wounds with the Help of the Saints. The talk and signing will be Monday, April 23, 6:30 p.m., at the Catholic Information Center, 1501 K St. NW, Washington, DC. (Click here to see a flyer for the event.)

My Peace I Give You (Ave Maria Press, 2012) is the first book ever to offer a Catholic spirituality of healing for adult victims of childhood sexual abuse. It bears an Imprimatur (ecclesiastical approbation) from Washington Archbishop Donald Cardinal Wuerl.

Here's more from the Ave Maria Press website:

Eden uses her own story as a backdrop to introduce numerous holy people— like Laura Vicuña, Thomas Aquinas and Bernard of Clairvaux—who suffered sexual abuse or sexual inappropriateness, as well as saints such as Ignatius of Loyola who suffered other forms of mistreatment and abandonment. Readers seeking wholeness will discover saints with wounds like their own, whose stories bear witness to the transforming power of grace. Eden explores different dimensions of divine love—sheltering, compassionate, purifying, etc.—to help those sexually wounded in childhood understand their identity in the abiding love of Christ.

Sisters of Life Superior General Agnes Mary Donovan S.V. writes in the book's foreword:

“An inspired work . . . powerfully moving and hope-filled. . . It is my hope that this book may become a resource readily available: in churches, schools, counseling centers, young adult ministries, libraries, and hospitals. Through it may many whose human dignity has been offended come to know their beauty in the eyes of God, and learn to sing in joy of His love and His mercy. I pray that for every reader this book will be an instrument of grace and instruction.”

The book has also received endorsements from Father James Martin S.J., Alice von Hildebrand, Barbara Nicolosi Harrington, and others.

Would you like to help spread the word about My Peace I Give You? If so, here are some things you can do:

• Mention it on your blog, Facebook page, or other media outlet. Include links to the book's Ave Maria Press home page and its Amazon page (now taking pre-orders). Please also link to my blog, The Dawn Patrol, as I've resumed regular blogging.

• If you would like to review My Peace I Give You for your blog or other media outlet, or if you would like to host my upcoming "blog tour," write to me with your snailmail address so I may ask Ave Maria Press to send you a review copy.  

• Are you in radio or TV, or do you know someone who is? If so, please help me get media interviews. Any personal introductions you could provide to such contacts would be enormously helpful.

• Is there a bookstore, church, college, or any other venue in your area that might like me to come and speak as I promote My Peace I Give You this spring and summer? If so, please link me up with them. I want to speak at shelters and prisons too--anywhere where people might be helped.

• Most of all, please pray for God's will for My Peace I Give You, that it may reach those who would be helped by it. Please also pray for me as I seek to help adults who have suffered childhood wounds find healing in Christ.

Thank you so much for your support and prayers. If you are in Washington, D.C., hope very much to see you April 23 at the Catholic Information Center.

Take on, Shamcey

I was in Cagayan de Oro City for three days last week.  There is much hope.  Of course, that hope is spurred by the "awakening", as a friend says, of how much the local government has not really worked for the people, but rather for their own grip on power.  There are these streamers that say something like Bangon CdO and Go (forward) CdO.  Let us see how far they can sustain this hope.

From the airport, we mistakenly took the main road and ended up having to use one of the newer flyovers (one of those expensive "humps" as they call it) that reminded me of ube ice cream.  Yep, it was painted in purple, shades of purple.   I heard it is the mayor's favorite color.  Then again, it is about Lent, so that'll be a good reminder for the folks at CdO during Lent.

The rest of the days were really routine chats and meetings of sorts.

On Sunday, while lining up to pay for the terminal fee, it happened again.

I had the queezy (is that even a word?) feeling that people were looking at me or at least towards my direction.  Then I felt some sort of, figure, hovering over me.  Like a small cloud suddenly covering the sun on an otherwise cloudless sky.

Nope it wasn't any dementor.  It was BbP. Shamcey S. a little behind me.  At her natural height, plus 4-inch heels, that's hovering.  I did not know it was her at that moment, only some minutes later at the pre-departure area when some ladies went a little agog at her "hovering" presence.  No pictures, you just have to take my word for it, I guess.

On the Q400, before take off, a four-year old kid kept asking his Mum what time we were to take on in Cebu, persistenly, as Mum was keeping things in order and convincing older brother to give in to little sister who wanted a window seat.  

Take on?  What are you saying, son?  Take on?

Take on.  Aren't we to take off shortly?  Take off, then take on.

We had a good flight.  And a good take on.  I like the Q400.

Fruit of the poisonous tree

Why I am not surprised at this:  faulty formation in the faith from both the parents and the educators.  Fruit of a poisonous tree indeed.

Animals, right?

A US federal judge will hear arguments whether animals may have constitutional rights against slavery.  Yep, true.  A case brought on by PETA.*

Perhaps the judge simply wanted to make history, and he did.  Whether these animal rights proponents will succeed is a big question though as the constitution is meant for people.  And these are animals, right?

*People who eat and torture animals?

Earthquake

Everyone's (ok, definitely not) certainly talking, blogging, texting, tweeting, fbing, etc. about the earthquake that hit Central Visayas at about noon today. There have been many more aftershocks that were felt after that 6.8 mag shakedown.  Casualties and damage are minimal as of latest news.  We are thankful.

There was of course a tsunami warning level 2 which caused a lot to panic.  That level meant that we need to be watchful of signs of tsunami, but it did not call for evacuation.  Some had other things in mind.  So they started running up to higher ground.  I cannot really blame them, but when people start believing everything they read via sms or hear things without verification (typical hysteria and panic effects), well, sh_t happens. 

Pray and stay safe.

The truth will set you free; then it will piss you off.

One of the many possible effects of an RH Law is the suspension or eradication even of conscience rights important not only in the religious sense, but in all senses.  Look at what issues come to fore in relation to the universal health care law in the United States.  

Look at how this law becomes problematic for groups, especially Churches, when it comes to conscience rights.  Now even the US Catholic bishops conference, as well as other Catholic and Christian groups who were fence-sitting on the issue of the pro-choice mandates of Obamacare, are complaining.  My nasty twin wants to say I told you so.

Read Judie and like her say:

But wait a minute. Where have these people been for the past four years? Why didn’t they work with other ... four years ago to stop this draconian law from ever being passed in the first place?

Now that the horse is out of the barn, they are screaming? Give me a break! What else can you expect when you sit down with the devil?  

We Filipinos should learn from this.  Let us not miss this true learning moment.

I hate people who say "He's a nice person once you get to know him."  They might as well just say "He's a d__khead, but you'll get used to it."

"If so many journalists believe that … then I know it’s probably not true."

Bernie G. on underhanded moves of anthropogenic global warming shills:

"Scientists, I guess, can be closed-minded, just like stupid people."

In support of ...

No Need to Panic About Global Warming: There's no compelling scientific argument for drastic action to 'decarbonize' the world's economy.

Silence and Word

Pope Benedict XVI preempts the 46th World Day of Social Communications which falls on May 20th with his message for that occasion.  He proposes the theme:  "Silence and Word: Path of Evangelization".

Silence is an integral element of communication; in its absence, words rich in content cannot exist. In silence, we are better able to listen to and understand ourselves; ideas come to birth and acquire depth; we understand with greater clarity what it is we want to say and what we expect from others; and we choose how to express ourselves. By remaining silent we allow the other person to speak, to express him or herself; and we avoid being tied simply to our own words and ideas without them being adequately tested. In this way, space is created for mutual listening, and deeper human relationships become possible. It is often in silence, for example, that we observe the most authentic communication taking place between people who are in love: gestures, facial expressions and body language are signs by which they reveal themselves to each other. Joy, anxiety, and suffering can all be communicated in silence – indeed it provides them with a particularly powerful mode of expression. Silence, then, gives rise to even more active communication, requiring sensitivity and a capacity to listen that often makes manifest the true measure and nature of the relationships involved. When messages and information are plentiful, silence becomes essential if we are to distinguish what is important from what is insignificant or secondary. Deeper reflection helps us to discover the links between events that at first sight seem unconnected, to make evaluations, to analyze messages; this makes it possible to share thoughtful and relevant opinions, giving rise to an authentic body of shared knowledge. For this to happen, it is necessary to develop an appropriate environment, a kind of ‘eco-system’ that maintains a just equilibrium between silence, words, images and sounds.

Read Pope Benedict XVI's message in full.  Great points to reflect on, especially those in both mainstream media and the "alternative press" who need to keep silent at times to hear the truth as it is, and report it as it should be.

The tragedy of Roe v. Wade

“We cannot diminish the value of one category of human life – the unborn – without diminishing the value of all human life.” -RR

Read Sen. Orrin Hatch.

39 years

After 39 years of Roe V. Wade, the battle is still on.  What do they mean by "choice"?

H/T:  Jill

"Girls, please, bring back the pretty."

"Young women today do not seem to aspire to pretty, they prefer to be regarded as hot. Hotness is something altogether different.  When women want to be hot instead of pretty, they must view themselves in a certain way and consequently men view them differently as well.

"As I said, pretty inspires men’s nobler instincts to protect and defend.  Pretty is cherished. Hotness, on the other hand, is a commodity.  Its value is temporary and must be used.  It is a consumable."

Bold words, but true.  So true.

Read more: http://www.ncregister.com/blog/the-death-of-pretty#ixzz1jg8MxDQ7

The past three weeks or so

 I preface this post with this:

As I watched my girls innocently savor their loveliness and delight in their baubles and baths, I was reminded once again that I must “change and become like the little children.” In spite of all suffering--and sometimes because of all suffering--there is joy. It comes in a million varieties and will manifest itself differently for everyone but, always, there is joy. We need only accept it.

If never occurs to young children that they should reject simple pleasures in favor of toil. Though hard work and discipline have their place, we adults can learn something from the young who never agonize over whether it’s prudent for them to rest and play. They play because God calls them to play. It’s as simple and as perfect as that.

That was from Elizabeth, a "guest post" from Betty Beguiles.

I wanted to post something substantial the past three weeks, and there were many to write about, but somehow never got around to do.  I decided then to just write this one long one ...

December 15.  A long flight delay.  Our 9:20 flight to Cagayan de Oro was pushed back so many times that we flew out of Mactan at 4:30pm.  It was one of those days, y'know?  At so good a record of punctuality (at least, when I am on the flight), the airline gets one "miss".  Not that bad really.

Some of us were pretty prepared to meet this delay head-on, that is, we knew that we cannot really do anything much except to wait and hope for the best and dug into our books or magazines (in paper or electronic format) or strike up conversations with others (somehow it is easier to just talk since there is now one thing we have in common).

But not for the others.  Well, they did have some things in common:  RAGE and generally BOORISH BEHAVIOR.  The customer service and airline personnel were all trying to do what they can, although for the "angry birds", it seemed that nothing these airline ladies and guys did were right:  if they were silent, they are accused of having no concern; if they say something, they are accused of making excuses. 

At some point I was praying that we'd get to leave so that these loose-tongued, generous with their insults types would stop whining, more than my own desire to get to CdO to start doing what I needed to finish there.

Through these 7 hours, I observed that (among many others):

1. Those airline personnel did try the best they could under the circumstances.
2. Angry passengers have a hard time listening or hearing, or waiting. I mean how many times do they need to ask when the flight was going to happen, when the airline just announced that the flight will be further delayed and that they will inform us of the next ETD.
3. Mob rule applies. You only need one to rant about his dismay (as if we are not all dismayed) for many others to do the same. I thought for some moments, some would actually be more violent.
4. The calm ones were those who travel often, and have been in similar, or mostly graver, situations. I had to spend more than 12 hours in two airports on Easter Sunday 2000 because of delays; something that will happen to me and my friends three days after this Thursday flight.
5. Children are usually those who "adjust" well because they see all these delays as play time. While their parents are close to a nervous breakdown because of worry, the children play. Oh how good to be little children!
6. Some did really make good use of their time. A lady, who was traveling with her husband, took the time to have her nails (mani and pedi!) done. They did a pretty swell job she told a friend she saw from another flight. Some slept, and really, horizontally -- good for them. And still many others were reading out of their tablets or laptops. Me? Busy observing people, and writing notes for a possible blog post. I wanted to take "secret" videos but a voyeur I am not. Would have been nice to post some videos?

Later that evening, in CDO, dinner out with some friends.  They were worried about Typhoon Sendong believed to make landfall the following day.  Their home gets flooded on heavy rain days, although they have mitigating systems in place.  Also they were hosting a couple of guys from Manila who were scheduled to fly out Friday morning and Friday afternoon.

December 16.  Rains started at about 11:00.  Continuous light rain.  Power was cut twice, the second one maybe around 10 pm.  Rain still pouring.  Some wind.  Slept through the storm.

December 17.  Eerie feeling.  No power still.  Then we get the news of the devastation.  We pray and try to help in whatever way we can (which was little really).May not have been totally unexpected as the tell-tale signs from January 2009 were present (then, too, I was in CdO and much of the airport aftermath I will write about later in this post happened).

December 18.  Went for a walk exercise early.  Everyone had water containers out.  But water was very scarce.  Saw some of the disaster areas.  Wanted to take pictures but it was very depressing to even think of snapping some.  At 11:00, left for the airport, but was stuck in traffic.  Our friend who was bringing us to airport called the airline (friends of his) to "check" us in, which they did, but we were informed the flight from Cebu turned back because of technical issues and flight will be delayed.  Took lunch at SM after checking in our bags.  Eating places were all full.  One of very few occasions SM eating places were on wait to be seated mode.  Arrived at the airport at 2pm and heard the announcement that flight will be further delayed.  It was deja vu at the pre-departure area:  was not I in just about the same situation not too long ago?

We decided to fly to Manila with the Cdo-Dvo folks as our Cdo-Cbu flight was scheduled to fly out at 9pm yet.  At least in NAIA 3, there would be a change of environment, more "empty" spaces and free WIFI.  Our flight was scheduled to depart for Cebu at 9pm.  We left at 9:30.  Arrived an hour later.  At the luggage bay, we met our would-have-been-co-passengers from Cdo.  

Days before Christmas, a friend, Fred, died in his office at a BPO and helped out in taking care of him as we waited for his wife from Manila.  The other friends from Educhild were really super with all they did for Fred and his wife.  Great!  The day after, he was back in Manila, for his wake; his funeral was after Christmas.

At about the same time, I received word that another friend, Laddie, in Cdo was in bad shape due to his cancer.  He was brought to the hospital.  In my most recent trip to Cdo, I spent some time with him, prayed the Rosary with RodZ and Laddie's family.  He could still hear, I believe, but he could not speak, nor did he have focus in his eyes.  He caught pneumonia too.  Just this Monday evening, he was attached to a respirator.

Starting the new year with a new look/template from Blogger.

Better safer

Abby writes about the intrauterine device.

"A woman came in one day complaining of severe abdominal pain. She had an IUD. During her exam, it was determined that her IUD was the source of her discomfort…it would have to be removed. I came in to assist. I couldn’t believe what I saw. On the end of that IUD was a tiny baby. We estimated the child to be 9 weeks. That baby had been growing on the end of a birth control device. But not to worry, Planned Parenthood says IUDs are safe.

"While working at Planned Parenthood, I decided an IUD would be the best method for me. After 3 years of use, I had no side effects…so I thought. After I had my IUD removed, I realized there might be a problem with my body. I had never had a problem getting pregnant, but several months had now passed, and every pregnancy test came back negative. What was going on? I had some blood work run and was told I didn’t produce several hormones. My body had tried to produce the hormones while the IUD was in…but the IUD won. My body couldn’t compete. I am only pregnant now because of NFP, supplemental hormones and an amazing doctor.

"I found out several months ago that a woman had miscarried because of an IUD inserted at my clinic. She was pregnant when it was inserted. That isn’t supposed to happen…but mistakes are made…her child paid the price. She went to the emergency room because she was having severe abdominal pain. She didn’t know she was pregnant until they did an ultrasound to find out what was wrong. There was her baby. His heart had stopped. She had to deliver her baby and have her IUD removed all in the same visit to the hospital. He was 18 weeks old. Why did this happen? Because an IUD is made to abort children."

Disingenuous not

While some anti-lifers say it is disingenuous to link abortion and anti-life medical practices to the holocaust (it is not), Gerard makes a point in the context of the win by pro-life nurses in New Jersey against their hospital's disregard of their conscience rights related to assisting in abortions.

We’ve been here before.
The Nuremberg trials at the end of World War II wrestled with a very difficult decision. Nazi leaders and concentration camp personnel claimed to be following the lawful orders of Adolph Hitler, orders which were indeed lawful under Germany’s constitution, as the constitution had been amended by the people to declare the Fuehrer’s word law. At those trials, every civilized nation in the world stood to declare that Natural Moral Law is universal, and supersedes all manmade (positive) law.
Yes, the orders in Germany were indeed lawful under positive law, but the Natural Moral Law which takes the human nature of all human beings into its view supersedes any positive law which might conflict with the dictates of Natural Law.
On that basis, war criminals were hanged or imprisoned for life.

In a manner of speaking...

And this is an insult to whom?

“I remember history. When Adolf Hitler assumed power in Germany, he was a most popular figure. He put up the Third Reich and trampled on the rights of everyone because he was very popular. We all know what happened to him.”

On another note, Malacanang's Mr. Lacierda is quoted as advising some judges and court employees, in the context of what he thinks, mistakenly enough, as the Court's declaration of a court holiday:  “to not let themselves be used to further the political agenda of one man and his patron.”

Seems like he is talking about the 188 congressmen and their patron.  Di bala?

 

Sign of good times ahead

... for Canada.

Canada decided to get out of the Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change.  Good for them. 

Not for the young

Got a kick out of this image from Mrs. Rant.

Those BiC ballpens did a pretty good job as well.

A rebound

Apparently, SIRI has checked herself.  Now it's all out for referrals to abortion services, even when not asked.

Some samples (all in jest, peeps, all in jest):

Of course, for as long as abortion clinics do not advertise themselves as abortion clinics nor call themselves as such, SIRI would not be able to locate them as efficiently.  It seems that SIRI is more intelligent than those running these killer places.

Tebowing

After planking and others, now there is Tebowing.  Patton Todd writes in WSJ some background in God's Quarterback:

In recent weeks, as Tebow mania has re-emerged alongside the unexpected success of the Broncos, it has become clear that the fever is not confined to the quarterback's fellow evangelical Christians. Mr. Tebow's habit of taking to one knee in prayer on the field has given rise to an Internet meme called "Tebowing." Fans have posted pictures of themselves praying on one knee while doing everything from surfing and fighting fires to touring China and going into battle.

"Tebowing" is the brainchild of Jared Kleinstein, 24, a real-estate marketer in New York City who was raised in Denver, where he grew into a devoted sports fan. Mr. Kleinstein, who is Jewish, just wanted to pay tribute to the inspirational quarterback of his favorite team. He launched Tebowing.com from Manhattan in October, on the night after Mr. Tebow led the Broncos to victory over the Miami Dolphins. 

"We were at a bar watching the game," he says, "and when he came back to win, everybody was cheering like we won the Super Bowl, even though we had just beat the last-place team in the league." Mr. Kleinstein noticed that as the Bronco players were jumping up and down on the sidelines, Mr. Tebow took a knee in prayer. He snapped a picture of himself and his friends doing the same, called it "Tebowing," then created the site and sent it to eight people. 

Within 48 hours, Mr. Kleinstein had been interviewed by this paper, CBS, Fox, ABC and other media outlets. The site has received millions of visits and page views in its short life. Mr. Kleinstein receives pictures of people Tebowing all day long, and often posts new pictures every hour.

With his site, Mr. Kleinstein says, "people found hope through a gesture," noting a much-discussed photo that he posted of a young boy with an IV attached to his arm who wrote that he was "Tebowing while chemoing." Mr. Kleinstein adds that a lot of support for the trend has come from rabbis. "It has made prayer in public something to not be ashamed of," he says. "I think that crosses all religious boundaries."

Anyone for tebowing?

 

Here's one athlete tebowing:  Lindsey Vonn in her World Cup win in the US.

Here they go again

Unbelievable what's coming out of Durban, although hardly surprising, with the UN still pushing for the one world government thingy through a climate change treaty.  Good read from Paul Joseph Watson: UN Calls for Eco-Fascist World Government at Durban Summit

Be afraid, be very afraid.

"Maybe instead of trying to be like other presidents, (he) should try being president."

In the mess that is the President's disrespect for the Chief Justice and the Supreme Court a few days back, spokesperson Lacierda was reported to have pointed out that "Bernas may have overlooked the fact that US President Barack Obama did the same in his 2010 State of the Union Address when he criticized US Supreme Court justices for their decision regarding campaign finance reform."

So, is Obama now the model for the President's actions.  Well, Obama likes to compare himself to other Presidents (Lincoln, for example, and as recently as yesterday, to Teddy Roosevelt), even as the comparisons are a real stretch.

AP reports of two reactions to Obama's comparing himself to TR:

One of the leading contenders for the GOP nomination, Mitt Romney, ridiculed Obama for comparing himself to Roosevelt.

Obama "said that he is like Teddy Roosevelt," Romney said at a campaign event in Paradise Valley, Ariz. "And I thought, `In what way is he like Teddy Roosevelt?' Teddy Roosevelt of course founded the Bull Moose Party. One of those words applies."

Kirsten Kukowski, spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee, said, "Maybe instead of trying to be like other presidents, Obama should try being president."

I'd say to Lacierda and the President through substitution:  "Maybe instead of trying to be like other presidents, P-Noy should try being president."

Even more clear

The connection of global warming alarmism and population control.  Can it get more obvious than this?

Worldwide population control and abortion funding in global warming bill co-sponsored by Gingrich - Jill Stanek

Newt Gingrich recently called the global warming ad he made with Nancy Pelosi in 2008 “the dumbest single thing I've done in years.” But that ad didn't come out of nowhere. Nineteen years earlier ...

Google search

What the SC won't do, to descend to his level, I probably would.  

What, call him.  

The weird thing about this is that his handlers say that he was just reminding "all of us that we’re all accountable to the people.” 

What, he can do that, but the others cannot?  He is so persistent in so many of his almost rotten ways, methinks, despite the many people "reminding" him to be accountable.

It had to end, sometime

Tiger booked one in the win column after clinching the Chevron World Challenge.  After 749 days without a win, he's back.  Now he is at #21.

Another Catholic that ...

gives Catholic a bad name.  And he is even the front runner in the polls re GOP candidates for US election.  H/T: Jill

On another note, you must have read or heard or whatever about a youtube video that has gone viral on a "Pinoy" celeb talking about another Pinay celeb's supposed abortion.  Sad.   Really sad.  

A blogger said that the anti-RH peeps are going to have a field day with this scandal.  Really?  

Perhaps so, but only because this abortion, if it indeed was procured abroad, is only a testament to the failure of contraception without the benefit of correct moral formation.  Then again, a true moral formation that emphasizes on abstinence (outside of the context of marriage) will guarantee that there is no pregnancy, and there would not have been any abortion necessary (it is not, but perhaps they thought they had no other choice considering the many factors they faced).

Of course, a fact that we cannot deny is that these celebs have had sex.  Multiple times.  Outside of marriage. It is always the same, when "pregnancy" rumors (and now even abortion) abound concerning celebs, they seem to have a hard time getting an answer out, although they usually have a set of talking points that, in the end, muddle the issue.  

I have never heard any couple simply say:  that is impossible, because we have to have sex for one to get pregnant (we are not talking of IVF here, BTW).

That is the best answer, and all bets are out the window.  BUT, only if it is true.


See.