Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma
Lymphomas are cancers of the lymphatic system - the body's blood-filtering tissues that help to fight infection and disease. Like other cancers, lymphomas, occur when cells divide too much and too fast. Growth control is lost, and the lymphatic cells may overcrowd, invade, and destroy lymphoid tissues and metastasize (spread) to other organs.
There are two general types of lymphomas: "Hodgkin's Disease" (named after Dr. Thomas Hodgkin, who first recognized it in 1832) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The lymphatic tissue in Hodgkin's disease contains specific cells - Reed-Sternberg cells - that are not found in any other cancerous lymphomas or cancers. These cells distinguish Hodgkin's disease (HD) from non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHLs).
Anatomy
The lymphatic system - the target of lymphomas - includes the lymph nodes and other organs that make up the immune and blood-forming (hematopoietic) elements of the body.
The lymph nodes are oval, pea-sized organs. They are found beneath the skin along the route of large blood vessels, and they are grouped in areas such as the neck, underarms, groin, abdomen (trunk), and pelvis (hips). The lymph nodes are linked throughout the body by narrow tubes known as lymphatic vessels. These vessels carry lymph, a colorless liquid that is collected from the body's tissues; chyle, a milky fluid taken from food in the intestine during digestion; lymphocytes, specialized white blood cells; and other blood cells. The lymphatic fluids and lymphocytes ultimately are funneled back into the bloodstream through a connection in the left upper chest.
Other organs that contain lymphatic tissue and so are affected by lymphoma include the:
* Spleen, a "ductless gland" that is located on the left side of the body under the lower rib cage; it is makes lymphocytes and other infection-fighting cells, stores healthy blood cells, and filters the blood);
* Thymus gland, a gland located in front of the heart; it produces immature T-cells that, when mature, are involved in immune system responses;
* Bone marrow, the inner region of the bones;
* Adenoids, the lymphatic tissue in the post-nasal area; and
* Tonsils, the rounded mass of lymphatic tissue at the back of the throat
Both Hodgkin's disease (HD) and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHLs) begin in lymphatic tissues and can invade other organs. But NHLs are much less predictable than HD, and they are more likely to spread to areas beyond the lymph nodes.
Anatomically, lymphomas are composed of malignant lymphocytes. Lymphocytes are a normally occurring part of the white blood cell series. The lymphocyte population can be simplistically divided into B-cells, T-cells and null cells. The job of B-cell lymphocytes is to participate in the immune system by producing antibodies. The job of the T-cell lymphocytes is to direct the participation of B-cells and other cell types in an overall immune response; they are the conductors of the immune system. Lymphomas are the malignant counterpart of these normal cells.
NHL Facts
Non-Hodgkins lymphoma (NHL) is a heterogenous disease. Each year, there are approximately 50,000 new cases and almost 25,000 deaths from the disease in the United States. Unlike Hodgkins disease, NHL is comprised of approximately 10 different subtypes (in the Working Formulation) and 20 different disease entities in the Revised European-American Lymphoma Classification (REAL) system.
These subtypes are grouped into 3 biologic states- low grade, intermediate grade, and high grade lymphomas. Therapy is determined by several factors, including the biologic state of the lymphoma, the stage of lymphoma, the presence or absence of symptoms (e.g., weight loss, night sweats, organ dysfunction), and the overall general health of the patient.
A number of factors, including congenital and acquired immunodeficiency states, and infectious, physical, and chemical agents, have been associated with an increased risk for NHL. Infectious agents, such as viral infections (e.g., Epstein barr virus, HIV, human T-cell leukemia virus), and bacterial infections (e.g., heliobacter pylori) may be associated with the development of NHL. Additionally, physical and chemical agents such as pesticides, solvents, arsenate, and lead, as well as hair dyes, radiation exposure (high dose), and paint thinners may also increase the risk.
Non-Hodgkins lymphoma occurs more often in patients between the ages of 40 and 70.) Risk for disease recurrence and overall survival rate can be predicted by using an international prognostic index (IPI) which takes into account age, stage of disease, general health (also known as performance status), number of extra nodal sites, and presence or absence of an elevated serum enzyme named LDH (lactate dehydrogenase).
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please let me know if you know anyone suffering from this disease..
There are two general types of lymphomas: "Hodgkin's Disease" (named after Dr. Thomas Hodgkin, who first recognized it in 1832) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The lymphatic tissue in Hodgkin's disease contains specific cells - Reed-Sternberg cells - that are not found in any other cancerous lymphomas or cancers. These cells distinguish Hodgkin's disease (HD) from non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHLs).
Anatomy
The lymphatic system - the target of lymphomas - includes the lymph nodes and other organs that make up the immune and blood-forming (hematopoietic) elements of the body.
The lymph nodes are oval, pea-sized organs. They are found beneath the skin along the route of large blood vessels, and they are grouped in areas such as the neck, underarms, groin, abdomen (trunk), and pelvis (hips). The lymph nodes are linked throughout the body by narrow tubes known as lymphatic vessels. These vessels carry lymph, a colorless liquid that is collected from the body's tissues; chyle, a milky fluid taken from food in the intestine during digestion; lymphocytes, specialized white blood cells; and other blood cells. The lymphatic fluids and lymphocytes ultimately are funneled back into the bloodstream through a connection in the left upper chest.
Other organs that contain lymphatic tissue and so are affected by lymphoma include the:
* Spleen, a "ductless gland" that is located on the left side of the body under the lower rib cage; it is makes lymphocytes and other infection-fighting cells, stores healthy blood cells, and filters the blood);
* Thymus gland, a gland located in front of the heart; it produces immature T-cells that, when mature, are involved in immune system responses;
* Bone marrow, the inner region of the bones;
* Adenoids, the lymphatic tissue in the post-nasal area; and
* Tonsils, the rounded mass of lymphatic tissue at the back of the throat
Both Hodgkin's disease (HD) and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHLs) begin in lymphatic tissues and can invade other organs. But NHLs are much less predictable than HD, and they are more likely to spread to areas beyond the lymph nodes.
Anatomically, lymphomas are composed of malignant lymphocytes. Lymphocytes are a normally occurring part of the white blood cell series. The lymphocyte population can be simplistically divided into B-cells, T-cells and null cells. The job of B-cell lymphocytes is to participate in the immune system by producing antibodies. The job of the T-cell lymphocytes is to direct the participation of B-cells and other cell types in an overall immune response; they are the conductors of the immune system. Lymphomas are the malignant counterpart of these normal cells.
NHL Facts
Non-Hodgkins lymphoma (NHL) is a heterogenous disease. Each year, there are approximately 50,000 new cases and almost 25,000 deaths from the disease in the United States. Unlike Hodgkins disease, NHL is comprised of approximately 10 different subtypes (in the Working Formulation) and 20 different disease entities in the Revised European-American Lymphoma Classification (REAL) system.
These subtypes are grouped into 3 biologic states- low grade, intermediate grade, and high grade lymphomas. Therapy is determined by several factors, including the biologic state of the lymphoma, the stage of lymphoma, the presence or absence of symptoms (e.g., weight loss, night sweats, organ dysfunction), and the overall general health of the patient.
A number of factors, including congenital and acquired immunodeficiency states, and infectious, physical, and chemical agents, have been associated with an increased risk for NHL. Infectious agents, such as viral infections (e.g., Epstein barr virus, HIV, human T-cell leukemia virus), and bacterial infections (e.g., heliobacter pylori) may be associated with the development of NHL. Additionally, physical and chemical agents such as pesticides, solvents, arsenate, and lead, as well as hair dyes, radiation exposure (high dose), and paint thinners may also increase the risk.
Non-Hodgkins lymphoma occurs more often in patients between the ages of 40 and 70.) Risk for disease recurrence and overall survival rate can be predicted by using an international prognostic index (IPI) which takes into account age, stage of disease, general health (also known as performance status), number of extra nodal sites, and presence or absence of an elevated serum enzyme named LDH (lactate dehydrogenase).
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please let me know if you know anyone suffering from this disease..
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Monday, February 26, 2007
Boracay 2007 - 23-25.02.2007
Photos, updated! including After Bora Reunion Dinner at Pasha and Cocktails at M Cafe
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Boracay: The most underrated best global beach in the world
from Beach List website.
World's 'Best in Class' Beaches
1. Ipanema - Rio/Brazil
2. Karon - Phuket/Thailand
3. Waikiki - Honolulu/Hawaii
4. Pink Sands - Harbor Is/Bahama
5. Upper Shoal Bay -Anguilla
6. Warwick Long Bay - Bermuda
7. Source d'Argent - Seychelles
8. Myrtos - Kefalonia/Greece
9. Spiaggia del Principe - Sardinia/Italy
10. Grace Bay - Providentiales
World's 'Best Party' Beaches
1. Praia Pepe - Rio/Brazil
2. Cancun - Yucatan/Mexico
3. South Beach - Miami/Florida
4. Long Bay - Negril/Jamaica
5. Paradise - Mykonos/Greece
6. Kuta - Bali/Indonesia
7. Las Salinas - Ibiza/Spain
8. Pampelonne - Saint Tropez/France
9. Patong - Phuket/Thailand
10. Orient Bay - St. Martin
World's 'Most Relaxing' Beaches
1. Surin - Phuket/Thailand
2. Treasure Cay - Abaco/Bahamas
3. Rawa Island - Malaysia
4. Eagle Beach - Aruba
5. North Island - Seychelles
6. Plaka - Naxos/Greece
7. Jandia - Canaria/Spain
8. Makena Beach - Maui/Hawaii
9. Playa Akumal - Yucatan/Mexico
10. Clearwater Beach - Bermuda
World's 'Most Fun' Beaches
1. Siesta Key - Sarasota/Florida
2. Half Moon Cay - Bahamas
3. Surfers Paradise - Queensland/Australia
4. White Beach - Boracay/Philippines
5. Ala Moana Beach - Honolulu/Hawaii
6. Kata Beach - Phuket/Thailand
7. Rum Point - Grand Cayman
8. Spiaggia La Cinta - Sardinia/Italy
9. Palm Beach - Aruba
10. Maracas Bay- Trinidad
World's Best 'Hidden Wonder' Beaches
1. Whitehaven Whitsunday/Australia
2. Motu Tapu - Bora Bora/Polynesia
3. Cala Soraia - Sardinia/Italy
4. El Nido Beach - Palawan/Philippines
5. Jobson's Cove - Bermuda
6. Polihale - Kauai/Hawaii
7. Black Bay - Grenada
8. Petit Anse - Seychelles
9. Navagio - Zakynthos/Greece
10. Tulum - Mexico
World's Most Exclusive Beaches
1. Bang Tao - Phuket/Thailand
2. Huvafen Fushi - N. Male Atoll/Maldives
3. Jimbaram Beach - Bali/Indonesia
4. Jumby Beach - Jumby Island/Antigua
5. Paradis Beach - Mauritius
6. Pine Cay - Providentiales
7. Sandy Lane - Barbados
8. Tokoriki Island - Mamanucas/Fiji
9. Wailea - Maui/Hawaii
10. Coral Beach - Bermuda
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Pinoys most courteous of Asians, says ‘Digest’
35 in a global courtesy test by Reader’s Digest, the magazine said
in a statement.
Surprisingly, New Yorkers scored 80 percent and topped the 35-country
test, while Mumbai in India ranked 32 and dead last—just a point
ahead of 34th placer Bucharest in Romania—though Asia got the lowest
scores overall.
Reader’s Digest sent undercover reporters from its editions in
each country to assess politeness in their most populous city.
In every location, they staged scenarios to see if people would hold
open a door, say “thank you” after making a sale in a shop,
and help someone pick up papers dropped in a busy location. Points were
awarded for polite responses, and the results for each city were tallied
and compared.
“This was the world’s biggest real-life test of common courtesy,”
said Conrad Kiechel, editorial director of the magazine’s international
editions.
“Our researchers conducted more than 2,000 separate tests of
actual behavior, producing results that were both revealing and thought-provoking.”
The test was not a scientific survey, but it provided a fascinating
snapshot of behavior in the countries tested, the magazine said. It
gave a score of first to the most courteous and 35th for the least courteous.
For the purchasing test, Manila scored 65 percent with a global ranking
at 23rd.
But don’t expect a door to be held for you while in Manila as
only 25 percent of the people tested bothered to even slightly hold
the door ajar, giving the city a global ranking near the bottom at 33rd.
If you drop papers on a street in Manila, chances are someone will
help you to pick them up. Filipinos scored well at 55 percent, giving
them an impressive global ranking of 5th place.
“I wanted to help but I was hesitant because I was thinking what
if it was just another modus operandi of swindlers or pickpockets,”
says Elizabeth Yap, a self-employed 37 year-old.
Albert Magbagay, 18, a student who passed the dropping papers test,
says: “It’s innate for me to be helpful and courteous—there
was even a time when I helped an elderly cross the street. It really
matters when your parents raised you up with the proper values.”
But in Asia, eight out of nine cities finished in the bottom 11. Every
city except Hong Kong finished in the bottom 10 in the rankings for
holding doors open, and no door-holding test had a success rate higher
than 40 percent.
Many Asians don’t include door-holding in their notions of courtesy.
“How can we measure someone’s value simply by whether they
hold a door open?” asked a student in Manila.
“The three tests each looked at a different aspect of how people
relate to each other, with the door-holding test designed to see if
individuals are aware of the people around them,” said Jim Plouffe,
editor-in-chief of Reader’s Digest English Asian magazine.
“Throughout Asia, we found that people were oblivious to the
fact their actions affected those around them.”
Courtesy in shops was particularly lacking in Mumbai. When a female
reporter bought a pair of plastic hair clips at a convenience store,
the sales assistant turned his back on her as soon as she paid. Asked
why, he said, “Madam, I am not an educated guy. I hand goods over
to the customers, and that’s it.”
Moscow and Bucharest ranked as the least polite European cities. When
a woman failed to hold a door in Moscow, she replied, “I’m
not a doorman. It’s not my job to hold doors. If someone gets hurt,
they should be quicker on their feet.”
Zagreb residents were the world leaders in helping with dropped papers.
One man insisted on helping despite having arthritis and a bad back.
“I always help someone in trouble,” he said.
Shop assistants were especially polite in Zurich and Stockholm. In
both cities, they thanked the Reader’s Digest “customers”
in every store where they visited and made a purchase.
In Sao Paulo, even petty criminals were polite. As Reader’s Digest
bought a pair of cheap sunglasses from a trader, shouts rang out that
the police were coming. The market turned out to be illegal. The merchant
gathered up his goods to flee, but not before saying “thank you.”
Manila Exhale. Series 1.
What is this painful urge?
That overwhelming desire, setting my veins on fire?
That inescapable breathe of flaming insanity
caught between the parting of your lips
and the trembling touch of your hands?
It is the passion of a forbidden and camouflaged
obsession,
a pocket of bitterest tears locked
in the most clandestine echoes of the human heart.
It betrays the most hardened steel-
the angry fires of love that screams of total surrender.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quelle est cette envie douloureuse?
Ce desir accablant,
mettant mes veines en feu?
Cette inevitable respiration de la folie ardente attrapee
entre le debut de tes levres et le contact tremblant
de tes mains?
C'est la passion d'une obsession interdite
et camouflee,
une poche des larmes les plus ameres fermees
dans les echos les plus clandestins
du coeur humain.
Il trahit les plus durcis a l'amour
qui crient une reddition totale.
- Manila.Manille. 2007. 2. 20
**Thanks to my friend Claude for the French translation.
Global Cities List - Manila as a Gamma City
GaWC - WorldCities List
Think you live in an important
city? Have arguments with your friends about which city is the best?
Probably not! Well, I do. After all it is important to know what
cities are great to visit and how your hometown baby fairs against
other major cities.
Although there is a general
consensus on which are the leading world cities, there is no agreed
upon roster covering world cities below the highest level. So an
Inventory of World Cities was made up by a team called GaWC Globalization
and World Cities - Study Group & Network
- At Loughborough University in the UK. The inventory of world
cities based upon their level of advanced producer services.
Global service centres are identified and graded for accountancy,
advertising, banking/finance and law. Aggregating these results
produces a roster of 55 world cities at three levels: 10 Alpha world
cities, 10 Beta world cities and 35 Gamma world cities. These are
found to be largely geographically concentrated in three
'globalization arenas', northern America, western Europe and Pacific
Asia.
For Methodology and Taxonomy Click here
A. ALPHA WORLD CITIES (full service world cities)
12: London,
New York,
Paris, Tokyo
10: Chicago,
Frankfurt, Hong Kong,
Los Angeles,
Milan, Singapore
B. BETA WORLD CITIES (major world cities)
9: San Francisco,
Sydney,
Toronto,
Zurich
8: Brussels,
Madrid, Mexico City,
Sao Paulo
C. GAMMA WORLD CITIES (minor world cities)
6: Amsterdam,
Boston, Caracas,
Dallas, Düsseldorf,
Geneva, Houston,
Jakarta, Johannesburg,
Melbourne,
Osaka, Prague,
Santiago, Taipei,
Washington
5: Bangkok,
Beijing, Montreal,
Rome, Stockholm,
Warsaw
4: Atlanta,
Barcelona, Berlin,
Budapest, Buenos Aires,
Copenhagen, Hamburg,
Istanbul, Kuala Lumpur,
Manila, Miami,
Minneapolis,
Munich, Shanghai
D. EVIDENCE OF WORLD CITY FORMATION
Di Relatively strong evidence
3: Athens,
Auckland, Dublin,
Helsinki, Luxembourg,
Lyon, Mumbai,
New Delhi,
Philadelphia, Rio de Janeiro,
Tel Aviv,
Vienna
Dii Some evidence
2: Abu Dhabi,
Almaty, Birmingham,
Bogota,
Bratislava, Brisbane,
Bucharest, Cairo, Cleveland,
Cologne, Detroit,
Dubai, Ho
Chi Minh City, Kiev, Lima,
Lisbon, Manchester,
Montevideo,
Oslo,
Riyadh, Rotterdam,
Seattle, Stuttgart,
The Hague, Vancouver
Diii Minimal evidence
1: Adelaide,
Antwerp, Arhus,
Baltimore,
Bangalore, Bologna,
Brasilia, Calgary,
Cape Town,
Colombo, Columbus,
Dresden, Edinburgh,
Genoa, Glasgow,
Gothenburg,
Guangzhou, Hanoi, Kansas City,
Leeds, Lille,
Marseille,
Richmond,
St Petersburg,
Tashkent, Tehran, Tijuana,
Turin, Utrecht,
Wellington
GLOBAL CITIES
Well rounded global cities
- Very large contribution: London and New York Smaller contribution and with cultural bias: Los Angeles, Paris and San Francisco
- Incipient global cities: Amsterdam, Boston, Chicago, Madrid, Milan, Moscow, Toronto
Global niche cities - specialised global contributions
- Economic: Hong Kong, Singapore, and Tokyo
- Political and social: Brussels, Geneva, and Washington
WORLD CITIES
Subnet articulator cities
- Cultural: Berlin, Copenhagen, Melbourne, Munich, Oslo, Rome, Stockholm Political: Bangkok, Beijing, Vienna
- Social: Manila, Nairobi, Ottawa
Worldwide leading cities
- Primarily economic global contributions: Frankfurt, Miami, Munich, Osaka, Singapore, Sydney, Zurich
- Primarily non-economic global contributions: Abidjan, Addis Ababa, Atlanta, Basle, Barcelona, Cairo, Denver, Harare, Lyon, Manila, Mexico City, Mumbai, New Delhi, Shanghai
World's Best Skylines- Manila scores number 13
Click on the Photo for a clearer view.
a 90 degree Panorama of Manila Skyline (from wiki) including Makati and Ortigas buildings
World's Best Skylines
Ranking
[old] Points
update 2004, 2005, 2006 Country Buildings
>90 m highest scoring building
(height)
[1] 1 85285
Hong Kong China 2939 International Commerce Centre (484m, u/c)
[2] 2 35610
New York (inc Jersey City, Fort Lee, Guttenburg) USA 849 Freedom Tower (541m, u/c)
[7] 3 19409
Dubai UAE 268 Burj Dubai (810m, u/c)
[3] 4 18932
Tokyo (inc Kawaguchi, Kawasaki, Ichikawa) Japan 572 Mid Town Tower (248m, u/c)
[4] 5 18628
Shanghai China 549 Shanghai World Financial Center (492m, u/c)
[5] 6 15454
Chicago USA 321 Sears Tower (442m)
[6] 7 13756
Bangkok Thailand 382 Baiyoke Tower 2 (304m)
[13] 8 8955
Guangzhou (Canton) China 233 West Tower (432m, u/c)
[10] 9 8557
Kuala Lumpur (inc Petaling Jaya, Subang Jaya) Malaysia
215 Petronas Tower 1 (452m)
[9] 10 7431
Singapore Singapore 296 Republic Plaza (280m)
[8] 11 7401
Seoul South Korea 273 Tower Palace Three, Tower G (264m)
[11] 12 6885
Shenzhen China 199 Shun Hing Square (384m)
[14] 13 6864
Manila (metro inc. Makati, Mandaluyong, Ortigas, Quezon City) Philippines 183 PBCOM Tower (259m)
[12] 14 6706
Chongqing China 232 JW Marriott International Finance Centre (377m, u/c)
[15] 15 5499
Toronto (inc. Mississauga) Canada 207 First Canadian Place (298m)
[19] 16 5463
Moscow Russia 150 Federation, Tower A (448m, u/c)
[25] 17 5212
Beijing China 234 China World Trade Center Tower III (302m, u/c)
[20] 18 4907
Miami (inc Miami Beach) USA 109 Four Seasons Hotel & Tower (240m)
[18] 19 4787
Osaka (inc. Sakai, Amagasaka) Japan 124 Osaka World Trade Center (252m)
[16] 20 4653
Houston (inc Pasadena) USA 109 JPMorganChase Tower (305m)
What are the rules?
This list is an attempt to rank the impressiveness of city skylines. The score of a city is equal to the sum of all building heights (in m, without spires) after substraction of the minimum of 90m/295ft for each building. Freestanding towers (i.e. thin structures with no floors over most of their height) count for half their height.
Why this algorithm?
It measures a mix of height and breath of a skyline which seems to be honest as they are both important for the WOW! factor. Of course, people may think differently about their favorite skylines - see new! this poll or Luigi Di Serio's Top 15.
Egbert Gramsbergen and Paul Kazmierczak
used by the Almanac of Architecture and Design 2006
Monday, February 19, 2007
The new cool: Manila Rocks!
Travel December 20, 2006 Curious where travelers are headed in the coming year? We took a look at the most popular searches on Yahoo! FareChase to see which cities folks are flocking to in 2007. On the domestic list, perennial travel favorite Las Vegas shows no signs of ceding the top spot, while sunny Florida dominates the rest of the list, with five out of the top 10 searches.We did note a few surprises on the international list, including the appearance of Frankfurt and Manila (Makati Skyline on the Right; Dance (Above: Party in Manila's Hippest Superclub Embassy; Right: Makati Skyline; Below: A Rave Party) in the top 5. Visitors rave about Frankfurt's shopping and architecture, while Manila attracts budget travelers looking for beaches and nightlife. Of course, more traditional travel destinations like Paris and Rome made the list as well, placing at 7th and 8th respectively. Top Domestic Travel Searches - 2007
1. Las Vegas, Nevada
2. Orlando, Florida
3. New York City, New York
4. Honolulu, Hawaii
5. Miami, Florida
6. Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
7. Los Angeles, California
8. Tampa, Florida
9. Phoenix, Arizona
10. Ft. Myers, Florida
Top International Travel Searches - 2007
1. London, United Kingdom
2. Cancun, Mexico
3. Frankfurt, Germany
4. San Juan, Puerto Rico
5. Manila, Philippines
6. Bangkok, Thailand
7. Paris, France
8. Rome, Italy
9. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
10. Amsterdam, Netherlands
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Kung Hei Fat Choi! Xin Nian Kuai Le!
The Year of the Pig
Chinese Horoscopes for 2007
 |
| More in Chinese New Year: • Chinese New Year Cards • Chinese New Year • Traditional Foods • Chinese Zodiac |
Chinese New Year in 2007 is the Year of the
Red Fire Pig. The year of the pig ends the 12
year cycle of the Chinese zodiac. Like the houses of the zodiac, the animals of Chinese astrology
are said to influence your luck during the year. Your horoscopes for 2007, the year of the pig,
depends on which animal signifies the year you were born.
Pigs are said to be very good matches for tigers
and sheep, but do not get along well with snakes and monkeys. Other pigs, rabbits, horses, oxen,
rats, roosters, dogs and dragons can make good companions, but the relationships are not always
smooth or long lasting.
Babies born in the year of the pig are fortunate
and make good partners in life. The pig is modest, sometimes quick to anger but also quick to learn
and hard working. Their ability to see things through brings success in business and personal affairs.
If you aren't sure which animal ruled the year
that you were born this list will help. To get more specific information and learn more about what
the omens are for your future in the New Year, check out related links
of interest and find out what else the animals of fortune predict for you in 2007.
Here are a few general conclusions from the
opinions of the sages...
Pig
: 1911, 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007
With the 2006 year of preparation behind them, those born in a pig year finally come into the full
energy of their own sign. With all of the patient pig's attention to detail and hard work, the table
has been set for this banquet year and pigs will enjoy sharing the feast with their family, friends
and business associates. This will be a lucky year — with prosperity coming from success in
business but also from unexpected money. Good fortune in 2007 is ahead for romantic adventures.
A marriage for the pig this year is blessed with good omens. Family, always important to the pig,
will be well taken care of and the home ruled by the pig will enjoy harmony and good fortune. Old
business will be successful and new ventures will be fortunate.
Rat
: 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008
The clever rat will do well to spend this year planning for the beginning of the next twelve year
cycle. This cycle has been a bit difficult, but starting with the rat year in 2008, plans should
start to succeed. This year of the Pig is a good time to be with friends and family who are celebrating
the fullness of the year. Take care of old business and tie up loose ends that might get in the
way of your coming good fortune. Enjoy vacations and hobbies this year. You will need to be well
rested when your year begins.
Ox
: 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997
The year of the hard working pig brings good fortune for the ox. The energy is there to get more
done and this brings prosperity and success to the sturdy ox. Just remember that this is also a
year of celebration. The ox should not become so busy with work that he misses the invitation to
the banquet table. It is there that new opportunities will be discovered. The ox should take care
to include time for romance in this year's busy work schedule.
Tiger
: 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998
The wild tiger prospered in the year of the dog and the pig will not change your good fortune. Be
more cautious this year. The pig invites the tiger to the party, but the guest may find it too easy
to spend more than is wise — especially in the early year when the influence of the tiger sign
raises the energy. The pouncing tiger must control the urge to jump and learn to walk at the pace
of the steady pig. Balance between the banquet and serious business will bring success. It is not
wise for the tiger to jump into business or romance decisions this year.
: 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999
The rabbit is also a friend of the pig who likes to hop ahead. The clever rabbit will slow the pace
and enjoy the friendship and steady good fortune of the year of the pig. The influence of the pig
will make rabbit calmer and more ready for serious commitments. This year may add to the rabbit's
family either through marriage or children. Business fortunes will be steady but not exceptional.
The rabbit will be busy enjoying life and family and have less energy to spend on work.
Dragon
: 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000
Dragon is very happy to see the pig. After a year of challenges by the yipping dog, the dragon is
ready to sit at the banquet table and rest. The tired dragon must remember that the dog is not far
away and the clouds of the dog year still dampen his fire. The pig year will bring fullness to the
dragon who eats slowly. Self control does not come easily to the fierce dragon, but this year there
is little energy stored after battling the dog. The wise dragon will spend resources with caution
and build strength for new cycle starting with the rat year in 2008. Enjoy the quiet return to fullness
and do not get frustrated at your weakness after battle with the dog all year in 2006. Your strength
will return. This year plan trips and business ventures that will not need your full power. Success
will come slowly. You will find many reasons for frustration with family and coworkers. It is not
the fault of others that you cannot provide the energy you need this year. Control your fire breath
and you will receive more assistance and find good fortune.
Snake
: 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001
The snake will find that he has not been invited to the pig's table. This year is a time of quiet
for the snake to lie coiled and waiting for the rat year that will bring a new wave of good fortune.
You may enjoy the company of friends and family, but successful results in business will be limited.
It is not a good time to begin new ventures or to challenge decisions. Avoid conflicts — they
will not bring good outcomes with the opposite pig sign ruling this year. The snake should enjoy
home, food and limited travel while planning for the much better prospects coming when the opposing
pig sign is no longer dominant. The rat and ox years ahead promise that this next 12 year cycle
will be good to the patient snake who gathers resources and plans to move when the time is right.
Horse
: 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002
The horse will be invited to the party, but may find it difficult to get there. The energy of the
horse is very different than the pig. The neighboring snake, who sits alone, may try to keep the
horse from the feast by hiding the invitations or slowing down the messengers. You may find your
business fortunes are delayed by slow associates and misdirected or misunderstood memos. You will
not win the favor of the pig with expensive gifts. Spend wisely to pace your resources to last through
the coming challenges of the rat year.
Sheep
/ Goat : 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003
At pig's table, sheep has the seat of honored guest. Luck and good fortune in romance and business
are the gifts offered to the lucky sign this year. Gifts of money may surprise the sheep. The pig
smiles on family and will shower the sheep who becomes engaged or married during this year with
many blessings. Sheep born in this year will receive good fortune from the banquet host. The shy
sheep or one who cannot decide may miss the advantage of all the opportunities that this year brings.
Monkey
: 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004
Monkey will be invited to share the fullness of the table. This year will bring good fortune in
business but monkey tends to rush to finish and the pig is a slow, detail minded sign. Expect frustration
and delays, but do not get discouraged. These are minor setbacks, not the ill fortune of the last
two years. The rat year coming up in 2008 will allow you to enjoy the full benefits of your patient
work this year. Take time out to enjoy the pleasant year, it will help you to overcome the small
frustrations in business. Be prepared for travel — you may even change where you live. All
will be in preparation for the good fortune which the rat will share with you in 2008.
Rooster
: 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005
Rooster will be at the feast, but pig is modest and rooster enjoys strutting. Conservative pig has
little patience for rooster's emotional displays. In the pig year it is best to work on compromise.
The rooster will worry about his seat at the table. Don't be foolish. Stop worrying and enjoy the
party. Good fortune comes to the rooster who can copy the pigs steady pace. This does not come easy
to the proud rooster and you will find that success this year takes more work. Business may suffer
small problems, but a steady pig approach to completing tasks and following through on plans will
bring rewards.
Dog:
1910, 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006
The dog leaves the dominant energy of 2006 as the pig arrives to close the cycle. The dog will continue
to enjoy good fortune, but should look inward during the pig year. The feast of the pig year will
be enjoyed by the dog only if it is shared with family and friends. The dog is still full of energy
and will find that this attracts new friends. Relationships that begin in this pig year may be a
source of good fortune in the next 12 year cycle. Calm and relaxing activities are the best idea
for the dog who wants to be prepared for the rat year of 2008.
whatever the omens portend, for better or worse, you are the final master of your own fate.
These ideas are provided for your enjoyment
and amusement and are not meant to take the place of your own good sense.
Wishing you and your family a year of health
and prosperity! Gung Hay Fat Choy!
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Blog Attack: Philippine Elections Blog Watch 2007: the Opposition
When you come to think of it, there is no real opposition parties in the Philippines when parties are just viewed not by the platform of governance and by the collective stand on the national issues but rather a fleeting vehicle of political convenience. The multiparty system was born out in the end of the totalitarian and fascistic Marcos regime as a natural reaction to the KBL-dominated politics during most of Marcos' presidency. The 1987 constitution, flawed as it is, provided for a multiparty republic, where sadly, there is almost no majority outcome in every electoral exercise- a deadly precursor to numerous powergrabs. President after President, a minority President is susceptible to power struggles from different groups with vested interests, as exemplified by the Aquino, Estrada and Arroyo presidencies where instead of focusing towards the urgent matters like social and economic development the sitting President has to fend off attacks from both the left and right of the political spectrum.
UNO, or the United Opposition or recently called the Grand and Broad Opposition/Coalition has fielded its 12 Senators for the 2007 Elections- interestingly, 2 of this Senators- Manny Villar and Francis Pangilinan has declared that they will be running as independent candidates. By independent, I guess we can surmise that he means that there are no formal electoral "party" machinery to back one up, as Villar is a member of the Nacionalista Party.
From the start, UNO has been plagued by accusations of nepotism, lack of funds, and a program of action with no real substance. UNO happens to be a conglomeration of different personalities with only one goal and that is to oust GMA.
Let's take a quick look on UNO/GBC/GBO senatorial slate.
1. Loren Legarda - The broadcaster was among the prominent figures in the Estrada impeachment trials complete with all the drama and the tears. By 2005, she ran under the same Erap ticket as the runningmate of FPJ but lost to alleged cheating by her ABS-CBN colleague. She filed for a recount at the COMELEC, unfortunately, with she running for the Senate this time, she might as well throw that petition out of the window. By filing for her candidacy for the Senate, she had effectively thrown in the towel.
2. John Osmeña - Osmeña is another proof that Philippine politics advocates Environmentalism- we just recycle politicians. John Osmeña along with Tessie Aquino-Oreta was the butt of really nasty jokes during the last impeachment- with not so subtle innuendoes of his gender preference. The problem I have with recycled politicians is that really, these people were so ineffective the previous time, why should I be voting them back into office?
3. Ping Lacson - Lacson admittedly is Chinatown's baby. Apparently, this reelectionist who was supposedly a champion crimebuster, was accused of human rights abuses himself (including staging kidnap and rescue). Constantly on the hair of the First Gentleman, Lacson has recently mellowed down (in the media at least),and has been a little tightlipped in many issues of the day. Whether he is just being cautious or that he is weighing in his political future on his stand on many matters, we don't know. For now.
4. Chiz Escudero - Escudero reminds me of longwinded, talking doll blabbering about words that seems important but actually at a closer look utterly pointless. That's why I switch channels everytime he is on camera because I cant just stand the total bullsh*t that this person spew about as well as his pointed nipples that poke through his teeshirts while his home province of Sorsogon collapsed under the weight of the recent calamities. The worst part is, everyone is actually buying it. The bullsh*t I mean. I guess his breakfast, lunch and dinner consists of bringing down governments by just talking. A whole lot of it. A trapo in the making.
5. Alan Peter Cayetano - What was that movie again called? The BIG FAT GREEK LIAR? or the BIG FAT GREEK DYNASTY? With his late father who was a senator himself (The late Cayetano was a virtual unknown to many until he became an ABS-CBN mainstay himself) His sis Pia is in the Senate, Rene Carl was a Muntinlupa councilor from 2001-2004 and brother-in -law Ari-Ben Sebastian is a director of the Bases Conversion Development Authority. Cayetano made a grave mistake of accusing someone based on hearsay. And that someone happened to be the First Gentleman. FG is considered to be a private citizen and how and why would a private citizen be dragged into the prying eyes of the public based on an unfounded accusation boggles my mind. What gall.
6. Noy-Noy Aquino - Kris Aquino's saner brother. Noy-Noy is considered really as a political starlet vis-a-vis the scintillating media coverage of his scandalous aunt Tessie and the equally scandalous Kris, not to mention the long shadows being cast by his late father Ninoy and his mom, the jaundiced Cory Aquino. With huge shoes to fill, Noy-noy has yet to distinguish himself as Hacienda Luisita's representative (or Tarlac for that matter). Noy-noy is just a perpetuation of the Aquino dynasty in the world of Philippine political elite.
7. Koko Pimentel - Ran and lost as mayor of Cagayan de Oro City. With Daddy Nene already a Senator, dont we love political dynasties in this country? If one Pimentel cant make it right, why should we try another one?
8. Sonia Roco - I voted for the late Raul Roco, which I think was the last ever chance this country will ever get in having a great President can inspire and move us, but who is Sonia Roco? What does she stand for? Will she be able to stand on her own in the company of dirtbags? Let me remind her, it will be her standing in the Senate defending legislations, not her husband.
9.Nikki Coseteng - Coseteng's political career was almost totally destroyed during the Estrada impeachment trial where her obvious obstructionist posturings reeked of partisanship. She was booed several times during her visit to UP Iloilo during the waves of Estrada scandals. Like many returning political zombies, she will be slugging it out in the polls with the relatively newer batches of Senator-wannabes.
10. Lt. Grade Antonio Trillanes IV - Trillanes' candidacy under the UNO wing puts extreme suspect to early 2006 accusations of having military-Opposition conspiracy to bring down GMA's government. This military adventurist and self-styled Messiah is one reason why it is dangerous to mix military and politics. Apparently, Trillanes and company still thought that we live in a banana republic ruled by a military junta. Bringing down a government is a serious, serious offense my dear, and if UNO had a better sense on their heads, they better make a clear stand on this. Trillanes is still on trial on a very grave offense, and any indication of support and condonation for such treasonous behaviors by UNO sends wrong signals to the business community as well as the international community.
11. Manuel Villar - One of the congressmen that impeached Estrada, it would be of course be a little awkward if suddenly, Villar would be buttkissing the deposed President- but of course what are the odds? Villar has been prevented lately to visit Estrada in his Tanay resthouse. Declaring himself as an independent while UNO claims him as their guest candidate, Villar, is threading on a gray area, albeit a comfortable ambiguity of what he really stand for.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The 12th Candidate bolted out of the GO ticket, endangering the already cash-strapped, fractious and weak opposition ticket. Pangilinan, who is under the Drilon-wing of the Liberal Party, has another partymate- Drilon-LP's Noynoy Aquino who threatened to bolt GO if Pangilinan will be replaced by another candidate.
12. Francis Pangilinan - Part of the illustrious Pangilinan brothers, Francis unfortunately cast himself into the political limbo when he called for GMA to step down. With the Opposition cannot altogether accept him as one of their own (Pangilinan was an anti-Erap then), Kiko will ultimately have to work extra hard this time, expending whatever charm he has left combined with the wattage and the weight of his wife Sharon, literally and figuratively, as a famous showbusiness personality.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
2014 Asian Beach Games in Boracay!
25th OCA General Assembly 02-12-2006
The 25th OCA General Assembly was held successfully in Doha on 2nd of December 2006, under the President ship of H.E. Sheikh Ahmad al-Sabah, President OCA. The meeting was also presided over by H.E. Dr. Jacques Rogge, President IOC, H.E. Mr. Mario Vazquez Rana, President ANOC and also H.H. Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, Chairman of DAGOC.
The OCA signed an agreement with Hilton Hotel & Resorts for the management of the OCA Olympia Hotel in HQ Premises in Kuwait.
The president OCA presented the Hiroshima Sheikh Fahad Asia Fund Sports science award to Dr. Nader Rahmana from Iran on his out standing contribution to sport medicine and Vietnam Olympic Committee for their research on the Olympic Athletes.
During the Assembly various important decisions were undertaken some of which are:-
1. Allotment of the 2010 Asian Beach Games to Oman
2. Allotment of the 2012 Asian Beach Games to Hayan, China
3. Allotment of the 2014 Asian Beach Games to Boracay, Philippines
Mr. Patrick Hickey President of European Olympic Committee presented the plaque of honour to H.E. Sheikh Ahmad Al-Sabah, President OCA for his outstanding contribution to sports not only in Asia but globally.
The assembly unanimously decided to hold the next General Assembly meeting in Kuwait on 16th and 17th of April 2006.
Blog Attack: Philippine Elections Blog Watch 2007: Team Unity
With the upcoming Senatorial Elections in the next few months, the candidates will be once again begging for our votes- song and dance and all. Now, I dont know about the rest of you, I know a lot of people who doesn't bother to vote anyway- Filipinos who have given up for the kind of leadership that we have endured in the past several decades. Let's take a closer look with the Senatorial Candidates.
Team Unity:
1. Sultan Jamalul Kiram III - The Sultan of Sulu, the token Muslim in the largely Christian senatorial ticket. Kiram is relatively a newcomer to the national politics, his family figuring in the continuing dispute between Malaysia and the Philippines over the ownership of Sabah. The Malaysian government supposedly sends a small stipend to the royal family of the Sulu Sultanate as a "rent" for Sabah. As history tells it, Sabah was a gift by the Sultan of Brunei to the Sultan of Sulu as an expression of gratitude for the suppression of a violent revolt in North Borneo. When the British East India Company took over several estates of the island, the Britons upon granting Malaysia independence instead handed over the land that were not theirs in the first place to the newly formed Federation of Malaysia. In case elected, it is now a big question what this would mean in the context of Philippine-Malaysian relations. The question is will he win?
2. Edgardo Angara - Angara was the University of the Philippines President when the Socialized Tuition Fee Assistance Program was born. With the inept handling of the program, tuition soared, while many financially-challenged but deserving students got measly and delayed stipends. Rumor has it that it is some sort of Angara's revenge when his very own son failed the dreaded UPCAT. Angara is also credited for being the political undertaker of the ousted President Joseph Estrada. While everyone was jumping out of the sinking ship, Angara prepared the funeral for the political death of Estrada. Taking care of the last minutes of the embattled womanizer as Erap leaves Malacañang.
3. Joker Arroyo - One of Martial Law's staunchest critics and figured well in the Estrada impeachment (which have helped to catapult his fading career into the national TV primetime). Arroyo though a harsh critic of GMA stopped short of asking her to step down. Smart move.
4. Ralph Recto - Along with Joker Arroyo, Francis Pangilinan and Manny Villar, Recto forms part of the Wednesday Group. Like Arroyo, Recto has ridden on the usual rhetoric that runs contrary to GMA but stopped short of asking her to resign. Husband to famous actress Vilma Santos, with his Mestizo looks, political pedigree and his wife showbiz wattage, Recto is a virtual shoo-in for the position (despite gossips of philandering ways, Recto manages to still project a squeaky clean image on the tele.)
5. Teresa Aquino-Oreta - Balato Queen, Dancing Queen- one of the most reviled Senators ever in the history of Philippine politics. The cameras trained on the Senate floor during the Estrada impeachment case, the sister of the bourgeios revolution hero Ninoy Aquino couldnt help herself as she breaks into a jig after along with other pro-Estrada Senators voted not to open the second envelope. Aquino-Oreta's nephew Noynoy runs under the Opposition ticket - a surefire way to make sure that the interests of Hacienda Luisita is well-represented in the Senate? Used to be a mainstay in the Opposition fence until she got bumped out by the newer kids on the block.
6. Vicente Sotto III - Tito Sotto as he is most commonly called rose from showbusiness from the comedy trio of Tito, Vic and Joey - the Philippine cinema's version of The Three Stooges. Slammed for his apparent cluelessness and incoherence in the area of national policymaking, Sotto has yet to prove himself in his years in the Senate, which for the lack of the better description for it, a comedic failure- an Estrada leech. Along with Aquino-Oreta, Sotto jumped over to the Administration ticket having lost his seat to the younger kids.
7. Miguel Zubiri - Zubiri hails from the elite families in Mindanao and one of the members of the Spice Boys- a monicker for a posse of young legislators who started their "stellar" terms during the Estrada impeachment. They were young and goodlooking but can they prove anything? The UPLB- bred Agribusiness Major who runs on the platform of improving the Agriculture, used to work in the legislative office of his father, himself a former congressman. Will he make it? Is the Boom-Tarat-Tarat tackiness worth it?
8. Prospero Pichay - Another Mindanaoan, this LaSallista is a staunch GMA supporter was the Commitee Chair of the National Defense in the Lower House during the 12th Congress. He listed his campaign expenses as PhP 38,000.00 (http://www.i-site.ph/Databases/Congress/12thHouse/political/pichay-political.html). Are we missing something here? You honestly believe one can mount a decent campaign for representative for that amount?
9. Vicente Magsaysay - Magsaysay is a well-worn surname in Philippine politics. The Zambales Governor himself was one of the youngest ever elected governors in 1967 at the age of 27. Fast forward 40 years later. I am still clueless of what to make it with him. Capitalizing with his surname with the older voters- unfortunately, Magsaysay is an easy name to forget especially with the geriatrics. Apparently it ended with Jun Magsaysay a few years ago, I dont even remember he did what or which side he was on. Will the Mambo play again? And even then, will anyone be dancing?
10. Carlos Petilla - Carlos who? I laud the government for picking out new leaders but at the last minute? The Leyte governor is virtually unknown to the majority of the voters, a serious handicap if Team Unity is serious of launching a serious assault of reclaiming the Senate from the opposition.Serious enough?
11. Luis Singson - Chavit Singson, a self-confessed Jueteng lord of the Ilocos frontier and former bosom buddy of the deposed President Estrada. Chavit went from sinner to saint overnight in the prevailing anti-Erap sentiments as he lost the numbers game to Atong Ang. Well, sinner to saint to I don't know what I am doing here. Can Ilocos deliver? Will The Solid North remain such?
12. Michael Defensor - I am very distracted watching the "Tol" political ad by Mike Defensor. The video was awkward and I think whoever made the video should be fired. And was it my imagination or was it true- Defensor's seemed a little decayed and looked rotten? Creepy I should say. Defensor has earned snickers everytime he appears on TV as the Dakilang Sipsip - "The Great Buttkisser", he somehow makes it way to the tube everytime. Okay, he is Chiz Escudero - Admin Version.
Next - The Grand and Broad Opposition. ( I mean why would anyone try mimicking GOP- Grand Old Party for crying out loud and make it sound like stink? GBO- as in Gee Bee -Oh??)
At the last minute: Actor Cesar Montano replaced Gov. Petilla for the Senatorial slot. Apparently, Petilla is totally unwinnable. Such a pity. (sic)
Monday, February 12, 2007
Surviving Valentine’s Day solo
By Lori Gottlieb
Uh-oh. Just when you thought you’d gotten through New Year’s Eve
unscathed, here comes another doozie of a holiday for singles: Valentine’s Day.
For the uncoupled, the dreaded fourteenth day of February can be a
pink-ribbon-and-teddy-bear-wrapped reminder (as if we needed one!) that we’ll be
getting the entire bed to ourselves that night (again). Add to that the mall
windows filled with heart-shaped balloons and the bombardment of ads from
florists to jewelers, and Valentine’s Day can make you feel like you’re the only
one who forgot to board Noah’s ark.
Well, take heart (so to speak): You
are not alone. In fact, there are millions of other singles out there, each with
his or her own strategy for getting through what might seem like the most
unromantic day of the year—and maybe even having some fun. Here, some
tactics to consider:
Denial: Denial may not be the smartest
coping mechanism during the rest of the year (“Just because I found lipstick on
his collar doesn’t mean he’s cheating, right?”), but on Valentine’s Day, it
helps my single friends Gil and Heather. Gil says that by making fun of the
holiday — “It’s a Hallmark invention” or “It’s a Pagan ritual” — he convinces
himself that the day doesn’t have much true meaning. My friend Heather takes
denial a step further. “They say loving yourself first is an important step to
finding someone,” she explained. “It sounds cheesy, but one year friends and I
got together for dinner to celebrate ourselves. We talked about the
accomplishments we’d enjoyed since the last Valentine’s Day. Even if they were
small things like new places we’d been, new foods we’d tried—anything that
acknowledged that we’d grown in some way.” The result? “It was inspiring to take
time to see what we have instead of what we’re missing. But I realize this also
could be considered denial!”
Cruise for dates: Instead of pining
away for a Valentine, my friend Marcelo decided to go out and find one. “One
Valentine’s Day when I was single and lonely,” he said, “I went to the local
Rite Aid to buy some sundries. I started talking to a cute girl who was also
shopping. I figured, hey, she must be single if she’s shopping alone on
Valentine’s Day. I asked her if she wanted to have dinner, since neither of us
seemed to be busy that night, and she said yes.” Although it didn’t lead to a
relationship, they had a nice time and wound up going out on a couple more
dates. “Point is,” Marcelo said, “if you go out on Valentine’s Day and see a
single person doing something incredibly mundane, then there is a good chance
that person doesn’t have a significant other. The odds are markedly improved
that if you ask the person for coffee or a drink, the answer will be yes.”
Pursue the impossible: A few years ago, when my friend Gil was
hopelessly enamored of a neighbor whom he knew didn’t return his affection, he
decided to ask her out anyway: “I got her this giant rose, in a box, wrapped in
the biggest bow ever made, and invited her for dinner,” he said. And, it turns
out, she accepted his offer. “Nothing ever came of that or many other gestures,”
he admitted, sheepishly. But at least he got to spend the holiday with the woman
of his dreams.
Help others: Sure, it’s easy to focus
inward on our own romantic emptiness, but my friend Heather thinks reaching out
should apply to Valentine’s Day as well. “On Thanksgiving, people go out of
their way to make sure everyone has somewhere to go,” she said. “Why don’t we do
that on Valentine’s Day, when we really need it? I want soup kitchens to hand
out free pieces of pumpkin pie to single people on Valentine’s Day.” Well,
perhaps not that exact idea, but giving those who’d appreciate it: Why not
volunteer to do something nice for other people so that they feel
loved—even if you don’t?
Revel: Two years ago, Bonnie decided to
start a tradition of hosting a party attended only by her single friends. Not
only is it a great opportunity to meet someone, but embracing the day feels
empowering. My single friend Amy said that although she’d like to be coupled
with the right person on Valentine’s Day, after spending the holiday with Mr.
Wrong a few years ago, now she revels in being single rather than being with
just anyone. “We had a very uncomfortable expensive romantic dinner,” she said
of the guy she’d been dating. They broke up a week later. “I was so unhappy that
Valentine’s Day, I remember thinking that it’s better to be single and happy
than with someone just for the sake of being with someone,” she said.
Wear it on your sleeve: “I always wore red on Valentine's Day to
show that I was embracing the holiday even though I was single,” said my friend
Carolyn, who has since met and married her Valentine. “I thought that might save
me from any ‘poor, pitiful single you’ comments and prevent anyone from
tiptoeing around me that day fearing that I was feeling blue.” And it worked,
Carolyn said: “How can anyone surmise that you’re feeling blue if you’re decked
out in red?”
Be your own valentine: Another friend took matters
into her own hands. “I always bought myself something absolutely lovely, like a
thick cashmere sweater or a great beaded bracelet,” she said. “I have always
been of the mindset that I love me and deserve to proclaim it to myself on
February 14th, rather than to feel bad that someone else hasn't quite realized
yet how terrific I am.”
The bottom line? Whatever strategy you choose,
remember that Valentine’s Day isn’t all it’s cracked up to be anyway. Even if
you have a Valentine (and especially if you’ve been together long enough
that you’ve stopped closing the bathroom door), celebrating romance on a
specific day each year tends to lose its luster. So just because you’re single
doesn’t mean you’re missing much. Oh, wait, that must be my denial kicking in.
Lori Gottlieb, a commentator for NPR, is the co-author of I Love You, Nice to Meet You: A Guy and A Girl Give the Lowdown on
Coupling Up. Her site is www.lorigottlieb.com.
Uh-oh. Just when you thought you’d gotten through New Year’s Eve
unscathed, here comes another doozie of a holiday for singles: Valentine’s Day.
For the uncoupled, the dreaded fourteenth day of February can be a
pink-ribbon-and-teddy-bear-wrapped reminder (as if we needed one!) that we’ll be
getting the entire bed to ourselves that night (again). Add to that the mall
windows filled with heart-shaped balloons and the bombardment of ads from
florists to jewelers, and Valentine’s Day can make you feel like you’re the only
one who forgot to board Noah’s ark.
Well, take heart (so to speak): You
are not alone. In fact, there are millions of other singles out there, each with
his or her own strategy for getting through what might seem like the most
unromantic day of the year—and maybe even having some fun. Here, some
tactics to consider:
Denial: Denial may not be the smartest
coping mechanism during the rest of the year (“Just because I found lipstick on
his collar doesn’t mean he’s cheating, right?”), but on Valentine’s Day, it
helps my single friends Gil and Heather. Gil says that by making fun of the
holiday — “It’s a Hallmark invention” or “It’s a Pagan ritual” — he convinces
himself that the day doesn’t have much true meaning. My friend Heather takes
denial a step further. “They say loving yourself first is an important step to
finding someone,” she explained. “It sounds cheesy, but one year friends and I
got together for dinner to celebrate ourselves. We talked about the
accomplishments we’d enjoyed since the last Valentine’s Day. Even if they were
small things like new places we’d been, new foods we’d tried—anything that
acknowledged that we’d grown in some way.” The result? “It was inspiring to take
time to see what we have instead of what we’re missing. But I realize this also
could be considered denial!”
Cruise for dates: Instead of pining
away for a Valentine, my friend Marcelo decided to go out and find one. “One
Valentine’s Day when I was single and lonely,” he said, “I went to the local
Rite Aid to buy some sundries. I started talking to a cute girl who was also
shopping. I figured, hey, she must be single if she’s shopping alone on
Valentine’s Day. I asked her if she wanted to have dinner, since neither of us
seemed to be busy that night, and she said yes.” Although it didn’t lead to a
relationship, they had a nice time and wound up going out on a couple more
dates. “Point is,” Marcelo said, “if you go out on Valentine’s Day and see a
single person doing something incredibly mundane, then there is a good chance
that person doesn’t have a significant other. The odds are markedly improved
that if you ask the person for coffee or a drink, the answer will be yes.”
Pursue the impossible: A few years ago, when my friend Gil was
hopelessly enamored of a neighbor whom he knew didn’t return his affection, he
decided to ask her out anyway: “I got her this giant rose, in a box, wrapped in
the biggest bow ever made, and invited her for dinner,” he said. And, it turns
out, she accepted his offer. “Nothing ever came of that or many other gestures,”
he admitted, sheepishly. But at least he got to spend the holiday with the woman
of his dreams.
Help others: Sure, it’s easy to focus
inward on our own romantic emptiness, but my friend Heather thinks reaching out
should apply to Valentine’s Day as well. “On Thanksgiving, people go out of
their way to make sure everyone has somewhere to go,” she said. “Why don’t we do
that on Valentine’s Day, when we really need it? I want soup kitchens to hand
out free pieces of pumpkin pie to single people on Valentine’s Day.” Well,
perhaps not that exact idea, but giving those who’d appreciate it: Why not
volunteer to do something nice for other people so that they feel
loved—even if you don’t?
Revel: Two years ago, Bonnie decided to
start a tradition of hosting a party attended only by her single friends. Not
only is it a great opportunity to meet someone, but embracing the day feels
empowering. My single friend Amy said that although she’d like to be coupled
with the right person on Valentine’s Day, after spending the holiday with Mr.
Wrong a few years ago, now she revels in being single rather than being with
just anyone. “We had a very uncomfortable expensive romantic dinner,” she said
of the guy she’d been dating. They broke up a week later. “I was so unhappy that
Valentine’s Day, I remember thinking that it’s better to be single and happy
than with someone just for the sake of being with someone,” she said.
Wear it on your sleeve: “I always wore red on Valentine's Day to
show that I was embracing the holiday even though I was single,” said my friend
Carolyn, who has since met and married her Valentine. “I thought that might save
me from any ‘poor, pitiful single you’ comments and prevent anyone from
tiptoeing around me that day fearing that I was feeling blue.” And it worked,
Carolyn said: “How can anyone surmise that you’re feeling blue if you’re decked
out in red?”
Be your own valentine: Another friend took matters
into her own hands. “I always bought myself something absolutely lovely, like a
thick cashmere sweater or a great beaded bracelet,” she said. “I have always
been of the mindset that I love me and deserve to proclaim it to myself on
February 14th, rather than to feel bad that someone else hasn't quite realized
yet how terrific I am.”
The bottom line? Whatever strategy you choose,
remember that Valentine’s Day isn’t all it’s cracked up to be anyway. Even if
you have a Valentine (and especially if you’ve been together long enough
that you’ve stopped closing the bathroom door), celebrating romance on a
specific day each year tends to lose its luster. So just because you’re single
doesn’t mean you’re missing much. Oh, wait, that must be my denial kicking in.
Lori Gottlieb, a commentator for NPR, is the co-author of I Love You, Nice to Meet You: A Guy and A Girl Give the Lowdown on
Coupling Up. Her site is www.lorigottlieb.com.
Monday, February 5, 2007
Thank You For Smoking
| Rating: | ★★★★ |
| Category: | Movies |
| Genre: | Comedy |
Aaron Eckhart (The Wicker Man, The Core) stars as Nick Naylor, the Big Tobacco's spin doctor extraordinaire. He is divorced, charming, intelligent, likable and of course the appointed spokesperson of an industry that kills 1200 people a day (that's equivalent to two jumbo jets crashing everyday). That's while he balances his act as a role model for his smart but brooding son Joey (Cameron Bright- Yes he played Jimmy/Leech in X-Men 3: The Last Stand).
The sweet sarcasm of reality in the world of spins unravels - politics, bribery, seduction and the sugarcoating of it all, where morality is all too relative and there are always different shades of truth. Nick's son go to a school named St. Euthanasius. Chuckles there. Hollywood actors onscreen smoking placement. More Ha-ha. Turning the tables on American congressmen who are equally supportive of different powerful lobbies (war, oil, etc.). Simply priceless.
Sharp editing, snappy dialogues and an interesting anti-Establishment storyline makes it one of the best satires to come up after Fahrenheit 9/11. Katie Holmes (Tom Cruise's trophy wife) pitches in as the cunning reporter and William H. Macy (Executive Producer- Transamerica) stars as the Vermont representative slash anti-Smoking advocate.
Four stars and a half. Actually.
Thursday, February 1, 2007
Gays a 'demographic problem' -- Putin
MOSCOW
-- Gays and lesbians present a demographic "problem" for Russia,
President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday at a press conference in
Moscow.
"My view on the gay parade and sexual minorities is simple. And it's
linked to the fact that one of our main problems is demographic," Putin
said.
"But I respect and will always respect freedoms for everyone," he added.
Earlier this week, Moscow's mayor Yury Luzhkov ruled out authorizing
the holding of a gay parade in the Russian capital this year, calling
it "Satan's work."
Russia has a low birthrate and a declining population. Putin has
repeatedly called this one of the country's main problems and has
increased funds for new mothers.
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