The other day, i browsed over the Embassy of the Philippines web site. I saw an invitation (or an encouragement) to all Filipinos in the area to register or something. So I went my way there and inquired. It was a long way to go there though i live in the center and it was around a 30-minute walk from the flat we rent.

When I arrived, the Philippine TV was on, the smell of food filters through the office and no much people around, in fact, there was only one boy who was at the front desk dealing with the front esk personnel. I waited my turn....

When I inquired, i was told that it was all about the identification card. It is being issued for free as long as the Pinoy can submit 2 id. I asked what was the purpose and I was answered 'Wala lang...'.. so I wasted my time for wala lang.

I asked about Filipino organizations and banks and other establishments in this country and I get the same passive and pathetic response. 'Check the website.' It was the answer. Well, all are in the website now. If you go and visit the office, you will be told to go to the website! Oh gosh!

The boy who was there returned. He asked why he was given a new passport. He was asking for another document (a travel document to be specific).. My God! Pinoy government workers are bloody sleeping! Receiving salary while the rest of the Filipinos are hungry and yet, they do not perform their duties well! Kawawa naman si Juan.

I thought if they serve in Europe they are better. No change. The same treatments and attitude with the personnel of Malaysian embassy. Useless. No service. Disappointing!

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FEED THEIR MINDS; Eighty per Cent of the Nutrients We Consume Are Used by Our Brains - and Research Shows the Right Diet Can Boost IQ and Reduce Stress. with Exams Approaching, Alex Hindhaugh Explains How to Give Your Children an Extra Edge.

Byline: ALEX HINDHAUGH

SEEDS

Nutritionists are often moved to refer to seeds as almost perfect foodstuffs. To extract nutrients, they should be chewed thoroughly. Supermarkets have latched onto the trend and several now offer packets in snack sizes. Otherwise, find them at health food shops, or order flavoured versions from www.munchyseeds.co.uk (01728 833004) who can supply snackpacks of seeds, too.
.
Pumpkin seeds: rich in amino acids and high in zinc (which plays a crucial role in cell division) and omega 3 essential fatty acids. Also high in protein and iron (vital for the manufacture of red blood cells; teenage girls are often deficient in iron and suffer fatigue through anaemia) while low in carbohydrates.

. Sunflower seeds: contain healthy unsaturated fats in the form of omega 3 and omega 6 essential fatty acids and protein, plus important nutrients like vitamin E (an antioxidant), selenium (which works with vitamin E as an antioxidant) and brain-boosting minerals and folic acid, which helps in the function of the brain's neurotransmitters.

. Hemp seeds: these contain an ideal ratio of essential fatty acids omega 3, omega 6 and omega 9 (oleic acid), all vital for healthy circulation and cell growth. Anecdotal reports suggest that eating hemp seeds can improve memory and relieve depression, and boost the attention span of hyperactive children.
. Sesame seeds: high in protein, iron, zinc, magnesium and calcium, omega-3 and omega-6 EFAs; low in carbohydrates and cholesterol free.
Help digestion, blood circulation and benefit the nervous system.

. Linseeds (flaxseeds) Full of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, as well as potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorous, iron, vitamin B3 and vitamin E.
"B vitamins are particularly vital for brain function," says Ian Marber, of The Food Doctor nutrition service.
"Dopamine, another neurotransmitter, requires vitamin B3 (found in turkey and pumpkin seeds) and iron (found in apricots, eggs and red meat) to work properly."
To quote the above any or part of the above information, simply follow the notation below:

"("FEED THEIR MINDS; Eighty" 10) – MLA Style /Works Cited:

"FEED THEIR MINDS; Eighty per Cent of the Nutrients We Consume Are Used by Our Brains - and Research Shows the Right Diet Can Boost IQ and Reduce Stress. with Exams Approaching, Alex Hindhaugh Explains How to Give Your Children an Extra Edge." The Evening Standard (London, England) 26 Apr. 2005: My Food My Health page. 22 May 2008 <>.

("FEED THEIR MINDS; Eighty," 2005, p. 10) – APA Style /References:

FEED THEIR MINDS; Eighty per Cent of the Nutrients We Consume Are Used by Our Brains - and Research Shows the Right Diet Can Boost IQ and Reduce Stress. with Exams Approaching, Alex Hindhaugh Explains How to Give Your Children an Extra Edge. (2005, April 26). The Evening Standard (London, England), p. 10. Retrieved May 22, 2008, from My Food My Health page:

("FEED THEIR MINDS; Eighty" 2005, 10) Turabian Reference Style/WORKS CITED:

FEED THEIR MINDS; Eighty per Cent of the Nutrients We Consume Are Used by Our Brains - and Research Shows the Right Diet Can Boost IQ and Reduce Stress. with Exams Approaching, Alex Hindhaugh Explains How to Give Your Children an Extra Edge. 2005. The Evening Standard (London, England), 26 April, 10. On-line. Available from My Food My Health page: http://abc-wellness.blogspot.com/2008/05/i-never-knew-seeds-are-that-powerful.html. Internet. Accessed 22 May 2008.

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Here's how to construct an eating plan that can help turn your brain into a lean, mean thinking machine and protect you from various ailments.

Here's how to construct an eating plan that can help turn your brain into a lean, mean thinking machine and, not incidentally, help protect against cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, premature aging, obesity, and other ills.

As a general rule, when strolling the produce aisles, think color. Anything brightly colored is brain food, loaded with vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that maintain brain health and enhance mental performance. And if all else fails, just like the ad says, "you shudda had a V-8."


Protein
Protein contains four calories per gram. It should supply 15 percent of your total calorie intake.
It is needed to manufacture brain tissue, enzymes, neurotransmitters, and myriad other brain chemicals. Choose 5 ounces (women) to 8 ounces (men) animal protein from lean sources: skinless poultry, lean meats, organ meats; fatty fish such as salmon, herring, tuna, and sardines, plus other seafood; skim and low-fat dairy products. Increase intake of soy protein foods such as calcium-fortified tofu, soy milk, and textured vegetable protein; soy foods contain isoflavones and thousands of other beneficial compounds animal foods lack.

Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates contain four calories per gram. They should supply 65 percent of calories.

Fruits and Vegetables
Vegetables and fruit are packed with antioxidant vitamins and thousands of other powerful antioxidants, minerals, and fiber. Tank up on dark leafy greens; cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale); red/yellow/orange vegetables such as tomatoes, carrots, summer and winter squash; fruits such as berries, cherries, apples, apricots, oranges, grapefruit, red grapes, peaches.


The government recommends that you get at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day. That's pathetic, say many researchers—yet more than two-thirds of Americans, especially meat-and-potatoes-and-pizza men—don't even get that. (Real, smart men do eat salad.) Experts urge you to eat as much and as many fruits and veggies as you can pack in—10 servings if you want. Watery, crunchy fruits/veggies are very low in calories; eat ad lib. (A serving is one whole fruit or vegetable, a half-cup cooked or 1 cup raw greens.)

Grains and Complex Carbohydrates
Grains, starchy vegetables, and legumes are packed with B vitamins, antioxidants, trace minerals, and fiber. Whole-grain breads, cereals, pasta, grains, potatoes, and yams are loaded with energy-boosting, feel-good complex carbohydrates (and some fat-free protein). Complex carbs, digested more slowly than simple sugars, keep blood sugar levels steady and brain energy high for prolonged periods. Refined flour products won't kill you, but even "enriched" versions don't put all the good stuff back, and lack fiber. Get 5 to 11 servings daily (the latter if you're a big guy or female triathlete). A serving equals one slice of bread, one potato, or half a cup of grain or beans.

Table sugar (sucrose) or honey is okay if used sparingly, but it lacks vitamins and minerals; limit to a few teaspoons daily (one Coke has 10 teaspoons!). Avoid corn syrup and high-fructose corn syrup, which raise triglycerides more than sucrose; they're in zillions of prepared foods, including ketchup.


Fat
Fat contains nine calories per gram. Current government recommendations call for fat intake to supply no more than 30 percent of calories. But that may not be low enough to keep your brain from clogging up.
"The same low-fat diet that ensures cardiovascular health will ensure brain health," contends cholesterol expert Charles Glueck, M.D. The dietary fat level that reduces or eliminates depression and boosts cognitive performance is a skimpy 10 to 15 percent.


Credit to the above article:
Psychology Today Magazine, May/Jun 1996
Last Reviewed 16 Oct 2007
Article ID: 1135

Posted by Webloglearner referring to the Questia Newsletter.

Original Responses

coolingstar9 said... on MAY 30, 2008 9:37 PM

I am coolingstar9, your this post gives us a good information how to have a better eating plan.
Thanks for the information, see you again, have a happy and fullfilling life.

HEALTH NUT WANNABEE MOM said... on JUNE 23, 2008 5:04 AM
Excellent post and information.Thank you for making this so easy to do. Will be back for more!

SoccerFire said... on JUNE 3, 2008 10:20 PM
Good structured information for
a healthy life. And I would advice
everybody to use olive oil.

Lyon said... on JUNE 23, 2008 7:05 AM
I guess maintaining the right amount is the hard part.. I usually eat more fat than the others lol
Getting a healthy breafast is one of the key too - http://www.michaelaulia.com/blogs

Monkey Tale said... on JUNE 23, 2008 7:32 AM
I must be one of the lucky ones. I can throw anything into my mouth, never gain weight, and am pretty healthy. ;)

It is very hot! Yesterday we had 38 degrees Celsius here in South Italy and today it's running 34 and up degrees. Summer is enjoyable and enables people to be soaked under the sun and roam around. Another great stuff about it is the fact that there are no schools and school stuffs to worry about. Travelling is in the air and janging out is too much fun to ignore. Only one thing is though, don't let the enticing season affect your health. Stay on guard and stay healthy.

So are you guys planning to tour the world or something? have just some tips for you. When traveling this summer, don't forget to plan ahead for possible medical emergencies and for everyday health needs. That means making sure to have an adequate supply of required medicines and seeing that they are properly stored.

The following are tips from the Council on Family Health to keep in mind when traveling this summer:

* Have health insurance and other important medical information (doctors' phone numbers, list of medicines-prescription and over-the-counter--and dietary supplements you take) with you at all times. Do not keep this information in checked luggage.

* Follow label directions as to how and when (or when not) to take medicines. If you need to take your medicines with food, milk, etc., plan ahead to have these items with you. Store them in a cooler if necessary.

* Keep medicines in their original containers. If you take multiple medicines and use a pill-dispenser, wait until you reach your destination to fill it. That way, you'll have all the needed information with you (medicine name, dosage, instructions, warnings, etc.).

* Check labels for warnings about how medicines may increase your body's sensitivity to the sun and heat. If you are pregnant or have a chronic health condition, check with your doctor about the potential effects of heat, sun, and/or fatigue.

* If you have a chronic or life-threatening condition, wear an identification bracelet with detailed medical information about your illness.

* When purchasing a new over-the-counter medicine while traveling, make sure to ask the pharmacist for help if you have problems reading the label (e.g., in a different language). Always examine packaging for signs of tampering before buying it.

* If you suffer from allergies, check with your doctor or pharmacist about how to best manage your condition when traveling.

* Don't forget to get any required immunizations if traveling overseas. For information on required immunizations, contact the Centers for Disease Control (www.cdc.gov). Make sure your tetanus protection is up-to-date (every 10 years for adults).

Be prepared for your trips away from home with a travel first aid/ medical kit. Remember to stock medicines you might need as well as key first aid items (such as antiseptic and antibiotic ointments, bandages, tweezers, and a pair of scissors). Make sure the kit is fully stocked and check it occasionally for old and expired medicines, which should be thrown away. Keep all medicines out of the sight and reach of children.
_______________________________________________________
Most of the tips above are taken from my source. The MLA citation in case you may need it is:
Works Cited
"Important Health Tips for Summer Travelers." USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education) May 2000: 6. Questia. 26 June 2008 .

Original Comments

Prodinterios said... on JUNE 26, 2008 10:39 PM
This post is quite informative. I hope a lot of people would benefit from this and may you be the cause of them getting benefited... - The Hideaway at http://prodinterios.blogspot.com


jGrrl said...
I was surfing around blogger for useful health and travel tips and your page came up. These are great tips! Thank you for helping in my quest!

Why is it that the Pinay Scandal is on the top list for search engines? Or Filipina Sex Scandal, Makati Sex Scandal? Or Pinay Prostitute and Sexy Pinays? This means something, right? This is something that relates to Filipina sex, and usually, or even 100% it connotes a negative thing. But should it connote a negative thing? Where is justice? People are simply malicious and hypocrites, this is the contention that I always hold, especially where I grew for 22 years: In Philippines. Examine the Following truth and see how these Pinay Scandal, Filipina Sex Scandal or all kinds of dirty filipina sexual scandals can come out despite the “strong” Catholic foundation in the Philippines. This post is already packed with responses from fellow Filipinas and Filipinos as well as fellow bloggers from all over the blogsphere.
Knowledge is the first line of defense. Truth and acknowledgement of reality are the factors that can set us free. A cancer can only be cured if we know that it exists or if we know that we have them. The earlier we acknowledge and we know that we have a cancer, the more curable it can be. The more we ignore a cancer or the later we act upon it, the cancer cells multiply and the cancer becomes acute.

The same is true with Sex education. If children be educated about sex, it would be their first step to face reality. If youngsters realize the consequences of their actions, their would be lesser unwanted pregnancies and lesser thrown fetuses! Moreover, the use of contraceptives would lessen the fast population growth in the Philippines and would at least ease poverty.
The Sex Education in the Philippines is very difficult to succeed though. It is because of the ever-present and ever-opposing Catholic Church in the country. HYPOCRISY and HYPOCRISY again! I am a Catholic and sometimes I regret being one. I strongly believe in God and I am sure God wants the best for its creations. No sufferings, like a father to his children, the best is what the father desires (although this is not really 100% tru for many Filipino fathers I know).

Children/Youngsters will always F-CK! If they want and the mere absence of contraception and the possibility of pre-marital pregnancy don’t stop them from F__iNG so! The church is a blind duck! It chooses to protect it’s unreasonable ethics! I am disappointed to think that the Church wants children to beg and be born without a bright future in exchange of educating youngsters about contraceptives and encouraging them to use one.

Is sex a sin? Pre-marital sex is a sin? And how about many priests with children?
If having sex is a sin, why do you exist in this world then? Why do WE exist? Your parents are sinners! And how many percent of the couples marry with a big bellied bride because she is already pregnant? Why the Church performed the ceremony to marry them anyway? They (the marrying couple with pregnant bride) are sinners, RIGHT? What is the difference? They too F-cked before marriage!

And sex education be let to the responsibilities parents, the Catholic Church argued. And do you know how ignorant Filipino parents are when it comes to this topic? And because of the teachings of the church, do you know how malicious Filipinos have become when sex is the topic? How many mothers in the Philippines would tell their children the correct answer to each sexual-related question? The usual answer a child gets when asking about his/her origin, is that she just came out one day! Education s the best answer! Knowledge is freedom! Knowledge and truth must be promoted. If a youngster know better, he/she has a bright future. He/she would not be a burden to society and government.

Ohhh…and one more thing! If that youngster succeeds and earn much someday, HE/SHE WILL DONATE to the church, so I guess, it’s an investment, Father? Think about it! Some readings and bases came from LifeSiteNews and the following are various responses:

Response of Coolingstar9 of Coolingstar Blog

In this modern world, human being facing a lot of new challenges.
This is the true fact, we can not deny it. We need to face the reality that children are now able to access to sex-related materials due to high curiosity at their age.Proper sex education is really important in the cyber world. Without proper education and simply ignorance would not solve the problems like aids, sex dieases.
School can play an important rule to provide enough coverage on sex-related topics so as to let then have the proper knowledge.

The topics must cover the following:

1. How our body work? How the process? How the baby come out?
2. The danger of unprotected sex?
3. How we can get sex dieases and aids?
4. The danger of having sex before marriage?

Of course, we should not encourage sex before marriage. We need to provide consultancy services to those who do not know how to handle all these.This is my little thought, if I go for details, it will be lengthy page.
Thanks for visit my cbox so as to let me access your site easily and able to make a comment.
Friend, have a good day.


Response from Weng of La Vira Aller La-Bas
i stongly agree with you po...phew!

know what? i have known what sex is only when i reached High School... it's true, i swear! waaaa... whenever i ask my mom before where did i come from.. she would just point her stomach and say "you came here..." and when we asked our grade shcool teacher how we became humans, she would just say "the egg and the sperm cells unite and then form a baby inside the womb of your mother"... ofcorz we are sooo clueless(ang alam lang namin is that the eggcell comes from the female and the sperm from male) that time but we care not... bata pa kasi eh... and now i realized how important sex education is... i have friends who became preggy at their young age... tsk tsk.. kakaawa... 'yong iba hindi pa pinanagutan.. haaayyyzzz... mabuti na lang at nasa tama akong pag-iisip, kung hind eh nanay na ako ngayon...whew!

i still can't understand why the church is depriving youngsters to have a knowledge about the thing na kung tutuusin nakakatulong din naman 'yon. dapat kasi and simbahan gumaguide lang, nagtuturo ng tama at mali. they should open the minds of the people about the reality so that the people will know what to do and what should be done to correct things. now if the person chooses the wrong path,eh wala ng magagawa ang church don because he has his own freewill to do things...


Response from Bluedreamer of Blue Dreamer's Top Five
Im 19 and i can say i agree with that well i just dont know why churches try to hurdle hving sex education
its just a matter of teaching the right way and putting the youngsters in the rigth path
contrception is good way but church disagree. thanks for sharing this.

Response from Mica Watson of Life and Adventures:
First: Education the youngster and hit the head of the parents who will not educate their children about sex, the consequences and the results of it. I appreciaate you for posting this.

Second: hi gurl, you posted a very relevant article..hopefully youngsters would not be stupid about sex....

Response from Anino of Mga Hiwaga ng Kasaysayan
1. Malayong mangyari yang "sex education" sa isang bansa na magulo ang pulitika. Sabi nga "hiwalay ang estado sa simbahan" ngunit alam naman nating lahat kung gaano kalaki ang impluwensya ng simbahan sa ating gobyerno. Ang ilan namang mga pulitiko natin ay alam ang problema tungkol sa mabilis na paglago ng populasyon ngunit takot silang kalabanin ang simbahan. Sino ba naman ang ayaw manalo sa eleksyon?
2. Parang yung nangyari na ipinagbawal ng simbahan ang pagpapalabas ng Da Vinci Code na pelikula. Iniisip ng mga pari na tanga ang mga Filipino.


Response of April:
♥ w0000oot.. my turn.. well.. how about putting der knowledge n d act..? like related learning EXPERIENCE.. hahaha... u know wat i min... hikhik..
♥ for me sex is not a sin.. but premarital sex is.. i dont care if wer n modern world.. still its outside marriage...
♥ Sex education is gud.. if we cnt stop youngsters(like me ;)) from doing it, at least dey use contracptives... to avoid unwanted prgnancies and abortion... as for the catholic's stand, yeah dey disagree.. coz dey are taking d literal meaning of contra(against) ceptive(life) as n against life... as for the range of sex education, it must not only state the use of contracptives and control methods but also include who, where and when to do it.. hahahha... lolz... nalingaw koh... ;)
♥COnclusion: premarital sex is sin.. but hu wudnt love it...? rofl... hahahahah...

--->btw, my comment is as long as a blog post.. ahehe.. i shud have make a trackback and not comment only.. but i wont make a post about sex now.. maybe later.. :D

@offtopic: redrouge as in red rouge..? i tot its ur nem.. ahahaha.. so dumb me.. sorry... yngat lagi...

Response of The Meliorist:

i am for sex education but do it to high schools to college studs not for elem schoolers. not only church will educate but also the parents and school teachers. the lesson that should NOT be covered the "how the act is done" and "how is the feeling of it" instead the teashers should insist that it is really abd to engage in such act because of virtue, responsibility, future and when is the proper time. in that way, sex education can be taught safely.

when i was in college, i had a toic like that. while she was discussn it she was so nervous and shy maybe coz she's still single. she wasnt prepared actually. Early pregnancy should not be blamed for lack of sex education IT SHOULD BE BLAMED FOR LACK OF VIRTUES, EDUCATION AND A SENSE OF DREAMING FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE. if you observe, most of those engaged in such are those considered poor, OSY and those who do not have "DREAMS"..it should be blamed, most of all, to the parents.

Response of Mummy Sheng of Simple Thoughts
those are so true! glad to have somebody like you who brought up such interesting and knowledgeable topics! thank you!


Response of Tessa:
hi there ^__^

I totally agree with your post.

It's really not good that the topic sex is repressed to children/the youth. Even though we can control giving themno information at home or at school about sex, we can never control the other factors outside it. Factors like the media: internet, tv, mags, or even influences from their peers.

So if the society or school cannot give a good sex education, it should be discussed at home. In one way or another, kids will grow-up, get curious of things... so it's better if parents will guide them while their young, make them understand what is sex and the other factors that are related to it.

The church should not get in the way of these things. Sex is not a sin. It is the sole responsibility of the person how he uses sex.

We cannot control people what they want to do... and we cannot control the youngsters if they want to fck. Though sex education is the best solution for overpopulation and unwanted pregnancies. It is all about being knowledgable, knowing your limitation, and being responsible for your acts..

No statistics, no readings, no written basis, plain observation. This is what I am writing now. I am currently in a European country and I have been why this country is so much rich and Philippines is so poor? You can tell I am a little crazy comparing the two despite the obvious. But we should also know what is benchmarking and standard. If your benchmark in determining the poorness or betterness of a country is compared to a worse one, naturally this poor country will be full of exhilirating success over the other. But compoare it with the better one and we will see. The model or benchmark must be "better" so that improvements will be achieved.



I see how people work in the Philippines: like carabaos tilling the soil under the sun. I have experienced the same and even my previous boss earning millions in a year, i know how he have sacrificed the time with the family to have this success. Here, I have went to the police office to get my permit to stay and I just got lucky to have it for two visits while others wait months, if not years to have it. Why? Because the office opens during Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays only. One more cache: They open from ten to one only. One more thing: They value themselves much more than the foreigners or immigrants.

Why di I think us Filipinos are considered as slaves? Ayala Avenue is the richest of all the streets in the Philippines. But try asking the rank and file employees of how they work, how they are valued at work and how satisfied they are. I have an idea what the answer is. But why is this so? Why is this seem to be the culture and the imposed rule though this is not right? Why do Filipinos have to work at least ten hours a day, sacrifice the families, be tired like carabaos under the sun, be opressed and still be very poor? Is the Labor Code functional in this country?

Is it correct to reason out that the boss has gone through the same process? That the boss has been enslaved before he or she reached the position? But how can the country go in progress if this is the case? Work and work without value? How people be efficient if overworked? How can be efficient if have problems with family since most of his or her time is concentrated at work? It makes me remember what a special woman has told me upon seeing calamities in poor countries flashed over the news here in Italy: "Where there is already wet, the rain continues to fall"... She was referring that the poor countrys have difficulties getting better for the fact that poverty causes crime, which causes another crime and so on.

I see here how Italians value themselves. They have the most varied and abundant of food supply in the table but still want to improve their lives. The establishments are closed at lunchtime, locked and no workers are allowed inside because this is considered as the important time to replenish the energy, to have relaxing lunch. The same is so on sundays and also during the night. Work unions are strong.

I am aware that it is still very far to reach the status of being rich in Philippines. It is not correct that the country be rich to the extent that it will be a communist country simply to achieve this goal. It is also important that people are satisfied and happy and with freedom and exercise their rights without inhibition. I am having big hopes for this to happen in the Philippines, when Filipinos be free but I do not really know when will it happen.

To be poor is not easy. This one heavy word is caused by a lot of reasons. Among others are fate, geographic location, culture, history, climate and people. With my twenty two years of stay in this country, I have learned a lot. I have also seen alot and experienced a lot. We take these few observations I have.

Geographic Location (The Philippine Map)
With more than 7000 island floating in the water of the Pacific Ocean and surrounding seas of the country, it is very difficult to unite the inhabitants. There is a strong regionalism existing among various groups like Ilocanos, Batangenos, Bicolanos, Cebuanos, Ilonggos, among others. It is stronger for a person in Iloilo to consider himself/herself an Ilonggo than to be considered a Filipino. Moreover, it is difficult to reach the other parts of the country with limited options. A trip from Luzon to Mindanao need either a plane or a ferry. Land travel is impossible.


The Catholic Teaching
Don't get me wrong for I have nothing against the church. In fact I salute the Roman Catholic for its power and continuos leadership. I used to attend Sunday masses when I was in Philippines. I also accompanied my granmother for novenas to various saints and for special occasions. To be honest, my grandmother also did a novena for my examination and yes, I passed!

However, with my wide understanding and questioning nature, I have noticed that in all novena guides and preachings in the church's sermon that I have heard, it was all about being poor. "Poor will have easier way to heaven." "Blessed are the poor for they are...blah blah blha..." I don't really know why we have this kind of church teaching. Why? What is wrong with being rich? Is it wrong to have money and be not a liability to the society? Is it wrong not to beg? Is it wrong not to do pick pockets and robbery or to steal for one has enough money? I don't know what is with this poor thing when half the riches of the world are owned by the church!


To teach the majority of Filipinos this way, progress is a blurry image.

Colonial Mentality
Generally, Filipinos ( I am a Filipino) have strong inclination to foreign things. Products of America are highly regarded than Filipino products. Westerns/Caucasians are regarded as a better race. Women in the country are dying to have a fairer skin. People with long and pointed nose are proud and laughs at those with pugged ones. Imports are always better even in the Philippine basketball Association team! Oh my God! I do hate these beliefs and mentality. Women are dying to marry foreign nationals.... any would be all right except to a Filipino. Even he (the caucasian) is eighty years old! Whattalaugh! But this one defines practicality. At least this is a wise choice. But at the same time, there are a lot of lapses in it.

These traits are obviously caused by centuries of colonization in the country. But i don't think this is common attitude for other nations were also colonized and they don't have these traits. Malaysians are very proud to be of Malay race than to be Chinese. In Philippines, people wish they were Chinese!

Filipinos Are Too Wise to Be True!
Yes, there is no question with the mental capabilities of my fellow Filipinos. Bright, brilliant, genius, awesome, you name it! The truth is, there is a thin line between ingenuity and craziness. Have you heard about the recently concluded 2006 Nurse Board Exams? About the Mr. Garcia who was deported in the U.S for changing tags in a store item? Do you know why Paypal was banned in the Philippines? I am sure these were all caused by too much knowledge. What do you think?

Local and national leaders are too intelligent. Yes, they can even keep on stealing public funds and get away with it. After all, they are Filipinos. Wise, sly...and what else?

Brain Drain
All the brilliant minds professionals and skilled workers) in the country go to search for a better world and surroundings. Most of all, for a better compensation package. It is very true that the cost of living in the Philippines is very low and is simply proportionate to the income earned by its inhabitants. But how about leisure and travel? Can anyone allow to be only within the country for all his/her life? To not observe the world around? To be contented with what the country offers? The peso needs to be competitive and the salaries of the Filipinos must be raised. At least, the majority can go abroad for travel and see the difference of their beloved Mother country compared to the neighboring Asian countries. In this manner, they would see how a real good life can be if there is discipline and unity. If there is no one throwing garbage in the rivers how beautiful and clean the waters can be... how floods could have been prevented. If the people of the country think of the future and progress.

Sigh.... I am sleepy. I do hope there is a better future for my country. I love Philippines!

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The owner of this blog is compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. Even though the owner of this blog receives compensation for our posts or advertisements, we always give our honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those topics or products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the bloggers' own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question.

This blog does contain content which might present a conflict of interest. This content may not always be identified.

Signed,
WeblogLearner
This Blog's Author

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