Why Teach A Child Not To Step On A Caterpillar?

If you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow men.
 - St. Francis of Assisi

Getting home from work last night, I happened to pass by a street populated by families of inferior living conditions. As I was nearing the end of it, I saw a dog chained on a steel post being beaten furiously by a man. I halted and my feet were rooted to the ground as my heart is crushed with every painful cry it bellowed. I had the urge to shove the man, seize the wood out of his hand and slam it hard on his back. :) Just then a woman came rushing out of an adjacent house and berated the man for hurting the poor dog. I thanked heavens because the man stopped. The dog huddled in a corner whimpering and his frail body still shivered from the wicked blows of his master. I thought to myself loudly how serious its mistake could be to deserve such savage hits?

We should all realize that we are created with a brain that has capabilities far beyond animals. We have minds, they don't have. Humans have sense of morality, of right and wrong, and has control over his thoughts of what he perceives as right or wrong. Animals, unfortunately do not have this. Just because we are created superior over them does not give us the excuse to exercise that advantage through neglect or worse, cruelty. I hope people could understand how totally helpless animals are, how dependent and trusting like a child who can not defend itself entirely against violence.

All around the globe, the respect for animal life is understated just as the value for human life has gradually desecrated. China has the most cases of publicized animal cruelty. At Hangzhou Zoo, an early January report states that visitors hurled snowballs on lions and smashed rocks and trash on hibernating crocodiles. These are minor cases though, as the grievous and heart-wrenching tortures are suffered by cats and dogs. In case you do not know, some areas in Asia consider cats' and dogs' meat as a regular dish. There are marketplaces in China where you can walk in, pick any cat or dog you want to eat and the vendors will be kind enough to skin it alive and boil it for you. I am not going to post the video I have watched containing extreme cruelty against these animals (cats and dogs) since I have a weak heart and had a real hard time removing the violent images from my mind for a long time.

Though, I admit that I am a carnivore too and that being on the top of the food chain, we have the power to consume anything we want but we don't have the right to treat the animal inhumanely like skinning them alive and boiling them with their eyes all wide open and mouth still gasping for air. Can you imagine the extreme torture these creatures have to endure? Like humans, they are susceptible to pain and tremble before death, too. If there is one thing on Earth who can love you more than you love yourself, I think it's your pet dog but it saddens me much to know the vile fact that dogs are one of the most abused animals in the world.

In Vietnam, moon bears, endangered species of the wild are being kept on cages, bile harvested from their gall bladders with a syringe and sold for its medical benefits believed in Chinese medicine. Around 90% of moon bears in the farms have futile gallbladders. One animal rights activist quoted “You stab them enough times in the same place, you damage the liver, you damage the gallbladder, and it just turns to scar tissue."
 
Lions, tigers, and elephants are beaten savagely with a pitchfork or a burning steel pole in circuses to make them comply. Their skins are punctured and tore with every smash of the sharp prongs of the pitchfork.

There are a lot of ongoing, unregulated cases of animal cruelty. Visit a slaughterhouse or a farm and you'll find the evident maltreatment of animals. I don't go force someone to shift his/her entire diet to green. I am saying that while it is necessary to kill animals for human consumption, can we at least have the decency to spare them the torture of having to feel the slow, painful death?

All animals are put under our dominion and custody. It is our responsibility to deal with all creatures with love and compassion. If he has the heart that goes out to every animal, then can he truly have a heart that cares for every human.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/24/china-zoos-animal-abuse_n_2545494.html
http://www.newser.com/story/94959/puppy-found-with-severed-jaw.html
http://www.newser.com/story/81056/bile-farmers-turn-bears-lives-into-misery.html

Get A Great Smile - Now!

A mere smile can affect emotions, influence impressions, and highlight beauty. It is a fact that during the first moments of meeting, people judge the nicety of your appearance especially your eyes and smile.

A captivating smile is an investment rather than a cosmetic issue that is why cosmetic dentistry engages in rapid development of breakthrough technologies to cater such demanding field.

Cosmetic dentistry has evolved to a phase of being available and affordable to everyone breaching the outdated thought that the 'perfect smile' is for the celebrities and wealthiest people only.

There are many treatments available to address the growing need to improve one's appearance and self-esteem through their smiles. This field of dentistry involves bleaching, bonding, straightening and dental veneers. Veneers are becoming more famous to everyone else. These tools can significantly improve your smile and yes, your life.

Pay your dentist a visit now and discover the  ultimate feeling of owning a great smile that can impact your chances of being better both in personal and professional avenues of life.

Impending Korean War

Who is North Korea? An independent country often ravaged by famine and stagnating economy but equipped with massive military force including 5,000 chemical warheads.... A nation which prevails under the dictatorship of one man who fearlessly declared a 'state of war' against neighboring South Korea and United States.

My over-all view of this crisis is centered on the US concealed motives of aggressively acting its role as the ever-supportive alliance of South Korea. If we connect the dots, we will be able to unveil a pattern involving the downfall of Libya and the ruination of Iraq.

I came across this interview with Dan Glazebrook, a political writer and journalist whose analysis regarding the tensions brewing between the Korean peninsulas, mirrors mine.

The US is trying to embroil South Korea in conflict with its Northern neighbor in a bit to oust its current government without taking heavy US casualties, political writer and journalist Dan Glazebrook told RT.

The Oxford-based expert believes that only stopping US military provocations will bring stability to the region.

RT: What do you think about the warning of North Korea telling international embassies to evacuate their staff? It sounds pretty dire, doesn’t it?

Dan Glazebrook: Their intention has been clear from the start of this crisis. North Korea’s whole intention is to show its willingness and preparedness to defend itself should war be launched upon it. Every year we have these massive provocations of joint US and South Korean war games exercises right at the borders of North Korea. This year the provocations were stepped up to actually simulate a nuclear missile attack on North Korea. B2 bombers were used for the first time along with B52s and F22 bombers. So there is a military provocation from the US. North Korea feels rightly threatened – they’ve seen what’s happened to Iraq, to Libya and so on. It feels threatened because it knows it was in the explicit hit-list of the American government some years ago. It needs to make very clear that it will not tolerate any kind of infringement of its sovereignty, any kind of attack, and this is all about to show that it’s willing to defend itself.

RT: We're receiving reports of an earthquake near North Korea - do you believe there could be any links with the country's nuclear intentions?

DG: Well, I think we should wait and see what happens, but of course constantly North Korea has this policy called the Army First policy, where it’s constantly trying to develop its nuclear and military resources to defend itself. Again, the lessons of Iraq and Libya are very clear – Saddam Hussein gave up his weapons program and we saw what happened to Iraq as a result, kind of [Muammar] Gaddafi gave up his weapons program and we saw what happened to Libya as a result. So they are constantly trying to upgrade their weapons in order to defend themselves. Of course, one of the reasons for this constant annual provocation, these war games exercises, is to keep tensions of the peninsular high to justify the massive US military presence – it’s one of the most militarized regions on the entire planet.

RT: Is there anything Washington can do to prevent a full scale confrontation in case North Korea is determined to take it to the extreme?

DG: Of course, they can stop launching these provocations, stop simulating nuclear strikes against North Korea on its border. The thing is that they would love to occupy North Korea, they would love to have troops right upon the border of China. What stops them every time is that they calculate their losses would be in the magnitude of tens and tens of thousands of soldiers.  What they would dearly love then, the US and its allies, would be actually to get South Korea into a new Korean War in which South Korea took all the casualties. This is why the North is so determined to make it clear that if the US and its allies attempt to provoke some kind of inter-Korean conflict they will have to pay a heavy price for that.
(Source: http://rt.com/op-edge/us-wants-new-korean-war-402/)

The US, I believe has the power to crush, invade and annihilate certain nations anywhere on the planet.They can devise well-crafted solutions to their instigated phoney crises and as a result, they emerge as the revered heroes. They are masters of destruction.

Is It 'Hello' or 'Goodbye' Sabah?

It was only last April 2012 when the clamor with China’s aggressive acts displaying intent to escalate its claim on Scarborough Shoal erupted. Hitherto, the Philippines is again subjected to another juncture, testing its capacity to fight for its dominion.

The territorial dispute between Malaysia and The Philippines resurfaced this February 2013. It all started when a group of armed followers of Jamalul Kiram III, arrived in Lahad Datu district, Sabah to assert the Philippine’s territorial rights over this portion of North Borneo.

Why is the government not asserting the country’s legitimate claim to Sabah? – a huge question that haunts the minds of the Filipinos.

I believe that the Philippines has the right to regain Sabah. Nevertheless, our country’s leaders are not daring to take a stand. The recent actions of the heirs of the Sulu Sultanate have strong legal and historical grounds. Sabah was ceded to the Sultan of Sulu by a Brunei ruler as a token for ceasing the rebellion that aroused over his territory. In year 1878, the sultan signed an agreement with the British trader stipulating the rental of North Borneo amounting to 5,000 Malayan dollar to be paid annually. Every year Malaysia issues the payment to the legal heirs of the Sultan calling it the ‘annual payment for cession’. However, the descendants of the Sulu Sultanate firmly argue that it is the ‘annual payment for rent’.

 In 1962 under the regime of President Diosdado Macapagal, the Sultan of Sulu surrendered the land to the Republic of the Philippines. And the legality of this declaration encompasses all rights to regain control of Sabah has been transferred to the government. At that time, Malaysia was not yet an independent nation and still under the British protectorate.

In 1963, Malaysia gained sovereignty and The Federation of Malaysia was founded and the country insists that the people of Sabah voted to join the federation. However, if we travel back, the 1878 agreement of lease and the1939 North Sabah court ruling in favor of the heirs’ every right to receive payment of the said lease are evidences that clearly tell us who the rightful owners of Sabah are.

The efforts did not flourish and the matter was put into slumber for five decades while the cultural, political and economic ties between Philippines and Malaysia has heightened during these years. Apparently, the government refused to conjure the issue to preserve the relations we have with Malaysia.

I can’t blame Kiram, one of the claimants to the throne of the Sultanate of Sulu, who initiated the assertive actions to regain control over Sabah. The ascendants of these royal bloods willingly surrendered their rights to the government, who they thought would fight and value their cause. They were wrong and now, they are fighting alone. Though I denounce the vehemence of their expression but I firmly disagree with President Noynoy Aquino’s order of filing criminal charges against the sultan’s followers. Instead of fulfilling his duty as President, mandated to protect all territorial rights and seek resolution in a peaceful arrangement, he continues to blame Kiram and his armies. Why, instead of pursuing our Muslim brothers who are holed somewhere in the woodlands of Lahad Datu, elevate the Sabah claim to the International Court of Justice?

Reclaiming what is originally ours doesn’t mean we have to resort to war and violence. There are ways to resolve it peacefully and generate a win-win closure for both Malaysia and the Philippines. After all, only the eastern part of Sabah is subject to this dispute.

The government is reluctant to antagonize Malaysia even if hundreds of Filipinos are being expatriated back to the Philippines every year. Truly we are grateful for all the assistance and support Malaysia has accorded to our country but this matter is out of the context.

While I seek for the closest answer to the big question posted on the third paragraph of this article, I came across this write up detailing on how the late Ninoy Aquino traded our territorial rights to Sabah in exchange for Malaysia’s support to end to the Marcus regime.

This could be the reason of the government’s lack of intensity to claim back the lost land.

Sources:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/12049913/Sabah-is-Philippines

http://howlingnews.blogspot.com/2013/02/what-is-legal-basis-of-sabah-claim-by.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Lahad_Datu_standoff

Why Do I Feel Hollow Inside?

What brings you happiness?

A week-end barbecue with the family.

A spree in a club dancing with friends.

Exchange of I-Love-Yous with somebody special.

Remarkable advancement in your career.

Your new iPhone 5.

And the list goes on...

Now I ask you this.
Despite the smiles and laughter you exude, do you still feel the void creeping within you?

Do you battle with the emptiness that resurfaces when the pleasures of the day dies down and your world falls into silence?

Do you often wonder why 'contentment' is impossible to come to understand?

If your answers to these questions are all yes, then the diagnosis is...

Your spiritual life is in a scatter.

What is spirituality?
I will not define spirituality literally. The way I have come to understand it, it is how we find comfort, inner peace, meaning and purpose in our lives. It is a connection to something greater beyond one's self.

Spirituality is not a common idealism rather it is an extension of our physical and mental being. The condition of these three - body, mind and spirit seems to affect each other.

Our spiritual self is tied to the two significant facets of our lives.

Relationship - It involves intangible connection with our inner self, with other people and with the greater power we recognize as God.
Purpose - We can never fully appreciate life's joys if we fail to understand this, if we fail to believe and realize our significance in this world.

I am a Christian living the Catholic faith but I am also a human being easily drawn to worldly pleasures. I was religious but my spiritual well-being was unhealthy. I went to masses, prayed the rosary, tried to live according to God's word yet I often find myself dealing with unending pile of questions in my head.

I was surrounded with love and blessings that went unrealized and unappreciated. I craved for something else beyond I could describe. I thought romance, money and unregulated enjoyment could patch up the holes in my heart. Yet none of those gave me the perfect solution.

As time passed, the thirst for something intensified that I decided to stray out from the routine. I started reading books about holistic transformation and through a friend, I stumbled upon a book (The Secret) written by Rhonda Byrne. She firmly elaborated the immense power of the mind to influence one's entire situation. The notion was overwhelming and life-changing yet I found the complete answers in the books written by Bo Sanchez.

Bo believes in the powerful force of the mind but above all else our deep love and connection to God has the most potent impact in our lives. He is indeed correct.

What was missing in my life is the desire to demonstrate my faith and understand more about God. The emptiness that we sometimes feel cannot be filled in with material things, romance, wealth, and not even earthly love because the gap can only be closed by  an ethereal relation to Him.

Attending the masses, praying the rosary or any religious practice is not enough to strengthen the bond with Him. Make Him the center of your life and seek Him first in everything you do and in what you are about to do. I confess that this was never easy at first because this should be practiced repeatedly to become habitual. Bask in his words and remind yourself daily that you are being loved and try to share that love to many and you will discover that the feeling of joy multiplies three-fold. The strength of your connection to the Father is characterized by the degree of your capacity to find your inner happiness.

I encourage you to find a group or community engaging in practices including prayer, development of personal values, defining purpose in life, molding self-esteem, maintaining healthy relationships with people, and honing a solid connection with the Heavenly Father.

I have found mine at "The Feast" where you can find the happiest people on Earth.

Check out the different venues of The Feast near you at http://www.lightfam.com/

What You Must See in Talisay City

The smell of verdant greens. 

  

The exclusivity of the place.

   

The amazing collection of wild cacti and uncommon vegetation. 

 

Help Your Tongue Get The Hang of the English Language

Like the majority of non-native English speakers, I was not a great verbal communicator when using the global language. I could expound my ideas well through writing yet whenever I had to do it in speech I always had to subject myself with embarrassing pauses while desperately scanning my brain for the next coherent word to say.

Because of my determination to correct my flaw, I significantly improved. I will enumerate the practices I carried out for the benefits of those who shared the same fate I had before. Here is a vital (as it is necessary for your well-being) tip for citizens whose tongues are non-native of the English language: Master your nation's dialect first before you dream of becoming an eminent English communicator.

      Reading English books can widen your vocabulary, improve general knowledge and enhance correct grammar applications. Make it a habit of reading a book during your free time even for just an hour. This can be pretty boring to some, thus to help you get hooked into reading, you may choose a book that contains the topic you are fond of.

      Spend half of an hour daily talking in English. If you are comfortable talking to yourself at all, then you are free to choose this method but avoid doing it in public if you don’t want all eyes on you. Otherwise, you can ask somebody to have a two-way conversation with you. I have a list of random questions which I am using as tool for this practice. Check out examples of these queries.

Q.a  Describe yourself.

Q.b What is your most vivid childhood memory?

Q.c What is your most significant accomplishment so far?

Q.d Can you cite the difference between job and career?

This kind of questions will require you to think and answer creatively. This will train your mind to process ideas and organize your thoughts.

      Train yourself to think in English. It requires time to get accustomed to it but if you succeed, your mind will automatically produce the thoughts and you will be amazed at how adept you have become in speaking the language.

      Watch American movies, sitcoms, TV shows, and series regularly. Try to imitate some lines spoken by the show host or movie characters. Observe how they pronounce the words and repeat it several times. The objective is to hone your pronunciation while perfecting your diction.

The outlined tips are simple but to get the desired result, one needs focus and steadfast adherence to execute the routines.