Two Ateneans (ADNU) Make it to the National Finals of the 2007 TOSP
In the tradition of Ateneo de Naga University Excellence, Ms. Julie Lucille H. Del Valle (BSED 2007) and Mr. Ben B. Secretario (BSBA 2007) were chosen as National Finalists in the 2007 Search for the Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines (TOSP). Since 1961, the TOSP program has annually selected and honored ten college students who serve as role models by excelling academically, leading by example, and actively participating in community work.
Ms. Del Valle and Mr. Secretario were chosen from 108 national nominees throughout the country. They will join 28 other students from different schools and regions for the TOSP week in Metro Manila from June 29 to July 6, 2007. During this period, all finalists will be interviewed by the National Board of Judges to select the 2007 TOSP. The award ceremony will be held on July 5, 2007 at the Ceremonial Hall, Malacañang Palace. Her Excellency, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will present the awards. (source: http://www.adnu.edu.ph)
10 Things I didn’t know about Australia and Australians
Random observations. The title speaks for itself! Read here.
Brain hemorrhage
Depletion of human resources was once referred to as “brain drain.” In the Philippines, it is now described as “brain haemorrhage” or “brain waste” to underscore the huge exodus of highly skilled and experienced Filipino workers and professionals.
Read more at Mongster’s Nest
Rich Nations Responsible For Shortage of Doctors?
For now, I’d like to post an article I found in International Herald Tribune, published last July 20.
I want you, readers, to digest and fully grasp what this news article is trying to say because I think you can glean much about the current situation of healthcare in the country. And based on this, I fear that we’re still going to be on a downhill for a while longer.
I will post a more detailed reaction about this next time.
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Developed nations draining poor countries of doctors
The Associated Press
Friday, July 20, 2007WEST POINT, Mississippi: It took primitive conditions at a government hospital to end Dr. Minerva Rasalan’s dream of helping the poor in her native Philippines and send her on a mission toward permanent residency and practice in the United States.
During her time at the underfunded hospital, she found pregnant women assigned two to a cot, patients lining the halls and gloves and needles being sterilized for reuse. Without respirators, relatives sometimes were forced to manually bag their loved ones to keep them alive.
“It’s sad, especially for the pediatric patients who we know how to treat their diseases and most of these are infectious diseases,” said Rasalan. “We know what antibiotics to use, but we don’t have them. So, then we lose the patient.”
Rasalan is among thousands of foreign-born doctors working across the U.S. under special visas that allow them to practice in underserved rural and inner-city areas with the promise of eventual permanent residency. But critics argue the so-called “brain drain” of doctors leaving for work in the U.S. has further strained already faltering health care systems in the developing world.
Choose Your Battle
In life, there are many battles, but we must be discerning to know which ones to fight and which ones to walk away.
Read the rest at Sonnie’s Porch
Inside the Latest Harry Potter
Warning: This post contains plot spoilers on the latest Harry Potter book. Skip reading this post if you have no intention to know the possible contents of the new book. But if you do, please continue.
I always thought of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series as one of the biggest triumphs in the literary world of recent times. It’s not because of the profits raised from the books’ phenomenal sales. More importantly, it inspired non-readers to take interest in books at a time when the only thing people seem to be reading are tabloid headlines, shortened cellphone texts, and friendster message board titles.
The newest addition to the popular series – – should help renew interest in reading books. And this seemed the case Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallowsas thousands of Harry Potter fans snapped the first copies of the novel last July 21, 2007.
The All-Electric SUV: Too Good to be True?
And the promise is astonishing: all-wheel drive with electric motors inside each of the wheels, potentially delivering 644 horsepower and speeds up to 155mph.
The thing that gets to me is the absolutely mind-blowing battery: 350 miles recharge the batteries in as little as 10 minutes!
2007 State of the Nation Address
The 2006 SONA was a load of crap, a circus act of some sorts that the midget proclaimed a unity call for everyone, even her enemies. This year’s SONA is another one. Or rather a much bigger pile of shit.
“I’d rather be right than popular.”
PGMA’s 2007 SONA is an irony. What does she mean by being “right”? In her small deluded mind, she brags that the Human Security Act will protect our rights and shield us from terrorists. I must admit that enacting such a law is a step in securing peace but without able-bodied and sane executors of this law, in less than a year, I think almost everyone who opposes the administration will be P500,000 richer. Does she think that she and her minions have gotten away with murder, with their so-called unexplained deaths? Being right entails having morals, not pseudo laws and shitty promises. No wonder she’s never popular.
“The President is as strong as she wants to be.”
Admittedly, I have to agree on this. But I think she should have said something like, “The President is now as strong as Marcos.” I believe that quote is more fitting for her stature. What has happened to her impeachment case? Dead. The sad part in all of this is that the supposed opposition senators are now sliding comfortably under PGMA’s blanket of security. The young GO senators are now out for themselves, busy preparing for the 2010 elections. Politics is really dirty, and everyone who sinks their hands in it are drawn into a world of unparalled stupidity, selfishness and greed. Honestly, I’d like to think that we have a genuine opposition against the midget tyrant. But for now, I see none.
“Uulitin ko: Hindi ako sagabal sa ambisyon ninuman. But make no mistake, I will not stand idly when anyone gets in the way of the national interest and tries to block the national vision,”
What national interest, national vision? I think she means her plans to terminate democracy and decency in the country. PGMA has to realize that she has to stop addressing herself in the 3rd person perspective. No one is standing in her way, not even her puny shadow. She is the one standing in everyone’s way, how dare she point her fingers to us!
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in Braille Edition
The National Braille Press had a special exclusive agreement with Scholastic Press, the publisher of Harry Potter book series (in the US), released a special braille edition of the Harry Potter and the Deathly Wallows, the last of the series. It is 1000 pages long in 10 volumes, weighing about 12 pounds, and standing more than a foot tall when stacked up. It costs $63 to publish one book with an expected higher price than the regular print edition but with NBP partnering with Yahoo! blind children and need not to spend more for a copy of the book than sighted people.
Vacancy
For those who travels a lot and books in motels or hotels in unfamiliar places, this is the movie which you shouldn’t watch.
Instead of passing by Interstate, the husband drove thru a shortcut. Their car conked out in the middle of the dark road. Unfortunately for them, they checked in this motel to wait for the mechanic the following day. The husband watched a couple of betamax movies portraying brutal murders. Then they realized that the murders all happened in the same they were in! Thus began their trying to run, hiding, locking doors, and panicking while the psycho killers banged their doors once in a while to give them the scare.
In the end, the husband got stabbed with an ice pick. Luckily, the wife was able to got into a car with which he hit one murderer and killed another one hanging on the top. The caretaker was also shot by the woman.The husband still lived.
So beware of just sleeping anywhere. It could be your last. Joke! Joke! Joke!
