Let dreams be like a highway

That leads you where you go

No matter how the distance

The path you’ll always know

Let dreams be like a ladder

That lets you climb up high

It sure will lead you closer

The goal you have in life

Let dreams be like a lamp post

That lightens your way through

Behind this life’s uncertainties

You’ll know just where to go

But first a dreamer let there be

To take a step or two

To start to make the dreams come true

That dreamer could be you.

The newly found planet K22-B

                I think I found a new interest.  TV Patrol just recently announced the news that a new planet has been found which like Earth could probably be habitable. After hearing the news, I then rushed to the computer room to see for myself how the news is circulating in the internet. The new planet is named K22-B and is found to be revolving around a star like our sun. It lies in what they call as the habitable zone, having a distance which is neither too far nor too close from the sun and in a temperature where liquid water could exist – one of the basic ingredients of life. After knowing these facts, I then proceeded to inquire about its distance from our earth and I found this; its distance is a stunning 600 light years away from our earth. What’s the equivalent of each light year? Another stunning 5.9 trillion miles! Such distance is beyond my mind’s capacity to imagine. And what if man would try to reach it using space shuttle? At such distance, it would probably take 22 million years to get there. Even if we will let a newborn baby undertake such a mission, he can’t still be able to get there alive. Besides, I think Christ will already have his second coming by that time.

                But what really triggered my interest on this matter is how the scientists were able to calculate its size, its speed, its distance, and its temperature, among other things. So once again, I made my research. To determine whether a heavenly body is a planet, scientists have to detect what they call “transits.” It is when a body crosses a star and thereby producing a small change in the star’s brightness which could be detectible by a telescope. In order for a body to qualify as a planet, it must make transits at least thrice in a uniform manner, interval and speed.  Once detected, scientists could now start calculating its size and in doing this, they use Kepler’s Laws of Planetary Motion. So once again, I made a research about Kepler’s Laws and after reading it, I think my mind has reached an edge. I just cannot understand the mathematical formulas presented there. For those who do not know, I consistently slogged in our Math lessons during my high school days and even failed in my Math 1 subject when I was in college. This isn’t my field and unexpectedly my new interest has come to an unnecessary end.

                Let’s bring this talk to a theological level. Someone asked in the internet; “In the beginning,” did God create this planet too? I think the one who asked this is an agnostic if not an atheist, but anyway, the answer is yes. This earth-like planet is indeed a creation of God which he created in the beginning. Although the rest of the verses in the creation account as recorded in Genesis talked about the earth, nevertheless it started with this (Genesis 1:1), “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Notice the word heavens, what is referred to as heavens there? We can continue in verse 14, “I command lights to appear in the sky…” What is this light? It’s the sun and those bodies which we can see in the sky comprising what is called as the heavens. What we can see here on earth are just the stars because they are the only ones that glitter during night time, but as science would tell us, many of these stars have planets that are revolving around them which we cannot see from earth with our naked eyes. When the Bible tells about the heavens being created, it comprises all the heavenly bodies which produce light and those bodies which are included in their planetary systems – even K-22B.

                Finally, let’s bring this to a reflection. Is it really possible that a planet like our own exists somewhere out there which by the recent discovery could seem to be likely, and is it possible for this planet to contain life, not just primary forms of life but even human life? The possible answer is maybe, but the safest is I don’t know. There’s no way to find out, what we only have at this moment are speculations. We may be amazed at every new discovery but after that we cannot definitely conclude. Just as our search for the meaning of life in this world is elusive, our search for life in another world is also elusive. But something here is a little bit fishy, haven’t you asked yourself how ironic it is that while we search for life somewhere in a planet out there, we are destroying lives in our planet out here? Many unborn babies die every year due to abortion in the same country which is currently undertaking massive campaigns for the search of life in outer space. Why is this happening, is America tired of humanity and so it is now desperate to find another alien race? Without a sense of meaning of the life we have on earth, our search for life in outer space would also be devoid of meaning except that of feeding our fantasies – fantasies which the world finds difficult to outgrow.

                And a fantasy which the world could never outgrow even if it finds another planet.

I was somewhat disturbed with what I saw in youtube. It was a video of the Pope seemingly snubbed by the German bishops who refused to shake his hand. At first glance it appears distressing, somehow foreshadowing division within the church.  Others interpreted it as a secret revolt of those bishops who were not at ease with Pope Benedict XVI’s politics and governance, among those factors mentioned were the Motu Propio Summorum Pontificium which eased the usage of the Tridentine Mass, the lifting of the excommunication of the four SSPX bishops, and the reopening of the dialogue with the SSPX which accordingly, merited the ire of liberal European bishops.

Another hearsay equally annoying was the issue of the Pope’s defenestration – that God had publicly removed the Pope’s authority on the occasion of the World Youth Day 2011 when a strong wind had blown Pope Benedict’s zucchetto off his head – the symbol of his authority. This among others was interpreted as stripping off of power which gained its climax with the video allegedly showing German bishops in utter disrespect of the Pope.

But is this really the case? I made my research into this issue and I found the opposite. Looking closely at the bishops who were lined up there, the first one who did not shake hand with the Pope was no less than Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone – the Vatican Secretary of State who was personally handpicked by the Pope. It would be most unlikely that Cardinal Bertone would intend to insult the Pope. He was his known loyalist. So what really happened? Pope Benedict was following protocol when he extended his hand to introduce his entourage (the same bishops who supposedly snubbed him) to the German President Christian Wulff although the Pope appeared to lag behind him. He wasn’t reaching for a handshake from members of his own entourage who travelled with him. Others though may have extended their courtesy and shook the Pope’s hand but it was never required. They were with the Pope all along their travel and could very well have ample of time to shake hands with him. Besides, bishops do not shake hands with the Pope; they kiss his ring as a gesture of respect. Moreover, the men who didn’t shake hands with the Pope are known friends and collaborators. For example, Cardinal Brandmueller, a good friend of the Pope, and Bishop Josef Clemens, the Pope’s former personal secretary and now Secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Laity. Among those who did shake hands although it was not necessary anymore were Archbishop Robert Zollitsch, President of the German Bishops’ Conference and Archbishop Rainer Woelki of Berlin, the only two German bishops who were included in the Pope’s entourage when he arrived in Berlin but did not travel with him on the plane.

So things are not always what they seem at first glance. According to Father Federico Lombardi, S.J – the Vatican spokesman who commented on this matter when it reached the net, “I have nothing else to add. An interpretation of the video that accuses the German bishops of disrespecting the Pope is too senseless to warrant further comment.”

]]> http://quinzo.wordpress.com/2011/12/01/shocking-german-bishops-refuse-to-shake-hands-with-the-pope/feed/ 0 quinzo http://quinzo.wordpress.com/2011/11/19/o-c-catholic-diocese-to-buy-bankrupt-crystal-cathedral/ http://quinzo.wordpress.com/2011/11/19/o-c-catholic-diocese-to-buy-bankrupt-crystal-cathedral/#comments Sat, 19 Nov 2011 14:19:11 +0000 quinzo http://quinzo.wordpress.com/?p=612 ]]> By Nicole Santa Cruz, Ruben Vives and Mitchell Landsberg, Los Angeles TimesNovember 18, 2011

After ruling for more than four decades with an iron fist, Gadhafi finally succumbed to the same people his fist pounded upon. Now it was his time to know the joys and pains of every revolution, of the revelry of the victors and the agony of the fallen.

The sight of Gadhafi being dragged on the street, drenched in blood an in an apparent helplessness of the situation was something unimaginable say ten or twenty years ago when he was at the peak of his rule. He was Libya’s strongman whose will means the will of the majority though the latter might not really will it. He had Libya’s future in his hand; at least that was so years ago. But the voice of the people – if not the voice of God – was the voice that prevailed and no matter how the strongman appears to be strong the collective will proved stronger than anything else. This again will point to a more general reflection of humanity that power may put someone to the pedestal or it can drag someone to hell; Gadhafi experienced both. So here we get the impression that those we consider formidable are not formidable after all; our very own Marcos’ at least showed an example that other dictators should have taken time to look upon – that you cannot maintain power forever. Why? Because you don’t have the capacity to live forever. If not health  taking its toll on you, the people may eventually take their tolls on you. It’s the constant fears of any dictatorship and no wonder why they readily resort to crashing down even the smallest hint of subversion ‘coz they know what the people can do.

If Marcos’ example was not enough, at least he should have sought lesson from the example of Saddam Hussein, his Arab kin. Dragged by the mob, brought into court, faced trial was eventually executed as was expected all along.  The videos showing their capture even had a gruesome resemblance which I admit could sometimes lead to pity. Gadhafi should have learned how to let go when time tells him it’s over. But again, letting go is something which dictators do not have in their vocabulary. As they say, it’s something the powerless are so fond of saying when they don’t have something to let go in the first place. It takes another bravery to think of it and another stupidity to do it when right there in your hand you have it.

Or Gadhafi should have followed the example of Mubarak, who upon learning that it’s impossible to continue holding on to power, he finally stepped down despite a very fierce tone of resistance at first to any calls of resignation. But after the demonstrations took more than a month and with the international community constantly monitoring the situation, he finally realized it’s over. It’s impossible to continue holding on when power is gradually slipping from your hand. But here again, the fiercest of dictators would not even entertain the idea of impossibility. Napoleon Bonaparte once said,“Impossible is a word that can only be found in the dictionary of fools.” And with that wisdom guiding Napoleon, he relentlessly pushed for more territory until he met his Waterloo. There he realized that some things are impossible to attain. Imagined might is different from actual might. Gadhafi could have thought the same, he imagined the might of his army as far stronger and far equipped than the opposition and so considered it impossible to be beaten in an actual battle. With that assessment, he maintained his resistance. Subsequent defections from the army coupled with NATO airstrikes have otherwise ruined his imagined might. And after the ensuing gunfights it was him who’s running for his life.  It was a farfetched scenario for someone styled as the Brother Leader and  the King of Kings of Africa.

After Gadhafi, Libyans can now start to breathe change again. They can now start rebuilding their country, their infrastructures and most importantly their lives. But the Arab Spring is not over yet with Gadhafi’s demise; Syrians are still agitating for freedom and calling for the resignation of President Basher Assad. As to when and how it will end, we’re not sure at the moment. But the more important question that still lies ahead especially for those countries who have successfully thrown out their dictators is will they be successful in their transition to democracy?  At least Tunisia has had a successful election but what about Egypt and recently Libya? What worries the West now is the prospect of Islamic fundamentalists getting into power with the Muslim Brotherhood gaining popularity in Egypt and the same trend gaining foothold in the Libyan populace. Actually, what the future holds we do not know. My constant prayer is for the Arab people to finally gain a stronger ground in the country where from the beginning they had the right to own and to cultivate with freedom and with dignity.

SALTILLO, Mexico, August 3, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The Catholic bishop of the Mexican city of Saltillo, José Raul Vera López, heads two organizations that advocate the decriminalization and provision of abortion and protest against pro-life amendments to state constitutions, LifeSiteNews has learned.

However, in an exclusive interview with LifeSiteNews, Bishop Vera López denied the organizations are pro-abortion, insisting that advocating decriminalization is different than supporting abortion itself.

Vera is president of one of the organizations, the Fray Bartolomé de las Casas Human Rights Center, based in the state of Chiapas, where he was once a coadjutor bishop.  The second organization is the Fray Juan de Larios Human Rights Center, which he personally founded and which is an official organ of his diocese.

The groups have signed various pro-abortion “human rights” declarations and reports, which advocate the depenalization of abortion as well as the guarantee of abortion services by the government.  A spokesman for the Fray Bartolomé de las Casas Center for Human Rights confirmed to LifeSiteNews in an interview that the group does support both positions.

“We are in favor of the depenalization of abortion because we are against criminalizing women who opt for that,” spokesman Jorge Armando Gomez told LifeSiteNews, who also said that doctors should not be penalized for performing abortions.

“In this sense we say that the government should guarantee the right to health, because quite often abortion is done in Mexico in unhealthy conditions or in hospitals where women aren’t guaranteed a good service.”

“So the government should provide the service in that case?” LifeSiteNews asked.

“Yes, in the framework of the right to health, like with many other services such as births, care for when we get sick, in the same way this action of opting to abort should be done in good conditions and life should not be endangered.”

Gomez claimed that the position of the center is not a pro-abortion position, but rather a position in favor of the “right to health.”

Among the various pro-abortion declarations supported by the two organizations headed by Bishop Vera López are two similar items published this year which bear their names. One of the reports is sponsored by the pro-abortion “All Rights for Everyone Network” (“Todos los Derechos para Todas y Todos”), an organization that supported the legalization of abortion-on-demand in Mexico City, paid for by the government, which was passed in 2007.  Both Bishop López led groups are members of the All Rights for Everyone Network.

The 2011 declarations, entitled “Mexico two years after the Universal Periodic Examination,” and “Access to justice for women who are victims of femicidal violence, sexual violence, disappearances, and the sex trafficking,” complain that “despite the fact that the penal code [of the state of Guanajuato] permits abortion for rape [cases], the state does not provide services of legal interruption of pregnancy” (pp. 22 and 10 respectively). The first declaration also denounces the fact that “the lack of coordination between secretariats of health and public ministers in the states becomes an obstacle to female victims of rape to receive integral attention, as well as the legal interruption of a pregnancy that is the product of rape” (p .22).  The second declaration asks the United Nations to initiate an inquiry with the Mexican government “regarding emergency contraception services and the provision of abortion in case in which women who are victimized by rape request it” (p. 13).

A third statement, a declaration issued in 2008 and published in the Guadalajara newspaper Público, opposes a proposed right-to-life amendment to the constitution of the state of Jalisco.  The declaration denounces the fact that the initiative “intends to grant the title of rights to the unborn, against what is established by our constitutional system, and to assign an absolute character to such rights, ignoring the protection that the Mexican Constitution awards to the rights of women.” See statement in Spanish original with English translation here.

The names of both Bishop López led organizations appear under the declaration as signatories.

The Bartolomé de las Casas Center has signed several other pro-abortion “human rights” reports in the years preceding Vera’s presidency of the organization, in 2006, 2009,  and 2010. However, it appears that none have been retracted since Vera’s appointment and at least one is available on theCenter’s website.

Bishop Raul Vera responds

Asked in an exclusive LifeSiteNews interview about the activities of his two “human rights” organizations, Vera insisted that their position in favor of eliminating penalties for abortion was not a “pro-abortion” position, but rather a position in favor of “depenalization” of abortion, which he regards as distinct.  Vera called the penalization of abortion “the persecution of people who have abortions.”

“No, no, the penalization…what is debated here in México is the penalization or depenalization of abortion.  That’s another thing.  The penalization [of abortion] is the persecution of people who have abortions,” Vera told LifeSiteNews.

While acknowledging that abortion is “the murder of a child in the womb of his mother,” Vera claimed that there is a concern regarding penalizing abortion because such laws had been used to imprison indigenous women who had had miscarriages. This concern is not mentioned in the documents signed by the two groups, however.

LifeSiteNews will shortly publish a more extended account of the interview with Bishop Vera, who is currently being investigated by the Vatican for his sponsorship of a homosexual organization whose leadership condones homosexual behavior.

What’s so important with the recent Miss Universe that merits my time and effort to write an article about it?  First, a sense of pride of my being a Filipino and second (and I think the best thing) a sense of pride of my being a Christian – of my being a Christian in this “post-Christian” world (as what liberals and atheists would assert).

But allow me to expound more about this pride of being a Christian. Shamcey’s answer to Vivica Fox’s question is a slap on the face of seculars who consider religious conviction a kind of foolishness and a testimony to the religious that foolishness for God is a kind of wisdom. At best, it is a strong proof that the Philippines is still a nation under God. While liberal Americans are carrying the fight to wean God from human experience, the Philippines is carrying the fight to wean human experience from ungodliness. And how moving it was to hear Shamcey’s answer and to know it wasn’t a product of second thoughts.

Fox: “Would you change your religious beliefs to marry the person you love? Why or why not? “

Shamcey: ” If I had to change my religious beliefs, I will not marry the person that I love. Because the first person that I love is GOD who created me. And I have my faith and my principles. And these what makes me who I am. And if that person loves me, he should love my God too, Thank you.”

It was a very good answer and a confident one. Even Oprah Winfrey had her reservations with the result, for while other contestants break on seconds to think of their answers, Shamcey answered straight to the point. I don’t care if Oprah didn’t see the God-value in her (Shamcey) answer, but at best it would be consoling enough to know that she had another way of looking at things, and in this case the best way of looking at things. I tried to look at the religious background of the judges, if they can’t see the winning factor I’ve mentioned above, then it must be this factor that hinders the win. However, I can’t find substantial information as to this matter. I might be bias here and this could be debatable, I’m just trying to express my case. If it’s not in the manner of her answer, could it be that most of the judges don’t agree with her answer? Five of the judges are Americans – a country gradually following liberalist trend, an Italian – part of secular Europe, and one judge Connie Chung herself was a convert to Judaism when she married her husband – very opposite to Shamcey’s I-will-not-change-my-religion principle. An answer such as given by Shamcey will not appeal to people who are more oriented to freedom of choice than religious conviction. And I think that the answer the judges wanted to hear is to affirm that we should be free to choose instead of be strangled by our conviction.

So you can argue with me on this, I’m willing to take it. Anyway, the event ended with Ms. Philippines as 3^rd Runner Up. I’m not asking the judges to revert their decision. I’m just asking Shamcey to continue her conviction. After all, the answer she gave was the answer I’ve always longed to hear.

And a million congratulations to you Miss Universe 3^rd Runner Up Shamcey Supsup!

Jan. 21, 2009 — During the televised inauguration on Tuesday, much was made of Mr. Obama taking the Oath of Office using the Bible that President Lincoln used during his inauguration. This was done to stifle fears that Mr. Obama’s supposed Christian faith was merely a calculated ruse to hide his Muslim-Atheist leanings. However, things were not as they seemed.

Mr. Obama, who is known for his oratory skill, managed to befuddle Chief Justice John Roberts by “accidentally” interrupting him before he could finish saying the opening line. This caused the Oath to be recited incorrectly by both Chief Justice Roberts and Mr. Obama, meaning that Mr. Obama was not officially sworn in that day. Instead, the official swearing-in ceremony was conducted in near-secrecy the next night (Jan. 21) in the White House Map Room. Only this time, Mr. Obama did not use a Bible! According to the AP article: “The president said he did not have his Bible with him, but that the oath was binding anyway.”

While directives for the use of a Bible are neglected in the Constitution, all presidents since George Washington have been sworn in on the Word of God. Mr. Obama, by not using a Bible, has become the first Atheist President. Thus we begin slouching towards Secularism.

objectiveministries.org

The country that introduced raw fish, ramen noodles and pocky to the world has a new taste sensation. Cannibalism is the newest trend to sweep across Japan. But they aren’t killing anyone to get the meat. They are getting it from hospitals.

Chef Hitoshi Ueda of the restaurant named Long Pig said, “We use human fat from liposuction clinics to make simple dishes, like fried rice. Then I might add a few small pieces of meat, like the kind that might come from a nose job or a finger amputation. That is served with vegetables. That costs about 100,000 yen.” He said. “If I can get a large piece, like a whole leg, I might cure it to make ham or grill it to make a steak. That might cost as much as much as a million yen.” When asked about the taste he said, “It varies from person to person.”

A representative of the Japanese Ministry of Food Purity and Safety said, “The meat is closely regulated and inspected. No diseased meat is used. Inspectors also insure that all the pieces of meat come from medically necessary surgeries. No one is allowed to just cut off an arm or leg and sell it for profit. We also don’t allow imports or the use of meat from dead people. We must be certain that no tainted meat is served.”

http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2009/07/human-meat-japans-new-delicacy/

1. Kung muingon mi nga gwapa ka, ayaw
dayon tubag ug “atik!”…Panagsa ra mi mu dayg ug gwapa…obyusleh, kung gitawag ka nga “gwapa” naa jud mi enteres nimo…kinsa man sad kuno ang tarong nga laki tawagon kang “bati’g nawng!” atubangan sa kadaghanan…Di kaha mi katilaw ug plying kick ana?

2. Mangutana gani mi kung kanus-a imong
RD ug kung abelabol ba ka ana, kana nagpasabot
kung pwede ba ka ma detdet (DATE ba sa ininggles)…ayaw sa mi baraha kay magutana lagi mi nimu ug strait…amo lang gityming-tyming kay mauwawon man sab tawn mi mga kwanggolon…

3. Kung nakabantay na ka nga nagsige na mi ug sunod-sunod nimo, maka-baynte na mi ug grit nimo gud morning, or ikaw na lang pirmi tagdon, makig dungan ug uli bisan nort ug sawt, langit ug lupa ang gilay-on sa atong balay wid matching “Ako lang dala sa imo tings beh!”, kana ganahan jud mi nimo…

Pero sa pirmi natong kinuyog ug detdet
(DATE sa ininggles pa), ayaw sad pangutana ug dali-dali “Wat r we?” or sa binisaya pa, “Unsa man jud diay ta?”…Inahak, makulbaan sad mi gamay…we also feel a bit presyur…

Kalma lang gud…musulti lagi mi in dyu
taym. =)

4. Kung kahibaw na jud ka nga ganahan mi nimo kay nisulti na man jud mi (hala ka!) Ayaw sad sige hisgot sa imo Ex-boypren oi…its hurt man sad…not unlis kung nisturya ka sa panahong gigukod siya sa inyong IRO nga nisutoy siya ug dagan kay por syur I will lap wid u.

5. Hangyo lang sad, kung nakakita ka sa
imong crush o di ba kaha nakakita ka ug laki nga purting gwapoha, ayaw sad panguhit namo, “Gwapo kay siya noh?” Hala plis! Laki intawn mi ug dili pud mi kiligon sa imong crush… Masuko ra ba mo mu comentaryo mi, “Gwapo pa man akong lolo ana!”

6. Sa panahon nga mag-date na tah, por syur kami man jud gasto, be konsyus wid yor dayet ha para konsyus pud mi sa among bulsa…kung kada adlaw na ta date ug nakabantay mo nga chippy ug tubig na lang among gi-order, KKB na ta ha…salamat sa pagsabot.

7. But op cors labaw sa tanan, ayaw kaayo ni ninyo siryusuha kay basin mu comantaryo mo, mapikon mo ug ibalik ni ninyo nako, mamisti mo….Dyok dyok ra ni…

8. Pero kung dili na jud madala kay naglagot jud mo mga babaye ani…Iporward sa tanang babaye nga kaila ninyo nga wala pa makabasa…. Pag porma dayon mo ug grupo nga Gabriella (lugar ninyo) chapter….

9. Sa mga lalake, kalingawi ninyo ug porward pero ayaw sa inyong naibgan kay basin instant basted niya mo ana!

Pahabol: Kung magpakuyog mo
mirkado…ayaw pud mi paalsaha ug usa ka sakong bugas… Kilo-kiloha pud na…