Livin' like a Ghost

Hesitations can kill a man's future. A single backstep could mean the loss of something much more important than the interest of self preservation. If you want something, or someone, go for it... Take a chance. The probability of failure is only definite when one does not do anything.

But...

Will you risk it? For an ounce of glory even you have the choice of backing away. When you can stand down against the unknown and return to living a long borish life so easily becoming forgotten like yesterday's breakfast or like Dr. Adeva's Neurology classes (IMO: I just dont recall anything, sorry T_T)

Living a long life in itself is a good thing. But that only counts when there is something to look forward too (e.g. having $1Million to spend every week counts $,_,$) right? However, what if the question to living long goes like... HOW LONG CAN YOU LIVE WITH YOURSELF? Knowing all chances to prove your worth is gone? With the last flicker of hope to attain your dreams long been extinguished. Surrendering to a life in a cage and retreating to your pathetic little corner you consider safe. Where no one can inflict you harm. Yet, losing the freedom to celebrate the goodness in life. Now, maybe the question is... IS THAT LIFE EVEN WORTH LIVING?

Earlier, I saw a crazy man going to and fro along the street trying to attract some attention. I thought, what problems caused his breakdown? Did he try to hide behind walls or did he charge straight at what life threw at him? Maybe he had guts to take chances. Maybe it's the misery of failure that led to his sanity's demise. Failure from love? Work? Education? Finances? Or maybe he hesitated because he was afraid he may come short fo his goals. WHich is better... A fool who cannot accept defeat or someone who calls himself wise by standing still in place afraid to take the next step because it could be a trap door instead of a pedestal.

But how come we do not take chances sometimes, even for things that matters most to us? Is it fear? I say no. One can never be old enough to not be afraid. The problem is due to our heart's failure to accept that fear. We opt for alternatives (e.g. saying better things may come later or she's/he's not worth the trouble) eventhough we know there is none. Leading to loneliness and wishful thinking and heartbreaks. Life is a gift, right? We must celebrate it. Cultivate it. Fight for it. Dont go living like a ghost.

But for what reasons should we fight? Here's an dialogue from the movie "The American President". I hope it answers something...
President (Michael Douglas) : AJ, we fight the fights we can win!
Chief of Staff (Martin Sheen) : Sir, WE FIGHT THE FIGHTS THAT NEEDS FIGHTING...

Which one are you??? ^,_,^

Election of A Pope: A Mystery that Remains Misunderstood...

The Conclave is one of the most misunderstood ancient rituals of the Roman Catholic Church. It is the gathering of all the cardinals in the world to elect a new pope. The gathering is an ancient ritual practiced by Catholicism faithfuls from over thousands of years ago. The gathering is called the Sacred College of Cardinals headed by the Dean of Cardinals.

The conclave only happens after the death of the Pope which leaves the Holy See vacant. The Holy See which is the Vatican City has to choose another successor of Peter to lead Catholicism. Immediately after the death of the Pope this ancient tradition of gathering will take place as all the cardinals in the world will gather in St. Sistine Chapel for the conclave. The Cardinal Camerlengo assumes charge of the papal household, verifies by a judicial act the death of the supreme pontiff. In the presence of the household he strikes the forehead of the dead pope three times with a silver mallet, calling him by his baptismal name. The fisherman's ring the symbol of Papacy and the papal seals are then broken. A notary draws up the act which is the legal evidence of the pope's death.

The obsequies last nine days. Meanwhile the cardinals have been notified of the impending election. During the aforesaid nine days, and until the election of a successor, all cardinals appear with uncovered rochets, just as all have canopies over their seats at the conclave, to show that the supreme authority is in the hands of the whole College. The cardinal camerlengo is assisted by the heads of the three cardinalitial orders, known as the "Capita Ordinum". The cardinals will lock themselves in the St. Sistine Chapel where the ceilings was elegantly painted by Michelangelo himself “The Creation”. During the conclave no cardinal is allowed to leave the Sistine Chapel while the conclave is still on going and must swore in secrecy to whatever they will be doing inside.

Penalty for breaking any secrecy is automatic excommunication. During the 2005 conclave there were 122 candidates for the election. Among them were three major candidates who plays vital role in the Holy Church namely +Angelo Cardinal Sodano, Prime Minister of the Vatican City, +Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals, Bishop of Ostia, Defender of Holy Doctrines and prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrines of Faith and +Francis Cardinal Arinze Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of Sacraments and the Archbishop of Villetri-Segni, Nigeria. One of the three has succeeded as the Bishop of Rome.
The former Bishop of Ostia +Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger was elected as Bishop of Rome. Ro be elected as Pope one candidate must garner two thirds of the population. Once a cardinal has been elected the Dean would ask the Pope elect if he accepts the Papacy. If he does he will be sent to the Room of Tears. Termed room of tears because inside the pope will may cry or burst his feelings toward God to the burden given unto him and accept his role as Servant of the servants of God.

Until now no one can tell if the pope really speaks to Jesus Christ inside the room of tears no one except the cardinals present inside who pledges their secrecy to the Holy Church. After the Pope elect has sworn his loyalty it will also be the time for the cardinals to line up and swear their loyalty to the new Holy Father. Outside Vatican the faithful awaits and will be informed by the chapel’s chimney. Black smoke for unsuccessful election and white smoke if the College has already chosen a candidate to be the Bishop of Rome which is the Pope. The College is presided by The Dean of Cardinals or the Bishop of Ostia formerly His eminence +Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger now His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI.

All are equally sworn to secrecy and also not to hinder the election. After the conclave certain honorary distinctions and pecuniary emoluments are awarded to the conclavists. As the Papal Election continues for days the public waiting outside will always be informed of a new pope is selected thru smoke signals as is tradition. Once a pope is selected the famous chimney of St. Sistine will emit white smoke and bells of the Vatican will be rang to verify the white smoke. a cardinal will emerge to the crowd waiting outside the Holy See and announce the name of the newly elected pope. Saying “Anuncio Bovis Gaudium Manum” which means I announce to you a Great Joy! And the famous latin words will once again be spoken “HABEMUS PAPAM”

We Have a Pope! The newly elected Pope’s Baptismal name will be announced first followed by his Family name then his new chosen name. The new Pope will then appear to the Public for the first time. At this point he will carry the burden of being the Shepherd and the fisherman of Christ. Several titles are being named for the Pope like The Fisherman when he will wear his fisherman’s ring as the symbol of papacy, the Vicar of Christ, The Successor of Peter and the Bishop of Rome and the Supreme Pontiff. After this historical moment the coronation will take place few days after the conclave where traditionally the Pope elect will wear the Papal Tiara or the Triple crown as a symbol of his Divinity and authority as the Vicar of Christ and the Successor of Peter. As the Pope wears this crown he is said to be a Divine being and renders himself infallible, he is given the right of infallibility from the moment he is crowned until his death.

Pope John XIII in all his splendor wearing the triple crown during his coronation. Being the pope cannot be equaled by any royalty. A pope is entitled to a life of prayer and burden to tend to the flock of Christ. The acceptance of this divine role is both a burden and a privilege. The pope is the only one who can say mass in the high altars of the Four Major Basilicas in Rome. The St. John Lateran also called the Lateran Basilica, is the cathedral of the Bishop of Rome, the Pope. It is the only one called an "archbasilica". Its full official names are "Papal Basilica of Saint John Lateran", "Archbasilica of the Most Holy Saviour and of Saints John the Baptist and the Evangelist at the Lateran", "Cathedral of Rome". St. Peter’s Basilica also called the Vatican Basilica, is a major pilgrimage site, being built over the burial place of Saint Peter. Perhaps the largest church in the world, it is used for most of the chief religious ceremonies in which the Popes participate. Its official name is "Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican. It is also where the Throne of Peter or the Cathedra Petri. Elegantly crafted and placed in the Holy see with four golden pillars around it.

The 3rd basilica is the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls also known as the Ostian Basilica, because situated on the road that led to Ostia, is built over the burial place of Paul the Apostle. Its official name is "Papal Basilica of Saint Paul outside the Walls" the 4th is The St. Mary Major, also called the Liberian basilica, because the original building (not the present one) was attributed to Pope Liberius, is the largest church in Rome dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary , whence its name of Saint Mary Major, i.e. the Greater. Its official name is "Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major

Article by: Edward "Paka" Occeno

Top 5 Unsolved Mysteries

1. The Creation of Man

This is probably one of the most well known and controversial of mysteries known to man at the moment. The basic mystery is where did we come from? Many people believe we were created by some kind of God, others believe were naturally came into being through the process of evolution, and some even believe we were put onto earth by aliens. Because there is no conclusive evidence for either argument, this subject remains our greatest mystery.
The concept of evolution states that through a series of adaptations and mutations from generation to generation, a creature can change dramatically over time. There are many arguments against evolution, mostly (in the West) from fundamentalist Christian bodies. The head of the largest Christian Church, Pope Benedict XVI, has recently said that evolution is not contrary to the teachings of the Church or a belief in God as long as it does not exclude God as the primary mover and organiser of the process.
The concept of creationism states that God made the Universe in the form in which it exists today. It attempts to explain away potential theological problems like dinosaurs, carbon dating, and the fossil record in general. Creationists generally believe the earth to be several thousand years old.

2. The Bimini Road

Everyone has heard the story of the lost city of Atlantis, but what about the Bimini Road? In 1968 an underwater rock formation was found near North Bimini Island in the Bahamas. It is considered by many to be naturally made, but because of the unusual arrangement of the stones, many believe it to be a part of the lost city of Atlantis (first spoken of by Plato).
Another curious element of this mystery is a prediction made in 1938 by Edgar Cayce: “A portion of the temples may yet be discovered under the slime of ages and sea water near Bimini… Expect it in ‘68 or ‘69 - not so far away.” In a more recent expidition, amateur archeologist Dr Greg Little discovered another row of rocks in the same formation directly below the first, leading him to believe that the road is actually the top of a wall or water dock.
One possible natural explanation is that the “road” is an example of tessellated pavement, a natural phenomenon. Concretions of shell and sand form hard sedimentary rock which over time fractures in straight lines and then at ninety degree angles. They are quite common and a popular tourist attraction on the island of Tasmania.

3. The Roanoke Colony

In 1584, Sir Walter Raleigh dispatched an expedition to the East Coast of North America as Queen Elizabeth I had given him permission to colonise Virginia. He returned from the trip with two American Indians and samples of animals and plants. Between 1585 and 1587, two groups of colonists were left on Roanoke Island (part of present day North Carolina) to establish their settlement.
Following fights with the local native tribes, the first colony were low on food and men to defend the settlement, so when Sir Francis Drake visited after a raid in the Carribean and offered to take them back to England, they accepted and left. In 1857 121 new colonists arrived and found the local natives (the Croatans) to be friendly. The first English child born in the Americas was the daughter of one of these colonists. The group tried to befriend some of the other tribes that the previous colonists had fought with which resulted in the killing of George Howe. The remaining members of the group convinced the leader to return to England to get help. The leader (John White) returned to England leaving behind ninety men, seventeen women, and eleven children.
When White returned in August 1590, the settlement was deserted. There were no signs of a struggle and no remains were found at all. The only clue was the word “Croatoan” carved into a post of the fort and “Cro” carved into a nearby tree. The settlement became known as the Lost Colony and no members of it were ever seen again. Some speculation exists today which suggests that the settlers left and merged with some of the nearby tribes. This is supported by the fact that many years later some of the tribes were practising Christianity and understood English.

4. Marfa lights

The Marfa lights are unexplained lights (called ghost lights) that have been appearing on Mitchell Flat east of Marfa, Texas. The first published account of the lights was given in 1957, but Robert Reed Ellison (born 1880) reported them to his family and accounts of their appearances were spread by word of mouth. There are no verifiable written reports from before the 1950s.
The lights are described as being the size of a basketball, floating in the air at around shoulder height. Colors are usually described as white, yellow, orange or red, but green and blue are sometimes reported. They usually travel laterally but have been seen to move rapidly in various directions. The lights sometimes appear in groups. Sightings are rare but there is a large amount of photographic and video evidence.
Skeptics generally consider the lights to be related to traffic passing on the nearby US Route 67, or to be electric by-products of the predominantly quartz hills in the area. Because they usually appear in private property with terrain that is difficult to travel over, there are almost no reports of people being able to get close to the lights.

5. Jimmy Hoffa

Jimmy Hoffa was an American labor leader, and criminal convict. As the president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters from the mid-1950s to the mid-1960s, Hoffa wielded considerable influence. After his conviction, he served nearly a decade in prison. On July 30, 1975, Hoffa dissapeared from a parking lot in Detroit and was never seen again. He had been due to meet two Mafia leaders, Anthony “Tony Jack” Giacalone from Detroit and Anthony “Tony Pro” Provenzano from Union City, New Jersey and New York City.
Just paying the bills…
According to Donald Frankos (a convicted Mob hitman), Hoffa was shot in the house of Giacalone and his body was then buried in the foundations of the Giants stadium. While that is the most popular belief, another mobster, Bill Bonanno, claimed that hoffa was shot and put in the trunk of a car that was then put through a car compactor.
No one will ever know the truth about Hoffa, but the MythBusters team dug in the part of the Giants stadium that is generally where Hoffa is considered to be buried and found nothing.

CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND OUR CONTROL

What had happened to our misfortuned classmates last November 6 at Iloilo City is a very clear representation of a circumstances beyond our control.
Despite what you have been reading and seeing in the news, we are not approaching the end of the world. There's no question that there are serious, confusing and distressing times. Sometimes it feels as if chaos has gained the upper hand.
Just like you, we nurses do not know what the near-term future holds. The rapidly unfolding economic events this year have baffled many of the country's best brains. Entire books could be written to give us perspective we need right now. But we don't have time to write those books, and you don't have time to read them.
Instead, we want to offer a litttle straight talk among our friends who share common concerns. We have three basic messages. First, these are not the worst times ourselves have experience. Second, we have no reason to change the advice we have been giving ourselves for many years. Third and the most important, there are steps you can take to make things better for yourself and your future.
On the other hand, many parts of our lives are in our control. We control how we invest and wether we diversify well. We control wether we have and follow a sensible long-term plan that recognizes the fact that things will go wrong from time to time. We can avoid the urge to panic when we dont have money and equally compelling temptation to buy wildly if we have a lot in hand.
Apart from our investment choices, we can control how much money we spend and how much money we borrow. We can control what we expect and demand from the world. We can control the values by which we live our lives. This is especially important. In Fact, our non-tangible assets may be our most important assests. Values like courage, compassion, patience, hope, determination and resilience can help a lot as we navigate challenging times as well as good ones. People who regularly nuture and express such non-tangible assets have an edge in life that cannot be erased by anybody.
My bottom-line advice is simple. Invest wisely, live fully, and believe faithfully in God. If you do those three things, the future holds much that is worth looking forward to.

Stranded RN’s

I agonized the feeling when I finally decided not to be with the trip I planned two weeks ago. The LBC packet from Von was not delivered which was supposedly Wednesday and I was so defeated by my own excitement. For whatever reasons of this delay I don’t know but there is something I believe an applicable reason; reasons I never dared to know but when Von texted me that things are sometimes beyond our control, I know there is.

Thursday morning was a nice catch. It was a considerable plain trip to Iloilo for seven RN’s namely Aaron, Cubid, Janmark, Riza, Genny, Rochelle, and Lizet not knowing the grudgingly plans of the concealed rainwater on the darkening nimbus that flossed the Visayas 9am Thursday and was abruptly considered to be signal no.1., again and as always and will always be a delayed of weather forecast. What’s next? The boat trips were cancelled and they are nowhere to be found. They are stranded in the middle of an escape they never thought of happening.

I never celebrated this scenario nor even happy about it. In fact, I called them and was laughing-out-load because of Cubid’s rough description of Seridon’s face to be “pathetic and untraceable”. They found themselves sleeping in the Negros Navigation terminal along with some stranded Negrosanons. It was a pure damaging trip seeing all their pieces of documents cripplingly damp and soggy and their clothes soaked and rumpled, I rejoice in the incident to be pure, actual, and realistic picture of stranded professionals waiting expectantly in vain.

For whatever rationale that things are sometimes beyond our control, I don’t know but as it slowly unfolds it gives us reason, a reason much reasonable than we ever thought.

Near Death Experience: Fact or Fiction

At the wee hours of the morning, I was having a brush reading on Dr. Melvin Morse’s “The Powerful Effect of Near Death Experiences on People’s Lives.” and was entirely awed by the verbal accounts of person who nearly died or who encounter NDE’s. They have various forms of experience but Dr. Morse cited nine essential traits that more often than not agreed by experts to be commonly entered. One of which was the “Life Review” in which I dredge up a family friend telling us her near death experience after battling a relentless risk of surgery.

“I was moving in at the light’ a light I have never seen before. It was so white like the sun yet my both eyes are wide open and can visibly see it. Then out of nowhere, it showed me my life from my childhood both pleasant and unpleasant for you to evaluate. It felt good as I exactly remember how those things really happened. Then at a halt, I was back and found myself in the recovery room.”

That was the story I remembered she told us and my sister happen to experience the “Out of Body” phenomenon which is also one of the nine traits of NDE’s. I recall she said that she was looking at her own body lying in her bed with still all those bedraggled study books around. It can never be vindicated how all of this can be facts or based on reality unless we experienced it personally.

There are notions that it’s the subconscious mind that crafted and permeated the unconscious mind to transmit it in a form of dreams as Freud would tell. I myself is also apprehensive on things I can never explain and can never find out any answers to it at all; but as I always dream of this purplish-lavender petalled forget-me-nots on a mound of hills overlooking a genial flicker of sunlight on the shoreline where I lolled serenely on a grassy prairie, I too is taken aback how the unknown is slowly finding a place for itself in this world.

Fictitious yet Exciting

When i woke up I was confused. My thoughts were hazy, still twisted up in dreams and nightmares; it took me longer than it should have to realize where I was...I heard, as if from underwater, the final growl of the hunter. I could see, through the long tunnels my eyes had become, his dark shape coming toward me. With my last effort, my hand instinctively raised to protect my face. My eyes closed, and I drifted.

That are some of the lines excerpted from the Twilight by Stephanie Meyer, reviewed by the Publishers Weekly as the Best Book of the Year. Last July, I had a chance to procure the last item on the bookstand of National Book Store located at Shangri-La Mall a copy of this book. Sparing two weeks reading the novel was too long i suppose, to think that it contains 498 pages. Meyer on my personal assessment as a reader was one of the great author who can really twist your imagination. Indeed, she has a different form and style in writing that can easily catch the attention of its reader, which i think a very good and an important characteristic that a novelist must possess. Once you start reading you will never stop flipping the pages. They described this book as deeply seductive and extraordinary suspenseful; Twilight is a love story with a bite, propelled by suspense and romance on equal parts.

Couple of weeks ago, I had an opportunity to watching the premier opening of the Body of Lies, starred by Leonardo de Caprio and Russell Crowe at the Megamall Cinema 6. Surprisingly, Twilight was finally been transformed into a big screen. It will be showing one of these days, so for those who were impressed by Harry Potter movies, don't dare miss it.
Make less on your expectation and see more for yourself.

By the way, I would like to thank Mr. Celis for the commendation.

High School Musical 3: Senior Year

I had the whole heck day spent in SM Cinema 2 last Oct. 28 to catch the up-to-the-minute sequel of the recognized teen musicale but never had I conjured to be welcomed by a lurid spectators pining for a melodic extravaganza. Seemingly, it encapsulated my heart how a film can likely become a sphere of influence to a dispirited individual, with a right instance and a perfectly angled seat; no doubt popcorns can’t be consumed.


This time it’s a treat for music-dance lover. It’s their customary ingredient to pull-up the music-dance category but a mundanely so-so in acting turning up a mutual movie-day into a blithely whim of tuneful debonair. One thing that was so rancid and malodorous in the context was Vanessa Hudgens (Gabriella) presence. She was so off that she was overthrown by Sharpay and Troy’s character. I guess it’s the scandal-expose’ thing that elected Disney to deject or defame a little of Gabriella’s character but all-in-all it’s an utterly sublime celebration of being young and happy and being happy even if you’re not young. Is this an “au revoir” for the distinguished Disney Musical? I hope not and if I were to draw a choice, another sequel could be a nice avid look-out. High School Musical 4: The Reunion.

Welcome BSN4D Contributors'...

Can someone in my class really write? Oh’ stop dissin’ that thing, of course’ absolutely.

Our class seems to be a flora and fauna of gifted nurses with a lot to offer.
I personally praise Mr. Quezon for his piece-of-writing debut and it literally silhouetted his personality, a slacky interventionist with a brilliant flair in literary-scribe. Mr. Gustilo on the other hand, was very much transparent in his craft and I reckon it to be a superlative fraction in putting-up a penman profession. I can’t put a finger because a fraction of our class is really adept in writing albeit being jaded and dead-beat in various forms.

I run through jmq07’s article and no doubt my vote was for Harry Potter (huh’ a piece of rubbish to some). Millions or perhaps billions have disentangled that piece of reality in their inner-self as we all tag along the enterprise of Potter in his so-called Quidditch and filthy Muggle next of kin. I too have been a solid aficionado of this Rowling masterpiece and his rubbish story about how she launched writing the Potter thing riding a plane and vomiting upfront with a drop-down board ...what?. Well, if you’re not at all engrossed with what I’m talking right now better stop at this point. Very very unreal origin and whatever is true well she doesn’t seem to care at all from the time when she became the most lucrative billion-worth British novelist since Agatha Christie. and hey’ someone is trying to tie up with her crown…



Stephanie Meyer? ever heard? Twilight? Well, it’s been one of the fastest bestseller today and I think the first installment of the book ‘Twilight’ is upcoming to theatres in next to no time. She’s a graduate of Brigham Young University (BYU) in Utah so I assume she’s a Mormon. Other than what book, character, and author are selling the most pages; it’s truly a bliss to see someone entertained and frenzied by a piece of your work. So for BSN4D’s who fancy sharing their slices of cake in the table. I think the recipe then is very simple. --- Willingness.

Who's the Most Powerful Man in the World NOW?

The votes have been made. The polls counted. The countdown to the declaration of the next Most Powerful Man in the World begins. Halfway around the world, the United States of America is now waiting the victor of their presidential elections. So will it be Obama or McCain?

Sure, as Filipinos, this is way off our business. But the next man to carry the position of US President is really the business of the whole world. Just think of it... Who dropped the bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Wasn't it Harry Truman? Who sent men in voyage to walk on the moon? JFK did. Bush Sr. and just this recent years, George W. Bush made war against the late notorious Saddam Hussein.

Moreover, pushing politics and all that, we should be of what awaits us nurses. What lies of our American Dream is in the hands of either presidentiables. It seems kind of ironic, isn't it? We depend our lives on such ambitions but not having a say to who gets the to have the power. Would they support us or resent our future visa applications? *_* Nevertheless, we know whoever wins the US presidential race will have their hands full. Barack Obama even says that in the event he wins... Having their country get through crisis is a priority and their allies would have to fend for themselves for the time being.

Yet for us nurses, what fate should we prepare for? I have done some research about his and here's what I've found out.

John McCain has had a record of voting for a bill to give visas to foreign skilled workers (yey!). This bill expanded the Visa program for skilled workers.

And for Obama, here is a part of his speech regarding Immigration policies... “The time to fix our broken immigration system is now… We need stronger enforcement on the border and at the workplace… But for reform to work, we also must respond to what pulls people to America… Where we can reunite families, we should. Where we can bring in more foreign-born workers with the skills our economy needs, we should”.

Seem like our dreams may be flowery after all... $$$$$$$$$$$$$