Ramon Magsaysay

7th President of the Philippines, 3rd President of the Third Republic

1. Ramón del Fierro Magsaysay was born in Iba, Zambales on August 31, 1907 to Exequiel Magsaysay y de los Santos (April 18, 1874 in San Marcelino, Zambales - January 24, 1968 in Manila), a blacksmith, and Perfecta del Fierro y Quimson (April 18, 1887 in Castillejos, Zambales - May 5, 1980 in Manila), a schoolteacher.
2. He spent his elementary life somewhere in Castillejos and his high school life at Zambales Academy at San Narciso, Zambales. After high school, Magsaysay entered the University of the Philippines in 1927, where he enrolled in a pre-medical course. He worked as a chauffeur to support himself as he studied engineering; and later, he transferred to the Institute of Commerce at José Rizal College (1928–1932), where he received a baccalaureate in commerce. He then worked as an automobile mechanic in a bus company (Florida) and shop superintendent.
3. He was married to Luz Magsaysay (née Banzon) in June 16, 1933 and they had three children: Teresita Banzon-Magsaysay (1934–1979), Milagros "Mila" Banzon-Magsaysay (b. 1936) and Ramon "Jun" Banzon-Magsaysay, Jr. (b. 1938).
4. On 22 April 1946, Magsaysay, encouraged by his ex-guerrillas, was elected under the Liberal Party to the Philippine House of Representatives. In 1948, President Manuel Roxas chose Magsaysay to go to Washington as Chairman of the Committee on Guerrilla Affairs, to help to secure passage of the Rogers Veterans Bill, giving benefits to Philippine veterans. In the so-called "dirty election" of 1949, he was re-elected to a second term in the House of Representatives. During both terms he was Chairman of the House National Defense Committee.
5. When news reached Magsaysay that his political ally Moises Padilla was being tortured by the forces of provincial governor Lacson, he rushed to Negros Occidental, but was too late. He was then informed that Padilla's body was swimming in blood, pierced by fourteen bullets, and was positioned on a police bench in the town plaza. Magsaysay himself carried Padilla's corpse with his bare hands and delivered it to the morgue, and the next day, news clips showed pictures of him doing so. Magsaysay even used this event during his presidential campaign in 1953.
   
   The trial against Lacson started in January 1952; Magsaysay and his men presented enough evidence to convict Lacson and his 26 men for murder. In August 1954, Judge Eduardo Enriquez ruled the men were guilty and Lacson, his 22 men and three other mayors of Negros Occidental municipalities were condemned to the electric chair.
6. Presidential election of 1953 - This was the first time that an elected Philippine president did not come from the Senate.
7. Magsaysay started the practice in the Philippines of "campaign jingles" during elections, for one of his inclinations and hobbies was dancing.
8. In the Election of 1953, Magsaysay was decisively elected president over the incumbent Elpidio Quirino. He was sworn into office wearing the Barong Tagalog, a first by a Philippine president. He was then called "Mambo Magsaysay".
9. As president, he was a close friend and supporter of the United States and a vocal spokesman against communism during the Cold War. He led the foundation of the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization also known as the Manila Pact of 1954, that aimed to defeat communist-Marxist movements in South East Asia, South Asia and the Southwestern Pacific. 
10. During his term, he made Malacañang literally a "house of the people", opening its gates to the public. One example of his integrity followed a demonstration flight aboard a new plane belonging to the Philippine Air Force (PAF): President Magsaysay asked what the operating costs per hour were for that type of aircraft, then wrote a personal check to the PAF, covering the cost of his flight. He brought back the people's trust in the military and in the government.
11. His administration was considered one of the cleanest and most corruption-free; his presidency was cited as the Philippines' Golden Years. Trade and industry flourished, the Philippine military was at its prime, and the Filipino people were given international recognition in sports, culture and foreign affairs. The Philippines ranked second in Asia's clean and well-governed countries.
12. Magsaysay's term, which was to end on 30 December 1957, was cut short by a plane crash. On 16 March 1957, Magsaysay left Manila for Cebu City where he spoke at three educational institutions. That same night, at about 1 am, he boarded the presidential plane "Mt. Pinatubo", a C-47, heading back to Manila. In the early morning hours of 17 March, the plane was reported missing. By late afternoon, newspapers had reported the airplane had crashed on Mt. Manunggal in Cebu, and that 36 of the 56 aboard were killed (the actual number on board was 25, including Magsaysay). Only newspaperman Néstor Mata survived. Vice-President Carlos García, who was on an official visit to Australia at the time, assumed the presidency to serve out the last eight months of Magsaysay's term.
    
    An estimated 2 million people attended Magsaysay's burial on 31 March 1957. He was posthumously referred to by people as the "Idol of the Masses".

http://www.asiafinest.com/forum/lofiversion/index.php/t238316-150.html

References:

Ramon Magsaysay
About Ramon Magsaysay
Today in Philippine History, August 31, 1907, Ramon Magsaysay, seventh President of the Philippines was born in Iba, Zambales
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7792
History of the Quezon Service Cross
can anyone tell me what the stereotypical filipino
Official Website of Zambales
Ramon Magsaysay, Zamboanga Del Sur
7th Secretary of National Defense 

What Happened On August 30

And these are what happened on 30 August ...

1. 1850 - Marcelo H. del Pilar was born in Kupang, San Nicolas, Bulacan, on August 30, 1850.
   

   The province of Bulacan led the rest of the nation in commemorating the 164th birth anniversary of hero Marcelo del Pilar this coming August 30, 2014. The day is a special non-working holiday in the province as declared by Republic Act (RA) 7449, which was enacted during the time of the late former President Corazon Aquino.

2. 1896 - The Battle of San Juan del Monte, took place on 30 August 1896. It is considered the first real battle of the Philippine revolution, which sought Philippine independence from Spain.Special Non-Working Holiday (for San Juan-based employees)
   San Juan Day, in commemoration of the Battle of Pinaglabanan
3. 1896 - Governor-General Ramon Blanco proclaimed a state of war in the eight provinces that took up arms, and placed them under martial law. The provinces were Manila, Laguna, Cavite, Batangas, Pampanga, Bulacan, Tarlac, and Nueva Ecija—provinces that would forevermore stand as the eight rays of the sun on the Philippine flag.
4. 1951 - Remarks of President Elpidio Quirino on the signing of the U.S.-P.I. defense pact, Washington, D. C., Thursday, August 30, 1951:
   

   We have witnessed today an act that may be described as the end of the beginning. Here we have set the first milestone on the road towards the enduring security of the Pacific area. I have special reason to rejoice at this moment because it was not so long ago in this same capital, that I took the liberty of proposing the conclusion of a Pacific Security Pact under the initiative of the United States. This is the first fruit of that vision. This is a treaty of mutual defense with unavoidable connotations of military action. Yet it is, in fact, wholly dedicated to peace and to the methods of peace. It means so much to the economic development and happiness of the Filipino people. Here, our two countries pledge ourselves anew to the principle of the Pacific settlement of disputes enshrined in the charter of the United Nations. Here, we have assumed a formal undertaking to assist each other and to stand together in the face of aggression, in the hope that hereafter we may be able to follow undistracted the fruitful pursuits of peace. We have no aggressive aims against anyone. Our purpose is rather to give notice that a potential aggressor must henceforth take due account of our common purpose and united will to act in self defense. From the history of the Filipino people and of our relations with the United States during the past 50 years, nobody can have the slightest doubt about our devotion to freedom and our readiness to share in its defense. On this solemn occasion, Mr. President, may I convey to you, and through you to the American people, the deepest sentiments of goodwill and friendship from the people of the Philippines. This treaty proclaims the sense of unity of our two peoples, and this is a declaration of historic importance. For we established our unity of purpose, not on any consideration of race, creed, or equality of power, but solely on the ground of our common faith in freedom. Though humbled by the great significance of this alliance, the Filipino people are nevertheless proud that our young Republic has merited this recognition of its faith and its courage. Mr. President, I bring to witness, at this signing, our faith in democracy and the courage to defend it with all our strength.
   
   Source: University of the Philippines, College of Law Library

5. 1957 - The municipality of Isulan was created by virtue of Executive Order No. 266 dated August 30, 1957 with the seat of government at Barangay Kalawag. However it was only on September15, 1957 that the municipal government officially functioned with the appointment of its first set of officials headed by Mayor Datu Suma Ampatuan who served as a Mayor until 1967. Since its creation, Isulan was classified as a 5th class municipality with an estimated annual income of P 38,380.83. The biggest sources of income of the town then were the logging companies in the area like the Sabros & Co. Inc.; Habaluyas Logging Enterprises and the Magsaysay & Silverio Logging Co., Inc.
6. 1959 - President Garcia today, August 30, 1959 directed the National Orthopedic Hospital to extend all medical facilities to a crippled 12-year old boy, Salvador Miranda,  who is suffering from tuberculosis of the hip joint at the Albay Provincial Hospital. 
7. 1969 - On June 21st, 1969, president Ferdinand E. Marcos signed the Charter of Mandaue City. Another proclamation by the same president, from August 30, 1969 is taken as the date when the City of Mandaue was formally organized. The first mayor of this city was Demetrio Cortes Senior.
8. 2014 - Youth volunteers and government partners will be planting tree saplings at the La Mesa Forest Park in Quezon City today (August 30). The project is part of the Climate Change advocacy campaign of the Philippine Information Agency-National Capital Region (PIA-NCR) in partnership with the Department of Environment & Natural Resources-NCR and in cooperation with Pilipinas Natin! PIA-NCR Regional Director Riza J. Baldoria said the activity dubbed  “Happy Birthday Tree (HBT)!” aims to encourage everyone to give back to the environment by planting trees.
9. 2014 - Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin on Saturday said Filipino peacekeepers came "under attack" by Syrian rebels on the Golan Heights. In a text message to reporters, Gazmin confirmed that there was a firefight between rebels and peacekeepers at Position 68, one of the posts held by Filipino troops. Gazmin said the firefight errupted at around 6 a.m. (11 a.m. Manila time).
10. 2014 - FINAL SCORE. Croatia escapes Gilas Pilipinas in overtime, 81-78 Gilas Pilipinas takes its first step in the FIBA World Cup on Saturday, August 30 when it faces off with the Croatian national basketball team in Seville, Spain.
11. 2014 - Globe Slipstream, a one-day event of speed exhibitions, music performances and other fun-filled activities for the whole family will highlight the telco’s partnership with Lotus F1 Junior Team and Marlon Stockinger, the first Filipino Junior Lotus F1 driver on August 30, 2014, Saturday, at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.
12. The International Day of the Disappeared on August 30 is a day created to draw attention to the fate of individuals imprisoned at places and under poor conditions unknown to their relatives and/or legal representatives. The impulse for the day came from the Latin American Federation of Associations for Relatives of Detained-Disappeared (Federación Latinoamericana de Asociaciones de Familiares de Detenidos-Desaparecidos, or FEDEFAM), a non-governmental organization founded in 1981 in Costa Rica as an association of local and regional groups actively working against secret imprisonment, forced disappearances and abduction in a number of Latin-American countries.
    On August 30, 2007, hundreds of Philippine relatives and supporters of desaparecidos, mostly activists, missing after being abducted or killed by Philippine security forces protested against the government to mark International Day of the Disappeared. Edita Burgos remembered her missing son, Jonas, a member of the Peasants' Movement of the Philippines.
    On August 30, 2008 the International Coalition against Enforced Disappearances, which gathers family member organizations and human rights organizations from around the world, joined hands for a global campaign event to promote the ratification of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.

 References:

The President’s Day: August 30, 1959
August 30 2014 Marcelo Del Pilar Day in Bulacan
August 2014 Special and Regular Non Working Holidays in Philippines
Marcelo H. del Pilar
Marcelo H. del Pilar From Wikipedia
Remarks of President Quirino on the signing of the U.S.-P.I. defense pact, August 30, 1951
Presidential Museum and Library
Ebola hits 5th West African state as Senegal confirms first case
Filipino peacekeepers in firefight with Syrian rebels - Gazmin
Isulan, Sultan Kudarat
Municipality of Isulan
Official Website of Mandaue City
Mandaue
History of Mandaue
PIA-NCR leads “Happy Birthday Tree” planting activity in La Mesa Dam
LIVE BLOG: Gilas Pilipinas vs Croatia
Public Advisory: Globe Slipstream at Bonifacio Global City on August 30, advises motorists oftemporary road closures
Enjoy speed beyond the race track
Gilas Pilipinas loses OT game, wins hearts with superb opener vs Croatia
Significant daily events in the month of August in Philippine history 
International Day of the Disappeared
August 30

6th Pandayang Lino Brocka Festival

PANDAYANG LINO BROCKA Film Festival is a gathering of students and student groups and independent filmmakers and film/video/media collectives in the Philippines, national in scope. In its launch in August 2009, in cooperation with the NCCA, it is designed to be held at the National Capital Region, where cultural tools such as films finds prominence in the Filipino people’s mode of confrontation with today’s social ills.

The film festival is a tribute to internationally acclaimed Philippine cinema legend Lino Brocka, who has produced countless films depicting Philippine social reality among which include timeless films Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang, Maynila sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag, Insiang, Bayan Ko, Kapit sa Patalim, Orapronobis, among many others.

The 6th Pandayang Lino Brocka Political Film and New Media Festival, an annual festival of critical and cultural audio-visual works is set to be launched on August 29, 2014 at the University of the Philippines Film Institute, Cine Adarna.

The schedule for the 12 movies ...

[UPDATED from https://www.facebook.com/pandayanglinobrockafestival ] The 6th Pandayang Lino Brocka Poster. Join us on the Festival Launch on the 29th of August, Cine Adarna UP Diliman.

Festival Launch Opening Program

9:00AM – 12:00 NN FORUM: The Relevance of the National Artist Award in Filipino Arts and Culture

1:00 PM – 6:00 PM Screening: 6th Pandayang Lino Brocka Film selection

1:00 PM Pangarap ko sa Pilipinas by Pinoy Media Center
1:05 PM 100 Days of Injustice by Tudla Productions
1:20 PM Ingay by Romano Alvorez
1:35 PM Barikada by Kilab Multimedia
1:45 PM American Home by Justine Dizon
2:00 PM Tindoga by Nef Luczon
2:50 PM Dapat Nang Itakwil by Tanghalang Bayan ng Kulturang Kalye (TaBaKK)
3:00 PM Pieta by Herwin Cabasal
3:15 PM Holiday Bust by Pinoy Media Center
3:30 PM Amot by Jo Maline Mamangun & Divine Miranda
3:40 PM Padayon by Kathy Molina
3:55 PM The Guerilla is a Poet by Sari and Kiri Dalena
6:05 PM Open Forum with Jose Maria Sison on ‘The Guerilla is a Poet’

6:35 PM – 7:05 PM Awarding of certificates to filmmakers and workshop facilitators and trophies to exemplary works
7:05 PM – 8:30 PM Screening: Signed: Lino Brocka by Christian Blackwood

Source: http://herwincabasal.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/pandayan-poster2.jpg

References:

Pandayang Lino Brocka Political Film and New Media Festival
CALL FOR ENTRIES: 6th Pandayang Lino Brocka Political Film and New Media Festival
6th Pandayang Lino Brocka Festival kicks off August 29
Arts and Culture 6th Pandayang Lino Brocka Political Film and New Media Festival
pandayanglinobrockafestival
PIETA’s Screening at the 6th Pandayang Lino Brocka

Hello Kitty Is Not A Cat

Christine R. Yano, an anthropologist at the University of Hawaii, is currently curating a Hello Kitty exhibit at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles.

Yano was corrected by Sanrio after the company proofread her texts for the exhibit, in which she described the famous character, naturally, as a cat.

“I was corrected — very firmly,” she told the Los Angeles Times. “That’s one correction Sanrio made for my script for the show. Hello Kitty is not a cat. She’s a cartoon character. She is a little girl. She is a friend. But she is not a cat. She’s never depicted on all fours. She walks and sits like a two-legged creature. She does have a pet cat of her own, however, and it’s called Charmmy Kitty.”

Regardless of whether or not she's a girl or a cat, she remains as a strong figure that represents the Japanese, an identity marker, especially for those who grew up in 1970s.

Here are other facts about Hello Kitty, according to Sanrio, which all Hello Kitty fans should know:

1.     She is a bright, bright girl with a golden heart.
2.     She was born in the suburbs of London, England.
3.     Her real name is Kitty White.
4.     She is as tall as five apples, and as heavy as three.
5.     Her birthday is November 1st.
6.     She is a Scorpio.
7.     She loves to bake cookies.
8.     She loves to play piano.
9.     She dreams of being a pianist or poet someday.
10.     She loves mama’s apple pie.
11.     She has a twin sister named Mimmy, a third-grader.
12.     She has a pet hamster named Sugar and a pet cat named Charmmy Kitty.

In light of this issue, however, Snoopy, who is by our calculations the world's oldest living beagle, is indeed a dog, Peanuts Worldwide confirmed today via Twitter

We can confirm, Snoopy IS a dog.

References:

Don't Be Silly, Hello Kitty Is a Cat
Hello Kitty isn’t a cat!? We called Sanrio to find out!
Hello Kitty
Sanrio Reveals That Hello Kitty Is NOT ACTUALLY A CAT
Childhood ruined: Hello Kitty is NOT a cat
In Response To Hello Kitty Not Being A Cat, Peanuts Confirms Snoopy Is A Dog

Double Moon Hoax On August 27

If you received the message below, it is not true. This is a hoax e-mail message:

SEE MARS AS LARGE AS THE FULL MOON ON 27TH AUGUST 2014. Should be spectacular! Truly a once in a lifetime experience!

---

Subject: FW: Mars
Enjoy!!!
Amazing
This is a ‘truly once in a lifetime event’ that will occur in August. View the attachment and mark it on your calendars. None of us will live long enough to ever have the chance to view this again. Enjoy!!
The Red Planet is about to be spectacular!
This month and next, Earth is catching up with Mars in an encounter that will culminate in the closest approach between the two planets in recorded history. The next time Mars may come this close is in 2287. Due to the way Jupiter’s gravity tugs on Mars and perturbs its orbit, astronomers can only be certain that Mars has not come this close to Earth in the Last 5,000 years, but it may be as long as 60,000 years before it happens again.
The encounter will culminate on August 27th when Mars comes to within 34,649,589 miles of Earth and will be (next to the moon) the brightest object in the night sky. It will attain a magnitude of -2.9 and will appear 25.11 arc seconds wide at a modest 75-power magnification.
Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye.
Mars will be easy to spot. At the beginning of August it will rise in the east at 10p.m. and reach its azimuth at about 3 a.m.
By the end of August when the two planets are closest, Mars will rise at nightfall and reach its highest point in the sky at 12:30a.m. That’s pretty convenient to see something that no human being has seen in recorded history. So, mark your calendar at the beginning of August to see Mars grow progressively brighter and brighter throughout the month. Share this with your children and grandchildren.
NO ONE ALIVE TODAY WILL EVER SEE THIS AGAIN

1. A long living internet hoax claims that Mars will be as large as the full moon on August 27th, 2014 (or other date), causing a double moon. The hoax is usually promoted in email messages and social media content, including Facebook posts and messages. 
2. This hoax has been circulating ever since an event on August 27th, 2003 where Mars was the closest to Earth it has been in 60,000 years.
3. The Mars hoax originated from an e-mail message in 2003, sometimes titled "Mars Spectacular", with images of Mars and the full moon side by side.
4. The hoax, which has since resurfaced every year from 2005 through 2014, often showing an altered image of twin moons over the Nilov Monastery, and may continue to do so, always announcing an imminent close Earth–Mars approach, began from a misinterpretation and exaggeration of a sentence in an e-mail message that reported the close encounter between Mars and the Earth in August 2003.
5. It’s not true. Mars will not be as large as the moon, causing a double moon in the sky on August 2014 or any other date. The content of the original email, although almost entirely correct for August 27, 2003, has falsely been redated to announce a new close Earth–Mars approach — the real close approach was in 2003 only — also misinterpreting the original e-mail by saying that Mars will look as large as the Moon. The later e-mails are incorrect, as Mars will not come as close to Earth as it did in 2003 until August 28, 2287.
6. The moon will not be full on August 27, 2014 (you might spot it briefly as a thin crescent in the west after sunset, though). And Mars will not be at its brightest or closest in August of 2014, or at any time in 2014. 
7. In 2014, Mars is closest to Earth on April 8, but it won’t be as close this year as in some years.
8. 2005: Earth and Mars converged for a close encounter on 30 October 2005 at 0319 Universal Time with a distance of 69 million kilometers and to the unaided eye, Mars looked like a bright red star, a pinprick of light, certainly not as wide as the full Moon.
9. 2003: Eleven years ago, on August 27, 2003, the oscillating orbits of Mars and Earth did, in fact, bring the two planets closer together than at any other time during the past 50,000 years. And though Mars never actually appeared "as large as the full moon to the naked eye" — not even close (and not even possible) — it was indeed, for a rare few days in 2003, among the brightest objects in the night sky. At that time, the distance between the two planets was about 55,758,000 kilometers, which was the closest distance between them since September 24, 57,617 BC, when the distance has been calculated to have been about 55,718,000 kilometers.
10. However, even though the event in 2003 was an incredible spectacle, nothing is to be made out of it.Mars can never appear as large as a full moon as seen from Earth. 
11. It is quite obviously scientifically incorrect that Mars, normally never more than a dot in the night sky, could suddenly become visibly large due to normal variations in orbit. If Mars did appear as large as the moon it would be so close that it would cause tidal and gravitational effects — Mars has about twice the diameter of the Moon, and hence would be about twice as far away for the same apparent size. It has nine times the mass of the Moon, and would have about twice the tidal effect (nine times the larger mass divided by relative distance squared). 
12. Mars is already conspicuous in the early morning. Before the sun comes up, it's the brightest object in the eastern sky, really eye-catching. If you have a telescope, even a small one, point it at Mars. You can see the bright icy South Polar Cap and strange dark markings on the planet's surface.

References:

Mars-Moon Hoax: ‘Twin Moons’ and ‘As Big as Full Moon’ August 27 Post is a Decade Old, Fake
Mars hoax
Hoax: See Mars as large as the full moon on August 27th, 2014
Beware the Mars Hoax
Twin Moon Hoax Goes Viral: Mars Not As Big As Moon
Double moon on August 27?
Two Moons on August 27?

ALS - Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

1. Amyotrophic comes from the Greek word amyotrophia: a- means "no", myo refers to "muscle", and trophia means "nourishment"; amyotrophia therefore means "no muscle nourishment," which describes the characteristic atrophy of the sufferer's disused muscle tissue. Lateral identifies the areas in a person's spinal cord where portions of the nerve cells that are affected are located. As this area degenerates it leads to scarring or hardening ("sclerosis") in the region.
2. Also referred to as motor neurone disease (MND), Charcot disease and
   in the United States, Lou Gehrig's disease.
3. ALS is a neurodegenerative disease characterised by muscle spasticity, rapidly progressive weakness due to muscle atrophy, and difficulty in speaking (dysarthria), swallowing (dysphagia), and breathing (dyspnea) or in simple terms --- The disease affects the brain and the spinal cord causing motor neurones to degenerate and die, leading to gradual paralysis and eventually death.
4. ALS is the most common of the five motor neuron diseases and is a debilitating disease that basically triggers a slow paralysis on those who are stricken by causing the nerve cells to stop working. It's literally an ongoing death sentence. With the exception of some cases like that of Stephen Hawking, most people who are diagnosed with the ailment willonly live only two to five years.
5. There's no cure for the disease as of the moment. The goal of the several groups affiliated with ALS Association is to raise money for research and patient services while at the same time raising awareness.
6. Median survival time from onset to death is 39 months, and only 4% survive longer than 10 years, although rare cases survive 50 years or more. Most die from respiratory failure, usually within three to five years from onset of symptoms.
7. The cause of ALS is not yet completely known. But scientific researches have found that ALS may have some genetic links.
8. The Ice Bucket Challenge, sometimes called the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge which went viral throughout social media during July-August 2014, is an activity involving dumping a bucket of ice water on someone's head to promote awareness of the disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and encourage donations to research.
9. The rules of the ALS Challenge are simple: those who have been mentioned or tagged by participants have two options to complete the said challenge. The first is to record a video of themselves pouring a bucket of ice-cold water over their head. Those who are challenged but choose not to accept it will have to donate $100 to an ALS association of his or her choice. However, most of those who accepted the challenge, particularly big personalities, still pledged to donate.
10. The idea of dousing cold water on one's head to raise money has early origins, and they are not exclusive to ALS awareness. The exact date of its origin is unclear. A Slate report says that a search of the hashtag #icebucketchallenge on Instagram indicates that video challenges began as early as 2013, with most of them being done just for fun. But the ALS reference in ice bucket challenge videos reportedly began in a video posted on July 15, 2014 by golfer Chris Kennedy. He tagged and challenged his cousin in New York, whose husband has had ALS for 11 years.
11. Its virality on social media did result to the massive increase of support poured in to ALS charities. New York Times reported that the association had received $41.8 million in donations from July 29 until Aug. 21.
12. The feeling of ice-cold water over the body is said to be similar to the numbing effect of ALS.

References:

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
FAST FACTS: ALS and the ice bucket challenge
Ice Bucket Challenge Rules Explained: How It Help ALS Charities?
The 'Ice Bucket Challenge' Has Raised $88.5 Million (And Counting) For ALS. Now What?
Ice Bucket Challenge

National Heroes Day 2014

Today, 25 August 2014, Monday is a regular holiday to commemorate the National Heroes Day.

1. It is a national public holiday in the Philippines to honor the country’s heroes (unspecified), both known and unknown heroes.
2. It was celebrated previously on 30th of November as it was the birthday of Andres Bonifacio, founder of the Katipunan.
3. It marks the anniversary of the Cry of Pugad Lawin, the beginning of the Philippine Revolution by the Katipunan and its Supremo Andrés Bonifacio in 1896.
4. A National Heroes Committee established in 1995 (prior Revolution's centennial) proposed a list of "National Heroes".
5. Before our independence from the United States, it was already celebrated as a holiday when the Philippine Legislature enacted Legislature Act 3827 in 1931.
6. After 76 years, the observance of National Heroes Day was moved from Sunday to Monday due the issuance in 2007 Republic Act 9492 of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo which mandated that if a holiday falls on a Sunday, then the holiday shall be observed on the Monday of the following week.
7. Part of the reason for having a National Heroes Day is to commemorate Filipino heroes who didn't have their own national holidays. So far, only 2 Filipino heroes have special holidays that are officially commemorated: Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifacio.
8. 1996 was the centennial year of the 1896 Philippine Revolution against Spain and remembrance of the revolution, and to project all Filipinos – whether folk, local, or regional – as national heroes, former president Fidel Ramos issued Proclamation 510 in 1994, declaring 1996 as the Year of Filipino Heroes. It was dedicated to all Filipinos who directly or indirectly gave meaning and contributed to freedom, justice, and nationhood in the Philippines.
9. As it was the general consensus that the Cry took place in the latter days of August, and with the commemoration of the Cry slowly evolving over the years into the commemoration of all Filipino heroes, the National Heroes Day was set in the last week of August. The events that involved the Cry of Pugad Lawin/Balintawak ranged from as early as August 17 to as late as August 26 but the date and location of the Cry, however, has been a longstanding dispute among historians which was initially celebrated on 26 August from 1911 to 1962, calling the event “The Cry of Balintawak.” Come 1963, following the recommendations of historian Teodoro Agoncillo, the date was changed to August 23 and the location to Pugad Lawin.
10. There are no official policies or laws for nominating individuals to the status of national hero and today's policies on proclaiming national heroes are largely abandoned and according to the National Historical Commission, individuals become heroes via an organic process in which the individual has enough acclamation and acknowledgement from the masses that their life and works were indeed heroic, thus enshrining them in the cultural consciousness of a people as a hero.
11. 25 August 2014 was declared under Proclamation 655 Series of 2013 signed by President Benigno Simeon Aquino III as one of the country’s national Regular Holiday and it is also the second non-working holiday for the month of August this year following Ninoy Aquino Day which was declared by the National government as a Special Non-Working Holiday throughout the country which was already celebrated last 21 August 2014.
12. In 1995, after adopting criteria for the nomination of national heroes, the NHC recommended 9 Filipino figures to be proclaimed as national heroes:
    
    •     Jose Rizal
    •     Andres Bonifacio
    •     Emilio Aguinaldo
    •     Apolinario Mabini
    •     Marcelo H. Del Pilar
    •     Sultan Dipatuan Kudarat
    •     Juan Luna
    •     Melchora Aquino
    •     Gabriela Silang.

References:

Quick Facts : National Heroes Day
National Heroes Holiday 2014 Pay Rules Released by DOLE (August 25)
National Heroes Day in Philippines
Heroes' Day
Fast Facts: National Heroes Day

12 Tips for Workaholics

Taking care of yourself is a key component of minding your mental health. Unfortunately, when we are busy, we tend to focus on our immediate activity levels and forget about resourcing ourselves for the future.

1. Don’t forget to sleep - Sleep is going to be the best way of your body renewal. Adequate sleep is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle. 
2. Listen to your body - Human body is a unique and smart mechanism that gives you signs. Your task is to notice them and to do all possible things to stay happy and healthy.
3. Take vitamins daily - Taking vitamins is a great nutrition insurance policy. I think it’s better to take vitamins daily than to spend big sums of money to cure various diseases.
4. Time alone - Solitude allows you unwind and reboot your brain in order to get rid of massive amounts of information. Sometimes you may find out that you follow the routine and don’t have a clear perception of your reality. Furthermore, spending more time alone will help you identify your needs.
5. Exercises - Sports and other physical activities improve your chances of living longer and healthier. It is important to know that regular exercise helps many of the body’s systems function better.
6. Time outside - Office isn’t the best place for your body and mind. Try to find time to breathe fresh air in and enjoy the sun. Sunlight enriches your skin and body with vitamin D that is so useful for your health.
7. Vacation time - If you’re tired of spending your life in the office, then try to use your vacation time properly. Those who are fond of travelling can visit various exquisite and majestic places.
8. Read books - One of the best ways to reduce stress is to read a good book. When you open the book, you allow yourself to be invited into a wonderful literary world that helps you escape from daily stressors and negative thoughts. The main point is to find a book that attracts you much.
9. Meditation - The best choice to relief chronic stress and refresh your mind is meditation. When you’re practicing meditation, your breathing slows down and you use more oxygen efficiently that improves your immune system.
10. Forgive yourself- Everything depends on the type of your character, but forgiving yourself can be much harder than forgiving other people. It is an extremely important act of releasing yourself from the past. Moreover, it helps you get rid of negativity and stop blaming yourself for all failures you’ve ever done. If you don’t do it, you will always look inside and hate yourself. If you forgive yourself, you will open your mind and enjoy your life without hatred in your heart.
11. Forgive other people - In order to be forgiven for your sins, you need to forgive others. Forgiveness is a good remedy to heal spiritual wounds. People who forgive others are free from anger, revenge and bitterness. Plus, they sleep better and relate to others with respect. Oscar Wilde once said a wise thing, “Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.”
12. Enjoy your hobby - Hobbies often make you focus on something fun, positive and involving. You might be a happy person, if your hobby is a part of your work.

References:

15 Important Self-Care Tips for Workaholics

12 Most Populated Countries (2014)

1	China	1,366,300,000	August 22, 2014	19%	Official population clock
2	India	1,248,270,000	August 22, 2014	17.4%	Population clock
3	United States	318,605,000	August 22, 2014	4.43%	Official population clock
4	Indonesia	252,164,800	July 1, 2014	3.51%	Official estimate
5	Brazil	203,034,000	August 22, 2014	2.83%	Official population clock
6	Pakistan	188,020,000	July 1, 2014	2.62%	Official annual projection
7	Nigeria	178,517,000	July 1, 2014	2.48%	UN projection
8	Bangladesh	156,839,000	August 22, 2014	2.18%	Official population clock
9	Russia	146,068,400	June 1, 2014	2.03%	Official estimate
10	Japan	127,130,000	August 1, 2014	1.77%	Monthly official estimate
11	Mexico	119,713,203	July 1, 2014	1.67%	Official projection
12	Philippines	100,128,300	August 22, 2014	1.39%	Official population clock

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population_%28graphical%29

References:

List of countries by population
List of countries by population (graphical)
List of countries with their population figures.
Country Comparison :: Population
An interactive list of countries including their (2012-2014 estimated) populations, as well as land sizes and densities.

12 Best Recommended Wireless Speakers

Buying wireless speakers are investment for the ears. Click the references for the prices of these 12 recommended wireless speakers.

1. Acoustic Research ARAP50
    
   
   Interface: Wi-Fi/AirPlay
   Best For: Stationary indoor use.
2. Acoustic Research ARAP50
    
   
   Interface: Wi-Fi/AirPlay
   Best For: Stationary indoor use.
3. Cambridge SoundWorks Oontz XL
    
   
   Interface: Bluetooth
   Best For: Stationary indoor/gentle outdoor use.
4. TDK Life on Record A33
    
   
   Interface: Bluetooth
   Best For: Stationary outdoor use.
5. Braven BRV-1
    
   
   Interface: Bluetooth
   Best For: Portable, rugged outdoor use.
6. UE Boom
    
   
   Interface: Bluetooth
   Best For: Outdoor use.
7. Bose SoundLink III
    
   
   Interface: Bluetooth
   Best For: Portable use.
8. Marshall Stanmore
    
   
   Interface: Bluetooth
   Best For: Stationary indoor use.
9. Libratone LT-300-US-1001 Zipp
    
   
   Interface: AirPlay
   Best For: Portable use.
10. Harman Kardon Onyx
     
    
    Interface: AirPlay/Bluetooth
    Best For: Portable indoor/gentle outdoor use.
11. JBL AUTHENTIC L8
     
    
    Interface: AirPlay/Bluetooth
    Best For: Stationary indoor use.
12. Bang & Olufsen Beoplay A9
     
    
    Interface: Wi-Fi/AirPlay
    Best For: Stationary indoor/gentle outdoor use.

References:

Off the Chain: The 12 Best Wireless Speakers
The 12 Best Wireless Speakers

Ninoy 31st Death Anniversary

Today, 21 August 2014, is the 31st death anniversary of Benigno Simeon "Ninoy" Aquino, Jr.

1. Ninoy Aquino Day is a national non-working holiday in the Philippines observed annually on August 21, commemorating the assassination of former Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, Jr. Unlike other dates reserved for national heroes of the Philippines (like Bonifacio Day, Rizal Day, Araw ng Kagitingan, and National Heroes Day), the date is not a "regular holiday" but only a "non-working holiday".
2. Ninoy Aquino Day was formally instituted upon the passage of Republic Act No. 9256 and was to be observed every August 21 (the anniversary of Aquino's death). However, upon the prerogative of then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the observance of this holiday became day-dependent (like non-official celebrations such as Mother's Day and Father's Day)—to be celebrated on the "Monday nearest August 21" every year—as part of her controversial 'holiday economics' philosophy as reflected in Republic Act No. 9492. The celebration has since been reverted to August 21 by orders of incumbent President Benigno Aquino III.
3. He was the husband of Corazon Aquino, who was later to become Philippine President; they are treated as two of the heroes of democracy in the country. His assassination led to the downfall of Ferdinand Marcos on February 25, 1986, through the People Power Revolution. 
4. While no Filipino president has ever been assassinated, Benigno Aquino is one of three presidential spouses who have been murdered. Aurora Quezon was killed along with her daughter and son-in-law in a Hukbalahap ambush in 1949, while Alicia Syquia-Quirino was murdered by the Japanese along with three of her children during the Battle of Manila in 1945.
5. In 1987, Manila International Airport, where the assassination occurred, was renamed "Ninoy Aquino International Airport" in Aquino's honor.
6. "For one Aquino, who passed away, who got assassinated, they produced two presidents." (Jose Ampeso who played a role in that epochal juncture of Philippine history but kept it a secret for 20 years. Ampeso, then the Vice Consul at the Philippine Consulate in New Orleans, would disclose his closely-guarded secret two decades after, when it could no longer threaten his life: He was the US-based Filipino diplomat who issued two passports to Ninoy and enabled the then anti-Marcos opposition leader to return to the country.) Ninoy actually had two passports—one was fake and it contained his real name, and other one was a real passport containing the pseudonym “Marcial Bonifacio.”  “Marcial” was for martial law and “Bonifacio” is the name of the place where he was imprisoned.
7. Ninoy Aquino was aboard China Airlines Flight 811 (CAL flight 811) when it touched down at what was then the Manila International Airport hours before he was assassinated.
8. Aquino’s security group was composed of five men: Technical Sgt. Claro Lat, Corporal Rogelio Moreno, Sgt. Arnulfo de Mesa, Corporal Lazaga, and Lieutenant Castro. They were the officers who were supposed to escort Ninoy from the plane to Fort Bonifacio, where he would be detained. Eleven seconds had elapsed from the moment Ninoy stepped out of the airplane door to the sound of the first gunshot (at 01:15 p.m.). As Ninoy and the 5 men walked out of the door, numerous voices were heard as saying, “Ako na! Ako na! Ako na!” and “Pusila!” (Pusila, in a southern Filipino dialect is an order to shoot). The voices reportedly came from Ninoy’s security team, which they later denied. Cpl. Moreno, who walked a few feet behind Aquino as he descended the stairs, was later convicted as the person who shot Ninoy. This group would later be called the “The 5 Wise Monkeys” because in the investigation, they “Saw nothing, heard nothing, said nothing.”
9. A .357 Magnum was allegedly used to murder Ninoy Aquino. He was shot at a distance of about  18 inches.  The bullet entered Ninoy’s nape and exited his chin. Investigations later showed that the shooter was directly a few feet above Ninoy and not level as was earlier suggested. Reportedly, there were two .357 with the same serial numbers. Interestingly, one was owned by  Col. Octavio Alvarez, the former chief of the Metrocom Intelligence Group—it was reportedly stolen from him.
10. The man who supposedly shot Ninoy had the word “Rolly” embroidered on the waistband of his underpants and an “R” engraved inside his gold wedding ring. Nine days after the assassination, “Rolly” was finally revealed to be Rolando Galman. He was officially described as a “notorious killer and gun for hire.” It was later reported that Galman had been supposedly taken from his home four days before Aquino’s murder. Two days after Aquino’s murder, Galman’s common-law wife Lina was taken by several armed men. She was never heard of again.
11. Roberto Olaguer, a chaplain who visited the inmates at the New Bilibid Prison would later reveal details about what he learned from Sgt. Pablo Martinez, one of the men convicted of Ninoy’s murder. Martinez reportedly was recruited by Col. Romeo Ochoco, then deputy head of AVSECOM (Aviation Security Command). Martinez was introduced to Rolando Galman and was told to make sure Galman kills Ninoy, otherwise, kill Ninoy and shoot Galman as well. Since Martinez had access to the airport, it was easy for him to smuggle Galman into the tarmac. Sgt. Martinez would later implicate Ninoy’s cousin-in-law Danding Cojuangco, but it was never proven. Martinez was later killed in a hit-and-run incident this year, 2014. He was hit by an SUV.
12. Vice President Jejomar Binay on Thursday received the Ninoy Aquino Memorial Medal of Valor award from the Ninoy Aquino Movement (NAM). On the 31st death anniversary of former Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., Binay urged “comrades in the struggle against the Marcos dictatorship” to fight moves to amend the 1987 Constitution.

References:

Ninoy Aquino: Fight for Freedom

Ninoy Aquino remains ‘shining example’

Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center

Binay receives Ninoy Aquino medal of valor

A look back at Ninoy Aquino’s murder

Ninoy Aquino

Ninoy Aquino’s consul ‘bittersweet’ about ‘little’ place in history

Palace posts Ninoy Aquino's undelivered arrival speech

The undelivered speech of Senator Benigno S. Aquino Jr. upon his return from the U.S., August 21, 1983

31ST DEATH ANNIVERSARY OF NINOY AQUINO

Ninoy Aquino Day

Benigno Aquino, Jr.

Assassination of Benigno Aquino, Jr.
Imelda Marcos comments on NINOY AQUINO's Assassination

FPJ 75th Birth Anniversary

Today, 20 August 2014, is the 75th birth anniversary of National Artist for Film Ronald Allan Poe better known as Fernando Poe, Jr. and colloquially known as FPJ and Da King.

1. Full name is Ronald Allan Kelley Poe.
2. He was the son of Filipino actor Allan Fernando R. Poe (Fernando Poe, Sr.) and Elizabeth Kelley, an American who were not yet legally married when he was born on 20 August 1939, although his parents were later married in 1940.
3. He was born in San Carlos City, Pangasinan.
4. He was the second among six siblings and it was his brother Andy who was really named Fernando Poe, Jr. which FPJ later adopted, to bank on the popularity of his father who was a top actor in his time. Conrad Poe, a Filipino actor is FPJ's half-brother, the illegitimate son of the late Fernando Poe Sr. and actress Patricia Mijares.
5. Pou is the original spelling of the family's surname from his grandfather, playwright Lorenzo Pou, a Catalan migrant from Majorca, Spain, who ventured into mining and business in the Philippines.
6. In 1953 Poe finished his primary education at San Beda College. For high school, he went to San Sebastian College. He continued his education at Mapua Institute of Technology and University of the East. His father died from rabies at age 35, leaving the young Poe as the family's breadwinner. In order to support his family, he was forced to drop out of school. He did not complete high school, but went on to win numerous awards and prizes as an actor and film director.
7. Poe married actress Susan Roces (real name: Jesusa Sonora) in a civil wedding in December 1968. They later married in a religious service and among their primary sponsors were then-President Ferdinand Marcos and First Lady Imelda. Poe and Roces adopted a daughter, former MTRCB Chairman and May 2013 senatorial candidate, Grace Poe. Poe was also partnered with Anna Marin and had one son as Ronian and former actress Rowena Moran has one daughter Lourdes Virginia.
8. Fernando Poe Jr., was the Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KNP)'s candidate for the 2004 presidential election when he accepted the nomination in December 2003 and was to be the opposition standard-bearer for the Philippines' 2004 presidential election.
9. Poe was admitted to Saint Luke's Medical Center in Quezon City on the evening of 11 December 2004 after complaining of dizziness at a gathering in his production studio during a Christmas party. He suffered from a stroke and slipped into a coma while being treated for a brain clot. Doctors described his condition as a cerebral thrombosis with multiple organ failure.
10. He died at the age of 65 on 14 December 2004 at 12:01 am, without regaining consciousness and was buried in his family plot along with his father and mother in North Cemetery, Manila, Philippines.
11. On 20 July 2012, President Aquino signed Proclamation No. 435 confirming his posthumous declaration as a National Artist as conferred in Proclamation No. 1069 dated 23 May 2006. 
12. On 14 December 2012, eight (8) years after his death, FPJ was feted with a monument along Roxas Boulevard in Manila. The monument was unveiled at the corner of Roxas Boulevard and Arquiza Street, with widow Susan Roces and daughter Grace Poe attending the affair.

References:

Fernando Poe, Jr.
Did you know: Fernando Poe Jr.
D E C I S I O N
Best Fernando Poe, Jr. Movies
Fernando Poe, Jr.AKA Ronald Allan Kelley Poe, Jr.

Manuel Quezón 2014

136th birth anniversary  of Manuel Luis Quezón y Molina

1. Quezón, was born in Baler in the district of El Príncipe (which later became Baler, Tayabas, now Baler, Aurora). His Spanish parents were Lucio Quezón and María Dolores Molina. His father was a primary grade school teacher from Paco, Manila and a retired Sergeant of the Spanish colonial army, while his mother was a primary grade school teacher in their hometown.
2. In 1899, Quezón cut short his law studies at the University of Santo Tomás in Manila to participate in the struggle for independence against the United States, led by Emilio Aguinaldo. During the Philippine-American War he was an ayuda-de-campo to Emilio Aguinaldo. He rose to the rank of Major and fought in the Bataan sector. However, after surrendering in 1900 wherein he made his first break in the American press, Quezón returned to the university and passed the bar examinations in 1903, achieving fourth place.
3. He worked for a time as a clerk and surveyor, entering government service as an appointed fiscal for Mindoro and later Tayabas. He became a councilor and was elected governor of Tayabas in 1906 after a hard-fought election.
4. In 1907, he was elected to the first Philippine Assembly – later became the House of Representatives – where he served as majority floor leader and chairman of the committee on appropriations. From 1909 to 1916, he served as one of the Philippines' two resident commissioners to the U.S. House of Representatives, lobbying for the passage of the Philippine Autonomy Act or Jones Law.
5. From 1916 to 1935, Quezón returned to Manila in 1916 to be elected into the Philippine Senate and later became Senate President, serving continuously until 1935 (19 years). He headed the first Independent Mission to the U.S. Congress in 1919 and secured the passage of the Tydings-McDuffie Independence Law in 1934. In 1922, Quezón became the leader of the Nacionalista Party alliance (Quezón was the first Senate president elected to the presidency).
6. In 1934, the United States Congress passed the Philippine Independence Act, which established the Commonwealth of the Philippines and in 1935, Quezón won the Philippines' first national presidential election under the banner of the Nacionalista Party. He obtained nearly 68% of the vote against his two main rivals, Emilio Aguinaldo and Gregorio Aglipay. Quezón was inaugurated in November 1935 and became the first president of the Commonwealth of the Philippines (Quezon was the first president elected through a national election).
7. President Quezón was given the power under the reorganization act, to appoint the first all-Filipino Supreme Court of the Philippines in 1935. From 1901 to 1935, although a Filipino was always appointed chief justice, the majority of the members of the Supreme Court were Americans. Complete Filipinization was achieved only with the establishment of the Commonwealth of the Philippines in 1935. Claro M. Recto and José P. Laurel were among Quezón's first appointees to replace the American justices. The membership in the Supreme Court increased to 11: a chief justice and ten associate justices, who sat en banc or in two divisions of five members each.
   
   
   •     Ramón Avanceña – 1935 (Chief Justice) – 1935–1941
   •     José Abad Santos – 1935
   •     Claro M. Recto 1935–1936
   •     José P. Laurel – 1935
   •     José Abad Santos (Chief Justice) – 1941–1942
    
8. Quezon was considered "Father of the National Language" for advocating Filipino-language amendments to the 1935 Constitution,  following a year's study, the Institute of the National Language – established on 1936 – recommended that Tagalog be adopted as the basis for the national language. The proposal was well received, considering that the Director – the first to be appointed – at the time, Jaime C. de Veyra, was an ethnic Visayan. On April 1, 1940, President Quezón officially authorized the printing and publication of the grammar and dictionary prepared by the Institute of the National Language. Likewise, the Chief Executive decreed that the national language was to be compulsorily taught in all the schools during the forthcoming academic term. For its part, the National Assembly enacted Law No. 570 raising the national language elaborated by the institute to the status of official language of the Philippines, at par with English and Spanish, effective July 4, 1946, upon the establishment of the Philippine Republic.
9. Quezón had originally been barred by the Philippine constitution from seeking re-election. However, in 1940, constitutional amendments were ratified allowing him to seek re-election for a fresh term ending in 1943. In the 1941 presidential elections, Quezón was re-elected over former Senator Juan Sumulong with nearly 82% of the vote (the first incumbent to secure re-election for a partial second term, later extended, due to amendments to the 1935 Constitution).
10. Quezon escaped by submarine in 1942 during the Japanese invasion of the Philippines which drove Quezon to Corregidor and from there, he headed a Philippine government in exile.
11. Quezón suffered from tuberculosis and spent his last years in a "cure cottage" in Saranac Lake, New York, where he died on August 1, 1944. He was initially buried in Arlington National Cemetery. His body was later carried by the USS Princeton and re-interred in Manila at the Manila North Cemetery on July 17, 1946 before being moved to Quezon City within the monument at the Quezon Memorial Circle on August 19, 1979.
12. On August 19, 1939, the occasion of his 61st birthday, President Manuel L. Quezon issued Executive Order No. 217 that prescribed a set of civic and ethical precepts—collectively known as the Code of Citizenship and Ethics—to be taught in all schools in the Philippines. The list, a product of a Committee composed of leading jurists and political luminaries organized by the President, would eventually be turned into a 71-page volume, complete with historical anecdotes and references to the virtues Filipinos have displayed throughout the years. In a letter to the President printed as a preface to the book, the Committee wrote, “The life of a nation depends upon the moral and civic virtue of its citizens. Now, more than ever, when nations, great and small, are on the verge of collapse do we realize this fundamental truth.”

References:

2010 World Book Multimedia Encyclopedia
Manuel L. Quezon
QUIZ: How well do you know Manuel Quezon?
Manuel L. Quezon, First President
Quezon’s Code of Citizenship and Ethics

Brain Attack Awareness Week 2014

Brain Attack Awareness Week for 2014

Location: Nationwide
Venue: DOH Offices
Date: From August 18, 2014 to August 22, 2014
Time: 8:00 am
Event Website: www.doh.gov.ph

1. Brain attack is more commonly known as stroke.
2. Proclamation No. 92 which was signed by former president Gloria Arroyo on 28 August 2001 declares every third (3rd) week of August as Brain Attack Awareness Week.
3. The weeklong event will campaign the awareness on this health problem that has killed many Filipinos in the past years.
4. Brain attack happens when blood circulation to the brain stops which eventually leads to dying brain cells due to decreased blood flow resulting to lack of oxygen. 
5. Paralysis or death are the serious yet common outcomes of brain attack. 
6. Stroke is a debilitating disease. 
7. Stroke, as one of the most preventable cause of disability, can be of two kinds -- hemorrhagic and infarct.
8. Hemorrhagic kind is caused by aneurysm or sudden rupture or bleeding of an artery within the brain (intracerebral) or that surrounding the brain (subarachnoid) but some are also caused by high blood pressure.
9. Infarcted kind is the most common type of brain attack which is caused by a clot or other blockage within an artery leading to the brain or a blood clot or a sudden vasospasm which is referred to as an ischemia much akin as to how a heart attack develops.
10. A basic requirement for an acute stroke unit is a CT Scan machine which can quickly determine whether the brain attack is an infarct or is hemorrhagic.
11. A 'computerized tomography' (CT) or 'computerized axial tomography' (CAT) scan uses a computer that takes data from several X-ray images of structures inside a human's or animal's body and converts them into pictures on a monitor.
12. Tomography is the process of generating a 2-dimensional image of a slice or section through a 3-dimensional object. Similar to looking at one slice of bread within the whole loaf.

Warning signs of brain attack:

• Sudden weakness or numbness in the face, arm or leg on one side of the body.
• Sudden dimness or loss of vision, particulary in one eye.
• Loss of speech or having trouble talking or understanding speech.
• Sudden, severe headaches with no known or apparent cause.
• Unexplained dizziness, unsteadiness or sudden falls, especially together with any of the previous symptoms.

These signs may only last only a few minutes--a condition due to a "mini-stroke" known as transient ischemic attack (TIA)--but you still need medical attention because this may lead to brain attack.

References:

DOH Annual Calendar
BRAIN ATTACK AWARENESS WEEK
Brain Attack Awareness Week: Third Week, August
Brain Attack Awareness Week
Proclamation No. 92 PDF
Proclamation No. 92
What What is a CT scan? What is a CAT scan?
Warning signs of brain attack

12 Natural Bee Sting Remedies

12 Natural Bee Sting Remedies

The pain and swelling remedy that works for one person may not do much for another, so I’ve compiled a short list of the ones that people claim as the best. The majority of these items can be found around the average household, but you may want to purchase a couple of them to have handy for the growing season.

1. Garlic cloves: This one is quite popular and is touted as one of the best for the pain of a sting. Crush a garlic clove to release the garlic juices and press it against the sting.
2. Lavender essential oils: Just a drop on the sting site is all you need. The essential oils in the lavender are supposed to neutralize the venom immediately.
3. Baking soda and water: This one seems to have been around forever, but it’s a favorite. Mix the baking soda and water to form a thick paste then slather it onto the skin. Don’t wash it off.
4. Peanut butter: This was a new one for me. Again, people everywhere seem to find it effective. I’m anxious to try it, I mean, I am; but I’m not, you know?
5. Plantain (Plantago spp.): Plantain is a common weed that apparently had medicinal properties when it comes to bee stings. It makes itself at home almost everywhere, but whether you can find it around your home or not will depend on how obsessed you are with your yard or garden. In fact, if you’d like to plant plantain on purpose, there are some cultivars grown as ornamentals. They called P. major 'Rubrifolia' which has lovely purple foliage and P. major 'Rosularis' that has green bracts (in truth, they're leaves) that look like green roses. To use plantain as a bee sting treatment, chew up some of the leave to release its juices or firmly roll it between your thumb and fingers. Then press the juicy leaves against the sting.
6. Calendula (Calendula officinalis) flowers: Prepare flowers by crushing enough of them to get a good juice content and apply to sting.
7. Bee Balm (Monarda didyma) leaves: Prepare the leaves the same way as plantain.
8. Basil: Using crushed basil leaves is said to be extremely affective for pain caused by stings.
9. Onion: Cut an onion in half and press the inside of it (the juicy part) on the sting.
10. Honey: So, how ironic is this? I mean, it seems only fitting that if the bees have the sting; they also have the cure. Pour some honey on the affected site.
11. Parsley: I would crush quite a bit of parsley so you could really get some juice to try this one.
12. Apis Mellifica: Are you ready for more irony? Apis Mellifica is a homeopathic remedy that's made from whole bees that's suppose to work wonders on stings from all kinds of critters including fire ants. There are different potentcies and dosages so if you purchase some, follow the directions on the label.

Most of these natural remedies call for crushing or mixing ingredients, so it might not be a bad idea to invest in a mortar and pestle. A mortar and pestle is a small marble, stone, or wooden bowl with a little marble club-like thing used for crushing that looks like it belongs to cave people.

References:

12 Natural Bee Sting Remedies