PHILIPPINES COMMEMORATES THE 25th ANNIVERSARY OF PEOPLE POWER REVOLUTION

25 years has passed after the historical non violent revolution that happened in the Philippines. On Friday, February 25, Filipinos are celebrating the 25th anniversary of EDSA Revolution. The term EDSA revolution was derived from the name of the main avenue where most of the non violent protest happened.  EDSA Revolution is one of the peaceful revolution that happened in history. This prayerful mass revolution became an inspiration to many countries.
What makes Filipinos unite and decide to make a human barricade which is composed of more that 2 million people is their longing for the restoration of freedom that was said to be stolen by the dictatorship of then Philippines' President Ferdinand Marcos.
Marcos won the presidential race during 1965 election against Diosdado Macapagal. In 1969,  he was  re-elected again as president defeating Sergio Osmena Jr. At this point in time, several Filipinos were already against his leadership.  He was not allowed to run again for presidency for the the third time. On September 23, 1972, President Marcos declared Martial law (Proclamation number 1081) and his reason is rising civil disobedience. He suppresses liberty. He ordered arrest of his political opponents including then Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino. By imposing Martial law, President Marcos prolonged his stay in power.
Benigno Ninoy Aquino who was explicitly refused permission to return and was threatened by death was determined to set his foot back to the Philippines. On August 21, 1983, the brave Aquino was assassinated at the Manila International Airport which is now known as the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. His assassination started a series of protests and rallies.  President Marcos announced a presidential snap election( Batas Pambansa number 883). Ninoy's widow, Corazon Cojuanco Aquino was encouraged by opposition leaders to run for presidency. During the election, there were several reports that Marcos alllegedly interfere illegally with the election process. Despite all of these allegations, he was still proclaimed by the Commission on Election as President on February 15. 1986.

On February 22, 1986, Defense Secretary Juan Ponce Enrile and AFP Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Fidel V. Ramos together with the Reformed The Armed Forces Movement (RAM), SFP and YOU (Young Officers Union) prepared to confront Marcos and his cronies.. Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin through Radio Veritas summoned every Filipinos to support the Rebel leaders by going to EDSA. Millions of Filipinos gathered at EDSA to show their support. Priest, nuns and civilian together formed a human chain to prevent government troops in full combat gear to come near the camps. Priests and nuns lead the prayer vigil holding in their hands their rosaries, civilians hold flowers which they offer to the government troops for peace. This scenario melted the heart of the soldiers, they retreated. The historical EDSA Revolution ended without bloodshed.

The will of the Filipinos to recover its democracy prevailed. Corazon Aquino was sworn in as President of the Philippines on February 25 and Marcos was exiled in Hawaii together with his family and his cronies.

What happened in EDSA 25 years ago made a lasting impact in the world. Let us all continue what we have started at EDSA. Let's continue in making the Philippines a unique nation.

BINAURAL BEATS; ARE THEY REALLY MADE AS DIGITAL DRUGS???

Did you know that there are a lot of people who are now  using Binaural brainwaves as drug substitute? There are claims that through the use of binaural beats, one can get "HIGH" without the use of prohibited drugs.
Some of you might think this is something new but actually, this  technology was long been discovered by Heinrich Wilhelm Dove in 1839 and after a Century and a few decades, Biophysicist Gerard Oster made a research and  has found out that with the use of binaural beats, the human brain responds in tune with the frequency of the beats and call it " Frequency Following Response".
What is exactly a binaural beat?  A binaural beat is an audio technology designed to synchronize brainwaves. They are the result of 2 different auditory impulses that originates from the left and the right ear. The effects of the brainwave depends on the difference in frequencies of each tone in each ear. Binaural beats can alter moods, consciousness and behavior. Binaural beats are also called I-dosing or digital drugs. 
Although some binaural beats simulates prescription drugs, there are some made for brain enhancements, relaxation and meditation. Binaural tone makers offers hundreds of  brainwave "DOSES" such as depressants, opioids, stimulants, pain relievers, narcotics, relaxants. Almost all the moods that you want has been put into binaural beats. These are made possible through different binaural frequency  waves. So therefore, binaural tones or idosers are not really just for getting "high", It depends on the user.

DIFFERENT BINAURAL BRAINWAVE PATTERNS:
Gamma waves - 40 hz above - these are use for higher mental activity such as for problem solving, consciousness, fear.
Beta waves - 13-39 Hz - these are for active thinking and active concentration, paranoia, cognition and arousal.
Alpha waves - 7-13 Hz - these are for pre-sleep and pre-wake drowsiness and for relaxation.
Theta waves - 4-7 Hz - these are for deep meditation, relaxation, dreams and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.
Delta waves - 4 Hz and below are for loss of body awareness and deep dreamless sleep.

What does one need for dosing?  FIRST Follow the guides. You  need to have the PC application,  mp3 player or cellphone and a stereo headphones, then find a cosy place such as your bed or reclining chair where you can relax while listening to the binaural beat.

Although there are claims that binaural beats have beneficial effects on others, before trying something new to you, consult someone who is knowledgeable in Idosing or do some research first as there are always pros and cons in everything.


(DISCLAIMER: the author does not claim ownership of the photos and videos shown above, it is the property of their respective owner. The author is not in anyway affiliated to i-dosers.com or any binaural beat makers. This article is made only  for purpose of pure information)

sources: www.wikipedia.com, www.i-dosers.com, www.i-dose.us, www.youtube.com

ORIGIN OF VALENTINES DAY

                   photo from candyaddict.com

This month, love is in the air in many places in the world. It is the season of love. The month of romance specially to those who are in intimate relationship. People are giving gifts such as flowers, chocolates, candies and cards to their love ones. This is all because of Valentine's Day. It was actually Saint Valentine's Day but later on shortened to simply Valentine's day. 
Who is Saint Valentine and why do we celebrate it on February 14? 
There were numerous legends as to who is really St. Valentine. There are some who believe that he is a Christian priest who performed many miracles and because of his beliefs and teachings,  he was imprisoned and later on beheaded on February 14.

*Valentine of Rome - a priest in Rome who was martyred in 269 AD and was buried at Via Flaminia. 
*Valentine of Terni -  once a bishop in Interamna (know today as Terni) in 197 AD. He was persecuted under the Aurelian empire. He was also buried in Via Flaminia. 
In 14th Century, distinctions between the two martyrs were lost.  In 496 AD, Pope Gelasius I declared February 14 as Valentine's day but Pope Paul VI remove it from the Roman Calendar of Saints though its religious observance is still allowed.There were some who believes that these were just made by the Catholic church who looked for a suitable patron to replace Lupercus, a pagan god  of ancient Romans. Prior to the celebration of Valentine's day, a pagan festival already exist and was celebrated on February 13 to 15 to turn away evil spirits and purify their city and for health and fertility. The celebration is named Lupercalia named after Lupercus.
But whatever its origin, we all know that February 14 is Heart's day or a special day for those who were in love. 

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

(sources: history.com, wikipedia)

WELCOMING THE YEAR OF THE METAL RABBIT

This February 3, 2011, many of us would be celebrating the Chinese New Year. Many of us believes that Chinese New Year is a celebration of change.  It is the 4709th year in the Chinese calendar.

 Metal Rabbit Years
1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023

There are many beliefs when it comes to welcoming the Chinese New Year.
Here are some of what Chinese people do during New Year's eve, to attract good vibes and for continues flow of blessings throughout the year.
Clean your house, every corner should be swept but then after, put away all the brooms and brushes. Never sweep the floor on New Years Day because they believe that sweeping the floor during New Years Day will drive away all the luck that is in store for the coming year. Cleaning the house should start at the front door going to the center of the house, keep the dust and throw it after the 5th day. If possible, hang red paper lanterns and decorate with red scrolls. Wear new clothes. Have a new haircut but not on the day of New Year because it means driving away good luck.
Settle all your debts. Resolve all problems and differences with the whole family, friends, colleagues and neighbors. Never say anything negative on New Years Day. Never utter the word four for in China it means death. Knifes and other sharp objects should be kept away during the New Year to avoid accidents.
Chinese fill their dining table with lots of foods. One of the most common ritual during Chinese New Year is  eating Nian Gao or TIKOY for the Filipinos. It is also known as Chinese cake. Tikoy is made of glutinous rice. Nian Gao or tikoy symbolizes unity for the whole family throughout the year and its sweet taste is for good relationship. Some also have Hopia which symbolizes eternity and hope. There should also be noodles as this symbolizes long life.

If you are going to give Ang Pao ( a Chinese red envelope with Chinese characters outside.) which contains money, it should be divisible by 2, for the reason that in China, even numbers means harmony.

In order to chase away bad spirits and bad luck or negative energies, Chinese do the Dragon and Lion dance. There are difference between a Lion dance and Dragon dance. A lion dance is usually composed of 4 person, 2 for the head and 2 for the body of the lion. They are the ones who goes in business premises to get the hanging Ang Pao while the dragon dance is composed of 10 to 50 persons.  It has a longer body and controlled by poles.

The year of the Rabbit is considered to be the most luckiest year.
A rabbit is a symbol of  long life, good manner, and compassion. A person born under the sign of the rabbit were said to be private. He would rather do things by himself discreetly instead of being the center attention. He would be lucky in business and other transactions involving money. Although moody, a person born under the rabbit sign would live in tranquility. He is considerate and understanding, he avoids conflicts. Metal rabbits are very intense whether at work or romance. They are very ambitious.
A person born under this sign is said to be compatible with a person born under the sign of the pig, sheep and dog but not with rooster and rat.

Good Luck to all of you on the year of the Rabbit!  
KUNG HEI FAT CHOI!!