eLmEr, NobLe and gReaT

It’s good to have money and the things that money can buy;

but it’s good, too, to check up once in a while

and make sure that you haven’t lost the things

that money can’t buy.

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as posted status of a friend..

To be tired of life is a serious problem. Weariness is not caused by hard work or unrest, but from a sick state of mind.

It is usually a mixture of silent revolt, dissatisfaction, and ill-will; it hampers your evolution.

Remove this shroud of unhappiness that afflicts you, assume control of your aspirations and restore your spiritual strength.

Change the rhythm of your activities, and give yourself new motivation.

Take off this cloak of indifference that envelops you.

Life is always forcing you into changes that foster your spiritual growth; sometimes because you lack discernment, you may adopt an attitude which generates unpleasant consequences. Nevertheless, such an outcome may work on your behalf because it will shake you out of the apathy which might have been burdening your mind.

Every good action performed conveys a peculiar stimulus that renovates and pacifies those who give themselves up to it enthusiastically.

From moment to moment, step by step, working and serving, you will feel rested, and a good disposition will help you act prudently and wisely.

Keep on making constant changes in your life, for they will push you forward, and create a more objective, and more dynamic state of mind which will help you act wisely.

Meet every new day with a cheerful disposition, knowing that you can be a useful tool to carry out the work of God. He bestowed limitless resources on you so that you may reach your goal, if only you will release yourself from the unhealthy mood you call weariness.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/puri_titiwang_presents/message/8729

There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His Father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence.

The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.

Finally the day came when the boy didn’t lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper.

The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence.

He said, “You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won’t matter how many times you say I’m sorry, the wound is still there. ”

A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one. Friends are very rare jewels, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share words of praise and they always want to open their hearts to us.”

By Carmen Guerrero Nakpil Updated January 26, 2009 12:00 AM 

 It appears we’ve been at it for a long time. Bribes. Turning a blind eye. Bending the law. Unexplained wealth. Only we didn’t call it “corruption.”

The Spaniards blamed it on bureaucracy, “cosas de palacio,” (stuff in the palace). The Americans gave us a new word for it, “graft.” During the early years of our independence, it was labeled “anomalies.” The new global word is “corruption.”

In the second half of the 17th century in Manila, things were pretty much what they are today. Smuggling, illegal trade, secret agenda, false labels flourished. The rulers were the worst offenders and foreign governments and traders made the most of greed in high places. Identities remained hidden and religion kept both eyes on heaven. The poor were never considered except as sources of hard, often forced, labor, the taxes and servility they provided.

History gives us the gory details. A treatise on English trade in Manila and Mindanao (1672-1699) by Dr. Serafin Quiason draws the horrifying but familiar picture of corruption in our country then.

Because of the galleon trade between Manila and Acapulco, we had silver coming out of our ears and whole kingdoms, ships, merchants and scoundrels and all the shysters of the known world were racing towards Manila to get their handful.

The Spanish kings, being Hapsburgs, were not inclined to share the treasure with former enemies like the English pirates, the Dutch merchant mariners or the ambitious French. The Chinese had a stranglehold near-monopoly because they had been in residence centuries before Magellan and Legaspi, doing all the work.

The Spaniards in Manila suffered from a “recurring fear of European aggressiveness,” writes Dr. Quiason. “Manila was off-limits to the English, under pain of sequestration of vessels and merchandise as well as the imprisonment of English captains and supercargo. Those who were exempted were the Portuguese and the Asians.”

How to get around those Spanish courts?

The task of gaining access to the exclusive Manila market had to be done “in the stealthy manner of circumspect schemes,” of British officials using their Hindu and Portuguese connections. We guess these methods were very much like those employed nowadays by Filipino customs agents and smugglers in Manila’s port area.

English ships flying Portuguese or Armenian flags, English captains disguised as interpreters carried huge cargoes of textiles, long cloth, cotton, zinc, pewter, saltpeter and iron and made a “hefty profit,” about 40 percent on their investment, during several trips during the trading season, between February and July each year.

“To beguile the religious sensitivity of the Spanish officials and ecclesiastics, the names of the ships of the East India Company were changed to the names of saints, “Sto. Tomas, Santa Cruz, or Nuestra Señora del Rosario.”

Such wily tactics were actually quite unnecessary. Gifts to the officials including the occupants of the Palacio put the illegal traders on the good side of the Manila authorities. As any self-respecting businessman today knows only too well. The authorities, civil and religious, knew exactly what was going on and played dumb for a price. And, remember, the media were still not around.

“The bureaucracy was so plagued with corruption,” writes Serafin Quiason, “that bribery was a deeply ingrained part of the game at the Manila Customs House. The Hindu aides or the English sea captains, under a carefully contrived cloak of secrecy, were granted an audience at the Palace or the Town Hall, bearing suitable gifts and fictitious names, conducting trading operation during many years.”

Another historian, Clarence H. Haring, chimes in: “The illicit trade was welcomed by the authorities for it supplied their needs, giving them an opportunity of enriching themselves and adding to the comforts and luxuries of living.” The lifestyle checks on the rich and infamous repose in the archives in our National Library, and never saw the offices of today’s tabloids.

Another side to the corruption in 17th- century Manila and the damage it inflicted on our ancestors sheds light on our lives today. The illegality flourished because there was a deep and wide market for imported goods. What we now call “the colonial mentality” of the Filipino consumer.

That weakness in the national character is described by Dr. Quiason thus: “The indios Filipinos developed a special preference for the imported fabrics of bright colors (hand-woven chintz, muslin, calico, gingham, taffeta, especially the wovenfolk who made them into exquisite saya and tapis worn by the affluent indio women. The importing craze whetted the appetite for diamonds and precious stones brought by Armenian merchants.” Now we know where and when the taste for flamboyant clothes and accessories displayed by our generals’ wives and cabinet-members’ mistresses comes from.

An interesting sidebar to this glimpse of illegality in 17th-century Spanish Manila is the little-known participation of at least one great man of American academe. A Welshman born and raised in America, he left for London at the age of 21 where he worked in various offices, then spent the rest of his life at Fort St. George on the Indian coast, finally becoming its governor, but also one of the richest merchants trading in diamonds, slaves, money-lending, spices shipping and other contraband enterprises in Manila and Maguindanao.

It was from the great fortune he made in the “Indies,” specially “Manilha” and the Spanish Moluccas” as this country was called then, that he made mammoth donations to an obscure college in “Conecticot” which became one of the pillars of the US Ivy League and bore his name: Elihu Yale. Many of the most successful and learned Filipinos have been Yale men, graduates of Yale University like Dr. Serafin Quiason.

By bringing up corruption in high places in 17th-century Philippines, am I saying that nothing has changed? That, in that famous Gallic cynicism, the more things change, the more they remain the same? Or that corruption is endemic to our country, like malaria or dengue fever because there’s nothing we can do about the behavior of mosquitoes?

Rizal said that “even our defects are those of our colonizers.” During those long oppressive centuries, we Filipinos were carefully taught by example, from Spain, sloth and braggadocio; from America, materialism and hypocrisy; and from both, that corruption was a tool for survival.

Westerners call this argument “flogging a dead horse.” But the stench of a dead horse, like colonization, poisons the air for a long time if it’s left unburied. It enters the bloodstream, the racial memory, the national DNA.

And thus do we continue to lie, cheat, steal, deceive others and our own selves as if it were our second nature.

Until we determine to bury the dead horse of colonization, with its deadly effects on our subconscious and expunge the poisonous boot habits that its carcass infected us with, we shall remain on the shame list of the world’s most corrupt countries.

Look at it this way: clean hands and pure hearts are the best proof that we are at last truly free of our colonizers. For, it was not always like this. The Chinese chronicles of the 11th century praised us for the innocent honesty with which our forefathers left the exact equivalent of the goods for barter which they had left on our beaches, at the appointed time, without benefit or need for pledges and records. Our real heritage is the honor system.

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further reading, the study made by the College of Public Administration of UP during the early eighties..the above article circa spanish times..the study includes both era including the pre-spanish times.

No good letter was ever written to convey information, or to please the recipient, … it may achieve both these results incidentally; but its fundamental purpose is to express the personality of the writer.
– Lytton Strachey

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from one yahoo group..

just for fun..i was born under sign of scorpio in the year of the dragon..

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SCORPIO
(24 October – 22 November)

Trust your gut instinct in 2009. It’ will help you avoid potential pitfalls and also steer you in the right direction. Despite the challenges around, you are fundamentally fine. When doubts do appear, check them out. Your attitude will make all the difference, so take charge of negative thinking. Switch off old stuck records and switch on realistic optimism.

Romance and relationships: A romance begun in January is more off than on for a while. In April you find out whether it is going anywhere. Married life hits a wobble in late May, showing you that being possessive isn’t healthy. Giving your partner breathing space puts you back on good terms by mid-June and the intimacy improves.

Your health and wellness: Late March into April, your energy levels are low. Have a check-up, get extra rest and increase your pleasure quotient. That includes feeding your soul and making a commitment to de-stress daily. Even when you are busy, stop to smell the roses and take in beauty. For exercise, dance. It’s much more fun than working-out.

Career: Working on your people and communication skills gives you the edge in your dealings with colleagues, clients and bosses. The rewards will come in May, when being assertive without getting peoples’ backs up sees you through a challenging situation. October is a go-getter month. Be proactive and take initiatives.

Parenting: Kids naturally tend to push against boundaries, but this year you’re really being tested. It’s a developmental phase, so don’t take it personally. February is particularly difficult and stretches your ability to be calm and patient. Breathe deeply, get input from an expert and do your best. No one is perfect.

Finances and money management: It’s not how much you have, but how you use it that counts. Living within your means reduces anxiety and produces a surprising sense of freedom. Reducing your carbon footprint also saves you money in the long run. On May 7th, don’t sign contracts.

Being your best self: When you come from love, not fear, you have the power to transform difficult situations. With your emotional strength, you are a magnetic person and a loyal friend.
http://www.gulfnews.com/Aquarius/Horoscope/10270889.html

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Dragon Overview

The year of the Ox may slightly hinder the Dragon’s independent spirit. There will be gains, but you may have to adapt to situations with different strategies than your usual style. There are three favorable months to provide periods of substantial progress and you would do well to take notice of these times and make the most of the opportunities offered. You will have many situations socially that provide great joy throughout the year. The single Dragon will be happy to know that romance is favored this year, so you may find someone to share your experiences. Be conservative in your spending or it could result in problems next year.

Dragon Rating

40% (3 favorable and 4 neutral and 5 unfavorable months)

Dragon Career

The Dragon’s career may be one of the more positive aspects of the year. This will be a year of reasonable progress. Even though the Dragon may have some distinct ideas on what you want to accomplish, 2009 will disclose conditions that you will have to adapt and overcome. You may have to adapt and work with others to gain what you want, rather than doing things in your own independent style. With care and effort, you can make considerable progress and improve your position, but your true gains will be with experience and skills you acquire this year that will prove invaluable in the future.

Dragon Relationships

The Dragon is a social creature and you will invariably relish in the company of others adding enjoyment and pleasure throughout the year. Your family life will offer the support and encouragement you need. You will have to pay attention to your family members feelings by using tact and discretion in vulnerable situations. By not doing so could deteriorate close relations. There will be a number of occasions that will allow you to add to your circle of friends. The single Dragon will be pleased to know that romance is favored.

Dragon Health

The Dragon has an active spirit and it is important that you involve yourself in a number of physical activities to maintain your health. You enjoy being outdoors and you might want to get involved with something that tests your skills and provides a change of scenery, such as rock climbing or hiking. Failure to remain active could result in added stress and emotional swings that could effect your work, as well as your personal life.

Dragon Wealth

The Dragon would do well to pull in the reins on lavish spending and take a more conservative approach this year. You may want to avoid any risky ventures or speculative investments in the year of the Ox. Failure to take care and caution this year could result in future problems. Keep a close watch on your financial situation throughout the year and you may find that you will have times when you can make purchases that coincide with your budget.

http://shine.yahoo.com/astrology/chinese/dragon/yearly-overview/

my favorite color - varies with mood and weather..summer - light and bright colors (green and red); colder months (in kuwait) and rainy season (in the philippines) - dark and earth colors (black, gray, brown)..

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Living with right wardrobe colors

By Bia Fernandez
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Last updated 18:07:00 01/23/2009

THE ber-months saw both in-store and living mannequins in opulent purples, shiny golds and charm school-red plaid. But this 2009, maybe you should be in charge of your wardrobe’s color scheme. After all, the color you choose can determine how your new year will go.

Blue

Has 2008 been roller-coaster-hectic? Has it left you with nightmares of cramming sessions and 35-page philosophy papers? Maybe blues, grays and silvers will help you have a much more serene New Year. These calming colors will not only affect your mood, but will also give you an air of intelligence and stability. Try slate grays or palace blues.

Red

Does your list of resolutions include finally standing out, speaking up more often in class or gaining the confidence to flirt with your crush? Then red is the way to go. It’s a color no wallflower would wear as it commands attention and gives a vibe of energy, power and passion. Try fuchsia red for maximum effect.

Purple

Pantone’s 2008 color of the year, purples can very well dominate 2009 as well—especially for those who want to delve deeper into their creative side. Want to take extra art classes? Or is your Fine Arts thesis due this school year? Purple, the color of creativity, mystery and ambition is for you. Try this color in soft lavenders.

Yellow

Disturbed those yearbook write-ups describe you as “our barkada’s manang”? Spontaneity should be your goal this year. Start by adding yellow to your wardrobe. It will encourage you to be more lighthearted and physically energetic. Those who see it will tend to think you’re childlike, cheerful and easygoing. Try yellows in trendy super lemon.

Green

For those who partied too hard and rebelled too often last year, refresh yourselves with green. It denotes new beginnings and healing and attracts friends who are good at comforting and listening. It is also believed to block feelings of negativity and violence. Green is one of the top color picks for 2009; enjoy it in shades of lucite, vibrant and dark citron.

http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/you/2bu/view/20090123-185166/Living-with-right-wardrobe-colors

As posted in the GMA NEWS website that drew a lot of comments..A must read for all..this is the filipino version..

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The top 10 irritating Pinoy expressions
Butch Dalisay

Last November, the folks at Oxford University came out with a list of “top ten irritating expressions” in the English language, by which I suppose they meant the English language as it’s employed in their corner of the English-speaking world, and not necessarily in what used to be the backwaters of the Bard’s dominion, in places like India and the Philippines. “Irritating” is, of course, a matter of cultural and personal predisposition. One man’s joke—such as the “Barack the Magic Negro” song that top Republicans passed among themselves—could be another man’s slur, and what annoys an American—such as a Pinoy texting in the middle of conversation—might be perfectly normal to the other fellow.

So the Oxford list might cause some of us to just go “Eh?”, but it’s always interesting to see what ticks off other people. Now let’s see which among the following words or phrases feels like a bug in your ear:

1. At the end of the day
2. Fairly unique
3. I personally
4. At this moment in time
5. With all due respect
6. Absolutely
7. It’s a nightmare
8. Shouldn’t of
9. 24/7
10. It’s not rocket science

Well, come now, that wasn’t too bad, was it? We hear these expressions hereabouts now and then, but not that often, so they don’t grate on us as they might with the English. For example, we hardly ever say, “It’s not rocket science,” because, well, we don’t have rocket science in this country. Indeed we have our own, uhm, fairly unique ways of putting things and of getting annoyed by them.

I’ve compiled my own list of irritating expressions in English as we Filipinos use the language among ourselves, with others, over the airwaves, in the office, in conferences, and in the papers. I’m sure you can add to this list—do send me your pet peeves—and this comes with the caveat that the annoyance may be entirely mine. If they don’t bother you, then don’t lose any sleep over them; Lord knows we suffer enough aggravations in this life and in this country without having to be upset by wrong or awkward prepositions.

(Speaking of which, a reader wrote in recently to say how he or she—there was no name in the email address—failed to appreciate whatever I was doing in my column-piece on getting a La-Z-Boy, because I had committed the grievous error of saying “in the mall” instead of “at the mall” in my first sentence. I said I agreed that “at the mall” was probably the preferred and “correct” form, but I also asked him/her to Google the whole phrase “in the mall” to see how it’s entered common usage. Language—unfortunately or otherwise—isn’t graven in stone like math, perhaps to the distress of ruler-toting schoolmarms; one billion people saying “1+1=3” isn’t going to make it so. But if enough people—including influential writers and editors in places like Newsweek and The New York Times—say “different than” instead of “different from,” which I’m sticking with only because it’s what I’ve been used to, then the language will change; it already has. This might as well be the place for me to remind readers that while I do teach English and while I deeply value and enjoy language as a writer, I don’t think of myself as a stickler for rules, as some would like me to be. I cringe at bad language and poor grammar, but there are far worse things in life to fret over, and some of the worst damage to English is being perpetrated by some fools in Congress who insist on an English-only policy when they can barely speak or write it. I once had to sit through a hearing where a congressman held forth on “the youngs, the youngs of this country!”)
But here’s my list of the ten most irritating Pinoy expressions in English—irritating not necessarily because they’re wrong (although some are), but because they’re everywhere you look and listen.

1. “In fairness.” The most popular phrase in Pinoy showbiz, where fairness is apparently in great demand. Every time I hear this, my mind goes, “In fairness to whom or to what?”, but you never get to hear the other end of the phrase, so much so that you begin to suspect that the speaker really means “In fairness to me!”

2. “As far as.” I don’t mean “as far as the eye can see,” but “As far as accommodations, everything is already taken care of” (or, more likely in these parts, “taken cared of”) or “As far as Manny Pacquiao, either Hatton or Mayweather will be okay for his next fight.” As in the above, I keep looking for the missing “is (or are) concerned” after “as far as”—but it looks like that’s as far as most people will go.

3. “At this point in time,” the Pinoy version of “At this moment in time.” I can recall precisely when I began hearing this wondrously redundant expression over the airwaves—during the coverage of the 1986 EDSA revolt and its aftermath, from which point (in time?) it became a staple of reporters and broadcasters. Why not just say, “at this point” or “at this time” or the even more economical “today” or “now”?

4. “Remains to be.” Not in the sense of “It remains to be seen if Filipinos will finally vote for the right person,” but rather “The deposit remains to be unclaimed” or “This painter remains to be unappreciated by the critics.” “To be”? Not to be!

5. “Wherein.” I don’t know how this word crept into the vocabulary and overran the place, rather like the carnivore snail someone imported that ate up all the other garden creatures both good and bad, but you hear it everywhere, taking over where (or wherein?) the good old “where” (or, sometimes, the more precise “whereby”) should suffice. Hear this: “The house wherein the hero was born will be turned into a museum.” Want to have some fun? Google these two words together: “wherein” and “Philippines.” You’ll find choice examples like “He entered the University of the Philippines wherein he studied Medicine.”

6. “Demand for.” I’ve already written about this before, but obviously no one in government and corporate officialdom reads me, so we still have signs screaming “Demand for your receipt!”

7. “Literally.” Don’t people know that “literally” means, well, “literally”? I’ve heard people say “I’m so hungry I could literally eat a horse!” Really? I tried horsemeat once, in little nibbles—no, it didn’t taste like chicken—so I guess I could say “I literally ate horse,” but literally eating a horse will require hunger the size of Africa.

8. “Whatever.” You ask someone a perfectly good question you’ve taken minutes to compose, and that person shrugs her shoulders or rolls his eyes and says “Whateverrrr….” Don’t you just want to strangle that person on the spot?

9. “Wholistic/holistic.” First of all, just how do you spell this thing? Does it come with a W or not? The medical dictionary defines “holism” (no W) as “the conception of a man as a functioning whole.” But then you have websites devoted to “The Wholistic Pet” and “Wholistic Health Solutions” (which, incidentally, sells the Home Colon Cleaning Kit). This word (with or without the W—whatever) seems to be one of those warm and fuzzy buzzwords that came in with New Age music, organic tomatoes, and NGOs. (I’ll talk about “stakeholders” some other day.)

10. “Multiawarded.” It’s No. 10 on this list, but it tops my list of Ugliest Frankenwords in the Universe. Of course, it’s popular because it does the job of saying “He (or she) has won not just one but many prizes!” Anyone should be happy to be multiawarded, and I should be honored that this word’s been often applied to me in introductions and such—but it isn’t false modesty at work when you see me wincing at the word. “Prizewinning” will do. Or, better yet, “many-splendored.” But that would no longer be me.

http://blogs.gmanews.tv/butch-dalisay/archives/2009/01/05.html

Even More Irritating Pinoy Expressions
Butch Dalisay
Last week’s piece on “The 10 Most Irritating Pinoy Expressions in English” unleashed a torrent of responses, many of them contributions to a further listing of words and phrases that sound like fingernails on a blackboard. I’d clearly forgotten many more of these expressions, so let me take note of the choicest ones on my readers’ lists, as well as add a couple more of my own.

1. Actually, basically, honestly, as a matter of fact. Favorite opening lines, no matter what follows. I suspect that “actually” is the Pinoy’s translation of another phrase revered in showbiz, “sa totoo lang,” mouthing which is supposed to instantly enhance the truthfulness of one’s statement. “Basically” sounds more educated than “uhmmm” and “duhhh,” so it fills those gaps just nicely, like so much starch in a sausage. And don’t you just love it when someone says, “As a matter of fact…” followed by an opinion?

2. Stuffs, equipments, jewelries, evidences, baggages, luggages. Who said we didn’t know our grammar? Add “s” to form the plural, right?

3. As in, as if. These, to some Pinoys, are complete—albeit elliptical—sentences, as in “As in!” or “As if!” For the full explanation, grab someone below 25 off the street and torture him or her for the answer. That person will probably be dead before you’re satisfied.

4. “I want to be clarified.” Unless you happen to be a vat of syrup, fruit juice, butter, or petroleum, clarifying you will be difficult, even lethal. Some matters may need to be clarified, but not people, as dense or as confused as they may be.

5. “Like what you said….” What’s with the what? Like last week’s “wherein,” “what” has insinuated itself into our English in this very strange way: “As what the Golden Rule says, do unto others….” or “Independents can sometimes win, like what the last elections proved.” What? Not!

Not all Filipinisms are or should be annoying—although “annoying” depends on who’s getting annoyed. I don’t see myself ever using such words as “presidentiable” or “Imeldific,” but I can’t take them away from Filipinos for whom they’ve acquired a very clear and precise meaning. (My abhorrence for “multiawarded” stems from the crudeness of its construction, but I’m resigned to hearing it until I croak.)

We have as much a right to contribute to the ever-growing vocabulary and usage of English as other people who use the language. If we have to bend over backwards to understand what the British mean by “dressed to the nines” or what young Americans do when they “diss” someone, then it can’t be too much to expect them to figure out what we mean by “for a while” (which some of my readers roundly scored, but which I’ve come to appreciate for its certain charm).

Of course, things get tricky when we invent words, fully expecting others to understand and to accept them the way we do. Reader Peter Stitt suggested that “fiscalize” is Pinoy news-speak, and I had to Google the word to see that he was right (or nearly so—it’s used in an even larger sense by the Portuguese, who, asserts one article, have fiscals for everything, from college exams to food and drink and taxes).

If we banned the word “votation”—the ultimate solution to every argument in this country, next to knives and guns—no one would ever get elected, and nothing would ever get done (considering where “votation” has taken us, maybe that’s not too bad). And how can anyone tell the Aggrupation of Advocates for Environmental Protection (AGAP) or the Pagadian-based Baganian Aggrupation for Development (BAD) that they have no right to exist, because… there’s no such word? (Their defense will be to fall back on the precedent of the Concerned Citizens Aggrupation, which won many votes in Zamboanga in the early 1980s.)

As I’ve said in this corner many times before, the important thing is for those who use English to deal with the outside world to be aware of the difference between our English and theirs. Otherwise, whatever works, works. (And sometimes, English among the non-English can be marvelously mangled and crystal clear all at once, as when we were haggling with a seller of T-shirts in Shanghai last month and were told by the fat lady, “This one, that one, same-same!”)

How boring life would be if we all spoke like a BBC announcer (or, as they would say over there, “presenter”) or wrote like Henry James; tuxedos are silly when we should be wearing jeans. But to those for whom language is as important as clothing on the job, appropriateness is everything, and we should know when to put on that “grammar Nazi” helmet and when to let our hair down (or whatever’s left of it).

My friend and fellow English major Marlu Balmaceda wrote in to submit her pet peeve, which is the way “enjoin” is used by most people these days, as a synonym for “encourage”—“I enjoin you to support this project, etc.” Ernie Hizon of Unilab also disliked the word, reading it as so much corporate gobbledygook. Marlu’s objection came from the fact that “enjoin” originally meant the opposite: to prohibit (“I enjoin you from returning to these shores”).

“Enjoin” happens to be one of those words whose meanings have doubled or even reversed over time, so that today, curiously enough, it can mean both things, depending on the particular usage, although its older sense is largely forgotten. “Cleave,” “awful” and “fulsome” are three other such words. To cleave is to split something apart, but it also means to hold fast to something (“the ax cleaved the dry wood” but also “the child cleaved to its mother”); “awful” used to mean “awe-inspiring” in the reign of Henry VIII, but now means something considerably different; and “fulsome” doesn’t just mean “a lot,” but also—and more correctly, today—“excessive.”

Reader Jun Mongcopa enlightened (clarified?) me about the origins of the phrase “at this point in time,” which he traces back to the early ‘70s, when “every Tom, Dick, Harry and Jane of an American speaker/lecturer visiting our country started using the phrase. There was an article in Time magazine about it and it would seem that the phrase was coined by a Harvard professor. Locally, by the mid-‘70s, the phrase was picked up and popularized by the Asian Institute of Management. Every Juan, Tomas, and Maria who ever set foot upon the hallowed grounds of AIM, be it by attending lectures, seminars or taking up an MBA, had to use the phrase when asked to speak. It became the badge of distinction; when you used the phrase it meant you had some intellectual enlightenment from AIM, which was a really big deal at that time, AIM being touted as the Harvard of the Philippines and equally expensive as hell to enroll in.”

Durnit, I knew I missed something by not going to Harvard or AIM! Many thanks, Jun, and to all the others who sent in their contributions. I have a feeling we’re not done yet. I’ll get back to this topic one of these days—oh, I almost forgot another of your/our favorite expressions, the perfect way to end a Pinoy conversation: “Promise!”

Email me at penmanila@yahoo.com, and visit my blog at www.penmanila.net.
http://blogs.gmanews.tv/butch-dalisay/index.php?url=archives/34-Even-More-Irritating-Pinoy-Expressions.html&serendipity[csuccess]=true

I was searching for an article about yogurt drinks (laban) and here’s what lead me to..an article about some arab drinks..but still have to confirm whether their benefits is true or not..but all i can say except for the tamarind drinks (hmm - the one in cans from thailand) — its an acquired taste.

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To Favorite Ramadan Drinks
After years of guzzling two glasses of any juice handy, usually before even getting started on iftar, I realized that since I wasn’t tasting what I was drinking, but merely quenching my thirst, I might as well do without the calories and simply stick to water.
By Noha Mohammed
I was also under the impression that the eight cups of water a day was a rule of thumb. Little did I know, when I first started researching this piece, that for starters it is not a golden rule (as you can sometimes get away with much less, depending on your metabolism) and that you can get your daily intake from food.

But what really caught me by surprise was how good traditional Ramadan drinks are for anyone who is fasting. Not only are traditional drinks great thirst-quenchers, they also contain a slew of active ingredients to make up for any disruption caused by your new Ramadan diet.

 
Qamar el-din (apricot juice):

The most traditional of Ramadan beverages, it is made from dried apricot paste. Physician and philosopher Avicenna (known in the Arab world as Ibn Sina) rightly praised dried apricots as thirst quenchers and antidotes to diarrhea. Qamar el-din aids indigestion, regulates metabolism and is packed with vitamins A, B and C, as well as calcium, iron, potassium and phosphorous. A perfect way to start iftar, it produces enough of a sugar rush to get the digestive system working without over-stimulating it. (Go easy on the sugar, though.) Qamar el-din can, surprisingly, soothe jumpy nerves and stress, so it’s great after a hard day at work. The strangest of its components? Folic acid, which helps fetuses grow; super for pregnant women.

Tamr Hindi (Tamarind):

This tropical fruit tree has one of the highest levels of carbohydrates and proteins found in any fruit. It is the perfect beverage for diabetics, as it regulates blood sugar and cholesterol levels. It is also extremely rich in vitamin C, which boosts the immune system and is high in beta-carotene. Other essential minerals found in tamr hindi include potassium, phosphorous and calcium.

Karkade (Hibiscus):

Did you know that a cup of hibiscus tea contains 17 percent citric acid and half as much vitamin C as an orange? Not surprisingly, it helps to boost and strengthen the immune system, which can be put under considerable stress while fasting. Speaking of stress, hibiscus is also widely used to regulate blood pressure, which can fluctuate between low during fasting and high after iftar (due to the concentrated sugar intake).

Known in hot regions of the globe as an effective thirst-quencher, hibiscus reduces the buildup of fatty deposits in arteries and reduces blood cholesterol levels. Like cranberry juice, it is used in treating urinary tract infections and aids in regulating blood flow. Other properties in the herb help maintain the blood sugar balance in the body.

Laban Rayeb (yogurt drink):

Today, laban rayeb is one of the most popular drinks in the Middle East. Recently, it has found its way to Egypt, where its intake is generally restricted to this time of the year. It’s a well-known fact that friendly bacteria found in live yogurt can aid in digestion, as well as help to clean the intestines and digestive tract, all of which can be necessary to treat an upset stomach after a few days of heavy iftars and sohours. Because it requires no added sugar, those watching their waistlines tend to prefer this creamy drink.

Erq sous (Licorice):

Although not to everyone’s taste, licorice, which is better known in the form of candy than as a drink, is one of the most biologically active herbs known to man. Acting as an anti-inflammatory, it affects the immune, circulatory and respiratory systems. Essentially, licorice is a chronic fatigue combatant, mimicking the effects of natural hormones. As such, it fights off lethargy by causing fluid retention (which will make you feel less thirsty), raises blood pressure (which usually dips while fasting, due to lack of sugar intake) and combats potassium loss. Licorice is also used to soothe the stomach and as an effective cough suppressant.

Kharoub (carob):

Another acquired taste, kharoub potentially reduces cholesterol, aids digestion and acts as an antioxidant. Pinitol, an active component of kharoub, has been shown to regulate blood glucose and is especially recommended for diabetics. et
 

http://www.egypttoday.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=6013