marine life discoveries

dozens of possible new marine species were recently found at the Celebes Sea, southern Philippines, by a US–Philippines underwater expedition. scientists exploring the deep ocean basin gathered about a hundred various specimens including the nemo-like orange fish (left), a deep-sea orange jellyfish (middle), and some zooplanktons like the lanternfish and snipe eel (right). for more of this story, see Scientists discover rare marine species.

wet pants

Come with me to a third grade classroom…

There is a nine-year-old kid sitting at his desk and all of a sudden there is a puddle between his feet and the front of his pants are wet. He thinks his heart is going to stop because he cannot possibly imagine how this has happened.  It has never happened before, and he knows that when the boys find out he will never hear the end of it. When the girls find out, they'll never speak to him again as long as he lives.

Finally, at the end of the day, as they are waiting for the bus, the boy walks over to Susie and whispers, "You did that on purpose, didn't you?" Susie whispers back, "I wet my pants once too."

May God help us see the opportunities that are always around us to do good. Remember just going to church doesn't make you a christian any more than standing in your garage makes you a car. Each and everyone one of us is going through tough times, but God is getting ready to bless you in a way that only He can. Keep the faith!

ms. beatrice

Ms. Bing of BPI sent me this funny story: 

Miss Beatrice, the church organist, was in her eighties and had never been married.
She was admired for her sweetness and kindness to all.

One afternoon the pastor came to call on her and she showed him into her quaint sitting room.

She invited him to have a seat while she prepared tea.

As he sat facing her old Hammond organ, the young minister noticed a
cute glass bowl sitting on top of it.

The bowl was filled with water, and in the water floated, of all things, a condom!

When she returned with tea and scones, they began to chat.

The pastor tried to stifle his curiosity about the bowl of water and its strange floater, but soon it got the better of him and he could no longer resist.

'Miss Beatrice', he said, 'I wonder if you would tell me about this?' pointing to the bowl.

'Oh, yes,' she replied, 'Isn't it wonderful? I was walking through the Park a few months ago and I found this little package on the ground. The directions said to place it on the organ, keep it wet and that it would prevent the spread of disease. Do you know I haven't had the flu all winter?'

CVA (stroke)

another relative had cerebrovascular accident (CVA) this month, his third stroke actually. he died of kidney failure a few days after that. four months ago,  a close cousin also had his first stroke while driving on his way home which led to his tragic death. inasmuch as CVA is a life-threatening disease, i decided to post some important facts about the said disease hoping to help us all recognize the early signs of stroke and thus save the lives of our loved ones.

what is CVA?

cerebrovascular accident (CVA),  also commonly known as brain attack or stroke, is the sudden death of some brain cells due to a lack of oxygen when the blood flow to the brain is impaired by blockage or rupture of an artery to the brain which would cause irreversible brain damage. it is one of the leading causes of death in many countries of the world.

signs & symptoms:

symptoms of a stroke depend on the area of the brain affected. the most common symptom is weakness or paralysis of one side of the body with partial or complete loss of voluntary movement or sensation in a leg or arm. there can be speech problems and weak face muscles, causing drooling, as well as a sudden severe headache often described as “the worst headache of my life” .  numbness or tingling is very common. a stroke involving the base of the brain can affect balance, vision, swallowing, breathing and even unconsciousness.

a bystander without medical training can also help to identify someone who is having a stroke, but remember that while many individuals with stroke may find the following tasks difficult, not all stroke symptoms can be encompassed in the following tasks:

• S — Ask the individual to smile.

• T — Ask the individual to raise both arms and keep them raised.

• R — Ask the individual to speak a simple sentence (coherently). For example, "It is sunny out today."

  note:   also ask the person to “stick” out their tongue . if the tongue is “crooked”, if it goes to one side or the other, that is also an indication of a stroke.

risk factors:

the risk of stroke is determined by both genetic and environmental influences. a number of specific risk factors include a family history of stroke in first-degree relatives, older age, male sex, hypertension, smoking, diabetes and heart disease.

prevention:

the risk of stroke can be reduced through the following lifestyle changes:

• stop smoking;

• control blood pressure; 

• get regular exercise; 

• keep body weight down;

• avoid excessive alcohol consumption; and

• get regular checkups and follow the doctor's advice regarding diet and medicines.

treatment:

it is important to identify a stroke as early as possible because patients who are treated earlier are more likely to survive and have better recoveries. if one catches it too late (s)he can die. as many doctors note, "time lost is brain lost."

damage from stroke may be significantly reduced through emergency treatment. knowing the symptoms of stroke is as important as knowing those of a heart attack. patients with stroke symptoms should seek emergency treatment without delay, which may mean calling an ambulance instead of calling his/her doctor,  even if the symptoms have dissipated or apparently resolved. receiving hospital treatment within 3 hours of the attack may avoid irreversible brain damage.

glasswing butterfly

beautiful species huh? they’re called glasswing butterflies (scientific name: Greta oro), which thrive in Central America. this rare and delicate butterfly species rivals the refined beauty of a stained glass window through its  translucent wings shimmering in the sunlight like polished panes of green, orange, red and turquoise. according to rain forest ecologists, its presence in the tropics indicates high habitat quality and its demise alerts ecological change.