Welcome to the Kingdom of Doodsdpogi

Women! Doctors are often not the first one to detect breast cancer. If you have been doing regular Breast Self-Exams chances are you’ll be the first to spot any unusual changes. Research show tumors found by women practicing BSE are half the size of those discovered by doctors in non-BSE practicing women. Needless to say, the earlier the cancer tumor is discovered, the greater the chance of its cure.

Christopher Columbus was christened Cristofro Colombo and that he was not the first to discover The Americas? Also that Columbus's arrival marked the beginning of one of the cruelest episodes in Human history. That under Columbus and other Spanish adventures, as well as later European colonizers, an era of genocide was opened that ravaged the native American population through warfare, forced labor, draconian punishments and European disease to which the Indians had no natural immunities.

England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a "bone-house" and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive. So they thought they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the "graveyard shift") to listen for the bell; thus, someone could be "saved by the bell", or maybe considered a "dead ringer."

Lead cups were used to drinking whisky. That combination would sometimes knock them out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up. Hence the custom of holding a "wake".

Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or "upper crust."

Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning and death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous.

Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special. When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man "could bring home the bacon." They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and "chew the fat."

In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire. Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes the stew had food in it that had been there for quite a while. Hence, the rhyme "Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old".

The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on the floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they kept adding more thresh until when you opened the door it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entranceway. Hence the saying, a "thresh hold."

The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt. Hence, the saying, "dirt poor".

There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings could really mess up your nice clean bed. Hence a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That's how canopy beds came into existence.

Houses had thatched roofs-thick straw-piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the dogs, cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof. Hence the saying, "It's raining cats and dogs."

Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children-last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Hence the old saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water."

Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May and still smelled pretty good by June. However, they were starting to smell so brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor. Hence, the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married.

A little girl had been shopping with her Mom in WalMart. She must have been 6 years old and the image of innocence. It was pouring outside. The kind of rain that gushes over the top of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the earth it has no time to flow down the spout. We all stood there under the awning and just inside the door of the WalMart. We waited, some patiently, others irritated because nature messed up their hurried day. I am always mesmerized by rainfall. I got lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world. Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a child came pouring in as a welcome reprieve from the worries of my day. The little voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught in "Mom, let's run through the rain," she said. "What?" Mom asked. "Let 's run through the rain!" She repeated. "No, honey. We'll wait until it slows down a bit," Mom replied. Th...

Aloe has the unique ability to help skin renew itself by stimulating cellular metabolism, thereby promoting oxygen exchange and increasing the absorption of nutrients. Aloe contains the anti-oxidant vitamins A and C; the minerals copper, selenium, and magnesium; and zinc, a powerful virus fighter. This method is best used for more localized sunburns. Rather than cutting from the tip or half way down the stalk, cut it at its base. Slit the stalk horizontally, exposing the gelatinous interior. Using the thickest, juiciest section for the burn, cut a piece large enough to completely cover the burn and its surrounding tissue. Place the entire piece on the area (gel and peel, gel side toward the burn). Cover the aloe with roller gauze and surgical tape to keep it firmly in place. Leave on overnight or, if burn occurred early in the day, cut a fresh piece of aloe to make a new dressing and leave on overnight. The remaining stalk of aloe may be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated over ni...

No apple cider vinegar or plain yogurt in the house? Then check the deepest recess of your refrigerator for that box of baking soda you stashed there eons ago (hopefully, not too many eons--to effectively deodorize your fridge, baking soda should be changed about every 3 months). Like apple cider vinegar and yogurt, baking soda helps to balance pH, the skin’s acid/alkaline balance. Add ¼ cup baking soda to a warm bath for an effective sunburn-healing soak. Soak for 15 minutes.

Yogurt is a natural healer. It is the antidote for the burn of hot, spicy food in Indian cooking by re-establishing acid/alkaline balance and works the same way for sunburned skin. For sunburn, I use compresses of natural yogurt to help cool and hydrate the skin. You wrap whole-milk, full-fat, plain yogurt in several layers of cheesecloth and compress the burn. Replace with fresh compresses as the yogurt warms on the skin Repeat compresses until the skin is cooled and soothed. Yogurt can be spread over the entire body—turning, up-setting, painful sunburn into a fun spa treatment that girls, especially, will love. Leave the yogurt on for 10 to 15 minutes, then rinse off in a cool shower.

This is for large sun-burned areas. An apple cider vinegar bath works wonders. Use a brand from the health food store that has been wood-aged, rather than one from the supermarket that may have been chemically-aged. Apple cider vinegar helps to balance the skin’s pH factor, its acid/alkaline balance. As with all parts of the body, when there is chemical balance, healing is supported. Add two cups apple cider vinegar to a bathtub of warm water. Let your child soak for 15 minutes. The skin will be calmed and soothed, and much of the pain will be immediately relieved. After the bath, you can use one of the remedies described below to promote further healing.

SUNBURNS White sand and blue beach, nothing can beat a summer escapade under the sun. However, it’s not all too good to be under the heat for quite sometime. As we all know, the sun emits Ultraviolet (UV) rays which can cause a skin condition called sunburns. All, including dark skinned persons, are susceptible to sunburns. Sunburns appear to be red and swelling. Painful blisters may develop upon over exposure to UV rays. This usually happens if sun exposure lasted from 6 to 48 hours. After several days, your skin may begin to peel. COMMON CAUSES Ultraviolet rays are the main cause for sunburns. When the skin’s protective component, melanin, cannot anymore accommodate the amount of light exposure, sunburn then results. Light-skinned persons are more vulnerable, for they can obtain sunburns in just 15 minutes in midday sun while dark-skinned people can endure longer hours of exposure. Medical science has now accepted that sunburns are no minor health issues. There have been reports of f...

This is a good story and is true, please read it all the way through until the end! (After the story, there are some very interesting facts!): I am a mother of three (ages 14, 12, 3) and have recently completed my college degree. The last class I had to take was Sociology. The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the qualities that I wish every human being had been graced with. Her last project of the term was called "Smile." The class was asked to go out and smile at three people and document their reactions. I am a very friendly person and always smile at everyone and say hello anyway, so, I thought this would be a piece of cake, literally. Soon after we were assigned the project, my husband, youngest son, and I went out to McDonald's one crisp March morning. It was just our way of sharing special playtime with our son. We were standing in line, waiting to be served, when all of a sudden everyone around us began to back away, and then even my husband did. I did not mov...

futuristic: gamit para panukoy sa mga taong may malaking dibdib... [big breast] halimbawa: Si Booba ay futuristic jabar: pandak, unano, maliit. (short, the opposite of Kareem Abdul Jabar) halimbawa: Hoy! Jabar, tumigil ka nga sa kaka basketball mo at hindi mo bagay. Dapat sayo Chess, para hindi halata na jabar ka! kaplugan: Talik, pulot-gata,[having sex, mating] halimbawa: Repapips wag kang magagalit ha...nahuli ko syuting mo na nakikipag-kaplugan sa banyo! kulasisi: kabit o number-two [mistress]. halimbawa: yung ang panget nung kulasisi na yun! lapongga: ito'y kahalintulad sa laplapan o kaya ay lamasan. halimbawa: Hoy Utoy, bakit ba ang hilig mo sa mga sineng puro lapongga lang ang palabas? pukutong-pukotong - tumitibok tibok Example: Ang puso ni Aireen ay pumupukotong kapag na kita si Arnel mahtoy - nanlilibog Example: Si Joey ay nama-mamahtoy. Tokotok - An onomatopeic translation of Cellphone's interferrence audible on speake...

Louise Redden, a poorly dressed lady with a look of defeat on her face, walked into a grocery store. She approached the owner of the store in a most humble manner and asked if he would let her charge a few groceries. She softly explained that her husband was very ill and unable to work, they had seven children and they needed food. John Longhouse, the grocer, scoffed at her and requested that she leave his store at once. Visualizing the family needs, she said: "Please, sir! I will bring you the money just as soon as I can." John told her he could not give her credit, since she did not have a charge account at his store. Standing beside the counter was a customer who overheard the conversation between the two. The customer walked forward and told the grocer that he would stand good for whatever she needed for her family. The grocer said in a very reluctant voice, "Do you have a grocery list?" Louise replied, "Yes sir." "O.K" he said, "put you...

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by Sammy Martin and Jayson Cruz Luna THE Department of Tourism claimed that the domestic tourism industry generated some $1 billion during the first quarter of 2008. Foreign tourist arrivals in the first quarter of the year rose marginally from a year earlier, still led by visitors from South Korea. The Tourism department, which sourced its data from arrival and departure cards and shipping manifests, counted 858,244 arrivals from January 2008 to March 2008, which is 8.5-percent higher compared to the 790,888 tourist arrivals recorded during the same period last year. The tourists spent a total of $1.022 billion during the period, the department said. "Tourist spending amounted to $1.02 billion, with Korea accounting for the biggest bulk. The Scandinavian region, as well as Germany, Russia, Canada and Hong Kong, registered double-digit gains as shown by their increasing expenditure and length of stay over the previous years," the statement added. Koreans topped the arrivals,...

The Department of Tourism (DoT) is putting up a strong pitch in the Korean market where it launched for the first time in the international market the agency's "Live Your Dream" campaign. The "Live Your Dream" campaign was recently launched by the DoT through its marketing arm, the Philippine Convention and Visitors Corporation (PCVC). The campaign aims to actively promote the Philippines not just as a transitory destination for sightseeing and recreation, but also as an ideal property investment. "The campaign was conceptualized to highlight the many advantages of the country not just as a tourist destination, but also as an ideal second home for foreigners," Tourism Secretary Ace Durano said. Durano stressed that driving investment in second homes in the Philippines is one way by which the department can successfully promote the country's destinations and consequently boost tourism activities in the country. "Korea is just the perfect market...

The Museum of the Filipino People opened last Sept 25, 2008 a major Fernando Amorsolo retrospective highlighting his portrait work and drawings most of which are exhibited for the first time. Fernando Amorsolo, our first National Artist Awardee, is recognized as the painter who captured the “Philippine Light.” Filipinos roundly agree that his sunsets and sunrises and typical countryside scenes capture the true colors and ambiance of local surroundings. But a another avenue of Amorsolo’s creative expression is in his portraits of important people in our country. From early American Commissioners to Philippine presidents and to the local elite, Amorsolo faithfully captured his clients’ bearing and charm. He was the country’s favored portrait artists and some of his best works can now be appreciated during this retrospective. Along with the portraits are Amorsolo’s sketches and drawings and Museum Curator Patrick Flores managed to match some of the drawings to the finished paintings givi...

The Spanish Gate, Subic Freeport SUBIC BAY, Philippines -- U.S. property tycoon Donald Trump is eyeing up a move to develop part of a new complex in the Philippine freeport of Subic Bay into a tourist center, a Trump company official said Wednesday. The flamboyant billionaire is looking at joining a South Korean company that is already building a major complex in Subic Bay, which is located north of Manila . Donald Trump Trump Organization executive vice-president Michael Cohen said he had met officials of the Heung-A Property Group to discuss the plan. He said the two sides were working on “a definitive agreement” where the Trump group would be a key developer of the beachfront but added that no formal accord had been signed. Heung-A Property owns Subic Neocove Corp., a venture that is developing a tourism complex. The company is planning an initial 250 million-dollar inveMstment to build hotels, golf courses, a casino and residential areas.

“Hello John, My friends and I absolutely enjoyed your truly informative and fun museum tour last 07 June! One of them is leaving the country soon after her two years' stay and she will be doing so with a much deeper understanding of the Philippines and its people. Thank you very much for taking the time to conduct these tours for our country and its heritage, and for having shared it with us as well. Carole Lee”. (FYI, DUE TO DEMAND, More tour dates added: August 23, 27, 30, and 31st and September 6, 10, 13, 14, 17, 24, and 27th, 2008) If you haven't been on a tour of the National Museum, well, here's your chance. You'll be pleasantly surprised at how beautiful the museums are (the former Finance Building and the former Legislative Building) with its extensive renovation inside yet keeping with its neo-Federal Style architecture outside. There are fifteen galleries in the Museum of the Filipino people (formerly the Finance Building) to explore our archaeological past an...

By Veronica Uy of INQUIRER.net MANILA , Philippines -- Thailand , the current head of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, is holding a regional competition to select a composition as the ASEAN Anthem for the 14th ASEAN Summit in December 2008. The contest is open to all citizens of any ASEAN member-state, whose ASEAN national secretariat will receive all entries. The winning composition will receive $20,000. Aiming to create a sense of ASEAN identity, community, closeness, and belongingness among the region's half a billion population, the song must follow these criteria: it must be original, in English, not more than one minute in length, and should reflect the dignity of a regional song, the region's "cooperation, solidarity, and whenever possible, ASEAN's diverse culture and religion." Entries should be sent with score and sheet music (note and lyrics) with voice and musical instruments (preferably piano) recording submitted on CD. Deadline of submiss...

Great Philippine Hornbill (Buceros hydrocorax) by Karla Maquiling There’s no better timing for the fourth Philippine Bird Festival than this September, which marks the start of the annual winter migration of birds from mainland China and Japan to tropical countries such as the Philippines. As birds seek warmer climes, birdwatching hobbyists, conservationists, and eco tourism promoters flock to Puerto Princesa City in Palawan, which, with its diverse birdlife and pristine forests, fits the theme “Aba, Kakaiba!” to a tee. The festival, which opens at the Puerto Princesa Coliseum on September 12 with an exhibit of rarely seen photos of Philippine birds, displays, lectures, films, and art activities for children, aims to encourage Filipinos to pursue eco-friendly recreational activities such as birdwatching and bird photography. Birdwatching, says Department of Tourism secretary Ace Durano, will “open up unestablished destinations to the world.” Th...

Yeah, we might get slightly embarrassed at times by the pungent odor that lingers in the dorm, apartment or condo hallway every time we make it. But for many of us, it's a big part of what it means to be Pinoy. It's THE Filipino comfort food. It may even be why God created rice -- and Pinoys! A unique melange of taste, it's also a perfect showcase for Filipino versatility: Adobo chicken, adobo pork, adobo squid, adobo eggplant, vegetarian adobo, duck adobo... (I'm starting to sound like a Pinoy Forrest Gump) And if you're in the greater Chicago area after Labor Day and looking to close summer with old friends and new, come out and join us in this celebration of all things adobo! Taste and vote for your favorite adobo recipes and presentation -- and help us crown the inaugural Chicago AdoboFest Champ! We'll also have Pinoy games and live performances for kids of all ages. So mark your calendars (SEPTEMBER 6), and check out our Facebook Event page at http://w...

God determines who walks into your life....it's up to you to decide who you let walk away, who you let stay, and who you refuse to let go." When there is nothing left but God that is when you find out that God is all you need. Take 60 seconds and give this a shot! All you do is simply say the following small prayer for the person who sent you this. Father, God bless all my friends in whatever it is that You know they may need This day! And may their life be full of your peace, prosperity, and power as he/she seeks to have a closer relationship with you. Amen.