Iglesia ni Cristo 97th Anniversary

Another year has passed, another inclusion of overwhelming success and resplendency for the Church of Christ, Glory be to God forever!

It's no denying, if you are observant about the religious expansion and growth within the archipelago of the Philippines,  it is only the Iglesia Ni Cristo that has come to terms in the sincerity of the propagation of faith with a true reflection of execution and grace.

To prove this,  we could always wonder in awe about the beautiful and magnanimous increase in the build up of elegant chapels and exquisite houses of worship, flowering like a form of life-sized arts displayed along the towns and cities of the Philippine  Islands.

The mushrooming creation of these sacred edifices suggest and express mainly one thing - the incrementing populace of the members of the INC is unstoppable.

It is so apparent in the Philippines that the growth of the members have already expanded overseas in multitudes, spreading into the seven continents of this earth where culture is no barrier, where distance and state of life amongst nation is not an issue.

July 27 has been a mark, a distinctive day amidst the members of the Church of Christ.  It is a day of celebration, and moreover, a day of Thanksgiving for the wholeness of what the Church has achieved today.

The astonishing rise to implored respect and the significant prosperity to a divine leadership of this Church is truly a marvel to admire.

Congratulations to all Iglesia Ni Cristo brethren, to God be the Glory!!!

MAC

click here for last year's post

GMail activates free SMS to Philippines via Gmail Chat

The Search giant has finally unveiled to Pinoys the free sms feature inside Gmail - the well accepted free email service amongst technophiles.

Reality check, Gmail is not that well-known in the Philippines compared to Yahoo as a free email provider. It's not my intent to convince Pinoys in switching to Gmail but i think it's never too late to say it once and for all. I wouldn't list down here the benefits of using Gmail but if Yahoo aficionados would be missing the YM just so they want to switch, there's Chat built in to Gmail or Gtalk, & would suffice enough for the need of instant messaging.


With the current release of free SMS form  from Gmail, which is being integrated in Chat/Gtalk, i found is it sweet and so approachable. A Gmail user can have 50 max allowable sms, compatible with Globe, Sun Cellular and Smart networks. What's more? If the recipient replies using his mobile phone (regardless of network), he can only get a 1 Peso deduction from his current balance. Not bad eh? compared to YM's on mobile, a single reply from Yahoo Messenger thru mobile's sms is 2.50 pesos.
Another great thing in stored on this Gmail SMS is that you can replenish the allowable 50 sms whenever the recipient replies to your text message with 5 free SMS back.


 Usage wise, you will find the SEND SMS feat from your left side bar, type in the supported mobile # just like +63917XXXXXXX, hit enter and you're on your way for free texting.

By the time, you want to write your Text Message / SMS, it will get integrated into the chat window, which looks like this:

Methinks that this is one of Google's strategic approach so they could give a bang in amplifying the use of Gmail among Filipinos. It's no denying that we are the world's SMS capital, that way, we will get to use and get familiarized with Google's services, leading for the adaptation of Google+, the newest social network which is giving a real threat to Facebook.

MAC

How to Activate Video Calling for Facebook?

I had my first taste of facebook video calling sometime this week, although i didn't set-it up myself, my friend initiated a video call while we were chatting. I found out that although my account wasn't yet configured, it would initialize as soon as one of your friend (who has an active video calling set-up on his profile) has initiated it for you.

But, if you want to configure your account and initiate a video call to one of your friends, then you must goto this site and follow the instructions:

http://www.facebook.com/videocalling

Seriously, you need just a couple of clicks for you to activate it. Once you ran the pop-up window and have it finished installing (for the plug-in), then just open up your chat window and initiate a video call to your friend who has a camera.




MAC

Kahilingan

Kailan ka makauunawa?
sa mga salitang nakalihim sa hiwaga
datapwat ito'y ipinanukala
subalit itinikom mo ang iyong pag-asa
Muli kong ipinamanhik
at ikaw nama'y nagpaunlak
kaya aking muling isinaysay
ang katotohanang
iyong itinatwa
ngunit hindi pala sapat
pagkat ito'y 'di mo matanggap
ang mensaheng isinisiwalat
bagkus, nasaktan ka ng labis
at halos di makaimik
subalit ako'y hindi lumihis
ako'y hindi sumuko
para lamang ika'y matuto
sa mga aral na wari mo'y tanso

Hanggang ngayo'y di kita matinag
sa puso mong kay ilap
kahit ibukas lamang saglit
upang ang liwanag ay sumapit
ngunit di mo man mawari
ika'y laman at sa isipa'y laging sumasagi
mangusap lamang itong puso'y
iyong mapagtantong ito'y walang halong biro
pagkat nais kong ika'y magmana
ng kayamanang di nasisira
nawa'y iyong maunawa
na ang mga di nakikita'y
doon nati'y ilagak ang pag-asa

Lamang, ako ay hamak
sino ako upang iyong paniwalaan
walang kakanyahan o maging kayamanan
o ni kapangyarihan
bagama't ako'y kawalan
ika'y aking isinama
sa aking mga pagpapanata
at nawa'y ika'y matamnan
ng isipang mapanaliksik
na 'di nahuhungkag
sa mga bagay na malinis
kundi'y ika'y maging mapanuri
at maunawa ang ibig kong iparating
na iyong madama ang kasidhian
ng kalooban kong ika'y mapabilang
sa kawan na may basbas
na magmamana
ng buhay na walang hanggan






--MAC

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Sinkhole unearthed / How sinkholes are made?

Tag-ulan na naman, usong-uso ang pagbaha at pag-guho ng mga lupa, let's dive in to this interesting topic - sinkholes.

What is a Sinkhole?

A sinkhole is a hole that suddenly appears in the ground. It happens when the soil and rock underneath the surface get washed away by water, creating a big empty space that can no longer support the ground above it. Think of it as when you eat all the cake under the frosting and suddenly, the frosting collapses.

chasm under the bed

To find a deep chasm under your bed doesn't only sound creepy but nonetheless terrifying. A recent sinkhole visited Guatamela City once again, this time under the bed of a 65-year old woman. I was thinking, could a sinkhole like this be a portal to hell?

Ever since i had known about sink holes, i was mesmerized by their circular rigidity and the wonder of admiration of how it was suddenly created, not to mention the calculating effects of the brain thinking how deep would it be? and other possible shoulda woulda coulda questions.

It may sound beyond the borders of our comprehension but science has it explained how chasms are being made especially in Guatamela where the litosphere is kinppd of porous, fluids such as rainwater is easily absorbed inside the earth. 

What makes it disturbing are the sudden show-ups of these holes which are pretty scary. Imagine a 40 feet deep hole abruptly appearing inside your house. It's for sure a wonder to claim with horrifying effects. It definitely is considered as a natural disaster which is similar to typhoons, tsunamis and earthquakes.

Below's the pic of a great chasm of which a building was swallowed in Guatamela back in 2010. It's a hole that's more than meets the eye.

(photo from Google Gallery)

How Do They Form?

Here’s a simple recipe for a sinkhole:

1. Water Dissolves Rock: Over time, rainwater, which is slightly acidic, seeps into the ground and slowly dissolves rocks like limestone, gypsum, or salt beds. Imagine slowly pouring hot water over sugar cubes; eventually, they disappear.

2. Underground Cavities: As the rock dissolves, it creates empty spaces or cavities underground. These cavities can get pretty large, like a secret hideout under your backyard.

3. Surface Collapse: When the cavity gets too big and the ground above can no longer hold, it collapses. It's like when too many people stand on a paper-thin cake; it caves in, and voila! You have a sinkhole.

   
   

   Fun (or Scary) Facts

   • Size Matters: Sinkholes can be tiny, just a few feet across, or they can be massive, swallowing entire buildings or roadways.
   • Location, Location: They are common in areas with lots of limestone, such as Florida in the USA, parts of China, and Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. Think of these places as having a lot of underground Swiss cheese.

   Prevention and Safety

   If you live in a sinkhole-prone area, here are some tips:

   • Watch for Warning Signs: Cracks in the ground or your home’s foundation, trees or fence posts that tilt, or small ponds where there weren’t any.
   • Regular Inspections: Have professionals check the stability of the ground, especially if you notice any of the warning signs.
   
   
   So, there you have it! Sinkholes are like nature’s way of reminding us that the ground isn’t always as solid as it seems. They might be scary, but understanding how they work can help us deal with them better. Just remember, when life gives you sinkholes, it might be time to move to higher ground!

   
   

   
   

   --MAC

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