Oil Deregularization vs. Government Control on Oil Price

Many people have been complaining about the constant increase of prices of petroleum products for the past ten years. During my years in elementary, I have already seen that status of the petroleum industry here in the Philippines, and like now, people are complaining. The status of the oil prices during that time (1980's) was controlled by the government thru the Oil Price Stabilization Fund or OPSF. The strategy of the OPSF to control the increase in oil prices was to shoulder the amount of increase, so that oil price can still be sold to the public at its original price. When ever there is a decrease in the price of petroleum products, the percentage that the oil price will decrease will go the the OPSF in order to be a back up fund when ever there will be another oil price hike in the future. This strategy has a very good intention, but when the public looses its trust on the integrity of the OPSF, and accuses the people in the government of using its funds for other purpose, then it was decided that it was better for the oil prices to be deregulated, or to let the market demand dictate the price of the petroleum products. People during that time have been shouting in the streets and asking for the government to regulate the price of oil, but why is it that they are asking now to abolish the deregularization of the petroleum products?

So why ask the government to let them control the oil prices, again? I will never understand the mind of the "majority people" (i am still not sure on what sector to refer?) to go back on something that they already complained before. There is no point on reiterating the arguments that was given before on what would be the best option for the consuming public, but what I want to say to those people who always complain but do nothing, why don't we exploit the benefits of deregularization? How? We can start by taking the most logical step, we only buy on the gasoline station that offers the lowest price! We just try to manage the fuel consumption of our vehicles and make it a habit to refuel on the gasoline station that offers the cheapest price! It is like trying to piss, and all we have to do is to take a piss on the right area! Just feel free to comment on the comparison that I made. We must let these other gas station know the feeling of competition, and if price will be our first priority, then the next criteria for our fuel needs will be to support the small oil players! We must stop patronizing the Big 3 oil companies, namely Caltex, Petron, and Shell!

Watch out for update on ispaldon.bolgspot.com on gasoline stations in the 1st ditrict of Iloilo, up to the Iloilo City proper on the different price of petroleum products, and which of them offers the cheapest prize.

Cheap And Economical Way To Light Your House Using A Water Bottle - The Technique

Had problems finding the procedures for this, but this may give some clues.

How to make Kinutil

The first time that i tasted this beverage was when I went to the place of my uncle in Prosperidad, Agusan del sur. Kinutil is an alcoholic beverage of the farmers of Agusan del dur. It is a perfect match with frog adobo as a pulutan.

Ingredients:

• 500 ml. "tuba" or coconut wine
• 1 piece fresh egg, preferably large
• 330 ml. cocoa drink

Try to select the freshly collected coconut wine, which are usually available early in the morning. Mix the coconut wine with boiling hot cocoa drink. After mixing them, put the fresh egg immediately. The heat of the hot cocoa drink will cook the fresh egg as it is mixed in your concoction. Let the mixture cool down for about 5 minutes. Then you can enjoy you "kinutil" drink! This mixture makes two servings.

This beverage is high in protein, and is very filling in the stomach. The sufficient amount of alcohol (4% average alcohol content) from the coconut wine gives it the appropriate kick that every farmer needs after a whole days work.

"My Drinking Scale"

This is my own personal drinking scale, my own personal basis in knowing my condition/ drunkenness while engaging in drinking session with friends or colleagues. During my bachelor life, i do not practice counting the bottles of beer that i drink because... I do not give a damn! My tolerance in alcohol was very strong that drinking sessions lasted until morning, or if my wallet runs out of funds. But now, like every other person who matures and already has a family of his own, some changes are needed to be done for the new role that we are going to assume, and still enjoy our love for drinking. This scale is based on the number of 320 ml. bottles of beer with 5% alcohol content, its corresponding effect, and sensation that you will feel for you to be aware of your condition and when to tell your drinking buddies that, "got to go fellas!"

1st bottle: No immediate effects of the alcohol can still be felt. The drinker is still mesmerized by the ice cold beer's flavor as it flows to the throat. An alternate of small sip and large gulp is usually being done by the drinker to savor the 1st bottle of beer.

2nd bottle: Conversation with your drinking buddies starts to get exiting as you tackle different topics from political issues to your buddy's love life. Voices are getting higher, not because of the emotions involved in the discussion, but because of the alcohols effect in the person, which makes him perky and alert.

3rd bottle: Conversation and discussions start to heat up, and debates start as some of your friends begins to take sides on what ever discussions that you are having. Some researchers have proven that at an optimum amount, alcohol is a stimulant. Maybe this is the cause of some of the violence related to drinking because of the effect of "optimum amount" of alcohol in their bodies. You will feel tightness in your skin, and body temperature begins to rise, even if you are drinking in an air-conditioned room.

4th bottle: The alcohol has the effect on the person which makes him more thirsty, and will want to drink more beer. This is the feeling that you will get when you have this number of bottles of beer, plus the result of always going to the batch room to urinate, which will let you expel water, but will retain the alcohol inside your body.

5th bottle: After drinking your 5th bottle, most will show redness in their face, with slight to moderate dilation of the pupils. Discussions or debates may have reached its peak already, but arguing may still continue maybe because of the unexplainable need to speak and mumble. This is the best time to ask your drinking buddy one of their most intimate secret because they will always give you the true answer because... "in vino, veritas!" The saying means, in wine (or any alcoholic drink), there is truth.

6th bottle: This is the best time to slow your phase in drinking and prepare your farewell speech to your buddies that you need to go home already. If you are driving a vehicle (especially a motorcycle), it is best to stop drinking at this point.

Some persons may have different conditions at every "nth" bottle of beer that they consume, but it is best to know your capacity. When you know your limits, you can still enjoy the joys of drinking, and still be home with your family, and still go to work early the next day with a bearable pain because of hang-over.

Bar Method: A New Way To Slim Down, Have Fun And Be Sexy

Interesting article from Reuters: 

http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/lifestyle/~3/A_sLNioeMZY/us-fitness-barmethod-idUSTRE7331BX20110404

There is a new body-sculpting system of exercises for women who want that whistle-bait figure with the right amount of muscle tone called The Bar Method. It delivers lithe dancer-type bodies with well-defined calves and thighs and toned lean muscular arms without the fearsome bulging biceps associated with body builders.

The workout targets the muscles that give bodies definition, enthusiasts say. A ballet bar is used to do the isometric exercises and interval training coupled with dance conditioning; all designed to tone and define the body’s curves. The director of marketing and communications for The Bar Method, Dannah Lewis says “You get this long, lean dancer’s body.” Further she says “It’s really specific, a very defined look. Near the office, I can pick all our clients out of a crowd.”

The Bar Method body exhibits flat abdominals, defined hamstrings, elongated muscles, firm buttocks. Lewis who has been a devotee for the last two years stresses reduced body fat, improved posture and relief from back pain as added benefits of The Bar Method.

A German-born dancer named Lotte Berk sought refuge in London in the 1930’s and developed the technique that is now known as The Bar Method. Needing rehabilitative therapy after injuring her back, she combined her rehabilitation with ballet bar routines which she called the Lotte Berk exercise system. In the 1990s, Berk follower Burr Leonard revised the exercises and streamlined the classes, assisted by a physical therapist.

At present, there are 37 studios all over the United States using the Bar Method brand and trademark, with a much toned 63-year old Leonard overseeing every aspect of the operation from music to the training of teachers. And it is not cheap or easy to join in; as an hour-long session can set you back as much as $35, with limited space for teachers need the elbow room to demonstrate the system, count strokes, and correct techniques.

"All classes are all set up the same way," Lewis explained. "The muscle definition is so much more than in yoga, but it's a feminine definition, not like body building," added Lewis.

Men are allowed, even encouraged to attend the lessons, but 95% of the devotees remain to be women because of the feminine definition. There are a number of seniors among the majority of younger attendees who find the isometrics and interval training demanding but fun.

According to Jessica Matthews an exercise physiologist with the American Council on Exercise, isometric movements are able to activate the small stabilizer muscles, and this leads to posture improvement and a wider range of motion. This is why The Bar Method movements are small movements, but focuses on core strength, helping people with lower back problems.

Many people have aversion for the gym and all those weights and contraptions, so Matthews thinks The Bar Method will be able to help these people to strengthen their muscles effectively without the weight-lifting they dislike. She adds that there are similarities to other exercises using body weight like Pilates and yoga but it is a good alternative for women who desires the toned body but are afraid of the bulky muscles that results from rigorous exercises.

Matthews says she is wary of the shape-changing claims, though. There are many claims about using Pilates, yoga or other systems to achieve a dancer’s body but she believes that genetics play a large part in it. There are people born with the predisposition to put on more muscle mass or fat than others; while some people are predisposed to eat more, according to her.

Matthews also said that people can have well-defined muscles, but they can be hidden by fat tissues, and will not be visible. So, diet is very important to maintain that dancer-type body.

Boracay Seen As One Of The Top 5 Beach Destinations In The World

According to the travel website TripAdvisor,  Boracay is one of the top five beach destinations in the world for 2011 ranking at number two with the top spot captured by Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos. Bora bora also garnered the top spot for the most popular exotic beach travel location for tourists around the world.

So for a stress free summer, try going to the beach and enjoy the relaxing effect of the sand and sea.

More news on this by following the link here:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/05/us-travel-beaches

Yoga As A Means To Combat Irregular Heartbeat

Recent news from Reuters says that Yoga halves irregular-heartbeat episodes:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/02/us-heart-yoga-idUSTRE7312AP20110402


Based on a recent U.S. study released, the ancient but timeless art of Yoga, which has long proven its efficiency in decreasing cholesterol levels and reducing hypertension, has been found to also reduce the chances of suffering from atrial fibrillation by a hefty fifty percent.
The study may have been a small one, but it pioneered in examining the advantages of Yoga on atrial fibrillation—a most common but potentially debilitating abnormality in the rhythm of the heart and which is the primary culprit in the continually escalating cases of stroke in America.
Apart from cutting incidences of atrial fibrillation in half, another finding of the study included a significant drop of anxiety and depression symptoms associated with the disease.
Forerunner of the study, Dr. Dhanunjaya Lakkireddy, claims: "These findings are important because many of the current conventional treatment strategies for atrial fibrillation include invasive procedures or medications with undesirable side effects.”
Also an associate professor with the University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City, Kansas, Lakkireddy shared the results of his study at the most recent convention of the American College of Cardiology, an event held annually in New Orleans.
Forty-nine patients with atrial fibrillation were observed, all of whom were relatively physically healthy and had no encounters whatsoever with the Yoga practice. With the aid of heart monitors, their conditions were closely examined by researchers at the hospital for a whole six months.
The patients were left to engage in whatever type of physical activity of their preference for the initial three months. On the third up to the sixth month, they undertook a controlled Yoga routine, complete with various yoga ‘asanas’ or yoga postures in coordination with proper breathing techniques, as well as other meditation and relaxation techniques rooting from the Yoga discipline. With the help of a licensed professional, patients undertook forty-five-minute yoga sessions thrice a week. Apart from this regular schedule, they were advised to continue with this exercise program in the comforts of their own homes on a daily basis.
After the trial, the patients were duly asked to fill up brief, self-administered surveys for a proper assessment of their anxiety and depression levels, as well as of their overall health and well-being.
Lakkireddy further emphasized, "It appears yoga has a significant impact on helping to regulate patients' heartbeat and improves the overall quality of life.”
Truly, researchers of said study established that yoga effectively decreased episodes of atrial fibrillation by fifty percent. Simultaneously, depression and anxiety scores plummeted and scores in overall health-- the physical, mental, emotional and social aspects—improved tremendously.
Atrial fibrillation, or the irregular and often rapid rhythmic beat of the heart, results in congestion of blood in the atria, or the upper chambers of the heart. This abnormal condition may result to a clot, which can penetrate the brain and cause strokes. Doctors generally prescribe taking a daily dose of expensive blood thinners and anticoagulation drugs, such as Warfarin, to the multitudes of patients suffering from this condition. Furthermore, drug manufacturers such as Bayer and Johnson & Johnson are developing new drugs of the same nature.
Lakkireddy promotes the aid of Yoga in the general treatment and management of atrial fibrillation and other heart rhythm concerns, stressing its low cost and wonderful benefits in contrast to high-costing controlled substances and maintenance drugs that have detrimental side-effects.
On the other hand, Lakkireddy cautions, "Based on my findings, one should not tell patients that yoga will fix everything and they can stop taking their anticoagulants. Yoga is strictly a supplement for everything else they are doing medically."
Nevertheless, the ancient but timeless yoga discipline is a wonderful contribution to every concerned individual’s overall health and well-being.