Jf Kinetics

Ang kwentuhan ni Juanito at ang matalik na kaibigan nyang si Pidro.

Pidro: Uy Pari! anditu ka na pala sa Pinas! Kilan ka pa dumating?
Juanito: Nung isang linggo, mga Biernes Santo ako dumating pre, yun kase nakuha ko pinakamurang flight. Whew! Ang init pala talaga dito, kaya naligo nga agad ako pagdating ko eh.
Pidro: Naku! masama maligu ng ganong araw ah! At alam mu ba pag nagkasogat ka sa araw na yon ih matagal gagaling!
Juanito: Ganun ba? Awa ng Dyos eh wala naman nangyari masama sakin. Anyway, alam mo ba nagulat ako nung naglalakad ako dun sa kalye papunta ako rito, kase bigla ba naman may tumawid na itim na pusa sa harapan ko.
Pidro: Naku! delikadu yon ah. sana domora ka, kase baka may masamang mangyari sayu sa mga darating na araw. Kasi aku non may makita itim na posa, karipas aku ng takbu para omiwas sabay dora. Kaya ligtas aku sa panganib! Kasu nadapa aku nun at somobsub sa dinoraan ku. Piru yon posa lumihis ng daan ba, kaya hayon nasagasaan.
Juanito: Talaga? Salamat sa paalala pre. O sya, heto pala pasalubong ko sayo.. sapatos! at para sa mahal kong pinsan mo na si Petra, heto naman ang magarang mga panyo!
Pidro: Pari naman, gostu mu ba akung underin? Masama magrigalu ng sapatus! Tika, mokhang maganda yan ah. Samahan mu na lang ng barya para ndi magkatutuu. Tsaka tika, eewanan at paeyakin mu lang ba si Pitra? Kase bebigyan mu ng panyu ih!
Juanito: Naku, pre nde! Pasensya na, nde ko kase alam na masama pala magbigay ng mga ganitong bagay. Sige, etong mga tsokolate na lang. Eto ba nde masama ipamigay?
Pidro: Ang alam ku masama kung nde ka mamemigay nyan!

Juanito: Nga pala, ikaw ang bestman ko sa kasal namin ni Petra ha, kaya dapat may pictyur din tayong tatlo para may suvenir. Ano sa tingin mo?
Pidro: Ay ndi aku payag! kasi masama daw magpapectyur ng tatlu, isa daw mamamatay! Madami pa ku planu sa bohay, ikaw ba?
Juanito: (galit na) Pare, matanong nga kita, andami mong alam na pamahiin, alam mo ba kung pano at san nagsimula yang mga yan?
Pidro: uu nga pari, ang tutuu nyan ndi ku rin alam ih. Basta sinosonud ku lang ba. Wala naman masama at walang mawawala kung sosundin ih. Sabi nga ng matatanda, masama kung ndi mu sosundin.

As a child, I've always wondered how these superstitions came to be. As noypis, we grew up in a culture where elders will tell us not to do certain things for fear that it might lead to misfortune. Even without scientific findings or logical reasons, we follow simply because they are the elders whom we look up to for guidance. Actually, I've experimented on some of these a long time back to observe how true and what will happen if I did not follow them (of course without the elders knowing, hehe). Like cutting my finger nails on a Friday, then sweeping the floor in the evening. Did something happen after I did those things? Well, absolutely nothing occurred that night and the succeeding days, except ending up with a fairly trimmed nails and a clean floor!

There's no definite report about the origins of these superstitious beliefs. As I know, they were just inherited from our religious ancestors, to which our grand grandparents passes them on as well to the next generation, and the cycle continues. In my observation, and if you will agree, here are some of the probable reasons why some people follow these superstitions:

1. They are in fact afraid that something bad might actually happen to them. It's somewhat interwoven into their consciousness, or maybe due to coincidental confirmations.
2. They respect their elders. And part of that respect is to follow what was passed on to them, embracing what their ancestors were giving credence to. Thus becoming a tradition.
3. Some are not sure what to believe in, so they just go with the flow. Fitting in was given more importance than the lack of knowledge.

No offense meant to the devout followers of these superstitious beliefs, but IMHO, believing in superstitions means agreeing or allowing the power of darkness to rule over you.

But hear and acknowledge this, believing Only to our loving and sovereign God gives us complete rest over these things (or in anything!). No one needs to worry whether one will die if someone joined in a photograph in groups of 3, or if something bad might happen after bathing on a Friday. Whether you belong to No.1, 2, or 3 in my aforesaid observations, it's always best to know the source if you sense obscurity why you need to adhere to certain belief. Or better yet, seek to know if there's a biblical basis. Biblical teaching is universal, it's not just for any established culture or races.

While I respect other people's beliefs, I just wanna pose this question. Is there really something wrong or are we losing something if we continue to believe in superstitions? Gaya nga ng sinabi ni Pidro in my short story above, "Wala naman masama at walang mawawala kung sosundin ih"

But looking at the scene in Matthew 15:1-3, you'll find that Jesus gave less credit to the tradition. Following the same milieu, we can construe that superstitious beliefs isn't pleasing in the sight of God.

And what we might probably lose is.. our dependence on Him. You see, if God said He will protect us (please see Psalm 91:10-16), then why fear that misfortune could occur by not observing a belief passed on to us? Just give it some thought.

I'll close with this encouraging words from Paul in his letter to Colossians (Col.2:6-8), and a short prayer.

"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ."

Lord, we declare that You have all the authority in this world. Thank you that Your promises of protection have a clear indication of the origin, as recorded in your Holy Book. Teach us to abide in your Word only, and not on any unsupported belief. Grant us wisdom and understanding so we may know the truth. The truth about your salvation and your love. So that we can also learn to pass on to our succeeding generations.. the good news instead.

Thanks for reading. God bless you all!

ciao! c",)

Some Suggested Reading:
*What is Superstition, really?
*God's Protection

Just For Your Info:
*Mga Pamahiin (Folk Beliefs)

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TECH TIPS (Gimp/X11): Unusual big font!

If you need a powerful graphics editor and you currently do not have enough budget for a licensed copy of Photoshop, then Gimp (short for General Image Manipulation Program) is the best alternative, whether you're using a Mac or PC. Although you cannot expect the same solid functionalities the Adobe's Image Editing workhorse has, you will still be able to perform advanced graphics editing compared to any other software you can pull for free over the internet.

However, if you're using a mac, you would be needing the X11 (which comes free in the latest OSX installer CD or can be downloaded from Apple website) to install and use GIMP because it uses separate windowing layer.

With the latest updates in OSX (versions 10.5+), you will notice that the normal font of X11 is kinda huge, and so as your other applications using the X11 windowing protocol, e.g. GIMP.

Here's a workaround to change the rather annoying X11's big font size.

1. Make sure X11 isn't running. Now launch Terminal.app and goto this directory: usr/X11/bin
2. Open the script startx in a pseudo window by issuing this command: sudo nano -w startx
(Note: Be careful with sudo commands. This command will allow you to edit programs with security privileges. Hence it'll prompt for password before it opens the pseudo terminal. It is not advisable to edit any secured scripts as it may cause the program/application to behave abnormally. Do it at your own risk, hehe)
3. Then search for the string defaulserverargs="" by pressing
Control W then typing the aforementioned string in the visible command line.
4. Change this string from defaulserverargs=""
to defaulserverargs="-dpi 72"
5. Pressing Control X to exit will prompt you to save your changes. Select Y to save and exit.

There you have it! Open your GIMP (X11 automatically opens) then notice the font in normal 72x72 dpi size.

Hope you find this useful :)

Note.
After installing any recurrent OSX updates, you might need to repeat the above procedure, unless you prefer big fonts, which I don't, hehe.

God bless! ciao! c",)

[+/-]

TechLife: Youtube Sensation!

I realized that in most of my blogs I embed video clips from youtube. Hmmm, well, I think probably that's because adding visuals to an article makes it more stimulating. It is like a sauce for that sushi you are eating. Or maybe, everything that anybody wants to talk about are now on youtube, reyht?

You want to get famous while singing inside your bathroom? then post that video on youtube..tube..tube! (echoing like your voice bouncing back & forth on those 4x4-inch tiles surrounding you)

You want to share some tips on cooking, vacuuming, proper way of cleaning your dSLR sensor, or even cleaning your dog's ears, skateboarding, dancing, tree-climbing, or just anything that ends with "-ing," go ahead and make that video & post it too.

You want to write blogs but your fingers are tired or too delicate to press those letters on your keyboard? then do a video blog instead.

You have the newest & coolest gadget and you want everyone to see while you're un-boxing it? (maybe to show the aesthetics of that desirable gizmo), then post it too.

Oh well, it's the youtube sensaaaaaatioN!
Your Own Unique Television Universally Broadcasted Everyday ...how's that for a definition? :)

Nearly almost any type of video clips can be found posted online nowadays. Perhaps all these hype turned up so fast in the advent of pocketable electronic devices -- digicams/videocams, built-in webcams on laptops, mobile phones with tiny cameras, giving everyone the ability to create amateur videos anywhere they go.

A whippersnapper can become suddenly popular by just creating his own channel and airing his talent on youtube. We can actually name some talented individuals who gained publicity through this media. The most popular videos (those with million hits, 5-star rankings, and thousand comments) are likely to become web stars. Imagine their audiences are in different parts of this world. I can only name a few youtube celebrities I know:

Marie Digby - a lovely and talented singer
Esmee Denters - another lovely singer from nether Netherlands :)
Chad Vader - a series of comedy clips produced by tandem Aaron & Matt
Moymoy Palaboy - wacky brothers who are now with GMA-7's Comedy Show Bubble Gang
Charice Pempengco - a young filipina singer who gained web publicity after her performance in a Korean talent show

I wonder, can this be a good point of entry to Hollywood? Haha.
But I guess it is possible especially if you get invited to guest in famous TV shows, like Ellen DeGeneres or in Letterman's =)

Anyway, I find youtube as a good source if you want to learn about something for free, at least the basic. There are good beings out there who generously share basic information or tricks about almost anything. For example some of these videoclip categories I'm benefiting from -- playing guitar, gadget reviews, photoshop techniques, and the hottest news that I might've missed on TV. And if I want to just crack up my day, there are a lot of funny clips also.

Okay, gotta go. I'm doin my own video too! hehe, I'm kidding. I'm just a regular viewer not an active uploader.

ciao! God bless! c",)

Here's an old clip which I find really amusing:
(This clip was embedded from and courtesy of youtuber BlackOleg)

And here's a funny animation commercial:
(This clip was embedded from and courtesy of youtuber paropetje)

[+/-]

Happy Mother's Day!

[+/-]

Fireproof!

My local church in Singapore had this movie shown on widescreen two weeks ago. And my friend told me that this was indeed a good movie and she encouraged me to try & watch it as well via online streaming.

Well, I must say it's a very inspiring movie. Although the theme suggest that it is for couple, as the story was about saving a failing marriage, actually anybody can learn from (or can even relate to) this film because it also touches on "relationships." Relationship with your co-workers, relationship with your parents, relationship with your partner, and most importantly relationship with our loving Savior.

It's just a short film but it delivers a vast impact to its viewers

"Fireproof doesn't mean that a fire will never come, but that when it comes, you'll be able to withstand it," expressed by one of the character in the movie.

Whenever we experience trouble, we naturally seek to know what's wrong and tries to give our best to solve our problem. And sometimes, we yield towards a solution that we see fit -- a solution often driven by hasty decision -- just to escape from that unwelcome situation.

On some occasions, when somebody gives a Godly counsel, people who are not zealous about their faith may think that it's too religious for 'em. I've been in this situation before (way back 1997 BC), where I find comfort mostly only to the words I wanted to hear.

Anyway, this film have presented 4 important ingredients in a relationship; these are Communication, Understanding, Respect, and Engage . I'm not an expert on this, and to be honest, everyday is a new learning. So just allow me to touch a bit and share my views on these essential ingredients.

Communication
I used to tell former gf that whenever we ran into misunderstanding, we should talk about it to prevent from having an unhealthy argument. Communication is synonymous to talking. But talking isn't synonymous to arguing, so when two persons argue they are not communicating at all. (But this isn't the reason why we parted ways. Let's just say.. perhaps God has better plans for both of us. In fact, we still do communicate, and we're thankful for that. We both believe in the importance of communication).

Understanding
Occasionally disagreements pay us a visit, somethin' like Mr.Understanding meets Ms.Understanding (hehe, just kidding). If we can communicate but doesn't know how to listen, then we might just be talking nonsense. We all know that the key to understanding is listening. And once we understand, it helps to determine not just our needs but of others as well. It also gives us the ability to derive a sound judgement towards any predicament. I believe it doesn't hurt to give way if you really understand the situation. I also believe understanding is tied with patience.

Respect
"Respect must be earned" is a common philosophy. Wonderful, isn't it? Well, such philosophy can come with a price though. How? For example, there will be times that we'll encounter someone showing us no respect. And chewing much on the "respect-should-be-earned" thingy "might" prompt us to respond also in a disrespectful manner. Sabi nga ng iba, "Hinde mo ko nirerespeto, hinde rin kita rerespetuhin!"

On the other hand, "giving respect to get respected" is much more pleasing to our ears, even in essence it also means the same as the initial phrase I quoted, haha. However, when person A shows lack of respect towards person B, it doesn't always follow that person B is not giving enough respect to person A. I can say, respect is pretty much attached to our character. Show lack of respect -- you're forfeiting yours. Give respect -- you'll get yours. I remember back in 1999 when my pastor taught me about how to approach skeptics who might try to argue their beliefs and/or reasoning, he said.. "never argue, just humble yourself by respecting them and praying for them." This applies to relationship as well. Because in so doing, we shun from dispute and it somehow advocates good relationship.

Engage
For me, engage is such a positive word. You cannot just join any competition and expect you'd win.. you have to involve yourself from the beginning to get the pertinent details you need to succeed. If you want to get healthy, one way is to "engage" yourself into sports and a balanced diet.

In another context, engaging is like leading. What makes a successful leader? Of course when his people willingly follows him. Otherwise, it's just nothing more than a title. A good leader is usually characterized by his ability to involve and influence others. And oftentimes, if we are being led by a good leader, there's something in us that wants to imitate their qualities. I believe utilizing these good characteristics can also lead a good relationship. Involving ourselves more to our partner, and influencing can result to us gettin' the same response from her/him.

In this film, they mentioned something like studying your partner. The idea is like getting into a lifelong journey that draws your heart ever closer to your partner. Like if the amount when a man tries to win the heart of a woman is equal to a high school degree, then he should continue to learn about her 'til he earns a college degree, a master's degree, and ultimately, a doctorate degree. I think what they're trying to convey here is that engaging yourself to your partner doesn't just happen before that "M" thing, we are encouraged to continue being in that "engaged moment" even after marriage. In scripture, God engaged himself into us when He sent his beloved Son.

So I guess this is what I learned, rather how I relate to this film. Communication, Understanding, Respect, and Engaging (or CURE for short, hehe) the 4 important ingredients in establishing a fireproof relationship.

Good relationship matters to everyone, especially to God. We recognize that God listens and knows the desires of our heart, yet He still encourage us to ask. That's simply because He wants to establish a good lifelong relationship with us. He longs to communicate to us. And through that, He grants us understanding. When we're inclined to do things our own, He respect that. He always patiently wait even if we're not sometimes.

If you haven't seen this movie, I encourage you to watch it also. Thanks for reading and God bless you all.

(this video clip was embedded from youtube courtesy of youtuber michae4907)