Reach Unlimited No. 4

UNLIMITED KNOWLEDGE Issue No. 4 2013

Volume 1, Number 4

reachunlimitedknowledge@gmail.com / reach_unlimitedknowledge@yahoo.com

For brand cachet overpower. For being extreme, uncompromising and crazy Italian macho (as opposed to the refined Italian sexy of Ferrari).

For the mecha-cockpit style, scissor doors no other marquee can imitate without looking ridiculuous.

Because owning one is like owning a quick and fast, stealth fighter on wheels—that rudely FORGETS it is a stealth fighter because it constantly barks every time you floor it. The Aventador will howl like mad—like a lycanthrope on the chase—if you push the speed redline. One rude-looking stealth fighter from a crazy macho carrozzeria indeed. Worth all the trouble on the streets.

PGA AUTOMOBILE Inc. is the distributor of marquee brands like Audi and Porsche, and Bentley.

Also. they are the exclusive authorized dealer of Lamborghini in Manila. The showroom is at Bonifacio Global City, at Lane 0, Taguig.

There is that constant knot in your gut telling you to drive CAREFULLY for fear of becoming wreck pretzel around a tree if you get carried away with afterburner.

Other European supercars have forgotten this essential experience of driving a sports exoticar—constant danger—too comfy and responsive rides and safer handling often take the fun out of marquees that used to thrive on cutting edge driving skill.

The new Audi owners of Lamborghini have refocused engineering improvements on what was the previous iteration’s quirk—better road handling. Leaving how fast it can rocket as last priority. But when reviewed by some British car reviewers (Top Gear UK), the Aventador still clocked 215 mph in supercar time (2.9 seconds); making us remember that rocket science is already clockwork Italian.

The Germans merely provided their own forte—the new suspension uses racing-style pushrod inboard dampers and springs that enable the Aventador to cut corners at high speed and still grip the road. There are three driver-selectable settings: strada (“road,” in manual or automatic mode), sport (manual or automatic), and corsa (“track,” or manual only).

Power comes from a 6.5-liter, 700-horsepower V-12 engine—one of the few relics of supercar tech as most of the modern competition are scaling down to tricked-out V8s that have the same kick as a V-12 guzzler. Peak power redlines at 8,250 rpm, while the 509 pound-feet of torque peaks at 5,500 rpm. The body of the Aventador is a miracle of carbon fiber shell—literally stealth fighter skin—and aluminium front and rear subframes.

Finish options include a good variety of colors, including three matte. Two-tone luxury leather wraps

You don’t just smile as it roars street lethal, eating up the road—instead, the howl of the engine acknowledges what you already know—you laugh because the joke is on Ferrari. the interior. And a premium audio system is always an option if the sound of a Lamborghini’s engine revving up isn’t metal enough for you.

As with most supercars, the Aventador as city roamer underperforms. Is way too loud. And hates traffic lights like anything respectable on wheels. But the car really sings when devouring the open road. Driven with more daring, the Aventador becomes were-bull on-the-hunt. Fast. Agile. And almost invincible (but never risk careless). You don’t just smile as it roars street lethal, chasing the horizon—instead, the howl of the engine acknowledges what you already know—you laugh because the joke is on Ferrari. Because no other car does road lust like a Lamborghini. Who wants refined driving sexy when you can come in an Aventador? Touted as the most beautiful Lamborghini ever, the Aventador will surely be as indelible as the Diablo and the classic Countach among fans.

CURIOUS MINDS

4

Is Luna the Earth’s Twin Planet?

Unlike other planet-satellite relationships, the Moon can actually be its own planet if not for its orbit around Earth.

AFTER AN ORBITING SPACE STATION: A PERMANENT MOON COLONY? Only 3 days away from the earth, our ‘twin-planet to-be’ is close enough and communications to earth are not really hampered by any environmental factors. A permanent forward base would make the moon perfect for building and launching spaceships out into the beyond. Also an excellent location for a space observatory because of its slow rotation. A barely there exosphere won’t hamper us from getting clear views of space. The only setback to a colony will be the hostile environment: low temperatures, direct exposure to solar storms, and low gravity will require advanced and resilient technology to keep settlers alive and well.

Just like Moonbase Alpha

A Whole New World The only other planetary body that humans have walked on. The Moon that is. Its rather large size convince some astute astronomers to rethink of the Earth and the Moon as more of a binary planet system.

stable orbit, taking about 47 days to go around the Earth (it takes 27.3 days today). At that point, the Earth and the Moon will be tidally locked to each other. It will look like the Moon is always in the same spot in the sky. Before that time, the Sun is expected to devour the Earth in about 5 billion years when it goes super red giant.

Orbits Like a Twin Planet?

Our Moon is so large that its orbit around Earth is different from the way other moons orbit their homeworld. Both the earth and the moon orbit a specific point located between them called the barycenter—located about a thousand miles below the surface of Earth; short of three thousand miles from the center of our planet.

What is the Late Heavy Bombardment?

Commonly referred to as the lunar cataclysm, this is a hypothetical event that may have happened approximately 4.1 to 3.8 billion years ago. During this time interval, an extreme barrage of large asteroids apparently collided with the celestial bodies in our inner solar system, including Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.

Scientists propose that the large gaseous outer planets may have been settling into their orbits and dislodged material from the asteroid belt to send objects into the inner planets of the Solar System.

Imagine the orbit of both heavenly bodies like the motion of a spinning dumbbell with the weights on the ends mismatched. If the Moon were either about a third larger or a third further away, the barycenter would be above the surface of the earth and the two worlds would be a true double planet.

For now the Moon is classified as a satellite of Earth. What sets the Moon apart from every other natural satellite in the solar system is the fact that nowhere is its orbit curved toward the sun because the gravitational pull of the sun on the Moon is greater than that of Earth.. The Moon may have formed when a Mars-sized object crashed into our planet about 4.5 billion years ago, according to some science theorists.

A Dead Moon?

Drifting Away…A Planet Soon Although the Moon seems stable in its current orbit, our satellite is actually drifting away from our planet at a rate of 4 centimeters a year because of the conservation of momentum in the orbit of the Earth. In about 50 billion years from now, the Moon will settle into a

The Moon might seem to be geologically dead. For some time it appeared that no tectonic changes occurred in the crust for some time so kept a very old surface for a long time. But there have been signs of recent volcanic tremors on the Moon, and this indicates that the Moon may be partially geologically active. There may even be a great deal of water ice located in deep craters at the lunar poles according to the satellite scans.

How Are Gallstones the Nasty?

Inside your tummy, you have the gall bladder. A small organ that keeps the bile secreted by the liver. Bile is your body’s aid in breaking down fats and salts for the intestines to digest food and absorb the nutrients into your system. Over time the bile stored in the bladder gets concentrated to break down and absorb fat and salt. If one’s diet is heavy on fats, more bile is stored.

SHUNGITE: A Miracle Carbon-like Mineral Peter the Great required every soldier to carry a piece of the unusual stone in their backpack. Many believed that the reason the Russians prevailed in the battle of Poltava was because the soldiers had shungite with them and used the stones to purify their water. In the early 1700s, the Russian Czar had a palace built near a “magic” spring. That area was named “Martial Waters” after Mars, the god of war. In fact the mineral was discovered at the Zazhoginskoye deposit near Lake Onega in the Shunga region of Karelia, North West of Russia, after water from springs near the deposit cured people of various ailments. Shungite apparently purifies water, protects it from contaminants by filtering out harmful chemicals and bacteria, normalizes and charges water with cleansing energy that ionizes the liquid so that it does not cause oxidative effects that wear down our cells.

If there is a chemical imbalance in the gall bladder, due to excess cholesterol and salt in your diet, the cholesterol and salt may coalesce to form crystals called gallstones, a process called cholethisiasis.

If the stones completely block the flow of digestive enzymes produced in the pancreas—the patient will develop pancreatitis and this is a very painful condition.

Ultrasound scans can detect gallstones so the doctor can opt for surgery if the condition is as bad as the tests reveal.

Keyhole surgery is used to remove the entire gall bladder

(laprasopic cholsystectomy) if the organ has suffered infection from the condition.

These gallstones If unremoved, an infected may form as tiny gall bladder can cause sepsis crystals to as bad or poisoning of the blood. If the A photo of kidney diagram as the size of a golf stones can still be treated to save the ball. The stones in themselves do not gall bladder, shockwave therapy is used to break cause pain in the gall bladder. But if one stone gets lodged down the salt & cholesterol gallstones where they sit in the or stuck in the bile ducts to the entrance of the small intestine bladder so that they can be passed on and secreted out of the (the duodenum), the patient experiences great discomfort. body naturally.

ANCIENT MYSTERIES

6

If Earth Had a Ring System Like Saturn…

If Earth had rings similar to that of gas giant Saturn and even Neptune, and if the rings were aligned with Earth’s equator, it would be brightly miraculous in the night sky reflecting the sun’s rays like the moon. The spectacular sight would inspire its own mythologies and incredible origin stories. Even during the day, giant arcs would be visible in Paris in France and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.

People living close to the equator would see rings appear as thin and perpendicular lines to the horizon.

Imagine the Earth just like the much reviled fictional planet Bozania with a ring of ice aligned to the equator.

If this were so, Earth would be one beautiful blue rock of a miracle.

THE WONDER OF GOOGLE EARTH:

Ruins of Ancient Civilization or Natural Formations?

Google Earth and Google Maps were intended to be a real-time mapping service for geographical locations in urban areas of the world as well as the nearby terrain. But as powerful as earth’s satellites have become in showing surface detail in clear and vivid pictures, a windfall from military / spy satellite technology, even more than street maps and addresses are now visible using the Google Earth service.

If you move the viewer of Google Earth over the bodies of water near certain islands and zoom in, particularly in the Caribbean and the European land masses. There are very unusual underwater features that are clearly distinctive as more than just natural formations because of their symmetry and functional appearance.

From features such as these, some archaeologist researchers have even

pinpointed exact locations of submerged cities, pyramids and more.

The strangest underwater features resemble mining tunnels of sorts like roads leading to even bigger submerged citadel city maps. Are these ruins of ancient civilizations that were submerged eons ago by some global cataclysm?

Strangely, the features do not look natural at all. Nor even man-made, because of the massive scale that they appear on Google Earth. What kind of mystery connects these with all the other mysteries of disappearing civilizations all throughout the world From the Egyptians, the Mayans, the fabled Atlanteans. Theories point to the time when the North Pole’s geographic location was seemingly, both physically and mysteriously different from where it is now. What happened to submerge all those things we see on Google Earth?

Unexplained Structures from Antiquity Mesopotamia is supposed to be the seat of human civilization but there are structures around the world that pre-date Sumerian civilazion by up to 4000 years earlier. Here are some of the strangest Neolithic ruins that tell all sorts of stories about who may have lived then.

The strange built-up places are a sign that other communities had lived and erected edifices for purposes not clearly understood by our archaeologists and scientists.

Göbekli Tepe is a stone-age mountain sanctuary in Southeastern Anatolia Region of Turkey. The German archaeologist Klaus Schmidt who dug up the site believes it was a Neolithic pilgrimage site. No tools of any sort were found at the site.

Göbekli Tepe is in the area of Karaca Dağ and less than 350 miles from Mt Ararat, it might be the original source of at least some of our cultivated grains. An ancient Sumerian belief tells that agriculture, animal husbandry, and weaving were brought to mankind from the sacred mountain Ekur, which was inhabited

by Annuna deities.

Saxahuaman is a pre-Incan fortress on the outskirts of the city of Cusco, Peru, the former capital of the Inca Empire. The base is made of large polished, 20-ton granite boulders tightly locked into indestructible wall structures—all built without mortar. There are signs that thermal heat was applied, such that even a knife cannot separate each rock. The fortress is said to be sitting on top of more megalithic structures hidden in the earth of the mountains. The place may be landing areas for visitors from above.

the observatory theory is given credence following the recent discovery by NASA’s Kepler planet-finding satellite of more than 300 exoplanets in a small patch of sky in the Cygnus constellation.

In Florida, a modern oddity, hand built by a Latvian immigrant and scientist, Edward Leedskalnin over 28 years is the Coral Castle. He built the place only during the evening and refused to allow anyone to see his handiwork. Curious kids who snuck around and spotted his work, reported that he had caused the blocks of 10-ton coral to move and float like hydrogen balloons. The only tool that Leedskalnin spoke of using was a “perpetual motion holder”—a tripod with heavy chains and a mysterious black box on top that might have had powerful electromagnetic properties that could negate gravity and make the heavy coral weightless. Estimates claim Leedskalnin quarried over 1,100 tons of coral rock in order to build the gardens. Ed himself wrote once how he discovered the way in which the ancient Egyptians built. He might have rediscovered a way to use the geo-magnetic grid to generate anti-gravity waves.

The Carnac stones are a dense alignment of megalithic sites around the French village of Carnac, a total of 3,000 prehistoric standing stones erected by the pre-Celtic people of Brittany.

Speculation of antiquity theorists advocate that Carnac was a geo-coded location for a world energy grid using geo-magnetic properties that might function as a sort of beacon or physical GPS with electromagnetic registers for navigating the planet.

Zorats Karer, or the Armenian Stonehenge was explored by a team of archaeologists from University of Munich. This “stonehenge” has 222 standing stones, some up to 2.8 m tall and approximately 10 tons heavy.

About 84 of the stones feature sight holes focused on the sky.

Russian and Armenian archaeo-astronomists insist that Zorats Karer was an astronomical observatory. Mysterious sight holes in the monoliths are aimed at constellations in the sky, one of which included Cygnus. Insights from Mihran Vardanyan for

Carnac stones are a dense alignment of megalithic teeth like a physical GPS with electromagnetic registers for navigating the planet.

TECH TO GO

8 INTERVIEW WITH

The least common denominator for writing and wanna-be writers: writing fan-fiction and feeding the slush pile—just became the most explosive market for mobile app users. Co-founder, Allen Lau risked putting together a seemingly iffy, mobile internet product called Wattpad in 2006—a blog app that focused on one niche that has been an age old hobby among kids: Writing and reading, and most importantly, sharing stories—short chapters—scene by scene installments—that sustain the reading fix of avid users.

This rig was parlayed into the most rabidly successful mobile app / internet product since Instagram. After patiently waiting for the mobile market to mature, it seems Allen outsmarted everyone else in the field (mobile), most of whom were doing dumbed-down games in the mad scramble to get content on smartphones and tablets.

Riding on the popularity of mobile among younger internet surfers, Wattpad has seen its user base double in just a year to 15 million unique users today. Allen humbly considers this growth (1 percent of the watermark he’d like to REACH in 2 years or so) as just a small step towards a bigger goal—make Wattpad as big as You Tube. Looks like Facebook will become a relic soon, as today’s generation of mobile web surfers choose a storysharing app over picture sharing on mobile.

Allen Lau was in Manila just this September, at the 34th Manila International Book Fair, with country manager Kristel Tan, arranging a local roundtable Wattpad writer talk and an ‘Eyeball meetup’with app users in SMX, MOA. REACH magazine grabbed an interview with the Wattpad wizard…

Behind the hottest mobile app in the Philippines and the World.

REACH: Mobile apps are booming and Wattpad is among the most popular especially in the Philippines.

Pinoys are the second biggest user base for Wattpad. Do you see any competition from any future mobile apps? How have other Asian reading communities fared with Wattpad?

Allen: Wattpad is very strong in mobile apps, I think the more that people get into mobile as access to the internet the stronger the brand will become.

We have a very strong presence in mobile. Wattpad is very big in Asia.

As you mentioned, the Philippines is number 2 behind the U.S. But there are other Asian countries getting traffic like Indonesia, and India. Another country that is picking up is Turkey. Wattpad is available in 30 different languages. If you want to write in German, Dutch, Chinese, you can.

REACH: For other internet entrepreneurs who commit to a vision for a uniquely engaging web experience, how strong must one's knowledge of the available technology be compared to marketing savvy and branding?

Allen: I think for mobile apps and websites to be successful in general—being tech savvy is a main strength, if you had to pick one. But at the end of the day, you really need to have a combination of each. For internet companies it is a little bit different. Viral marketing is actually more important.

Or using creative effort for the product to spread virally among users is crucial to sucess. By the nature of the internet, things spread really quickly. And as

an internet product you build a very native experience for your product that to spread virally among users is to your best advantage.

REACH: You've built a successful internet marketing company from the ground up then sold it off. Was it a choice of Wattpad over the other?

Allen: I’m very into focus. It is too hard to run two companies at the same time. And you have to pick the crest you want to focus on. To me it is a very natural decision to put the focus on Wattpad. To me it is the bigger opportunity of the two.

REACH: What advise would you give to anyone putting together an internet project?

Allen: I think a lot of people have unrealistic expectations on how quickly a mobile app or internet product can grow. People are getting spoiled by Instagram, or You Tube--they think they can hit the jackpot overnight.

Ninety-nine percent of the apps and internet product are not like that. It takes a bit of time to build the user base and build a product or website to a certain quality bar before it can take off.

Take Pinterest, which is getting popular these days, for the first year they got no traffic as well, it is the same story with Wattpad. The founder of Pinterest also got to know each of the users by heart because they were so few. The internet companies growth in the first year is always very slow before the product takes off.

“The founder of Pinterest also got to know each of the users by heart when they first started because the app users were so few.”

REACH: Traditional publishers prefer to weed out a slush pile, while Wattpad has proven that a different publishing model does work—reader choice can really overwhelm established norms for what makes a good story. Is there really a trade-off?—will one choice mean a very good business model and the other choice be losing your shirt?

Allen: I don’t think it is as simple as one over the other. For one thing though, the internet is very good at connecting people. And before the mobile internet, the readers may not have had the choice to participate in the process of finding storytellers. But now because of the mobile internet it is easier to connect readers and writers together.

Once the readers have a choice to be a part of the process they can provide the input to their system to self-select to some extent and that can be a very good thing. Because I think having diversity rather than a very narrow single selection process can benefit everyone.

REACH: Crowdfunding enabled entrepreneurs to get their deam rigs rolling; do you see the user base of Wattpad publishing their favorite reading as a viable monetization option?

REACH Content Team having a social media moment with Wattpad founder Allen Lau and Wattpad Community Engagement Manager, Kristel Tan.

Allen: That’s what we are trying to experiment with. The basic idea is to utilize the existent fan-base to get a better story experience for everyone

involved. Basically the writer has built-in fans from their story posts. And fans utilize that to provide the funding to take the writer to the next level—get them a book. So I think that is a very exciting offering. Again the internet is very good at connecting people. Wattpad as the company can be the platform to help bring them together.

We just want to connect between the readers and the writers. There may be more possibilities down the road.

REACH: Six years and explosive growth in user growth and interaction with Wattpad has attracted venture capital dudes who see more potential.

For innovative new internet companies like Wattpad that focus first on building a user base, will monetization be a problem?

Allen: The problem of a website with a billion users making money is a non existent problem. Look at Facebook, Twitter, and You Tube. They started out with no idea how to make money until eventually a business model came along. Monetization develops organically.

Sometime in the future, there will always be a business model that will always fit any internet product that has a good and solid user base. You want to look at You Tube that have up to a billion users and then harness that percentage of premium supporters or users. For now any internet product’s goal is to sustain and develop a massive user base.

TECH TO GO New From Gionee

Celebrate Life with ELIFE E6

Buying a quadcore smartphone? Don’t sell yourself short. Honestly.

Design & Power The ELIFE E6 is the first with White, One-GlassSolution display technology. OGS makes ultra-thin designs possible, while increasing display quality.

The ELIFE E6 is only 2.54 mm narrow edge and 7.7 mm thin miniature size fitting your pocket.

A 1.5 GHz quad-core processor runs the show.

The ELIFE E6 runs a modified Android OS (AMIGO ROM) on 2 GB RAM and 32GB ROM + so you get a fast and efficient interface running your apps. It can smoothly run the best HD media and games, give Evernote or Springpad that much oomph, or just be the snazziest mobile to browse Wattpad stories in.

Camera and Video & Music The most used device features of mobile according to surveys conducted by Gionee are the Camera and Music. Social media grab and your personalized sonic-healing mix.

The Gionee ELIFE E6 has a 13MP rear camera and a 5MP front-facing camera with 12 levels of auto beauty effects, object-tracing focus—the camera locks in and snaps a picture when it senses a smile or those anime-inspired V-gestures—freeing the user’s hands to just point and shoot pics of friends.

FIt has an HD Real-Resolution Display, 441-PPI high-pixel density and super bright, LTFS LCD on the ELIFE E6. The speakers of the Gionee ELIFE E6 are side-mounted so you can lay your phone on a flat surface and still get great sound. Get true 3D DTS stereo sound blasting at 48Khz audio which is better than CD quality. Speaking into the microphone—the ELIFE6 filters out background noise with Dual Mic, noise-cancelling tech, so interviews are sharp and clear and phone calls in the outdoors are not garbled with ambient noise.

All those bulky gadgets just became moderately obsolete after the E6 came out. Why ever settle for less?

User-Friendly Motion Sensing The ELIFE E6 has motion sensor technology—you can answer by raising the phone to your ears, waving your hand over the screen, play or pause video by nodding your head, or even adjust volume by just air-gesture controls!

You are always assured of getting the most powerful smartphone that all other local marquees will play catch up to for always.

9

MIND OVER MATTER

10

The pow er of creative visualiza tion techniqu es enable your min d to you get w help hat you desire.

Stargazer is a renowned psychic who helps people by discerning their aura and providing spiritual advice as well as helping people deal with supernatural disturbances wherever.

In an interview with REACH, we glean insights into the person behind the persona.

REACH: As a psychic what are the personal challenges and trials of faith that you have encountered? Are there dangers when encountering spirits?

STARGAZER:

sila. Kaya before, kapag may charity work ako cleansing homes with negative spirits, lagi akong nagkakasakit na hindi maipaliwanag ng doctor.

Wala namang diperensya sa check-up or CT scan ko. That’s how the negative spirits hit us. Pansinin mo maraming healers and psychics na namamatay ng maaga. Kasi we take all the blows from the spirit world.

[On Faith] Isa sa mga challenges ko ay galing din sa mga kasama ko sa faith (Catholic or Christian) na sasabihin sa akin na, “Mangkukulam ka.

Masama yung ginagawa mo.” All because of ignorance. I don’t let them bother me.

[On Values] Minsan hindi maiwasan nagtataray na rin ako. Kasi I get insulted when people ask me: “Yayaman ba ako? Mamamatay ba ako?

Papasa po ba ako sa board? Or makakatuluyan ko ba ang boyfriend ko?”

Bakit ako naiinis sa mga tanong na ganito? Kasi life is a matter of living and experiencing everything that comes your way. What is it about experiencing life as it comes? Hindi lahat ng maliliit na bagay ay pinapalaki. When you live your life, you don’t want to bother needlessly over trivial annoyances.

Sometimes I look back over my own life and daydream, reflecting on how simple life was way back when. I enjoyed those simpler days and remember them fondly. If only our minds can see that we are blessed and be content.

Enjoying what one has and being thankful. Many people approach me and during consultation all I see is nonstop worry and griping and I think, “Ah wala, kaya pala....kaya ganun ang problem niya.”

REACH: Are you a believer in the Law of Attraction? It seems to be this generation’s inspirational mantra for good fortune as opposed to dwelling on problems and becoming a magnet for bad luck. Do you support this belief system and encourage people to believe that they can have what they wish for?

STARGAZER:

masasamang tao sila pa ang umaangat sa buhay?” Ang sagot ko naman ay nasaan na sila ngayon? Laging may balik ang karma. Hintayin natin matupad ito kaysa ilagay ang batas sa sariling kamay.

[On Attracting Wishes] What I do with the law of attraction is that I believe in positive energy. That law of attraction is just a renaming of what we have been practicing since the beginning of time. I manifest my dreams through the power of creative visualization techniques. First you can get a picture of what you desire and look at it frequently. Of course you work hard and save so you can earn the money to purchase what you want. Nakukuha naman yung blessing. But also remember that negative programming or dwelling on the negative can harm you. Kapag ang attitude mo ay, “Malas ako!”, iniisip pa ng iba. “Sabi ng manghuhula mamatay daw ako.” My advice for this is, “Kontrahin mo!” Kapag hindi mo ikokontra lalong makondisyon ang isip mo na mangyayari ang negative. Our thoughts are more powerful than our words. Isipin mo ng isipin na mangyayari, ay mangyayari talaga yung masama. So isipin mo na hindi mo makuha, hindi mo talaga makukuha.

[On Personal Challenges] Sa sarili kong buhay naman may katigasan ang

[On Faith and Destiny] Importante tandaan na kahit i-attract mo ang

[On Karma] Some people may complain and point out: “Bakit ibang

ulo ko kasi mahilig akong magbigay ng chance sa tao. Ang gift ko pa ang nagsasabi sa akin na lumayo ako sa taong iyan or huwag siyang pagbigyan ng pagkakataon dahil aahasin ka niyan later on. Pero marunong naman ako sa point kung hanggang saan ang hangganan at makakaiwas ako sa pahamak.

[On Psychic Activity] Another challenge is dealing with the spiritworld. It is not that easy. Unang una ang spirits ay namemersonal din. Kasi ang spiritworld tsismoso, kapag alam nila na ito ang taong kaaway nila. Dahil konti lang ang exorcist na gumagalaw kaya galit sila sa amin at gumaganti

isang bagay sa isip or puso mo, kapag hindi meant for you, hindi talaga nangyayari. Importante talaga ang Faith at Destiny. You cannot force things to come into your life like relationships or boyfriends. It doesn’t work that way. Malalaman mo rin naman kung pabor sa iyo eh. Minsan kung meant to be, humiling ka lang ng maayos sa dasal sa puso mo at ibibigay rin ni Lord.

Saka dapat din yung Law of Attraction ay may hangganan din. Makiramdam ka rin kung hanggang saan ang para sa iyo, hindi yung banat ka ng banat tapos hindi pala para sa iyo.

REACH: Is psychic discernment or knowledge about spirits and energies such a superstitious art that people look at it in a bad light rather than see the good and help that can be shared with those in need?

STARGAZER:

[On the Psychic Arts] Just like magic, being a psychic is neutral. When you say you can see things and discern them, you see both the positive and the negative. Like magic you have both good and black magic. But the effect of your actions depends on your intention as practitioner. Through spirituality, all depend on what your intentions are in life. Of course, ang exorcist kadalasan hindi negative kasi nag-exorcise siya ng negative or harmful spirits and demons.

[On Making a Living as a Psychic] In using our gift as psychic practitioners wala namang masama when it comes to the money thing eh.

In getting to where I am, I also took in special classes with special teachers and bought rare books about the practice to learn my craft and hone my gift.

Socialized naman ang paraan ko for compensation at pati ex-deal of services or goods ay tinatanggap ko naman din.

[On Naysayers] People from other religions frown upon those who practice their psychic gift. It’s always been like that. Mostly because of ignorance again. As psychics are neutral, we allow positive and even negative .

Meaning we don’t attack detractors for their opposition to our work.

[On the Afterlife] Our stay on earth is the testing ground and we are accountable for how we lived. Those who attain Heaven have a positive energy level that matches those who are already there, like angels and the Lord. Those who are sent below have the same negative energy level as them who suffer in the afterlife like negative spirits and the fallen. Energy finds its own level.

REACH: Filipinos are very superstitious and they have a passion for religious and holy objects like crosses, rosaries, and amulets or agimat. Can you provide readers an idea of what objects, stones or

“Kahit wala akong hawak na agimat at alisin lahat ng crucifix or rosary sa katawan ko, lalaban ako sa disturbing spirits with my prayers alone, kasi it is my faith that protects me. Nakabaon na ang faith sa loob ng mind and soul ko.”

crystals make for good fortune or wards against harm?

STARGAZER:

[On Holy Objects] Materials or objects can hold power. Sa Feng Shui, there are objects that create luck. But in my practice, I adhere to crystals.

Because crystals are scientifically proven to hold and amplify energy. But no matter what object is imbued with whatever characteristics or power, whether it be a crucifix or rosary or a circle of protection made of salt, they are of no use unless one has a strong faith. Kahit gaano karami pa ang poon, crucifix or rosaries, or crystals sa bahay mo—all of these cannot protect you nor even give you riches. Holy relics and symbols do not have power if you have faith. Kapag malakas ang faith mo, that will be enough to help you.

[On the Power of Faith] Kahit wala akong hawak at alisin lahat ng crucifix or rosary sa katawan ko, lalaban ako sa disturbing spirits with my prayers alone, kasi it is my faith that protects me. Nakabaon na ang faith sa loob ng mind and soul ko, like the Bible parable, kaya kaya ko humarap sa negative spirits. Pray to the Lord and if you give in to Him and surrender, everything will fall in place. Letting go and letting God take over is the key.

[On Dealing with Spirits] Nag-aaral pa rin ako ng mga paraan kasi sa experience ko sa pagharap sa mischievous at harmful spirits, nagbabago pa rin sila ng galaw. Kung alam ko matigas at salbahe ang multo or spirit at hindi umepekto ang ginawa kong paraan, mag-iiba ako ng style na hindi nila malalaman kung ano pangkontra ko. Nakikita ko kung ano galaw niya, at kaya ko magblock ng mind ko para hindi niya mabasa yung gagawin ko.

Kasi our exorcism and cleansing techniques have to evolve too.

REACH: Christian teaching tells the faithful not to fear the dead. How does a psychic advise anyone with a legitimate fear of the spiritworld how to deal with disturbances caused by forces we may not fully understand?

STARGAZER:

[On Negative Spirits] Alam mo, very tricky ang situation, but the thing is we replace fear with faith. When one feels he is in an unusually strange and precarious situation that might involve the unknown, one must pray first to the Lord. After praying, you call in a person of your faith like a priest or a clergyman to help you deal with it. Huwag munang magtawag ng albularyo or psychic kapag may disturbance or kababalaghan. Never challenge the spirit and exclaim, “Magpakita ka at lumabas dito! or Hindi mo ako kaya!”

Kahit ako na 34 years na halos sa training as a psychic, I still need to be careful. Kahit na magtapang-tapangan ka pero hindi mo alam na demonyo na pala ang kaharap mo baka lalo kang mapahamak. Calling them out is like inviting them to harm you. Kapag hindi kaya ng priest that’s the time you call a psychic practitioner like us.

[On Character] Third step is to make changes in your character. Why? Kasi ang negative spirits dumidikit sila sa nararamdaman nilang kaparehang energy. People with restless emotions or negative thoughts. So you will not encounter harm with spirits, always have faith.

For appointment: call Malou 5337241-42 mobile no. 09217431733 Like Stargazer’s FB page: stargazer philippines

AMAZING PHILIPPINES

12

Binondo is the heart of Manila Chinatown and Ongpin street is where everything is at—it covers the length of ten city blocks, where you can find everything precious and delicious. From gold jewelry shops—the best in the country; to a Chinese feast in every restaurant and diner huddled alongside each other. You can munch on delicacies like ube hopia and siomai on-the-go or sit down to a twelve-course “lauriat” lunch. Order dinner from large aquariums filled with live fish and crustaceans.

Every food trip is an excellent choice for whatever budget. Enjoying resurgence are homeopathic remedies and traditional medicines from Chinese apothecaries, literally magic shops because of the very effective medicines. The oldest Buddhist temples are to be found mainly in Ongpin. Street was named after Don Roman Ongpin, a Chinese businessman who helped “katipunero” rebels during the successful revolt of 1896 against Spain and whose statue stands beside Binondo Church.

ONGPIN RESTAURANT ROW

A Feast for Hungry Souls and Food Lovers Chinatown restos offer delicious like no other, and hearty soul food for any budget In Chinatown, particularly on Ongpin Street, there are excellent delights for anyone’s budget. They say Chinese food doesn’t just feed your belly but nourishes your soul too unlike anything you can imagine, until you dig in and then know it to be true. Bring your date to Ongpin street Chinese restaurant, and treat him or her to a feast, whether a grand course dinner or just a steaming bowl of noodles; that will promise heaven on earth shared in a meal.

Jia lo!

The posh Presidents Grand Palace Restaurant should be first on anyone’s list, famous for its twelve course lauriats. Specialties include the Hot Prawn salad—very large prawns, crispy batter and real mayonnaise—you get the full taste of prawns, no annoying taste extenders like fruit cocktail juice or canned fruit, the Hakao (shrimp dumplings) if you want siomai, Salt-and-Pepper Spareribs for meatlovers, and Roast Peking Duck for anyone hankering for traditional Chinese favorites. The service is excellent. Food is served fast and hot—the waitresses know each dish by heart and can run down the ingredients of each dish to you, or recommend what to order depending on your taste—seafood, meat, chicken?

Most might recognize Mr. Gerry Chua or Mr. Ube himself, as the owner of that family shop—Eng Bee Tin. Not too long ago, by blending his shop’s best selling snack with the best sourced ube, Gerry reinvented the lowly hopia and UBE HOPIA has made Eng Bee Tin, the brand of choice for snack delicacies uniquely Chinois. Sold almost everywhere with the best food control standards, you are assured of the finest quality, safe and delicious hopia and more from Eng Bee Tin. As for Mr. Ube Rice and Noodle House, it offers a different repast that will also satisfy your picky palate. Gerry Chua prides his restaurant as the best fastfood for yummy noodle soups—from very basic chicken noodle soup to wanton noodle, affordable rice toppings, authentic stir-fry noodle dishes, dimsum, and even Asian regional soup specialties — Filling Singaporean Laksa, Savory Japanese Shoyu Ramen, Spicy Thai Tom Yam, or the venerable staple and tasty Chinese Gokong Noodle—all at more affordable prices than even Asian specialty restaurants. Using state-of-the-art Japanese technology, Mr. Ube’s noodle specialties are always made fresh every day using all natural ingredients, with no MSG. Full of flavor and yet never greasy.

Panciteria Lido Cocina Tsina opened way back in 1936 under a Chinese chef, Mr. Lido, and the restaurant has maintained the 70-year-old, specialty recipe of its house favorite, the Pugon Roasted Asado. First cured in secret spices, a loin of pork is roasted using an old-fashioned brick oven using heat from firewood. The

BEAT REMINDER:

Remember that its always worth more than the price. Whether you dine at a 12-course grand lauriat. Or just slurp on a steaming bowl of fish ramen noodles. Large portions. Unmatched Flavor. Tasty hot or cold. You can dress up and eat in some fancy restaurant or order takeout and eat in your pajamas on the couch. Pure comfort food. If you eat alone or with someone special, or with the gang—digging in Chinese

just always hits the spot. Even with them leftovers the next day, reheats still tastes yummy. Good Chinese restaurants are everywhere. Like Starbucks. There is endless variety. Beef or pork. Veggies.

Noodles, soups. Flavors too. If cooked properly, the cuisine is very healthy.

Different fresh veggies in most dishes.

Not watching your weight? Savor lots of deep fried options. Freaking awesome.

The claypot stuff tastes nice even when

reheated.

Most items pack and travel well.

Even Chinese soup travels well. If you get home fast and serve quickly, the chow is as good as the time it was cooked.

Speed. Whenever you order, whatever you order, the waitress will say, "Okay, ten minute."

Asado tastes even better when matched with the house’s own sweet sauce dip made from the roast’s drippings. Other specialties include Drunken Lechon Macau or pork belly cured for 60-hours and immersed in premium wines and spices before getting roasted in an oven. The Lido Fried Rice will round out any full course meal you might want to order. Lido Cocina Tsina even has its own Siphon Brewed Coffee, offered since 1994, using the place’s own special bean blend and the unique brewing method of siphon filtering.

The La Resureccion Fabrica De Chocolate remains a secret, special place in Ongpin street, like a wand or broom seller in Diagon Alley except they sell something even more wondrous, magical and, even sexy—we mean intoxicating. In the limited cottage industry of native cacao processing, the place offers some of the best, world class, pure tsokolate tablea. Their products do not contain any preservatives or any form of extenders. The To family is proud that their product has sustained three generations of tsokolate connoisseurs.

AMAZING PHILIPPINES

13

Kuang Kong Temple and Seng Guan Temple ZEN in the Heart of Chinatown

Open to the public, the Chinese temples in Chinatown are Buddhist shrines where offerings to spirits as well as gods of the Buddhist pantheon are made. They are solemn places of worship, unlike Catholic Churches where kids, if left unattended, run about along the aisles. The Buddhist temples are more quiet and though there are also Buddhist services for worship, but the Chinese who visit the temple, practice a simple prayer ritual where requests are made to their chosen god for guidance and approval of life or business decisions.

Here one pays respect to the worshippers and keep silent even if one were just observing.

Kuang Kong Temple Located on the second-floor of a building on Kipuja Street, you find it by turning left into Fernandez St. from Ongpin Street, then turn left again into Kipuja Street.

Seng Guan Temple Not too far from Kuang Kong Temple (Narra St.) It is the biggest dedicated Buddhist temple in Chinatown as East Asian places of worship go, unlike the Kuang Kong which is housed in a building, the Seng Guan is its own Buddhist structure with splendid tower spires and pagodas. Seng Guan has several public rooms for praying.

The angel of memory for we of mythic Divisoria was of Dad taking us as toddlers through the stalls of this tiangge-strewn street maze in the late 70s to hunt down and haggle for a Jan Coogo, Star Zinger. My brother always got the better and colorful robots like Dai-turn 3, or Daltanios—but we siblings were both ecstatic knowing that our favorite robot toys could be found at Divisoria—even giving us this delusion that the secret-base of robots was

hidden somewhere underneath the strange environs of tiangge-packed buildings. It was elbow-to-elbow shopping there. Good stuff for a song, or at least what a good bargain would cost. Not just good stuff but real treasure—those 70s die-cast toy robots would cost an arm-and-a-leg decades later. As the downtown Mecca for low-cost merchandise in Metro Manila and one-stop-shop for generations of Filipinos, Divisoria was and still is the best place to go to find everything good for the all of us snaking through the tawad-mob.

Dividing Borders for the Spanish Divisoria, in the Spanish times was the business area assigned to the Chinese traders, or Sangleys as the Chinese were known. Divisoria or the imaginary ‘dividing borders’ marked by the lines of the Pasig River, and Azcarraga Street (now Claro M. Recto Avenue) enclosed the area where Sangley business and movement were restricted. Catholic churches in Binondo, Tondo, and Sta. Cruz which acted as monitoring posts for the Guardia Civil. The friars reported any suspicious activities and restricted the movement of Chinese business.

New malls make Divisoria a better trip

At the beginning of the 20th century, the old Divisoria began to have distinct business areas. Sta. Cruz was the area for retail of higher-value merchandise.

Binondo, notably along Ongpin Street, was the area for cheap merchandise and eateries. The remaining

How To Pray In A Buddhist Temple: Light three sticks of incense. Place yourself sitting on the red pew box facing the god (if the prayer is for business then offer your prayer to the right deity). As you pray, wave the incense slowly and bow my head.

After prayer, the incense is placed in an incense pot and place your hands on the two halves of red wooden shapes.

According to Chinese ritual, you should ask a question which is only answerable by “yes” or “no.” Drop the two shapes and if they face each other, the prayer will be granted. If the dropped wooden shapes face opposite each other, the prayer request will not be granted. If you wish for a different response you may repeat the ritual until you are satisfied with the answer.

After that, there is a fortune to be told by choosing among a bundle of sticks that each have an assigned number leading you to a message written in Chinese characters, usually Mandarin, which when translated is often an aphorism that can be interpreted as something directly related to your fortune or intent for seeking guidance from the temple.

Each one among the tawad-mob is in there to grab that last amazing bargain. area in San Nicolas and lower Tondo, became the area for wholesale products—this is the Divisoria of today.

21st Century Shopping Makeover Divisoria has now become an area that may soon rival HongKong as the local Chinese business community has upped the ante for providing a Filipino shopping experience as good as the best malls in the more gentrified areas of Metro Manila.

High-rise shopping centers with well-spaced stalls—the ubiquitous 168, the 999, the 11/88, Divisoria Mall, and the Lucky Chinatown; all offer enjoyable and comfortable bargain hunting. Even if crowded during peak shopping seasons. There are even business hotels being put up in the area to accommodate business travelers. As always, one only gets a good buy if one bargains hard, smart

and still be nice. Haggling is a lost art for most buyers, not that all vendors are like souk traders wooing you with tall tales so you’ll buy something you don’t really need. Don’t be hesitant to ask for a lower price. Each one among the tawad-mob is in there to grab that last amazing bargain.

Shopping Guide School and Office: Anywhere in the Divisoria open market, prices lower than 50 percent than everywhere else. Gadgets and Mobile: Mobile gadgets, laptops, and the latest electronic doodads in 168 and 999. Everything ‘Made in China’ are imported products, legit and genuine goods with warranties. 4th floor, 168 Extension building for fashion and accessories: Ground floor of the buildings along Ylaya for fabric and textile.

HEALTH

14

HEALTH & HEALING

Heal faster with a daily regimen of calamansi concentrate, no need to spend a fortune on expensive fruits or branded wheatgrass milks.

Besides being a very refreshing cold or warm drink, only few among us know that calamansi juice is the best daily health tonic for avoiding all health ailments. The lowly but precious Calamansi, also known as calamondin, or citrofortunella microcarpa, a round greenish to yellow in color, 2 cm to 4.5 cm fruit has an awesome healing factor even weapon X (Wolverine) would envy.

Ever been sick as a dog and even medicine makes you feel more horrible—until your body recovers enough to fight off the ailment and you get well again? A regimen of calamansi health tonic every morning will help you avoid those nasty days with bouts of sickness. You’ll see your immune system grow stronger and recover from colds & the flu faster. Medication should always be a last result for staying healthy and not for preventing sickness.

As previously advised by health practitioners— two glasses of water taken straight, first thing in the morning, help wash out your colon and help clean up the detritus in your stomach and system. Thirty minutes after the water cleanse, imbibe your Calamansi Health Tonic. Take the drink on an empty stomach too.

You may drink it as a tonic concentrate of more than 30 plus fruits squeezed and strained

and drank as is—one or two gulps. You may also dilute the concentrate as juice in a 1 liter bottle and drink over the course of a day as your refreshment or ‘water bottle chugger.’

For best results, get green calamansi. Go buy a batch of calamansi fruit that is good for two or

IN PREPARING CALAMANSI JUICE, YOU WILL NEED:

HERE ARE SOME BENEFITS OF CALAMANSI JUICE:

-5 pieces big green calamansi fruit

1. Clean the calamansi fruit and cut into two.

-White Sugar

2. Squeeze to get the juice and pour into the glass of water.

-A glass of cold or warm water according to your choice

3. You can separate the seed using a fork when squeezing.

4. Add the sugar to taste then stir and drink.

three days consumption only so that you won’t get overripe fruit leftover from the ones you were not able to juice in time.

Skin Bleaching Agent Serves as body cleanser Use as body deodorant Lightens dark area of the body like armpits and elbows Lightens freckles Good as Mouthwash Cure coughs and expel the phlegm Helpful in dealing with a Hangover Prevent and Cure Osteoarthritis Maintains Kidney Health Great tonic for the Liver Prevent Diabetes Lighten Urine Color Lowers blood cholesterol

Don’t take anything else for an hour and a half.

After drinking your Calamansi Health Tonic, go read your favorite book, write in your journal or doodle some ideas you have cooking. Let the calamansi soak into your system for an hour to an hour-and-a-half and work its healing chemical magic into your metabolism. Then take a hearty and healthy breakfast.

This health regimen doesn’t promise overnight results nor a remedy within a month. Calamansi does not cure illnesses, instead it helps raise your body’s resistance to diseases. Your body keeps

a healthy alkaline environment. Your kidneys and liver, which accumulate with toxins get cleaned of these poisons are re-energized to do their functions. Calamansi juice aids the digestive system and makes the process of eliminating waste products from the body easier.

Calamansi is cheap, plentiful, and available all year round everywhere!

What will it cost you to keep a litre of calamansi concentrate readily available for a daily morning health regimen, compared with days on the job lost to sickness. Stay healthy.

Drink fruit juice on a regular basis.

Most often people think of coffee just as a caffeine fix. But it really is a very complex beverage with hundreds and hundreds of different compounds in it.

With so many compounds in it, drinking coffee can lead to very diverse health outcomes. It can be good for health and bad for some with health conditions.

But that’s not necessarily inconsistent and no reason to abstain from java.

Few foods are good for everything.

CAFFEINE CHECK FOR YOUR LIMIT BREAK

STAYING FIT AND WORKING BETTER IS JUST A COFFEE BOMB A DAY First thing in the day, your coffee fix should always be the best stuff you can get. Espresso for most, or latte for those who want milk with a kick, the iced and flavored brew for dainty ones. Then maybe two or more throughout the day to give you a boost. Old research warns of the side effects of a regular coffee habit.

But smarter research has revealed that getting coffee drinks every day can even be a healthy habit. Dr. Eileen Madden, a toxicologist and food-safety expert, described the positive effects of coffee in a symposium on health last fall at the New York Academy of Sciences. Most of the purported side-effects and ailments caused by a coffee habit have been debunked by health experts who claim most of the negative findings were based on poor research methods.

MODERATION MEANS MAKE THE MOST OF IT! For the average adult, three to four 8-oz cups of brewed coffee ( or an intake of 400 to 450 milligrams of caffeine per day) does not cause health side effects. But knowing this, you will still be the best judge of your coffee capacity. And your tolerance for caffeine may even change over time. If you get stressed, jittery, or have trouble sleeping, drink less coffee then find your limit.

Coffee contains cafestol, a compound that is a potent stimulator of LDL cholesterol levels. Cafestolis are found in the oily fraction of coffee, and when you brew coffee with a paper filter, the cafestol gets left behind in the filter.

Boiled coffee common in Scandinavian countries, French press coffee, or Turkish coffee, are much higher in cafestol. Espresso lies in the middle, less than French press coffee but more than paper filtered.

Here’s a list of caffeine bomb per drink: • Espresso coffee (1.5 to 2 oz)

45 to 100 mg of caffeine

• Red Bull energy drink (8.2 oz) 80 mg of caffeine • Brewed coffee (8 oz)

80 to 135 mg of caffeine

• Cola beverages (12 oz)

43 to 55 mg of caffeine

Metabolic Process and pH:

HOW FRUITS ROCK YOUR HEALTH TO SUNSHINE A fruit’s acid content doesn’t determine whether it becomes acid or alkaline forming in the human body — its pH nature in the body is a product of the metabolic process. This is a common misconception that has dissuaded many from indulging in sour fruits especially during breakfast because it may cause acid reflux or ulcers when one gorges on fruit.

Often, a fruit's acid content contrasts with its effect in the body. Most citrus fruits are acidic, but have an alkaline effect in the body.

For drinkers of one to four cups a day… Recent long-term studies have found: Lower risk of liver cancer Lower risk of developing type 2 (or late-onset) diabetes.

Lower rates of Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease.

Lower risk of cirrhosis of the liver, colon cancer and asthma.

Remember that alkaline-fixing food has a powerful effect on the body, keeping it fit and resistant to infection, stress and chemical imbalances from hormone changes. Germs can’t live in an alkaline environment.

Cancer cells can’t survive in an alkaline environment. Bodily functions are normal and metabolism is optimal when the body is in an alkaline environment.

Meat is acid-fixing and so are all processed foods. Medicines are acid-fixing. Unfortunately, this isn’t common knowledge. You need something to balance out acid-forming foods and the best choice is always fruits, especially calamansi juice or grapefruit juice.

PIGEON TALK

16

FOR BREEDING. FOR RACING. Pigeons need an average of 35 to 45 grams of feed a day. Feeding may be split into two periods with one third of the feed requirement given in the morning and two thirds in the late afternoon.

CARBOHYDRATES AND FATS Pigeons need to maintain a high body temperature of 41.8 degrees C—so they need lots of energy from carbohydrates and fats. Seeds, legumes and cereals provide 40 to 75 percent carbohydrates. Fats can be derived mostly from seeds. Fats produce 2 and a half times the energy as carbohydrates. Captive pigeons do not need as much energy unlike those in the wild. Obese pigeons are unhealthy and fat pigeons have a reduced sex drive which leads to less egg production.

PROTEIN Legumes provide most of the protein requirements of pigeons 16 to 23 percent, with cereals coming close at 11 percent.

Protein helps pigeons build muscles for racing stronger wing, for regrowing feathers during moulting, for egg production, and pigeon milk for feeding babies.

MINERAL SALTS Minerals and salts are inorganic materials not necessarily food that still play an important part in one’s diet.

Minerals are needed for eggshell production when laying eggs, growth and strength of their skeletons, and aiding body functions.

Grit helps birds digest their food by being grinded in the stomach along with the stomach acids of the birds and cleans out the gizzard of the bird too.

PIGEON MIXES Pre-mixed pigeon feed mixes already contain the needed energy and protein requirements of your birds.

READING THE FEED TRAY The feed tray always reveals what your birds may be needing, if they leave peas, they need carbohydrates for energy and heat, so add a little corn or safflower to the mix. When they leave corn in the tray, they need protein for a moult or to feed babies.

BREEDING SEASON

Before breeding and conditioning the sexes are separated. Two weeks before the breeding season starts, change the diet to include more protein to increase the pigeon’s sex drive and help them into breeding condition.

You may induce the moulting in birds by changing their feed from a breeder mix to the one with les protein for 6 to 8 days until the birds lose their drive to bree and automatically go into moulting.

Oil seeds like hemp and linseed should be included in their diet to improve feather health and feather bloom. Show pigeons benefit greatly from a diet of ‘tonic seeds’ when moulting. Sunflower seeds may cause diarrhea due to oil content and result in a very dirty loft. As soon as their last flight feather drops, the moulting season ends and you can change the diet to resting period.

Your feeding mix should also contain nutrients that aid production of eggs, milk production, and for development of strong bones and healthy tissues in the new young. You may include tidbits and lettuce in their diet. You must give breeders fresh grit everyday because the hens need extra calcium to form eggshells.

Protein content for breeding season should be 18 to 20 percent of feed mix with a variety of foodstuffs. This mixture should be given liberally twice a day throughout the growth and rearing of the young. Newly weaned bird require the same feed mix since the whole body is still maturing and the flight feathers and muscles are developing.

As they are learning to fly, young pigeons will eat at a time. But will eat often so feed should be available throughout the day.

DRINKING Water is essential for the birds to lubricate their food and soften grains for digestion, to regulate body temperature and as a transport system for digested food. You pigeons should have access to fresh clean water at all times. Pigeons don’t drink like most birds who dip, tip and gulp; pigeons dunk their beaks into the water trough and drink like horses. Parents feeding their young need a lot of water to soften the food they give to their young since the young cannot digest feed as is. If the young cannot digest food that is not softened by water they will die.

A feeding mix with a slightly lower protein content should be used from 15 to 18 percent, but keep an eye out on carbohydrates and fats as the inactive birds may put on weight.

MOULTING SEASON FEEDING

Breeding usually ends after the summer solstice. Pigeons moult the whole year round to a degree. They may shed and regrow some down feathers during rainy season when it is colder, but during the onset of summer the first flight feathers are moulted. Moulting starts slowly until the the middle of the month.

TRAINING / RACING FEEDS Feeding during racing season is an art. Carbohydrates are the primary content over protein as the birds need energy to fly fast over long distances. Aside from the commercial conditioning mixes available, corn and safflower are recommended to build energy reserves. The trick is to balance fat / protein and carbohydrates content to build up reserves for longer tosses and races. You must not overfeed and allow the birds to get overweight, extra energy reserves are needed in case of a hard race, cold weather. Young birds being trained might need a 12 to 15 percent protein mix since they are still building up muscle until they go into adult moult.

Older birds trained for a race need 10 to 12 percent.

PIGEON TALK

17

INTERVIEW with CHAMPION HOMING PIGEON BREEDER and RACER: REACH: For pichons (young pigeons), how young do you train the birds to fly back to the loft, and how old are the pigeons when you choose to start them off in race competitions?

DERRICK CHOI / WILBERT SOLANO: The birds are usually allowed to train as soon as 8 weeks old. They are allowed to orient themselves with the loft and the surrounding area, remembering geographic markers and flying exercises within the vicinity of the loft. Then for a 10 km distance from the loft, we take them in covered cages and release them to find their way home. The birds that maintain a 700mph speed or higher for a few weeks of training practice are retained for the flying team. Some of our best birds can fly at over 1,200mph.

Birds slower than 700mph are culled. From 6 months old, after several distance training sessions (10kms, then 15kms, then farther away), the birds that make the speed marker are entered into competitions once the racing season starts. There are competitions that allow only young pigeons—under a year old, and there are competitions that only allow for birds that are at least a year old or older.

REACH: Last we checked, there are around 70 plus pigeon clubs all around the Philippines, How lucrative are the prizes for hobbyists and fanciers to go all out in producing and breeding the best homing pigeon racers?

REACH Pigeon Talk interviewed Champion breeder Derrick Choi and his handler Wilbert Solano for insights into one of the most popular hobbies in the country--pigeon racing.

DERRICK CHOI / WILBERT SOLANO: There is a racing season that sometimes runs to 7 consecutive races, one every weekend. So our birds must be managed well to go all out every race and recover in the week between the next race and the next. Each club holds its own races. Sometimes there are races held with other regional clubs. Sometimes the weekend races wear out the weaker breeders who do not understand the science of pigeon handling and breeding. But when managed well by handlers and a feeding and conditioning system before the racing season, a good breeder can go head to head with his club’s best members and even opposing clubs top breeders and his flyers can race week in and week out. Top prize can reach up to P2.5 million to be split among finishers of a certain time span. As a hobby, nothing beats seeing your best birds day in and day out growing into champions after a few racing matches. Champion lines are usually kept within a breeder’s own flock and rarely sold except to special friends. A champion racer’s line is usually locked in and cross-bred

Champion Breeder for Bluebar Homing Pigeons or in-bred until all its genetic characteristics are recovered up to 90 plus percent of the original.

We prefer to cross-breed rather than in-breed our best flyers.

REACH: Is there any feeding regimen you follow for training before the racing season?

DERRICK CHOI / WILBERT SOLANO: Best thing about our regimen is that the feed mix we use is already set for optimum performance, and proven by our racing stints. Newtree has the best conditioning feeds and performance boosting feeds. No worries about adjusting the feed mix for our competition pigeons.

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GAMEFOWL CIRCUIT

18

GREY KELSO

GAMEFOWL BREEDING

THE KELSO AIR ATTACK:

PERFECT TIMING, DEEP GAME

PHENOTYPE CHARACTERISTICS: Grey Kelsos are straight comb and of usually white leg, while some have yellow legs.

GENOTYPE CHARACTERISTICS: Also known to be high breakers with good timing; high stationed with sleek legs. Kelsos are also known to be powerful game cocks with deep game, aside from having good breaking ability. They have broad chests.

STRAIN HISTORY: Great cockers and breeders have revealed info on how the awesome Kelso strain was produced.

From letters from W. A. Kelso, Col. John Magigin, J.M. (Milo) Frost Jr, Gilbert Courtois, who fed the Kelso cocks for 25 years and John J. Liberto, Galveston, Texas, who made hundreds of single matings for Mr. Kelso.

Kelso bred a Blue Judge Wilkins Typewriter - McClanahan cock to two Tom Murphy's straight comb whitehackle hens and produced the two red, "Left Out" marked hens that were later bred to a "Yankee Clipper" cock that Duke

Hulsey gave him, which produced the powerful, original pea-comb fowl that won an average of 85% of their fights from 1947 to 1953.

Kelso’s fighting fowl were bred out of Typewriter hens and the Typewriter-McClanahan cock brought down there for that purpose.

Letters from John J. Liberto, who helped Mr. Kelso for 32 years with his fowl, in Galveston, Texas, give assurance that the only Typewriter hens and the McClanahan cock (Austin-Claret-Smith Roundhead) were ever bred at Mr. Kelso's.

KELSO CLARETS Even though Kelso had many of Madigin's fowl, he never bred any of them pure. He always wanted his own strain of fowl and bred towards this goal. This might surprise many, but there is no such fowl called Kelso “Madigin” Clarets. Some of his fighters may have contained some Claret blood.

Mr. Kelso never used COL. JOHN H. MADIGIN CLARETS in any of his important main fights. Upon the death of Mr. Madigin, September 16, 1942, Mr. Kelso inherited some of his fowl.

THE SWEATER CONNECTION Kelso had "Sweater" McGinnis with him at one time and McGinis didn't like the Madigin fowl and was busy culling them from his

stock. McGinnis did fight some of them at Waco, Texas and most lost. Then he brought down to Kelso's place a Peacomb red, yellow legged cock, with heavy plumage, long wings and broad back. This was bred to Kelso's "Out and Out" marked hens and single mated to the little bluff, straight comb, Murphy hens. This cock was called the "Sweater" cock.

McGinnis got a Regular Grey Madigin cock from Kelso.

John Liberto, Galeston, Texas, had been breeding the cock to his Pipeline (Frost) hens for Mr. Kelso. A Perfection Grey cock was also bred to Pipeliner hens for Kelso's use. The original Madigin Perfection Greys were out of a Madigin Regular Grey named "Perfection," bred to Red Claret hens. John Liberto let Kelso breed his dark wine red, straight comb yellow Pipeliner (Frost cock to his buff, yellow legged, Murphy hens). Sweater left Kelso's place to go into the army and friend Gilbert Courtois bred his stock for Kelso for a few years. Kelso won mains and derbies with the Sweater matings. Later a son of the Pipeliner cock was bred to Sweater fighters with excellent results. The bloodline of this fowl produced in his later fighters and became his very best fowl.

THE KEEP

GAMEFOWL CIRCUIT

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The KEEP is a conditioning method for fighting fowl that is patterned after the latest studies of human athletic competition. The principle behind conditioning birds is “carbohydrate loading.” To understand fully how the KEEP system works, breeders should understand how nutrition works on a fowl and its effects on a fight’s performance.

Applying the principles of this to conditioning fighting fowl, the effects of a KEEP system have been recorded as extremely productive and rewarding for gamefowl breeders who have adopted it as science: your cock will hit harder, and more importantly, will be able to do it much longer than he would have otherwise. Fighters will sustain that deadly punch and fight endurance is also vastly improved over birds that do not undergo the Keep pre-derby conditioning system.

FEEDING The secret of the KEEP is always FEEDING. Feeding during the KEEP is totally different from the off-season and breeding season feeding periods. The food mix is specifically designed to maximize your cock’s ability to get into its peak fighting condition right on time for a derby fight. From a nutrition standpoint and from an understanding of your cock’s metabolism.

This KEEP is a short yet intensive 2-week schedule of conditioning a cock for a derby. Some KEEP systems are for longer up to 20 days or 22 days. Before the KEEP starts, a breeder chooses candidates among the best fighting fowl in his coop. If you are to enter a 5-cock derby, factor by three (3) the number of fights to come up with the number of candidates you must choose for the KEEP (thus, you choose 15).

FLUSHING FEED To detox your fighters and cleanse their systems, give your candidates only bread soaked in milk as flushing feed on the day of your selection. Deworm them the usual way, and delouse by simply spraying their feathers with non-toxic anti-parasite. Do not bathe or wash your fighting cocks in water. After the flushing, the cocks will be cleaned up, inside and out.

MAINTENANCE MEDS To avoid disease and other infections during the KEEP, you may inject a small amount of your preference of antibiotic (only 1cc. per bird) into the breast of each cock on the first day.

DIET For the KEEP diet for your birds, maintain a 16% crude protein (C.P.) level from day one up to the eleventh (1-11).

Corn supplies complex carbohydrates which is the best energy source, and some plant proteins as bonus. Corn is staple food for fowl. Red wheat is fine as a protein source and replaces white wheat because it is easier to digest, and with better protein content than white. Use 5% green peas and 5% yellow peas in the mix. Make sure that the pellet component contains 16% crude protein to sustain the muscle conditioning of the birds. Check the pellet feed packaging for this information. The feed mix proportions for these ingredients are measured in dry weight.

GRIT for DIGESTION Provide the cocks a steady supply of grits from day 1 to 9 of your KEEP system. Grits help the cocks digest the feed and keep the gizzard well-exercised. Grits remain in the gizzard for around a week. Thus, grits are removed from the diet 5 days before the fight to empty the gizzard not only of feeds, but also of grits on fight day.

WEIGHT Before the KEEP, the candidate cocks should preferably have a pre-conditioning process where they are fed well and develop good muscles, are healthy and full breasted.

And preferably without the belly fat. Ideally the weight of each bird must be around 200 grams higher than their best fighting weight observed during pre-conditioning.

CHECK FIGHTERS’ APPETITE Cocks that are voracious eaters and fast grinders show that their digestive system is in top shape. Picky cocks or those which leave leftover feed in their cups must be experiencing something unpleasant. Observe these and treat them for any illness or infection, then send the birds back to pre-conditioning. Observe the cocks in KEEP daily, before, during and after feeding. If possible, observe them the whole day, even during their sleep.

Lowering a fighting cock’s weight is easier and less stressful during the KEEP as opposed to bulking up which takes longer, needs more effort/stress and risks uncertainty.

The best fighting weight is the weight where you observe your cocks performing best while in supervised sparring exercises conducted during pre-conditioning. During the pre-conditioning stage, record each fighter’s weight before and after every sparring session.

Rate the bird’s fight prowess according to your preference.

You might rate his fight weight as willing and able, a mad brawler, pure killer or just ticking, during these sparring exercises. In at least five (5) sparring exercises, know what his best fighting weight is. Consider the weight where the cock fought best as his best fighting weight—pure killer.

Mix grain and vegetable parts into the feed mix as follows: 50% - whole corn 20% - red wheat 10% - whole oats or jockey oats 10% - green peas and yellow peas 10% - Pellets (16% C.P.)

Grit cleanses the crop and stomach of the birds from fungi and from obstructions.

They are a normal part of all birds’ diet. Even gamefowl.

This is the first in a series of articles for pre-fight preparation. Grab the next issue for the next part on carbo-loading and watering your fowl during fight prep.

HOW IT WORKS

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EXTREME WEATHER

How Typhoons Form and BECOME Devastator storm surge noun noun: storm surge; plural noun: storm surges 1. a rising of the sea as a result of atmospheric pressure changes and wind associated with a storm.

The worst part of Typhoon Yolanda, which may have taken as many as 10,000 people in the Philippines, was storm surge. The highest sustained tropical cyclone winds in history were recorded at 195 miles per hour (314 km/h) in that typhoon. Unlike the infamous Ondoy and Habagat typhoons which drew monsoon rains to amplify the rainfall in Metro Manila close to Noah’s flood proportions, Yolanda forced the seawater to rise and flood the southern coastal communities and literally smash entire towns to detritus.

Extreme winds forced the seawaters to rush inland like a bulldozer because the sea-level rise from the climate change has been ongoing four to five times faster in the eastern Philippines. Surging waters devastated weak structures like they were just a box of twigs, and even smashing concrete houses that have not been reinforced with steel. The floods caught people unawares and strong undercurrents dragged many under.

Yolanda’s howling winds turn the sea into devastation and madness

Typhoon Yolanda seen from a satellite photo.

A southern town before the Storm Surge hit.

The same coastline after the Storm Surge hit.

The storm surge was greatest in Tacloban City, a coastal community where the Leyte Gulf narrows into the San Pedro and San Pablo Bay. Like sitting ducks were everyone who chose to dig in and stay. Carl Drews, of the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Colorado described the area: “That is about the worst path and the worst place for a storm surge.”

Trade winds and currents have been piling up more water in the western Pacific, according to William Sweet, oceanographer from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

To survive calamity, a country needs a culture of prevention, rather than disaster relief,” advised PRC Chairman Richard Gordon.

Super Typhoons like Haiyan or Yolanda can truly pack a wallop. Most of the devastation in previous storms came from floods and landslides. This time nature reminded us what a Storm Surge is, and it is as lethal as a Tsunami. Recovery from the damage will take time.

7 Main Factors that Brew a Super Typhoon 1. Warm Sea Surface Temperatures, 26.5 °C (79.7 °F) at least 50 metres in depth (160 ft) 2. Atmospheric Instability 3. High Humidity in the Lower to Middle Levels of the Troposphere, 4. Enough Coriolis Force to Develop a Low Pressure ‘eye of the storm’ 5. A Pre-existing Low Level Focus or Disturbance,

6. Low vertical wind shear. Less than 10 m/s between the ocean surface and the tropopause.

7. When more than one typhoon joins into another storm system, it becomes a super typhoon.

The first six conditions do not necessarily guarantee that a super typhoon will form. Warm waters create the warm core that fuels tropical systems. A distance of 500 km (300 mi) from the equator is where tropical cyclogenesis brews. About 85 to 90 percent

of Pacific typhoons form within the monsoon trough. Nearly one-third of the world’s tropical cyclones start in the western Pacific.

The most frequently impacted areas of the Philippines by tropical cyclones are northern and central Luzon and eastern Visayas.

Thirty percent of the annual rainfall in the northern Philippines could be traced to super typhoon, while the southern islands receive less than 10 percent of their annual rainfall from tropical cyclones.

energy, portable camping gear equipment can double as cooking gear. Check outside the house and secure loose stuff that could be caught in the extreme wind and become lethal projectiles. Anything that may be ruined by a flood should be stored on higher ground or dry storage. Once the floods hit, you only have time to take care of yourself and your companions.

Turn off everything that runs on house power except for the refrigerator. Set the refrigerator and freezer to the lowest settings to keep the contents cold longer if electrical power is interrupted. A battery-powered radio will be handy for weather updates.

DURING THE STORM

This is a survival guide that REACH will always reprint whenever storm season is underway.

Better safe than sorry. Always.

Typhoon Survival Guidelines for Filipinos Residing Near Floodprone Areas

BEFORE THE STORM Before any typhoon hits land, regardless of strength, you must store food & drinking water good for at least 3 to 5 days—canned goods or survival foods like nuts and dry grains. Typhoons can pull in monsoon rains to inflict even more damage via floods.

Cutting you off from everywhere if you cannot traverse the waters. No food or water, people become rabid.

Flashlights save lives. Waterproof LED flashlights or lamps are the best choice for light sources during storms. If in rural or coastal areas secure all domesticated animals on higher ground, safe from the onslaught. Repair unstable homes—roofing, loose windows, and doors. Alternative sources of heat and light should be safe and contained. For alternate

During typhoons, stay inside your homes unless told to evacuate by the authorities. Keep your housemates calm. Listen to music between weather reports. Play any games packed in your typhoon kit.

Chess, board games, cards or Commander (an MTG card game) is a great way to sit through a storm. If there is light enough to spare, read a book or browse through your old magazines to pass the time. Be aware at all times yet stay sober enough not to panic when the storm hits its peak. If any trouble ensues, have each of your housemates know what to do and what to save to survive. Keep emergency and survival rations and equipment ready to use when you will need them.

Strong winds can blow you into the surging waters and strong rains can make visibility impossible.

Flying objects and other floating debris can maim and damage homes. Stay inside even if the weather calms.

Wait for official word that it’s safe to leave your home.

Sit far away from the windows in case they break.

Storm signal 4, typhoon winds can blow down both windows and doors.

AFTER THE TYPHOON Check on your neighbors to see if they need assistance. Check your house for damage. Take photos of any damage to show to emergency services or your insurance company. Ensure that the structures are safe before entering any other homes affected by the storm. Make a call to your relatives and tell them they are safe when the storm dies down.

Pool your resources with your neighbors. Have a block party and have a commune cookout with whatever is in everyone’s refrigerators if power is out and you need to eat food that will go bad soon.

After the storm passes, floods can surge from all that rain. Mudslides and landslides in certain areas can take lives and property. Watch for downed power lines—electrocution can result from live wires and wet everything.

Be careful of contaminated water which can carry bacteria and parasites causing infectious diseases.

Emergency medicines should be stocked and hygiene precautions be taken. Keep water reserves for minimal washing and cleaning. Sewage can seep into the flood waters so keep out of flooded areas until a cleanup is complete.

Anything that cannot be washed and disinfected, such as mattresses, carpeting and upholstered furniture, should be safely thrown away.

Floods can also cause dangerous molds to grow in homes and can cause itchiness, sneezing, asthma attacks or serious lung damage. Have easy-to-prepare food to sustain you after a storm and maintain clean and sanitary food prep and storage.

Survivors should throw out any food tainted by floodwater or any moldy substances.

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BUSINESS DIRECTORY

A word of wisdom

The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to REACH your full potential... these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.

confucius

BUSINESS DIRECTORY

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