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Ozamiz City, Philippines is now an emerging tourist destination in Northwestern Mindanao. It is a historical, cultural and pilgrimage haven that eventually transforms into a modern second-class city. It has a number of tourist attractions that must be discovered and explored.

Among the highlights of the city is the Cotta Shrine where the image of the Miraculous Lady of Triumph can be found. The image was believed to be the guidance and protection against invaders because of its mysterious apparition on the wall of the city’s fortress. It has been the object of pilgrimage in the city. The Fort Santiago is located at the mouth of the Panguil Bay just behind the shrine. It was built in 1756 and has been the military stronghold from then and until now. Historical relics and records were displayed in the Fort’s museum.

It is also where the lighthouse was erected. Next to the Cotta is the Triunfo Beach where many people flock to watch the sunrise and have a breath of fresh air. The beach is also very attractive during nighttime because of the colorful lights along the baywalk.

Another attraction that a tourist must not miss is the Bukagan Hill. It really tires the feet if one attempts to go up the hill on foot. Tourists can also go uphill by wheels and experience the different phobias as the vehicle goes up. At the hilltop, awaits the four giant bells from Germany, the second largest bells in Mindanao and the panoramic view of the entire city. They are really worth the sweats!

For golf enthusiasts, the Malindang Country Golf Course is located at the foot of Mt. Malindang. It was a pre-war army facility converted into a beautiful golf course.

Tourists can also experience the adventures in going to the newly developed Hoyohoy Mountain Resort. There, one can have a scenic view of the whole city and the neighboring province, Lanao. It is indeed an ideal place for unwinding and relaxation.

The Immaculate Conception Cathedral is just at the heart of the city. Resting at the cathedral’s choir loft is a gigantic bamboo organ which is the second largest organ in the Philippines. It is the only existing pipe organ in Mindanao and one among the few in the whole country.

For nature lovers, an exquisite botanical garden is just about five minutes away from the heart of Ozamiz. There are also a number of choices if one thinks about spending a day or an overnight in a resort. Tourists can also enjoy snorkeling or diving with other sea creatures at the Dolphin Island in the Misamis Occidental Aquamarine Park. They also have a mini zoo at their mangrove jungle. Convenient and elegant accommodation is really not a problem at all. Cost-wise hotels and restaurants are scattered anywhere in the city. Talking about transportation, shuttle buses, vans and other commuters are very easy to find. Plus, domestic air flights to and from Manila are also available. Sea cruisers and big ferries are also safe means of transportation and more enjoyable for those who are not in a rustle.

I made this inspirational poem for people to look on the brighter side and to appreciate the gift of life. Remember to appreciate what you have before it’s too late for you to appreciate what you had. Enjoy and love what you have now and live life to the fullest.

“Appreciate Life”

life is a precious gift not everyone can have,
some can live longer while others die young.
lucky are those who have sight of the world
for some develop blindness and others are born blind.
blessed are those who can spend time with their families
for orphans are deprived to have one and those who live alone.
be sorry to those who are unable to speak
for they cannot say the words they long to be heard.
yet fortunate are those who are able to talk
for they have all the chances to say “I love you” to their loved ones.

gracious are those who have the sense of hearing
for they can listen and sing along to the music that heals their souls.
blest are those with bright schemes and brilliant minds
for they are the ones more favored to walk along the roads of success and prosperity.
but happier are the poor and the average
for they can easily find felicity and contentment with just what they have and with what they can have.
pity to those who are sick and dying
for they are running out of time to pursue and realize their dreams.
blissful are we ’cause we are endowed with life’s best –
our families, friends, food, shelter and wholeness.

so, open your eyes and thank GOD you’re alive.
go around and see the BEAUTY of the world.
follow your DREAMS and realize them.
spare TIME with your loved ones
and grab every chance to say and show how much you LOVE them
before TIME plays with you…

live your life like there is no tomorrow…

- Janzynn May -

We all know that English is the universal language. However, in Thailand it is a foreign language and only a few knows how to speak English. Nevertheless, Thailand’s Ministry of Education had already instituted the English Program as part of the curriculum in all schools from preschool to college. On the other hand, I came to Thailand not to study English but to study the Thai language itself which people may say “hard to learn”. And I think so because my sisters were already here for about 10 years but still cannot read or write in Thai. They only learned to speak the common Thai phrases. Perhaps, Thai language may be really hard to learn.

It was only two weeks past since I arrived in Thailand when my sister took me on an exclusive tutorial of Thai language. I was the first and only “farang” (foreigner) student. The rest of the students were all Thai natives who were also enrolled for tutorial in any other subjects.

Learning Thai language was tough but I really enjoyed every minute I spent on it. And unbelievably, in only 12 hours I already knew how to read and write in Thai which was very difficult and mind-twisting. It was really an amazing experience! I am very glad that I already have a third language. Nonetheless, I am not yet through with the whole course. The next level would be focused on speaking or conversational Thai and I am so excited for it!

Here are some links for foreigners who plan to visit the Kingdom of Thailand and for those who want to learn Thai language:

• http://www.learningthai.com/
• http://www.thailandguru.com/

Are you looking for a safe and comfy place to live in? A fully-furnished condominium unit is for sale at a very reasonable price. It’s quite an urgent arrangement as the owner needs to relocate to another place. It is on the second floor of T4 Popular Condominium, Muang Thong Thani, Pak Kret, Nonthaburi, Thailand. There are security guards 24/7 and each gate is kept locked to keep the place safe. Elevators and stairs are just about 10 steps away. Car parking spaces are for free, however, secured car parking services are also available as an added facility. The area is actually called by many as a city within the city where convenient stores, banks, internet cafes, restaurants, schools and market are located in the vicinity. The Tennis Academy of Asia, a sports complex, is within walking distance. Among the many highlights of the place is the Impact Arena where concerts, tournaments and trade fairs are regularly held. A big supermarket is also located nearby the building. Moreover, access and means of transportation to Bangkok and other neighboring towns is not a problem at all. If you are interested, please post a comment or email to ideasbeyondborders AT gmail.com.

Cerebrovascular accident or stroke is also known as “brain attack”. It is a sudden loss of brain function that happens when the arteries leading to the brain are blocked or ruptured. This results to a disruption of blood supply to a part of the brain. The arteries distribute oxygenated blood throughout the body. When the brain does not receive the needed oxygen supply, the brain cells begin to die leading to temporary or permanent dysfunction (brain damage). CVA is the leading cause of adult disability.

Problems resulting from stroke:

* temporary or permanent impairment. Hemiparesis - partial weakness of one side of the body. Hemiplegia - a condition in which one-half of a patient’s body is paralyzed, more severe than hemiparesis.
* problems with balance and/or coordination
* difficulties with speech (aphasia) and memory (spatial disorientation)
* problems with vision
* difficulty in swallowing (dysphagia)
* pain
* numbness
* depression and/or sudden outbursts of emotions (emotional and personality disturbances)
* unawareness of the effects of the stroke
* mental ability problems
* chronic fatigue

Risk factors:
* high blood pressure
* high cholesterol level
* diabetes
* smoking
* heart disease
* transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) - “mini stroke” that lasts within 24 hours, a warning sign of CVA

Warning signs and symptoms:
* sudden weakness or numbness of the face, arm, or leg on one side of the body
* sudden problems with vision in one eye
* sudden language disturbances
* sudden gait problems
* sudden dizziness

Initial manifestations depends on the site of the brain involvement. Stroke happens suddenly and may be prevented by immediate response to warning signs.

It is very important to know some first aid tips so that in times of emergency we already know what to do initially, especially if there are no rescuers and rescue equipment readily available. In all emergency situations, always remember to prioritize the ABC - (1) Airway, (2) Breathing and (3) Circulation. Here are some tips in positioning a casualty and their rationales.

In aspiration, the casualty should be placed in prone position with the head turned to the side in order to maintain a patent airway and to avoid further airway obstruction.

If a casualty is having dyspnea or difficulty in breathing, place him or her in Fowler’s position to allow lung expansion. The head should be in 45 to 90 degrees angle.

If a casualty is in shock, place him or her in Trendelenburg position. The body is laid flat on the back (supine position) with the feet higher than the head. This is to increase the blood pressure so as to counteract shock. In this condition, insufficient blood flow reaches the body tissues that may lead to hypoxemia (a lack of oxygen in arterial blood) or cardiac arrest (the heart stopping). If there is no immediate action, it can cause death.

Looking back to my college years, playing online computer games was my favorite pastime. PangYa, an online golf game, was one of the best games I had played. Playing PangYa was really cool and full of fun!

I thought golf in the actual setting is boring and is as simple as ABC. When I first tried holding a golf club and positioning myself to hit the ball like a professional golfer, I was scared like I wouldn’t want to play at all. The very thing that made it tough for me is the weight of the club. Because the club was a bit heavy, I was afraid that I might also throw it away as I hit the ball. Good thing because a friend was there to coach me. My first few strikes were bad and bunker but I recovered some of them though. And it’s sad to say that after my first golf tryout, I had blisters in my hands and muscle pains in my limbs. Bitter but I really had a great time on my very first actual hands-on at the TSR Golf Driving Range. Thanks to a dear friend, Kuya Jun, for warmly lending me his golf set and for giving me few tips on how to play golf the proper way. Now, I am looking forward to try another few rounds and I am positive that I will learn golf in no time. This is something new for me and I also want to test the waters.

To the golf newbies like me, good luck and strive hard! Let us welcome ourselves to the world of golf! Cheers!

After new installation of Microsoft Windows XP, a strange problem may appear when you try to install audio hardware drivers into your computer. An alert saying “No active mixer device available” as shown.

The solution to this problem is by accessing the Windows Audio Services which can be found under the Administrative Tools of the Control Panel by clicking the Services.

Under the Services list running on windows, you will find Windows Audio disabled.

Enable it by selecting Automatic and start the services and the sound of your computer will be activated.

This procedure was taken from the Ziphone 3.0 software which may be useful in downgrading iPhone Firmware 2.0 to 1.1.4.

Full Hardware DFU:

1) Start iTunes and plug the phone in.
2) With the phone powered on, hold both the POWER and HOME buttons for mseven seconds. The screen should turn black.
3) Wait two seconds while the screen is black and release the POWER button while still holding the HOME button.
4) The screen will remain black, but after a few more seconds iTunes will detect the phone in recovery mode.
5) Release the HOME button and proceed to restore firmware with iTunes. Timing is fairly important on this. If your phone reboots or ends up in recovery mode, just try again. You might want to look at a clock that shows seconds while you do this. The timing needs to be exact for it to work. If you enter this mode by mistake, hold the HOME and POWER buttons for seven seconds until you see the Apple logo and immediately release both buttons. The phone should reboot normally, assuming a valid firmware image is present on the phone.

The configuration of wireless ad hoc connection is very useful in the connection between PC and iPhone. The steps are not very complicated and straight-forward as written below:

a. Proceed to the Wireless Network Connection Properties under the Network Connections (by right clicking it) found in your Desktop or Start-Up Menu or Control Panel.

b. A window will appear and under the Wireless Networks Tab, Click the Add button

c. Input the Network name (SSID) at any name you prefer. You may have the option to Connect to the network even if it is not broadcasting and also an option to create a security authentication (Setting it to open could be a security risk). And at the bottom of the window is a check box to select to have a computer-to-computer (ad hoc connection). Check this one and also tick the selection Connect when the network is in range under the Connection tab.

d. Under the General Tab select the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Item and set or click the Properties to set-up the Static IP address to 10..3.3.1 and Subnet address to 255.255.255.0

e. Close all the window and left click Wireless Network Connections and you will see the ad hoc connection name in the list and activate it by clicking the Connect button.

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