Asian Eye Institute Cataract Surgery

For those who missed out on Asian Eye Institute's (AEI) sponsored cataract removal program last April, do not fret.

Asian Eye Institute, definitely a world-class ambulatory eye care center in the Philippines, is once again recruiting patients (with cataracts) for their presbyopia-correcting intraocular lens (IOL) study.

A cataract is a natural clouding of the lens that happens to everyone as one grows old. Presbyopia is a condition wherein patients above 40 years old need reading glasses to read small prints. The only treatment for cataracts is surgery wherein the cataract is removed and an IOL is implanted. Standard IOLs improve distance vision but patients would still need reading glasses all the time for computer work and reading small print.

In this study, modern cataract surgery will be performed on all patients and one of three different brands of USFDA-approved presbyopia-correcting IOLs will be implanted in both eyes. The main benefit of presbyopia-correcting IOL is it will lessen the need to wear reading glass after cataract surgery for activities like computer work and reading newspapers.

The objective of the study is to compare the clarity and visual performance of patients after implantation of the different kinds of presbyopia-correcting IOLs.

How Do Patients Qualify?
To qualify for the study, patients should:

  1. Be at least 40 years old
  2. Have cataracts
  3. No other eye disease like glaucoma, retina problems
  4. No previous eye surgery, laser surgery in any eye
  5. Be diligent enough to come for follow-up check ups for the next 6 months
  6. Be able to read and understand English (English alphabets will be used for testing)

Are There Any Incentives?
Cataract surgery with implantation of standard IOLs cost P75,000 per eye. If a patient wants to lessen their need for reading glasses, they can opt for a presbyopia-correcting IOL. The package cost for these lenses is P125,000-150,000 per eye. For patients who qualify and will join the study, cataract surgery with the presbyopia-correcting lens will be subsidized and the patient will just pay P25,000 per eye.

Free Seminars
Asian Eye Institute will be conducting seminars to explain the mechanics of the study. For patients interested to join the free seminar, please contact Ms. Shiela de Castro through any of the following:

  • landline 898-2020 local 510
  • cellphone 0915-9808458
  • email SSDeCastro@asianeyeinstitute.com

The principal investigator for this research study is Dr. Robert Ang, one of the most highly-recognized and multi-awarded refractive surgeon in AEI's arsenal.

The time frame for the study is from July to September 2010. Slots are limited so... HURRY!

President Noynoy Aquino's Inaugural Speech (1/4)

One of these days, President Benigno “Noynoy” C. Aquino will have to measure up against the vows and promises he gave during his historic oath taking.

People were moved by his speech; basically because he knew what the masses have been longing to hear.

For those who wishing to get hold of his conversational-style speech, here is the full text of the inaugural speech of the 15th president of the Philippines – Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III.

(Note: to translate his speech to other languages, use Google Translate on the upper right.
          Better yet, download the English version as a ZIP file.)

His Excellency Jose Ramos Horta, former President Fidel V. Ramos, former President Joseph Estrada, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and members of the Senate, House Speaker Prospero Nograles and members of the House, justices of the Supreme Court, members of the foreign delegations, Your Excellencies of the diplomatic corps, fellow colleagues in government, aking mga kababayan.

Ang pagtayo ko dito ngayon ay patunay na kayo ang aking tunay na lakas. Hindi ko inakala na darating tayo sa puntong ito, na ako'y manunumpa sa harap ninyo bilang inyong Pangulo. Hindi ko pinangarap maging tagapagta-guyod ng pag-asa at tagapagmana ng mga suliranin ng ating bayan.

Ang layunin ko sa buhay ay simple lang: Maging tapat sa aking mga magulang at sa bayan bilang isang marangal na anak, mabait na kuya, at mabuting mamamayan.

Nilabanan ng aking ama ang diktaturya at ibinuwis niya ang kanyang buhay para tubusin ang ating demokrasya. Inalay ng aking ina ang kanyang buhay upang pangalagaan ang demokrasyang ito. Ilalaan ko ang aking buhay para siguraduhin na ang ating demokrasya ay kapaki-pakinabang sa bawat isa. Namuhunan na kami ng dugo at handang gawin itong muli kung kinakailangan.

Tanyag man ang aking mga magulang at ang kanilang mga nagawa, alam ko rin ang problema ng ordinaryong mamamayan. Alam nating lahatang pakiramdam na magkaroon ng pamahalaang bulag at bingi. Alam natin ang pakiramdam na mapagkaitan ng hustisya, na mabalewala ng mga taong pinagkatiwalaan at inatasan nating maging ating tagapagtanggol.

Kayo ba ay minsan ring nalimutan ng pamahalaang inyong iniluklok sa puwesto? Ako rin. Kayo ba ay nagtiis na sa trapiko para lamang masingitan ng isang naghahari-hariang de-wangwang sa kalsada? Ako rin. Kayo ba ay sawang-sawa na sa pamahalaang sa halip na magsilbi sa taumbayan ay kailangan pa nila itong pagpasensiyahan at tiisin? Ako rin.

Katulad ninyo ako. Marami na sa atin ang bumoto gamit ang kanilang paa - nilisan na nila ang ating bansa sa kanilang paghahanap ng pagbabago at katahimikan. Tiniis nila ang hirap, sinugod ang panganib sa ibang bansa dahil doon may pag-asa kahit kaunti na dito sa atin ay hindi nila nakikita.

Sa iilang sandali na sarili ko lang ang aking inaalala, pati ako ay napag-isip din - talaga bang hindi na mababago ang pamamahala natin dito? Hindi kaya nasa ibang bansa ang katahimikang hinahanap ko? Saan ba nakasulat na kailangang puro pagtitiis ang tadhana ng Pilipino?

Ngayon, sa araw na ito - dito magwawakas ang pamumunong manhid sa mga daing ng taumbayan. Hindi si Noynoy ang gumawa ng paraan, kayo ang dahilan kung bakit ngayon, magtatapos na ang pagtitiis ng sambayanan. Ito naman ang umpisa ng kalbaryo ko, ngunit kung marami tayong magpapasan ng krus ay kakayanin natin ito, gaano man kabigat.

Continue to page 2...

President Noynoy Aquino's Inaugural Speech (2/4)

...continued from page 1

(Note: to translate his speech to other languages, use Google Translate on the right.
Or download the English version.)

Sa tulong ng wastong pamamahala sa mga darating na taon, maiibsan din ang marami nating problema. Ang tadhana ng Pilipino ay babalik sa tamang kalagayan, na sa bawat taon pabawas ng pabawas ang problema ng Pinoy na nagsusumikap at may kasiguruhan sila na magiging tuloy-tuloy na ang pagbuti ng kanilang sitwasyon.

Kami ay narito para magsilbi at hindi para maghari. Ang mandato ninyo sa amin ay pagbabago - isang malinaw na utos para ayusin ang gobyerno at lipunan mula sa pamahalaang iilan lamang ang nakikinabang tungo sa isang pamahalaang kabutihan ng mamamayan ang pinangangalagaan.

Ang mandatong ito ay isa kung saan kayo at ang inyong pangulo ay nagkasundo para sa pagbabago - isang paninindigan na ipinangako ko noong kampanya at tinanggap ninyo noong araw ng halalan.

Sigaw natin noong kampanya: "Kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap." Hindi lamang ito pang slogan o pang poster - ito ang mga prinsipyong tinatayuan at nagsisilbing batayan ng ating administrasyon.

Ang ating pangunahing tungkulin ay ang magsikap na maiangat ang bansa mula sa kahirapan, sa pamamagitan ng pagpapairal ng katapatan at mabuting pamamalakad sa pamahalaan.

Ang unang hakbang ay ang pagkakaroon ng tuwid at tapat na hanay ng mga pinuno. Magsisimula ito sa akin. Sisikapin kong maging isang mabuting ehemplo. Hinding hindi ko sasayangin ang tiwalang ipinagkaloob ninyo sa akin. Sisiguraduhin ko na ganito rin ang adhikain ng aking Gabinete at ng mga magiging kasama sa ating pamahalaan.

Naniniwala akong hindi lahat ng nagsisilbi sa gobyerno ay corrupt. Sa katunayan, mas marami sa kanila ay tapat. Pinili nilang maglingkod sa gobyerno upang gumawa ng kabutihan. Ngayon, magkakaroon na sila ng pagkakataong magpakitang-gilas. Inaasahan natin sila sa pagsupil ng korapsyon sa loob mismo ng burukrasya.

Sa mga itinalaga sa paraang labag sa batas, ito ang aking babala: sisimulan natin ang pagbabalik ng tiwala sa pamamagitan ng pag-usisa sa mga “midnight appointments.” Sana ay magsilbi itong babala sa mga nag-iisip na ipagpatuloy ang baluktot na kalakarang nakasanayan na ng marami.

Sa mga kapus-palad nating mga kababayan, ngayon, ang pamahalaan ang inyong kampeon.

Hindi natin ipagpapaliban ang mga pangangailangan ng ating mga estudyante, kaya't sisikapin nating punan ang kakulangan sa ating mga silid-aralan.

Unti-unti din nating babawasan ang mga kakulangan sa imprastraktura para sa transportasyon, turismo at pangangalakal. Mula ngayon, hindi na puwede ang "puwede na" pagdating sa mga kalye, tulay at gusali dahil magiging responsibilidad ng mga kontratista ang panatilihing nasa mabuting kalagayan ang mga proyekto nila.

Bubuhayin natin ang programang "emergency employment" ng dating pangulong Corazon Aquino sa pagtatayo ng mga bagong imprastraktura na ito. Ito ay magbibigay ng trabaho sa mga local na komunidad at makakatulong sa pagpapalago ng kanila at ng ating ekonomiya.

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President Noynoy Aquino's Inaugural Speech (3/4)

...continued from page 2

(Note: to translate his speech to other languages, use Google Translate on the right.
Or download the English version.)

Hindi kami magiging sanhi ng inyong pasakit at perwisyo. Palalakasin natin ang koleksyon at pupuksain natin ang korapsyon sa Kawanihan ng Rentas Internas at Bureau of Customs para mapondohan natin ang ating mga hinahangad para sa lahat, tulad ng:

 • dekalidad na edukasyon, kabilang ang edukasyong bokasyonal para makapaghanap ng
   marangal na trabaho ang hindi makapag-kolehiyo;
 • serbisyong pangkalusugan, tulad ng PhilHealth para sa lahat sa loob ng tatlong taon;
 • tirahan sa loob ng mga ligtas na komunidad.

Palalakasin at palalaguin natin ang bilang ng ating kasundaluhan at kapulisan, hindi para tugunan ang interes ng mga naghahari-harian, ngunit para proteksyunan ang mamamayan. Itinataya nila ang kanilang buhay para mayroong pagkakataon sa katahimikan at kapayapaan sa sambayanan. Dumoble na ang populasyong kanilang binabantayan, nanatili naman sila sa bilang. Hindi tama na ang nagmamalasakit ay kinakawawa.

Kung dati ay may fertilizer scam, ngayon ay may kalinga na tunay para sa mga magsa-saka. Tutulungan natin sila sa irigasyon, extension services, at sa pagbenta ng kanilang produkto sa pinakamataas na presyong maaari.

Inaatasan natin si papasok na Kalihim Alcala na magtayo ng mga trading centers kung saan diretso na ang magsasaka sa mamimili - lalaktawan natin ang gitna, kasama na ang kotong cop. Sa ganitong paraan, ang dating napupunta sa gitna ay maari nang paghatian ng magsasaka at mamimili.

Gagawin nating kaaya-aya sa negosyante ang ating bansa. We will cut red tape dramatically and implement stable economic policies. We will level the playing field for investors and make government an enabler, not a hindrance, to business. Sa ganitong paraan lamang natin mapupunan ang kakulangan ng trabaho para sa ating mga mamamayan.

Layunin nating paramihin ang trabaho dito sa ating bansa upang hindi na kallanganin ang mangibang-bansa para makahanap ng trabaho. Ngunit habang ito ay hindi pa natin naaabot, inaatasan ko ang mga kawani ng DFA, POEA, OWWA at iba pang mga kinauukulang ahensiya na mas lalo pang paigtingin ang pagtugon sa mga hinaing at pangangailangan ng ating mga overseas Filipino workers.

Papaigtingin namin ang proseso ng konsultasyon at pag-uulat sa taumbayan. Sisikapin naming isakatuparan ang nakasaad sa ating Konstitusyon na kinikilala ang karapatan ng mamamayan na magkaroon ng kaalaman ukol sa mga pampublikong alintana.

Binuhay natin ang diwa ng people power noong kampanya. Ipagpatuloy natin ito tungo sa tuwid at tapat na pamamahala. Ang naniniwala sa people power ay nakatuon sa kapwa at hindi sa sarill.

Sa mga nang-api sa akin, kaya ko kayong patawarin, at pinapatawad ko na kayo. Sa mga nang-api sa sambayanan, wala akong karapatan na limutin ang inyong mga kasalanan.

To those who are talking about reconciliation, if they mean that they would like us to simply forget about the wrongs that they have committed in the past, we have this to say: there can be no reconciliation without justice. Sa paglimot ng pagkakasala, sinisigurado mong mauulit muli ang mga pagkakasalang ito. Secretary de Lima, you have your marching orders. Begin the process of providing true and complete justice for all.

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President Noynoy Aquino's Inaugural Speech (4/4)

...continued from page 3

(Note: to translate his speech to other languages, use Google Translate on the upper right.
Or download the English version.)

Ikinagagalak din naming ibahagi sa Inyo ang pagtanggap ni dating Chief Justice Hilario Davide sa hamon ng pagtatatag at pamumuno sa isang Truth Commission na magbiblgay linaw sa maraming kahinahinalang isyu na hanggang ngayon ay walang kasagutan at resolusyon.

Ang sinumang nagkamali ay kailangang humarap sa hustisya. Hindi maaaring patuloy ang kalakaran ng walang pananagutan at tuloy na pang-aapi.

My government will be sincere in dealing with all the peoples of Mindanao. We are committed to a peaceful and just settlement of conflicts, inclusive of the interests of all - may they be Lumads, Bangsamoro or Christian.

We shall defeat the enemy by wielding the tools of justice, social reform, and equitable governance leading to a better life. Sa tamang pamamahala gaganda ang buhay ng lahat, at sa buhay na maganda, sino pa ang gugustuhing bumalik sa panahon ng pang-aapi?

Kung kasama ko kayo, maitataguyod natin ang isang bayan kung saan pantay-pantay ang pagkakataon, dahil pantay-pantay nating ginagampanan ang ating mga pananagutan.

Kamakailan lamang, ang bawat isa sa atin ay nanindigan sa presinto. Bumoto tayo ayon sa ating karapatan at konsensiya. Hindi tayo umatras sa tungkulin nating ipaglaban ang karapatang ito.

Pagkatapos ng bilangan, pinatunayan ninyo na ang tao ang tunay na lakas ng bayan.

Ito ang kahalagahan ng ating demokrasya. Ito ang pundasyon ng ating pagkakaisa. Nangampanya tayo para sa pagbabago. Dahil dito taas-noo muli ang Pilipino. Tayong lahat ay kabilang sa isang bansa kung saan maaari nang mangarap muli.

To our friends and neighbors around the world, we are ready to take our place as a reliable member of the community of na¬tions, a nation serious about its commitments and which harmo¬nizes its national interests with its international responsibilities.

We will be a predictable and consistent place for investment, a nation where everyone will say, "it all works."

Inaanyayahan ko kayo ngayon na manumpa sa ating mga sarili, sa sambayanan, WALANG MAI-IWAN.

Walang pangingibang-bayan at gastusan na walang wastong dahilan. Walang pagtatalikod sa mga salitang binitawan noong kampanya, ngayon at hanggang sa mga susunod pang pagsubok na pagdadaanan sa loob ng anim na taon.

Walang lamangan, walang padrino at walang pagnanakaw. Walang wang-wang, walang counterflow, walang tong. Panahon na upang tayo ay muling magkawang-gawa.

Nandito tayo ngayon dahil sama-sama tayong nanindigan at nagtiwala na may pag-asa.

The people who are behind us dared to dream. Today, the dream starts to become a reality. Sa inyong mga nag-iisip pa kung tutulong kayo sa pagpasan ng ating krus, isa lang ang aking tanong - kung kalian tayo nanalo, saka pa ba kayo susuko?

Kayo ang boss ko, kaya't hindi maaaring hindi ako makinig sa mga utos ninyo. We will design and implement an interaction and feedback mechanism that can effectively respond to the people's needs and aspirations.

Kayo ang nagdala sa akin sa puntong ito - ang ating mga volunteers - matanda, bata, celebrity, ordinaryong tao, na umikot sa Pilipinas para ikampanya ang pagbabago; ang aking mga kasambahay, na nag-asikaso ng lahat ng aking mga personal na pangangailangan; ang aking pamilya, kaibigan at katrabaho, na dumamay, nag-alaga at nagbigay ng suporta sa akin; ang ating mga abogado, na nagpuyat para bantayan ang ating mga boto at siguraduhing mabibilang ang bawat isa; ang aking mga kapartido at kaalyado na kasama kong nangahas mangarap; at ang milyun-milyong Pilipinong nag-kaisa, nagtiwala at hindi nawalan ng pag-asa - nasa inyo ang aking taus-pusong pasasalamat.

Hindi ko makakayang harapin ang aking mga magulang, at kayong mga nagdala sa akin sa yugto ng buhay kong ito, kung hindi ko maisasakatuparan ang aking mga binitawang salita sa araw na ito.

My parents sought nothing less and died for nothing less than democracy, peace and prosperity. I am blessed by this legacy. I shall carry the torch forward.

Layunin ko na sa pagbaba ko sa katungkulan, masasabi ng lahat na malayo na ang narating natin sa pagtahak ng tuwid na landas at mas maganda na ang kinabukasang ipapamana natin sa susunod na henerasyon. Samahan ninyo ako sa pagtatapos ng laban na ito. Tayo na sa tuwid na landas.

Maraming salamat po at mabuhay ang sambayanang Pilipino!

(full text of Noynoy's inaugural speech)

Take Control of Diabetes

Diabetes is a long lasting and recurring disease. Even with today’s advancements in medicine, diabetes is still difficult to cure. But with determination and lifestyle modification, it can be managed.

Diet
Lowering your weight increases your chance to lower your blood glucose and eventually regain control over diabetes.

Here are some ways to battle that extra bulge:

 • Raise complex carbohydrate intake
 • Reduce fat intake, replace saturated with polyunsaturated fat or monounsaturated fat
 • Regulate your protein portion from 12% to 20% of total calories
 • Include fiber in your diet for every meal as possible
 • Do not overload in 1 meal, instead take 3 smaller meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner plus
   2 small portions of snacks between meals to conquer craving or hunger
 • Do not push yourself with “crash” diets. Rapid weight loss is putting more danger than benefit
   to your condition.

Regular Exercises
It tones up the heart, muscles, bones, respiratory system, lowers blood pressure, helps in weight reduction, and relaxes the mind are just some of the benefits of exercise.

For the diabetics, it promotes movement of sugar from the blood stream into cells. Not all exercises are recommended for every diabetic person, thus it is important to consult your doctor for any plans of physical exercise.

For those who are over 50 years old, overweight and not so active type 2 diabetics, moderate exercises like swimming, biking, and brisk walking are all recommended. Incorporating any of these exercises everyday or every other day makes it more beneficial.

Two Types of Diabetes

Diabetes is a condition in which a person has a high glucose (blood sugar) level. This is probably because the body cells do not produce or properly use insulin.

Insulin is a hormone that is needed by the body to convert sugar, starches, and other food sources into energy needed for daily life.

The cause of diabetes continues to be a mystery, although studies have shown that both genetics and environmental factors such as obesity and lack of exercise appear to play roles.

Type 1 Diabetes
Results from the body’s failure to produce insulin. People suffering from this requires insulin injection. Hate needles? You will have to deal with that fear if you know you have type 1 diabetes.

Signs and Symptoms
 • High glucose levels in the blood
 • High glucose levels in the urine
 • Frequent urination (bed-wetting in children)
 • Often times hungry
 • Always thirsty
 • Sudden weight loss
 • Weakness and tiredness
 • Irritability and mood swings
 • Nausea and vomiting

Type 2 Diabetes
The most common form of diabetes, results from insulin resistance – a condition wherein the body fails to properly use insulin, combined with relative insulin deficiency. In type 2, either the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells completely ignore the insulin.

Insulin is necessary for the body to be able to use sugar. Sugar is the basic energy source for the cells in the body, and insulin takes the sugar from the blood into the cells. When glucose builds up in the blood instead of going into cells, it can cause serious complications such as heart disease, loss of sight, and kidney problems.

An anti-diabetes drug that fights insulin resistance is important in managing type 2 diabetes.

Signs and Symptoms
 • Blurred vision
 • Tingling or loss of feeling in the hands, legs or feet
 • Dry itchy skin
 • Slow healing of wounds
 • Erectile dysfunction in men
 • Vaginitis in women
 • Drowsiness

Lunch Time? PSP Network Gaming Time

Tekken 6 - Bloodline Rebellion
If only Namco is able track usage of their PSP titles, they might be surprised to find that Tekken 6 has been played on almost every PSP unit out there.

Who wouldn't be? Tekken is such a hit among arcade fanatics that a portable release would be a sin to miss. Even after a short while of playing, you will probably itching to test your cramped button smashing skills against a human opponent.

This is what Tekken 6 is really about - versus mode and ranking. And the fluid fight animation… makes one imagine how intimidating he can be if he can just pull those amazing combos in real life.

Who’s the better button smasher now?

Genre:

Fighting

Online Play:

2

Cars
If you have seen the movie, you might have second thoughts wanting to give this game a try. This is a youth-oriented racer; dads like me with discerning driving tastes prefer realistic versions.

But then again, its multiplayer value is so much fun to play. Handling of the cars are relatively easy, powerslides aren’t that difficult to pull, and cars don’t wreck at all. In fact, everything is so simple I was wondering why I can’t even beat my lunch pals to the finish.

Ok so I wasn’t paying attention to those power boosts, devious shortcuts, and falling debris. And are those mini-tornadoes in the middle of the track? And my car can jump over those mud pits at will?

Genre:

Racing

Online Play:

4

Twisted Metal - Head On
A lot of people liked its series so much that it has earned the game the classic status. If you’re not familiar with the series, the game’s feel is similar to first-person shooters only this time you use vehicles.

The objective of the game is to be the last car standing by blowing stuffs around (not just opponent) with extreme prejudice. Your options… machine guns, missiles, mines, ricochet bombs, napalm, freeze attack – you name it. Not to mention that each of the vehicles have special abilities as well.

Let the network mayhem begin.

After a while of looking for power-ups and scouting for the best spot to assault my buddies, I felt woozy. I guess my eyes are not built for games with 360 degree explorable surroundings. I get nauseous even after a few minutes.

We had a blast playing, if it wasn’t for my weak point. I will rest my eyes for now… payback later.

Genre:

Car Combat

Online Play:

6

How Far Would You Go in Enforcing Discipline

Up to what extent would you try to discipline your child? That depends, you might say, on how old your child is and on what he or she has done.

If your daughter made a mess on the wall with mom’s favorite lipstick, would you give her a day’s scolding? If your son made a small but visible dent on dad’s car while learning how to ride a bike, would you ground him for a week?

Or would you rather take it everything else to the physical level?

For whatever wrongdoing your child has done, none would be probably more extreme than what this mother had done to discipline her son.

Salve G (not her full name), arrived home one night and noticed that they have no electricity. Upon inquiry, she found out that her son had cut most of their electrical wiring and sold them for a meager sum.

Irate, she confronted her son who’s already lying in bed. But she couldn’t care less for any response; all she wants is for the power to be restored ASAP.

Growing furious, she grabbed a hanger and a broomstick and used it on his son like a mad caller beating his drum in a dragon boat race.

Initially, her son would try to cover up. But her striking never ceased, from foot to head as she pleased.

The mother only stopped when she herself grew tired. Her son just laid there, no groan, no visible signs of grimacing.

It was then she realized she that had done the unthinkable. Her son was brought to a nearby hospital where nurses were able to resuscitate him… albeit temporarily.

She felt so guilty and sorry. But her words of apology meant nothing now as her son’s body finally conceded from her own harsh doing.

Thoughts
I’m not a perfect dad but I don’t think I’ll be that insensitive when it comes to enforcing discipline in the house. Punishment is pretty much ok but as most parents have put it “…make the punishment fit the crime”.

There are many ways to implement discipline such as the non-violent (scolding, isolation, grounding, etc.) and non-punitive (rewards, natural consequences, reason, etc.) approach.

As parents, we have a God-given responsibility to train our children and prepare them for the future. Intimidating helps but we must never lose sight that we are guiding our children into behaving properly and making the right decisions.

Free Cataract Removal at Asian Eye Institute

Are you suffering from a hazy or blurred vision? Do you observe “halo” around street lights at night, particularly with one eye?

If you are driving at night, does oncoming headlights appear to be a bit more glaring than they were before? When you look at yourself at the mirror, is there a clouding that develops in the black of your eye?

If you notice any of these symptoms, then you might have a cataract.

The good news is Asian Eye Institute (AEI), a world-class ambulatory eye care center in the Philippines, is conducting a limited sponsored seat in their free cataract removal program.

Is It Really For Free?
Yes! AEI is continually developing new technologies that aim to provide better results for cataract patients. Participation in these ground-breaking studies is provided at no cost to patients.

How Do I Know If I'm Eligible?
You must have a cataract in one eye. If both eyes have cataracts, only one eye will be treated.

You also must have “virgin” eyes. By their definition, neither eye should have undergone any eye surgery or operation of any kind.

That’s It, Nothing Else?
Lastly, qualified participants must be diligent to report for follow-up check-ups. Participants will be interviewed by doctors to determine if they are going to have problems with this agreement.

Come on, with treatment and medication provided on the house, why not be gracious enough and personally report to them your progress.

Ok, I Want To Join!
So, if you are interested and you think you are eligible, please contact Ms. Dieza Aninao at (+632) 898-2020 local 510 for more information and ask for an appointment.

Asian Eye Institute's primary clinic is located at Rockwell, Makati.

Top 3 Types of Illusions

Once in a while we come across some random illusion that may or may not make our day. Illusions draw interest and are often a source of fascination.

They temporarily relieve boredom though too much can be mind-numbing as well.

Illusions occur within all of our five physical senses: sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. Of the five, visual illusions are the most common, well-known, and well researched.

An illusion is a distortion of the sensory perception, revealing how the brain normally interprets sensory stimulation. At least scientifically, that is how it is defined. But why dwell on the scientific side when you can just let yourself be awed (or bored) for a moment.

Visual Illusion
There are many types of visual illusions including those that are naturally occurring (mirage and rainbow). Showing samples for each will definitely take more than one posting. Instead, I will cite three that I personally find amusing.

Created by well-renowned Belgium-based chalk artist Julian Beever. His works are created using a projection called anamorphosis. Viewed from the correct angle, his pavement drawings spring to life. Or in this case, sinks to the ground.

See more of Julian Beever's work here.


These static wheels, even though stationary, appear to be slowly rotating. This image is not even an animated GIF.

If you focus on one wheel, that wheel stops while the rest apparently keeps on rotating. If you focus on another, the previous wheel begins to rotate.

This illusion has something to do with eye movement.

Magic Eye refers to stereogram images created using a patented process. Magic Eye images may be easier to see if viewed on paper rather than a computer screen. If possible, print this image and follow these instructions.

See more Magic Eye samples here.



Auditory Illusion
My brother introduced me to this one. At first I never paid attention. How can an audio file be that interesting unless it is a full-length version of the "Hello Garci" tape?

Well, this is not a scandal recording. Rather, an ingenious recording created by a group experimenting on how our ear perceives sound.

Listen to this amazing Virtual Haircut illusion by clicking on the vintage radio image on the right. I must warn you though; you NEED an earphone to appreciate this.

Touch Illusion
There exist very few examples of illusions under this category probably due to the fact that touch sensation is slower than that of vision and hearing.

For demonstration purposes, one can try this:

Immerse one hand in cold water, the other in hot water for about a minute or so. Then immediately place both hands in lukewarm water. The "cold" hand will feel that the lukewarm water is hot while the "hot" hand will feel that it is cold.

OpenDNS vs Google Public DNS

There are many reasons why sometimes you can’t browse the internet. One of these reasons can be that you have a so-called dirty or noisy DSL line. Another probable reason is that your ISP’s name resolver (DNS server) is so busy that it slows down to the point that it does not respond anymore.

This is a very common problem experienced by PLDT DSL subscribers. Globe Broadband users also suffer from this conundrum.

The solution to this problem is to simply change your computer’s DNS server address manually. Either set it to OpenDNS address or to Google Public DNS address. Either one will work and is SO much better than PLDT’s DNS servers.

But which one is better: OpenDNS or Google Public DNS?

OpenDNS has loads of features (e.g.: adult-filtering, anti-phishing, typo-correcting, and many more). Parents will find these very useful as they can configure settings for each of their children’s PCs from virtually any terminal that has internet access. OpenDNS also redirects you to their search portal if you inadvertently entered a non-existing domain name.

On the other hand, Google Public DNS has absolutely nothing what-so-ever feature. And they are committed, according to them, that they will never add a redirector to those non-existing domain names.

Less is More
In my ping test, Google Public DNS appears to be faster than OpenDNS:

  C:\>ping 208.67.222.222 (OpenDNS)
  Reply from 208.67.222.222: bytes=32 time=204ms
  Reply from 208.67.222.222: bytes=32 time=188ms
  Reply from 208.67.222.222: bytes=32 time=210ms
  Reply from 208.67.222.222: bytes=32 time=208ms
    Minimum = 188ms, Maximum = 218ms, Average = 206ms

  C:\>ping 8.8.8.8 (Google Public DNS)
  Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=53ms
  Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=53ms
  Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=54ms
  Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=57ms
    Minimum = 53ms, Maximum = 60ms, Average = 55ms



As you can see from the chart, Google DNS ping response is 75% faster than that of OpenDNS response. Take note that this is just the Ping test. The DNS recursor response is a different category. I only did this Ping test because it’s the easiest way to test their general performance.

Summary
PLDT's DNS servers (and most local DNS servers) are very unreliable. OpenDNS has no record of downtime since they have gone public years ago. Google Public DNS has just recently been opened to service. It’s new, simple, and most of all, it’s fast.

Contributed by: Emil Baseleres

Try Before You Buy

Want to try the next generation Windows operating system? Afraid you might get frustrated as most were with the "forced" upgrade to Windows Vista?

Is it really worth your hard-earned bucks or are you better off with whatever you are currently using?

The good news is you can try Windows 7 for 90 days FREE before buying it. You can download the whole Windows 7 trial from the Microsoft website.

The fastest way to download Windows 7 is through BitTorrent protocol, using a BitTorrent compatible client (e.g.: uTorrent, Vuse, BitComet). The ISO image of Windows 7 64-bit is about 3GB while the 32-bit version is about 2.3GB. We are only interested in the 64-bit version of Windows 7 because the 32-bit edition does not offer anything greater than what Windows XP can do. So we will go straight with the 64-bit version which can make use of more memory than any 32-bit version of Windows can.

Untouched ISO Image
What we need is an "untouched" ISO image of Windows 7. Untouched means it was not modified in any way because there are many leaked versions of Windows 7 out there in the BitTorrent communities. Those leaked versions are often pre-activated and at times have malwares within them. Or, even if they do not have any embedded malwares, they are sometimes activated in a wrong way. And we do not want that either, do we?

The untouched ISO image of Windows 7 is one that came originally from the MSDN website. This ISO image is the exact image of the disc you burn to a DVD±R. It is the same exact disc that you can get from any retail store (except that you did not get it from a store).

It is crucial that you check for the authenticity of the ISO image that you have downloaded. The ISO file should be bit-for-bit the same as the one provided by MSDN. This ensures that there are no alterations and no corruptions while downloading the file.

Torrent File
The torrent file for the ISO image can be downloaded here (mirror1 / mirror2 / mirror3). This torrent file is about 16KB. Do not confuse the torrent file for the ISO image. The torrent file is simply the container for the ISO file. You load up the torrent file using your BitTorrent client, and your BitTorrent client will be the one downloading the 3GB ISO image file. Depending on your ISP provider, it might take you hours or even days for your download to complete.

Integrity Check
After the download is completed, you may want to check the integrity of the ISO image file. To do that, you will need an MD5 hash checker. You can either use HashTab or HashCheck. Or any other hash checker you want.

The ISO image file should have an MD5/SHA-1 hash of:
  MD5: F43D22E4FB07BF617D573ACD8785C028
  SHA-1: 326327CC2FF9F05379F5058C41BE6BC5E004BAA7

The file name is not that important. But the extension name should be .iso.

If everything else is checked, that is, the hash checksum of the ISO file you have downloaded is the same as stated above, then we are ready to burn your ISO image as an image disc.

Contributed by: Emil Baseleres

Moving to Windows 7

Why Windows 7 Again?
Because it is new! But new does not necessarily means better. It depends - depends on different hardware configurations and COSTS.

If your PC has less than 4GB of RAM, I would not recommend you to upgrade to Windows 7... yet. No, don’t be silly.

I saw a guy once in Bohol, when I was in IDEA Philippines, who had installed Windows 7 on his office PC having only 1GB of RAM. What the heck? I guess he wanted something new, which he probably thinks it is better than Windows XP. I wanted to explain to him the advantages and disadvantages between Windows XP and 7 in the simplest clear-cut way.

However, the problem is... I don’t speak Boholano – the native dialect in Bohol. Worse is I don’t know how to do sign language either. (sigh) Yes, he is deaf. "Que sera, sera".

Thought I must admit, somehow I was amazed, because Windows 7 actually ran fine on that office PC. But is somewhat slower that its previously installed Windows XP.

To simplify your choice of whether to upgrade to Windows 7 or not, I came out with a very simple equation:


If any of the 3 variables is false, then you should stick with Windows XP. If your PC is already running Vista, but has less than 4GB RAM, then you should upgrade downgrade your Vista to Windows XP. If your PC is already running a Windows 7 32-bit version, then you should downgrade to Windows XP also. You only have two choices here: either Windows XP or Windows 7 64-bit.

Everything Else is a Moot Point
If your PC is already running Vista 32-bit, or Windows 7 32-bit, then you might as well go back to Windows XP; because Windows XP is a lesser resource hog and can run your programs faster than any 32-bit OS.

Windows 7	Home	Professional	Ultimate
Retail Upgrade	$119	$199	$219
in Peso	≈P5,000	≈P9,000	≈P10,000

Official Windows 7 Editions Pricing
We live in a third world country. There are alternative ways of getting Windows 7 to your PC without spending P10,000 in cold cash... legally (wink).

Contributed by: Emil Baseleres