Reign @ MindSay 
Media is a form of technology which is used to communicate information to a lot of people. There are many forms of media, like: music, music videos, video games, websites, movies and television. But, these media are said to have violent effects on people especially on children who are not properly guided by their parents in watching their favorite television show. For more than three decades now, there has been a debate whether the media violence actually causes real-life violence and the debate has avoided in giving final answers about the issue.
Violence in general is mainly involved in the video games business. The recent trend is for players to take the role of bad guys; killing innocent people and earning points or money for attacking and killing them. Although these games are for mature audiences, they seem to be very popular among pre-teens and teenager boys. For example, players in Grand Theft Auto earns money by carjacking, killing people, beating up innocent bystanders, stealing drugs from drug pushers and destroying things. With this, the level of violence among young people’s gaming habit are drastically high. It has also been reported that their favorite genre of game is action.
Virtual violence is also readily available in the internet. Children can easily download disturbing violent lyrics, video clips, and photos from websites. The violence is normally sexual in nature. For example, in the website who-would-you-kill, the players are allowed to choose real-life celebrities on television and choose how they want to kill them. Other website is rotten.com which shows true to life images that depict scenes of accident, torture and even cannibalism. Another popular site among children is the happy-three-friends.com. In this site, very cute bears are killing each other violently and showing spurs of blood while the head is being cut off. Children are highly exposed to violence because they can easily connect to websites containing violent pictures without their awareness. A lot of kids know and view these sites because they think they are harmless. But little do they know that the effects of these are very alarming.
Music and music videos today are becoming more and more violent. Extremely violent lyrics have moved into the majority of the music industry. Eminem’s song lyrics promoted hatred against women, gay and lesbians. For example, his song “Kim” graphically gives a picture of him murdering his wife; and “kill you” depict his plan of raping and killing her mother. The world’s largest company, The Universal Music Group, want Eminem, Limpbizkit and Dr. Dre because they have top-grossing albums. But, the lyrics of their songs are highly violent. Madonna’s “what it feels like for a girl” show a graphical violence that even MTV refused to air it more than once. These artists are very famous all over the world and some children idolize them because they think these artists are cool. But, these artists don’t realize that they are bad example for children who are watching them. Because of them, children learn to say bad words because of their explicit lyrics.
Media violence is truly getting more and more rampant. These growing industries tend to get violent acts to their shows in the television or the net because these images or clips get more attention therefore they will have higher ratings and higher profit. What they don’t know is what they show greatly affects the behavior and the thinking of those who are watching it specially the children. We, being responsible mature citizens we should help stop this outbreak of media violence. We must also guide and protect the children in what they watch or hear and we must inform them from what is right and what is wrong.
By: Cathy Valencia and Cams Torres
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Do you think Diabetes affects the life of a person? What is Diabetes anyway? Diabetes is the disability of the body to use its blood sugar normally. It can be classified in two types, (1) Type 1 and, (2) Type 2. Type 1 Diabetes main feature is that the pancreas would not produce any insulin. Insulin is a natural liquid that aids in blood flow. Without this, the blood would thicken and cause clotting in the arteries which leads to strokes or death. Type 2, on the other hand, has quite the same feature. Here, the pancreas does supply insulin to the body. The catch here is that the insulin does not serve its right function. This means that the insulin, which is supposed to be collecting or aiding the absorption of glucose to the cells, is useless. With these two types of Diabetes, a new question now arises: Who are the people most likely to have it. This will now depend on heredity or if it was acquired through someone else not from the family. Thus, anybody can have Diabetes.
What causes Diabetes in a person’s life? There are three (3) major reasons why people have this disease. The first is sedentary lifestyle. This means that people who rarely or who do not move often enough by, either sitting or lying down for hours without exercise, are those who tend to develop or have Diabetes. Another reason is having a diet which contains high fat. Body fat affects the production of insulin depending on its quantity in the body. Fatty foods aid the development of the disability by means of chemical reactions between fat and pancreatic juices. Finally, there is the issue of nutritional deficiency. The body needs certain amounts of nutrients to help the body function normally. If deprived from these nutrients the body will most likely be malnourished, incapable of functioning normally or, cease to function at all.
The effects of diabetes change a person’s outlook in life in terms of people and of food. This is concretized by two common effect of Diabetes. The first refers to high blood sugar. This means that the blood thickens, aiding blood clots and the like. In addition to this, the brain needs supply of blood like all the other organs in the body. This means that without the sufficient amount of blood to the brain, cognition is most likely to be disrupted. The disposition of a person relies on how properly the brain functions. If there is a sensation in which the person requires thinking, it would most likely produce a behavior that is irritable and irrational. The second effect of diabetes is its psychosocial effect brought by the previous common effect. When ones mind is not working properly, it tends to affect the person himself/herself and the people around them. An example is a minor migraine, most people would have frown on there face and ignore the people around them since his primary focus is how to get rid of the pain. Just by this simple example, in which the person does not even have the disability, it could be determined why a person with Diabetes reacts in the same way. In terms of food on the other hand, people who have Diabetes would be more conscious with what they eat. A glass of Coke could change the life of a Diabetic. The sugar in the drink would enter the bloodstream by a series of chemical reaction cycles and would add more to the already high-level sugar content in the blood. By these two examples, it is clear that the way a person thinks can be caused by a certain disease.
Ways to deal with Diabetes are not that hard to find, it is just hard to cope with it. This starts when a person with Diabetes or any other diseases take charge of their life. Changing their way of living can delay major effects of the disability or eradicating it. One way of changing their lifestyle is by exercising. When one exercises, they keep their body in constant movement to increase the circulation of blood, thus preventing the accumulation of thick blood in a spot and clotting. It is hard to cope up with this because, sadly, some Diabetics are not as young an active as they used to be. This could be brought by the disability or the human body was just worn out through the years. Another way to deal with Diabetes is having the right diet. When one stays disciplined when it comes to diet, the benefits of which will manifest it in the future. In other words, the reward of staying on a certain diet to help prevent a disease will bear fruit. Nutrients from these foods can help aid in preventing disease. Eating less fatty foods and then gradually lessening it until it could be no fat diet. Stay away from sugary snacks and drinks. Avoiding food that aids the heightening of blood sugar is one of the best ways to take care of themselves.
Overall, Diabetes is a devastating disease that not only affects a person physically but psychosocially as well. One cannot say that the only thing involve with sicknesses are purely body. But that, statement was proven wrong by what was shown in the previous paragraphs. Diseases such as Diabetes involve both the mind and body. Without the mind, the body would cease to function in the first place. It is true that it takes a lot of willpower to take charge of ones life ones in a while. What is your role as a student? Students must make people, young and old, aware of the scary facts of the disease. Students must also be young examples of people with active lifestyles and eating right. In this way, students help people with disease by giving them inspiration that they can do things they once did when they were young. It encourages them to strive harder to fight Diabetes. Maybe in the future there would be lesser cases of the disease due to the cooperation of patients, doctors, family and even those they do not know of, such as students, who helped each other out to ensure that the disease does not devastate the lives of the people around them.
By: Kimberly Ledda and Paul Respicio
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The coconut is the fruit of the most economically important number of the general palm-family, Palmas. Palm is perhaps the most striking plants in tropical floras. They are often high, usually possessing straight, uniquely woody stems. It is topped by a spreading crown of long stalked, pleated leaves.
The coconut tree’s trunk is made for constructing timber for houses and often the only available timber or lumber in the locality which can also be formed into tools and utensils. The leaves have provided for shelter, fibers for weaving and also straw-basketry. The sap drawn from tapping the unopened flowers bracts of several kinds of palm produces wine, alcoholic beverages or even sugar. The abundant liquid inside the coconut shell becomes solid and oily to form the coconut meat which when dried becomes the copra.
The coconut forms the rely basis of life for many people, particularly in the pacific areas specifically here in our country, the Philippines. We are considered as one of the leading producers and exporters of the copra industry here in the Pacific region, alongside Malaysia. Ground copra is heated and pressed to extract the oil, which is used in soaps, detergents, shampoos, synthetic rubbers, glycerin and others. Because of its high content of saturated fatty acids and its good keeping quality, coconut oil is a principal ingredient of margarine, cooking and salad oils.
By: Grace Mendoza and Denise Mojica
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A research by the World Helath Organization, as reported by an English paper, has found out that long-term exposure to excessive noise causes the premature death from heart disease of thousands of people worldwide.
The WHO's study or the Noise Environmental Burden on disease began in 2003, and it found out that in addition to the heart problem link, 2% of Europeans suffer severely disturbed sleep because of noise pollution and ISY suffer because of severe annoyance. The noise threshold for cardiovascular problems is chronic right-time of exposure of so decibels and above - the noise of light traffic; for sleep disturbances, 42 decibels; and for several annoyance, 35 decibels - the sound of a whisper.
Living with noise pollution may be more stressful to other people, and it can lead to heart failure, strokes, high blood pressure and immunity problems.
Past studies have shown that noise can increase the levels of stress hormones such as cortisol, adrenaline, and nonadrenaline in the body, during even sleep. The longer these hormones stay in circulation in our bloodstream, the higher the risk that they are cause life - threatening physiological problems.
By: Aimeh Nono and Ephraim Paguio
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Popularity plays an important role in personality development. Children tend to make judgments about which values to keep and discard based on the acceptance of their peers. Their desire to be part of a group gets stronger in the middle childhood. School children who are liked by their peers are more likely to become well adjusted adolescents, while those who are disliked by their peers have the tendency to become aggressive and develop many psychological problems.
There are two ways to measure popularity. The first way is through sociometric popularity wherein popularity is measured by asking children which peers they like the most and the least. On the other hand, perceived popularity is measured by asking children who among them are best liked by their peers.
Studies conducted researches to the identification of five peer status groups and these are the following: Popular (Those who are most liked); Rejected (Those who are least liked); Controversial (Those who are most liked and least liked); Neglected (Those who aren’t given much attention); and Average (Those who are not liked nor disliked).
Popular children are high achievers. They are often equipped with good cognitive abilities and have superior social skills which make them fun to be with. Secondly, unpopular children are those who are aggressive, withdrawn, and inattentive. They are often insensitive to the feelings of other children and they are not able to adapt well to new situations.
The child’s behavior affecting his popularity is based on the way they are treated at home. It is said that authoritative parents are more likely to have popular children than authoritarian parents. Briefly, the parents’ upbringing, aside from acceptance, is also an aspect that we have to consider for the children’s popularity and behavior.
By: Melody Kong and Rossann Kristiansen
The Quadricentennial Park is one of the known landmarks of the University of Santo Tomas; like other landmarks, it is part of the university’s majesty. Walking out the back entrance of the Main Building as I set foot on the brick patterned ground, the park came into view. As I looked up, the skies were covered with scattered seemingly unmoving thick white clouds; hiding most of the sun’s blinding rays. The winds were cool and swift shaking the drying brown leaves from the long thin branches of the looming trees; creating a light curtain of falling leaves fluttering like the wings of a butterfly.
As I sit on one of the stone benches I caught site of the fountain located in the right half of the plaza. The fountain was the main attraction of the park, four triangular tiled markers stood on the corners that marked the fountain’s limits. On these granite covered markers, words were engraved describing the university’s history as it reached its four hundredth year. Water sprayed up from pipes embedded in the ground; thousands of droplets catching light and glimmering like diamonds in the air. The droplets raining down were collected in puddles that stained the ground of the fountain, fading the once deep colored bricks.
A few variants of trees and shrubs grew in the park. The limited soil, bordered with the brick grounds and were once well tended, were covered with thinning grass and fallen leaves. Few of the trees grew in size, branches reaching high and spanning a few feet sprouted leaves of various shades of green; providing shade from the scorching rays of the sun. Chirping birds fluttered their wings as they danced about on the branches, hopping from one place to another.
The park was a common place where a lot of people pass through or stop by. The bench I sat on was part of two long rows of painted stone benches; all etched with wood patterns, and lined the side closes to the Main Building. Eight wide red umbrellas stood with a stone tiled table and metal chairs beneath it; its red color worn from the wear and tear of sun and rain. Students from various colleges roam the grounds of brick tile; some resting on either bench or metal chairs, and chattering animatedly; “Have you studied for the test?”, “I forgot the answer to the last question!”, “I’m heading home after lunch”.
Sitting on this stoned bench; feeling the etched patterns beneath my hand, I saw that the Quadricentennial Park, like any other location in UST plays an important role. It is a place where people could just sit back and breathe in every now and then the cool air, forgetting their worries. This park is one of many locations were in nature can truly coexist with people and their advancements. But most of all, this park is home to a few words of history engraved in stone; proving to all that in reaching the university’s four hundredth year, it would still be standing tall and proud like all those years in the past.
The University of Santo Tomas is truly a great school to be in. Not only because of the excellent quality of education that it offers but also because of its endearing environment. There are a lot of places to be at inside the campus of UST but one thing that is captivating is the Quadricentennial Park.
The Quadricentennial Park, popularly known as the “Quadri”, is such a site! If you haven’t been to our Quadri yet, we suggest that you should get up your feet and go there. Thomasians love it there. The park has a lot of benches and tables with umbrellas which are always seen jam-packed with people who are there to hang out.
Some students are seen making their homeworks and even discussing their school projects, some are eating, some are practicing different kinds of steps for their practicals and some are there to meet up with their friends from other colleges. You could see that people are enjoying their stay. They love the environment.
The fountain probably, is the most wonderful thing that you can see at the Quadri. You could hear the sound of the water coming from the fountain and see it flowing up and down like it is doing some kind of trick of some sort which is captivating in the eyes of the beholders. One funny thing is that sometimes, you could spot students who are like little kids that are playing with the fountain. They are dancing and they love the feeling of getting wet plus you could hear the guards of the campus whistling their whistles and trying to stop the “little kids” from playing. J
The Quadri is a nice place to spend your leisure time. You could do a lot of things there just like what you have mentioned earlier. Tthe best way to spend your time there is with your friends especially while eating “dirty ice cream”, it will be super fun! The sound of the water flowing should be matched with your favorite music as well then it will really be what you call “a place for relaxation”.
Waiting at the Quadricentennial Park one hot afternoon is quite boring. Being alone, waiting for someone was very stressful. The people around me were happily talking, eating and laughing while I was by myself, patiently waiting for a friend running late for our meeting. It was very hot. The sun was shining sp brightly that my eyes were already half-closed. The bench where I was sitting was being hit by the warm and bright sunshine. I had no choice but to move to a shaded bench near the fountain. Staring blankly, I can’t help but admire the wonderful fountain. The water sprung in spectacular succession comparable to graceful dancing ballerinas. Some water drizzled in my face. It was very refreshing. The wind blew strongly, fallen leaves flew everywhere. It felt good. I felt more refreshed. My lips formed a little smile. I looked around. I could not recognize the people surrounding me. My friend was very late. I impatiently tapped my foot on the ground while listening to a song in my music player.
All of a sudden, the fountain was gone. It disappeared. Some students were passing by the spot where it used to be. Imagining what would have happened if the water sprung up while those people were walking, I chuckled silently. At the corner of my eye, I saw the person beside me look and gave me an odd facial expression. She might have thought that I was crazy because I was laughing by myself. Where is my friend? What is taking her so long? I stood up with an angry face. I sent a text message telling her how bored and hungry I was. Again, I patiently waited. The fountain reappeared. I had a source of entertainment again. One student was taking pictures of the fountain. I was watching the student take pictures of the magnificent sight when I heard a loud and shrill voice call my name. I recognize that voice. I immediately looked around. Walking towards me is my friend. She was accompanied by a tall girl with bangs. Finally. I flashed them a huge smile and quickly ran towards them in relief.
I sat under the shadow of the gigantic tree, taking every details of what's around me, texture, scent, size, color, everything that I can take account. While sitted, I was able to noticed more the hugeness of that tree, I was fascinated on how it's branches are greatly intertwined with the branches of another tree. It's rough misty surface affirms how old the tree. As I tried to look around, I was hypnotized by the magnificent and yet very cute fountain as if it has a lavish performance in front of it's expectators. This four-corner fountain serves as a reminder of the quadricentennial achievements and contributions of the university to the lives of the Filipino. Beside the cute little fountain, lies a very unique and artistic sculpture especially made by the university's very own alumni as a token of gratitude and appreciation, for the quadricentennial celebration of the university. By simply looking around, I was able to see different kinds of people ranging from students, administrators, parents, and even visitors. They portray various emotions elated, frustrated, bored, puzzled, distressed, bitter, frighten, excited, cheered, etc...
Time runs so fast that I failed to noticed that I was sitting there for nearly an hour an a half. In a very short period of time, I was able to take myself on a journey in the famous quadricentennial park of the University of Santo Tomas.
As I opened my eyes, I began to help myself elude from a lazy day. I sat properly and realized that I still have a friend sitting beside me on those brown benches. I almost forgot it was our break time and we were thinking of a place to eat, but my sleep-deprived state would not let me. I then looked at my friend and noticed her look around the area. Yes, we were at the Quadricentennial Park – an area of the University of Santo Tomas where I would always pass by every day.
I stared at the old main building and wondered how ancient it looks like, probably because it was not painted at all. I could hear the swaying of the branches of the trees as I felt the cool breeze hit my flushed cheeks. The surrounding was too tranquil at that time; I even thought it was a surreal blur. I shifted my position so that I would feel comfortable enough to gaze at the opposite direction. I saw the really pretty fountain and the tables with useful umbrellas. I would always imagine how fun it would be to dance on the fountain floor, cold water squirting from the holes towards me and I even thought about the fact that I would never forget about those tables with umbrellas. There is something about them that makes me happy whenever I stay there – funny, but true.
My total daydreaming was cut off by a pat on my back. It was my friend and I was startled when I saw the grumpy look that she wore on her face. She was hungry! And right after I realized that, I felt my stomach grumble too. I stood up and walked hurriedly with my now starving friend beside me. Before we went far enough, I took a second to glance back at the Quadricentennial Park – a place that took the courage to trigger my imagination.
I first accepted Christ as my personal Lord and Savior when I was seven years old. Back then, I haven't realized what it really means to have a relationship with Him; not until October of the year 2004. When I started to realize the true meaning of that relationship with God, my life changed because it was when I truly appreciated the new life He has given me; a life that is very meaningful, because God is by my side.
My life before was a mess. I thought that I was a failure because I didn’t know the purpose of my life and I had a lot of problems to go through “Why do I have to go through all this hardships?”, a question I usually asked God and myself. But God showed me that one’s character is both developed and revealed by tests; everything in life is a test and the more God gives you challenges, the more responsible He expects you to be. I learned that He only gives us challenges that He knows we can handle. When I fully understood it all, I then knew that God really has a purpose in my life; that is why I am here on earth. My purpose for living is for me to find out as I live my life focusing on God. I figured out that one’s relationship with God is the best relationship that one would never want it to end because, in times of comfort and even hardships, He will always be the by your side.
From then on, whenever I have problems, I am stronger and more confident in to facing them because I know that I have a great God who would be there for me every step of the way, to guide me in the challenges that I will encounter, as I move on with my life.
YFC (Youth for Christ) has truly changed my life as a son to my family, as a brother to my siblings, as friend and as a student. YFC is Catholic organization wherein it aims to have Christ as the center of life of the youth. YFC aims to be an effective solution to people who doubt in faith. They encourage their members to be free of vices in order to promote a healthy lifestyle both physically and spiritually.
Despite the platform of YFC, it has its problems that no one can really avoid. First, the chapter I served in was disunited. My members were busy making their own individual agendas to be fulfilled that the whole chapter. Leaders did not trust their fellow officers in terms of financial issues and program construction. Second, the old members were using YFC as an excuse to go out on gimmicks and other activities which contradict the aims of the organization. An example would be drinking sessions. Finally, members lacked the loyalty which is encouraged from the very start of the program.
My epiphany experience starts with the said problems. I was a chapter head in our school when the first major youth camp was conducted. The number of participants ranged from about Fifty (50) to One hundred (100) individuals. The youth camp lasted for three days. The first day consisted of talks and orientation for the participants. That day was filled with conflicts between the service team and the leaders. The leaders for the food blamed another committee for not getting the food which was, for the record, not the responsibility of the accused committee. The second day was quite worse than the previous one. This time participants were having problems with the service team. Reasons would be that the talks were often not related with the promised program. Amazingly on the third day, all of these conflicts were settled through prayer and group discussions. The YFC I thought was negative suddenly experienced a 180 degree turn for once in 2 years. YFC for my chapter was back on the right path, and so was I.
I learned that not all things in life that seem to be negative will stay that way. Sometimes faith gives you reason to change for the better. Without the cooperation of yourself and others, the development of your life would be stagnant. In order to change other people, sometimes you must change the way you treat yourself. Change will not always start from others. One must take charge of his life and have faith to make the problems he/she face have a solution.
YFC for me now has changed through the years. The programs might have changed, but the will and faith of its members stay strong. They fight for a better world. They fight for a better life for them as individuals. The chapter I used to serve is now one of the largest in Quezon City and one of the most participative as well. I believe so much that faith brings you places. Sometimes, that place I am talking about is up top.I always strive to be the best in everything I do, Everytime I think of something good for me. I would readily expect that I can get it with my own hands. I was made to believe that once I dream of something, there would be nothing to stand in my way. But, unfortunately, everything is not under our control. Somehow, someone or something would get a better piece of us, and sometimes, those things are the ones that would make us into a reality that life doesnt seem to be what we think of it.
This event happened two years ago. I was a third year highschool back then. I was a consistent honor in my class. Everything seems to be going well, until something urged me to lust for more. It made me feel that I am quite inferior in comparison with my peers. I wanted to be not just one of the best, but the best among the all. Then, upon setting my goal, I doubled my efforts. I studied almost every night and day, I deprived myself of fun, which was very different from my carefree days years ago. But, it all seemed to fail. And this failure pushed me into a more unthinkable thing, and that would mean relying to some evil schemes. However, this was proven ineffectivene, and I could still not reach my goal.
Well, I became so depressed and down later on. It's just that I could not accept failure. But the greed for power pushed me into this situation. I was miserable. I sought the help of my arents,
and somehow I came to realize that life is not about being victorius. The goodness of life is not about what you've reached, but rather how well you enjoy living your life. I came to ponder that life is meaningless, unless you put some fun in it.
But despite all the negatives I have mentioned about my entrance to college, I can say that being a college student is fun. The fun comes from the independence it gives me. You may not attend the subjects you find boring (it is not a good thing to do though). The schedule allows time for recreation too. But if you want to pass, you should know the limits to your independence. Like what I have said, study hard and prioritize it above anything else. You don't like five in your grade transcripts so learn to balance everything. Learn to sacrifice.
So know I may say that I have changed a lot. I have become a more mature person. I am not a kid anymore. I have set my priorities and I am learning more wisdom in life. I am happy because I feel that I have found my worth, my purpose. And if I continue to strive hard, I know that the key to success will be at hand.
Graduating from high school has changed my life big time. The experience was a major turning point for me. As one part of me was ending, another chapter was just waiting to begin and as I was leaving high school behind, there came so many decisions that I had to make – decisions that could change my life forever.
In my preparation for college, there were a lot of things that I had to deal with. First of all, I had to choose a course that would suit me. Secondly, I also had to check out different universities and apply to those that would be best for me. Lastly, I had to keep in mind the advices that my parents were giving me and certainly, my choices also. Aside from that, I also considered my friend’s plans because I still wanted to be close to them somehow; thus, I was struggling much with how to minimize my life as a college student similar to how things were in high school.
My last days in high school were overwhelming. I felt it was hard to let go of it. I felt sad, scared, happy, nervous, excited – basically, mixed emotions. I was happy because I will finally graduate and I was excited to enter college, but at the same time, I was also very sad because I would soon be separated from my friends and teachers. I found it very hard to part with them, since I had been with them for so long and it scared me that I would not find anyone whom I would be close to as much as I had been with them. In spite of all these, I knew I could do nothing about it for it was something that I had to face; there was nothing else that I could do, but to prepare myself and hope for the best.
And yet, I'm just... not into it.
I want nothing less than to go to class tomorrow.
And I never want next semester to get here.
KOR-SAW