Writer

Which is stronger, you or a piece of blank paper? If the paper makes your mind go blank, and you can't think of anything for your writing assignements, then the paper is the winner. But if the blank paper is a challenge to you, and you can hardly wait to fill it with ideas, then you are on your way to becoming a writer, It is fun to see your name in print. And with all the forms of writing, there is a place for every talent.

Studies assess risk of suicide by students, Asian Americans

WASHINGTON (AFP) — About 15 percent of college students have entertained suicidal thoughts at some point, while five percent have attempted to take their life, according to a study released this week.
The web-based survey of 26,000 students at 70 colleges and universities was conducted in the spring of 2006 by the National Research Consortium of Counseling Centers in Higher Education and written by experts at the University of Texas at Austin.
The research was presented in Boston, Massachusetts this week at a convention of the American Psychological Association (APA).
About six percent of undergraduate students and four percent of graduate students said they seriously considered suicide in the year preceding the survey.
The researchers said the findings underscore the dearth of mental health resources for college students. They said suicide prevention needed to involve a cross-section of college administrators, student leaders, faculty, parents and counselors.
"This would reduce the percentage of students who engage in suicidal thinking, who contemplate how to make an attempt and who continue to make attempts," said psychologist David Drum, a lead author on the study.
Most students described their typical episode of suicidal thinking as lasting one day or less and more than half of subjects queried said they opted not to confide in a friend or relative or seek professional help.
Students gave various reasons for contemplating suicide, including the desire to find relief from emotional or physical pain, problems with a romantic relationship, and problems with school or academics.
Of those who made actual suicide attempts, half said their method of choice was an overdose of drugs, the report said.
A separate study released at the APA convention found that Asian Americans whose families experience a high degree of interpersonal conflict have a three-fold greater risk of attempting suicide compared with Asian Americans overall.
The study, conducted by University of California in Davis, found that 2.7 percent of the Asian Americans reported attempting suicide at some point during their lives, and 9.1 percent reported having had suicidal thoughts.
"Because of the great emphasis on harmony and family integration in many Asian cultures, family conflict is an important factor to consider when studying suicidal behaviors among Asian Americans," said Stanley Sue, a professor of psychology and Asian American studies at the university.
While focusing on Asian Americans, researchers said the study was not designed to compare rates of suicide among different ethnic groups.
"Our study suggests that we need to more precisely determine the kinds of family conflicts that are associated with suicide risk among Asian Americans, and find means of preventing these family problems," said Sue. ( Source: Google News )

Is Elvis Presley Alive? I think he is...

This month of August, Millions of Elvis' fans around the world will remember him. There is something in him, a special kind of charisma, that won't let him go. But did Elvis really died? This question has been haunting me for a while; I did a little research on this subject, and after doing that, I became prone to favor the hypothesis that Elvis is alive. To feed your curiousity, visit youtube.com on the internet, type these words "Is Elvis Alive?" ; "Elvis documentary" or "Elvis the Mystery man". I am interested to know about what you think, if you believe Elvis is alive or otherwise, tell me about it, and please provide proof or evidence to make it more interesting. Ok, try to look at the video on the right, with this caption " The Mystery Man" and let your ears judge if it is Elvis or not. That was recorded last July 2008. You can write me at: richvision2007@gmail.com

I wish I stayed longer in Bangkok

I remember a line in a song that says "Good things never last". Do you think the statement is true? Well, sometimes I force myself to believe otherwise, but based on experience and observation, good things really never last. So, if you are in a good situation now, enjoy it, for in an unpredicted moment, it will certainly cease.

Microwave Oven is Dangerous

I received an e-mail from a friend, I thought it as "junk" at first, but as my eyes continue to roll along the sentences, it dawned on me that the information is worth reading. To preserve the efficacy of how it is presented, a portion of it is copied exactly as it is printed.

(Quote) 'Below is a science fair project that a Girl did for 2006. In it she took filtered water and divided it into two parts. The first part she heated to boiling in a pan on the stove, and the second part she heated to boiling in a microwave. Then after cooling she used the water to water two identical plants to see if there would be any difference in the growth between the normal boiled water and the water boiled in a microwave. She was thinking that the structure or energy of the water may be compromised by microwave. As it turned out, even she was amazed at the difference.'

From the conclusions of the Swiss, Russian and German scientific clinical studies, we can no longer ignore the microwave oven sitting in our kitchens. Based on this research, we will conclude this article with the following: 1). Continually eating food processed from a microwave oven causes long term - permanent - brain damage by 'shorting out' electrical impulses in the brain [de-polarizing or de-magnetizing the brain tissue]. 2). The human body cannot metabolize [break down] the unknown by-products created in microwaved food. 3). Male and female hormone production is shut down and/or altered by continually eating microwaved foods. 4). The effects of microwaved food by-products are residual [long term, permanent] within the human body. 5). Minerals, vitamins, and nutrients of all microwaved food is reduced or altered so that the human body gets little or no benefit, or the human body absorbs altered compounds that cannot be broken down. 6). The minerals in vegetables are altered into cancerous free radicals when cooked in microwave ovens. 7). Microwaved foods cause stomach and intestinal cancerous growths [tumors]. This may explain the rapidly increased rate of colon cancer in America. 8). The prolonged eating of microwaved foods causes cancerous cells to increase in human blood. 9). Continual ingestion of microwaved food causes immune system deficiencies through lymph gland and blood serum alterations. ( Unquote )

I did not say that Microwave oven is dangerous, but the result of different studies show that it is.

Most Filipinos in the U.S. have a "changed" attitude

I have been existing in this world for almost 40 years. I am a filipino and has spent most of those years in the Philippines. I am not sure if my observations are true, just try to read some and share a comment. We are talking about observations here in general, of course a few still embrace the old Filipino attitude.

a) Most Filipinos in the U.S. are not as generous as Filipinos living in the Philippines.

Explanation:

Filipinos in the Philippines are fond of giving something to their lovedones and friends during birthdays, special events, in times of need and emergencies.

The amount usually given ranges from 50 pesos to 300 pesos ; However, after living in the United states for a considerable time, they cannot afford to share even just 40 pesos to lovedones or friends in the Philippiines. It seems to be so big to share.

Note: It appears to be contradictory, because Filipinos in the Philippines earn very little compared to their fellow Filipinos living in the United states.

b) Most Filipinos in the United states communicate less with their friends and acquaintances in the Philippines.

Explanation:

When they were in the Philippines, they write, call or text their friendsor acquaintances a lot. When they stay in America, they became so busy that they can’t even write a single e-mail or text to their friends ( except to their closest lovedones ).

Note: I feel( this is just a feeling ) that they are avoiding frequent contact to friends and acquaintances, because they have the idea that the latter cannot contribute to them in anyway, but only ask for money or help. So to avoid that kind of a situation, they will lessen the communication to develop a gap in between.

I will not say more, I encourage you to observe, then write it down. Send it to this e-mail address: dreamreal96@yahoo.com

Quality Quotations

Advice is like a snow; the softer it falls, the longer it dwells upon, and the deeper it sinks into the mind.

- S.T. Caleridge

If you wish to reach the highest, begin at the lowest.

- Publilius Syrus


Baseball is like life. It may be slow and boring at times, but when the action starts, it happens very fast.

- Jose Melly

Beauty is worse than wine; it intoxicates both the holder and the beholder.

- Zimmerman

Beauty is the first present nature gives to a woman and the first it takes away.

- George Brossin Mere

Sing and the world can hear

Many years back, there was an invention called a “ Jukebox ”, anytime you want to listen to your favorite singer, you just get a coin and insert it into that magic music machine. The term “ Jukebox ” did not appear until the late 1930’s. Now, there is a big change, the coming of the known “Karaoke” did divert the coarse from listening to performing. To better understand what the latter means, here’s a simple definition.It is a music entertainment system providing prerecorded accompaniment to popular songs that a performer sings live, usually by following the words on a video screen.You can find people singing using karaoke, but most often, only their friends can hear it. Try this new system, let the world hear you sing and receive inspiring comments from your listeners. You can now experience what singers feel without any cost.. Listen to these romantic songs, then click the join botton after that.

http://www.singsnap.com/snap/profile/recordings/ad174302

The Unique Way to Earn Dollars

For quite sometime, I have been spending hours on the internet reading informative messages, writing ideas, making friends, view profiles, post pictures and refer others to sites that help answer questions in various fields of knowledge. I believe you have done the same too. However, by doing that, we spend money online by either paying a monthly internet connection or an internet café required fee. Well, now is the time to turn that situation around. You can now do all of the mentioned activities and earn as well. The best part in this offer is, it has no cost, it is FREE. Join now and enjoy the privileges Here’s the site:

http://www.frenszone.com/?idAff=25181

Things most Women Hate about Men

Many years ago, when I was in the prime of my college life, I happened to listen unintentionally to a gossip, initiated by the attractive girls of the nursing department. I heard one of them said “ Oh, I am disappointed by the attitude displayed by my secret crush; I thought he is ok, but he is so arrogant”. Well, let’s try to expand our thinking starting from that girl’s comment. What are the things most women hate about men? We will discuss only four, though there are more. First, women hate men who are weak. They don’t like it when a man act like a little boy, always depending on the woman for a decision. Second, women hate men who can’t place their feelings on a proper level. I remember a comment stated by a girl concerning his boyfriend, it goes “ I love my man, but I hate him for calling me almost every hour in a day; it distracts my job”. Third, women hate men who are liers. I don’t need to elaborate that, It can easily be understood without much explanation. Fourth, women hate men who brags about themselves. For instance, “ Money is not a problem, I got ten ATM’s with me right now ”. The number of electronic cards he got is not an issue, what is important is for him to act on it. If you have more ideas about the things women hate about men, I encourage you to send it to this e-mail address: chatemails@yahoo.com