Swine flu: symptoms, prevention, and treatment

The Swine Influenza, or popularly known as Swine flu, outbreak has alarmed the world recently. By far, almost 300 people are laboratory confirmed to be infected while more than 3000 are suspected to be infected. Mexico and USA were the first to be detected with the strain but Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Spain, Israel, and Costa Rica later confirmed about the infection. Because of the spread, the World Health Organization (WHO) raised the pandemic alert to level 4. Pandemic alert level 4 states that the virus can be passed on from person to person. Though the transmission is limited, it is also highly localized and the virus is not yet well adopted to humans. An epidemic is possible but has not yet happened.

What are the symptoms of Swine flu?

Uncomplicated influenza-like symptoms has been reported like fever, cough, and sore throat and mild respiratory illnesses (nasal congestion and rhinorrhea) without fever. Other symptoms related to Swine flu includes vomitting, diarrhea, myalgia, headache, chills, fatigue, and dyspnea. Severe illnesses like pneumonia and respiratory failure has also been reported with the Swine flu.

Prevention of Swine flu

Swine flu stems out from an animal problem and is transmitted to humans. In preventing the situation to progress, short and term practices are being suggested.

The short term practices are: (1) culling and vaccinating livestock, (2) vaccinating poultry workers against common flu, and (3) limiting travels where the virus exists.

The long term suggested practices are: (1) changing local farming practices, increase the emphasis on hygiene, and limit the exposure to livestock and wild birds, (2) changing local shopping practices from purchase of live fowls to purchase of slaughtered and pre-packed fowls, and (3) improving veterinary vaccine availability and cost.

Treatment of Swine flu

Antiviral doses and schedules are recommended for the treatment of the Swine flu. The treatment of the Swine flu, generally either oseltamivir and orzanimivir takes to about 5 days. It is also strongly recommended for people who made contacts or are exposed to infected individuals to have an antiviral shot. Normally for now, these people includes house members of infected persons, persons who had contact with a confirmed or suspected case, travellers to Mexico, Texas, and California, and health care and public health workers who had unprotected exposure to with an ill confirmed or suspected case.

Miss Cebu 2009: The Saga Continues..

The Miss Cebu 2009 was covered with scandals and controversies and almost 2 months after the said prestigious local beauty pageant, the fiasco has not yet ended and in fact is getting worse. Dr. Rowena Burden, mother of Miss Cebu 2009 second runner-up Kimberley Therese Burden has never backed down in fighting for what her daughter should have won. Kim, as she is popularly known, has won the Globe's Texter's Choice award over eventual winner Kris Tiffany Janson. Miss Burden amassed a total of 117,797 votes while Miss Janson only had 95,830 to her credit. Much to people's dismay, especially both Kim and Dr. Burden, Kris Janson was named the Texter's Choice award winner.

Marketing consultant Bruce Bollozos however had already said a public apology to the Burdens and noted that it was an honest mistake. Bollozos apologized and said that "Clearly, Kimberley Therese Burden is the winner Globe Texter's Choice for Miss Cebu. Congratulations! Pit Señor!".

How did this controversy go such a long way after the Miss Cebu event last January? For one, the Burdens, especially Dr. Burden, aren't backing down just yet. Dr. Burden wanted the organizers of Miss Cebu to spare it's candidates humiliation in future pageants and questioned it's credibility as well. What's more? Mayor Tomas Osmeña, who just arrived at Cebu City after a series of treatments in the United States, has added fire as he called Miss Burden as "Miss Cellphone".

It might be totally uncalled for but knowing Mayor Tom as he is, he's just the plain straight to the point type of person though he's overdoing it sometimes. That's the exclamation point to the Burdens, they went too far as well. It's just whining at it's best. Cebu City has a lot of problems and issues to tackle and being robbed for the texter's choice award is not among them, it doesn't even deserve the mayor's attention. Mayor Tom summed it up in a very short phrase, "it's all because of one a-hole" referring to Bruce Bollozos.

The Texter's Choice award is not that credible. Miss Burden might have won it but is it an assurance that it's really the people's votes? Or they, the Burdens themselves, are accounted for for more than half of those? If so, then it's not surprising to know why Dr. Burden is so furious about it and makes Miss Cebu's credibility as a whole an excuse for her case. She's got a point but what they're fighting for is questionable either. It's not about who won the Texter's choice, it's about the Texter's choice credibility. I don't know if Kim Burden would be so proud being a Texter's choice winner but knowing that only a few people really voted for her.

The Miss Cebu has gone from a prestigious beauty pageant to a talk of the town down to a ridicule of the town lately. Bruce Bollozos was called as an "a-hole", Mayor Tom making his presence felt once again with his arrogant yet striking remarks, Dr. Burden trying to stand firm, and a bunch of media people riding over the issue (Bobby Nalzaro anyone?). What's next Dr. Burden? Governor Gwen and President Gloria's help?

One Filipino shines and another one falls in UFC 96

It was another feather in the cap for Filipino fighters. Though he's not as big (figuratively speaking) as Manny Pacquiao, Brandon Vera has made a very impressive redemption after a series of subpar showing by knocking Michael Patt out in the second round in a preliminary bout in UFC 96.

Vera started strong by hitting Patt with series of strikes in the first round which somewhat became a prelude to the ending. Knowing Patt's strengths on the ground, Vera was never lured into following the credible ground fighter every time he goes to the ground. Vera dictated the game early and was highlighted by a vicious leg kick at the end of the first round. Vera won the first round leading 10-9.

Patt tried to comeback in the second round but Vera spoiled it by hitting another leg kick followed by another one. Vera ended the bout with a strong leg kick on Patt's lead leg which unabled Patt to get up again. Referee Yves Lavigne called the fight off at 1:27 in the second round giving Vera his much needed win.

Vera had a very impressive start at the UFC, winning all his first 8 fights before losing to Tim Sylvia in UFC 77 which became a start for a series of subpar performances. Vera would also lose to Fabricio Werdum and Keith Jardine in his next 3 fights and his lone win came from a UFC newcomer Reese Andy in a unanimous decision. The KO win over Patt might be just what all Vera needed to get back on track to become one of the better fighters in the UFC. Vera now holds a 10-3-0 record.

Mark Muñoz on the other hand made his UFC debut and faced Matt Hamill. Known for his striking ability which contributed 3 to his 5 MMA career wins, Muñoz came with the monicker "The Filipino Wrecking Machine". But things didn't go too well for Muñoz in his debut as Hamill knocked him out at 3:53 in the first round handing him his first MMA career loss.

Nevertheless, it's still a great day for Filipinos. Brandon Vera's got the chance to climb back and regain some reputation in the light heavyweight division which boasts some of the best MMA fighters in the world while Muñoz as a rookie in the UFC can be another source of Filipino pride in the future.

Philippine Lotto Craze: When luck strike twice

The pot is P347,836,903.20 and the winning combinations are 06-34-20-26-12-33 in any order. It was the highest pot ever in the Philippine Lotto history ever since it was introduced in 1995.

In the past few weeks, the Philippines was somewhat hit by the Lotto craze and who won't? The pot is getting bigger and bigger as nobody hit the jackpot in every draw. Lotto outlets gets piled up with bettors and lines just keeps getting longer and longer. Just look at the people's drive to succeed when they see something ahead. There are even some who betted on different combinations and payed a total of at least P2000 hard earned money in exchange for the chance of hitting a once in a lifetime life changing pot. Even rich and famous businessman Willie Fernandez, who claimed that he's not into gambling and considered Lotto as such because it's a game of chance, got hooked because of the pot.

For 21 draws, nobody was able to hit it until the very day of Febraury 22, 2009. It was a Sunday like no other for 2 people as they both hit the winning combinations and had the chance to change their lives for the better. Though their winnings is not as big as the one won last April 2008 who claimed the P249M all by himself, it's still big and more than enough to change their lives.

It was some crazy days for the past few weeks, everybody had their eyes and ears on Lotto. What's next? Everything is back to normal. To some, they'll continue to bet on Lotto and to some, it's just another "at least I tried" experience.

I just wish those winners all the luck and better life. It's dream come true to them.

Dawn of Technology: The Price of Progress

It is evident, in a fast paced and highly competitive world today, humans need technology to survive and keep up with the ever changing and moving times. Wherever we go, we see massive and minute tools alike that humans use in their day to day lives whether be at work or simply for leisure. There is just this human need to make things easier, more convenient, and time saving. Technology is a very broad term in the strictest sense but to sum it all up, it is made to help humans in controlling and adapting to the environment in a very practical way.

Eversince, there is already this human resourcefulness to make everything more convenient and efficient. The human's use of technology started during the primitive period where men started to make simple tools out of natural resources. Most of it came out of discovery, a part of evolution. The start of massive modification and use of tools and communication was evident around 50,000 years ago where it was found out that people started to use stone tools in hunting, building homes, and for simply surviving. It was also believed that such people are connected to each other on what evolved as our modern language today. Fast forward to history, as primitive people continuously used and developed tools, agriculture, metal (gold, silver, copper, and lead), steel (iron), and wheel were discovered and made which became the cornerstone of modern technology and economy. Next came the inventions like simple machines (pulley, lever, and screw) and more complex machines (clock, engine, radio, and electric motor). Unknown to most, with these massive changes and developments of technology also came the change in people's lifestyle.

Many people have dedicated their lives on improving technology with the purpose in mind to improve the lifestyle of mankind, to make it a lot more easier, and of course, to earn something out of their work. But what happened when technology got better and better? People got too dependent on technology. There is a big difference between people during the primitive years and in today's modern years. Just for one, primitive people have to work for their food, they hunt and cook. People these days just either go to the groceries or fast food chains to eat. In a more technical term, many are under the idea of technism which is the over-reliance and overconfidence towards technology. Under such belief, some think that they can control everything with the use of technology, even social status. The progress of technology is sending the wrong message to many, if not majority of people. Many think that a newer, recently developed technology is always "better" than it's predescessors.

Technism has gone by leaps and bounds and too far. Could it be media? Peer or environment pressure? Or simply a result of a very shallow understanding of what technology really is in a general sense? Technology is good but overdoing and overusing it is going to far. What more can we ask for from the convenience it brings? Some people are pushing too far by making it either a social status, a medium for different criminal and illegal activities, and by simply using it for it's unintended purpose. We could not blame Herbert Marcuse, Martin Heidegger, and John Zerzan for criticizing the development of technology because they have seen it coming, a lot of people are not yet that ready and mature for it's developmental conception. Just to cite a stunning negative impact of technology on people right now, a lot of people are investing on things that they don't even need at all. They are all lured to the idea that "everybody else has it or doing it thus I must not be left behind". People want to have the latest and the "what's in" gadgets and equipments to stay in the status quo, a sad, hard hitting reality.

Technology ain't built and developed for that way. As we more forward technologically, our values and logical thinking are moving backwards in terms of how we see technology. It's main purpose is to serve mankind, not the other way around. Technology is made to serve mankind, not the other way around. It seems that people are the becoming technology's slaves in this generation, craving and acquiring something just to feel and look good without even knowing it's intended purpose or it's full potential. If that's the case, there are a lot of beauty parlors for that.

Where is the love?

It was just one of those nights for us. We came to this place where we usually eat, drink, and unwind after a busy day and go home after for a good night sleep. As usual, we ordered food and drinks and had a great meal. Everybody ordered as if there's no more tomorrow but we can't blame ourselves, we're damn so hungry and tired. Later on, we ordered a couple of beers just for some good time before going home. It was supposed to be another ordinary night of talk, fun, laughter, and bonding until something struck me later that night.

While we were having a great time, a 6 year old kid came around asking for food. He was a dark, skinny kid, as tall as normal 6 year olds, wearing very old, rugged, and dirty clothes and was carrying a sack full of garbage on his back. It was not a pretty sight for me, not because of seeing somebody like the kid but because I could see it in his very young face the hardships that he is going through. Since we were sitted very near the entrance, he approached us first and asked for food. We had a handful of leftovers which were supposed to be our "pulutan" so we decided to give it to him. We gave him every food we have left on the table, brought a bottle of Coke for him, and we brought ourselves some junk foods for our "pulutan". What really hit me was that after eating the kid stood up, said "Thank You", and gave us a smile. It was such a sincere smile and at the same time a smile of relief. One of my companions called him and asked him a couple of questions. We later realized that it was his first meal of the day! A cup of rice, and some noodles, corned beef, hotdog, and Coke at 8:45 in the evening.

Afterwards, he left and went to the other tables asking for food. All the while we were thinking that he didn't had enough on us, we even thought of how hungry he really was. We didn't bother because first, we thought that we have already done our part which is to give him food and second, we thought that people will be nice to him. We were dead wrong. Nobody treated him fairly and kindly. Everybody he came near to want to get rid of him and a couple even called out security to get him out. We even heard a lot of "eeww" and "Yuck" reactions. Does a 6 year old kid really deserve such kind of treatment? One of my friends stood and pulled him back to our table and brought him food. There we realized that he was looking for more food because of his younger siblings, 6 years old at that!

Isn't it too unfair? 6 year olds are supposed learn new things, expand their horizons, and enjoy their childhood. It is supposed to be an age of great experiences, not hard work and ill experiences. Despite of one's status in life, I really don't think and strongly disagree that people will be maltreated like that, even treated as animals at some point. Is this how de-valued we all are right now? That people who are lower than our status don't deserve respect, dignity, and proper treatment? He was not looking for a pork steak nor a spaghetti nor the most expensive wine, he was looking and asking for mere leftovers, at least just something to put into his and his siblings' very young tummies.

It was such an experience and realization. I always have my heart to people who badly needs help but such an experience made me realize something more. I thought that though I have some struggles of my own, I'm still so blessed. It made me re-assess my priorities and live a life grounded on sound values and principles. A sad fact is that a lot of people now live a very shallow kind of life, a kind of life spent on leisure and focused on one's self. If we could all live or the very least offer a part of us to others, then probably the world will be a lot better place.

Cellular Phones: Should we be wary?

In the advent of technology, the use of cellular phones have become more and more common. There is the existent need of getting connected to almost every part and all the people in the world. Who wouldn't? Cellular phones offers great and convenient way of connecting people anytime and almost anywhere in the world. As of 2008, the number of cellular phone subscribers have reached at least 4 billion worldwide, rising at a rate of about 25% each year starting 2001.

But unknown to majority, cellular phones could offer some health risks, serious at some point. One of the major concerns of cellular phone use is the exposure to EMF or Electromagnetic Field. EMF's effects on one's health was magnified during the recent popularity of the use of cellular phones. So how does EMF necessarily affect one's health? Constant exposure to EMF causes disrupts the Biofield, an ensemble or matrix of different energies that extend outward from each person's body, making one more weaker and susceptible to stress, trauma, and immune dysfunction.

How does this relate to cellular phones? EMF exists whenever both voltage and current is present and hence cellular phones have power, cellular phones have both voltage and current, thus, cellular phones emit EMF.

The photo above shows the radiation of a cellular phone in use on an adult brain and on a child's brain. Cellular phone mechanism works almost identically as how radio works, it is sending information through the air waves, simliar to how radio stations broadcasts their signals using a giant antenna the difference though is in cellular phones it is directed towards the ear. Some earlier studies about EMF or signal transmission have concluded that constant exposure can cause cancerous brain cells but some have said that it causes too little to close to none effect.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2003 found that radio frequency, or RF, waves sent by cell phones are different from other, more powerful currents. "Very high levels of electromagnetic energy, such as is found in X-rays and gamma rays, can ionize biological tissues," said the report. "The energy levels associated with radio frequency energy, including both radio waves and microwaves, are not great enough to cause the ionization of atoms and molecules." Which might suggest that the risk of traffic accidents caused by mobile phones are higher than the radiation risks. Apart from that, cellular phones are always in "contact" with cell sites. In order to do that, cellular phones constantly transmit every 3 minutes to check it's connectivity to a site hence further increasing one's exposure to EMF and RF.

The health risks might be minimal but in the long run might cause serious damage to our health. Though the findings and studies regarding cellular phone's health risks are still uncertain and unconfirmed, it's always better to stay on guard. Some suggested safety tips in using cellular phones are using a headset instead of using the phone itself while talking and putting the cellular phone in a bag or somewhere else instead of inside the pocket to avoid direct or close contact to EMF or RF.

It's always better be safe than sorry.