Have you ever felt like stopping everything in your life coz you're afraid you might get hurt again even by just doing the least action possible? When i felt that, it's like the end of everything for me. It's like giving up coz I believe I already gave my best and yet I still got the deepest pain one could probably have. What more can I give?
I did not ask for so much wealth, for so much fame..all i want is to have a simple and happy life. I thought life is so good to me until I experienced a very unexpected problem. I wasn't prepared when it came. It's the total opposite of what I believe I have in life. If given a choice, I would have chosen to die right at that moment. I could no longer breathe. I could no longer live. I could no longer bear the pain. But then, because of my loved ones I decided to give up myself but not them. I decided to live for them. I decided to keep the pain inside and continue to live for my loved ones. I even decided to continue loving the person/s who have hurt me. I decided to forgive...
Standing still, I don't wanna look back coz all were pains and just illusions of what life I thought I have. But standing still, I'm also afraid to look forward coz i'm afraid of what's waiting for me there. I felt like standing still and just close my eyes...
Life is never fair, but God is! He knows our heart and he feels what's inside it. This hope makes me decide not to just stand still, but stand firm...now i can open my eyes..but not looking backward nor forward instead, looking above knowing that God is there to guide my steps throughout life's journey...
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Setting Review: The Beach
"The Beach" -- in which Leonardo DiCaprio follows up his "Titanic" shipwreck by playing a breezy young backpacker in a secret tropical island paradise near Thailand - is a breath-taking movie not because of how the story goes but because of the place that looks like a real paradise for me.
What a fantastic location to look forward to. I am someone who would like to travel and these places definitely attract me. Some of the locations I have learned from this movie are:
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Phuket - Phuket (pronounced poo-get) is
Krabi - Krabi city and province doubled for
Khao Yai National Park -
I think the film is well made and has plenty of place and style. It provides reasonable evidence of a worthwhile cinematic point of view, albeit one in search of something to say. There's a certain amount of worth in their approach, though, as noted, the basic story proves less of a vessel than it might for what was initially such a forceful voice. Individual scenes are impressive, and on the whole it holds together well enough to at least tell its story, such as it is. Likewise the cast do their best with the material provided. DiCaprio is a movie star of the first magnitude, and though he has been hyped to a point where his acting may become moot, he has proved himself capable of holding centre stage on previous occasions even when pitched against material (Romeo + Juliet) and pyrotechnic distractions (Titanic) which would crush a lesser man. His reading of the character is entirely appropriate, shifting from fresh-faced idealist to borderline psychotic, and though he does his best to invest it with depth, there is simply not enough there for it to be really convincing. His star power keeps the film going though, especially when it becomes evident that even Tilda Swinton (Orlando) can't do much with her tribal leader, around whom much of the later tension should revolve, and thus that no genuine drama is likely to appear. The ubiquitous Carlyle is very enjoyable in his brief role, and certainly makes more of an impression than either of the French youngsters who spend more time on screen as the rather tokenistic European counterfoils to DiCaprio's American ("I don't think in kilometres", he smugly tells them at one point).
The Beach will work best with young teenagers, though, as noted, it may well simply serve to reinforce self-satisfied postmodern amorality and sell some music albums rather than serve as a journey to the contemporary heart of darkness. This is a pity, but the fault is less with the modern audience than with the film itself, which simply lacks the conviction of any of its literary or cinematic predecessors on the level of story to really make an impact.
What they have created here however is a striking if transient film, a deeply sensual and heavily hedonistic experience.
It is rich, sweet and the pleasure of living in this perfect coastal lagoon ripens until it begins to cloy and then decay, as if the dark fruit of paradise had suddenly gone off with a terrible whiff. And perhaps not intentionally, the movie mirrors this change: enthralling, vivid and stunning to begin with; deteriorating and increasingly flawed as the reels roll on.
In short, I was able to like the movie not because of the story but because of the Imagination that was trying to fashion a haunting image of "paradise": warm winds, palm trees, turquoise water and white sand, a band of like-minded, firm-fleshed Crusoe.
Movie Review: Chasing Amy
In CHASING AMY, Holden falls for Alyssa who doesn't share Holden's interest in a romance as she is gay. Despite this, the two grow closer and begin to look upon one another as friends. It's an alien concept to Holden that he can be friends with a woman, especially one he's not sleeping with and even more surprising for Alyssa that she feels that same way about a man. Yet, adventurous by nature, she has left herself open to finding her soul mate. Gradually their friendship turns to love, which disrupts their lives and at the same time estranges Banky from Holden.
It is a love story about two seemingly incompatible lovers. Both Alyssa and Holden are thrown curveballs: hers that she falls in love with a man, his that love cannot save him from himself.
The film further explores how two people's love for one another can alter their own perceptions about themselves. What and who we think we and others are changes all the time. Points of view, obsessions, insecurities, everything shapes our self-image. So, is she by definition gay? My gay friends say no. She couldn't fall in love with Holden if she were. OK, then what is she? Is she what she thinks she is or what Holden thinks she is, or none of the above?” Although Alyssa says she is gay, she doesn't feel constrained by her sexual orientation
This film also looks at some love as being selfish or self-centered. There is a saying that if you love someone, sets him free. Let him do what he wants to explore for self discovery and not hold his dreams and freedom.
It looks at how perceptions alter our lives and how our irrational, though human obsessions and self-doubts seem to drive a wedge between us and those we love.
WOW Philippines
The
The country is an archipelago comprising more than 7,100 islands and endowed with diverse and world-renowned wonders: from having the 2nd deepest ocean and one of the most comprehensive marine systems in the world; smallest but very active volcano in Taal Lake, Batangas; biggest eagle in Davao; one of the best beach destinations in Boracay; largest and most valuable pearl in the world found in Palawan; one of the biggest concentration of migratory birds found in Olango Island, Cebu; most perfect conical-shaped Mayon Volcano in Legaspi; smallest primate (Tarsier) found in Bohol; sweetest mango in Zambales; one of the richest orchid flora in the world; old and historical battle wreck sites in Subic; to the majestic hand-carved Banaue Rice Terraces which is considered as the 8th wonder of the modern world!
The Philippines' people, history and culture with various influences from Malay, Spanish, Chinese, Arab, Thai, Mexican, English, Dutch, American and Japanese truly makes the country as the melting pot of the East and the West. The Philippines is the only predominantly catholic country in Asia where visitors will be amazed by the testimonial beauty of UNESCO Heritage sites of baroque churches in Paoay, Ilocos and Miyag-ao, Iloilo, and Asia's "Sistine Chapel," the San Agustine Church in Intramuros, Manila. In terms of indigenous tribal links, the
The
Here are some of the trivias I have discovered:
- The exotic jeepney is a post-war creation inspired by the GI jeeps that the American soldiers brought to the country in the 1940s. Enterprising Filipinos salvaged the surplus engines and came out unique vehicles of art.
- Short distance and feeder trips could not be more exciting than via Philippine quick transports – the tricycle, a motorcycle with a sidecar, and the pedicab, a bicycle with a sidecar.
- The world’s longest underground river system accessible to man can be found at the
- The largest Philippine wild animal, the tamaraw, is a species of the buffalo that is similar to the carabao. It is found only in the
- The highest mountain in the
- Filipino bowler Rafael "Paeng" Nepomuceno was the first bowler to be elevated to the International Bowling Hall of Fame based in
- Philippine National Hero and writer Jose Rizal could read and write at age 2. He grew up to speak more than 20 languages, including Latin, Greek, German, French, and Chinese. What were his last words? "Consummatum est!" ("It is done!")
- The largest city in the
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- Negros Occidental has the most cities among Philippine provinces.
- Filipinos celebrate the world’s longest religious holiday. The Christmas season begins on September 1st, as chillier winds and Christmas carols start filling the air, and ends on the first week of January, during the Feast of the Three Kings.
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- The great Christmans lanterns of
- The exotic jeepney is the Filipino version of the jitney, the taxi/minibus that travels along a fixed route, found in many countries.
- The popular toy, the yoyo, was invented by 16th century hunters in the
- The word "boondocks," which is now a part of the English language, dictionary, and vocabulary, comes from the Tagalog word "bundok," meaning "mountain."
- The Philippines became the first Asian country to win FIVE major international beauty pageant crowns — two for Miss Universe, in 1969 and 1973, and three for Miss International, in 1965, 1970, and 1979.
- Diving paradise Anilao, in the
- The biggest game preserve and wildlife sanctuary in the
- The antibiotic erythromycin — used to treat a wide variety of bacterial infections, such as respiratory tract infections, middle ear infections, and skin infections — was created by Filipino scientist Abelardo Aguilar, and has earned American drug giant Eli Lilly billions of dollars. Neither Aguilar nor the Philippine government received royalties.
- Fernando Amorsolo was officially the first National Artist of the
- Philippines Herald war journalist Carlos P. Romulo was the first Asian to win a Pulitzer Prize in Journalism in 1942. He was also aide-de-camp to General Douglas MacArthur in World War II; Philippine resident commissioner in the U.S. Congress from 1944-46; and the first Asian to become UN President in 1949.
- The largest fish in the world, the Whale Shark, locally known as Butanding, regularly swims to the Philippine waters.
- The world’s shortest and lightest freshwater fish is the dwarf pygmy goby (Pandaka Pygmaea), a colorless and nearly transparent species found in the streams and lakes of
- On January 18, 1995, Pope John Paul II offered mass to an estimated 4 to 5 million people at
- The Philippine Madrigal Singers bagged the 1997 European Choral Grand Prix, the choral olympics of the world’s best choirs. The group, being the only Asian choir, bested five regional champions from all over Europe, earning them the title as the "world’s best choir."
- There are 12,000 or so species of seashells in the
- Of the 500 known coral species in the world, 488 are found in the
- Of the eight species of marine turtles worldwide, five are reported to be found in the
- Of the eight known species of giant clams in the world, seven are found in the
- The Basilica of
- The largest bell in Asia hangs at the belfry of the 221-year old
- The World Cup, which was instituted in 1965, is contested annually by the national champions of the Federation Internationale des Quilleurs (FIQ). The highest number of wins is 4, by Filipino bowler Rafael “Paeng” Nepomuceno: 1976, 1980, 1992, and 1996.
- Filipino Eriberto N. Gonzales Jr. consumed 350 chilis in 3 minutes at the annual Magayon Festival chili-eating contest held at
- The longest possible eclipse of the Sun is 7 min. 31 sec. The longest eclipse in recent times took place west of the
- Camiguin province holds the distinction of having the most number of volcanoes per square kilometer than any other island on earth. It is also the only place in the
- The 900 sq m Relief Map of Mindanao in
- The Zamboanga Golf Course and
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- The Kinabayo is an exotic and colorful pageant re-enacting the Spanish-Moorish Wars, particularly the Battle of Covadonga where the Spanish forces under General Pelagio took their last stand against the Saracens. They were able to reverse the tide of war with the miraculous apparition of St. James, the Apostle. A Kinabayo Festival is celebrated every July in
- The altar at the Holy Rosary Cathedral in
- The Rizal Shrine in
- RA 8973 signed by then President Joseph E. Estrada in February 2001 created the
- Magat Dam is
- The
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- Angono Petroglyphs – This cultural heritage site dates back to circa 3000 B.C. and is the most ancient Filipino, or more aptly, prehistoric Filipino work of art. Besides being the country’s oldest “work of art” it also offers us an evocative glimpse into the life of our ancestors. The site has been included in the World Inventory of Rock Art under the auspices of UNESCO, ICCROM and ICOMOS and nominated as one of the “100 Most Endangered Sites of the World.
- PANCIT HABHAB (Lucban)-Made from rice flour, these local noodles acquired its name and developed its unique attraction by the way it is eaten. Otherwise known as Pancit Lucban, these noodles are hawked in the streets and served on a piece of banana leaf, sans fork or any other utensils. Thus, it is eaten straight from the leaf, licking permitted... "habhab"-style.
- Tagala - the
- Mayon is the most beautiful mountain I have ever seen, the world-renowned Fujiyama (
- Ilo-Ilo golf and country club is the oldest golf club in the
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- San Juanico Strait - said to be the narrowest yet the most navigable strait in the world
- Calbiga Cave – The Philippines’ biggest karst formations and one of the largest in Asia, the 2,968-hectare cave system is composed of 12 caves with wide underground spaces, unique rock formations and sub-terranean watercourse.
- At the Immaculate Conception Cathedral can be found the only existing pipe organ in
- Cagayan de Oro City - “The City of Golden Friendship,” known for its warm people and old-fashioned hospitality
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- Halo-Halo! Halo-halo literally means, "mix-mix". And its is just that: a mixture of sweetened fruits and beans, lavished with pinipig (crisp flattened rice flakes), sugar and milk, topped by crushed ice and ice cream. You know its summertime when halo-halo stand start sprouting by the roadside and by the beach, all whipping up their heavenly concoctions of such a refreshingly divine dessert. You can make your own by selecting and mixing your ingredients to make a perfect Halo-Halo. Halo-Halo is uniquely, unforgettably Filipino!
- KALESA - The kalesa or karitela is a horse-driven carriage that was introduced during the 18th century. It was used by Spanish officials and the nobles as a means of transportation. The Ilustrados, the rich Filipinos who had their own businesses, used the kalesa not only for traveling but as a means a means of transporting their goods as well.
- BAKYA-Made primarily of lightwood (laniti and santol trees), it is sculpted with a slope and shaved to a smooth finish, then painted with floral designs or varnished to a high sheen. The upper portions, which are made of rubber or transparent plastic, are fastened to the sides by thumb nails called "clavitos". The bakya industry prospered during the 1930s when the Filipinos began exporting these to the other countries.
- SORBETES-This sweet treat was concocted in the early 1920's, a time where a single centavo could buy you almost anything. The process of this ice cream making and selling it in carts with colorful designs is still the same. Back in the old days, these ice cream dealers bred their own cows and milked them with their own hands to ensure the freshness and sanitation of the milk needed to make the "dirty ice cream".
- Waling Waling Orchids - With some 800 to 1,000 species of orchids, the
- Maria Teresa Calderon – A Filipina World champion speed reader as listed in the Guinness Book of World Records
- In the
- The Philippine Basketball Association is
- Philippine Airlines took to the skies on March 15, 1941, using a Beech Model 18 aircraft amid the specter of a global war. It became
- The world's largest pearl was discovered by a Filipino diver in a giant Tridacna (mollusk) under the
- Alto Broadcasting System (ABS) Channel 3, the first television station in the country, went on the air in 1953.
- The world's second deepest spot underwater is in the
- The symbolic name for the
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- Basilica of St. Martin de Tours in Taal, Batangas built by Augustinian Missionaries in 1572, is reputed to be the biggest catholic church in
- Kibungan is known as the “Switzerland of Bengued” because of the frost during the cold months
- The Delmonte Pineapple Plantation in Bukidnon is considered to be the biggest in the far east
- Both Tridacna gigas, one of the world's largest shells, and Pisidum, the world's tiniest shell, can be found under Philippine waters. Tridacna gigas grows as large as one meter in length and weighs 600 pounds while Pisidum is less than 1 millimeter long. A shell called glory of the sea (Connus gloriamaris) is also found in the
- Seahorses are small saltwater fish belonging to the Syngnathidae family (order Gasterosteiformes), which also includes pipefish and sea dragons. Most seahorse species, probably the most peculiar creatures in the water, live in the Coral Triangle. There are at least 50 known seahorse species in the world. They inhabit temperate and tropical waters but most of them are concentrated in the warm coastal waters of the
- Donsol, a fishing town in Sorsogon province, serves as a sanctuary to a group of 40 whale sharks (Rhincodon typus), which are considered as the largest fish in the world. Locally known as "butanding", whale sharks visit the waters of Donsol from November to May. They travel across the oceans but nowhere else have they been sighted in a larger group than in the waters of Sorsogon. They measure between 18 to 35 feet in length and weigh about 20 tons.
- The
One of the most endangered species is the exotic Kalangay or the Philippine cockatoo (Cacatua haematuropygia), which belongs to Psittacidae or the family of parrots. Some cockatoos can live up to 50 years. They are known for mimicking human voices. Most of them measure 33 centimeters in length and weigh 0.29 kilogram.
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- Calamian Deer - Calamian Islands, north of
- World's Smallest Hoofed Mammal - South of Palawan, lies the
- Flying Lemur - One of the most distinct creatures on Earth lives in the
In
- Did you know that the first four cities of Metropolitan Manila are:
- The flagpole located in
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- The
- In 1916, in the
- The PHILIPPINE EAGLE is the 2nd largest bird on the planet (next only to the American Condor)
WoW
Remaining true to its objective of upholding and preserving the country’s natural reserves, the Department of Tourism (DOT) supported the launching of the Philippine Ecological Expo 2005 held last July 11-17 at the Expo Exchange, Greenbelt 1, Ayala Center, Makati City. This year’s event encompassed the theme: ”A Vision Towards Environmental Preservation” and was organized by 2nd Intervals Events and Productions
It is also promoting the
ESL Tour Program is a tourist activity in which the study of English as a second language forms part of a structured tour package. The study of English becomes more exciting and fun through dynamic and creative ways of learning where participants get to interact, practice and use English more often in real-life settings thru games, outdoor activities, excursions and immersions. Aside from learning the English language, participants get to see the beautiful sceneries of the Philippine countryside and immerse with the local culture.
I realize that to promote local travel, Filipinos must inspire pride in being
Filipino by encouraging everyone to explore their country’s beautiful sites or re-connect with their heritage, history, and culture. Campaign theme tugs at the heart and at the same time is a challenge, an urgent call to positive action.
Movie Review: Crash
Crash Summary:
Issues of race and gender cause a group of strangers in
A meditation on the often unacknowledged undercurrents of racism in everyday American city life, "Crash" has the kind of broad appeal that can draw large audiences and the kind of lingering emotional potency that can lead to serious soul-searching. An impressive ensemble cast lends strong character to a cultural cross-section of
Within 24 hours, these characters all cross paths again in separate incidents of incredibly high tension that challenge both the prejudices that have formed between them and the conclusions we've been led to as an audience. Although they do not meet again, similarly potent table-turning and judgment-testing events occur in the lives of the actual carjackers (Larenz Tate and rapper Ludacris, whose character is ironically obsessed with being stereotyped) and their victims, an ambitious district attorney and his uptight wife (played with depth and conviction by Brendan Fraser and Sandra Bullock). These four are, in turn, connected through other events to a young Hispanic locksmith (Michael Pena) desperately trying to make a better life for his 5-year-old daughter after moving out of a crime-ridden neighborhood, and to a struggling Iranian shopkeeper (Shaun Toub) desperately seeking to lay blame for the vandalization of his convenience store, and to a pair of internal affairs detectives (Don Cheadle and Jennifer Esposito), whose lives and jobs are complicated by politics, tested principles and personal secrets.
The emotional complexity and intricate, intimate narrative of these stories defy simple summary, but suffice it to say writer lays bare many social and psychological issues that generally get swept under the rug of the American consciousness. The film doesn't just conjure up racially charged confrontations, but also shows almost subliminally how passive prejudice and pre-conceived notions are often prevalent in simple day-to-day life.
The multifaceted, uniformly compelling performances help personify these characters as emblematic and familiar while being anything but archetypal. "Crash" is not a film that will change the world or be permanently emblazoned on your mind. But it does get at the simple truths of racial discord in society.
There are so many messages in this powerful movie, but the main one that left out at me was the Sandra Bullock character's telling us that she's angry and feels that way all the time. The movie seems to be saying we are all so afraid and angry with each other and our inability to trust and care for one another across race, class and cultural divides. In LA 2005, one of the greatest cities ever created, we need to crash into one another to feel anything.
Despite playing a bit too much to tired stereotypes, the movies tries to delve deeply into the complexity and insanity of seeing the world and reacting to those in the world according to such myopic vistas.
I think the main message of the movie was embarrassment. Perhaps the comment of Terrence, "You embarrass me and you embarrass yourself" seems to be the main message.
The movie shows the key sociological concepts of accommodation wherein people should accept who they are in a social situation; though, you someone may belong to a minority or dominant group. So, minority members just accept dominant’s group values thinking that it is standard. This is acculturatation which leads to the process of assimilation – where people who belongs to minority group have to learn the day-to-day norms of a dominant group. People belong to different racial groups and most people judge people by their racial group. They also feel embarrass about the racial group they belong to. But, the movie shocked us the reality that sometimes we find people good, but doing the bad thing in the end and vice versa. Crash implies, the horrors of racism and racial stereotyping are themselves derivative of the undercurrent of desperation and compromised lives that runs through American culture generally, and won't go away unless and until something is done about that. That's even harder to face, harder to swallow. We can all profess to believe in and teach tolerance, but are we all willing, all doing what we can, to change a socio-cultural context that we may benefit from but that breeds desperation in many others, as well as the explosions of racism (and other things) that result from desperation.
Movie Review: My Big Fat Greek Wedding
My Big Fat Greek Wedding Summary:
This is a story about Toula Portokalos, a 30 year old second generation Greek woman who is caught between being a Greek woman and wanting to be her own person. She is faced with the family pressure to marry a Greek boy, have Greek babies, and feed everyone. Toula decides that she wants more out of life and convinces her family that it would be in their best interest to support her going to College to study computing. Toula’s mum is supportive of the idea but her father is not to keen on the whole idea. Toula begins College where she blossoms; she changes her image and becomes a happier person. She starts to be the woman that she wants.
Toula falls in love with Ian who is not Greek. She initially lies to her parents, knowing that they would not approve of the relationship. When the relationship starts to become serious so does the situation at home as her family find out she is seeing Ian. Her father is devastated and cannot believe that she is doing this to him. She is told to stop seeing him, and her parents begin to invite a lot of single Greek men around for dinner. Toula continues to see Ian despite her parents' demands, but she can no longer hide the seriousness of the relationship from her family when Ian proposes to her and she accepts. Gus is still not happy about the situation, and Ian does everything he can to be accepted by her family. He is baptised in the Greek Church by cousin Nikki so they can be married in the Greek church. There is continuing concern expressed about Ian by Gus through out the movie as the wedding is planned, planned by everyone but Toula and Ian themselves.
The wedding day comes and everyone is happy. In the bride’s attempts to help her family come to terms with the situation, she learns about her culture and heritage.
The movie ends on a nice message when Gus gives his 'father of the bride' speech, finally giving his acceptance that we are all different but the same. This is a movie that relates to many people of many ethnic races. One reason why this movie was so popular was because you were looking at real people. The traditions that you see in this family could just as well be one of your own family. Its main purpose is not to insult Greek-Americans but to show
The movie presents a view of the world of traditional Greek culture, the loudness, the food, the guilt, the negativity, and the strong family values. It’s a romantic comedy rooted in the rich, gorgeous immigrant American culture, My Big Fat Greek Wedding considers the potentially woeful case of a frumpy, despondent 30-year-old woman who has been raised to marry a Greek man, produce Greek babies and feed everyone. The couple has to face the cultural and religious differences between their two families and convince Toula’s father that he should give his permission for them to marry. Mr. Portokalos begrudgingly gives his blessing and the meshing of the two families begins.
To me, this is a quintessentially American story of the fabled melting pot and how it works. But its story line of how two products of extremely different families fall in love and have a wedding, with all its attendant nerve-wracking pressures, is universal. You don’t have to marry a Greek-American (or even a Greek) to identify with the hair-raising rituals of meeting the prospective in-laws and working out a whole bunch of new relationships with virtual strangers. It shows cross-cultural marriage. The film, which is fairly cartoon-ish in its depiction of the Greek-American family as well as the bridegroom’s incredibly white-bread parents, is blessed with some deft casting. This movie is really, really funny. It teaches us that we are all equal despite ethnic backgrounds. It shows importance of family and the strength of family bonds; love; respect and tolerance of differences shown by Ian and Toula; acceptance of differences. Gus finally tells a story about apples and oranges at the end of the movie, showing that he accepts Ian into the family.
The movie shows the key sociological concepts of accommodation because the film portrays the need to overcome ethnic differences while not diminishing the beauty of ethnic tradition. Mr. Portokalos explains that “Miller” has its roots in the Greek word for apple and portokalos means orange in Greek. He notes that “apples” and “oranges” sound as if they cannot mix, but since they are really all “fruit,” the families should mix freely. In Toula’s case, she did not sacrifice her faith to marry Ian, who admitted to not having a strong religious background. But Ian’s case shows acculturation since the priest baptized Ian to bring him into the church and allow for Ian and Toula to be married in the Church. Therefore it can be concluded that Ian’s decision to be baptized can lead to showing key sociological concepts of assimilation because he will be with his wife everyday and will see how to be in a Greek Orthodox family and may do traditions or actions of his wife’s family.
This movie is absolutely hilarious. It portrays some true yet comical cultural dynamics that are true for many other European countries as well. What makes the movie so meaningful is Toula's journey against the forced stereotypes of society and to the fulfilment of her dreams and desires.
Salvation Is An Ongoing Event
We are being saved because grace has not yet fully transformed every area of our mind, emotions, desires, and will into the mind, emotions, desires, and will of Christ. Salvation is a past reality: We have been saved by the death of Jesus Christ. While we were still sinners, Jesus’ death cancelled the bond that stood against us (Col. 2:14). In other words, the guilt of original sin has been wiped away. God pardoned our sins. But being pardoned isn’t the same as being holy. Being pardoned gives us back our freedom to choose the road to holiness, to walk the narrow path. Right now, today, we are being saved. Grace is wooing us down the narrow path. We are becoming holy. Salvation is an ongoing event. We are saved for union with Christ. Or, to put it in more poetic terms, we are saved so that the two may become one. In God’s mysterious and progressive plan, our nuptial salvation is completed only with the resurrection of the body. It is then that body and soul will return to perfect unity, and in this perfect unity, we will enter into perfect unity with the Trinity. The two will truly and definitively become one—body and soul, God and man, man and neighbour.
Peace and Justice
Resolving a conflict, peace cannot be separated from justice. Without justice, there will be no peace. A truly free society must not include a "peace" which oppresses us. We must learn on our own terms what peace and freedom mean together. There can be no peace if there is social injustice and suppression of human rights, because external and internal peace is inseparable. Peace is not just the absence of mass destruction, but a positive internal and external condition in which people are free so that they can grow to their full potential.
The Social Teaching
The mission of the Society today is the priestly service of the faith, an apostolate whose aim is to help people become more open toward God and more willing to live according to the demands of the Gospel. The Gospel demands a life freed from egoism and self-seeking, from all attempts to seek one's own advantage and from every form of exploitation of one's neighbor. It demands a life in which the justice of the Gospel shines out in a willingness not only to recognize and respect the rights of all, especially the poor and the powerless, but also to work actively to secure those rights. It demands an openness and generosity to anyone in need, even a stranger or an enemy.
In a global culture driven by excessive individualism, our tradition proclaims that the person is not only sacred but also social. How we organize our society—in economics and politics, in law and policy—directly affects human dignity and the capacity of individuals to grow in community. The family is the central social institution that must be supported and strengthened, not undermined. While our society often exalts individualism, the Catholic tradition teaches that human beings grow and achieve fulfilment in community. We believe people have a right and a duty to participate in society, seeking together the common good and well-being of all, especially the poor and vulnerable. Our Church teaches that the role of government and other institutions is to protect human life and human dignity and promote the common good. Then that’s when a community becomes a community of faith.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Dusit Loyalty Programs
With a Dusit Gold Card, you are immediately recognized as one of our most valued guests, entitled to our Golden Privileges and Benefits. You will receive priority room reservation, special room rates, VIP recognition, welcome drink, complimentary fruit basket, express check-out, savings on laundry and restaurants, and guaranteed late check-out until 2 pm.
Whenever you travel for business or leisure, your Dusit Gold Card will ensure you benefits and privileges at Dusit Thani, dusitD2 and Dusit Princess Hotels & Resorts. Our collection of hotels & resorts will ensure the delivery of an experience that enlivens the individual spirit no matter what the journey.
Dusit Wine & Dine
As a Dusit Wine & Dine member, you will receive the most exciting and exclusive accommodation and dining privileges across the participating Dusit Thani, dusitD2 or Dusit Princess Hotels & Resorts in Thailand.
In addition to all the above mentioned benefits, is the best spa experience in Thailand at Devarana Spa, Dusit’s own signature heavenly spa for ultimate pampering, relaxation and rejuvenation.
| Annual Membership Fee: | Baht 5,900 |
| | Baht 5,500 for Dusit Gold Card holder |
Presently, the membership is only offered to Thai residents.
Introducing The Global Hotel Alliance (GHA)
We are pleased to announce that Dusit International is a member of Global Hotel Alliance (GHA) to better serve you, our client. All GHA partners share the same philosophy of high quality service as we do. GHA now consists of 160 upscale and luxury hotels and resorts, spread over 41 countries and growing. Each brand is a key player in their main region: Anantara in Thailand; Cham in Syria and Jordan; Dusit International in Thailand; Kempinski in Europe; Landis in Taiwan & China; Leela in India; Marco Polo in China and Hong Kong; Omni in North America and Pan Pacific in the Pacific Rim.
Global Hotel Alliance was created in 2004 and is the world’s largest alliance of independent hotel groups. Global Hotel Alliance is about offering greater choice and enhanced recognition to customers in a growing collection of hotels, managed by individual, regional brands, which are respected in their home markets for reflecting and respecting local traditions and culture through their hotels’ products and services.
Regular travelers know how challenging navigating the world can be and how choosing the right hotel can be the difference between an average and a sensational trip! Choosing a Global Hotel Alliance hotel means travelers can be sure that they will have a unique, local experience in an excellent four or five-star hotels, while receiving consistent levels of service and recognition, regardless of their choice of hotel or destination.
A unique Global Hotel Alliance logo makes it easy for customer to recognize member brands and hotels all over the world, so keep a look out for the red “G” as a indication that you’re making the right choice of hotel.
Dusit Gold Card Members are entitled to receive member benefits of the participating Global Hotel Alliance hotel’s program they are visiting.
In addition, as GHA expands its network of member hotels, Dusit Gold Card Members will have even more destinations to experience the special benefits offered by member hotels.
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