Manny Pacquiao on Jimmy Kimmel Show, again!

Today's Video

Manny Pacquiao on Jimmy Kimmel Show, again!

How deep is the Pacman's love for Jimmy Kimmel ? Deep enough for another traditional pre-fight guesting ! Watch this clip...

The real meaning of compassion

Today's Life Lessons  

The real meaning of compassion
 

BUSINESS MATTERS (BEYOND THE BOTTOM LINE) 

By Francis J. Kong  

(The Philippine Star) Updated November 05, 2011 

Let me share this powerful story with you.

Bob Weber, former president of Kiwanis International, had been the special guest speaker of a Kiwanis club gathering in a small town and was spending the night with a farmer member on the outskirts of the community. 

He had just relaxed on the front porch when a newsboy delivered the evening paper. The boy noted the sign 

“Puppies for Sale”. The boy got off his bike and said to the farmer, “How much do you want for the pups, Mister?”

“Twenty-five dollars, Son.”

The boy’s face dropped. “Well, Sir, could I at least see them anyway?”

The farmer whistled and in a moment the mother dog came bounding around the corner of the house followed by four cute puppies, wagging their tails and yipping happily. And then a fifth pup came straggling around the house, dragging one hind leg.

“What’s the matter with that puppy, Mister?” the boy asked.

“Well, Son, that puppy is crippled. We took her to the vet, and had the doctor X-ray her. The pup doesn’t have a hip joint and that leg will never be right.”

To the amazement of both men, the boy dropped the bike, reached for his collection bag and took out a fifty-cent piece. “Please, Mister,” the boy pleaded, “I want to buy that pup. I’ll pay you fifty cents every week until the twenty-five dollars is paid. Honest I will, Mister.”

 

The farmer replied, “But, Son, you don’t seem to understand. That pup will never, never be able to run or jump. That pup is going to be a cripple forever. Why in the world would you want such a useless pup as that?”

The boy paused for a moment, then reached down and pulled up his pant leg, exposing that all-too-familiar iron brace and the leather knee-strap holding a poor twisted leg. The boy answered, “Mister, that pup is going to need someone who understands him to help him in life!”

Have you gone through a very debilitating experience, maybe an episode of your life so painful you can still feel the pain? I know I have. In such experiences, people usually ask:

“Why?”

“Why are they doing this to me?”

“What did I do to deserve this?”

“Why me?”

Fast forward to where you and I are today. With eyes of faith and gratitude, I now know why God allowed me to go through such painful experiences – so that I can share what I’ve learned from it, and comfort and encourage those going through a similar experience today. Because one can go to the best counselor in the world or visit the most articulate minister, but he will never get the same quality advice from someone who has gone through what he’s going through at the moment. Charles Haddon Spurgeon says, “Those who wear the shoe know best where it pinches.”

What is compassion? Compassion is simply the willingness to share the pain and the suffering of someone who’s going through tough times.

You know. Now, go and tell others!

Finance 

The Murninghan Post

16 Phl banks in Asia's 500 list

 

By Ted Torres | PhilStar – Wed, Nov 2, 2011

Sixteen Philippine banks have made it to the list of 500 strongest banks in the region, based on a study by The Asian Banker.

Of the 16 Philippine banks, 13 are commercial banks and three are thrift banks.

The Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. (Metrobank) has been adjudged the strongest bank in the Philippines, and the Philippine Savings Bank (PSbank) the strongest among the three thrift banks.

Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. (BDO) has been classified as the largest Philippine bank – at 186th among the top 500 banks in the region.

East West Banking Corp. (EastWest Bank) has been recognized as the largest gainer, with its reported 191-percent increase in net profit.

The study recognizes Security Banking Corp. (Security Bank) as having the highest return on assets among regional banks. It has the highest return-on-equity among Philippine banks.

As the biggest Philippine bank, BDO has been ranked 186th from 195th in 2010. Metrobank kept its ranking at 197th.

The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) has improved to 200th spot from 211th while Land Bank of the Philippines is at 264th down from 251st in 2010.
The Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) has been ranked 317th from last year’s 310th.

The Philippine National Bank (PNB) placed 324th from 313th, while China Banking Corp. has settled at 338th from 340th.

Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank) landed on the 343rd slot from 331st a year ago. Allied Banking Corp. has been ranked 384th from 366th, while United Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB) has settled at 387th from 406th.

Meanwhile, Security Bank made it to the list for the first time at 398th. Also making its debut in the list was BPI Family Savings Bank at 415th.

Bank of Commerce is at 449th from 420th, while PSBank is at 452nd from 426th. EastWest Bank is at 466th, the first time it has made it to the list. RCBC Savings Bank has also made it to the list for the first time at 497th.

The top two banks in the region, based on the list, are Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group of Japan (assets worth $2 trillion), and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China or ICBC (assets worth $2 trillion). Of the top 10, four are from mainland China, three from Japan, two from Australia and one from Hong Kong.

Curiously, no Philippine bank has made it to the list of top 50 banks with the largest profit, largest growth in loans, largest growth in deposits, lowest cost to income ratio, highest non-interest income to total operating income ratio, lowest gross NPL ratio, and highest capital adequacy ratio.

Of the top 50 banks in South and Southeast Asia, BDO has been ranked 36th; Metrobank, 40th; and BPI, 43rd.

The State Bank of India with assets worth $321 billion and the DBS Group (Singapore) with assets worth $220 billion are the top two banks in South and Southeast Asia.

Among the top 50 banks in South Asia and Southeast Asia, 23 are Indian banks, four are from Singapore, nine from Malaysia, seven from Thailand, and four from Indonesia.

The next three leading Indian banks are ICICI Bank, Punjab National Bank and Bank of Baroda.

Maybank, with $103 billion in assets, is the top Malaysian bank. The next is CIMB Group Holdings with $87 billion in assets. The top three Thai banks are Bangkok Bank, Krung Thai Bank, and Kasikornbank.

Aside from DBS Group, the other top Singaporean banks are Overseas Chinese Banking Corp. and United Overseas Bank.

Peace In Crisis

Today's Daily Bread

  

Peace In Crisis

November 5, 2011 — by Dennis Fisher

Our Daily Bread

 Read: John 14:19-27

Peace I leave with you. —John 14:27

Bible in a year:
Jeremiah 34-36; Hebrews 2

Ted, one of the elders in our church, used to be a police officer. One day after responding to a report of violence, he said the situation turned life-threatening. A man had stabbed someone and then menacingly turned the blade toward Ted. A fellow officer had taken position and fired his weapon at the assailant as he attacked Ted. The criminal was subdued, but Ted was shot in the crossfire. As he was driven by ambulance to the hospital, he felt deep waves of peace flowing over his soul from the Holy Spirit. Ted felt so tranquil that he was able to offer words of comfort to the law enforcement officer who was emotionally distraught over the crisis.

The Lord Jesus promised us peace in crisis. Just hours before His own crucifixion, Christ comforted His disciples with these words: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).

What is your worst fear? If you should have to face it, Christ will be there with you. Trusting Him through prayer makes available “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,” and it “will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:7).

O the blessedness to nestle
Like a child upon His breast;
Finding ever, as He promised
Perfect comfort, peace, and rest. —Hennessay

The secret of peace is to give every anxious care to God.

Be Trustworthy

  Today's Reflections

 

 

 

Reflections

Be Trustworthy

November 4, 2011

LUKE 16:9-15

JESUS said to His disciples, “I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth, so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones. 

If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth? If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours? No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all these things and sneered at Him. And He said to them, “You justify yourselves in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts; for what is of human esteem is an abomination in the sight of God.”

Reflection:

Trustworthy in very small matters... trustworthy in great ones. It is said that the problem in life is not what we eat but what eats us, not what we hold but what holds us.

Two good friends of mine started a business, and since they were both good entrepreneurs, their company soared fast. Soon I heard they parted ways though they had been the best of friends for years and were earning well with their business. I met one of them and asked him what had happened. His reply was simple: “Well, my partner used to hold the money, Father. Now money is holding him; that is why we parted.”

It is all right to have wealth, as long as wealth does not get the better of us!

What and who are your real treasures in life?

"...God knows your hearts."' Luke 16:9-15

Today's Readings   

"...God knows your hearts."

Luke 16:9-15

Reading 1, Rom 16:3-9, 16, 22-27

³ My greetings to Prisca and Aquila, my fellow-workers in Christ Jesus,

⁴ who risked their own necks to save my life; to them, thanks not only from me, but from all the churches among the gentiles;

⁵ and my greetings to the church at their house. Greetings to my dear friend Epaenetus, the first of Asia's offerings to Christ.

⁶ Greetings to Mary, who worked so hard for you.

⁷ Greetings to those outstanding apostles, Andronicus and Junias, my kinsmen and fellow-prisoners, who were in Christ before me.

⁸ Greetings to Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord.

⁹ Greetings to Urban, my fellow-worker in Christ, and to my dear friend Stachys.

¹⁶ Greet each other with the holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send their greetings.

²² I, Tertius, who am writing this letter, greet you in the Lord.

²³ Greetings to you from Gaius, my host here, and host of the whole church. Erastus, the city treasurer, sends greetings to you, and our brother Quartus.

²⁴

²⁵ And now to him who can make you strong in accordance with the gospel that I preach and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, in accordance with that mystery which for endless ages was kept secret

²⁶ but now (as the prophets wrote) is revealed, as the eternal God commanded, to be made known to all the nations, so that they obey in faith:

²⁷ to him, the only wise God, give glory through Jesus Christ for ever and ever. Amen.

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 145:2-3, 4-5, 10-11

² Day after day I shall bless you, I shall praise your name for ever and ever.

³ Great is Yahweh and worthy of all praise, his greatness beyond all reckoning.

⁴ Each age will praise your deeds to the next, proclaiming your mighty works.

⁵ Your renown is the splendour of your glory, I will ponder the story of your wonders.

¹⁰ All your creatures shall thank you, Yahweh, and your faithful shall bless you.

¹¹ They shall speak of the glory of your kingship and tell of your might,

Gospel 

"...God knows your hearts."

Luke 16:9-15

⁹ 'And so I tell you this: use money, tainted as it is, to win you friends, and thus make sure that when it fails you, they will welcome you into eternal dwellings.

¹⁰ Anyone who is trustworthy in little things is trustworthy in great; anyone who is dishonest in little things is dishonest in great.

¹¹ If then you are not trustworthy with money, that tainted thing, who will trust you with genuine riches?

¹² And if you are not trustworthy with what is not yours, who will give you what is your very own?

¹³ 'No servant can be the slave of two masters: he will either hate the first and love the second, or be attached to the first and despise the second. You cannot be the slave both of God and of money.'

¹⁴ The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and jeered at him.

¹⁵ He said to them, 'You are the very ones who pass yourselves off as upright in people's sight, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed in human eyes is loathsome in the sight of God.

UFL Knock-out Stages

United Football Cup 2011-2012

UFL Knock-out  Stages  

The Round of 16 KO Stages start this weekend with the pairing of teams below : 

For starters, here are the schedule of Round of 16  KO games this weekend:

Azkals U-23 bow to Vietnam

26th SEA Games : Football Update 

Azkals U-23 bow to Vietnam

Beleaguered and constantly pressed 65 per cent of the time from kick-off , the Azkals U-23 scored first on the 37th when Ott struck  just in front of the goal inside the box off a back heel pass from Beloya after a soft pass from Mark Hartmann! 

After the half time break ,Vietnam pressed on with their excellent 1-2 passing game to penetrate the Azkals' seemingly much vaunted defense leading to that on-goal header by co-captain Hartmann off a  frantic Viet onslaught from the left flank for the equalizer  and things   turned  worst for the Philippines . .

From that point , Vietnam undoubtedly had the game under control with excellent passing plays particularly inside the box  which confused the Azkals' back four enabling them to score  twice : on the 73rd and two minutes in injury time!

While GK Muller's fantastic saves held the Viets at bay for most of the first half ,some concerns were raised on the Azkals' seemingly uncoordinated defense and apparent lack of midfield play for build-up of attack. Clearly,  familiarity with each other hindered a great opening game except for that brilliant Ott strike on the 37th for the temporary lead.

Next game is on November 7 at 5 pm against unpredictable Timor Leste !

Score :

                     Azkals U-23  1- 3   Vietnam

Ott (37th)                                                                                 Hartmann     (60th -OG)

                                                                                                 Hoang Thien (73rd)

                                                                                                 Nguyen Van Quyet ( 90th -Injury Time)

Lambs May Wade

Today's Daily Bread   

Lambs May Wade

 

November 4, 2011 — by David H. Roper

Our Daily Bread

 

Read: 2 Timothy 3:13-17

All Scripture . . . is profitable. —2 Timothy 3:16

 

Bible in a year:
Jeremiah 32-33; Hebrews 1

Author C. S. Lewis says that reli- gious concepts are like soups—some are thick and some are clear. There are indeed “thick” concepts in the Bible: mysteries, subtleties, and complexities that challenge the most accomplished mind. For example, “[God] has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens” (Rom. 9:18). And yet, in the same volume there are thoughts that are crystal “clear”: simple, attainable, and easily grasped. What could ever surpass the simplicity of the clear affirmation in 1 John 4:16, “God is love”?

John Cameron, a 15th-century writer, suggests, “In the same meadow, the ox may lick up grass, . . . the bird may pick up seeds, . . . and a man finds a pearl; so in one and the same Scripture are varieties to be found for all sorts of conditions. In them, the lamb may wade, and the elephant swim, children may be fed with milk, and meat may be had for stronger men.”

All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are found in God’s Book, the Bible—ocean depths that can stir the most sophisticated mind, and shallow areas that can be negotiated by any simple, honest soul.

Why hesitate? “All Scripture . . . is profitable” (2 Tim. 3:16). Jump in!

Thy Word is like a deep, deep mine,
And jewels rich and rare
Are hidden in its mighty depths
For every searcher there. —Hodder

God speaks through His Word—take time to listen.

Today's Reflections

 

Reflections

Parable of the Dishonest Steward

November 4, 2011

LUKE 16:1-8

JESUS said to His disciples, “A rich man had a steward who was reported to him for squandering his property. He summoned him and said, ‘What is this I hear about you? Prepare a full account of your stewardship, because you can no longer be my steward.’  The steward said to himself, ‘What shall I do, now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me? I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg. I know what I shall do so that, when I am removed from the stewardship, they may welcome me into their homes.’ He called in his master’s debtors one by one. To the first he said, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ He replied, ‘One hundred measures of olive oil.’ He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note. Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.’ Then to another he said, ‘And you, how much do you owe?’ He replied, ‘One hundred kors of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note; write one for eighty.’ And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently.

“For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light.”

Reflection:

The master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently. Jesus asks His disciples to be cunning as serpents. He advises them to know the wise ways of the children of this world. We are always to come clean, of course, and to be honest. But we are not asked to be dumb and stupid, to let ourselves be set aside, ridiculed, and left behind. We are called to conquer the world, to set it on fire, to keep our lamps burning bright for the whole world to see. 

We have been commissioned to make disciples of all nations. It is not enough to be simply good; we have to be wise, yet kind.

It is said that there are three kinds of people in the world: those who watch what happens, those who wonder what happened, and those who make things happen. Jesus is one who makes things happen!

Gift your boss today!

Luke 16:1-8

oday's Readings    

"...children of this world are more astute in dealing with their own kind than are the children of light."

 Luke 16:1-8

¹ He also said to his disciples, 'There was a rich man and he had a steward who was denounced to him for being wasteful with his property.

² He called for the man and said, "What is this I hear about you? Draw me up an account of your stewardship because you are not to be my steward any longer."

³ Then the steward said to himself, "Now that my master is taking the stewardship from me, what am I to do? Dig? I am not strong enough. Go begging? I should be too ashamed.

⁴ Ah, I know what I will do to make sure that when I am dismissed from office there will be some to welcome me into their homes."

⁵ 'Then he called his master's debtors one by one. To the first he said, "How much do you owe my master?"

⁶ "One hundred measures of oil," he said. The steward said, "Here, take your bond; sit down and quickly write fifty."

⁷ To another he said, "And you, sir, how much do you owe?" "One hundred measures of wheat," he said. The steward said, "Here, take your bond and write eighty."

⁸ 'The master praised the dishonest steward for his astuteness. For the children of this world are more astute in dealing with their own kind than are the children of light.'

The lost sheep and coin

Today's Reflections

Reflections

The lost sheep and coin

November 2, 2011, 10:53pm

Luke 15:1-10

The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This Man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So to them He addressed this parable. 

“What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it?  And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.

“Or what woman having ten coins and losing one would not light a lamp and sweep the house, searching carefully until she finds it? And when she does find it, she calls together her friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.’ In just the same way, I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Reflection:

Go after the lost one until he finds it. One may frown at God’s ostentatious and flamboyant show of mercy and joy. Leaving the ninety-nine to go after the lost one and then throwing a joyous feast for finding it? Well, maybe God is overacting. But God has always been overwhelming! Only a showy, excited, and overly generous lover can think of painting a rainbow in the sky.

Only a lovely mind can think of different shades and forms of fragrant flowers. Only a beautiful heart can create billions of persons with as varied personalities and thumbprints. Only an extravagant lover can sacrifice his Son for his beloved. This, our God, will rejoice exceedingly at finding one lost soul.

Wonder not at your sarcasm and disbelief. Wonder instead at the might and power of God’s love, so evident in every detail of this world and in all of us, God’s beloved creatures.

Bask in this thought today – GOD LOVES ME!

"...there is rejoicing among the angels of God over one repentant sinner." Luke 15:1-10

Today's Readings

"...there is rejoicing among the angels of God over one repentant sinner."

 Luke 15:1-10

Reading 1, Rom 14:7-12

⁷ For none of us lives for himself and none of us dies for himself;

⁸ while we are alive, we are living for the Lord, and when we die, we die for the Lord: and so, alive or dead, we belong to the Lord.

⁹ It was for this purpose that Christ both died and came to life again: so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

¹⁰ Why, then, does one of you make himself judge over his brother, and why does another among you despise his brother? All of us will have to stand in front of the judgement-seat of God:

¹¹ as scripture says: By my own life says the Lord, every knee shall bow before me, every tongue shall give glory to God.

¹² It is to God, then, that each of us will have to give an account of himself.

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 27:1-4, 13-14

 

¹ [Of David] Yahweh is my light and my salvation, whom should I fear? Yahweh is the fortress of my life, whom should I dread?

² When the wicked advance against me to eat me up, they, my opponents, my enemies, are the ones who stumble and fall.

³ Though an army pitch camp against me, my heart will not fear, though war break out against me, my trust will never be shaken.

⁴ One thing I ask of Yahweh, one thing I seek: to dwell in Yahweh's house all the days of my life, to enjoy the sweetness of Yahweh, to seek out his temple.

¹³ This I believe: I shall see the goodness of Yahweh, in the land of the living.

¹⁴ Put your hope in Yahweh, be strong, let your heart be bold, put your hope in Yahweh.

 

Gospel 

"...there is rejoicing among the angels of God over one repentant sinner."

 Luke 15:1-10

 

¹ The tax collectors and sinners, however, were all crowding round to listen to him,

² and the Pharisees and scribes complained saying, 'This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.'

³ So he told them this parable:

⁴ 'Which one of you with a hundred sheep, if he lost one, would fail to leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the missing one till he found it?

⁵ And when he found it, would he not joyfully take it on his shoulders

⁶ and then, when he got home, call together his friends and neighbours, saying to them, "Rejoice with me, I have found my sheep that was lost."

⁷ In the same way, I tell you, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner repenting than over ninety-nine upright people who have no need of repentance.

⁸ 'Or again, what woman with ten drachmas would not, if she lost one, light a lamp and sweep out the house and search thoroughly till she found it?

⁹ And then, when she had found it, call together her friends and neighbours, saying to them, "Rejoice with me, I have found the drachma I lost."

¹⁰ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing among the angels of God over one repentant sinner.'

 

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Books  

Guys need a good , relaxing read? Here's one you won't regret!

And its movie version is showing on Star Movies this Sunday,November 6 at 9 pm.

In the meantime enjoy reading...

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

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