My Inspiration and Motivation

I got this from facebook...

"You Say... God Says..."

And when you say "I can't believe it!", God says "Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10).

~florent flora

I Support Free Knowledge

      The English site of one of my favorite websites, Wikipedia, went black today to raise awareness to, and to protest against new legislations being considered by the US Congress that could fatally damage the free and open Internet as we know it today.

      These new legislations are known as the “Stop Online Piracy Act” (SOPA) and the “PROTECT IP Act” (PIPA).  Both bills are advertised as helping to combat online piracy and protect internet users. The actual content contained within the two bills however, is rather frightening, as they could be used to build a framework for future restrictions and suppression.

      The full version can be daunting to read but there is an unabridged version written by Mashable.com that serves as a good translation.

      Learn about these bills from Wikipedia itself: SOPA and PIPA

~florent flora

I Am Being Watched

I got this from my wife via Facebook.  Thank you very much!!!  I am truly blessed to have you.

This is a perfect companion to a few verses from the Bible:

"The LORD watches over you — the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.

The LORD will keep you from all harm — he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore" (Psalm 121 :5-8)

~florent flora

Birds are NOT Mammals

I (re-)learned this in Bettina’s nursery school today… Birds are NOT mammals.

Mammals have mammary glands, hence the word “mammal”. Birds do not bear live young like mammals, they lay eggs. They do not produce milk to feed their young. They do not have hair, they have feathers. They metabolize nutrients differently, they have a different digestive tract, and they have lighter bones.

Birds belong to the class Aves. They are warm blooded like mammals though.

Oh well, I thought I was confident in my answer that birds are mammals.

It only takes a nursery kid to point out my mistake.

~florent flora

Nasamid = May Nakaalala

There's this old Filipino saying that a person almost chokes if someone remembers them, i.e. "nasamid ako, may nakaalala siguro sa akin." ("I almost choked, someone must have remembered me").

Well, today, someone remembered me BIG time -- While I'm sitting in front of my laptop -- While I'm sipping coffee.

Then poof!!!

Brown liquid mayhem.

Good thing the keyboard's spill proof.

~florent flora

Balcony Tickets

      This new year event had me enjoying one of the best views I've had of any new year fireworks show ever. My family and I had the good fortune to book a room at the Makati Shangri-la Hotel for this new year's countdown to 2012.

      The last few seconds of 2011 had me videotaping the entire event happening in Ayala Avenue while the wife and kids cheerfully anticipated the fireworks show.  The fireworks show came with its usual booms and bangs but the kids weren't scared because the glass panes of the windows muffled the sounds outside, and so we enjoyed the exhilirating view right from the comfort of our 16th floor room.

      The Dawn's rendition of "Absolute Reality" and a slew of 80's hit songs prior to the countdown was the icing on the cake for me.

      I've got to do this again next year!

~florent flora

A huge crowd turned up to greet the new year

See the full gallery on Posterous

Curious eyes looking at the crowd below

Cameras galore shooting the fireworks show

The morning haze (that's not fog!)

Our two special guests resting

Happy New Year!!!

Here's the video of the countdown and the fireworks show...

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9DZQgh05iw?wmode=transparent]

Happy New Year!!!

May the memories of 2011 bring us closer to Jesus and bring clarity to all of us as to how we should be investing our time, treasure and talents this 2012 on what would last for eternity (2 Corinthians 4:18).

Whatever we are trusting the Lord in 2012, may it be our heart's desire to be pleasing to the Lord always (2 Corinthians 5:9).

May everyone experience a Christ-centered year this 2012!

~florent flora