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Pastor Rick Warren's son commits suicide
The Southern California church headed by popular evangelical Pastor Rick Warren says his 27-year-old son has committed suicide.
Warren's Saddleback Valley Community Church said in a statement that Matthew Warren had struggled with mental illness and deep depression throughout his life.
"Matthew was an incredibly kind, gentle and compassionate young man whose sweet spirit was encouragement and comfort to many," the statement said.
"Unfortunately, he also suffered from mental illness resulting in deep depression and suicidal thoughts. Despite the best health care available, this was an illness that was never fully controlled and the emotional pain resulted in his decision to take his life."
Warren, the author of the multimillion-selling book "The Purpose Driven Life," said in an email to church staff that he and his wife had enjoyed a fun Friday evening with their son before Matthew Warren returned home to take his life in "a momentary wave of despair."
Church spokeswoman Kristin Cole said he died Friday night.
Over the years, Matthew Warren had been treated by America's best doctors, had received counseling and medication and been the recipient of numerous prayers from others, his father said.
Still, he struggled over the years.
"I'll never forget how, many years ago, after another approach had failed to give relief, Matthew said `Dad, I know I'm going to heaven. Why can't I just die and end this pain?"' Warren recalled.
Despite that, he said, his son lived for another decade, during which he often reached out to help others.
"You who watched Matthew grow up knew he was an incredibly kind, gentle, and compassionate man," Warren wrote. "He had a brilliant intellect and a gift for sensing who was most in pain or most uncomfortable in a room. He'd then make a bee-line to that person to engage and encourage them."
The elder Warren founded Saddleback Church in 1980, according to his biography on the church website, and over the years watched it grow to 20,000 members. He and his wife, Kay, began by holding Bible studies for people who weren't regular churchgoers.
In 2008, the church sponsored a presidential forum with Obama and Republican Sen. John McCain. Obama and Republican nominee Mitt Romney had been invited to a similar forum last fall, but Warren canceled it, saying the campaign had become too uncivil.
As Saddleback has grown over the years, it has spread out from its Lake Forest headquarters, 65 miles southeast of Los Angeles, adding several other campuses and ministries around Southern California.
The church says it now offers more than 200 community ministries and support groups for parents, families, children, couples, prisoners, addicts, and people living with HIV, depression and other illnesses.
Warren was named the top newsmaker of the year for 2009 by the Religion Newswriters Association. He gained attention that year with his invocation at President Barack Obama's inauguration that year and comments he made in the aftermath of California's Proposition 8, which overturned gay marriage.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/04/06/pastor-rick-warren-son-commits-suicide/#ixzz2PjEnL524


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English version: President Aquino 2011 SONA
Here is the full English text of President Benigno Aquino III's SONA or State of the Nation Address 2011.
Philippine President Noynoy Aquino III delivered this 2011 SONA or 2011 State of the Nation Address last July 25, 2011 (Monday) at the House of Representatives (Lower Congress), Batasan Pambansa Complex, Quezon City, Philippines. He originally delivered this speech in Filipino.
The original Filipino President Aquino SONA 2011 or State of the Nation Address can be found HERE.
Please feel free to share this page to everyone especially to those who missed watching or listening to President Noynoy Aquino's 2011 SONA.
Full English version of President Noynoy Aquino's 2011 State of the Nation Address below:
State of the Nation Address
His Excellency Benigno S. Aquino III
President of the Philippines
To the Congress of the Philippines
[English translation of the speech delivered at the Session Hall of the House of Representatives, Batasan Pambansa Complex, Quezon City on July 25, 2011]
Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile; Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr.; Vice President Jejomar Binay; former Presidents Fidel Valdez Ramos and Joseph Ejercito Estrada; Chief Justice Renato Corona and the honorable Justices of the Supreme Court; honorable members of the diplomatic corps; members of the House of Representatives and the Senate; Local Government Officials; members of our Cabinet; members of the Armed Forces and the Philippine National Police; to my fellow servants of the Filipino people;
And to my beloved countrymen, my Bosses:
I stood before you during my inauguration and promised: we would do away with the use of the wang-wang. This one gesture has become the symbol of change, not just in our streets, but even in our collective attitude.
Over the years, the wang-wang had come to symbolize abuse of authority. It was routinely used by public officials to violate traffic laws, inconveniencing ordinary motorists—as if only the time of the powerful few, and no one else's, mattered. Instead of behaving like public servants, they acted like kings. This privilege was extended to their cronies and patrons, who moved along the streets as if they were aristocracy, indifferent to those who were forced to give way and were left behind. Abusing privilege despite promising to serve—this is the wang-wang mindset; this is the mindset of entitlement.
They had no right to do this. The law authorizes only the President, the Vice President, the Senate President, the Speaker, the Chief Justice, and police vehicles, fire trucks, and ambulances to use sirens in the fulfillment of their official duties—no one else. Yet the flagrant abuse we bore witness to prompts us to ask: if they felt it their privilege to flout the simplest traffic laws, how could we expect them not to help themselves to a share of projects funded by the Filipino people?
Do you want the corrupt held accountable? So do I. Do you want to see the end of wang-wang, both on the streets and in the sense of entitlement that has led to the abuse that we have lived with for so long? So do I. Do you want to give everyone a fair chance to improve their lot in life? So do I.
We have fought against the wang-wang, and our efforts have yielded results. Just this year, the number of Filipinos who experienced hunger has come down. Self-rated hunger has gone down from 20.5% in March to 15.1% this June—equivalent to a million Filipino families who used to go hungry, but who now say they eat properly every day.
As for business, who would have thought that the stock market would reach seven record highs in the past year? At one time, we thought that for the PSE Index to reach 4,000 points would be, at best, a fluke. We now routinely exceed this threshold.
Our once low credit ratings have now been upgraded by Moody's, Standard and Poors, Fitch, and Japan Credit Ratings Agency—in recognition of our prudent use of funds and creative financial management. These improved credit ratings mean lower interest on our debts. Our innovative fiscal approach has saved taxpayers 23 billion pesos in the first four months of this year. This is enough to cover the 2.3 million conditional cash transfer beneficiaries for the entire year.
Let me remind you: in the nine and a half years before we were elected into office, our credit ratings were upgraded once, and downgraded six times by the different credit ratings agencies. Compare this to the four upgrades we have achieved in the single year we have been in office. This was no small feat, considering that the upgrades came after ratings agencies have grown considerably more conservative in their assessments, especially in the wake of criticism they received after the recent American financial crisis. But while they have downgraded the ratings of other countries, they have upgraded ours, so that we are now just one notch below investment grade. Our economic team is hard at work to sustain the momentum.
And allow me to share more good news from the Department of Energy: having rid the DOE of wang-wang, we have revived the confidence of investors in our energy sector. 140 companies, all ready to participate in the exploration and strengthening of our oil and natural gas resources, can attest to this. Compare this to the last energy contracting round in 2006, which saw the participation of only 35 companies. Just last Friday, a new contract was signed for a power plant to be constructed in the Luzon grid, so that by 2014, our country will have a cheaper, more reliable source of energy.
There is confidence and there is hope; the government is now fulfilling its promises. And I cannot help but remember a woman I spoke with during one of my first house-to-house campaigns. She lamented: "It won't matter who wins these elections. Nothing will change. I was poor when our leaders campaigned, I am poor now that they are in office, and I will still be poor when they step down." This is a grievance echoed by many: "Our leaders didn't care about us then, our leaders don't care about us now, and our leaders will not care about us tomorrow."
Given the persistence of the wang-wang attitude, wasn't their sentiment justified? This was the attitude that allowed helicopters to be bought as if they were brand new, but had in fact already been extensively used. This was the attitude that allowed GOCC officials, like those in the Philippine National Construction Corporation, to pay themselves millions of pesos in bonuses, even as they failed to render decent service and plunged their respective agencies deeper into debt. Before they stepped down from their positions, the former heads of the PNCC gifted themselves with two hundred and thirty-two million pesos. Their franchise had lapsed in 2007; their collections should have been remitted to the national government. They did not do this, and in fact even took advantage of their positions: the bonuses they allotted to themselves in the first 6 months of 2010 was double the amount of their bonuses from 2005-2009. Yet they had the audacity to award themselves midnight bonuses, when they had already drowned their agencies in debt.
To end the wang-wang culture in government, we employed zero-based budgeting to review programs. For this year and the last, zero-based budgeting has allowed us to end many wasteful programs.
For example, we uncovered and stopped an ill-advised plan to dredge Laguna Lake. We would have borrowed 18.7 billion pesos to remove 12 million cubic meters of silt—which would have re-accumulated within three years, even before the debt could be fully paid. We also uncovered a food-for-school program with no proper targeting of beneficiaries, and other initiatives that were funded without apparent results. All of these were discontinued, and the funds rechanneled to more effective programs.
The budget is the clearest manifestation of the straight path upon which we tread. I say to those who would lead us astray: if you will further disadvantage the poor, do not even think about it. If all you would do is to fill your own pockets, do not even think about it. If it is not for the benefit of the Filipino people, do not even think about it.
I wish we could say that we had completely eliminated the wang-wang attitude, but in some parts of our consciousness, it still persists.
It still exists in the private sector. According to the BIR, we have around 1.7 million self-employed and professional taxpayers: lawyers, doctors, businessmen who paid a total of 9.8 billion pesos in 2010. This means that each of them paid only an average of 5,783 pesos in income tax—and if this is true, then they each must have earned only 8,500 pesos a month, which is below the minimum wage. I find this hard to believe.
Today we can see that our taxes are going where they should, and therefore there is no reason not to pay the proper taxes. I say to you: it's not just the government, but our fellow citizens, who are cheated out of the benefits that these taxes would have provided.
We are holding accountable—and we will continue to hold accountable—those who practice this culture of entitlement in all government offices, as there are still some who think they can get away with it. A district in Region 4B, for example, began a project worth 300 million pesos, well beyond the 50 million pesos that district engineers can sign off on their own. But they could not leave such a potentially large payday alone.
So they cut the project up into components that would not breach the 50 million peso limit that would have required them to seek clearance from the regional and central offices. They tried to keep this system going. And often, since lump-sum funding was being used for the projects, no questions were asked about the plans or project details. They could have been spinning webs and they would have still been given the funds, so long as they knew someone in power.
Secretary Babes Singson did not let them get away with this. He removed the district engineer from his post, and suspended the awarding of the project in an effort to uncover other anomalies that may have happened. A thorough investigation of all those involved in the case is underway; we will blacklist all contractors proven to have engaged in foul play.
Because the project had to be delayed, Filipinos who would have otherwise benefited from them are still made to face unnecessary inconveniences.
These anomalies are not limited to Region 4B. We are putting an end to them. We are eliminating the patronage politics that had been prevalent in DPWH, and replacing it with a culture in which merit prevails. All projects must have work programs; we will require those involved in projects to submit well thought out plans for consideration, so that each project complements the other. We have also instituted an honest and transparent bidding process to provide equal opportunity to interested contractors.
Because of this, we have already saved 2.5 billion pesos, and expect to save 6 to 7 billion by the end of this year. The most important thing, however, is that now, we can count on well-paved roads—as opposed to the fragile pothole-ridden paths that our people had grown used to. Once, we believed that the system in the DPWH was impossible to fix; but look—it's possible, and we're fixing it.
Even in agriculture, the culture of wang-wang once persisted. Before we came into office in 2010, the Philippines imported 2.3 million metric tons of rice, which was already a million metric tons more than the 1.3 million that we needed. We even had to pay extra for warehouses to store the rice acquired through excessive importation.
How many years have we been over-importing rice? Many Filipinos thought that there was nothing we could do about it.
We proved them wrong in the span of a year. What was once an estimated yearly shortage of 1.3 million metric tons is down to 660,000—that's almost half of the original amount. Even with our buffer of 200,000 metric tons as contingency against natural calamities, it is still significantly less than what was once the norm.
Our success in this sector was not brought about by mere luck. This is simply the result of doing things right: using the most effective types of seedlings, and careful and efficient spending on irrigation. In the past year, we irrigated an additional 11,611 hectares of fields, not to mention the near 212,000 hectares of land we were able to rehabilitate. The result: a 15.6 percent increase in rice production.
We envision two things: first, an end to over-importation that only serves to benefit the selfish few. Second: we want rice self-sufficiency—that the rice served on every Filipino's dinner table is planted here, harvested here, and purchased here.
Let us look back on the situations of many of our policemen a year ago. The average salary of a common PO1 in Metro Manila is around 13,000 pesos. Around 4,000 pesos or abour a third of their salaries goes directly to paying the rent. Another third goes to food, and the final third is all that is left for electricity and water bills, commuting, tuition fees, medicine, and everything else. Ideally, their salaries match their expenses—but this is not always the case. Those whose salaries are not enough would probably resort to taking out some loans. What happens when the interest piles up and they end up having to spend even more of their salaries? Will they still be able to do the right thing when tempted with an opportunity to make a quick buck?
This is why, this July, we have followed through on the housing promise we made in February. We were able to award 4,000 Certificates of Entitlement to Lot Allocation. This is only the first batch of the 21,800 houses we will have constructed by the end of the year. Awarding our men in uniform these houses will turn their 4,000 peso rent expense into an initial 200 peso per month payment for a house that is all theirs. The cash they once paid for rent can now be used for other needs.
I hear that there are still more than a thousand houses left, so for our policemen and our soldiers who have not yet submitted their papers, this is the last call for this batch of houses. But do not worry, because this housing program will continue next year, covering even more people and more regions. The NHA is already preparing the sites for housing projects in Visayas and Mindanao, with an expanded list of beneficiaries that will also include employees of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and of the Bureau of Fire Protection.
Speaking of security, does enhanced security not also enhance our national pride? There was a time when we couldn't appropriately respond to threats in our own backyard. Now, our message to the world is clear: What is ours is ours; setting foot on Recto Bank is no different from setting foot on Recto Avenue.
At times I wonder if the stories about some of our past stand-offs are true—that when cannons were aimed at our marines, they could only reciprocate by cutting down a coconut tree, painting it black, and aiming it back. True or not, that time is over. Soon, we will be seeing capability upgrades and the modernization of the equipment of our armed forces. At this very moment, our very first Hamilton Class Cutter is on its way to our shores. We may acquire more vessels in the future—these, in addition to helicopters and patrol crafts, and the weapons that the AFP, PNP, and DOJ will buy in bulk to get a significant discount. This goes to show how far we can go with good governance; we can buy equipment at good prices, without having to place envelopes in anyone's pockets.
We do not wish to increase tensions with anyone, but we must let the world know that we are ready to protect what is ours. We are also studying the possibility of elevating the case on the West Philippine Sea to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, to make certain that all involved nations approach the dispute with calm and forbearance.
Our efforts to enhance the capabilities of our men and women in uniform are already succeeding. In the first six months of 2010, we had 1,010 cases of car and motorcycle theft. Compare that to the 460 cases in the first six months of 2011. Unfortunately, it is the one or two high-profile cases that make the headlines, and not the bigger picture—the fact that there is a large drop in car and motorcycle thefts, and that we have returned a higher percentage of stolen cars to their rightful owners.
And here is another example of positive change in law enforcement. The Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act was signed in 2003. Unfortunately, because the government did not properly implement it, only 29 individuals were convicted in a period of seven years. In just one year, we have breached that amount, convicting 31 human traffickers. Perhaps, this is the "sea change" that US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was referring to; and because of this change, the Philippines has been taken off the Tier 2 Watchlist of their Trafficking in Persons Report. If we had not been removed from this watchlist, the assistance we have been receiving from the Millennium Challenge Corporation, among others, would have been jeopardized.
Allow me to talk about jobs now. Our foremost pledge to the Filipino people was to create more jobs, and we have delivered. In April 2010, the unemployment rate was at 8%; in April 2011, it was at 7.2%.
To put things into perspective: We must all remember that the ranks of the unemployed represent a moving target. Every year, thousands of fresh graduates join the ranks of job hunters. Last year, the number of unemployed Filipinos in our labor force grew after many of our countrymen who earned a temporary living from election-related jobs—the people assigned to hanging buntings, the people tasked with clearing a path for politicians in crowds of people, the drivers, and other campaign staff—were laid off. But, despite all this, our results make our success evident: one million and four hundred thousand jobs were created last year.
Before, our foremost ambition was to work in another country. Now, the Filipino can take his pick. As long as he pursues his dreams with determination and diligence, he can realize them.
The number of jobs generated in our country can only grow from here. According to the Philjobnet website, every month there are 50,000 jobs that are not filled because the knowledge and skills of job seekers do not match the needs of the companies. We will not allow this opportunity to go to waste; at this very moment, DOLE, CHED, TESDA, and DepEd are working together to address this issue. Curricula will be reviewed and analyzed to better direct them to industries that are in need of workers, and students will be guided so that they may choose courses that will arm them with the skills apt for vacant jobs.
Despite the demand for these jobs, there are still people who are being left behind. What do we do with them? First, we identified the poorest of the poor, and invested in them, because people are our greatest resource. Of the two million families registered with the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, 1.6 million are already receiving their conditional cash transfers. Through the initiative and leadership of Secretary Dinky Soliman, we have been able to give much needed assistance to an average of more than 100,000 families per month. I am optimistic that we will reach our target of 1.3 million additional beneficiaries this year. With a compliance rate of 92%, millions of mothers are already getting regular check-ups at public health centers, millions of babies are being vaccinated against common diseases, and millions of school-aged children are now attending classes.
With these significant early results, I am counting on the support of the Filipino people and Congress to expand our Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program. Before the end of 2012, we want to invest in the future of 3 million poor families.
We are giving these poor families a chance to improve their lives, because their progress will be the country's progress. How can they buy products and services from businesses if they do not have a proper income? When a poor father turns to crime in order to feed his family, who would he victimize, if not us? When people cannot properly take care of themselves and fall ill, do we not run the risk of getting sick as well?
We are laying down the foundations for a brighter future for the poor. For example, in the health sector: PhilHealth beneficiaries increased during elections, as the agency was used as a tool for dispensing political patronage. Today, we identify beneficiaries through the National Household Targeting System, to make sure that the 5.2 million Filipino families who benefit from PhilHealth are those who really need it.
Let us turn our attention to the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao. The politics there have been dominated by horse-trading and transactional politics. During national elections, whoever is in power in ARMM is free to manipulate the electoral machinery in his region, ensuring that non-allies do not get votes. That Mayor or Governor then demands payment for his services come the ARMM election, and it is the administration's turn to manipulate the electoral machinery to secure the win of their candidate.
According to the Commission on Audit, in the office of the regional governor of ARMM, eighty percent of the funds disbursed were for cash advances that cannot be justified. If those funds had not gone to waste, a child could have gone to school. Instead, we built ghost bridges to reach ghost schools where only ghost teachers went to work.
We want ARMM to experience the benefits of good governance. And so, the solution: Synchronization—candidates in ARMM will run at the same time as candidates in other parts of the country. There would be less opportunity for them to employ command votes for political patrons. The result would be fairer elections. Thank you to Congress for passing the law synchronizing ARMM with the national elections.
And why do we need to postpone the elections? Because, in their desire to return to or retain power, many are prepared to engage in corrupt practices just to win again. Imagine if we had listened to the critics, and allowed the election to proceed under these circumstances. We would have perpetuated the endless cycle of electoral fraud and official abuse that has led ARMM to become one of the poorest regions in the country.
I do not doubt that the reforms we are putting in place will yield concrete results. When we talk about the straight and righteous path, we talk about that new road that was built in Barangay Bagumbayan in Sta. Maria, Laguna. When we say clean government, we are talking about the clean water that residents in Barangay Poblacion in Ferrol, Romblon now enjoy. When we refer to the light of change, we also refer to the electricity that now powers light bulbs in Barangay San Marcos in Bunawan, Agusan del Sur. This is happening in many other places, and we will make it happen everywhere in our country.
Government agencies are now focused on realizing this; they are working together to creatively solve the problems that have long plagued our country.
Have we not had flooding problems, which we know are caused by the incessant and illegal cutting down of trees? The old solution: A tree-planting photo opportunity, whose sole beneficiaries are politicians who want to look good. They plant trees, but they do not ensure that the trees would remain standing after they leave.
One of the possible solutions we are studying is to make the stewardship of these trees beneficial to communities. They will be given coffee and cacao seeds to plant. While they wait for harvest, they will receive stipends for safeguarding the trees planted to mitigate flooding. We are looking at informal settlers, who are currently crammed into our cities, as possible beneficiaries of this program. We will be investing in the people, even as we invest in the environment.
Who could have thought that little over a year ago, we could accomplish this? Today, we dream; one day soon, these dreams will be a reality.
This same creativity is in display with the innovations that are already being implemented. We have developed low-cost traps that kill mosquito larvae, probably contributing to the nearly fourteen percent decrease in dengue incidents; coconut coir fibers that are normally just disposed of have been used as a cost-effective way to strengthen our roads; we have landslide sensors that warn when soil erosion has reached dangerous levels; we have developed early flood warning systems for riverside communities. All of these are products of Filipino creativity.
DOST and UP have even teamed up to develop a prototype monorail system, which could potentially provide a home grown mass transport solution that would cost us as little as 100 million pesos per kilometer, much cheaper than the current cost of similar mass transit systems. The potential savings could result in more kilometers of cheap transport, decongesting our urban centers and allowing rural communities easier access to centers of commerce and industry.
Let me reiterate: These proposals were developed by Filipinos for Filipinos. Do you remember the time when we were unable to even dream of these kinds of projects? I am telling you now: We can dream about them, we are capable of achieving them, and we will achieve them. Isn't it great to be a Filipino living in these times?
All of these things we are doing will be wasted if we do not do something to end the culture of corruption.
To my colleagues in public service, from those at the top and to every corner of the bureaucracy: Do we not feel the pride that working in government now brings? That, now, we are proud to be identified as workers in government? Will we waste this honor?
I call on our Local Government Units: Those of you who are in the best position to understand the needs of your constituents can expect greater freedom and empowerment. But we trust that in providing for your communities, you will remain committed to the straight path, and will not lose sight of the interest of the whole nation.
For instance, there are some municipalities that want to tax the electricity transmission lines that run through their jurisdictions. Although this will augment local coffers, the rest of the Filipino people will have to deal with higher electricity rates. Let us try to balance the interests of our constituencies with that of the nation as a whole.
It is imperative that our programs remain in sync, because the progress of the entire country will also redound to progress for your communities. Let us do away with forward planning that only looks as far as the next election, and think of the long-term national good.
Ultimately, we have to unite and work together towards this progress. I thank the Congress for passing laws regarding GOCC Governance, ARMM Synchronization, Lifeline Electricity Rates Extension, Joint Congressional Power Commission Extension, Children and Infants' Mandatory Immunization, and Women Night Workers.
Last year, Congress demonstrated their support by approving the budget even before the year ended. The timely passage of the budget allowed projects to be implemented more quickly. Tomorrow we will deliver to Congress our budget proposal for 2012. I look forward once again to its early passage so that we can build on our current momentum.
We have already made progress, but we must remember: This is only the beginning, and there is much left for us to do. Allow me to present to Congress some of the measures that will bring us closer to the fulfillment of our pledge to the nation.
We aim to give due compensation to the victims of Martial Law; to grant our house help the salaries and benefits that they deserve; and to improve the system that awards pensions to our retired soldiers. We likewise support the expansion of the scope of scholarships granted by DOST to outstanding yet underprivileged students; the advancement of universal quality healthcare; the responsible management of the environment; and the formation of facilities that will ensure the safety of our citizens during times of great need and calamity.
Our agenda also includes the development of BuCor, NBI, NEA, and PTV 4, so that, instead of lagging behind the times, they will better fulfill their mandate of public service.
Not everything we want to do will be explained today, but I invite you to read the budget message, which contains a more comprehensive plan for the coming year.
Some of my critics say that I take this campaign against corruption personally. It's true: doing what's right is personal. Making people accountable—whoever they may be—is personal. It should be personal for all of us, because we have all been victimized by corruption.
What is wrong remains wrong, regardless of how long it has been allowed to persist. We cannot simply let it pass. If we ignore the crimes of the past, they will continue to haunt us. And if we do not hold people accountable, then they will do it again and again.
The truth is, we have uncovered so many anomalies. In PAGCOR, the previous management apparently spent one billion pesos on coffee alone. At one hundred pesos per cup, that would be ten million cups of coffee over the last several years. Where did all that coffee go? Who drank it? Perhaps we can find the people who consumed all that coffee and ask if they have been able to sleep in the last few years.
When the new Ombudsman, former Supreme Court Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales, takes office, we will have an honest-to-goodness anti-corruption office, not one that condones the corruption and abuses in government. I expect that this year, we will have filed our first major case against the corrupt and their accomplices. And these will be real cases, with strong evidence and clear testimonies, which will lead to the punishment of the guilty.
We are aware that the attainment of true justice does not end in the filing of cases, but in the conviction of criminals. I have utmost confidence that the DOJ is fulfilling its crucial role in jailing offenders, especially in cases regarding tax evasion, drug trafficking, human trafficking, smuggling, graft and corruption, and extrajudicial killings.
We are not leaving anything to chance; good governance yields positive results. Think about it: We have realized our promise of providing the public with the services that it needs and implementing programs to help the poor without having to raise our taxes.
This has always been the plan: to level the playing field; to stop the abuse of authority; and to ensure that the benefits of growth are available to the greatest number.
We have put an end to the culture of entitlement, to wang-wang: along our roads, in government, in our society as a whole. This will bring confidence that will attract business; this will also ensure that the people's money is put in its rightful place: Funding for infrastructure that will secure the sustained growth of the economy, which will then give rise to jobs, and public service that guarantees that no one will be left behind. More opportunities for livelihood will be opened by tourism; the strengthening of our agriculture sector will ensure that every Filipino will have food on his table. We will invest on those who were once neglected. All this will create a cycle wherein all available jobs are filled, and where businesses flourish through the empowerment of their consumers.
I am aware that, until now, there are still a few who complain about our style of governance. But you have seen our style, and its ensuing results. You have seen their style, and, especially, where that took us. Anyone with their eyes open can clearly see which is right.
We are steering our government in a clear direction. A country where opportunity is available; where those in need are helped; where everyone's sacrifices are rewarded; and where those who do wrong are held accountable.
I remember a woman warning me during the campaign: "Noy, be careful, you will be stepping on many toes."
Sometimes, I do worry about what I am doing. But I am heartened because you are with me, and we stand on the side of what is right.
I thank the priests and bishops who have continued to dialogue with us, like Cardinals Rosales and Vidal. Cardinal Rosales and I may not be the closest of friends, but I believe that he did all that he could to reduce the tensions between the church and the government. The election of Archbishop Palma, defender of human rights and of the environment, as head of the CBCP only bolsters my confidence that the state and the clergy will be able to engage each other in a positive manner. I likewise thank my Cabinet, who have sacrificed their personal comfort to fulfill the national agenda. I give special mention to PAGASA, who now truly delivers reliable advice and warnings during times of calamity.
And to those who may resist the change we are trying to bring about, this I say to you: I know what I must do, and my personal interests are nothing when compared to the interests of the nation. There are many of us who want what is right for this country; and there are more of us than you. To those of you who would turn back the tide of reform: you will not succeed.
To those who have chosen to tread the straight and righteous path alongside us: it is you who created this change, and it is you who will bequeath our success to your children. To the jeepney driver plying his route; to the teachers and students coming home from class; to the artists whose work inspires our sense of nationhood; to our policemen, our soldiers, our street sweepers, and our firemen; to you who work with honor, in the Philippines, in the oceans, or in other countries; our colleagues in government who stand steadfast with us, whatever province you come from, whatever party you belong to; every Filipino listening to me now—you made this happen.
You created a government that truly works for you. We still have five years left to ensure that we will not return to what once was. We will not be derailed, especially now that what we have begun has yielded so many positive results.
If you see a loophole in the system, do not take advantage of it. Let us not acquire through patronage what we can acquire through hard work. No more cheating, no more taking advantage of others, no more one-upmanship—because in the end we will all realize our shared aspirations.
Let us end the culture of negativism; let us uplift our fellow Filipinos at every opportunity. Why are there people who enjoy finding fault in our country, who find it so hard—as though it were a sin—to say something nice? Can we even remember the last time we praised a fellow Filipino?
Let us stop pulling our fellow man down. Let us put an end to our crab mentality. Let us make the effort to recognize the good that is being done.
If you see something right, do not think twice—praise it. If you see a policeman directing traffic, coatless beneath the rain—go to him and say, "Thank you."
If you fall sick, and you see your nurse caring for you, when she could easily be treating foreigners for a higher salary—say, "Thank you."
Before you leave school for home, approach your teacher who chose to invest in your future—say, "Thank you."
If you chance upon your local leader on a road that was once riddled with holes, but is now smooth and sturdy—go to him and say, "Thank you, for the change you have brought."
And so, to the Filipino nation, my Bosses who have steered us toward this day: Thank you very much for the change that is now upon us.
The Philippines and the Filipino people are, finally, truly alive.

subset: commoncrawl


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WASHINGTON— Democratic progress and interethnic reconciliation are critical to long term stability in Kyrgyzstan, leaders of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (U.S. Helsinki Commission) said today at a hearing on the Central Asian country.
Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL), Co-Chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, presided over the hearing. "Today, thankfully, the situation in Kyrgyzstan has stabilized, but where we go from here is uncertain," Hastings said. "Voters in Kyrgyzstan have passed a referendum creating the only parliamentary system in the region, but it is unclear how well the experiment will succeed and if Kyrgyzstan can reconcile simmering ethnic tensions among Uzbeks and Kyrgyz, which is critical to long-term stability."
Demonstrations in April brought down a president in Kyrgyzstan for the second time in five years. Subsequent ethnic violence in June killed hundreds and displaced some 400,000 people. Against that background, the fact that the June 27 referendum was peaceful and citizens voted to shift power toward parliament from the executive is a hopeful sign, commissioners said.
"From this spring's violence to this summer's vote, the situation in Kyrgyzstan demonstrates that democratization and observance of human rights are indispensible to building citizen confidence," said Chairman Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) after the hearing. "In the wake of political upheaval, these factors will ensure the government stays on a steady path moving away from past corrupt and authoritarian practices."
Commission member Congressman Joseph R. Pitts (R-PA) introduced H. Res 1520 with Co-Chairman Hastings and Ranking Republican Member Chris Smith (R-NJ) to express support for the new Kyrgyz government's reforms and call on the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to continue its assistance to achieve stability and promote development in Kyrgyzstan.
"Last month's election helped legitimize the caretaker government in Kyrgyzstan, but now the government must perform on larger challenges," Pitts said. "It is essential that the parliamentary elections, planned for October, be conducted in full accordance with international standards and I hope the government will adhere to the rule of law in bringing to justice those responsible for the recent violence in Kyrgyzstan."
Commissioners heard testimony from: Robert O. Blake, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia; Arslan Anarbev, Charge d'Affaires, Embassy of Kyrgyzstan; Dr. Martha Olcott, Senior Associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; and Dr. Bakyt Beshimov, an opposition Kyrgyz politician and visiting scholar at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.


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What's a Peak Flow Meter?
Everyday exposure to asthma triggers can cause airway inflammation in kids with asthma — even when they're not having breathing problems. Airway inflammation builds over time, putting kids at risk for unexpected flare-ups. They might feel fine, even as their airways are becoming swollen, narrow, and blocked.
It's not always possible to detect inflamed or obstructed airways just by listening to your child's breathing. So a doctor might recommend using an inexpensive, portable device called a peak flow meter to measure lung function. This information can help you manage your child's asthma and avoid major flare-ups.
A peak flow meter measures the flow of air as it's expelled from the lungs. To do this, your child will blow into the peak flow meter (as if blowing up a balloon). A marker will slide up a scale on the meter as your child blows out to indicate how much air was exhaled. The peak flow is the number where the marker stops on the scale.
A peak flow meter can tell you and your doctor:
- the severity of your child's asthma
- how well he or she is responding to asthma medicines during a flare-up
- whether the asthma is getting worse
If the peak flow is lower than usual, you know that your child's airways are inflamed and obstructed, making it difficult to blow air into the meter. This means that lung function isn't at its best and a flare-up might be on the way. This advance warning gives you a chance to take preventive measures, such as giving medicine.
Using a peak flow meter is simple:
- Set it to zero.
- Have your child stand up and take a deep breath.
- Have your child blow as quickly and strongly into the device as possible.
- Record the number that the meter reads (this is known as a reading).
- Repeat three times and note the highest recorded number (not the average).
Using an Asthma Action Plan
The highest recorded number isn't the whole story. You should compare it with your child's personal best — the highest peak flow meter reading your child has ever gotten. Your doctor can help establish this personal best early in treatment. After that, your child may need to take regular readings as established in the asthma action plan. Compare these readings with the personal best each time.
If your doctor recommends using a peak flow meter, then he or she will set three zones of peak flow meter readings based on your child's personal best reading. The asthma action plan will include instructions about what to do for readings in each zone:
- Any reading in the green zone, or safety zone, means the peak flow is 80% (or better) of your child's personal best — in other words, the airways are open.
- Any reading in the yellow zone, or caution zone, means that the peak flow is between 50% and 80% of your child's personal best. Your child might be at risk for a flare-up or may already be having symptoms. Talk with your doctor about what to do for readings in the yellow zone, or follow the instructions in the asthma action plan.
- Any reading in the red zone, or danger zone, means that the peak flow is less than 50% of your child's personal best and he or she needs medication immediately. You also should call your doctor.
Peak flow meters need little care, but they do need to be washed regularly with hot water and mild soap. They also come in two ranges — one for younger kids and another for older kids, teens, and adults. Kids as young as 3 have been able to use peak flow meters, although the readings are most reliable in those older than 5 or 6.
Peak flow meters are only useful if you and your child use them as recommended, record the results, and share those results with the doctor.
Reviewed by: Elana Pearl Ben-Joseph, MD
Date reviewed: January 2014
Originally reviewed by: Nicole Green, MD
Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
© 1995-2024 KidsHealth ® All rights reserved. Images provided by iStock, Getty Images, Corbis, Veer, Science Photo Library, Science Source Images, Shutterstock, and Clipart.com


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"Hen-reeeeeeeee! Henry Aldrich!"
"Coming, Mother!"
Yes, here comes radio's favorite teenager, stumbling and bumbling his way through 16 classic episodes. Ezra Stone stars as Henry Aldrich, a likeable sort of kid who managed to turn everything he touched into catastrophe. With a constantly cracking voice, and a head full of absurdities, he confronts the awkwardness of adolescence�with hilarious results.
Henry's mother (Katharine Raht) keeps him well taken care of; his father (House Jameson) keeps him on the straight-and-narrow; and his buddy Homer Brown (Jackie Kelk) keeps him on his toes! Come and listen in on a perfect slice of mid-twentieth-century small town Americana with one of medium's most beloved and enduring family situation comedies.
Includes a Program Guide by Ivan G. Shreve, Jr.
EPISODES INCLUDE: Rabbits and Pigeons 02-20-40; Henry's Hot Idea Cools Off 11-07-40; Henry Forgets To Mail A Letter 10-23-41; Muscle Building Course 11-06-41; Girlfriend 01-22-42; Selling Christmas Cards 06-18-42; Baby Sitting or Movies 10-21-48; Detention or Basketball Game 10-28-48; Cousin Lionel 01-06-49; Dinner Date With Kathleen 01-20-49; Formal Wear 01-27-49; Shoveling Snow 02-03-49; Geometry Homework 02-10-49; Trip to Washington 03-03-49; Blind Date 04-07-49; Date With a Tall Girl 04-28-49


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text:
When we arrived it was just about time for the meet the bugs talk so we headed to the inside exhibits first. These take you through a fascinating journey through evolution:
My son's favourite shell |
There was plenty of hand on stuff including this magnifying glass:
Examining bugs close up |
Or this bugatelle where your choices of things such as number of legs resulted in a different bug at the bottom. Both my two had several goes on this:
Bugatelle |
Then we got into the actual live exhibits. My son was entranced by the leaf cutter ants who were so busy going back and forth from their colony collecting food:
Leaf cutter ants foraging |
He was quite happy to stay there whilst big sister was keen to handle bugs including this cockroach:
Girl holding a cockroach |
Only the keeper was allowed to hold this nasty looking scorpion:
Scorpion |
My daughter did also have a stick insect on her hand though interestingly she was less keen on this than the cockroach:
Girl holding stick insect |
Eventually as it was nearly snow leopard feeding time we dragged the children away from the creepy crawlies and outside. There were plenty of cute furry creatures to see and one of the fun meerkat bubbles for the children:
Looking for meerkats |
Typically the meerkats were hiding in their nice warm hut but they did pop out to say hello! My children then burned off some energy in the little play area:
On the monkey bars |
The snow leopards are in an enclosure right at the end of the zoo. What made it really special was the see through viewing tunnel that we could walk in and get really close up to them:
"Look up there!" |
We were so close it was almost as if you could stroke their tails:
'Stroking' the snow leopard's tail |
Their paws were right above our heads:
Snow leopard paw |
Whilst waiting for feeding time there was time to make the most of the big bench and large viewing window to admire these beautiful creatures. Such a shame that they have almost been hunted to extinction in the wild so need to be brought up in captivity.
admiring snow leopards |
The leopards knew when the keeper was coming with their food and got quite animated. She had to lock them in their sleeping compartment before she could spread the food around their enclosure so that they would have to hunt for it:
Snow leopard feeding |
There was some very close up viewing as the meat was put in a variety of places including the ledge of the tunnel:
Getting close to feeding time |
The leopards seemed to like getting close to the humans. I am not sure who is eyeing up who in this shot:
Eyeballing a snow leopard |
We finally had enough of the snow leopards and headed off to see what else was on offer. This included a walk through aviary:
In the walk through aviary |
Like many zoos there was a walk in section with the lemurs. When we first went in the 2 different species of lemur were having a bit of a set to over who was allowed out into the enclosure. Eventually some ring tails managed to get out to eat their dinner:
Watching the ring tailed lemur |
One of my favourite creatures at the oasis was this red squirrel. Its a shame that one of the few places you can get this close to them is in captivity but hopefully the offspring will go on to re-colonise parts of Cumbria:
Red Squirrel |
We needed warming up with a very nice coffee inside before returning to the inside exhibits. We all had a go at lifting the amount of plankton a cod needs to eat for us to get one fish finger:
Lifting 28 kg of 'plankton' |
It was hard to drag my son away from the ants again he was so fascinated! All in all a great little zoo that I am sure we will return to.


text:
March 1. That means March is here. Which means that we've entered March Madness. Which means that even the casual college basketball fan begins to pay a little more attention to the regular-season finale games and the conference tournaments (small, "Mid" and big), all in the hopes of gleaning that extra bit of insight that will help you pick an office-pool bracket that much smarter (or luckier) than the rest of us.
The debates over 1-seeds vs. 2-seeds is boring to me. First of all, being a 1 is no guarantee of making the Final Four, let alone winning the title. The most amazing part of last year wasn't George Mason's Cinderella run (and, no, it wasn't
So, for the time being, who's a 1-seed (or a 2-, 3- or 4-seed) is totally irrelevant. (5-seed? Maybe. But only because it's the "dreaded" seeding spot.)
The relevant question is: Who's in and who's out? Who's on the bubble and who's a lock? Which teams need strong conference-tourney showings? And, in the Comments, I'd love to get your picks for the biggest Bubblers – the teams we should be watching over the next 10 days.
(And not those teams that are going to eke their way in, only to lose in the first round in embarrassing, "What-was-all-the-fuss-about" fashion. Otherwise known, annually, as "The Big Ten's 5th and 6th bids. No: The best Bubblers are the ones who might actually have the stuff to win a game or two.)
It's worth a hat tip to ESPN.com college hoops editor Andy Glockner, who, with the change of month, has upgraded his "Drive to 65" Bubble Watch to daily. (Shanoff Trivia: Who knew that very early in my career, I was the college basketball editor at ESPN.com, complete with creating the very first edition of a "Bubble Watch?" I'm hard-pressed to remember a stretch of time that I worked harder, longer or more ludicrously than March 1997.*)
Do I sound immersed enough? Good. It's March. Finally.
PS: The Bracket Project is one of my new favorite Web sites. Now THAT is a service!
More storylines we'll be talking about today:
I am convinced that the Selection committee will reveal a bracket that has
(Meanwhile, I don't mean to overlook A&M's Acie Law. Sure, he's a first-team All-American, but what does it say that in this Year of Durant, he can present a legitimate alternative for Big 12 Player of the Year? I'm not saying Durant won't win it, but just that there's a fair debate. And that says a lot about Law. Wow: Texas A&M is going to just tilt so many pool sheets.)
It's been a sick year for freshmen, and not just Durant: Did anyone else catch highlights of Villanova's Scottie Reynolds, who had 40 in Nova's win over UConn? (Or how about
Three words: Stephane. Lasme. Rules.
Lovie Smith gets his deal: It took the Bears a little while, but I hope Lovie thinks it was worth it. 4 years, $5.5 million a year? Seems reasonable for a Super Bowl coach, even if history suggests the Bears won't make the Super Bowl again during these next four years.
Ravens cut Jamal Lewis: Remember when he was THE running back?
NFL Free Agency starts: Rumors, innuendo, salary cap. Whee!Randy Moss to Green Bay for Aaron Rodgers? I don't know why the Raiders would do this, except that Rodgers is better than any QB that Oakland could either (a) draft or (b) get in free agency, to pair with taking WR Calvin Johnson with the No. 1 overall pick. (Tip-off: PFT)
Mark Cuban isn't going to buy the Cubs. Too bad.
Roids Scandal: Well what did you EXPECT that Gary Mathews Jr would say? "You got me! I'm all about the steroids!"
Bonds gets death threats: Unsurprising, unfortunately. Maybe the blog Leave The Man Alone can take this up as a signature effort.
Responses to Murray Chass: I felt more than a little outrage at Chass' anti-stats column from Tuesday in the New York Times. (What kind of self-respecting baseball columnist doesn't even have a smidgen of curiosity about statistics?) Baseball Prospectus' talented Nate Silver has a thoughtful response, which is more than Chass deserves. That's why there's Fire Joe Morgan. And here's Seth Mnookin on Chass, too.
NBA Last Night: Did the Suns really lose to the Sixers? Philly must really not want Oden or Durant... The Wizards are sinking (and so is Arenas); what the hell is it about my college and pro teams right now?... AI (34 points) and Melo (23) flash why the West should fear the Nuggets in the playoffs if the pair get it together.
NBA Injury Watch: This is touchy for me, because Wade and Livingston were my fantasy NBA backcourt (sigh) and I've gone, in one week, from contender to obliterated, but here's an interesting theory from Brooks.
Cedric Maxwell apologized for his sexist remarks against ref Violet Palmer. He then expressed surprise at the "firestorm" he created. Seriously: What did he expect to have happen?
Arena League season kicks off tonight, most notably with its new partnership/ownership with ESPN. I remain convinced that this move is what takes AFL from "growth sport" (and you're foolish if you mock it, if you look at the fan and revenue growth) to the top of the "niche" sport pile, just behind NASCAR and NBA.
For those coming in late, I argue that the NBA has become a "niche" sport, just like NASCAR. That's not an insult by any stretch. Both are HUGE niche sports, but niche sports all the same. There are only three truly "national" sports: NFL, Baseball and College Football (with college hoops enjoying a halo effect from CFB). Among niche sports, there is the NBA and NASCAR on one tier; then PGA, tennis and now Arena League; then NHL. AFL is going to zip past NHL (if it hasn't already).
I might break out a discussion of Arena League later in its own post. I'd be curious for your take on it.
Speaking of NASCAR, I don't know what "Car of Tomorrow" means, but it sure sounds pretty cool. Drivers are iffy on it, as you'd expect them to be. Of course, NASCAR teams also apparently cheat more pervasively than any other sport, including the NFL, so there you go.
Finally, I'm late on this, but I missed the Colbert Report on Tuesday night, but caught the replay last night. And not only did he name-check the Toronto Raptors, he put them on his "On Notice!" list. But then he took it a step further! And he put them on his "Dead to Me!" list. For NBA fans, this is a bit ironic, given that the Raptors are the breakthrough success of the year.
* - Then there was 1999, when I created and wrote the "Dance at a Glance" column for SI.com. You might notice that it's quite Quickie-ish, particularly if you peek through the archive on the lower right. It was a critical moment in my development of a "short-form-content" philosophy that would later manifest itself most purely in the Quickie.)


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You pay for wines on a Futures order at the time of order confirmation. You are responsible, at the time of pick-up, for any charges billed to Binny's Beverage Depot which are above the prepaid price of the wine and may include tariffs, duties, sales taxes, alcohol by volume tax, municipal tax and/or shipping and insurance costs.
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text: The Richest Man in Babylon In good times and bad, consistently saving a percentage of your income is a sound financial practice. Have A Question About This Topic? Name Email Address Message Thank you! Oops! Related Content Suddenly Single: 3 Steps to Take Now Have you found yourself suddenly single? Here are 3 steps to take right now. A Penny Saved is Two Pennies Earned Here are some simple and inexpensive energy-saving tips that may help you save money. Making a Charitable Gift Did you know that there are benefits and limitations when you decide to donate stock? Learn more about your options.


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Downtown Disney, Disney Quest, Orlando happenings, theme park and resort shopping, all the Waterparks (Blizzard Beach, Typhoon Lagoon) and more!
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This is the second course in the Teach English: Intermediate Grammar specialization. In this course, you will learn how to effectively teach adjectives, adjective phrases, and adjective clauses to your students. You will learn what makes this grammar difficult for students and how to make it easier for them. You will also learn a variety of activities and methods for teaching this content in a fun and interesting way. You will have opportunities to practice the skills you learn by creating sample assignments and recording short videos of your teaching demonstrations. This course is designed for teachers or those wanting to become teachers who have a solid understanding of English grammar and want to improve their skills of teaching that grammar to others.
Please note that the free version of this class gives you access to all of the instructional videos and handouts. The peer feedback and quizzes are only available in the paid version.


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If your Dell Xps L501x laptop uses a standard CD/DVD drive, you can easily add a second hard drive to your laptop with the use of our optical bay hard drive caddy. Brand New, 30 days money back and one year warranty!
If you are not sure this will work for your notebook, please email the dvd model number, which you could see in the control panel-->system-->hardward-->device manger-->dvd rom, you should be able to see the model number listed. We will help you know which one to use and buy.


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Ancient Wars: Sparta
Ancient Wars: Sparta is an action real-time strategy game where players control one of the Spartans, the Ancient Egyptians, and the Ancient Persians. Play in three separate campaigns, one for each of the three cultures, each divided into multiple missions. Gameplay focuses primarily on combat, but the game also feature
s economic micromanagement elements, as the player must produce enough resources to build up their armies. Within each mission, the player usually has to accomplish multiple primary objectives and one or more secondary objectives.
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What is latency and how does it affect my response time in Ancient Wars: Sparta?
Latency is a term that is commonly used in online gaming. Latency (in an online gaming context) refers to the average total time that it takes for your computer to send data to the gaming server. Latency is measured in milliseconds, and a second is composed of 1000 milliseconds. On the other hand, your game response time is the time it takes for the data and the corresponding event to reach the game server and then back to your computer. Basically, your response time is 2x the latency which means, if you lower your latency by 250ms, you'll also reduce your game response time by 500ms, which is half a second. If you lower your latency by 500ms, you'll also lower your game response time by 1000ms, which corresponds to a second, and so on. The lower your latency, the optimizeder the data will be delivered to the game server and the quicker for the data to return to your computer. A low latency connection time will have a significant improvement in your gameplay, especially on optimized-paced games like Ancient Wars: Sparta where you need to execute an action quickly. wtfast helps in reducing your latency, as well as protecting you from lag spikes and high ping times. We have dedicated servers across 190 different countries which will reduce the number of hops needed to transfer between different servers. By using wtfast, you have more chances of lowering your latency and achieving a much better gaming experience.
Help! My Ancient Wars: Sparta lag is the worst. How do I fix it?
First off, you've come to the right place. We're anti-lag here at wtfast! Secondly, keep in mind that 'lag' is a general term and could apply to both slow down (e.g., frames per second/FPS), or reduced responsiveness during gameplay. For clarity, we're going to focus less on graphical lag and more on your network latency and performance. At wtfast, we make software to help you boost your network performance for latency-sensitive programs like Ancient Wars: Sparta. We can help improve your network latency!
How do I get rid of lag on Ancient Wars: Sparta?
So, you're into a crucial moment in a game against your friends. Your only chance of getting ahead is to make that one good shot. You're in position, ready to attack, and is on the perfect line of sight; then there was a sudden frame freeze. The next thing you know, you have been killed and your team has lost the game. We know, this can be a great big bummer. If you're experiencing this, you might want to do something about your lag. For all of our sakes! ;) Lags are a noticeable delay between the action of the players and the reaction of the server. A lot of gamers have this problem, especially withAncient Wars: Sparta. Here are simple tips on how you can get rid of lag in Ancient Wars: Sparta. First, check the system requirements of the game. Your PC may be inadequate to perform the processing power that Ancient Wars: Sparta needs. If your computer does not meet the requirements listed on the game's system requirements, you should upgrade your computer to the specifications mentioned therein. You may also opt to downgrade the system requirements by reducing the resolution and graphics quality in-game. You can decrease the resolution and graphics rendering by tweaking the game settings in the options menu. Try to experiment with different graphics options, like reducing screen resolution, render quality, lower texture resolution, etc. Remember - multitasking is bad! If you were a professional football player, would you try to stream Netflix while you played? Probably not. Focus is a good thing. Consider shutting down all programs and devices that are consuming your bandwidth, because you need to dedicate all of that to your online gaming. Wired connections are also more preferable than wireless connections because they are optimizeder and more stable. Try turning off your software updates whenever you start playing online. Although you need to keep your computer up-to-date, there is nothing wrong with turning off software updates for a moment. Mid-game software updates could sabotage your bandwidth and will likely cause lag in your game. Turn these updates off ASAP, and you will surely see a positive difference. If none of these work, we have one more solution in store for you. It's wtfast! At wtfast, we are dedicated to creating software that significantly improves your network performance. wtfast optimizes your connection by reducing the number of hops between you and the Ancient Wars: Sparta game server. This will substantially reduce unnecessary lag in online games. We support thousands of games and over 60,000 combinations of GPN proxy servers to handle your connection across 190 countries. wtfast will make sure that your game data reaches the server in the most effective manner possible.
How do I see the different 'hops' between me and the Ancient Wars: Sparta server?
To better understand the path your internet traffic takes to get from your device to the Ancient Wars: Sparta server, you'll want to use a traceroute. In wtfast, we show you a map that traces the estimated route your data packets are taking to get from you to the Ancient Wars: Sparta server. A standard traceroute is much less visual, showing you a text-based list of 'hops', along with the latency between each point. The latency between each point in the traceroute is measured using the ping time between two points.
What is ping time, and how does it apply to Ancient Wars: Sparta?
Ping is a measurement of the reaction time of your internet connection. Your ping time measures how long it takes for data packets to get from your device to the Ancient Wars: Sparta server. Ping measures the time it takes to make a round trip time between your computer and the Ancient Wars: Sparta server, and it is typically measured in milliseconds. A optimized ping time means you have a more responsive connection for latency-sensitive apps like online games. Ping was initially a term used in active sonar technology, and it described the time it took for a sound to be sent and received between sender and target. In the animal kingdom, bats use a similar method called echolocation which uses high-frequency sounds to help the bat determine how close it is to a destination, even in total darkness. On the internet, determining your Ancient Wars: Sparta ping time can be a bit trickier. Internet connections are not typically direct – there are multiple 'hops' between the sender and the target. Much like bats, we're often flying blind on the internet, unaware of the latency of the next 'hop.' When calculating your overall ping time, it's important to factor in each 'hop' along the route. When your Ancient Wars: Sparta connection is laggy, it's usually due to a poor connection between 2 or more points. For example, your computer may be the Sender, and the Ancient Wars: Sparta server may be your Target, but there could be other mystery hops along the way causing issues.
What is rubberbanding, and how does it affect my Ancient Wars: Sparta experience?
Rubberbanding is one of the major problems most gamers encounter when playing online games. This is extremely annoying, especially with Ancient Wars: Sparta and online games with optimized-paced 'twitch' mechanics. Rubberbanding is a term used to describe a player's random or jerky movement in a multiplayer game when they're experiencing high latency. This often occurs in FPS or similar games that have a large number of people per multiplayer server. It is mostly seen in MMOs - a large number of players means there are more cases of rubber banding; either the server is overloaded, or players have high ping. When rubberbanding happens, a player appears to be thrown backward from the start of the action after they executed that certain action. It feels like being caught in a rubberband - players get thrown back after moving forward, making it look like your character teleported or warped from one place to another. This rubberbanding problem is extremely frustrating, especially when you are in a crucial stage of the game. You're hiding from your enemy and just about ready to shoot. Then for just a couple of seconds, you suddenly appear in front of the enemy and… BAM! You're the one who gets shot and killed instead. This is the rubberband effect in action. Your action may also appear differently to other players. While you see it as a rubberbanding effect, other players may see your character as idle or motionless, which is commonly seen on players who are experiencing heavy lag. Rubberbanding is confusing for you and your opponents, and it definitely takes the fun out of the game.
How is my ping time to Ancient Wars: Sparta calculated in wtfast?
wtfast calculates an average ping time between you and the Ancient Wars: Sparta server, across each of the hops. While we do our best to calculate every hop along the route, there are some 'hop points' that are behind firewalls or obfuscated (i.e., hidden from us) which make measuring the ping time to and from that location a bit trickier. By calculating the difference between the total ping time between you and the Ancient Wars: Sparta server, we can calculate an approximate time between obfuscated hop points, but it can be slightly less accurate than the non-obfuscated points.
What are ping spikes, and how do they affect Ancient Wars: Sparta?
Imagine playing Ancient Wars: Sparta, and you are about to make a critical move that requires the quickest reflexes. You're all ready. You aim. And... BAM! Your little brother runs up and shoves you out of your chair. Unsurprisingly, you miss your critical move entirely! Not only do you lose the match, but now you're pissed off with your little brother. A ping spike is like having your brother shove you out of your chair right as you're about to make that move in Ancient Wars: Sparta. A ping spike is what happens when your lag jumps suddenly, like when you go from a stable 10ms ping time to an unstable 300ms response. These drastic ping spikes are your enemy when it comes to online games and latency-sensitive applications where real-time interaction is expected. When your ping spikes suddenly, it almost always results in a missed move in games like first-person shooters, MOBAs, or fighting games. The more responsive and 'twitchy' the game mechanic, the more critical it is to make sure your connection is both optimized AND smooth.
How does wtfast help improve my Ancient Wars: Sparta ping time?
wtfast is a utility that helps redirect your internet traffic from the 'regular' internet to a private connection. Think of wtfast a bit like a 'optimized route,' where there are fewer cars on the road or fewer proutes in the sky. For instance, private airlines fly higher in the air than standard commercial airline routes. Operating in less busy airspace allows private airlines to fly optimizeder than the usual commercial lines, often allowing business people to get to their destinations more quickly. There are multiple hops between your home internet connection and the Ancient Wars: Sparta server. wtfast allows you to reduce the number of hops to get much closer to your game server. When you use wtfast, you can select a Proxy Server that sends your traffic directly to the game server instead of leaving your connection up to chance. Standard internet traffic routing wasn't intended for low-latency gaming, like playing Ancient Wars: Sparta with optimized ping times. Instead, it was designed to handle large quantities of data shuttling between places in the most cost-effective way possible. Bandwidth is expensive, especially when you're streaming Netflix in 4K. And since video streaming is such a popular activity on the internet, internet service providers have to optimize for the most popular uses of their services. Decreasing the number of hops between you and the Ancient Wars: Sparta game server can help, as well as routing your traffic through quieter and less populated proxy paths (what we call our "GPN Nodes".) We support thousands of games and over 60,000 combinations of GPN proxy servers to handle your connection across 190 countries. There are over 72 billion potential combinations of game, game server region, country, and proxy routes that we handle. If one path using wtfast doesn't work for you, consider trying different server route.
How do I fix rubberbanding in Ancient Wars: Sparta?
Rubberbanding in online games like Ancient Wars: Sparta is caused by different factors. You might think this is because of your network connection or your ISP - although this can be true, that is not always the case. Rubberbanding can also be caused by improper installation of the game or if your game has corrupted files. Having old drivers installed in your PC (specifically for your graphics card and/or network adapter) can also be one of the causes. If you are connected through a WiFi connection instead of a wired connection, chances are you may likely to experience a rubberbanding problem. Another potential rubberbanding cause is a poor internet connection. It's always worth having a conversation with your ISP to see if they offer a dedicated gaming bundle, especially if they offer wtfast as a built-in value bundle. Ask your ISP if they bundle wtfast with their gaming package. So how can you fix this rubberbanding problem with Ancient Wars: Sparta? Here is a simple guide to do this. First, take note that we will only show you general fixes for this problem. It may have a little or a significant impact to you depending on different factors or variables. However, these fixes have been proven to work for different players, so we can say that they are worth trying. As mentioned in a previous tip, rubberbanding can be a result of improper installation of the game. You may want to try reinstalling your game, along with any external gaming launcher (like Steam), to see if your problem is fixed. Other than that, you may want to update the drivers of your graphics card and network adapter to see if there will be any major differences to your gaming experience. Try to switch to a wired connection instead of a wireless one. You can do this by using an ethernet cable and connect it to your router. This will eliminate packet loss which is one of the major causes of rubberbanding. If the same problem still occurs, you should definitely consider using a network enhancement program. wtfast has customized and private network connections which drive your traffic more directly to the game server which optimizes connection for much stronger stability and optimizeder ping times. Supporting over 72 billion potential combinations of game, game server region, country, and proxy routes, you'll definitely find a combination that is suitable for you. With the help of wtfast, you'll be able to focus on your game without any rubberbanding interruptions.
What does "ms" mean in Ancient Wars: Sparta?
Gamers often see the letters "ms" beside a number or a series of numbers in games like in Ancient Wars: Sparta. For those of you who don't know, "ms" is the abbreviation for milliseconds. It is the unit of measurement used in ping. Take note that 1000ms are equal to one second. So why does it matter in your game? In playing Ancient Wars: Sparta, what you're aiming for is a low ms count. Having a low ms count means you have a lower ping. Which means, if you see 250ms, this is exactly how long it takes for your data packets to reach that server. The higher the number, the longer it takes for you to transfer data and the more "laggy" it will feel to you. So, the lower the millisecond ("ms") count, the better.
What is jitter, and what is its effect on Ancient Wars: Sparta?
You might already know about checking your ping and latency to improve your gaming experience. But there is one more factor that has a significant effect on the smooth gameplay you're supposed to have - and that is jitter. What is jitter? Jitter is an average of the change in ping over time or how your latency score fluctuates. It is the variation in latency, and it's a problem because it makes the experience unpredictable. Average internet users commonly ignore it, but to online gamers, especially the ones who are playing multiplayer shooter games, this problem is a big deal. Jitter (or more accurately, latency fluctuation/flux), shows itself during games like Ancient Wars: Sparta through choppy gameplay. You're running around, and suddenly the world freezes. Once it unfreezes, everything has changed, as if time had stood still for you and then got caught up suddenly. Even if this just happened half a second, you'll probably notice this stuttery gameplay. Jitter causes the latency to change rapidly, for example from 10ms to 80ms and back. In such a situation, it's tough for game servers to provide a fair environment for all players, which can be very frustrating.
How do I fix jitter or latency flux in Ancient Wars: Sparta?
Jitter is the sudden deviation that you get in your ping whenever you are playing online games. For example, your average ping might be 45ms. But with jitter, that 45ms might spike to 90ms or even 300ms for a short time, before going back down to your average ping. These sudden spikes in ping may throw off your game, causing you to miss that game-winning moment in games like Ancient Wars: Sparta. A simple thing like jitter can cause you to lose a game, making your gaming skill completely irrelevant. How can you fix jitter? The main cause of jitter is the difference in the average latency time of your packets. So, you can fix your jitter by lowering your latency and more. To resolve this, you should strongly consider using a wired internet connection if you're not already. This is highly advisable when you are into online gaming rather than using a wireless connection. A wired connection will prevent fluctuations and lost packets which can significantly improve and lower your latency. Next is to use a high-speed internet connection. Lower internet speed may cause jitter or latency flux, especially when you're sharing it with other people or other devices. You may try and switch to fiber connections, or even just upgrade your connection and increase your bandwidth. Doing so can transform your gaming into smooth, no-jitter gameplay. Another step is to use a powerful router. Your router is the heart of your internet connection, so you'll want to invest in the best here. Maybe your router has been there for ages, and it's not working well for your needs anymore. Look for a powerful router that is fit for your gaming needs. Do some research and check reviews to verify the quality of the router. Make sure that the bandwidth capacity is high enough to handle the traffic your household produces. We suggest finding a router with wtfast built-in. This way, your router can handle all the complexity of finding the best route across the thousands and thousands of potential different connection routes available in wtfast. Our friends at ASUS offer dedicated gaming routers with wtfast built-in, giving you peace of mind for gaming without headache. If you're still experiencing jitter and aren't ready to upgrade your router, you can boost your game by simply using gaming software that offers the network optimisation solution for you. That software is wtfast! wtfast uses a custom business-grade network infrastructure that is perfect for your gaming needs. Our optimization services will provide you with a more reliable and responsive connection which can help you reduce jitter and improve your network stability.
Why is my in-game ping meter in Ancient Wars: Sparta different from what I see in wtfast?
Imagine that your internet speed is a bit like driving a car. Now imagine that your car only shows you an average of your speed, not your actual speed at any given moment. What if you are driving optimizeder than the speed limit, but your car only shows your 'average' speed? Do you think you will get a speeding ticket if your dashboard says you're under the speed limit, but you are traveling optimizeder than the speed limit? In-game ping meters tend to work similarly, showing you a snapshot or an average of your overall session. These in-game ping meters are useful for getting an approximate idea of your internet latency, but they are only a rough measurement tool and do not allow you to fix your connection. wtfast is a true networking diagnostic and improvement application. With wtfast, you get real-time statistics on your connection to Ancient Wars: Sparta, which changes every time a packet is sent to and from the server! wtfast gives you detailed and nuanced stats on your Ancient Wars: Sparta session. This way you can see where your connection is going, and how it's impacting your performance.
How do I reduce my Ancient Wars: Sparta ping?
We know how hard it is to fight the never-ending battle between you and lag, ping spikes, and more. Just like what a lot of gamers say - the lower the ping, the better your gaming experience. So first and foremost, you need to know what a ping is and how does it affect your Ancient Wars: Sparta gameplay. A ping is the response time between two computers. When it comes to online gaming, a ping shows the response time between the client and the game server. Ping time is measured in milliseconds, and tell you how long a packet data takes to travel back and forth from the client and the game server. Simply put, whenever a gamer connects to an online game, a reduced ping becomes a gamer's best friend. On the contrary, a high ping becomes a gamer's worst enemy. Your ping time can literally be the difference between winning and losing. So how can you reduce your Ancient Wars: Sparta ping? Before connecting to Ancient Wars: Sparta, make sure to check your ping beforehand. Using the wtfast Ping Test is one of the best methods to do so. Pings that are less than 100ms are ideal for online gamers. However, pings higher than 150ms will start to show lag. Even if you have the best gaming rig in town, that won't help in reducing your ping unless you have a very strong internet connection. And surprisingly enough, sometimes even a strong internet connection isn't the solution to your ping problems. Reducing your ping can be done in several ways. First is to make sure that you use a wired internet connection. Using a wireless connection may result in a lot of ping problems, which is why a wired connection is the best option when it comes to online gaming. You should also consider using your local servers or the servers that are closest to your location. This can dramatically reduce your ping as it will allow better communication between the gaming server to your PC. Next is to close all running applications running in the background. This will prevent your computer from multitasking. Having many running applications will consume your computer's memory and will affect the overall performance of your gameplay. Moreover, you should close all software that demands bandwidth, as it leeches all your bandwidth and will give you a terrible amount of delays and high ping times. You should also consider disabling your software updates before you start playing, as updates tend to consume a lot of bandwidth. You may just turn your updates back on after playing. If you are using a wireless connection, make sure to reduce the number of devices that are connected to the WiFi. If it's possible, disconnect all other connected devices on your local network so that you're the only one consuming the bandwidth. If not, the next best thing is to connect your PC to the router through an ethernet cable. Routers and modems tend to work non-stop which results to congested data registry. You should try restarting your router to refresh your connection and potentially lower your ping. If your router has been around since the stone age, you might want to consider buying a newer replacement. Replacing your router will noticeably affect your Internet connection speed, strength, and consistency. Furthermore, your ping will also likely be lower when you install a new router. You can also dramatically reduce your ping by using a dedicated gaming software. wtfast can lower your ping by reducing the number of hops it takes to get to your gaming server. By decreasing the number of hops between you and the Ancient Wars: Sparta game server, you'll surely see a significant reduction with your ping and have a much, much better online gaming experience! The advantage of wtfast is that you aren't limited to a single internet connection between you and the game router. Instead, wtfast gives you thousands and thousands of potential alternative routes between you and the game server, giving you a multitude of options and choices for improving your connection! With such a powerful utility, we encourage our users to experiment with different connection routes to find the path that's best for them and their favorite game.
Why is my ping so high in Ancient Wars: Sparta?
The terms "high ping" and "low ping" are commonly used in online gaming. You may already know that ping is the network latency between a gaming client and the game server. Ping is measured in milliseconds where 1000 milliseconds is equivalent to 1 second. For gamers, low ping times are our best friend, because a low ping equates to low latency. This means there are fewer chances for lags and delays to happen. Contrary to a high ping which causes a significant amount of lag. Having a ping higher than 100ms can already produce a severe amount of lag. If you often experience pings that go higher than 100ms, chances are high that you suffer from ping spikes and jitter. This can be incredibly frustrating especially for an online gamer like you who plays Ancient Wars: Sparta. You might be wondering why your ping is so high in Ancient Wars: Sparta? Here are the possible reasons why... Your distance to the game server - the distance between your location and the game server has a big impact on the amount of delay you're experiencing. The further you are located from the game server, the higher ping you'll have. Keep in mind that game servers are usually named by their geographic location, so you must check on that one. Wireless connections - connecting to the internet via a wireless connection will make you prone to interference. This will certainly result in increased latency, packet loss, jitter, and all sorts of other network-related performance issues. All of these could contribute to increasing your ping and slowing down your game. Running programs on the background - all applications that are running on the background while you are playing could contribute strain to your network and computer in varying degrees. This could significantly affect your computer's performance, especially if the program is consuming a lot of bandwidth. Be wary of streaming applications and downloads happening on your computer as this will increase latency between your computer and the game servers. Other devices are connected to your network - not only running applications but other connected devices to your network could eat up your bandwidth as well. Devices such as other computers, consoles, smartphones, tablets, and others could consume your network's resources. This could also result in a higher ping on your part, which will dramatically affect your gameplay. Your ISP - the problem might also be lying on your ISP. Maybe your internet service provider does not route traffic optimally for gaming which is possible on a lot of internet service providers. Many of our ISP friends provide dedicated gaming packages with wtfast included in the bundle, which gives you a stronger connection and all the power of wtfast's dedicated network boosting service, too! You're not using a dedicated gaming software - using a gaming VPN like wtfast will improve your gaming performance by regulating and reducing your ping. Instead of just connecting to the "normal" server connection, wtfast will create a custom connection which will eliminate the number of hops needed for you to reach the server. The quicker you get to the server, the optimizeder your game will be!
How do I fix Ancient Wars: Sparta ping spikes?
Many people fixate on ping time when they're gaming, zoning in on speed and that magic ping number. Plenty of gamers look at their ping time like a "scorecard" for their connection. However, many gamers underestimate the importance of their connection stability. Stability is a less sexy thing to focus on than speed – imagine test-driving a Porsche to assess its "stability"... it's not quite as fun as testing the speed, is it? Sexy or not, stability is just as important, and in many cases more essential than your raw speed metrics. Imagine driving a Porsche at 200 miles per hour on a busy highway, when your speedometer instantly drops down to 10 miles per hour! How do you think that would pan out for you as the driver of that sports car? Sure, the car's speed is essential, but it's also equally, and often MORE critical for the vehicle to maintain a *consistent* speed. Your internet connection is like a car – it needs to perform consistently and reliably. You can reduce the number of ping spikes in Ancient Wars: Sparta in several ways. The first step to improving your connection stability may seem like an obvious one, but it's important to check this first – make sure you are using a wired internet connection. When you are using a wireless connection, you will often lose data packets, causing interruptions to your experience. Sure, simple applications are built to be fault-tolerant and auto-reconnect after a dropped connection, but games are different. A missed move in a game will always be a missed move in a game. Next, close any applications or file transfers that may be eating up your bandwidth. When you're gaming, you don't want your computer to prioritize something like your Dropbox file transfers over your game connection. Close as many programs as you can to ensure an extra speed and performance boost. Not only will your computer perform a little better without having a bunch of apps using up its RAM, but you'll reduce the risk of your internet bandwidth getting used up accidentally. For a full list of applications running on your computer, you can use Task Manager on Windows or Activity Monitor on MacOS.
What is a traceroute, and how does it apply to Ancient Wars: Sparta?
Think of a traceroute as an 'audit trail' for your Ancient Wars: Sparta connection. Your data is usually routed through several servers between you and the Ancient Wars: Sparta servers. A traceroute helps you measure and visualize the route your traffic takes, showing you each gateway or 'hop' along the way. For your connection to Ancient Wars: Sparta, your data packets will usually travel across multiple 'hops' to get from your computer to the server. Your data will often change hands across various networks to get from Point A (your device) to Point B (the game server). A traceroute measures your data packets as they're set from your computer across all the various 'hops' between Point A and Point B. When you use a traceroute, your connection history is recorded as "round-trip time." A traceroute shows you a list of each of the points your connection hits as it travels between you and the Ancient Wars: Sparta server.
What is a ping enhancer and why should I use it on playing Ancient Wars: Sparta?
Ping is a regular occurrence in online games. Basically, ping is the amount of time (usually measured in milliseconds) your machine and a game server takes to communicate with each other. With that said higher pings mean lag for any online game that you play. Ping enhancers help lower your ping by improving the communication of your machine and the game server. wtfast is the world's leading ping enhancer software, that gives you a much smoother and optimizeder gaming experience. wtfast works by redirecting your gaming traffic to a private connection. Instead of only being stuck with your default internet path between your device and the game server, wtfast gives you thousands and thousands of possible different connections to explore and test-drive. wtfast establishes a private connection between you and the gaming server, which acts as a "optimized route", allowing you to transfer data much more rapidly. wtfast can significantly lower ping spikes, lags, jitters, and lost packet data which will result in better gameplay and more wins!