Teh interesting (non-PHL-related) news stub thread

[Sforza]

The CBCP is still fighting I don't see how this is any worse than Ahmadinejad saying Iran doesn't have gay people or anti-government protesters.

CBCP Statement On the Government’s Revitalized Promotion of Condoms (dated March 2)

THE Church, like the Good Shepherd, has always shown love and compassion towards those who suffer any form of affliction. Consistent with the truth and meaning of human sexuality, and God’s plan for the family, the Church reiterates that formation in authentic sexual values, more concretely expressed in premarital chastity and fidelity to spouse, is the only effective way to curb the spread of AIDS.

Given its high failure rate, the condom cannot really put a stop to AIDS. Moreover, by creating a false sense of security, it condones and encourages promiscuity outside of marriage, and hence contributes to the further spread of AIDS. (WTF?!)

Given their medical, social and moral implications, questions related with condom promotion and failure have to be seriously studied by the public, including:

a. The funding and effort involved in promoting condoms should rather be used to fight diseases that afflict millions of people in our country each year, such as diarrhea, bronchitis, pneumonia, tuberculosis, cancer, hypertension and influenza. Available resources should instead be channeled to provide basic needs such as food, medicines, education and work. Furthermore, it is unjust that the taxes of the people including Catholics be used for purposes against their moral beliefs.

b. The condom business is a multi-million dollar industry that heavily targets the adolescent market, at the expense of morality and family life. Condom advertisements should be banned in television, radio, movies, newspapers, magazines, and public places, as they desensitize the youth’s delicate conscience and weaken their moral fibers as future parents.

c. Rich countries with ageing and imminently dwindling populations spend huge amounts to encourage their citizens to have more children. Why should they be allowed to also spend huge amounts to discourage Filipinos capable of having more children from doing so?

d. In the same way that the government requires warnings for certain substances (“Cigarette smoking is dangerous for your health” for tobacco, “Drink moderately” for alcoholic beverages, and “No therapeutic claims” for herbal medicines) the Department of Health should also require a Government Warning that states, “CONDOMS MAY FAIL TO PROTECT FROM AIDS AND OTHER SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES.” Consumer groups should insist on the right to know the real characteristics of products they use, and that corresponding labels be conspicuously displayed in packaging.

...more information and source article here:
http://www.cbcpnews.com/?q=node/12425

[Mjting]

nvm...no use

[NiX]

Holy hell, 6.2 quake in Taiwan. O_O That isn't very far away. O_O Are we fucked?

[Sforza]

Holy hell, 6.2 quake in Taiwan. O_O That isn't very far away. O_O Are we fucked?

Nope. Even Taiwan was hardly affected. We did have a light quake some time this afternoon though. A few sensitive people in buildings felt it.

[Shintetsu]

When the big one comes, I'll probably be sleeping. I should get out of this condo now

[NiX]

Oh shit, come to think of it, I DID feel a quake this afternoon. O_O

[Shintetsu]

Given its high failure rate, the condom cannot really put a stop to AIDS. Moreover, by creating a false sense of security, it condones and encourages promiscuity outside of marriage, and hence contributes to the further spread of AIDS. (WTF?!)

a. The funding and effort involved in promoting condoms should rather be used to fight diseases that afflict millions of people in our country each year, such as diarrhea, bronchitis, pneumonia, tuberculosis, cancer, hypertension and influenza. Available resources should instead be channeled to provide basic needs such as food, medicines, education and work. Furthermore, it is unjust that the taxes of the people including Catholics be used for purposes against their moral beliefs. (no, you're stopping condom use, what's the use of this statement? and on taxes et al., the slippery slope argument.)

b. The condom business is a multi-million dollar industry that heavily targets the adolescent market, at the expense of morality and family life. Condom advertisements should be banned in television, radio, movies, newspapers, magazines, and public places, as they desensitize the youth’s delicate conscience and weaken their moral fibers as future parents.(yeah, but no. Condom use during premarital sex ≠ being an irresponsible parent in the future. Ironically, adolescents who never use condoms become irresponsible parents. so again, the slippery slope argument.)

c. Rich countries with ageing and imminently dwindling populations spend huge amounts to encourage their citizens to have more children. Why should they be allowed to also spend huge amounts to discourage Filipinos capable of having more children from doing so?(lol whut? Who's trolling who?)

d. In the same way that the government requires warnings for certain substances (“Cigarette smoking is dangerous for your health” for tobacco, “Drink moderately” for alcoholic beverages, and “No therapeutic claims” for herbal medicines) the Department of Health should also require a Government Warning that states, “CONDOMS MAY FAIL TO PROTECT FROM AIDS AND OTHER SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES.” Consumer groups should insist on the right to know the real characteristics of products they use, and that corresponding labels be conspicuously displayed in packaging.(Finally, a somewhat proper argument. Still, no more condoms=argument fail.)

Wtf is a condom doing promoting promiscuity? Heck, IRL permaban my friends pl0x, they talk of sex etc etc. Trolls.

Is it "do not feed the trolls" or "troll 'em!!"? I'm confused now.

[Hempire]

lol @ church trying to keep its rusted bronze age thinking in this 'pre-apocalyptic' age we live in.

[Twin-Skies]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/mar...ex-scandal

The Vatican was today rocked by a sex scandal reaching into Pope Benedict's household after a chorister was sacked for allegedly procuring male prostitutes for a papal gentleman-in-waiting.

Angelo Balducci, a Gentleman of His Holiness, was caught by police on a wiretap allegedly negotiating with Thomas Chinedu Ehiem, a 29-year-old Vatican chorister, over the specific physical details of men he wanted brought to him. Transcripts in the possession of the Guardian suggest that numerous men may have been procured for Balducci, at least one of whom was studying for the priesthood.

The explosive claims about Balducci's private life have caused grave embarrassment to the Vatican, which has yet to publicly comment on the affair.

While Catholicism does not condemn homosexuality outright, its teaching is that homosexual acts "are intrinsically disordered". The Catechism of the Catholic church states unequivocally: "Under no circumstances can they be approved."

Balducci was arrested on 10 February, suspected of involvement in widespread corruption. A senior Italian government official, he is alleged to have to steered public works contracts towards favoured bidders. He has not been charged.

Hmm, the CBCP will want to revise their PR in light of this news:

The Catholic Church is a multi-million dollar industry that heavily targets the adolescent market, at the expense of morality and family life. Church advertisements should be banned in television, radio, movies, newspapers, magazines, and public places, as they desensitize the youth’s delicate conscience and weaken their moral fibers as future parents.

There - I fixed it

[Lord_Leperman]

I really don't know where to put this:

http://blog.seanbonner.com/2010/02/01/iv...sing-soap/

Okay, I read this as soon as Grim posted it on facebook which was around Feb 4. Being bored, lazy, and being Rick, I stopped using soap and shampoo starting Feb 5. Like the guy in the article, I still continued to bathe and put on deodorant every time I can. I don't think gave off a smell while I was around people and I generally get the same results from the guy who did the experiment as well, like the smoother skin etc. It also helps that I don't go out of the house that often anymore :p. I still wouldn't recommend quiting soap and shampoo, just so it'll make you feel better about it, but at least you can get away w/o using soap or shampoo while bathing if you're in a hurry or pressed for time. Otherwise, you can stop using soap and shampoo altogether without any major consequences, though I think you'll still need them for the more oily parts of the body, since water doesn't wash them off easily.

Anyway, just so everyone feels better around me, I've resumed usage of soap and shampoo (for whatever is left in my hair) in case you guys start sniffing me. :p

[Hempire]

@article
hemp soap......
hemp shampoo...
hemp oil
hemp scrub
hemp towel
hemp clothes

=D

[Grim]

I haven't used soap and shampoo in a month. No bad effects, no bad odors.

I did go through the crazy phase as pointed out in the article, where the skin was oilier and I had more dandruff than usual, but I've gotten past that now. So, yeah.

[NiX]

How's Ice liking it? Very tempted to try.

[Grim]

How's Ice liking it? Very tempted to try.

Nothing's really changed since I stopped using soap and shampoo, so there's also no difference (increase or decrease) with the lady.

[Lord_Leperman]

I'd actually try those items Hemp posted if they were available

I went through the weird oily phase with my scalp though, and some people did notice a slight smell on that part of my body, so I had to use a bit of shampoo to get the oily feeling out. Otherwise, like Grim, there were no real side effects. I think I'll try another month of it just for consistency's sake.