Straight From Pastor Ey

Tight end Brian Mandeville of the Northeastern University football team finally got the big deal he was waiting for in his entire football career. A tight end is a strategic position in an offensive team. (Whatever side the tight end is posted is called the “strong side” while the other side is called the “weak side.” ) He got an invite to the weeklong combine where “Athletes attend by invitation only. Implications of one’s performance during the combine can affect perception, draft status, salary and ultimately career.” (Source: Wikipedia) That’s where National Football League coaches, general managers and scouts spot potential superstars. Brian psyched himself hard for the combine at the Velocity Sports Performance Center in California. But, before he could wow anyone at the combine, “doctors instead told him that he should retire before he even got started.” (Yahoo! Sports) A routine physical found a problem in one of his heart valves. It appears that, though it it’s not life-th...

Photo  credit   In a new employee’s orientation, the boss welcomed a group of cannibals that they recently hired.  “You are now part of our team. You will get all the usual perks as employees of our company. You can even eat everything and anything you want in the cafeteria for free… except your fellow employees.” The cannibals gave their word.  After some time, the boss called an emergency meeting with the cannibals. “My secretary has just mysteriously disappeared. We searched every nook and cranny of our entire building, frantically called all her friends and relatives and even barged into her house with the police to no avail.” Then, eyeing them one by one, the boss warily asked, “Do any of you know whatever happened to her?” The cannibals shook their heads, vehemently denying any link to that disappearance. After the boss left in a huff, the cannibals secretly huddled afterwards. The leader of the cannibals barked, “Which on...

February 13, 1972. Thirty-eight years ago. It was the first harvest of star apples (locally known as “kaimito” ) in that family orchard in Pangasinan. Ellen, a gung-ho 12-year old, climbed a tall tree to get a fruit for her crying brother. She was already reaching for a ripe fruit when the branch she was stepping on broke. On her way down, her left arm got caught in a Y-shaped branch. She pulled her arm then fell down and landed on that arm. It got twisted 180 degrees. It just took 15 seconds… just a blur. But it changed her life totally and entirely. Her mother rushed to her aid. She pulled what she thought was a sharp branch sticking out of her arm above the elbow. It was her broken bone protruding. The injury severed the artery in her arm. Two days later, the surgeon had to amputate the arm to avoid gangrene. (In anger, her grandmother ordered all the “kaimito” trees chopped down.) After the surgery, while her arm was still swollen triple its size and in terrible pain, her mom com...

That’s what Barack Obama said more than two weeks after becoming the US president. “ I take responsibility for this mistake … It’s important for this administration to send a message that there aren’t two sets of rules — you know, one for prominent people and one for ordinary folks who have to pay their taxes. ” His top nominees brought about this “I am sorry” episode. Timothy Geithner, his pick for Treasury secretary, had been compelled to pay US$34,000 in overdue income taxes. Geithner, later on confirmed by the Senate, oversees the Internal Revenue Service. Two other presidential nominees withdrew their bid due to the same gaffe. Nancy Killefer, Obama’s pick for chief performance officer, had to bow out when it came out that she failed to pay unemployment compensation tax on household help. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschlef, Obama’s choice to overhaul health care, apologized after he had to fork out $128,203 in back taxes plus $11,964 in interest. Other than that, he also co...