To " A Keeper"

In fishing terms, a keeper is a fish that falls within the legal limits, ergo, can be kept.

To A Keeper

Their marriage was good, their dreams focused. Their best friends lived barely a wave away. I can see them now, Dad in trousers, work shirt and a hat; and Mom in a house dress, lawnmower in one hand, and dish towel in the other. It was the time for fixing things: a curtain rod, the kitchen radio, screen door, the oven door, and the hem in a dress. Things we keep.

It was a way of life, and sometimes it made me crazy. All that re-fixing, re-heating leftovers, renewing; I wanted just once to be wasteful. Waste meant affluence. Throwing things away meant you knew there'd always be more.

But when my mother died, and I was standing in that clear morning light in the warmth of the hospital room, I was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn't any more.

Sometimes, what we care about most gets all used up and goes away...never to return. So... While we have it, it's best we love it... And care for it... And fix it when it's broken... And heal it when it's sick. This is true: For marriage... And old cars... And children with bad report cards... Dogs and cats with bad hips... And aging parents... And grandparents. We keep them because they are worth it, because we are worth it. Some things we keep, like a best friend that moved away or a classmate we grew up with.

There are just some things that make life important, like people we know who are special... And so, we keep them close!

I received this from someone who thinks I am a 'keeper,' so I've sent it to the people I think of in the same way... Now it's your turn to send this to those people that are 'keepers' in your life. Good friends are like stars... You don't always see them, but you know they are always there!!!

Back to Ham Radio

I believe I was able to acquire my amateur radio operator's license back in 1970. Being in the elctronics technical curiculum of my high school, we were given the opportunity to join the Don Bosco Amateur Radio Club. Our callsign was Delta Uniform One Delta Bravo Tango (DU1DBT). I was able to get the class A license. Upon graduation, I was volunteered by Fred Hashim, DU1EH, to the National HQ of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines as a radio operator. I met his friend Dr. Romeo Castaneda, DU1RC. These two expanded my knowledge of ham radio. Discussions were never very technical. I learned about a lot of things from these two gentlemen.

I joined the US Navy in 1976 an was away from the ham radio world up until 2008. 32 years of technical progress is quite hard to catch up with. I thank God that my technical rating in the Navy allowed me to keep up with quite a bit. So, on the 14th of May, I finally took the Class C examination and eventually passed the test. Even with the process of getting the license, much have change. When you get your operator's license, your call sign is also issued to you. So I was given the call sign DW1OLV. The DW1 means I am a Class C operator from the region 1 of the Philippines. The suffix OLV is a random set of letters. But this in total identifies Roberto Jose C. Vicencio as an amateur radio operator with the aforementioned station.

Technology is the backbone of ham radio and as such, it has set the pace in the advancement of the field of communication, next to military research. So it was not a very big surprise when I learned of Echolink and CQ100. The two being VOIP-based programs that gives ham operators the chance to "get on the air" via the PC-internet method. This is a boon to many since this gives the ham operator the opportunity to have QSOs (contacts) with other hams even if they do not have any ham radio gear. Many still operate the HF/VHF/UHF gear but the HF radio operators are sorely affected by the 11-year sunspot cycle. That is the reason why many operators, particularly seniors, are moving in the CQ100 program in order to maintain contact with other hams around the world.

So it is with this on my plate, that I return to the world of ham radio. I have been gone too long.

CQ CQ CQ DE DW1OLV CQ CQ CQ Delta Whiskey One Oscar Lima Victor calling CQ and standing by.

Tu Risa by Pablo Neruda

I rode the trains today on the way to Santolan and saw this poetry on a poster inside the train;

Pablo Neruda

Tu Risa

Your Laughter

Quítame el pan, si quieres, quítame el aire, pero no me quites tu risa

Take the bread from me, if you want take the air from me, but do not take from me your laughter

No me quites la rosa, la lanza que desgranas, el agua que de pronto estalla en tu alegría, la repentina ola de plata que te nace.

Do not take away the rose, the lanceflower that you pluck, the water that suddenly bursts forth in your joy, the sudden wave of silver born in you.

Mi lucha es dura y vuelvo con los ojos cansados a veces de haber visto la tierra que no cambia, pero al entrar tu risa sube al cielo buscándome y abre para mí todas las puertas de la vida.

My struggle is harsh and I come back with eyes tired at times from having seen the unchanging earth, but when your laughter enters it rises to the sky seeking me and it opens for me all the doors of life.

Amor mío, en la hora más oscura desgrana tu risa, y si de pronto ves que mi sangre manch las piedras de la calle, ríe, porque tu risa será para mis manos como una espada fresca.

My love, in the darkest hour your laughter opens, and if suddenly you see my blood staining the stones of the street, laugh, because your laughter will be for my hands like a fresh sword.

Junto al mar en otoño, tu risa debe alzar su cascada de espuma, y en primavera, amor, quiero tu risa como la flor que yo esperaba, la flor azul, la rosa de mi patria sonora.

Next to the sea in the autumn, your laughter must raise its foamy cascade, and in the spring, love, I want your laughter like the flower I was waiting for, the blue flower, the rose of my echoing country.

Ríete de la noche, del día, de la luna, ríete de las calles torcidas de la isla, ríete de este torpe muchacho que te quiere, pero cuando you abro los ljos y los cierro, cuando mis pasos van, cuando vuelven mis pasos, niégame el pan, el aire, la luz, la primavera, pero tu risa nunca porpue me moriría.

Laugh at the night, at the day, at the moon, laugh at the twisted streets of the island, laugh at this clumsy boy who loves you, but when I open my eyes and close them, when my steps go, when my steps return, deny me bread, air, light, spring, but never your laughter for I would die.

Christian Duty in a Pagan Culture by John MacArthur

Christian Duty in a Pagan Culture
by: John MacArthur

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Over a quarter of a century ago the late apologist and Christian thinker Francis Schaeffer asked the question, "How should we then live?" in his landmark book of the same title. The relevance of that question has not changed. If anything, it has only become more urgent for believers at the dawn of a new century and millennium.

Society has taken a nosedive into greater and greater evil, debauchery, violence, and corruption, and outside the church, the landscape seems filled with "modern barbarians." The temptation is strong for believers to jump into the cultural fray as self-righteous social/political reformers and condescending moralizers. All the while those self-styled Christian activists forget or ignore their true mission in the world and completely miss the answer to Schaeffer's question-an answer that God's Word spells out quite clearly. As noble as a desire to reform society may be, and as stirring as the emotions sometimes are when involved in the "rightness" of a political cause, those activities are not to be the Christian's chief priorities. God does not call the church to influence the culture by promoting legislation and court rulings that advance a Scripture point of view. Nor does He condone any type of radical activism that would avoid tax obligations, disobey or seek removal of government officials we don't agree with, or spend an inordinate amount of time campaigning for a so-called Christian slate of candidates. The church will really change society for the better only when individual believers make their chief concern their own spiritual maturity, which means living in a way that honors God's commands and glorifies His name. Such a concern inherently includes a firm grasp on Scripture and an understanding that its primary mandate to us is to know Christ and proclaim His gospel. A godly attitude coupled with godly living makes the saving message of the gospel credible to the unsaved. If we claim to be saved but still convey proud, unloving attitudes toward the lost, our preaching and teaching-no matter how doctrinally orthodox or politically savvy and persuasive-will be ignored or rejected. The New Testament is very clear about how we ought to embrace and live out our primary mission in a pagan society. One such example is in Titus 3:

Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, to malign no one, to be uncontentious, gentle, showing every consideration for all men. (vv. 1-2)

Notice that Paul simply followed the Lord's model and did not expend time and energy admonishing believers on how to reform pagan culture's idolatrous, immoral, and corrupt practices. The apostle also did not call for believers to exercise civil disobedience to protest the Roman Empire's unjust laws or cruel punishments. Instead, his appeal was for Christians to proclaim the gospel and live lives that would give clear evidence of its transforming power. Believe it or not, Christians have obligations to a pagan society. When you live as God wants you to in an unbelieving culture, the Holy Spirit uses your life to draw the sinner by softening his attitude toward God (cf. 1 Peter 2:12).

Submission and Obedience
The first two duties-submission to government and obedience to all human authority-I've combined under one heading because they are so closely related. They are just one more reminder that Christians have certain requirements of attitude and conduct in relation to their secular leaders. Those reminders reiterate the idea that believers are not exempt from following civil laws and directives, unless such orders contradict the Word and will of God (see Acts 4:18-20; 5:40-42). That twofold prompting also gives us the scriptural premise from which all our other public actions ought to flow.

Readiness for Good Works
God wants us to be recognized for what we might call "consistent and aggressive goodness"-good deeds done out of love for the Lord and love for other people. Our third major duty toward society is to have a readiness "for every good deed." Here the apostle Paul is not referring to some minimal, reluctant adherence to doing what we already know is right, but to a sincere willingness and heart preparation to do good works to everyone, as we have the opportunity. No matter how antagonistic the people around us may be, we are to be kind servants to them when their lives intersect with ours. "So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith" (Galatians 6:10).

Respectful in Speech
Next, we have the scriptural duty of not maligning anyone, not even those unbelievers who are most antagonistic toward biblical standards. Titus 3:2 begins with Paul's command "to malign no one," and refers to cursing, slandering, and treating with contempt. In fact the Greek term rendered "malign" is the one from which we derive the English word blasphemy. We can never use such speech with a righteous motive. It is sad that many believers today speak scornfully of politicians and other public figures. When they do that, they actually manifest a basic disregard of their responsibility toward authority and hinder God's redemptive plan. In another of Paul's pastoral letters, he urges us to pray for everyone's salvation, even for that of those who occupy official positions of authority (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

Peaceful and Gentle
Paul goes on in verse 2 to mention two more Christian duties. First, he reminds us that we must be friendly and peaceful toward the lost, not belligerent and quarrelsome. In the ungodly, postmodern world we live in, it's easy to condemn those who contribute to the culture's demise and write them off as corrupt sinners who will never change. If God's love for the world was so broad and intense that His Son died for a multitude of sinners (John 3:16), how can we who have received that redeeming grace be harsh and unloving toward those who have not yet received it? Until God is pleased to save an individual, he or she is going to behave like an unbeliever, and it is wrong for us, meanwhile, to treat them contemptuously for acting according to their nature. Secondly, Paul reminds us that we must be "gentle," a word in the Greek that means being fair, moderate, and forbearing toward others. Some have translated this term "sweet reasonableness," a definition denoting an attitude that does not hold grudges but gives others the benefit of the doubt.

Consideration for Others
The final duty in the apostle Paul's list of reminders to believers is that they should be "showing every consideration for all men" (v. 2). The word rendered "consideration" always has a New Testament meaning of genuine concern for others. Scripture clearly describes Jesus as the One supremely characterized by humility, or consideration for everyone-the same trait that should identify His followers. Jesus used the word to depict Himself when He told His followers, "Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls" (Matthew 11:29, emphasis added). All our dealings with unbelievers should display that kind of attitude, as the apostle Peter also wrote: "Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence" (1 Peter 3:15). Sincere, heartfelt consideration to all men is foundational for our Christian walk in a pagan society. Our duty as we relate to an increasingly secular and ungodly culture is not to lobby for certain rights, the implementation of a Christian agenda, or the reformation of the government. Rather, God would have us continually to remember Paul's instructions to Titus and live them out as we seek to demonstrate His power and grace that can regenerate sinners. Changing people's hearts one individual at a time is the only way to bring meaningful, lasting change to our communities, our nation, and even the whole world.

Adapted from Why Government Can't Save You © 2000 by John MacArthur. All rights reserved.

• Grace to You (Friday, August 25, 2006)

USS Blue Ridge in Manila

It came as a very welcome surprise to learn that my former ship, the USS Blue Ridge, would visit the port of Manila. This was formerly a routine port of call but after the diffrent political dynamics between the US and the RP, that's been not so, the last decade or so. So it was with much excitement that I looked forward to the ship;s arrival. Iwas contacted by a former shipmate on the Mobile Bay that he will be flying in to Manila to meet the ship. Jeff Yancey flew in from Japan and we were able to see one another again after almost 9 years and he was very gracious in inviting me and my family to tour onboard the ship. My daughter Clarissa was able to go on a family day cruise while we were in Japan. So it was a return to the ship after about 20 years.

Entering DC Central brought back memories of the many General Quarters I was there. The last and most memorable was during the ship's REFTRA (refresher training), when the final battle problem presented itself. The DCA was killed and I took the mic for the 1MC and declared throughout the ship that, "The DCA is dead, this is Chief Vicencio, I am now in charge." I was asked if I was related to General Alexander Haig who uttered something similar when President Reagan was shot.

Why Must We Forgive? - Rick Warren

Why Must We Forgive?
by Rick Warren

“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Matthew 6:14-15 (NIV)

*** *** *** ***

We have to forgive the people who’ve hurt us, and it has nothing to do with whether or not that person deserves forgiveness. They don’t deserve forgiveness, but then, we don’t deserve it either.

We forgive those who’ve hurt us because God forgives us for how we’ve hurt him. To be honest, the reason we often have a hard time forgiving others is because we don’t feel forgiven ourselves.

But when Jesus died on the cross he paid the penalty for every sin that you or I ever committed or will ever commit. And if we’re going to be forgiving people, we first need to accept God’s forgiveness that comes from Jesus Christ.

Also, we should forgive knowing we will need God’s forgiveness sometime in the future. Jesus said, “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Matthew 6:14-15 NIV).

Carrying a grudge just keeps us stuck in the past, and when we’re stuck in the past, we’re controlled by the past. Our unforgiveness can control us. The Bible says, “Surely resentment destroys the fool, and jealousy kills the simple” (Job 5:2 NLT).

The Bible also says that only the foolish harbor a grudge (Ecclesiastes 7:9). Accept forgiveness from God and give forgiveness to others.

© 2008 Purpose Driven Life. All rights reserved.

US Military Retirees in the Philippines Victims of Healthcare Fraud

Tricare/CHAMPUS Fraud Update 07:

The U.S. military's health insurance program has been swindled out of more than $100 million over the past decade in the Philippines, where doctors, hospitals and clinics have conspired with American veterans to submit bogus claims, according to prosecutors and court records. Seventeen people have been convicted so far — including at least a dozen U.S. military retirees — in a little-noticed investigation that has been handled by federal prosecutors out of Wisconsin because Madison-based WPS Health Insurance holds the contract to process many of the claims. It has not been accused of any wrongdoing. At the center of the case is Tricare, a Pentagon-run program that insures 9.2 million current and former service members and dependents worldwide. The United States closed its military bases in the Philippines in 1992 and withdrew its active-duty forces, but thousands of retirees remained. Some saw an opportunity to pry easy cash from Tricare. Health care providers in the Philippines filed claims for medical services never delivered, inflated claims by as much as 2,000% and shared kickbacks with retirees who played along, court records reviewed by The Associated Press show. "There just seemed to be so many possibilities for abuse of the system, and there were so few controls in terms of monitoring," said former U.S. Attorney Peg Lautenschlager, who oversaw prosecutions in the late 1990s.

Pentagon auditors say Tricare moved slowly to uncover and stop the fraud. And a FEB 08 audit warned that the program is still vulnerable to rip-offs because of lax controls and that similar fraud schemes are starting to emerge in Latin America. News of the scope of the fraud comes as the Pentagon seeks to raise fees for Tricare's beneficiaries — fourfold, in some cases. The proposed increases have outraged groups representing servicemen and have been blocked by Congress. Tricare paid $210.9 million in overseas claims in 2006, the latest year for which figures were available. At the height of the fraud in 2003, Pentagon officials say, two-thirds of the $61.8 million paid to Philippine providers — about $40 million — was fraudulent. The fraud in the Philippines was so extensive that the number of claims filed there skyrocketed nearly 2,000% between 1998 and 2003 even as beneficiaries there — about 9,000 mostly retired military members and dependents — remained constant. "I know this is illegal and wrong to submit fraudulent claims to get money, but I did it for fun," U.S. Navy retiree Romulo Estoesta told investigators. He died in 2002.

Austin Camacho, a spokesman for the Pentagon's Tricare Management Activity, which runs the program, said the fraud has been hard to prove because of language barriers, a lack of cooperation from providers and limited law enforcement resources. But he said the agency added numerous controls and is making every effort to stop fraud. In one big case, prosecutors say Health Visions Corp. — which owns hospitals and clinics in the Philippines — bilked the program out of nearly $100 million from 1998 to 2004. Its former president, Thomas Lutz, has pleaded guilty to his role in a kickback scheme and could get five years in prison. He could be sentenced in Madison as early as 2 4APR. The company has also reached a plea agreement, but it is sealed. Prosecutors say Health Visions executives instructed billers to inflate every claim by at least 233% and falsify diagnoses. Lutz refused to comment when reached by telephone in Columbia, Mo., where he is living with relatives. The company's lawyer had no comment. Pentagon officials received fraud allegations against the company in 2000 but waited until late 2005 to move to cut off payments, according to an internal audit report. The company reaped tens of millions of dollars in payments in the meantime. In a 2005 memo, William Winkenwerder, then assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, complained that his requests to send additional investigators to the Philippines were ignored.

The fraud went well beyond Health Visions. A Pentagon official warned in 2004 that the Philippine schemes were costing U.S. taxpayers $40 million a year. In all, those convicted have been ordered to pay back only about $1.8 million. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Jarosz said of the 37 people indicted, about 20 remain free, in part because requests to extradite suspects from the Philippines have rarely succeeded. Claro de Castro, chief of the Philippine National Bureau of Investigation's Interpol division, insisted Philippine authorities have cooperated with the U.S. Nevertheless, federal agents have resorted to trying to capture defendants when they step on U.S. soil. Dr. Diogenes Dionisio, who ran a clinic near Manila, was arrested earlier this year after he arrived in Guam for a vacation. He has pleaded not guilty to submitting $2 million in fraudulent claims. His lawyer, Charles Giesen, said his client was never notified he was facing indictment. "He was getting off the plane with his golf clubs and they put him in handcuffs," Giesen said. "It was a complete surprise and somewhat baffling."

[Source: Associated Press Ryan J. Foley article 23 Apr 08 +]