White hair chronicles XV - The Berlin Wall

November 9, 2009 is the day the world celebrates the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall (photo from Time).

The construction of the wall started on the year of my birth. It stayed on for nearly three decades before it was torn down in 1989. My generation has seen the rise and fall of a historical icon, events that will be taken up in history lessons by future generations.

My generation has seen history made, but we're not history yet.

Most bang for the buck - SUN cellular and China wifi phone

Sun Cellular offers a low cost unlimited call and text service. The service works great for family members that need to get in touch with one another constantly. My sisters, my wife and son are on the Sun cellular network. I want a Sun cellular SIM too. Since I don't want to let go of my Smart mobile number, as this has been my number for the past 7 years, I need another pone as well.

I scouted for dual SIM phones. China made phones are invariably dual SIM. They allow you get two calls simultaneously, they give you analog TV reception, has a touch screen, and now some newer models are WiFi capable. All these at up to an eighth of the cost of an original Nokia (which is not dual SIM and has no TV). I got one for myself last Halloween.

The TV reception is passable. The audio player is ok too. The shake to shuffle feature works. The dual SIM works. The best feature I think is its WiFi capability. It has Google Maps, an chat client, and Opera browser. The package includes two batteries apparently because two SIMs use up power faster. The cheapest Wifi phone sells for around Php13,000 (a Samsung). But it is just single SIM, without TV. So I think the China dual SIM phone with TV and WiFi gives the most bang for the buck, most especially if the second SIM is from SUN cellular. That is, if you can live with its obviously clone look.

Women's tennis album 13 - Daniela Hantuchova

Daniela Hantuchova appeared in the 2009 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition together with Maria Kirilenko and Tatiana Golovin. She is the oldest and most successful among the three (so far), reaching the top 5 in 2003. Maria and Tatiana have overtaken Daniela in the rankings by now. Before she slips further down the rankings, let us enjoy her on-court beauty.

See also Album 12.

White Hair Chronicles XIV - Itay, matanda ka na ba?

Itay, matanda ka na ba?

My son Popoy, 6,  asked me this last night (are you old already?) Of course, I'm not yet old, I told him. Why are you suddenly asking that, I asked him back. Wala lang, po - it's nothing, he said.

Something must be troubling him after we visited the cemetery where his Lolo Vic (my father) and his grandparents (my in-laws) were buried. We usually go visit them ahead of the throng, but typhoon Santi made us go along with the multitude that were there November 1.

When my father died two years ago, Popoy asked "why did Lolo Vic die?". The quick answer we gave him was "because he was old". Actually my father was only 68 when he suddenly died from heart attack. He was ok despite the operation that drained cerebrospinal fluid from his skull six months before and despite the difficulty in walking due to arthritis. Popoy and his lolo bonded well during the short time they knew each other. Popoy did not meet my wife's parents ever. But he knows from the pictures shown him that they got to be very old. My father was on the fat side and had his hair dyed black regularly. To Popoy, he must not have looked old at all.

So when my wife teases me about looking like a grandfather, and me being so old that cataracts affect my eyesight, plus the visit to the cemetery 'where old dead people' are buried, Popoy must have worried that his father is going to die soon.

It is kind of sweet to think that my young son is worried sick about me.

White hair chronicles XII - Cataracts in your 40s?

In my new office, there is a policy that requires a doctor's certificate for reimbursing incurred costs for your first eyeglass prescription. So I hied off to an ophthalmologist near the office for a quick refraction. I figured I don't need my regular ophthalmologist on the other side of town for the bureaucratic requirement. I last visited him 4 years ago and he said that at my age my eyesight will start to get better. And it did.

The new doctor immediately noticed my white hair and mentioned its correlation with a medical/eye condition. I did not pay attention. I just wanted the certificate for the reimbursement. So, on with the refraction. She noticed that I needed stronger lenses. She said that my eyesight should have stabilized.

She then examined my eyes. She asked if I am on steroids. No! Did you have recent surgery? No! Recent trauma? No! Are you diabetic? No! Did your parents have cataracts? Yes? At what age? In their late 60s! Have you been exposed to ultraviolet rays for a long time? No! Do you have skin pigmentation? You mean, birthmarks? No. No!.

Why these questions, I asked? She said there is cloudiness on my right eye which could indicate early onset of cataracts. Are you serious? She wrote on the doctor's certificate - myopia, astigmatism, presbyopia. I know myopia and astigmatism. Presbyopia is new to me. Wikipedia says it is "similar to grey hair and wrinkles, presbyopia is a symptom caused by the natural course of aging; the direct translation of the condition's name is "elder eye". She prescribed Quinax eyedrops 2x a day and told me to come back after a vial is consumed. Googling Quinax returned:

Therapeutic actions:

Quinax protects sulfo-groups of the crystalline lens from oxidation and promote resorption of opaque proteins of the lens. Possesses properties that tend to activate the proteolitic enzymes, that are located in the aqueous humor of the front eye section.

Indications:

Cataract of different origin starting from age related problems to traumatic disorders.

Contraindications and cautions:

If used in a long term therapy it is not recommended to stop the treatment suddenly because possible withdrawal syndrome occurrence that is manifested in vision impairment. It is also not recommended to stop the treatment suddenly before all the prescribed dosages were administered. Be sure to tell your doctor if you have ever experienced allergy to eye drops.

Adverse effects:

There are possible side-effects associated with this medicine that can affect individuals in different ways. If a side effect is stated here, that does not necessarily mean the fact that all people using azapentacene will experience it or any other.

Side effects for azapantacene are mainly local and include symptoms of allergic reactions like:

itching

burning

redness of the eye area

swelling. (http://www.pharmacy1010.com/product_page.asp?id=195)

Now that she told me about the cloudiness, I think I am now having cloudy vision from my right eye. Shucks.

I am getting a second opinion.