2009 a banner year for Philippine billiards

MANILA, Philippines – Just like in other sports, there was a lot of drama in Philippine billiards. The year 2009 was indeed a banner year and 2010 might even be more colorful for the sport.

It was a fruitful year when 2 of the 3 co-founders of the Billiards Managers and Professional Players Association (BMPAP) decided to participate in this year’s World Ten Ball Championship last November at the World Trade Center in Pasay City.

“Politics has no place in sports. That’s what our champions are trying to say when they won different events this year,” said Bugsy Promotion owner Ceferino “Perry” Mariano, who manages the careers of double world champion Ronato Alcano, former world no.1 Dennis Orcollo, 2007 World pool finalist Roberto Gomez, Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Gandy Valle, among others.

“Maganda na ang billiards sa ating bansa, Peace na,” said Jonathan Sy, president of the rising Negros Billiard Stable, who manages the careers of reigning 2-time Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) National Champion Lee Van Corteza, Warren Kiamco, Rodolfo Luat and Ramil Gallego, among others.

Actually, according to Mariano, the BSCP headed by its president Sebastian Chua and chairman Yen Makabenta are planning to hold a champions league, inviting 2 of the famous collegiate leagues in the body, the UAAP and NCAA.

“Tutulong kami sa promosyon ng billiard sa bansa. Saka dapat isa sa priority ng BSCP ang grass roots, darating din ang time mawawala na ang ating mga top rated player at sa event na ito ang sisibol ang mga future world class player,” said Mariano.

To the hilt

To help remember the year that was, we have compiled a list of major international events ranging from the Corus in January to the World Cup in December.

Last December 22, Corteza, known as “The Slayer,” used his vast experience to the hilt in subduing Rodrigo “Edige Marialo” Geronimo. He won the P100,000 champion's purse at the 4th BSCP National Pool Championship. This was the Davao pool master's second crown in the event after first winning in 2007.

Corteza, the top player of Jonathan Sy's Negros Billiard Stable (NBS), reached the finals after beating Dennis Orcollo in the semifinals, 9-7, of the three-day event backed by Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and hosted by long-time billiards patron Sebastian Chua in close cooperation with Raya Sports.

“I would like to dedicate my victory to boss Jo (Jonathan Sy), coach Toper (Christoper Palses), to my family and to God," Corteza said.

Last November, Corteza settled runner-up to eventual champion Immonen in this year’s World Ten Ball Championships. He also won the Derby City Classic 10-Ball Challenge early this year.

His other accomplishments are a runner-up finish in the Derby City Classic 9-Ball Challenge, a third-place finish in the World Mixed Doubles and a fourth-place finish in the US Open 9-Ball Championship.

Corteza is scheduled to headline the country’s campaign in the 1st WPA World Team Championship slated on January 30 to February 7, 2010 in Germany.

Joining Corteza in the Nationals are WPA 8-ball and 9-ball champion Ronato Alcano, Antonio Lining, Warren Kiamco, Marlon Manalo and Dennis Orcullo.

Representing RP

After the World Ten Ball, pool legend Efren “Bata” Reyes Jr. teamed up with Rubilen “Bingkay” Amit to form Team Philippine A. They defeated Charlie Williams and Eun Ji Park of Korea, 9-7, to capture the 1st Mixed Doubles Classic championships trophy in Libis, Quezon City.

In September, Reyes ruled the Galveston Classic One Pocket by beating American Shannon Daulton. Alcano, for his part, whipped fellow former world champion Johnny Archer of the USA, 9-5, in the finals to capture the 8-ball division of the Galveston Classic Billiards Extravaganza held on September 21 in Texas.

Kiamco settled over-all second place after losing to Immonen in the 10-ball finals.

Also in September, Reyes teamed up with Bustamante to bag the 2009 World Cup of Pool held in September at the SM City North EDSA Annex in Quezon City. The dynamic duo beat Germans Ralf Souquet and Thorsten Hohmann , 11-9, in the finals.

In June, Amit clobbered Taiwanese Liu Shi-Mei, 10-4, to capture the Women’s World 10-ball plum.

“I just play and it’s really nice to represent your country and win,” said the 27-year-old Amit, who won 2 of the country’s 38 gold medals in the 2009 Southeast Asian Games in Laos. She bagged her two gold medals by ruling the 8-ball and 9-ball women’s singles events.

How to lose weight lying down at Institut Santre

MANILA, Philippines - After a period of unavoidable bingeing, I decided to try out the weight loss program offered at Institut Santre.

They advertised their patented Omnivital Therapy System which was described vaguely with phrases like "inch loss" or "lymphatic flow." This means I had no clue what to expect.

At the Institute, the marketing director and therapist were kind enough to say that I was thin--their usual clients were those that could use some serious help. But once I rolled up my sleeves and lifted my shirt, they said, "Ahh," and prescribed a toning program which was to begin immediately.

After taking my measurements and snapping a "before" picture of my tummy while wearing boxer shorts and a sports bra, I was sent to lay down in a treatment room.

A machine gurgled quietly in the corner and a therapist smeared cold gel on my stomach. With an ultrasound pad, she began to rub my belly for 30 minutes. It was not unpleasant, but it was not relaxing either, kind of like a futile and relentless search for a baby in the womb, and I half expected an image of a little heart beating to pop up on the screen.

But the machine just kept beeping while the ultrasound waves were melting away layers of that hardheaded belly fat.

Infrared sauna

In the second treatment room, a silver foil-covered cocoon rested on top of a bed. "This is an infrared sauna, and it's going to get hot," one of the therapists said. "Just ring the buzzer if you feel uncomfortable."

The heat was meant to drain my lymphatic system as well as the fat that had just been ultrasounded away.

The lymphatic system transports all the fat-soluble vitamins from food into our blood; protects us from invasion from foreign cells, microbes, bacteria and even cancer cells; and even drains tissues of excess water.

The idea was to declog the lymphatic system which would in turn jumpstart your metabolism, remove harmful toxins and strengthen the immune system.

This all sounded really wonderful. I hopped into the cocoon and watched a replay of a football match on the TV embedded in the ceiling.

After a tolerably warming 15 minutes, the cocoon started to get really hot, particularly around my thighs. I sweated and fidgeted, but I was trapped. My bones were simmering in my blood--or it felt like it.

I imagined the capillaries in my legs were bursting. I endured the 30 minutes and came out of the chamber drenched and slightly light-headed. I felt radioactive.

Not an easy way

It wasn't over yet. In the third treatment room, I was strapped down to the bed and electrodes were attached to my stomach, the fatty chunks on my lower back, and upper arms.

Another therapist tested the machine, which shot electric pulses that stimulated and contracted my muscles.

"You'll get used to it," the therapist said. She left the room for me to be shocked alone.

My arms and torso buzzed like a bee in pollen season. Halfway through, the therapist came in and asked if I could handle more, and turned up the dial. I almost spazzed out of the bed, but thankfully, I was strapped down amd asked to have it turned down a bit.

So for another 15 minutes, I watched cooking shows and tried to disassociate from my pulsating body. This was not the lazy person's way to lose weight. This was hard work.

After that 3-part treatment, I had lost half a pound, mostly water weight. To see real results, one would have to continue twice- or thrice-weekly sessions involving different types of treatments--including a full-body fat-melting massage-- for a few months depending on individual needs.

Chiz Escudero endorsed

Leia Regala-Teodoro, the managing director herself, successfully lost 20 pounds at Santre.

Senator Francis "Chiz" Escudero is an endorser, and while he did not go in for weight loss, he praises the lymphatic therapy system for improving his circulation and immune system to get through a grueling campaign period.

"I like the system of Santre," he says. "It uses a combination of Chinese massages and European technology. I like their professionalism. They don't make empty promises or statements to get clients in."

"They really sat me down and talked to me about being serious about my health and how important it is for both Santre and me to cooperate and work together," Escudero said.

Not for everyone

Santre is not for everyone. But then again, neither is the treadmill.

Some people like the idea of lying down for an hour and a half and letting the machines emit their invisible forces. Others like working up a good endorphin rush.

Some would say 30 minutes in the infrared sauna is a more pleasant experience than 90 minutes in a Bikram yoga studio.

The advantage Santre has is their holistic approach to slimming, with no crazy diets, pills or workouts. Everything starts with a balanced lymphatic system.

And in any belief system, East or West, medicinal or technological, when the body is in balance, good health just flows.

Try your luck in 2010 with charms and colors

MANILA, Philippines – What are the lucky colors for the year 2010 or the year of the metal tiger?

According to a feng shui consultant, they are blue and light yellow. Blue symbolizes water while light yellow symbolizes peace.

“Ang 2010 chart natin kulang sa tubig, kelangan natin maglaay ng tubig para nourishment… lalakas productivity and money purposes,” said Johnson Chua, a feng shui adviser.

Moreover, there are lucky colors for the Chinese animal zodiac signs. Blue is the lucky color for those born on the year of the rat, rabbit, dragon, snake and rooster.

White or light yellow, meantime, is said to bring luck to those born on the year of the ox, tiger, sheep and monkey.

Violet is the lucky color for those born on the year of the dog and pig while red and violet are the colors for those born on the year of the horse.

As early as now, figurines of metal or golden tigers are displayed in Binondo, Manila, such as the tiger with gourd (for good health) and tiger with Chinese cabbage and golden coins (for more money to come in).

“Maraming pera pasok kaso, pero kelangan ingat sa mga investment,” said feng shui practitioner Jean Chua. “Year of the tiger kasi pag once na marami ka na-invest, mahihirapan ibalik.”

Serving 5 round fruits on the dinner table during New Year’s Eve will also bring luck for the whole year.

Signs of the times

But besides the lucky charms and lucky colors, feng shui consultant and counseling astrologer Paloma believes that people should look at the signs of the times wherein there have already been precursors to election-related violence.

“Marami nagsusuot ng purple. Purple means deep spiritual energy… Saan ba galing ‘yon? Sa trying times o traumatic events,” noted Paloma.

“May precursor na sa Maguindanao ng matter of execution… nag-fa-file pa lang ng candidacy,” she added, pertaining to the November 23 Maguindanao massacre which claimed 57 lives.

Meanwhile, one of the predictions is that there will be disasters not only in the Philippines but in several other countries.

Despite the difference in the predictions of the geomancers, they are all relaying a message on change and preparation for any disaster.

Sex tips: Role-playing in the bedroom

MANILA, Philippines - Sexual role-playing is an activity that is certain to be on the minds of millions of couples that feel that their sex lives need a bit of a boost.

"Sexual role-playing can be a healthy way of putting the spark back into a couple's love life," psychologist Ephraim Gochangco said.

"There are a number of issues that couples have to understand before entering into it. Both women and men, especially in highly religious communities have great hang-ups about veering away from the 'strictly missionary' life," she added.

Gochangco enumerated a number of couples' usses that must be resolved before embarking on sexual role-playing.

1. Trust issues. First is a fear that your partner will laugh at you. Trust is an essential part of a relationship, and thus should also apply to a couple's sex life. Role-playing is a form of play and adventure and should be looked upon as such.

You should trust your partner enough to participate fully in this intimate moment.-- and will keep it private.

2. Infidelity? Second is that role-playing is a form of infidelity since your partner will be making love with a character-- someone you're not. Couples are simply playing roles here, so infidelity should not be an issue.

In fact, role-playing is an effective way for individuals to keep from straying. When people are happy (when their physical and emotional needs are fulfilled), there would be less reason to look for sexual partners outside the relationship.

3. Is it a sin? There is no winning this argument. If your partner is puritanical about sex, stick to the missionary position. What this issue underscores is that you must know your partner well.

Extreme fantasy?

A conservative partner may want more romantic scenarios while adventurous ones could pursue "wilder" fantasies.

For example, Gochangco said some women fantasize about the scenario of being raped (paradoxically by a partner they love and trust). It is hence, more about the feeling of being dominated than the actual act of rape.

"The desire to enact a rape fantasy should not be taken as a desire to be raped. Remember, most almost all sexual fantasies are just that--fantasis. A rape fantasy is usually the result of a woman's desire to relinquish responsibility from the day-to-day pressure of having to be in charge," he said.

"Likewise, a man who fantasizes dominating someone else may be his way of temporarily exercising a degree of control. Fantasies should have boundaries in order to be safe and effective," Gochangco said.

Some tips

Here are some tips for couples who want to explore role-playing in the bedroom:

1. Start slow. Not ready to play slave-and-master? You can always start with something less dramatic like a scenario between a teacher and student. Also, if you are not ready to dress up for the part, you can start by changing your usual dialogue to simulate the roles you have chosen to play.

2. Encourage your partner. Appeal to your partner's best features. If you think your partner has a great body, you could say, "I always thought your breasts were gorgeous! I can imagine you in a harem girl's outfit or a cheerleader's uniform! You would take my breath away!"

3. Be sensitive. Always be conscious of your partner's comfort level. If you feel that he or she can really get into the act, then go to the next level by being more bold with your words or consider dressing up for the part you're playing. If you feel that role-play makes your partner uncomfortable, step back until your partner is comfortable enough to pursue it further.

4. Team sport. Take time out to find what your partner's fantasy is. Chances are, it would be easier to convince your partner to role-play with you if you are following his or her choices instead of your own.

5. Visual aids. Watch a romantic or erotic movie to get you in the mood. Visual and aural (sound) stimulation heightens a person's ability to take on a role.

If anything, Gochangco said, role-play and fantasy exploration should allow a person to "unleash their alter ego" and "explore their sexuality in a trusting environment."

Charice delivers 'jaw-dropping' performance on 'Singapore Idol'

MANILA, Philippines – Charice has delivered a "jaw-dropping" performance on “Singapore Idol” that earned her another standing ovation from hundreds of people at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

The 17-year-old international singing sensation, who was invited to perform at the talent show’s grand finale on Sunday, belted out Whitney Houston’s "I Have Nothing" and "I Will Always Love You."

“What was that! That’s amazing. How did you do that?" the show’s host, Gurmit Singh, said after the medley. " Singapore loves you. We heard so much about you, seen you on YouTube, and finally you are here.”

When Charice told the crowd that she came from the Philippines, some Filipinos in the audience applauded. She also shared how she was discovered by Ellen DeGeneres and Oprah Winfrey on YouTube.

Charice also sang her first international single, "Note to God." To which, Singh commented: "I tell you my jaw dropped, bounced, and dropped again."

The pint-sized singer also took the opportunity to promote her upcoming international single called "Pyramid."

In an exclusive interview with abs-cbnNEWS.com, Charice described the audience as “the best crowd ever.”

"Natutuwa ako kasi hindi po lahat ay Pinoy. Halos puro Singaporeans po sila... kakatuwa 'yong host when he told me na, 'Singapore loves you.' The best crowd ever," Charice said.

After her Singapore guesting, Charice is set to return to Los Angeles, California to prepare for the release of her international album. Reports said she will be launching her first global CD on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in January 2010.

DOH records at least 50 firecracker injuries

MANILA, Philippines - More than 50 people have been rushed to hospitals due to firecracker injuries, the Department of Health (DOH) said Saturday.

Dr. Eric Tayag, chief of the DOH's epidemiology center, said a total of 55 cases of firecracker-related injuries have been recorded as of December 26.

"Wala pa namang napuputulan (Fortunately, nobody has been amputated)," Tayag told radio dzMM.

The DOH started its anti-firecracker campaign before December, showing gory pictures of blasted hands and amputated body parts caused by firecrackers.

Tayag said Filipinos should welcome the New Year "silently" to avoid being hurt by firecrackers.

A radio dzMM report, meanwhile, said 2 persons, including a 9-month-old baby have been rushed to the Amang Rodriguez Hospital in Rizal province due to firecracker injuries.

The radio report said Gorcella Bongoy, 23 of Sitio Silangan, Barangay Dela Paz, Antipolo City and 9-month-old baby Perez. of Molave Street, Barangay Parang in Marikina City were rushed to hospital on Friday.

The 2 sustained injuries in the legs and hands after being hit by a "Boga," a bazooka-like cannon, and a firecracker called Piccolo.

The victims have been discharged from the hospital.

Krista leaves for US minus Pacquiao

MANILA, Philippines – Controversial actress Krista Ranillo left Manila for the US on Christmas Eve to spend time with her family.

Ranillo’s grandmother, Gloria Sevilla, and aunt, Suzette Ranillo, accompanied her on the trip last December 24.

The elusive actress declined to be interviewed and rushed to enter the airport terminal.

“Pagbalik na lang, boarding na kasi,” the actress replied to requests for interviews.

On Wednesday, the sexy actress was a no-show at the premiere night of the fantasy film, “Wapakman” with lead star Manny Pacquiao, whom she was rumored to be romantically linked.

Instead, Pacquiao’s wife, Jinkee, was with him during the movie’s premiere night amid reports that she might snub the event.

Krista also did not show up during the 35th Metro Manila Film Festival Philippines’ Parade of Stars, the following day.

“Sanay na kami sa intriga. Sa tanda kong ito, sanay na kami dyan,” Suzette said regarding the rumored affair between her niece and the Pambansang Kamao.

Travel diaries: Batanes as eco-tourism haven

MANILA, Philippines - In the town of Chavayan in Batanes, small stone houses with cogon-thatched roofs line the street in rows.

Some are crumbling, while some are still inhabited, creating a feeling that time stood still hundreds of years ago.

The noontime sun was intense, and old men and children sat lazily on the curbs, swatting flies or sucking on "ice candy."

Walking down the quiet street, searching for a breeze, I spotted an old woman frying up garlic inside one of the houses. She saw me and beckoned for me to enter. Inside, it was noticeably cooler.

She let me linger for a while as I poked around her kitchen. Then she returned to her work.

This could be the Ivatan nature in a nutshell. The locals are friendly and welcoming to tourists, but then they'll go on their way because they always have work to do. If they're not fishing, they're farming. If they're not farming, they're tending to cattle.

And these historic vernacular houses, so adaptive to the climate and practically typhoon-proof, are one of the cornerstones in the local government's plan to market the cultural landscape of Batanes.

Once refurbished and improved with basic amenities, these houses could be opened up to visitors, providing bed-and-breakfast type services. Visitors can also participate in the town's daily activities like planting camote (sweet potato) or bundling up cogon grass.

Not the next Boracay

A simple, revolutionary idea miles away from the usual luxury developments is what Batanes's local government wants for its local tourism plan.

"People always tell me, 'Batanas should be the next Boracay'," Batanes Governor Telesforo Castillejos said. "I have to explain to them plainly, we cannot be Boracay (in Aklan). Why put up a 5-star resort here? It's true that the place is very unique, but the moment we introduce changes, then it's no longer an exciting place to visit."

Batanes has things to offer beyond the usual casinos, malls, or videoke joints--and the government intends to keep it that way.

When Gov. Castillejos came to office in 2007 for his 4th term, he cancelled a plan to lease some o fthe islands and immediately came up with ordinances that prioritized local investors.

"It's an unwritten policy," he explained. "We do not encourage big investors. What the national government is promoting is not something we can cope with."

"We can afford to be slow with growth--our way of living, which has been carried on from past generations, is sustainable. If the big investors succeed, we wake up one day and become second class citizens in our own town," Castillejos said.

Sustainable community

The Ivatan identity is one based on a certain independence and self-sustainability.

As an isolated island, they have never been integrated into the larger market economy. Each landowner traditionally produces his own food for consumption.

Once listed as one of the 20 poorest provinces in the Philippines, Batanes is now in the top 10, with one of the highest Human Development Indez Ratings in the country.

This was reportedly after the national government poured in more funds and called on Prof. Roberto Bastillo as a consultant to the area's development back in 1993.

Bastillo asserts: "Modernization was not the answer. Not industrialization or golf courses or annexation to Taiwan. It's keeping what they have because it's sustainable."

Bastillo, who is the acting tourism officer for Batanes, said it was hard to explain his plan to the officials at first but once they got it, there was a groundswell of support from the community.

Though the concept of conservation has not yet been ingrained in the minds of all the people in Batanes, it is getting there.

The Batanes Eco-Cultural Tourism Industry is launching programs like the Community Stay where Batanes homes will provide rooms for guests, who can live among the Ivatans. It also launched the "Amazing Tour", a competitive race with team challenges that revolve around Ivatan culture and practices.

"Tourists also have a role to play," Bastillo said. "They can hopefully help the people rather than pull them apart, by educating others on the cultural landscape of Batanes--which is often hard to explain--and in turn the Ivatans will be proud of their uniqueness."

World heritage site

Currently, Batanes is on the "tentative list" of world heritage sites documented by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

According to officials in the area, Batanes satisfies the "Outstanding Universal Value" sought by UNESCO's World Heritage Centre.

Batanes has beautiful rolling hills and virgin beaches strewn with heavy boulders that make the province a must-see.

But beyond the cinematic visuals, there are also sustainable farming and fishing systems (they've been organic from the beginning) and deeply rooted cooperative traditions like community building of stone houses and even an "Honesty Cafe" that has no storekeeper.

Batanes, a worthy travel destination, is certainly deserving of preservation.

Beware cheaters: Your lover's spouse can sue you

Atlanta, Georgia (CNN) -- The next time a married man or woman glances your way, you might think twice before acting on impulse and frolicking between satin sheets. The scorned spouse could sue you.

Yes, you read that right. You, the paramour, can get hit with a lawsuit that could cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars.

They're known as "alienation of affection" suits, when an "outsider" interferes in a marriage. The suits are allowed in 7 American states: Hawaii, Illinois, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Dakota and Utah.

The law allowing such legal action dates back to antiquated times when a wife was considered the property of a husband.

A broken-hearted hubby could go after his wife's lover -- not with a gun, but with the law. In modern times, the suits are filed for 2 reasons: money and revenge.

Juries in North Carolina have handed out awards in excess of $1 million on multiple occasions.

Likely to cheat with rich people

"If your spouse is going to cheat, you really would like them to cheat with somebody who has a lot of money," says Lee Rosen, a North Carolina divorce attorney who deals with alienation of affection cases on a daily basis.

And that's why many legal experts are paying close attention to the Tiger woods saga. Will his wife go after an alleged mistress?

Were any of his "transgressions" with someone who is married? If so, the jilted hubby might be able to go after the world's richest golfer.

It doesn't matter that Woods lives in Florida, a state where the suits aren't allowed, legal experts say. If any of Woods' professed "sins" took place in an alienation of affection state, look out.

"If he had been dating a married woman, there could be the potential for a lucrative recovery," Rosen says. "You've got to have a really affluent paramour that makes for a good target."

Settled out of court

The suits rarely make it to trial. Usually, just the threat of such a lawsuit is enough for an out-of-court settlement.

"When folks are getting divorced, the threat of having the person's new boyfriend, girlfriend, husband or wife dragged into court and the dirty laundry aired ... causes enormous pressure," says Matt Steffey, a law professor at Mississippi College School of Law.

The state of Mississippi has been rocked by a high-profile suit, filed this summer, involving everything from allegations of ski resort trysts to a secret journal ordered kept under seal by a judge.

Better yet, it involves a congressman who once co-sponsored legislation for President George W. Bush to declare 2008 the "National Year of the Bible."

The son of a prominent federal judge in Mississippi, Chip Pickering was the rising GOP star of the state -- hand-picked to succeed Trent Lott in the U.S. Senate. Then, everything unraveled.

Pickering decided not to run for re-election in 2008 after 12 years in the House. At the time, he said he wanted to spend more time with his family. He's married with 5 children.

Like a tale from William Faulkner, who penned many a book on Mississippi elite with personal flaws, Pickering's tumble has been staggering.

"Chip Pickering has fallen far faster than the surrender of Vicksburg," Steffey says, referring to a key turning point in the Civil War, when Confederates gave up the Mississippi River town.

The real doozy came July 14, when Leisha Pickering filed the alienation of affection suit against her husband's alleged lover, a socialite named Elizabeth Creekmore-Byrd.

"As a direct and proximate result of the negligent, wrongful and reckless misconduct and behavior of Creekmore-Byrd with Pickering," the suit says, "plaintiff has suffered damage to the affection and consortium with her husband."

Confidential

So hush-hush is the case, lawyers on both sides have reached a confidential agreement to not discuss the case publicly. The suit, in effect, has branded the once-proud congressman with a Scarlet "A."

"He had certainly fallen from the pinnacle of his professional life and his public life, but it had not yet become a public disgrace," Steffey says. "And what this lawsuit did is it turned a fall into a disgrace."

"There's a particular cast of tragedy when people are undone, not by accidental misfortune, but by their own character defects," Steffey added.

Most states have abolished alienation of affection lawsuits. Proponents in the holdout states say the threat of such legal action helps protect the sanctity of marriage.

But, Steffey and Rosen say, alienation of affection suits do just the opposite: They result in already contentious divorces getting even more heated, and they leave behind a public trail of personal shortcomings and wild tales of infidelity.

Lessons learned

"To allow these suits to go forward," Steffey says, "is destructive to family life."

"It's much like dropping a nuclear bomb on a family," Rosen says. "It really does damage the relationship between spouses. If there are children involved, it's devastating for them."

It would require legislative action for states to change the law. And anyone who tries that in a conservative state could get painted as a pro-divorce lawmaker who holds cheaters less accountable.

"It's a very delicate matter legislatively," Steffey says. And as long as the law remains on the books, Rosen says, he'll keep busy: "We have an obligation to pursue our clients' rights."

There is one way to avoid such suits: Respect marital vows.

Pacquiao opens novelty shop in Manila

MANILA, Philippines - Boxing champion Manny Pacquiao opened a souvenier shop offering branded "Team Pacquiao" items in Manila on Tuesday.

Pacquiao, along with his wife Jinkee and his entourage, were greeted by swarms of fans at the Robinson's Mall in Ermita, where the "Team Pacquiao" shop was opened.

The shop sells Manny Pacquiao t-shirts (including Nike branded tees), jackets, boxing gloves, shorts, shoes and trinkets that were reportedly handpicked by Jinkee Pacquiao.

The store's opening came barely 2 months after the Pacquiaos opened a "Team Pacquiao" souvenier shop at the Robinson's Place Mall in General Santos City (GenSan), which is Manny's hometown.

The store also offers a selection of signature Manny Pacquiao clothes and accessories.

Each store carries a distinct "Team Pacquiao" logo on the storefront with a scrawled signature bearing the words "By: Manny Pacquiao" below.

Business acumen

This is not the Pacquiao couple's only foray into business, as the pair have opened a boutique and a chain of coffee shops in GenSan. (Read about Manny Pacquiao's many investments here)

Jinkee opened her boutique in August this year called "Jinkee's Fashion World" at the JMP Building along Osmeña Street in GenSan.

The high-class boutique, which has a large framed picture of Jinkee near the store counter, sells earrings, blouses, designer printed bags, watches, hair accessories and wallets.

The glass-paneled, green-walled boutique also carries Manny Pacquiao merchandise like jackets, round-necked t-shirts, and ceramic mugs or plastic tumblers with the trademark "Nike Pacquiao Identity Crest" bearing the boxer's initials.

The Pacquiao couple also opened franchises of BluGre Coffee, Davao's leading specialty coffee shop chain, in GenSan.

One of the coffee shops was opened at the JMP Building and another at the Robinson's Place Mall.

Aside from tending to their blossoming businesses, the Pacquiao couple are also busy preparing for Manny Pacquiao's birthday celebration on December 17

Skin filler treatment arrives in RP--and it's not botox

MANILA - All women dream of having a beautiful face and smoother skin, but are afraid to undergo cosmetic surgery.

Thankfully, a non-invasive, non-surgical and non-permanent alternative beauty treatment was developed-- and is tagged as the safe and natural way to beauty.

Restylane, a dermal filler originally from Sweden, was developed as a treatment to smoothen skin for around half a year.

The treament's active component is called NASHA or non-animal stabilized hyaluronic acid. The material is commonly used for augmentation procedures.

NASHA are the same polysaccharides present in the human body that give volume to skin; shape to the eyes; reduces lines, folds and wrinkles; and creates fuller lips and elasticity to the joints.

This is injected into the body and through the process of isovolemic degradation, NASHA is broken down in the body. The compound progressively binds with water to maintain its effect.

When injected into the skin, it temporarily gives it a smooth appearance. Through NASHA injections, women could reportedly have the lips they'd been longing for or have their eyebags disappear.

It is reported to be long-lasting and safe. According to the company's official website, the injection pain is tolerable.

Procedure know-how

Jean Capistrano, Division Head of Q-Med, the official Philippine Distributor of Restylane, all the procedures for the enhancement are done in less than 2 hours.

Aside from the fact that the processes are all non-surgical, Capistrano said that offers an "immediate effect and a visible results that can last from 6 to 12 months." Restylane must be injected by a trained medical professional.

“Unlike surgery, Restylane, being non invasive and temporary, offers users the power to take control of their looks... [Restylane] is absorbed by the body over time with no risk of disfiguration," said Dr. Gary Bunagan, an Oculoplastic surgeon (a surgeon who deals with the eye area).

"This makes Restylane 100% safe and natural,” Bunagan said at the product's recent launch at Green Hills in San Juan.

“(The) products are ‘tissue tailored’ to ensure the appropriate dose and consistency for each specific treatment. This means versatility in treatments and cost since there is less injection volume needed per tissue layer,” he said.

Treatments reportedly cost from $425 to $525 (P19,554 to P24,155), according to various internet sources.

Though low-risk, some side effects of the treatment include bruising, redness of the skin, swelling, pain, tenderness and itching. Those who have severe allergies are discouraged from using the product.

Can sex cause amnesia?

It was either mind-blowing or completely forgettable. Either way, Alice doesn't remember.

One August morning, Alice and her husband, Scott, had sex. That's when things became confusing. Rather than appearing pleased, Alice, 59, seemed disoriented.

As they lay in bed, Scott (the couple asked that their last name not be used) flicked on the television, which was showing the Olympics. This perplexed Alice.

"Is there an Olympics?" she asked. This was during the Michael Phelps mania, when the swimmer seemed to be everywhere.

"Are you sure there is an Olympics?" Alice asked again.

Scott recalled, "I saw that something was wrong, so I asked her, 'OK what day is it?'"

Alice appeared even more perplexed. "Who's our president?" he quizzed. "Bill Clinton," she answered.

This was 2008.

Major trigger

Scott darted out of bed and called 911. The paramedics suspected a stroke and rushed the befuddled Alice to the emergency room.

For decades, doctors described cases of a rare neurological condition that usually occurred in patients over age 50.

Neurologists noted that patients knew their identities, but couldn't retain recent memory, where they were and how they got there. They showed no other symptoms.

Sex is one of the major triggers for the baffling medical condition called transient global amnesia in which patients lose their ability to retain immediate memory.

TGA usually occurs after the person engages in strenuous activity -- such as having sex, vigorously exercising, suddenly immersing into icy or hot water, straining to dig a stuck car or even bumping the head.

"The unifying thing about each of them is they produce a sudden and significant change in blood flow," said Dr. Louis Caplan, professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School.

Alice arrived at the hospital around 8 a.m. in seemingly perfect health. As medical staff poked and prodded, Alice cheerfully peppered them and her husband with questions.

Confusion

"Where am I?" she asked. "You're in the ER," Scott answered.

"How did I get here?"

"The ambulance brought you here," he replied.

"Wow." Alice paused for about 10 minutes, observing the hubbub at the hospital before she repeated her initial questions.

At some point, she started asking different ones.

"What was I doing before this? How did I wind up here?" she inquired. Scott told her.

"So we were..."

"Yeah," Scott answered.

"Then this happened?"

"Yeah."

"Let me get this straight. We had sex. I wind up in the hospital and I can't remember anything?" Alice said.

There was a slight pause. "You owe me a 30-carat diamond!" Alice quipped, laughing.

Within minutes, she repeated the same questions in order, delivering the punch line in the exact tone and inflection. It was always a 30-carat diamond.

'Scary as hell'

"It was like a script or a tape," Scott said. "On the one hand, it was very funny. We were hysterical. It was scary as all hell."

While doctors tried to determine what ailed Alice, Scott and other grim-faced relatives and friends gathered at the hospital.

Surrounded by anxious loved ones, Alice blithely cracked jokes (the same ones) for hours.

"Let me get this straight," Alice said to her husband. "We had sex. I wind up in the hospital and I can't remember anything? Was it good for you? 'Cuz it wasn't good for me because I couldn't remember anything."

"That's the closest I came in my life to being hysterical," Scott said. "You're literally laughing and crying at the same time."

Hours later, the doctors made the diagnosis. And figured out the cause.

"This is actually a well-known precipitator. One of the things people have done to look at transient global amnesia is to look at frequency of various precipitants and sex always comes out as one of the most common," said Caplan, a leading stroke expert at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts, who was not associated with Alice's care.

Likelihood for syndrome

"It usually is after climax that it develops," he said about its onset. Patients who have a history of migraines and headaches are more likely to get TGA as some people report getting terrible head pains related to orgasms, called coital headaches.

"I remember the previous night going to sleep with a subtle headache and not taking anything for it," Alice recalled. "And apparently, the next morning, my husband and I had intercourse. From what I found out, there was an orgasm."

In 1999, Johns Hopkins University doctors described two patients in their 70s who suffered TGA after having sex.

In these cases, the act of "bearing down" -- which occurs when people move their bowels, give birth or have sex -- created pressure in the brain's blood vessels, resulting in temporary lack of blood flow that caused amnesia, according to the study published in The Lancet.

Levitra, which is a pill for erectile dysfunction, lists TGA as a possible adverse reaction.

Caplan likened the hippocampus, which is responsible for short-term memory in the brain, to a tape recorder. If blood flow to the brain gets restricted, the hippocampus cannot record new memory.

"The hippocampus is responsible for initially recording the information so you can play it back," he said. "So if it's not working, you won't get the information."

Can be recurrent

TGA usually occurs once, but in some cases, it could become recurrent.

Studies that took advanced brain imaging of patients experiencing TGA showed abnormalities in the cerebral arteries in the left hippocampus of some, Caplan said.

"It's not enough of a stimulus or deprivation that it permanently injures the brain. The brain recovers," he said. "There should be no deficit other than memory and it should be brief."

As the day progressed, Alice's repetitive questions came every 10 minutes, every 15, then 30, until she regained her immediate memory.

Around 2:30 p.m. that day, Alice remembers sitting on a hospital bed and seeing her husband looking upset.

Although Alice recovered fully, she still cannot remember what happened that morning. The last thing she remembered was going to bed the night before with a slight pain in the right, rear area of her head.

"I was lucky because nothing bad came of it," said Alice, now 60. "I wasn't frightened. My husband and family were frightened. I was totally out to lunch."

One consequence from the amnesia was that it provided her two grown children with too much information about their parents' sex life.

A year after her episode, Alice said the amnesia had not deterred her sex life, but she avoids having intercourse when she has a headache. She tells her husband, "So sorry, you can wait."

And Alice has yet to receive a 30-carat diamond for all her troubles.