FIRE-CRACKERS; BAD LUCK; GOOD LUCK for 2010

For about 43 years of keenly observing the culture of exploding fire-crackers, I have only seen one very clear result. This is bad luck. The explosive practice have indeed turned into a culture not only in developing countries, but also in highly developed economies. May as it does, it is one way of population control. Moreover, the proponents of climate changes could have overlooked the fraction of pollutants firecrackers contribute to the very dirty air we breathe these days. Anyways, my friends in the medical profession are very glad many do not listen. At least they have a good future in terms of medical clients. After all, subjects who get affected with explosions and pollutants are their business. It is good luck for them.

ORCHID EMBRYO CULTURE

One of the fastest way to increase the number of orchid plants is through embryo culture. A single orchid pod or fruit contains a minimum of 4 to 10 million embryos. If one intends to market and earn the same in 6 months time, the probability is 99% given the simple tools.

A simple kitchen can be turned into a simple embryo culture laboratory with the use of some improvise tools to produce thousands of seedlings from a single orchid embryo pod. Any variety of orchid may be propagated through the process. Interested enthusiast can chat with me at botanist_51@yahoo.com for more details.

GLOBAL WARMING/ENVIRONMENTAL DESTRUCTION: SOLAR POWER

Global warming and environmental destruction is unstoppably on the rise. The major causes of these are the extensive utilization of fossil fuels which includes crude oil and natural gas from the 19th century to the current era to support war, intensified manufacturing technologies, and intensified utilization of transport systems. Extensive mining of crude oil and natural gas not only brings about toxic emissions of by-products. The intensity of mining also leaves a huge impact on the emptied underground spaces resulting to earthquakes of tectonic origins.

Perhaps, it is time for the elite think-tanks to consider massive utilization of solar cells to harness solar energy and power all possible activities that require it before all the mountains in the world will crumble down and human existence is no longer possible.

NEUTRALITY

Sometimes it is easy to advocate the principle of neutrality, but, often practicing the same seems living beyond reality.

INSURANCE: SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM

Social Security Insurance from my perspective has definitely some advantages to offer especially in terms of redistribution of wealth. But, the disadvantaged contributors are rather dragged down to the lower edged of economic standing, eventually creating more people within or below poverty line than elevating living status. For example, majority of the national population are blue collar workers that earn only minimum wage per day. This minimum wage is not equitable to expenditures of a family of three. The social security insurance takes away a certain percentage from it, usually equivalent to 1 and 1/2 sack of rice per month from a family bread winner who does not even purchase half a sack of rice regularly, but, buys per kilo of rice for a day or two family consumption. To compensate for the lost part of the earning, the minimum wage earner scrambles finances with creditors in a struggle to cope with the basic family needs.

Where does the insurance contribution of the poor wage earner goes? The bulk of it goes to the salaries of employees sitting in aircondition rooms of the insurance system, representation allowances in conferences, or to construct roads and bridges for the brand new cars and limousines, while the poor contributor and his family settles along a shanty in a river bank. The moment he wants to get a portion of his own money, the poor contributor is told that he should borrow or make a loan. Pay processing charges, interest charges, and penalties. The rich and the poor who conceded to the disadvantageous concept winded up in an embarrased position when calamities hit them unguarded.

Social security insurance perhaps should be made optional especially for the poor. Foundations that are generating large revenues and not paying income tax, as well as religious schools that too are non-tax payers should cover the social insurance responsibilities to balance the financial equation of the economy. In fact, the volume of family earnings in the Philippine setting goes into religious schools, yet, the schools do not contribute anything in the redistribution of weath in terms of cold cash. This is also one of the biggest loophole that must be addressed rather than picking up from the very shallow pockets of people who struggles to survive. Insurance then should serve as a social security rather than an instrument to further the difficulties of the already underprivileged portion of society.

REMARKABLE PHOTOS

The unusual series of images were taken on October 13, 2009 as the sun is about to set at the Western side of Dasmarinas, Cavite, Philippines. These are all unedited versions and seems to reveal something phenomenal.

There seems to be a silhouette of a Mosque or White building? there are no such things in the area in reality!

FINANCE: SIGNS OF ECONOMIC TURN AROUND ?

For over a month now, I have been reading news online about some people echoing signs of economic turn-around. I was just wondering where they got the concrete figures. Personally, economic turn around would mean that my debtors can pay me the little amounts they owe. Since June 2009, I would say financial meltdown has just started biting the hemlines of business. There have not been a lift as yet along the corridors of debts and interest that are bundling higher and higher. I should say, when the prevailing interest in the market goes back down to about 2%, it is only then, that fairly I could say the economy is picking up.

Apparently, some people must have mistaken the ease with which fund raisers for donations to the beggars have been realized in great figures. But this is not economic turn-around. Purchases and income from such funds are ephemeral. What is more of a grounder would be the ability of people to pay debts and make the balance sheet liquid and solvent. In simple terms, if people can not pay their debts and what they earn is not even enough for the very basic need which is food, there is simply no such thing as economic turn-around.

From another point of view which I have read sometime ago, the advocate and author supposed that given a chance to invest, one should do so instead of spending the money to settle accounts. But, while this idea too is ephemeral, it will create chains of insolvencies which will rather dampen any attempts of ressurecting the financial capabilities of an economy. A single persons practice of the principle could endanger a whole lot of economic zone. Sensibly, when no one complains of non-payments and solvency can be gleaned from a financial statement and balance sheet, then, economic turn-around is surely taking place.

HONEY

One of the best honey I have tasted was from Israel. Honey is actually a collection of the so called nectares of the flowers. The bees that collect the nectares deposits the same with some saliva in individual waxy cells in their hives. The nectares are a mixture of compounds rich in carbohydrates. The salivary amylase of the bees slowly breaks down the carbohydrates into disaccharides or sugars in the cells. Turning it into honey which is a yelowish fluid consistency makes the substance ready as a source of food for a developing embryo. Honey is usually best harvested right before three fourths of the cells are sealed up with developing embryos.

HOW TO AVOID CALAMITIES

Numberless generations have lived on earth. Numberless ideas have been written. By this 21st century, it is unthinkable that only with difficulty does men find ways and means to avoid calamities.

In the country, many areas have been observed to be regularly revisited by great misfortunes. A closer study would reveal that the people in these identified areas are known to persist in idolatry and pagan practices. In other words, people were limited to worldly or human perspectives. Thus, they were not able to commune with nature. Failure to understand the rule of nature would certainly mean misfortunes in living. To avoid calamities, live in an area that is clean, not noisy from human activities, no pagan practices, and where nature is allowed to prosper with very minimal human iterference.

HOMELESSNESS

For two consecutive weeks now, the pictures of an ever increasing homeless people in several countries in the globe permeates the broadcast media. These are in addition to the pre-existing multitude of homeless people in the Philippines, Indonesia, India, Italy, United States. Several reasons were associated with their homelessness. Typhoons, storms, hurricanes, and flooding were the most common destructive factors. But, overall, from the material perspective, I could surmise that the bottomline is knowledge, and next is cost.

Knowing where to erect an abode is number one. Number two is personal management over construction. There are no better architects to a house construction than the family who will occupy the house. If one looks closely at those homes damaged by natural calamities, the vast majority of them were constructed by outsiders or people who does not live in the area long enough. They have mostly no idea of the persisting ecological conditions of the zone. Innovations are more often damaging.

Most costly subdividions does not guarantee anything more than settlements that would run into a gamut of ecological embalances. Besides expenditures on highly expensive materials, denuding most natural resources is another, and sewerage will usually falter in a very short span of time with increased population.

My uncle and aunt live nearby the pier where they worked for a shipping company since they got married. Their house is on the surface of the water. They bore six children in the area. Often when we visit them, we asked if they were not scared of the water surge and strong winds. But, they just smiled and said that, together with the thousands of dwellers, they are used to their lifestyle. When the children had their own jobs after finishing school, one son got a housing unit in a subdividion. Some members of the family excitedly relocated. They seemed to adore just everything about their new surroundings living on land. But, one day, there was a heavy rainfall that caused landslides and heavy flooding. At the blink of an eye, most of the homes perished together with some dwellers.

MANAGEMENT

Long before men were created, the earth has been filled with various kinds of natural supplies that God thought would be useful for mankind. God even taught mankind how to utilized things. But, most people today seemed to be short of almost everything to survive. Is this a curse, dullness, or the case commonly called ignorance to real life management. Maybe, they do not really know much about it.

I became interested in the concept called management from the first time that I heared people saying 'tighten your belts, these are difficult times'. This was said every year until last year with the global meltdown. While to squander is wasting, thrift to the extent of greed is worst. And it seems that these are the only two core management concepts that have become manifest in worldly operations. With these, I could only forsee a nightmarish future.

One of the most beautiful story told about the lesson of correct management is in the New Testament of the Catholic Bible. Jesus the son of Mary narrated the story of the vineyard owner and the workers. There was nothing taught about social security system, nor healtcare, not even housing insurance. But, I wonder how could national leaders who are Catholics or who profess to follow Jesus Christ as Christians persists on obligatory and mandatory salary deductions for social security and healthcare and housing insurance. Is this why Jesus said in Mark 5:27-29, "how can you say you follow me, when you do not even obey Moses".

Another story, but quite scary are those in the Qur'an. Allah revealed the consequences of depravity of honestly earned substance. It is equally amazing that when the owner of the money borrows from what has been forcedly saved, the borrower of his own money is charge of interest, penaltis, fines, processing fee. An overtly erroneous management system that any volvanoes on the islands would like to spit out!

DISGRACE IN MISFORTUNE

Silently, I was watching the rampage of wind, water, and garbage all around the areas that had been hit by the series of storms as broadcasted on the television. There was also the earthquake, tsunami, and flooding. People who were affected were really pitiful. But then, I came back to my senses and wondered what could have gone wrong? Devastation was massive.

Right after the storm, thousands of people found themselves homeless. Many were reported dead. Rescue and relief operations were conducted. What was amazing was that most people who survived the calamity refused to leave the area. As days went by, with garbage left strewn around, the victims never cared to put them together and dispose the same properly. They waited for others to do the work for them. Many who were in the temporary shelter and those in their flooded homes were asked how they disposed off their human waste, they said they wee in a cellophane, tied the same after and throw it to float on the water.

When relief goods were delivered, almost everyone just showed their nature. If donors were so eager and selfless to give and share, the recipients appeared to be just embarassingly the opposite. Besides being very noisy, many complained they did not recieved their share. Not one of the recipients volunteered to share to a neighbor what they got. Many more got hurt as they scampered to get goods. The misfortune could have been caused by these disgraceful attitudes. It is indeed a pity, I have not seen one with refine manners or simply what most people call cultured in the midst of difficulties.

NATURAL DISASTERS

When a natural disaster begins to hit any surface of the earth like the one that started with a storm that striked areas in the Philippines, it will usually be in a series. 1) The storm Ondoy first landed on areas in the National Capital region of Luzon. It brought damages into lives and properties. The storm pursued a route into 2) Vietnam and Cambodia as it continues its earthly rampages. Then came the 3) earthquake with tsunami in Samoa and 4) American Samoa. Next was the earthquake in 5) Padanga, Indonesia. This is long before the 6) next typhoon shot coming down code named Peping. There is one more 7) low pressure after this as reported by the weather bureau.

In the Qur'an chapter 69, Allah said 7 nights and 8 days. . .

GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS CONTROL

Naturally, the atmosphere contains molecules that are capable of absorbing infrared heat from the sun. These molecules have been identified as water, Carbon dioxide, Methane, and chlorofluorocarbons. Normally, these molecules ability to absorb infrared keeps the atmospheric temperature at normal warm levels. Thus, an increase in the levels of these molecules would result to higher atmospheric temperature. Obviously, a lowering of the level of these gas molecules would mean lower atmospheric temperature.


The most abundant gas molecules in the atmosphere that is responsible for trapping infrared light are the water molecules. It is common knowledge that about 70 % of the earth is made up of water. For this reason, water that drops off on the surface of the land from rain, hail, or snow must be allowed to seep back into the soil and find its natural setting on the ground or under the ground. Most soil can hold large amount of water only in the presence of trees. This is because trees need large amounts of water to grow and develop. In the absence of trees, water cycle would be very fast, thus, water molecules will easily find its way back to the atmosphere causing increased heat absorbing bodies resulting to greenhouse effect.


There are also numberless human activities that contribute to intensified water cycle. In the past, garbage is buried under the soil. The reasons for these are to allow the natural degradation of waste, to allow seepage of water and other elements back underground and to avoid production of methane gasses on the surface of the land.


Considering the number of people on the surface of the earth today, one can imagine the volume of urine and fecal materials that are improperly disposed, releasing its water and some other content to the atmosphere instead of burying it under the soil; hastening and enhancing the level of water in the air. Apart from these, the current practice of approximately the majority of human population is to bury the dead right above the surface of the earth in concrete enclosures. In this way, water from the body of the dead is allowed to transform into gaseous form and escape to the atmosphere in the shortest span of time. Another worst human practice these days is what they call incineration or cremation of human cadavers releasing to the atmosphere all of the water content from the human cadaver. In fact, this is one of the speediest methods of turning liquid water into vapor. Greenhouse gas emission control therefore means zero down these dispensable human activities.

HOUSING ECONOMICS

One Economics concept that everyone should be taught is the economics of owning a house and a land. Most experts in the field of economics consider owning a house and land as an investment. It is set apart from consumption expenditures. But, most people who went into the purchase of house and land did not realized this very basic truth. They purchase an investment on a loan, whether short-term or long-term, believing that to have a house of their own means convenience of living. The normal result is that most people suffer foreclosures in the event that they can not pay for several months their mothly premiums, which is inconvenience.

Unlike consumption goods, an investment should be done from out of savings. In case there are no savings, any attempts on purchase of house and land on loans should not be done. Frequently however, people take chances. Housing developers also take chances. But, globally, it has been proven that the attempt does not hold water. In simple terms, those who intend to own a house and land of their own should start with the self-discipline of saving for the project.

AUSTRALIA BOUND

Two of my best friends will be going to Australia soon. For sometime they told me that they were attracted to the opportunities that are open for many who got the enthusiasm to work and live in the country. One of them has already a relative living and working happily in Australia. The other is going to see for herself what is in store for her after she decides to pick the area as her future working country and residence. The two made their travel papers processing faster and easier with a reliable agent. Here is one whose portrait appears above.

One friend will be leaving on December 2009 as she already got her visa last week. The other will be going early next year because of a new business which he has to do some monitoring for few more months. My friends said they are keyed up for the hop.

RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION

This photo below shows how an RFID looks like inside its protective cap. Some quarters I have heared was questioning the warranty. You can only destroy an RFID if you place it inside a microwave oven. So your problem is not the warranty, but that you can be monitored wherever you are. No amount of water can destroy it. I have done a good experiment on the suseptibility of RFIDs'.

Active RFID's are to be sold to drivers of public utility vehicles in the Philippines for about US$80. What an excellent bussiness market! The last time I browsed the net, a piece will only cost about US$20 for special, tailored to fit RFID's. How much could have been the cost of transporting not even a gram by weight from the United States to the Philippines, that the unit cost can only be had 4x more expensive? Besides, is not it that with volume purchase, suppliers usually give discounts?

For drivers who are not aware of what an RFID looks like, I suggest you borrow one book from the saleslady of a big bookstore and ask the lady to show you a passive RFID. The active RFID is very similar to it. You do not buy the reader for the RFID. So, it will not cost you US$80 per piece.

HIS EXCELLENCY's RESPONSE

His excellency, the President B. Obama in a speech posted online yesterday said that "people must not expect America to do everything". It seems that the president is now feeling the burden of the yoke. But, it seems also that this is more likely the prize of having a hand on almost anything on the surface of the earth.... For example, It is well-known that William Bill Gates is the richest man on the surface of the earth. In other words, the bulk of wealth is with him. And majority of the wealthy are in America. So . . .

WHAT IS CULTURE

Culture is the sum of all knowledge that people have internalized and live by. Until when people are subjected by circumstances to another set of knowledge, and people are still capable of absorption, then, there is such a thing as variation and development. For example, The most common culture that most people in the 19th century have begun to appreciate is formal education in formal settings. People attend school from graders to college education. They eventually earn academic baccalaureate degree after completion of a set of subject taken and passed. Now, this does not mean that people do away with what was learned before schooling. People have added and improved from that scale. The outcome is developed personality according to the current societal standards that mostly find employment in the service sectors of some societies.

In contrast, there are people who do not ride with the currents of time. They may have found a satisfactory niche under the heat of the sun. So, their culture is largely based on interactions outside of the formal education settings. They call it real world. For example, my friend neighbor barely finished grade two. She can not read well but, she was good at earning. So, she grew rich and never thought about going to school. Some of her children though, finished post graduate studies, but never got rich as she was. Some of her grandchildren adopted her strategy. Entrepreneurs in their own way. This is how values can also be inculcated and become a culture among some sectors of a society

SOARING MEDIA HYPE, MODERN TECHNOLOGY, BUT, GLOBAL MELTDOWN?

Sometimes it is not so easy to see the logic between intensified and modernized media technology and global recession. Where is the loophole that seems to have muddled the economy? Or is it correct to say that media is helping boost the economy? Advertisers’ pay a good sum for their products to be known in the market and gain attractions for patrons through the many forums that media offers.


One forum is the television. Another is the radio. There are also a host of magazines, tabloids, and journals in the market. And the most well-known, to be the most visited forum is the internet. For this reason, have the promoters really made the link to their target audience?


They way I assess it, they have not. Thus, promoters or advertisers who are themselves the producers, owners and stockholders have seemingly created their own bubbles of stocks, company payrolls, etc. After all, they have imagined they have captured the market share considering the amount of publicity they are getting which apparently is illusory.


In many supermarkets where I have recently visited, I have noticed bookstores with volumes of unsold written materials despite the large discounts offered. In the libraries where I visited, I wondered why most written documents have just turned into artifacts. From my perspective, I thought who would want to read a paper just like the many I have around when the headline says “The world is beginning to doubt”, “The land of the free and liberty” with a “No Smoking” sign, “What war would look like”, “Justice delayed”, “Farmers dumping milk”, “Car bomber”, etc.


Some of my students who came around told me that they prefer cartoons and play games on the net, or watch just any funny movies around. Lately, because of the influence of computer games, internet cafes that cater mostly to online games are not allowed nearby schools. In the market where abundance of people shopping are busy digging just at anything, very few if ever there were, who bothered to look at the television screen playing some sort of supposedly attractive video commercials.


On the contrary, the middle-age and the old age do not like to listen or read or view about so many negative and gloomy events. Apparently, the real worlds of consumers have not been cornered by the real world of the media whom producers have banked on as a medium that could ferry in the customers.

WHAT IS TERM PAPER

Term paper is sometimes called a library paper. It is a research paper. It is a formal written report of another study or a new study on an earlier investigation. This is why it is called a re-search or search again or repeat of the study report. It is not therefore necessarily a search report. Almost every aspect of an earlier study may be repeated except for the review of literature. Sometimes, the findings may be similar. As a result, the conclusion will also be similar. In this case, the research proved the earlier search findings to be true.


Not every research carries a title in the form of a question. But, every research is an attempt to answer questions. In order to do this, one who has been given a task to do research must conduct an investigation, or exploration, or experiment, or a survey, or an interview, or read original publications. One may also decide to gather published data. Prior to this however, one must begin to outline a method of conducting the research with a corresponding schedule and timeline.


After the investigatory process is done and all the findings are properly journalized or recorded, then one may proceed in writing the final report. Often the format is specified by the one who requested that the study will be conducted. The writing system can be APA, MLA, Harvard, Chicago etc.

WHAT IS FAMILY

Family is a group of people whose genes can be traced to a tree of relationships. Normally, a family starts with a father and the mother as the first generation. Then the children are the second generation. The grand-children are the third generation. And, the great-grandchildren are the fourth generation. The children that are the products of these four generations can not intermarry. Marriage among them may result to genetic degeneration or abnormalities. So, it is very important to have a record of the members of family tree.

In trials and in celebrations, the family members usually support each other. In argumentations and debates or in disputations, the family members always cross-over at certain points.

SUBSCRIBER IDENTITY MODULE

I was wondering why many people at the underpass were so eager at buying old sim cards. I began to become curious. So, when I arrive home, I got my old sim card and tried to see what could be in it that makes it so interesting at the buy and sell market very near the area where jewelers abound. I noticed something like a gold in it. I tried to tarnish it with some acids, it did not fade. Presto, it is this little amount of metal which they must be after. But, most people I know, even I have discarded out plenty already! OMG!

BACK TO SCHOOL TIME

It is back to school time again in the West. These are mostly exciting days for my nephew and niece. When summer was almost over, they were already getting their stuffs together for the days in school ahead. They had always looked forward to going back to school again. Largely because once more they will be with their classmates and friends. It seems that beeing with peers makes their days full of glee and events that they can not have anywhere else. But, there seems to be also some who abhors school. They consider school time as their nightmare. This could have something to do with sad experiences in their past. Nonetheless, shool time should always be an occassion to look forward to especially among the growing and still developing age groups of people. Here is one creative and fun to use software. A perfect gift for a brainy child.

NBA STARS in ASIA

Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Tim Hardaway, Vlade Divac of Lakers, Dominique Wilkins and Robert Horry of Houston Rockets and Lakers came to the Philippines with the New Jersey Nets Dunking Divas. They participated in the September 1, 2009 East Asia exhibition games. So, they played against the Philippine Basketball Association stars. But, Kobe Bryant was here ahead of the group, a month ago, although his visit was for his Asean charity. Indeed, the love for basketball is topmost among the Filipinos despite their limitation in height.