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.

WHY DO BANKS FAIL?

Why do banks fail? This was the question ask by many of my friends yesterday. I said, let me ask you one question. Why did you deposit your money in the bank? They said because when we have the money in our bags we feel always spending it away. Money is always hot in the hands. So I said, you have just answered your own question. Because, if you can not trust yourself handling your own money, then, the probability that you make wrong choices on whom to entrust your cash is very high. In parting I said, the banks failed because the depositors also failed in the test for self-trust.

LAKE

I had the opportunity visiting this supposedly beautiful lake way back in 1979. It was then teeming with natural fresh water life. Water height was just perfect for regular movement out-stream to a nearby falls bringing water down the river which supported abundant fresh water creatures. My group of visitors had the chance to taste the delicious fish caught from the lake. But, narrowly did the lively lake persist to exist. By just looking at the image, one would wonder how long more the lake will be able to sustain life. The water level has gone down too low. The lake is teeming now with fish cages, overloading the capacity of the body of water to support healthy living. Lake Sebu might be gone forever in short time if practices in its utilization will not be improved.

DAVID AND GOLIATH

Men and women of wisdom will always remember the story of David and Goliath. David was a very small guy. He was just like a speck of dust in the eyes of Goliath. Goliath was a giant. He was very powerful according to his own knowledge. But, he lacks wisdom. With a single stone from David's sling-shot, he was dead.
It is also well to remember that a log can not cause an eye sore, but, a single dust that enters the eye may even cause the loss of vision. Plus, anyone who have soared too high and became very heavy, will always one day fall on the surface, broken, damaged, and with all kinds of blames. So, better are the meek and the humble, and those who do their thing with grace and care.

MY FAVORITE THINGS

I just remembered what influenced me much on being assertive. I have watched the movie many times in the past. And I still love watching them today.



There is nothing wrong with assertion. But, some discipline is worthwhile.

THE SOUND OF MUSIC

I saw this movie in the 60's, and I was really amazed at the beauty of Salzburg, a town in Austria. It is just one lovely environ to be around.



Julie Andrews voice is just as lovely as the location of the film.
It would be a wonderful experience to be right there in the very same spot in Austria for the holidays.

OUTERSPACE

Tariq Malik, the managing editor of space.com. on September 5, 2009 reported on news at yahoo that the ‘Discovery’ pilot Kevin Ford commented on the smell of the outer space. Astronauts like Kevin Ford could have known better. They have this huge sky laboratory, where hundreds of people of different nationalities visit, worked, eat, pee, and wee. These are only in addition to fuel emissions and human emissions in an area where the movement of molecules are not as much as those within the earth’s atmosphere. If there is one place then that most of the young people do not intend to visit, it must be that place which I now imagine to smell like a graveyard. What more can we look forward to better, than paying the prize for modernization.

SELF-ESTEEM CLUE

The style with which people respond to constructive criticism is the precise clue to the intensity of their self-esteem. This is a clear-cut index to their family, education, and social upbringing. This is concrete evidence that people are anchored at the feeling of scantiness at whatever, that at the slightest stroke of a censure, they are wiped out to their feet. This could be because people tend to cart along near to the ground baggage of ideas from their past. Scorn from their parents, derision from siblings, mockery from classmates, scoff from teachers, and sneer from estranged friends. Is there a way to get over it?

GOD GIVEN GIFTS

Modesty aside, I used to say, I am blessed. Indeed God is true to His promises to those who strive to be obedient and live humble lives. Humility, perseverance, and frugality continue to be practiced in the family. In the farm which is our inheritance from grand dad and grand ma, everything is very simple. When we have to stay up late in the night, we have to kindle a kerosene lamp. If we need water, we go to the well. If we like to eat seafoods, we go and catch some from the fishpond or from the coral reefs at the beach front. If we like to eat some fruits, we climb trees for fresh young coconut juice or meat if not mangoes, and a line of many other fruit trees in season. Seldom do we buy coffee, sugar, and cocoa. Some trees were planted to give us enough supply the whole year round. We also planted some organics for the table. Others said, how crude. But, when we are bored with city life we have somewhere to go and enjoy the simple life, simple needs, and simple living, afforded me and my family. Which is also our oun way of appreciating the God given gifts through our grand parents Sixto and Juanita.

GLUTTONY

Some people say it is just hormonal. They do not really eat that much! Maybe they have not the wisdom to reason that much! Some also say, ‘eat drink and be merry, anyway tomorrow you will die’. It is the same as some advocates say, you have got to be greedy and become rich and stable while alive. But, I do not listen to the astutes’. Bottom line is, frugality and prudence are two of the critical virtues that are set as scales for a productive life. Modesty and ignoring the slip of others for their ignorance are another of the desirable qualities that are ordained by God. Hence, in many times that I have sat beside a glutton, deal with a glutton, read the book of a glutton, or read the message of a glutton, I just say to myself, I wish, I wish, I wish . . . in the remaining years of their life they too will love themselves as they were designed.