GLOBAL WARMING SKEPTICS GAINING SUPPORT FROM 400

Somehow, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in its recent conference in Bali, Indonesia, had accomplished two things: the nod of the U.S. representatives to join in the campaign for a reduction of carbon dioxide emission; and the preparation of the roadmap for the next conference in Warsaw next year and in Copenhagen in 2009. But still hardly any commitment from the participating countries to reduce carbon emission was obtained. And the lingering doubts on the issue of carbon emission as to cause global warming remain hovering in the minds of men and women of IPCC that it is not only for the value of commerce they will have to act, but in consideration of the desire of the people to live in peace not with fear of impending catastrophes. And to make the issues more lively so that we will be more enlightened and guided on the direction we have to choose, we suggest to invite people who are more knowledgeable on climate change. Not only the 50 scientists involved with IPCC whose identities remained hidden for public scrutiny but also the 400 scientists with unquestioned credibilities, who now openly aired their views, and whose identities remained open in the internet; should be considered for the purpose of transfarency. These men of science are now engaging the services of representatives who can directly call the attention of IPCC to correct the disturbing maladies. We have all the time at our disposal compared to the million of years natures are gradually developing changes in our environment and we should not be obliged to act abruptly. Only the people with hidden agenda are forcing their will hurriedly for us to swallow the line and sinker. In line with these developments and to add more color unconfined to these intramurals, it is suggested to encourage more debates to bring into open all cloudy issues of climate change. It is quite exciting to pair off people with deep contrasting views or belief with the laws of nature. Let us try to consider the following: 1) Pairing Al Gore with Bjoern Lomborg. Gore is a former U.S. Vice President and profusely campaigning for reduction of carbon emission and carbon trading while Lomborg is a Danish Statistician and considered the world’s leading skeptic of global warming. Both are directly or indirectly avoiding head-on confrontation on the issue or coincidence that they do not met in one venue of the same event; 2) Pairing Rajendra Pachauri with Richard Lindzen. Pachauri is IPCC chairman who disavowed calling Lomborg as Hitler and widely considered as a proponent in muzzling views of global warming dissent while Lindzen is a Meteorology Scientist complaining of “15 years harassment” on scientists expressing different views on climate shift; 3) Matching Bill Clinton with George Bush both U.S. Presidents working behind the stage of carbon emission myth; 4) Fitting Kevin Rudd with James Inhope. Rudd is the Prime Minister-elect of Australia who dislodged PM Howard by campaigning as a global warming barker while Inhope is a U.S. Senator and a ranking member of Senate Environment and Public Works Committee with the support, of course, of his 400 “quack” scientists who let themselves muted in the IPCC global warming consensus; and 5) Combining the like of Hans Verolme and Stephanie Tunmore, World Wide Fund for Nature and Greenpeace leaders, respectively, colliding with Andrea Weaver, author of “Keeping Our Cool: Canada is Warming World,” and Philip Scott, scientist and former editor of Journal of Biogeography. It is quite hard to find whom to match the duo of George Soros and Geoffry Sachs, both believe to be financers of carbon trading, with other group of contrarians. But, of the aforementioned 5 matches, it will be more entertaining how we see them counter-punching. With the development being uncovered, particularly, the testimony that $50 billion (U.S.) !... was spent for the failed global warming research, Algorebal will be facing more contest with the carbon contrarians striving for truths. Read more on this article...

GLOBAL WARMING: WOULD-BE PRESIDENT'S DILEMMA

Anyone who is into politics and aspiring to be president or prime minister may had been rumbling on their image-building propaganda; leading a community organizing activities; and/or sponsoring projects on health, sports, creating jobs, environments, and other popularity enhancing gimmicks. And there is the dilemma of either supporting the skeptics or joining the global warming advocates. Choosing one of these equally undesirable alternatives of campaign objectives will cost you an irriparable damage or a gratifying consequences. Take the clue from Kevin Rudd who dislodged Prime Minister John Howard, whose term is Australia's longest since 1974! Rudd's campaign salvo was when he declared that he would support the fight against global warming and made it his main priority. Riding on the zest of global warming issue is a critical component of being elected as president. Whether you are opposing or concurring in carbon emission legerdemain, as long as you are concerned with the abrupt changes in climate shift and its repercussions to human existence, you will have an edge and make it known months before election day. The trends today, as what being hammered-out in Bali, Indonesia, by IPCC delegates -which is how carbon-emission-reduction can be pushed through by international trading system for greenhouse gas emission, instead of a meaningful discussions on how we can adapt to the natural course of nature- should be always in your campaign agenda and prominently highlighted in the course of action or political platforms. You must be well-informed of the mitigating schemes such as: emission trading; carbon tax; carbon offset; carbon credit; and carbon sink or sequestration; and how it will generate funds and/or create jobs. These will be a likely questions that may be raised in your campaign debates or extramurals. It is understood that carbon will become one of the biggest commodity markets in the world, so aspiring candidate should be well-prepared on issues like green jobs, bio-fuel development, renewable power source, energy-effecient cars not SUV's, green building analysis, green-focused corporate strategy, and ... "all greenback... oh.., ouch!" .... or other green-related undertakings. These will result in the transfer of funds by billions of dollars on energy price increases and carbon caps. The fate of any presidential hopefuls shall always be decided by their adherence to a global warming programs they shall have to initiate. These inflated issues will affect the political landscape of our society, and you will realize how it influences the electorates. The ultimate outcome of electing a president is dependent on how you deal with climate change and this should never be understimated. Read more on this article...

PHILIPPINES' PRESS: A GARBAGE

Mass media in the Philippines is always unbalanced. The trend is to expound on the uglier side junking the country in a wastebin. Daily news stories are geared toward the bias of failures and rarely of compliment. See how media treat the Trillanes Mutiny at the Manila Peninsula Hotel. Instead of informing and clarifying what transpired in the said military stand-off, they tended to slur the issue and tainted the reputations of the law enforcers while upholding the perpetuators. They tried to turn aside the issue and shifted the focus of attention to the apprehended press -which by ethical standards, they should not be in the middle of conflict unless they are a party thereof. The possibility of a given favor cannot be discarded, specially, when they tried to hide or skip the story until it fades in the limelight. The press is always capitalizing on the abuse of certain authority while covering up their own misdeeds -a one-sided practices that seldom come out of their controlled lair. The objectivity of news reporting to bring out the event fairly is often blurred by the object of persuasions or colored opinions to favor the entities they worked for and/or stain the sides they abhor. Stinking media agents are taking advantage of unrestrained press to vilify and sending the country in mockery and in unfavorable stead. Read more on this article...

GLOBAL WARMING, A POOR'S FETTER

Global warming advocates are now tackling and pushing their agenda at the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) meeting in Bali, Indonesia, and they are now courting all attendee countries for support except, perhaps, U.S.A. who do not buy the enterprise of carbon emission legerdemain. The Bush Administration maybe well-advised in not signing or conforming with the Kyoto Protocol which IPCC is expediting to accomplish. Not for the reason that they are the biggest contributor to the greenhouse gases, supposedly, but they really understand what is happening to the universe today. They should not be faulted with what they have. They worked and sacrificed for their advancement and in not conforming with what IPCC are cooking today, is the one they should not be blamed. U.S. is considered to have the most advanced research, technical knowledge, and tracking devices -not to mention NASA which is not only covering the earth but all of the galactical activities- that record any unusual changes, movements, and appearances alien to humans. We don't want to believe that they would sacrifice humanity out of greed! Climate change is a natural happening and very few fully understand it. But there are groups who are manipulating and utilizing the natural occurrence to advance their hidden agenda of enriching theirselves. They are using an independent body with universal clout to legitimize their greed for wealth. And this is directed to the poorest of the poor to keep them shackled to the chains of poverty they are experiencing eversince. Once these so-so climate advocate groups have obtained the stamp of U.N. imprimatur, giant carbon-related establishments which are now in advance stage of development, will be ready to operate and the poor countries will be at the tail-end. . . unable to compete. Read more on this article...

CARBON MYTH: TRUTH THRU REPETITION

Global warming, the frequent topic of discussions, have reached the stages of reasoned generalities as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its summary report based on speculations, conjectures, and unverified phenomena of nature. Much of the laws and facts presented are biased and geared towards the frightening effect on humans, particularly, the scare of rising sea levels which are frequently mentioned and sending horrifying effect; more when they alarmed that the low-lying areas will all submerged in water.

The IPCC report deals mainly on how to minimize carbon dioxide emission which are solely attributed to human misdeeds, and eventually obligating the participating countries to make it their policy of limiting carbon dioxide emission to a specified level. By following the IPCC's directions, these countries will impose penalties to their citizens who will disobey the specified carbon dioxide emission rules.

There is no dispute that there indeed a global warming -not unless all the published reports are false. We do not have to argue with the controversies created by economists or politicians. The significant proof -based on published observations- which cannot be contested are the remarkable melting of ice in the polar ice cap; the cascading glaciers towards the Atlantic; the partial thawing of the solidly frozen ice surrounding Iceland, Spitsbergen, and northern Europe; and the Vikings who are now cultivating and planting crops in Greenland which was previously prevented by 81 per cent ice cover.

The increase in sea level is quite an inconvenient standard to state that this is a sign of global warming as a result of melting ice. Not unless it can be shown that a certain island has been swallowed by the sea. The average elevation of the islands in the Republic of Maldives is 3 feet and there is no report that an island there has disappeared. It can not be opined further that there is unusual rising sea level much more when a high tide is being enhanced by the pull of the moon when it aligned with the sun influencing or contributing too much force on the sea.

The rise in temperature cannot be invoked either since a thermometer measuring the heat can be installed in a warm or cool places , hence the varying rise in temperature is unreliable, such as the IPCC's temperature assumption of 1.1 degrees centigrade to 6.4 deg. centigrade towards the 21st century. How about measuring the surface temperature in the middle of the ocean where there are no crowds or spectators applausing and screaming everytime Manny Pacquiao landed a solid punch at his opponent. Would it be the same as the temperature measured in the traffic of heat-emitting cars in the streets of Bangkok or in Manila?

The IPCC's climate scenarios are created by economists and not the scientists -which they always brand as skeptics- and all are speculative predictions. Take these IPCC's reports:

"3rd Assessment Report, 1990-2100: temperature - 1.4 deg. to 5.8 deg. centigrade sea level - 0.1 to 0.9 meters"

"4th Assessment Report, 1990-2100: temperature - 1.1 deg. to 6.4 deg. centigrade sea level - 18 cms. to 59 cms."

These are full of inconsistencies. Where did they measure the sea level? There are places where the sea level rises up to 50 feet during high tide like the bay in Nova Scotia and place like the French Polynesia where the rise is only a few inches.

The government representatives are indorsing the methods of IPCC in achieving consensus based on peer review, published scientific and technical literature, and relevant informations extended by authoritative organization. However, there are claims that such assessments are biased, exagerated, and leaning to some vested interest leading to a more important/beneficial issues such as carbon dioxide emission trading.

IPCC pinpointed carbon dioxide as the main greenhouse gas that effect global warming and that human activities are the main source. Why make carbon dioxide the culprit in global warming? CO2 is a mere 0.038 per cent of the atmospheric gases and greenhouse gases is only l % which is responsible to the greenhouse effect that reflect heat back to earth -the negative forcing is the one being absorbed by the atmosphere and the long-wave energy is the one being radiated back into space.

The earth's atmosphere is composed mostly of 99% nitrogen and oxygen and only 1% is the greenhouse gases. Of this one percent of greenhouse gases, about 65% is water vapor and the 35% are composed of carbon dioxide, methane, ozone, nitrous oxide, and the groups of flourinated gases. Water vapor is the most important part of greenhouse gas and 100 times more than the carbon dioxide. They keep on harping at carbon dioxide as the menace while it is the meanness of the greenhouse gases. It may be assumed that we are short, instead, of carbon dioxide for if we have more our earth must be more greener today as it is the vital necessity of every plant species.

Assuming the heat being radiated by the sun is constant and the radiative forcing is slow, then it is logical that the earth is gradually warming as it continuously absorbing the positive forcing energy provided by the sun. If this is not the case, then it is also logical that the sun is producing more heat energy as what is happening during the solar maximum which occur every 10 to 12 years. Take for granted that the negative forcing is being trapped by the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and parts of the long-wave energy is reflected back to earth, then it will not take a long time the earth will overheat, explode, and disappear in the space.

But our earth existed billions of years ago and has maintained the radiative balance or equilibrium ever since. No one knows the causes of global warming. It is the property of the sun when it generates more solar energy and it is also the cycle of the earth by receiving and releasing the supplied energy. It is like a boiler that automatically releasing heat through exhaust valve that prevents overheating.

There is no significant warming ever recorded since the time of Galileo in 1610 when the solar furnace generated so much heat. Not even in about 450 million years ago when CO2 reached the level over ten times higher than today as claimed by Tim Patterson, professor of Paleoclimatologits of Carleton University. Not even in the writings of David B. Wake, expert in the evolution of amphibians, when he said that the lungless salamanders, during 70 to 80 million years ago, dispersed elsewhere due to global warming.

Earth heating and cooling is a natural cycle. Human is a tiny thing in the universe that existed in a short period of time. We can not be considered to be in a group-of-small-things so as to cause global warming.

(Data source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) Read more on this article...

A PINOY SENATOR

See! a member of Pinoy Senate, sensing that he is trailing behind the race for 2010 presidency and his futile effort to free himself from incarceration, grabbed again the limelight. He launched again a rebellious act to boast his campaign and gain a much needed support to strenghten his dwindling status. He has done this before in the failed Oakwood Hotel Mutiny and won him a seat at the Pinoy Senate....while campaigning behind bars. He has done it again in trying to project a "macho" image while at the same time portraying a meek lamb and gain sympathy from the electorates. Senator Antonio Trillanes was charged for the second time of sedition together with a general and a bunch of his cohorts. They were being tried yesterday in a Makati City court when they walked-out of the court and marched going to Manila Peninsula Hotel again. The trial judge tried to stop him but he prevailed for he was able to convince (again) his military guard to back him up. While marching in the busy street of Makati City, they shouted slogan and trying to persuade others to join his crusade. Upon reaching the hotel, they ramped the door, destroyed the glass, and proceeded to the 2nd floor room and called the press. Gen. Danilo Lim, his adviser, read for him the prepared statement urging President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to step down and appealing to the people to support him. Meanwhile, the police cordoned and surrounded the area and tried to serve him a warrant of arrest issued by the judge and citing him in contempt of court. He tried to resist and was given an ultimatum to give up. Knowing that all his actions are in vain, he gave up. All these actions were done in front of the camera and beamed throughout the world . . . . just to convey how Philippine democracy works. Read more on this article...

THE SUN IS THROBBING WITH LAUGHTERS

U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released the synthesized climate report and the skeptical climate change observers are now rumbling in protest on how the moneyed sponsors managed to elude the 140 government representatives in the recently concluded Valencia meeting. The opening salvo is that global warming is "unequivocal" and that alone delivered right away a knock-out punch to skeptic government representatives. Ban Ki-Moon, the U.N. Secretary General, added the final blow when he gave an imprimatur to the final draft of the climate report. The beneficiaries of IPCC report were all jumping with joy for they won the elimination round that there indeed is a climate change and giving hints to IPCC delegates that they are now gearing for the second round on how climate change will be prevented. Algorebal and other sponsoring organizations have already established and pioneered environmental projects in their respective areas of concern, particularly, the major carbon-credit trading firms. They are now realigning their resources and merging with giant companies aimed at establishing worldwide factories with pre-arranged environmental compliance certificates. Meanwhile, the skeptics are loading their arsenal with powerful environmental arguments. They are stockpiling their warehouses with tons of climate-related books backed up with researches from "rebel green", political consultants, high-profiled scientists, and authoritative astrophysicists. Climate change will now be fought not with theories of air and ocean temperatures, melting ice, rising sea levels, and depleting polar bears but in the arena of political maneuverings. The protagonists are facing war, ready to blow each other with nuclear words and rotten reasonings . . . to tame the earth. . . . ah! The man is directing the earth on what it should be while the sun is throbbing with laughters! Read more on this article...

ALGOREBAL WARMING, A MAN-MADE HAPPENING

Global warming issues aroused our consciousness and thus show that we, as people of the earth, really care and very much concerned with our Earth. But global warming is a natural phenomenon, a “great rhythm” at the earth. We happen to be living in this cycle where Mother Earth is experiencing a “slight fever". The unusual warming being felt today is dictated by the sun’s surges of activity, as expert says, and/or nearing alignment with the earth’s magnetic field thereby combining their magnetic forces and sending heat into the earth’s atmosphere, increasing heat in the air, and wind shifting. With these processes, abrupt changes in the weather conditions such as strong typhoons or hurricanes, tornadoes, floodings and/or droughts will be experienced and sending earth untold calamities. Let it be known and it is a general knowledge, that the earth's core is composed of molten rocks as evidence by the lava flows being thrown up by erupting volcano. Too much heat are stored in the earth's core and continues to accumulate to a superheat stages that no instrument made by man can measure its intensity. When the time comes that it can no longer hold the accumulated intense heat and enormous pressure, the molten lava and liquified elements will find its way to the soft volcano openning of the earth and eject it in a form of volcanic eruption -the explosion of a dormant volcano is more powerful (e.g. the Mt. Pinatubo volcano) than the active volcano since the latter is regularly emitting heat and the pressure is lesser. In this process, so much heat are thrown out until the normal temperature level is reached in the earth's core, then the erupting volcano will stop throwing away red-hot rocks. The smoke you see is water from the hydrosphere on the upper surface of the earth which is converted into steam to form a water vapor in its association with the escaping heat. The water vapor in a form of a cloud is then stored in the atmosphere to combine with the greenhouse gases which, according to scientists, is one hundred times more than the carbon dioxide, fossil fuels, ozone, methane, and nitrous oxide; the global warming advocates are now barking on. The earth's atmosphere, on the otherhand, is a layer of gases that surround the earth and retain its gravity. Its thickness is about 10,845 kms. -up to the peak of Mt. Everest which is the land surface reference. These layer of gases are composed of nitrogen, 78 per cent; oxygen, 20 per cent; water vapor, 1.00 per cent; argon, 0.93 per cent; carbon dioxide, 0.038 per cent; and other gases, 0.032 per cent. The mixture of these gases are commonly called air. The atmosphere protects life on earth by absorbing ultraviolet rays or solar radiation and regulates the temperature between day and night. Except nitrogen and oxygen, all other mentioned gases contribute to the greenhouse effect which is the natural process that maintains the earth's temperature levels to support life. The greenhouse gases such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, ozone, methane, nitrous oxide, and the groups of flourinated gases are about one percent only of the earth's atmosphere. These greenhouse gases are the ones responsible to the greenhouse effect which reflects the heat back to earth. Carbon dioxide is a mere 0.038 per cent of the greenhouse gases which is being pinpointed as the main culprit for global warming. While water vapor, which accounts for the largest percentage of the greenhouse effect at about 66 per cent, was not made suspect for global warming. On the opposite sense, these greenhouse gases are more beneficial to humans as it maintains the average temperature of the atmosphere at around 15 degrees centigrade or 59 degrees fahrenheit. Without the greenhouse gases, the earth is uninhabitable because its mean temperature is only negative 19 degrees C or negative 2 degrees F. The water vapor, which is the major component of the greenhouse gases, comes from natural sources such as oceans, sea ice, and polar ice caps. While carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone; which are the minor component of greenhouse gases and come also from natural sources such as erupting volcanoes and decomposing organic matters; are from the minimal sources which are attributable to human activity. Indeed, water vapor is the more important greenhouse gas and contributes more to the greenhouse effect. An increase of water vapor means an increase of greenhouse effect and thereby increasing the atmospheric temperature. Further increasing the temperature of the atmosphere would require an increase of water vapor and the cycle goes on maintaining the equilibrium. Thus, the more carbon dioxide, the more water vapor is needed to normalize the greenhouse effect in the earth's atmosphere in maintaining the temperature supporting the life on earth. Without the greenhouse effect, our earth will be freezing as the planet mars is. Mars has a very thin atmosphere and cannot support greenhouse effect. If our earth is very, very cold, we will be celebrating white christmas throughout the year . . . . . maybe in some other place. (Data source: Wikipedia) Read more on this article...

Global Warming: The Greatest Scam in History by John Coleman

John Coleman, the weather channel boss calls Global Warming, the greatest scam in history and accused global media of colluding with "environmental extremists" to alarm the public. This was published on ICECAP (International Climate and Environment Change Assessment Project). I agree with Mr. Coleman, global warming is a natural phenomenon. It is going to happen but not with the misdeeds of humans. Carbon dioxidse and fossil fuels are not the culprits either. Water vapor is hundred times more abundant in the greenhouse gases that maintain the warm temperature of our earth. In reducing greenhouse gases, our earth will becomes cold and may not be inhabitable as the planet Mars is. The sun's surges of heat is the result of its nearing alignment with the earth's magnetic field thus inducing more heat on the earth's atmosphere, as I previously stated in my post "The Melting of the Ice. Also, heat will intensify with the coming of solar maximum where the sunspot and solar flares are in abundance. "There is no run away climate change. Impact on human is not catastrophic. Our planet is not in peril." concluded by Mr. Coleman. Read more on this article...

THE MELTING OF THE ICE

Climate change and global warming are now the talks of the day. All are pointing to carbon dioxide released by fossil fuels, man-made chemicals, volcanic eruption, and other related pollutants resulting to the formation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere thereby blocking the heat and send it back to earth. If this is the case, how is the heat generated by the sun will penetrate the greenhouse gases to illuminate the earth? It maybe assumed that greenhouse gases may also serves as strainer to block the harmful effects of ultra-rays emitted by the sun. And what is the U.S. Administration doing when they rejected the Kyoto Protocol on greenhouse gas-reduction schemes? The United States is considered to possess the most advance technology and science researches and it appears that they are not alarmed on global warming. Only Al Gore, who missed the US presidency in 2000, is spearheading the campaign against climate change. Carbon dioxide and other contributing pollutants originate from within and not from any other planet, and has been associated with the planet earth ever since its existence. Human race inhabited the earth in a very short period of time. The early history, as manifested by geologic fossils and strange debris of prehistoric plants and animals, is estimated to be some 50 million years ago; and as shown by rocks and limestone, the earth has undergone three climatic changes and we are on the fourth climatic change which began thousand of years ago and happens to be on our time. We must be glad instead, the next generation will know what we did to avert any abrupt changes and the care we did to save our earth. We are fortunate enough for we have the rarity to observe the great rhythms of the planet earth phenomenon. From the book of Rachel L. Carson, "The Sea Around Us", she mentioned a Swedish Oceanographer, Otto Petterson, who developed the theory of alternating periods of mild and severe climate change associated with the great tides... "of warm Atlantic water pressed into the Arctic Sea at deep levels, moving in under the ice", .... and resulted to the melting of the ice cap and glaciers down to the Atlantic Ocean. Petterson surmised that "about every 18 centuries the sun and the moon come into such position that they exert the greatest possible attracting force upon the sea and induced a maximum tide which last occurred about 1433." According to Carson, "there are also rhythmically occurring periods that fall at varying intervals -for example, every nine, 18 or 36 years- and these correspond to other tidal cycles and produce briefer and less drastic climatic variations." At the time of maximum tides, the mass of warm water that originates from the Southern Hemisphere moves gradually through the Atlantic Ocean up to Labrador Sea and Norwegian, Greenland, and Barents Seas; melting the Arctic Sea ice, the accumulated winter snows in the northern lands, and the polar ice cap, in the process. Thirteen years from now or by the year 2020, as maybe deduced, the melting of the ice will be more pronounced and it will induce rains and floodings -its awesome force no one can imagin- and disintegrating land oozing to the rivers and seawards causing a corresponding displacement of water overflowing the sea basins. Million of square kilometers of open water shall be added to the area occupied by the sea thereby raising the sea level. As a sign of this unusual occurence, in the year 2002, NASA scientists were alarmed after sighting that the Arctic Sea ice is melting through satellite images and thus evidencing that the warm current is gradually flowing underneath the sea ice. As a result of the intrusion of warm climate in the northern lands, Norway shall be experiencing better cropping harvest as well as Canada, Alaska, Russia, and other associated states in that area. While Greenland, Iceland, Spitsbergen, Svalbard, Franz Josef Land, and other northern islands shall be inhabited by seabirds and other flying species not usually seen in these places. Fishing industry shall also be flourishing in countries along the Norwegian Sea, Barents Sea, and Kara Sea. Meanwhile, thousand of islets shall be reclaimed by the sea. The low-laying cities and towns along the Atlantic Coast, the Gulf of Mexico, the Carribean Sea, the lower part of Mississippi to Florida would all submerge, underwater. With this great rhythm of the earth and the cycle of climate change which began thousand of years ago, as previously stated, -and so happens in so short span of human life and that we live in an age of rising seas, as Rachel Carson observed- we have no reason to be so alarmed or be frightened as Mother Nature will always be our guide. There will come a time that the earth, in its rotary motion, will tilt toward its opposite position and human, with his survival instinct behavior as he is already exploring the outer space, will just migrate towards the other side . . . . other Moises will lead them with God's will. Rmagin Read more on this article...

VILLAGE'S VANISHING FEATURES OF "ALL SAINTS' DAY"

Recalling our early days in remembering the passed away love ones in peace, the practices in our village is quite unusual compared to other parts of the Philippines. Although we may say that it is almost pass'e, its cultural feature is of real worth and signifies our unique identity as people of the world. A vivid example goes like this: the parading of a look alike, live statue of a saint painted with gray clay all over his body -resembling a soul wandering in purgatory before being admitted to the Kingdom of Heaven, as in the belief of the Roman Catholics- is carried by four men in a makeshift support and presented house to house. The four men represent the relatives of the soul begging for prayers so that their dead will be finally forgiven and gain entrance to heaven. In return the householder will give donations or a form of prayer. This is done a day before "All Saints' Day". Another is, the serenading of the houses by reciting a repetitive lines of verse in a Filipino dialect as follows: "Pispis ng pikoy, talisaying bulik; Humapon sa kahoy, ang hingi ay barek. . . . .Barek!" This will start at the middle of the night until dawn of "All Saints' Day". There are chances, however, that when the householder refused to acknowledge the serenaders, they will steal the fruits, vegetables, or even chicken raised at the backyard. They will cook it and invite the owner to eat with them at daytime. When they finished eating, it's the time they will tell the truth that . . . "The fried chicken you ate is your fighting cock," and laughters will follow or they scampered to safety to avoid reprisals. Going to the village cemetery which is located near the river -there is a sayings that you should not fish near the site as you might caught a wandering soul- our elders selected the place for accessibility so they can visit, by boat or by foot, their dead anytime they wish. During this time people troops to the cemetery -in urban towns, congestion of traffic is in the worst and too much irritating- and it is also an occasion where relocated relatives, either abroad or to any other place, met and got together after a long time of absence. To some of our folks, it is the time where they engaged in conversation, gossip, and everything to talk about. However, upon reaching the respective niches or tomb sites, they exercised strict movement and silence. . . the immediate relative of the dead will light a candle and all the members of the clan will solemnly offer prayers for the eternal repose of the soul in heaven. They remain in the graveyard until sunset. As they do not practice eating at the cemetery, they prepare native foods at home such as: "biko", "suman sa ibos", "kalamay," and others. (These are foods consisting mostly of starchy rice, mascuvado sugar, coconut milk, and "pandan" leaves as taste enhancer; they differ only in the preparation and cooking systems.) . . . And they partook it with laughters! These practices and traditions are now vanishing. The western style of Halloween predominates the activities of the youth, though they still bring flowers as offering to their departed love ones in the cemetery. Blog Rmagin Read more on this article...

LOOKING FOR YOU, MOTHER NATURE

Global warming, environmental degradation, erodation of polar ice cap, carbon dioxide emission, greenhouse gases blockade, rising sea level, catastrophe, holocaust, or even doomsday are issues for greater understanding and awareness. What measures are to be adopted to avert universal problems and ..... extinction? Oh, no! On this part of our globe, we village people are just looking for Mother Nature who always cares, as we also care for. But time has changed, .. . and where are you now Mother Nature? We are watching out and searching beyond the horizon as we whisper words of hope . . . that you are back! Oh! Mother Nature, where have you been? We looked for you in the woods where denuded forest stared us; we looked for you in the rivers where rusty-brown muds and faulty smell engulfed us; we looked for you in the vast terrain where fossil grass and desert fumes hounded us; we looked for you in the caves and waterfalls where vandals prevented us; we looked for you in the mountains where deforestations and wildfires suffocated us; and we looked for you in the oceans and coral reefs where jellyfishes abound and swarmed us due to climate change. We found you in our village accessible by foot, where: no engine roaring to blast your ear; no smoke-belching factory to bloat your lungs; no man-made chemicals to deform your hair or irritate your skin; and no welding rod to make you blind. Backed in the city, we looked for you: we saw the metro beach full of plastics, whereas in our village beach, it is full of fish; we raised our heads up high, we saw the sky full of smudges and confetti, whereas in our village it is full of birds; and when the night comes, the city is full of pyrotechnics, in our village it is full of fireflies. Oh Mother Nature! it is looking for you, why we are going back. . . . to the village. Blog Action Day Blog Rmagin Read more on this article...

Boo-rangay Election

Baranggay is the smallest local self-government unit in the Philippines. It is headed by a Baranggay Captain, Baranggay Kagawad, and Baranggay Secretary, Treasurer, and Lupong Tagapamayapa. It is compose of 2000 or more inhabitants and whose activities are independent of the municipalities. A problem or any disputes of its populace are being resolved first by the Baranggay Captain and his decision is binding thus relieving the national justice system of backlog cases. But when it comes to election it is being utilized by the politicians who mingled, usurped, or encroached in their territories and enforced their will to gain votes. Thus, the Baranggay Captain is being influenced by these political shenanigans and applied deception or any trickery to insure their post. This blog observed this maneuvering in a remote baranggay and he just made fun of them instead of trying to correct these maladies of a baranggay society. Months before election, through the funds provided by their political sponsors, aspiring Baranggay Captain gathers certain group of settlers and feed them in their lair for a day with sumptuous meal including wines without telling the purpose of such show of good will. These settlers head a group of no-read-no-write natives which they can lure or manipulate to vote whoever they dictate. On the date of registration, the political machinery starts to grind. They provide logging trucks or any means of transportation to register these natives in as many precinct as possible with different assumed names through the leader-settler who kept the copy of such registrations. A leader is assigned to maintain ten natives. Three days before election this mentally deranged aspirant will call again these settlers with the same luxuriant treatment and promises of personal gains if elected. A day before election, these leaders- sometimes called as "Cabo" of the illegal "witing" or lottery game- return to their lair, gather again the natives and feed them, and give instructions on how to behave while voting. On election day, they make sure to be at the polling place as early as possible. At the poll, the leader will introduce the name of the native as appearing in the list of voters and as a representative, vote for the natives whose only part is to bow for whatever the leader said. This is allowed by the election laws to ensure majority participation. And after signing by means of thumb-print they proceed to other polling site after washing their hands with some kind of plant sap to erase whatever voting marks. In remote areas, special ink is substituted by ordinary ink by unscrupulous politicians to suit their purpose. Again the leader introduce the natives with another name, vote the same candidate and go to another site. So simple but it works. What a shameful acts that such activities are still going on every time election is conducted. There are those proposing that squatters who are non-payer-of-taxes, or no-read-no-write natives should not be allowed to vote. This move should be supported as these groups of people are only being utilized as cheerers/audiences in speech gatherings and are open to abuse by those in power. For a mere few pesos they sell their votes. They are swarming the metropolis, thereby posing hazards on the streets, sources of unsanitation as they dispose their waste in their surroundings, and lair of nuisant activities. And they decide the fate of the people. These unschooled or less educated majority imposed their will instead of knowledgeable few. This is the system flaws of a democracy. And how will you eradicate global poverty as envisioned by the group of haves countries under United Nations or of Geoffrey Sachs concept, when the less educated rules the land. We experienced this when a highschool drop-out took the shot by calling his cohorts at night and decide the fate of the nation through the bottles of wines. Baranggay election is scheduled on October 29, 2007, "Oh my tribe, when will you ever learn." Blog Rmagin Read more on this article...

REWARD OR RETRIBUTION

(The Missing One Thousand) In this age of machine, seldom you will encounter a manifestation of honesty through a computer aided transactions in every business establishment where what you feed is what you get. How will you gratify the acts of good will and reclaim the lost goods as a result of manual maneuvering or finger-flip faulty inputs. Unlike in the lost-and-found, where what you found can be claimed by the owner. Or a case of taxi-driver returning a bag containing a complete cash, except when it passed through the hands of a crooked policeman, and claim it after showing proofs related to the found items, and then rewarding.

A case of my wife, Sebia, is quite different and very hard to show a proof to claim the missing item. In this instance, Sebia paid a phone bill to Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) cashier and received a computer generated cash receipt. Without any glimpse on the transaction made, she put the receipt in her bag and left.

After a month and a half, the phone services and the broadband connectivity failed and upon inquiry, she was informed that the services was cut due to unsettled amount. She was furious and the harm is done! She has been paying the monthly bill regularly ever since the phone is installed and why the reason of unpaid account. She took all the files of phone receipts and examined the amount paid for each month. She noticed that one of the receipt bore small amount that she surmised is not sufficient for the monthly bill she has been paying. She recalled that for the bill amounting one thousand nine hundred fifty-five, she gave two thousands plus five pesos. But the receipt showed that she tendered only one thousand five, cash payment is nine hundred fifty-five, and the change cash amount is fifty pesos. She paused and thought analytically: “Where did the one thousand pesos go?”

Resigned of the thought that she cannot contest the cashier for the missing one thousand, she decided to pay the unsettled amount and the current bill required of her.

On the way to PLDT, she found out that her cash money is not enough. Her son, who is studying in college, asked for additional allowance reasoning out that he had to stay overnight with his classmates to research a subject on the Internet. Our service provider, PLDT thru myDSL, a broadband access to the internet, was also disabled with these circumstances. So when she glanced a pawnshop on the sideways, she alighted from a jeepney and pawned a ring to avert any deficiency in the payment of the bill. Upon entering the PLDT reception room, the guard gave her the usual queuing number and was offered to take her seat. While waiting, she tried to recognize the cashier in the paying window and made again an effort to refresh herself of what transpired when she paid the said bill. In calling back her mind, it is clear to her that she paid the right amount and instead of confronting the cashier she talked with the complaint receptionist and raised the questionable receipt. The lady reasoned out that upon receiving the payment, the cashier echoed the exact amount what the customer handed to her so that the payer can right away correct if the amount tendered is inconsistent, as what Sebia heard for every customer the cashier served in the payment window.

The supervisor in the nearby table, who is listening, presented a balance book showing a well-accounted transaction on the said date. Sebia countered that she always pay the exact current amount stated in the bill ever since the line was installed and never pay the half amount as she will be excepting the payment for myDSL. And also the cashier write a note on the billing sheet of the agreed amount the customer should pay. The lady insisted that she had the receipt and it is binding.

The cashier, however, overheard the discussions and immediately get out of her booth showing Sebia the record book of the missing one thousand pesos and the cash amount she had clipped in it as she uttered: “Sorry it’s my fault, I apologize for the shortcomings. It took me late at night trying to find as to where the excess money came from after depositing to the bank the collections on the said date.”

Appreciating the humble behavior, good will, sincere intent, and the gesture of honesty, Sebia thanked the cashier instead. Seldom we expressed gratitude to the acts of humility committed from a mistake. We retorted by counteracting, either to get even or scold them and make them realized that the shortcomings should not be repeated to avoid any inconveniences to the good-natured clients. We resorted further as a form of vindictiveness: by making them pay for the damage inflicted; or requiring contrition before forgiving; or pardon with reservation; or forgiveness with retribution; and or amnesty with conditions.

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PINOY BARKING HALL

Hey! Look at the Pinoy Senate supposed to be the trustee of the people and the cradle of democracy (kuno!): . compose of the brightest legal minds and the stupid “unggoy” (monkey) raised to the august chamber; . made up of articulated buds and “amoy-lupa” (archaic) statues embedded in the Barking Hall; . consisting of unquestionable characters and the incarcerated or impounded “askal” (streetdog) seeking immunized stead; . consisting of honest or upright individuals and the mighty “buwitre” (vulture) ready to devour the taxes of working masses; . an assemblage of untainted one and the “kutong” (corrupt) statesmen dressed as meek lamb; . the group of lovers of peace and killer machine manipulators building political aggrandizement thereby evading court trials and files of lawsuits; . rows of men and women racing to have a committee “de bayong” (of large woven bag) or committee “de sobre” (of envelope) where “lagay” (bribe) are being negotiated; . the file of lawmakers whose major accomplishments are converting towns into cities or changing street names than passing economic bills which will directly benefit the people; . the bunch of legislators preferring to be investigators trying to outpace the Supreme Court; . the group of camera conscious solons who are fond of posing and turning the session hall into a photo session or stage show to avail of a free publicity or media mileage; . the bundle of men and women pretending to be for the welfare of the people but for the protection of their personal vast interest instead. And what have you, name it and we have it in the Pinoy Senate. Rmagin

pinoybarkinghall

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Seeing Enough Bread Is Oversight

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My friend, Sebio, works in a government energy company for a long time and quite satisfied for having provided the needs of his family and the education of his children. He was able to build a house in a nearby village assuring himself of a modest living. However, the company announced that it is being privatized and to make it attractive to the prospective investors, a retrenchment policy was instituted, hence, the reduction of personnel. Of the many positions and sub-offices to be declared redundant, Sebio's was included and there is no other option but to resign or retire. Worrying Sebio is now thinking as to what will happen to him together with his family in the event that he will be separated from the service and may not find another job. The company, in a gesture of sympathy to the workers who will be dislocated, offered retirement schemes which provide gratuity benefits and/or old-age monthly pension for life wherein a worker may choose whichever system is beneficial to him. One of the scheme provides cash benefit equivalent to 20 months salary for a 20 years of service plus one and a half month salary in excess of 20 years up to 30 years, two months salary in excess of 30 years; and the refund of worker's and employer's contributions with the government insurance system. This scheme requires that in order to qualify for the said benefits, a worker must have rendered at least 20 years of service and the last three years of which must be continuous and regardless of age. The other scheme provides annuity benefits equivalent to 75% of the average monthly salary in the last three years and payable monthly as long as the retiree is alive. This scheme requires that a worker must have rendered 35 years of service at the age of 52 years old or the age of worker and the length of service must be equal to 87 years. The former scheme was chosen by Sebio inasmuch as he is qualified and having been in the service for 28 years and 50 years old if retired on the current year. Sensing of the outright big cash, Sebio was lured to retire. Many of the workers followed and availed the same benefits Sebio had applied. And the company was relieved of the burden of disposing the excess workers and evading the consequences of throwing away the workers.

Upon receiving the proceeds of retirement, Sebio immediately engaged in a rent-a-car business. He bought two second-hand car and two brand new car on installment basis. A feeling of satisfaction and relief from going to office everyday and a new-found environment was experienced by Sebio. He became a member of a prestigious club of travellers; most-sought donor of community activities; and became an instant relative of those who do not know him before. On the two years of operation, he had no problem liquidating his accounts. On the third year, he is in the red due to the lost of new car which should have been fully-paid and generating more income, and compounded by uncollected revenues, unpaid bills and other fortuitous event detrimental to his social standing. On the fourth year, he is bankruft and unable to look for another job, always rejected for a simple reason of over-age. He felt insecured, most of those he relied upon as well as those instant relatives instantly vanished. All his dreams and visions of becoming a big one suddenly disappeared behind the clouds of uncertainties. And the government, which should be his last recourse, is not yet ready to support the senior citizens. Now, Sebio is in the state of vagrancy and while resting on a boulder, he sighed: “Why did I not chose the retirement scheme with guaranteed benefits of old-age pension for life.” Then he laid down and half-asleep and then .... the perennial byword, . . “I told you so!” Rmagin

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