THEY SHOULD NOT MINGLE WITH POLITICS

Priests and nuns are always in the front of conflict and rallies against the Pinoy government. They seldom raised the issue beneficial to the people but, in tandem with the "evil society", agitating the people to fight against the duly constituted authorities instead. But they are good in collecting contributions from their parishioners and reaping the profits of their business establishments without paying any tax to the government! They enjoyed all the benefits derived from the state including the rights to be a candidate and be voted into government offices. They are experts in manipulating and circumventing the rules on the separation of the church and the state. They should have been the one spearheading the campaign against drug addiction -which are the menace and the stumbling block of the people's growth particularly the youth- but never you will find or hear from them complaining or rallying in front of Communist Chinese Embassy to help stop the prolifirations of prohibitive drugs...but they are making it a bee hive, swarming, when it concerns the U.S. Embassy. It is time that the state should review the tax perpetual holiday given to the church to alleviate the impoverishment and the deteriorating effect to the people's lives. Read more on this article...

SENATORIAL HOPEFUL CLAIMS THE CENTER STAGE...

And he recited the stage rhetoric like "Hemingway's Robert Jordan, ..." with tears in his eyes and repeatedly clasping his hands on his face...: "I'm doing this for the sake of the people..." and Jordan's "for all the poor in the world, against all tyranny, for all the things that you believed, and for the new world you had been educated into," and he paused, exhausted, and seemingly grasping for breath; Rodolfo Lezado, Jr., former Pinoy Forest Corporation President, testified at the Senate -trying to outdo the state courts- denouncing the participation of a Comelec Chairman on the cancelled contract of government's National Broadband Network project and thereby implicating President Gloria Arroyo's husband in the aborted deal. With his unexpected appearance from political hibernation and resurfaced with the platoon of nuns and priests deserting their parishioners and leading political engagement, conflict, chaos, and rallies against the state; Lezado accused, with heroic posture, the government officials for fixing a deal, bribery, and corrupt practices. In view of his sponsored expose' and by discrediting the Arroyo administration, he was elevated to the political podium and was applauded by a group of presidential wannabees, religious organizations, leftist and communist parties, disgruntled elements, parties not given preferential treatment, and all ill-willed and paid audiences. He was asked whether his accusations was supported by evidence, he cannot produce and empty-handed. But the hearsay he has been expounding is being praised by his cohorts and given media mileage. When he was interviewed and confronted with whom he accused in front of the camera, ABS-CBN "Harapan," he complained he was just wearing t-shirt while the others were in 'barong' and well-dressed. Lezado's purported crusade culminated to oppositions' organized rally in Makati last Feb. l5, 2008, demanding Arroyo's ouster, chanting communist slogan, priest and nuns' prayers for delusion and political catastrophe, and enticing every Pinoy to junk the democratic institutions. But the oppositions' concerted efforts failed to muster the people power they had been mending for years to force their hidden agenda of power grabbing. They cannot wait any longer until 2010 election and submit theirselves for a pair people's scrutiny and selection processes. They have created so many issue and disinformation campaigns to force Arroyo's downfall and the Lezado's discordant, haughty, and obscured testimony were their latest clown. A ploy in exchange of a senatorial slating. Read more on this article...

HOW'S OUR HOUSE

Our family house was scheduled for blessing the other day, January 23, and I was obliged to join the family going to our hometown, Sta. Cruz, Occ. Mindoro. Since my two sisters, Myrna and Enor together with their husband have just arrived to Manila from abroad, they decided to proceed to our hometown in advance. They were accompanied by my brother, Noli, with his family and oversaw the preparations for a modest celebrations and thanksgiving. I was not able to join the party --my daughter, Myla, was scheduled to go to Singapore for a company meeting and I was to assist and drive for her to airport some 30 kilometers from our residence in Laguna-- so I followed the next day driving alone through the stretch of the highway going to Batangas Pier. At the pier entrance, I was required to observe the rules, pay the terminal fee, security check, and passenger registration --being a pier of international standard-- and got ready for boarding. I got in at 12:00 noon, Jan. 22, in a Montenegro Ro-Ro Ship (Roll-On, Roll-Off traveling by wheels) and securely parked the car to withstand the wave shaking and proceeded to passenger lounge for some snacks and a perfect view of the sea. After a light snack and sipping a hot cup of coffee, I positioned myself in an unobstructed view portion of the ship --with an aura of a Titanic experience-- and enjoyed the freshness of the sea, the breezes that engulfed my whole body inspite of the warm rays of the sun. With this reinvigorating experience extended by the warmth of the sea, I enjoyed every minute of my stay in the upper deck. We passed by the strait between Bonito Isle and Tingloy Island, the astonishing view of the islet, the coral reef or shoal with the variety of marine species visibly seen in a clear water near Tingloy shore. In not so far western isle was a lighthouse guiding the passing vessels during the night or cloudy weather --how I wished I could jump the sea and swim through the islet and stay in the lonely lighthouse for self-rediscovering, privacy, and retreat. As we negotiated the distance, we got the view of Mindoro Island; the Corregidor, the historic island where several battles were held during World War II; and the Lubang Island, where the last Japanese straggler Hiroo Onoda was found -he refused to surrender, believing the war is not yet over, and hid in the jungle for 29 years until l974. We passed by the row of flying fish and a group of 5 to 6 dolphins playfully leaping up and down in tandem with one another as we slowly left them behind the waves caused by the mild northeasterly winds. At 2:30 P.M., we moored at Abra de Ilog pier at the gateway town of Occ. Mindoro. The tide started to ebb and the level of the pier and the mooring bridge was quite high and I have to cross precisely as the ship is raised by the waves. At first, I dilly-dallied crossing the bridge fearing that I might miscalculate the rising waves unviewed from the garage deck and got stalled on the ramp. I requested the stevedore to watch the waves and give a signal for me to cross. After so many trials and attempts and the stevedore had been prodding me to go ahead, to the extent of him being irritated because of my indeciveness, I switched for the go. At the moment signal of go, I accelerated and successfully overcame my fears and passed the bridge right in synchronous with the rising waves. "Wew! and a sigh of relief." I have disembarked and trekked the land travel. Passed the well-cemented road lined-up with coconut trees and cutting through the ricefield. Sometimes you have to avoid the segments on the road as the farmers were using it to dry corn grain --a hazard on the road when you happened to run over the slippery seeds. I traversed the lowland where it used to be often eroded by flood, but now a well-paved road, then up the mountain passing the Mangyan Tribe Settlements, then slowed down at the capital town of Mamburao. Some ten kilometers after was the barrio Balansay and there starts the long-dusty-rough-road. I haven't remember that this road have tasted the asphalt since 1955 when it was cleared and declared farm-to-market road. No thanks to municipal and provincial officials for neglecting this road which the farmer-inhabitants use to ply their trade and agricultural produce to Manila. This province are now considered the food basket of Metro Manila displacing central Luzon. Maybe no one has brought this dilapidated and sorry-state road to the attention of the national leadership and the do-nothing Senate. I arrived in Sta. Cruz at about 5:00 in the afternoon and was greeted by the family members and closed relatives. All were busy preparing foods such as: "dinugoan, pork-adobo, and letchon" --all native delicacies. These were in preparation of the house warming, the birthday of Myrna"s husband, Niel, and looked like a family reunion, combined together forming a great celebration. The house was almost complete. Only the upper portion remained to be plastered-finished. It is situated facing east with a beautiful view on the roadside much more when the rays of the morning sun reflected from the glittering wall and the stainless roof-gutter. It was considered as the biggest in town and the best designed building presently existing in the area. Inside the house was a very roomy receiving and dining room and separate kitchen. In its ground floor were three bedrooms and a lanai area facing north with a grotto and artificial waterfalls. Going to the second floor was a two-phase stairs with a 3-inch diameter stainless pipe railings, a well-decorated landing, and an ambience of fresh air while ascending to the family room. On the hall leading east, was balcony/terrace with a 4-inch diameter stainless pipe railings and you can view the rising sun behind the silvery white mountain edges. At the back of the family room was also a balcony/terrace facing west where you can view the ever famous sunset along the horizon of the China Sea. You will also admire on this uncovered terrace a view of heavenly galaxies during the night or a crescent moon while savouring the scent of the refreshing sea breezes as well as listening to good music from radio stations directly from Manila. This second level floor consisted of four big rooms, complete with closets, toilets and bathroom each. While it was a vacation house in the countryside, we enjoyed the style of urban classy living in view of its amenities adaptable to ones environs. Just a few walks on the westside was the seashore where we took a jog, swim, and enjoyed the fresh air every morning. This beach is comparable to the white beach of Boracay and with a fine azure sands and clear blue waters. There were no cottage but there were small bancas of fishermen berthing from every night fishing. The complexities of this town's beach which astounded me more were the presence of gold panners mining on the sea banks. I was too curious on how the gold dust abound in the area. The mountains were kilometers away from the shore and in between was the townproper. The folks were saying that the main gold deposits laid beneath the sea and . . ."the gold dust is carried to the shore by big waves during stormy weather", as Mang Bert Salania, a gold panner, shyly attested the folks' claims. I asked how much he got in a day's panning: "I got 5 grams yesterday and a size of corn grain gold nugget the other day," Mang Bert proudly claimed as he continued shoveling the metallic sand to the seashore, a few meters away from our family house. No one has ever explored the shoals and coral grounds in the area and no one can testify the truth beneath the sea which abound the treasures men are obsessed ever since. Read more on this article...

After a quite long vacation I'm back again. So many e-mails have to be answered and read and pondered with. Soon I will be posting again a personal experience from traveling through the sea and it will be my first priority. Oh! I love the sea, breathing the fresh air throughout the day, and throwing my eyes as far as I can see; refreshing my whole inner world with an environment I perfectly not accustomed with. So, goes my life and keep going, my dear readers . . . if there are? Read more on this article...

PAGSANJAN FALLS: THE MARVELS OF NATURE

My cousin, Lilian together with her daughter, Sarah, arrived from Australia and were directly fetched to her newly bought three-floor townhouse somewhere in Las Pinas. They were joined by her mother, Tia Flor, her sister Jocelyn, and brother Ramon. My uncle, Tio Tony, was also present and me, happened to be there checking/fixing the electrical lightings and plumbing systems which were newly installed thereat.

After so many conversations --what happen to this?...what happen to those?..., where are these?... where are those?-- we arrived to Lilian's itinerary which includes going to Pagsanjan to see its famous waterfalls. Tio Tony suggested "Villa Escudero" or "Hidden Valley Resort" where many foreign tourists are now frequenting in view of the wonderful amenities and visitor's treats the resorts were offering.

It was decided that we first see Pagsanjan and others to follow.

Pagsanjan is situated southeast of Manila and ninety-kilometer distance, more or less. It takes two to two and a half hours drive to cover the stretch, depending on the mode of travel a tourist has to undertake. On the way, you will enjoy the rest areas along the South Expressway where you can take a snack at "Jollibee, McDonald, Max, Kentucky, and coffee at Starbucks." Or you can buy some stuffs at the "mini-malls" offering reasonable prices.

Exiting the expressway at Calamba, you will feel the breezes of the rustic Laguna countryside. You can pass-by the house of our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, or the many hotspring resorts lined-up in Pansol, or view the International Rice Research Institute in Los Banos, and more on the flowering gardens of Bay, the healing sessions at Pila, the laying ducks of Victoria, the capital town of Sta. Cruz, and finally, the centuries-old "Arch of Pagsanjan.".

We arrived at Pagsanjan's Paradise Resort at lunch time and after taking some foods, we got ready for the boat-ride. We were offered a locker each for our things --as you have to pass by the wet areas or sprinkling waters from the falls--; a life vest; and a plastic sachet for camera, cellphone, etc.

As we stood-by the river bank, together with Rey, our cousin --he is a boatman leaving soon for Singapore-- and waiting for our group, a trail of small boats with beaming tourists and being towed by a motorboat passed-by ...leaving a row of waves splashing our face.... and this added to thrilling excitement and eagerness to reach the falls!

We were to ride on a canoe --two to three passengers can be accommodated depending on weight and is being paddled by two boatmen-- in going to the falls. We were instructed to set flat on the canoe floor, spread legs for balancing; and not to hold on the outer edge of the canoe --a holding bar is provided-- as you might injured your hands when pressed against the rocks or passing canoes from opposite directions being tended by the rushing currents.

"We are now on the middle of the trek to the shooting rapids. And we are seeing the splattering waters from the shallow river. The boatmen are getting ready ...touching their paddles to the protruding rocks... signaling the first stage of shooting the rapids," as I related this unfolding experience.

We passed the side cliffs, measuring some 40 meters height. On its cleavage, sturdy trees and long vines hanging, adorned the walls ...hiding the sun and only the rays penetrated us down. There were small waterfalls and those dried ones along the sides of the ravines and myriad of chirping bird species unseen in the dense woods. Spring waters were abundant where the natives availed their fresh drinking water.

"Another narrow waterways approaching, 2 to 3 feet width, just allowing the canoe, almost exactly, to pass in-betweens and the boatmen used their hands and feet to gain access and moved through against the cascading waters from the nearing main falls...!" I recalled.

Then, the quite spacious body of water, quiet but very deep, yet teaming with tourists and canoes. On the side is a wharf where the boatmen rest for awhile together with the visitors relaxing and stretching their waist and legs --preparing for the uphill rowing and pushing climb.

In a minute, we were again up in the battle with the rampaging blast of current. Rowings, pushings, and there were times the boatmen have to lift the canoe -passengers on- feet above the rocks. There were also blind curves where passers have to shout first not only to warn the canoes speeding down but also "to inform the unseen guard of the forest and as a sign of reverence, the native chieftain is requiring."

At the sharp curve and elevated by 3 feet, and the boulders filed along the waterways, the canoes have to stop. All the visitors have to alight and walk some 30 meters to the blind curve and ... there!!! the magnificent, marvelous, and mighty Falls!! almost instantly brought wide-opened our eyes! "The luster and sparkling droplets of water as it beams the rays of lights from in-betweens the leaves of trees some 50 meters high --gave more astounding and thrilling views, compounded by the rows of forming rainbows-- right in front of our glued and naked eye."

Tourists begun to take photos of the awe-inspiring views amidst the background of reverberating sounds as "the water is dancing as it falls ... bouncing on the rocks, growling its mighty voice."

And there in the platform below, awaits a raft made of green bamboo --big enough to accommodate 20 people-- for anyone who wants to go beyond, under the waterfall.

We tried it to experience the amazing wonders of nature, touching our bare skin ... and said to be a great and health boosting massage.

The raft was guided by four boatmen through a 30-meter rope securely tied on both ends from the platform to the cave where water actually fell.

And there we started again the grueling fun. As we approached the falls, another raft emerged from the concealing clouds of vapor, all were suffusely wet and overwhelmed with joy... And its our turn, we also submerged in the turbid clouds on the rims of the falls and momentarily stopped there as usually done by the boatmen...but we cannot open our eyes as too much pressure were negating us to do so, compounding our excitements, laughing, screaming, and other forms of expressions and feelings nobody can explain.

As we passed the falls and then... inside the cave...we experienced the incredible sound surround!!, the vibrating and impacting fall of tons of water! As if the whole mountain will crumble and gobble us alive! It is like a roaring and rumbling giant bodies (Jurassic monsters) in an enclosure; an impending catastrophe; and the wrath of nature, a sense no one can imagine.

And when we reemerged ...as if triumphantly defying death, felt victorious, and conqueror of the great falls.... all smile and raising our fists, I said proudly, "Mabuhay-hay-hay."

We disembarked from the raft and ...glanced once more that majestic and grumbling falls.... then back to the canoe.

We descended from that height at the speed as the rapids flow. We have seen the expert maneuvering of the boatmen: by pushing and jumping side by side, avoiding collision with the boulders of rocks blocking our way; shouting downstream forewarning the upcoming canoes to stay aside; the swerving and evading any obstructions along the way; and the perfect balancing they demonstrated -as we glided our way safely to the less turbulent stage that we have negotiated.

As we alighted from the canoe ...and looking back to the treacherous trek we have threaded, I silently uttered: "Pagsanjan Falls, you have instilled in me a new sense of awareness. I will tell the world the marvels of your existence."

Read more on this article...

MONEY FOR FETTERS

The have-nots and the less fortunates remain crawling in the cyberpath of poverty in this our space ruled by those who have. Billions of dollars and euros are spent for shackles to keep the poor in the binds of servility. The funds that flow to the development of arms and other war materials are awesome. These are intended to protect the "access roads" leading to the space where only the privilege few dwells with sumptuous provisions. These wealths should have been channeled to the billions of the poor who live on the junk sites to scour an old clothes or other left-overs; to the squatter areas who co-exist in the urban place to eke out for a living; to the crowded resettlements whose occupants were forced to settle by natural calamities; and in a poor quarters whose residents were herded to stay to avoid being entangled in the areas of conflict between the forces of greed. It is lamentable that the greater chunks of wealth are being spent on how to acquire more riches for self-aggrandizement. The issue of global warming is one glaring example where precious money is diverted for research. This issue where a group of alarmists keep on harping that it is due to carbon dioxide, a man-made activities, and therefore can be prevented by being subservient for whatever they wish and advocate. This is the property of nature being transgressed by man to force his objectives -a twisted reasoning for personal gains. This global-warming-carbon-emission-caused is meant to establish a chain of poverty intended to the poorest of the poor. How can these poor countries manage to compete with the advanced technology of already developed countries sponsoring the shift to non-carbon emitting society. The old equipment or toxic-bearing plants used by the poor will be taxed heavily sending them crawling in the valley of misery. The commerce of carbon dioxide are already well in-placed and they found global warming the best justifications to execute the trade. They always mean business and no human barriers can impede their greed for wealth. How can a poor country manage to buy a modern and non-carbon emitting plant or factory when majority of them were able to acquire one old plant by means of foreign loans they are still paying and are now heavily indebted and this carbon quota will be an added burden, compounding their harsh environment. These carbon-related equipment or establishments were the idea of wealthy economists forcing their system and making it a global requirement to ensure their perpetual hold for riches and hegemony. And these are meant to siphon the fresh blood of the poor and striving nations through the scare of global warming and catastrophes as cover. This billions of dollars should have been allocated for food, health, sanitation, clean air, education, and other amenities for the uplift of the poor. The poor who are the product of consequences. The poor who are the victims of manipulations. And the poor who are the less fortunate and were forced to be in their stead, not of their own makings. They are the ones which should be alloted by at least a certain level of decent living and should co-exist to share the benefits provided by Mother Nature. Money should be made available for the good of humanity and not the money to make a fetter to chain the many to a never ending state of vagrancy. Read more on this article...

CARBON DIOXIDE CANNOT CAUSE GLOBAL WARMING

Carbon, in its elementary form, can be recognized as the crystalline of charcoal, graphite, and diamond. It is abundant in the earth's crust together with other chemical elements. Its association with these elements due to its property of sharing electrons -without giving-off electrons with other atoms of other elements- contribute to its innumerability in the forms of compounds of carbon. It is common in important commodities such as: gasoline, kerosene, fuel oils, lubricants, paraffin, wax, vitamins, hormones, plastics, explosives, fats, proteins, carbohydrates, perfumes, medicines, alcohols, and wood products. Due to carbon complexities, a division of chemistry called "organic chemistry" was made a separate field of study just to show the importance of carbon compounds in the existence of humans. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a compound of carbon and is the product from the burning of fossil fuels, decaying matters, fermentations, respirations, and volcanic eruptions; all originated from the earth's crust. Man-made carbon dioxide is produced when we burnt wood, charcoal, petroleum, and other carbon compounds mined from the earth's sub-layer. Actually, it is not man-made as it exists naturally. Our only contribution is when we burned carbon compounds and disintegrating it to combine with oxygen. Thus, carbon dioxide is present when there is an increase in temperature or warming. When CO2 is released in the air or in the troposphere -where all human activities occur- it is absorbed by the plants in the process of photosynthesis in which the plant combines CO2 with water to produce carbohydrates, a necessity to sustain man's life. Carbon dioxide is constantly dissolves in water. Its presence in the troposphere together with other greenhouse gases are maintained in an equilibrium level. Any excess of these gases are naturally combined with water vapor and condensed into liquid water to form the ocean or back to the hydrosphere. Other carbon dioxide which reached the tropopause -the boundary between troposphere and stratosphere- are solidified to form a "dry ice" in the process known as "adiabatic cooling" and it cannot escape to the layer of stratosphere but fall back to earth's surface and the natural cycle is maintained to support life on earth. The belief that "most greenhouse gas take a very long time to leave the atmosphere" is not true. The atmosphere can hold only a certain amount of GHG and the excess is condensed together with water vapor and disposed back to the earth's surface. The same with U.N. IPCC estimate that "48 percent of the total anthropogenus CO2 emission remained in the atmosphere during the first five years of this century" is also not true because excess GHG is removed through water vapor from the troposphere by nature. CO2 can be removed also from the troposphere by incorporating it into a biomass and release oxygen into the atmosphere. The atmospheric lifetime of CO2 is not only few years but in a short period of time when it dissolves with water vapor and again condensed to the ocean or earth's surface. CO2 variable atmospheric lifetime such as those recovered from burning fossil fuels will take a thousand years lifetime if confined to a good container; but if allowed to mix with water vapor, it is immediately dissolved and its global warming potential will be over. Hence, carbon dioxide cannot contribute to global warming. Climate change being experienced in this century or the "Modern Climate Optimum" is a natural existence of our earth. The heat energy accumulated in the earth's core through thousands of years' energy positive forcings are now being gradually released to the earth's upper surface together with volcanic eruptions. And we are now approaching the cycle of "Medieval Solar Maximum" where the Vikings from Norway and Iceland as well as the natives of North America, are now finding settlement and planting crops in Greenland. The Southern Hemesphere is, likewise, being visited at Williams Field Skiway in Ross Ice Shelf near McMurdo Station. All these are the results of natural warming and cannot be attributed to human activities which the global warming alarmists are now advocating in the pursuit of self-aggrandizement and greed. Read more on this article...