INDONESIA

Mr Irwan Firdaus of Associated Press News should check the assets of Indonesia. The country has been exporting crude oil from its vast natural deposit. There is an area featured sometime ago online with continuous mining of gold and some other natural metals. Entrance and exit to the mining site had even been featured to be limited to foreign excavators. It has been the top expoter of good lumber from its vast forest. The country is also a major exporter of coconut meat which eventualluy find its way to China which is used for the canned evaporated and condense milk. In other words, where did all the revenues went?
Remember the G20 conference recently held in North America, one of the big country member representative is Indonesia.

NECK PAIN

In 2004, Aaron G. Filler in his book 'Do You Really Need Back Surgery? A Surgeon's Guide to Neck and Back Pain and How to Choose Your Treatment', Oxford University Press, stated that in pains of the neck, the nerves and the spinal cord are more likely involved. Bone spurs in the neck caused by arthritis and slipped disks are other causes of neck pains. Movement then of the neck may be painful. This kind of disturbances is usually paired with pains in the shoulders, arms and fingers, as well as poor coordination of the hands. Sometimes, numbness of the large toe or the thumb may also be experineced. Treatments like cervical spine manipulation is highly risky. Another cause of neck pain may be an accident that results to 'whiplash' or the tearing apart of some muscles along the spine. Improper healing will usually bring about neck pain. In cases where there is persistence in mixed feelings of pain, the victim should seek for an expert's proper evaluation and sorting out (Filler 14-15).

REHABILITATION? RECONSTRUCTION? WISDOM?

Typhoon 'Ondoy' and the excessive water it brought down to the National Capital region of the Philippines in September 26, 2009 was devastating. Many homes were destroyed. Cars were rolled down by waters like toys. People were flushed down rivers and creeks like insects. Mountain sides eroded bringing downstream so much mud. Roads and bridges were torn down. In the aftermath, affected areas ones more looked like an uncivilized towship of people walking in stockings, boots, socks, and shoes made of clay.

The day before the deluge, I watched tv and saw an actress in her best looks promoting a soap that will soon be aired. The following morning when I open the tv, the same actress was on tv, but this time on top ot the roof of her house with her mum and relatives crying, calling for help and rescue. She is one of the residents in the area that was hardest hit by the flood.

Right after the storm had ravage so much already, people were scrambling on who and how to rescue survivors. Thirty kilometers away from them, I watch in silence over the television and thought, how much more wisdom will those who are again proposing for rehabilitation, and immediate reconstruction input into the areas where they have once touched with their well-publicized intellectual abilities. Lesser damages could have been inflected, had it not been for the excessive conversion of forested areas into housing subdividions.

Indeed viewing the aftermath pictures onscreen, seeing people almost ruined by the sight of their homes and properties destroyed by water and mud is excruciating. But, knowing that most of them are in areas where supposedly fruit trees and crops for the majority who are underprivileged could have been growing, then, the balancing forces of nature must be understood.

If I were to propose, everyday people eat fruit or fruits. In order to rehabilitate and reconstruct with wisdom, each one after eating a fruit, plant the seed. Within one year, one person can produce 365 growing plants. If an area has a thousand population, then the community can produce 365, 000 growing plants in one year. The National Capital region has about 13, 000, 000 million people. So, in a year there would be about 47, 450, 000, 000 growing plants. Trees will bear fruits and become mature in about 3 to 5 years.

SUPERMAN

I was starkingly gloomy three days ago. These was largely due to the ominous barking of dogs all around the neighbors. It kept me thinking for days. I thought fasting was just over. What could be coming? I did not have the interest to post anything. So, I switched on the television just to let pass the kind of boredom I thought I was in. But, to my dismay, there was this news of a deluge plunging many residences into the water. Many houses too submerged as well as people. It was just like at the blink of an eye cities teeming with glitter and pomp gone under water. It was such a scary sight.

There is nothing much I can do... I thought, anyways superman might be there to pick-up those who need to be rescued at the rooftops

AUTOMATED ELECTION

There was an assurance that the Philippine election in 2010 will definitely be automated. Smartmatic won the bidding for the supply of machines. But, the machine that was tried out faltered, like smoking gun as was shown on tv. Yesterday, on the news, some 5 Million voters in the list were removed by comelec.

What is next? The people who are still seated invested already multi-million pesos to cover ads for the television media. . . seems like also automated!

ADSENSE

I decided to write this post because I can not get a clear-cut answer to my problem with my Adsense. I have signed-up for monetization. The page appeared in my post. But, there are no statistical data. I did not get any return mail confirming my registration. So I checked back and attempted to sign-up again. But, for more than 30 times of signing-up nothing turned out except that I was always prompted to encode the ‘catcha’.

In the feedburner, there is a box that says claim your data. Every time I click on it, I was always referred back to log-in. I log-in, and all the same another window appears for log-in.

And why I said no clear-cut answers? A window opens and almost all the content are branched!

I uploaded my post and all I got was a referral ad to 8 electric engineers! hahahahaha! Can we not have an expert for adsence to get it straight here?

FRUIT JUICE, TEA, COFFEE, WINE, AND TOBACCO

Taking fruit juices, tea, coffee, wine, and tobacco the same? All these five items comes from plants. Basically their nature is the same. They may vary at the amount of basic elements that they contain. Some plants are completely devoid of elements that are found in others. Some plants contain substances that are their protective mechanisms against predators. In this way, plants may contain substances which when taken by organisms are harmful to the health. Such content may be called poisons.

Since time immemorial, humankind have richly classifed plants according to usage. This is based on their substance content. Fruit juice like orange is an extract of the sap of orange fruit. Sap are the nutrients from orange plant found in the fruit plus water and essential oil, so it is fluid. Tea and coffee are extracts from dried fruits branches, stems, leaves, and barks of plants. So, the extracts are minus the water contents and some parts of essential oil. Wine is produced from the sap of fruits and fermented to evolve alcohol. Tobacco are crushed, dried leaves of the plant.

I addition to the difference of their nutrient content, preparation for usage are also different. Some people would eat the whole fruit of orange to get the sap. So, they also eat the pulp that is rich in cellulose or carbohydrates. But this form of carbohydrates can not be digested and absorbed in human system.

Instead of eating raw fruits, leaves, barks, and stems of plants, some would dry them out first to release the water and some parts of the essential oil content. From out of the dried parts, tea and coffee is prepared by adding some boiling water. After few minutes, the clear water would turn yellowish to brown indicative that soluble substances are already in water. Some would filter out the the almost colorless cellulose parts. The filtrate is then taken as beverage.

Crushed and dried tobacco leaves are usually rolled into tiny sticks. These are lighted to burn. Smoke is puff from the burning leaves. After sometimes, only ashes are left.

SAMPLE ESSAY BY STEPHEN REID: RATED A (4)

Another rated A essay by Stephen Reid in 1998 is on Western Civilization. The same piece is found in his book 'The Prentice Hall Guide For College Writers, 4th ed", London. He wrote the essay in answer to the following questions: "What was the fifteenth-century view of "science" as described in The Hunchbback? How did this view tend to inhibit Claud Frollo in his experiments in his closet in the cathedral?

The excellent response was written in this essay:

"The fifteenth-century view of "science" was characterized by superstition and heresy. In the Hunchbback of Notre Dame, for example, we see superstition operating when the king's physician stated that a gunshot wound could be cured by the application of a roasted mouse. Claud Frollo, a high ranking church official, had a thirst for knowledge, but unfortunately it pushed beyond the limits of knowledge permitted by the church. When he worked in his closet on the art of alchemy and search for the "Philosopher's Stone" (gold), he was guilty of heresy. Frollo read and mastered the arts and sciences of the university and of the church, and he wanted to know more. he knew that if he pressed into the "Black Arts," the Devil would take his soul. And indeed, the "Devil" of passion did. Frollo felt inhibited because of the many experiments he performed would have made him guilty of heresy and witchcraft in the eyes of the church. And this seemed to be the case in almost anything "new" or out of the ordinary. La Esmeralda, for instance, was declared "guilty" of witchcraft for the training of her goat. Her goat appeared to have been possessed by the Devil himself. When in fact, all the girl was guilty of was training the goat to do a few simple tricks. All in all, the fifteenth-century view of "science" was not one of favor, but of oppression and fear. Thankfully, Renaissance came along!", (Reid 597-598).

RATED A (4) ESSAY

The following essay was written by Stephen Reid in the 4th edition of his book "The Prentice Hall Guide For College Writers", 1998, London. This piece was graded A as it was found to be a good response to the Biology question relative to Ecology.

The basis of rating the essay with an A are the "clear focus on the hydrologic cycle, photosynthesis, and solar energy and the source of energy for both the stream and its ecosystem."

The questions were based on the statement "Water running down a mountainside erodes its channel and carries with it considerable materials". And the questions were: "What is the basic source of energy used by the water to do this work? How is the energy used by water to do this work related to the energy used by life in the stream ecosystem?

"The process begins with the hydrologic cycle. The sun radiates down and forces evaporation. This gaseous water condenses and forms rain or snow which precipitates back to earth. If the precipitation falls on a mountain, it will eventually run down the hillside and erode its channel. (Some water will evaporate without running down the hill.) The energy used by water to do its work relates directly to the energy used by life in the stream system. The sun is an energy input. It is the source of energy for stream life just as it is the source of energy for the water. Through photosynthesis, the energy absorbed by the stream is used by higher and higher trophic levels. So the sun is the energy source for both running water and the life in the stream. It all starts with solar energy" (Reid 599-600).

JOKE! PLASTIC FROM HUMAN LUNGS

I wondered how else have a plastic gained entrance into the lungs of one guy? An online report said that surgeons successfully removed the plastic! There is only one scientific explanation to it. The victim must have very huge nose!

WHICH IS MORE TOXIC

In 2001, the mother of my friend, a neighbor, came home for the summer vacation after ten years of living in North America. Two days after she arrived, she was admitted to the hospital for illness. About ten days later, she died of what her physicians confirmed as lung cancer.

According to my friend, her mum was only 72 years old. Back in the States where she lived with her family, no one smokes a cigarette and nobody takes alcohol. But, she regularly drives her car to work. Everyone else in her family has each a car, and drives their own to work.

Listening quietly to these details, I also committed the same to memory. I have heard more of similar cases with people I know around. Several of my cousins who died quite young in life, drove their own cars. Two of them were more recent. One was stricken with cancer, and the other died of hypertension.

My own brother died at age 60 because of hypertension. He drives his own car since he was in his teens. My best friend died at 60. I remember well that everyday since 1979 she commutes for about 18 kilometers on public transport everyday, 5 days a week. Another friend neighbor just retired died of brain cancer. He drives his own car, and he owns a variety of them. My husband died at an early age of 55. He died of a complication from diabetes. He drove daily our car when he was still in good health.

My granddad died at 76. He smoked his pipe everyday that I can remember him when he was still alive. He has a car, but he does not drive. I recently heard that the guys who were his drivers before died quite young, not reaching the age 50, similar to their parents who died earlier than my mother. They own an automotive shop and have several family cars.

My grandma died at 81. She shared cars with granddad before. My father died at 69. But, he smokes, drinks some alcohols, and drives the family car. My mom died at 86. She is very homey. Seldom does she travels on motorized engines. She does not smoke, drive, or take any alcoholic beverages. But, we had the family car to travel with sometimes. Her physicians confirmed her to be stricken with osteoporosis which caused her to weaken until she died.

The mother of my dad who knew nothing of cars and just walks around wherever, died at 106 years old. She smokes the raw tobacco and drinks every afternoon her favorite locally made alcohol and sometimes the fermented coconut sap. The first cousin of my granddad died at 114 years old. She also just walks around and seldom rides any motorized vehicles. She smokes her raw tobacco everyday with the glowing ember inside her mouth and drinks her favorite locally made alcohol everyday without pass. Now, which is more toxic?

SANCTUARY

Any region or area that has been legitimately declared as a safe haven for dwellers is a sanctuary. In the early 70's, the trend for allocating marine sanctuaries was in vogue. This was in keeping with the purpose of conserving some marine ecosystems that may serve as the seedbed of sea organisms.


One of the famous Philippine sanctuaries was maintained by Silliman University in Dumaguete, Negros Oriental. Many local people and tourists had the privilege of seeing nature at its best with almost negligible level of human intrusion or interference.
The surrounding areas of marine ecosystem then had its regular source of seedings. As a result, fishing along those areas regularly meant abundant catch.


Today, many other marine ecosystems have been set aside as sanctuaries similar to the one in Batangas, and in Palawan. These areas have turned out now to be famous tourist spots. Aside from that, the areas as well support the neigboring marine ecosystem with aboundant marine life.


Having successfully implemented these ideas to the lower forms of animals, is there any chance that a similar concept may be applied to human communities? Is human sanctuary still possible for the 21st century generation? In the past this was only done for the lepers. The one in Switzerland currently is only for drug abusers.

HOW TO WRITE A REVIEW

A review is an essay about published information on a topic or an issue. The function of a review is to update an audience or a reader, or readers in relation to the current knowledge concerning the topic or issue. However, sometimes, the intention of a review is to recommend the latest version of the earlier stuff. Whichever explanation is given, it is constantly bottomed on a blend of earlier stuff with the latest version that would result to more comprehensive system of facts. As such, reviews must contain proofs to influence and convince an audience or a reader, or readers that the latest version is compelling.


Consequently, if you are to write a review, you should do the following steps: a) pick a very limited issue currently hot in the market; b) bring into play latest version of persuasive facts from diverse sources; c) perfectly recap and reword the earlier stuff; d) properly indicate the reference material; and e) you may use sub-headings. This is primarily to guide your audience or a reader, or readers in understanding your essay. As well, this also puts some system in your essay as you progress with your ideas.

WHAT IS AN ESSAY

An essay is a written record of the way you think. It is your way of communicating to an audience, the way you are thinking. It is your way of expressing yourself in a literary form. It is inscripting what is in your mind. So that, whatever you are thingking or in the past have in you thoughts, that you have put into words, are sent to a reader. In other words, the content of your essay, is the message that you have written. It is the gists of your writing. But, the presentation of your message is very important. This is for your reader to understand your message. You may choose to write it in the form of a narration, description, exposition or argumentation.

The narration form is actually the easiest to write because all you have to do is tell the story as they took place in the past. It may be in a conversation form between two or more people. Description on the other hand, is an essay where you present a picture of whether a person or a place or an event, etc in your writing. Exposition, is when you write about something to give give information to your reader. Finally, argumentation essay is your critique on an issue or issues.

In most academic essays, the purpose of writing is usually exposition and argumentation. These are meant to inform a reader and to persuade a reader. Hence, your essay may be an informative essay or a persuasive essay.

BRAINSTORMING

One of the critical stage in essay writing that is most often overlooked by students is brainstorming. When you have decided on a subject and a topic, then proceed to journalizing all the related terms, words, sentence, sentences, that comes to mind. Do not edit. Just write whatever crosses your mind. You could be talking to friends and you have picked a word or words related to your topic. So, with your journal on hand, just jot it down.


When you see that you have enough materials in your journal, then, you can do the mapping of words. Group the words together according to how it answers your journalists' questions: why, how, when, where, and what.


Now, you are ready to draft your essay. Write simple sentences. Do not edit, remove, or move anything yet. Just write down. Set aside your essay for sometime to give also yourself a fresh start later.


When your are ready, read what you have written. This time you may edit your draft. Remove or move word, words, and sentences, such that they are well organized. That is the trend of thought is systematic. Write your topic sentence either at the begining of the first paragraph, as the first sentence. You may also write your topic sentence at the end or the last sentence of the first paragraph.

STARBUCKS

Often, I and my daughter like exceptionally brewed coffee. We would always miss what we are used to have at home in the farm. But, living in the big City, working far from the province did not mean foregoing what we feel we simply need to sip just like were home. So we hang-out here at the nearby starbucks. Everytime I sip a cup of their freshly brewed coffeee, there seems to be just nothing more that I could ask for. It is just superb! Life in the City is made a lot more better with my starbucks brewed coffee.


Everytime I am in the malls, digging whatever is the latest, I would never miss my cups of starbucks coffee. Sometimes, I do sip some cups with my friends too who loves the same brand as I do. For this, I even bought some three of my favorite starbucks mugs.

DISSERTATION PROPOSAL OUTLINE

When you have done the following steps: a) decided on a subject; b) narrowed a topic; c) brainstormed about the topic; d) mapped the brainstormed word, words, term, terms; and e)written an essay about the topic, now, you are ready to draft an outline of your research proposal:

1. Write the title of you research clearly. It is usually reflective of you main research problem or issue. For example, 'HOW TO LIVE ALONE'. Another example would be 'MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS IN THE 21st CENTURY: BANKS.

Then, identify at least three sub-problems:

a) What is the essence of living alone?

b) Who are interested in living alone?

c) How will you live alone?

2. Write a concise background of your problem. How did the issue came about?What have been written about it? Who wrote them? When? Is is worth investigating the same?

3. Write your theories, your hypotheses, your gusses answer to your own problem.

4. How would you go about solving your problem/issue? Write a brief methodology. Actually, this may evolve as you progress with your investigatory research. You may choose a quantitative or a qualitative etc.

5. Write your delimitations.

6. Write a concise review of related literature. You may pick this up from your essay.

Let your work enjoy some periods of gestation. Go back to it later and you may edit or add new ideas you have gathered.

DRAFTING AND ORGANIZING

Drafting and organizing an essay may not really be easy. But, this is only when you do not take the first step. Some people would say, but, what should I write first? Okay, here is a clue. Everyday, we love to tell story of our life's 'big event of the day' to someone. We like to inform someone of what took place that we can not keep to ourselves. Although we may sometimes seems to be bursting out long before we can relay our story, we always take our time to think and organize the series of events such that our listeners will be there till the whole story is told. So, writing is a way of thinking and telling what you have in your mind. Just remember the details that journalist usually use to give a complete picture of your story.

In the mainstream, before telling a story, you are primed with a subject. So, this is actually your very first step. Then, your mind would endeavor to craft a topic on the subject. This is your second step. But, if you notice, the subject and the topic answers the question what. What are you talking about. What are they talking about? What is the issue? What is the talk of the town? What happened? What will you do? What is important? What was your response? What is up?

After having decided on a subject and a topic, you usually proceed and tell your story the way you believed your listener best understands you and appreciates what you are trying to impart. In ordinary conversational settings, there are conversationalists who are rightly equipped with word or words to be used. That means, there are people who are articulate. Do not be scared. Just use the appropriate terms which comes to mind and edit later. Similarly in writing, just scribble what comes to mind and edit later.

The advantage of writing what is in your mind actually is that you are given plenty of time to choose the words that you may use. Plus, you have ample time to organize as you draft your thoughts.

RESEARCH TOPIC

A visitor who seems to be going into research caught my attention to discuss more on research topic. Prior to considering a research topic, one must be clear about the subject of interest. For example, when you have decided on 'music ' as a subject, then some of the possible research topic could be "The Moods That Music Creates", or "Country-Asian Music", or "Classical Music" and etc. The next step is for a researcher/writer to expand the ideas by brainstorming and grouping the words according to how you answer the journalist questions. Then from out of those set of words, draft simple sentences. Write draft paragraphs. Arrange and rearrange sentences to draft your first essay. Make sure you have your topic sentence to anchor your ideas.

Phillipine Style Solar Car

De La Salle University Filipino science students presented their own version of solar car. This was their bid to challenge other inventors in a show launch to discover the best creation among the thirty eight participants. Although they did not make it to the top, the students were just happy to present their own idea of a solar car. This was another crucial step taken in the midst of everyones desire to come up with a model that is enivornment friendly. Conveniently, this was only second to the now servicing electrically powered jeepneys and buses plying several routes in the National Capital Region of the Philippines.

FOLLOWING

My best friend here just called me up. He gave me some tips about my blog. One thing he noticed is that he saw me following in so many other blogs around while he was surfing. Funny! But, my own post have quite few. He, he, I told him lesson number one that I have to learn. Perhaps, I said people have not revisited their posts that was why they have not seen my photo and that I was not so attractive. LOL!

WHITE SAND

In the early 70’s, during my college years, every week we visited this particular islands for the marine biology ecosystem study. There were no single spot in the area with white sand. We collected many samples of marine life for specimen study. Today, almost every beachfront has been turned into a resort for its white sand. Seems that everyone who owns the place, and the visitors who often spends days in the island at unbelievable prices are just mesmerize with the beauty of the white sand that line every nook of the isle. Obviously, people are not aware of the fact that the white sands are the products and confirmation that the coral reefs in the area are destroyed, that the waters in the area can no longer support marine life. These are the results of coral destruction because of extensive modified fishing, and extensive effluents from gold and copper mining industries, extensive effluents from manufacturing industries, extensive use of inorganic fertilizers in large scale farming, and extensive oil effluents from sea vessels. Nonetheless, there are still areas on the eastern part down South, facing the Pacific Ocean that seemed to have been less affected. This could be because the area is open and sea water circulation is more intense.

WHAT MOST PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW

Countless times I have travelled since the 60’s through land, water, and sea. And what confuses me are some of the realities that most travellers do not know. When I travelled by boat, I was given an orientation on how to use the life-saver in case of emergency.
When I travelled by air, the stewardess oriented us on how to use the life-saver in case of emergency. Until last March, I got the same orientation from stewardesses. In other words, there are no parachutes. So, the presumption is that in case of emergency, any pilot will only strive to look for a body of water to drop, and not on anything like dopping passengers alive on parachutes over land. The plane that recently landed on its belly on the Hudson river was the only alternative. But, the passengers were not able to utilized their lifesaver.

HARRY POTTER

I thought Harry Potter knew all the tricks!



He was simply outsmarted. Seems his withcraft wisdom is outdated!

MEW MEW POWER OPENING

Mew, mew, is it really electrical when one falls in love?



OH! well, positve+negative-postive+negative...electricuting!

OVERCOMING CHILLY WEATHER

Just as it was forecasted yesterday, the weather this morning is quite chilly. Slowly, the frosty season is creeping in. As a result, most of us want something more easy-to-wear. There are those who prefer just a simple piece of comfortable garment, but, somehow capable of controlling the way out of heat from the surface of the body. Before I went to bed last night, I thought I will simply have to have something that will give me some warmth the whole day at work. I got some of these collections in my wardrobe which are excellent covers for a day of work in the chilly indoors.

FAVORITE UNDERCOATS

There are many tops for undercoats in the market today. They are in diverse designs and colors. These are usually worn on formal occasions. Also, with the onset of the cold season the undercoat tops are ones more in vogue. I usually prefer the designer items which are done in soft and silky cloth. These are the ones designed to give an aura of smartness. The color tones can be monochromatic, but blends well with a more unsubdued overcoat. They are likewise easy to wash and keep for people who are always on the go.

BURBERRY SANDALS

Last March the family gathered for mother's funeral. Everyone was crying and feeling the deepest sorrow having lost our mom for her next big world. In the middle of the 3rd night, right after the evening prayer, my sisters arrived howling at the top of the voices of over a hundred mourners. After 15 minutes, all attention were diverted when the mourners said in chorus WoW! what a beautiful pair of sandals. My sister was wearing her burberry sandals. It is really adorable!

PAY PER POST

Before I was allowed to claim my post, after I registered, I was asked to write a post carrying the statement "Just the right place to find a schadenfreude." However, because I am not familiar with the word schandenfreude, I thought I must know first what this German sounding term really is, when translated to US English. So, I turned to my word translator. To my surprise, the words meant "shame pleasure". I laughed allowed because I felt relieved that I did not immediately write my post prior to finding out what the statement was.

ONLINE LIBRARY

This Morning I got a call from one of my students who has been working on her final academic paper. She was kind of short of her reference materials. I told her to use one of the libraries I have been using for two years now. Questia have a wide-range of almost every reference needed whether the oldest or the latest books journals, magazines, and newspapers. She was quite hesitant at first, but I told her to try the free readings that they offer first then you can decide for a choice on the use of the entire library resources. It is really an amazing experience to have so many references on hand when I need it. I do not need to be burdened with carrying all the stuffs where I need them.

Diamonds and Sapphires by Elizabeth Taylor

This perfume was delicately formulated for its refreshing, flowery feminine scent by the Elizabeth Taylor design house in 1993. She has actually has many more choices in her catalogue at her site. You will surely be mesmerized. The fragrance pulls together compliments as it emits high-end value for its fresh, clean, long-term, exclusive, and fragile smell. It is the best signature fragrance that can be applied on any parts of the body for special evening occasions. For an adventurous person like myself, I usually spray over my pulse areas diamonds and sapphires after a shower. With it, joining people becomes seamless and flawless. Owning a bottle is one investment that every woman like me will cherish