Funny how time flies so fast.... I've been here in the south for more than a year now.... and my impression of the place haven't changed a bit if not grew more.

Lot of things, stuffs, places and faces still being discovered, sort of things like, I Pangasius farms all around the place, or a local Civet coffee producers, more faces--friendly faces if I may add, and still places I never thought exist.

I never thought the night life here was as intense as that of in Manila, but well come 1am or 2am it all winds up though.

I was so engrossed in work lately that I haven't been able to attend to some of my personal requirements, not in the bad sense of it though. Just lately i was too busy doing things I wasn't supposed to be doing like PABX, Security Cams and those related to it, not that i don't want it, but just more unnecessary responsibility that I am very much willing to take in.  these past weeks also, I found myself being knocked upon by several job offers, like a teaching job in a well known local college here ( pay is not good though), then a job in a Resort up in the northern Philippines, then a friend told me to apply for the position where her brother's the GM, and last offer was a Development group Mgr in CDO which is located in the northern part of Mindanao. The latter I am considering.....until I found out that Cost of living in CDO is much the same as Cebu or manila.  Well then....I was just considering right?? but my current is still as challenging as I have expected it to be.....same reason I took the job.

Opportunities are still opening up, giving way to my days in the south a good and prosperous one.

this is a very interesting short video that won the UN's Democracy Video Challenge :

Is there a connection between Influenza A (H1N1) and global warming.  . . . .  maybe.

If we will just look back, SARS -- flu like, Birds flu( definitely a Flu), now Influenza A(H1N1) aka swine Flu.

OK these are just flu, and scientists confirms that they mutate....scary isn't it?

....

ok then, I ran across this item as posted on a website back in 2005, very familiar findings if i may say, just read on and you'd be the judge to it.

as posted by the author Kate Ravilious
(reposted without the authors knowledge)

http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/253824/as_global_warming_melts_the_worlds_ice_sheets_rising_sea/

....

As Global Warming Melts the World's Ice Sheets, Rising Sea Levels Are Not the Only Danger

Posted on: Wednesday, 28 September 2005, 06:00 CDT

By Kate Ravilious

Last week, the latest study to track global warming revealed that Alaska's snowless season is lengthening. As the world warms and ice- sheets and glaciers begin to melt, most of us worry about how the earth will respond and what kind of impact climate change will have. Will flooding become a regular feature, or is the land going to become parched? Are hurricanes and typhoons going to spring up in places they have never visited before? Is the rising sea level going to swallow some of the world's most fertile farmland, along with millions of homes?

All of these are valid concerns, but now it turns out that the impact of global warming could be worse than we first imagined. Ice sheets are mostly frozen water, but during the freezing process they can also incorporate organisms such as fungi, bacteria and viruses. Some scientists believe that climate change could unleash ancient illnesses as ice sheets drip away and bacteria and viruses defrost. Illnesses we thought we had eradicated, like polio, could reappear, while common viruses like human influenza could have a devastating effect if melting glaciers release a bygone strain to which we have no resistance. What is more, new species unknown to science may re- emerge. And it is not just humans who are at risk: animals, plants and marine creatures could also suffer as ancient microbes thaw out.

In 1999, Scott Rogers from Bowling Green State University in Ohio and his colleagues reported finding the tomato mosaic tobamovirus (ToMV) in 17 different ice-core sections at two locations deep inside the Greenland ice pack. Gentle defrosting in the lab revealed that this common plant pathogen had survived being entombed in ice for 140,000 years. 'ToMV belongs to a family of viruses with a particularly tough protein coat, which helps it to survive in these extreme environments,' says Rogers.

Since then Rogers has found many other microbes in ice samples from Greenland, Antarctica, and Siberia. And this has turned out to be just the tip of the microbial iceberg. Over the last 10 years biologists have discovered bacteria, fungi, viruses, algae and yeast hibernating under as much as 4km of solid ice, in locations all over the world.

Most recently Rogers and his colleagues found the human influenza virus in one-year-old Siberian lake ice. 'The influenza virus isn't quite as hardy as ToMV, but this finding showed that it is capable of surviving in ice,' says Rogers. This particular strain of influenza had only hibernated for one year and doesn't present much of a threat to humans, but it shows that there is potential for a human virus to survive the freezing process for much longer. Imagine if older, more vicious strains, such as the virus responsible for the Spanish flu pandemic, which killed somewhere between 20 and 40 million people in 1918 - 1919, were to re-emerge.

Not all scientists are convinced by these viral discoveries, and some argue that they are more likely to have arrived in the ice via contamination during the drilling process. However, Rogers is confident that this is not the case. 'We use a chemical called sodium hypochlorite to decontaminate the outer ice surface, which is then followed by extraction or melting of an interior section of the core,' he explains.

So if these viruses have been huddled in the ice for thousands of years, how did they get there in the first place? According to Rogers one very effective way for viruses to travel the world is to hitch a ride in the guts of migrating birds. 'The Siberian lake ice where we found the human influenza virus is on a bird migration route. This is the most likely way that the virus arrived,' he says. Other modes of transport could include riding on aquatic mammals such as seals, clinging to grains of dust, or water transport via rivers and ocean currents.

'Human beings have been more prevalent in northern areas for a long time and so human viruses are more likely to have been frozen into Northern Hemisphere ice sheets,' says Dany Shoham, one of Rogers' colleagues from Bar-Ilan University in Israel. Humans have lived close to glaciers in the European Alps, frozen fjords in Scandinavia and frosty Siberian lakes for thousands of years, making it an easy hop for viruses looking for a place to hibernate for a while. None the less, Shoham says that this doesn't mean the ice sheets of the Southern Hemisphere don't contain viruses.

Thankfully, not all viruses will remain viable after thawing out from hibernation in an ice sheet. 'We routinely keep viruses at minus 80C when we want to store them in the lab, so viruses can certainly survive freezing, but they are often fragile to processes such as freeze-thaw,' explains Geoffrey Smith, head of the virology department at Imperial College London. In the lab it is possible to defrost viruses gently, but outside they are subject to climatic extremes. Only viruses that contain the tough protein coat, like ToMV, are likely to be able to retain all the information they need while being repeatedly frozen and defrosted. This rules out plenty of human viruses, but still leaves a few very nasty options including smallpox, polio, hepatitis A and, of course, influenza.

Shoham believes that the influenza virus is the most likely to emerge from the freeze/thaw process in a fit enough state to re- infect humans. 'It has the properties that would allow it to survive the ice and the ability to transfer between animals and humans once it is out,' he says. What is more, Shoham contends that an ancient version of human influenza could be a very potent weapon. 'Ancient viruses are more dangerous because the natural herd immunity is reduced over time. After just one or two generations the natural herd immunity is eliminated,' he says. Water-borne viruses, such as hepatitis A and polio, are less of a threat because they rely on water currents to reach their victims.

One worrying scenario would be the creation of a super virus via the recombination of ancient and modern strains. 'If only one or two genes from an ancient influenza virus were to interchange with the modern avian influenza, it could become contagious and generate a new pandemic,' says Shoham.

By hiding in the deep freeze for a few thousand years, viruses could be avoiding unfavourable conditions on the earth's surface, such as hosts with a strong immunity. Rogers and his colleagues think that these icy holidays may even be a deliberate part of viral evolution. Equally, the same argument could mean that it is harder for a virus to slot back into the world once it has been defrosted. 'Evolutionary change over time may mean that an emerging ancient virus finds it difficult to adopt a niche,' says Shoham.

If viruses do hide away in ice-sheets periodically, then there should be evidence of pandemics occurring during the earth's warmer periods in the past.

'It may be possible to relate historical extinction events with outbreaks of specific pathogens like influenza and cholera,' says Rogers. As yet no research team has managed to prove this link, but it is something that Rogers and his colleagues are keen to investigate further.

So how much of a risk do these frozen viruses really represent? Without having any definite evidence that viruses are able to complete the full freeze-thaw cycle and go on to re-infect, it is hard to say. Some scientists are not too concerned, while others think it is worth looking into.

'It is certainly conceivable that viruses can survive frozen for thousands of years, but it is not top of the list of my worries. We have enough to think about with the number of dangerous viruses at high concentration around today,' says Geoffrey Smith.

Meanwhile, Dany Shoham believes that the potential consequences are too dire to be ignored, but agrees that there is little we can do to protect ourselves.

'The likelihood of infection from an ancient virus is, in general, low, but once it does take place the impact will be enormous,' he says. 'None the less, this freezing mechanism is so complex, vague and unpredictable that there is really nothing we can do to protect ourselves.'

Perhaps the only grain of comfort is that this won't be the first time that viruses have emerged from the ice. We must have survived such an event before.

Source: Independent, The; London (UK)

How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a naughty world.

-William Shakespeare

Christmas_candle_burning_hg_clr

While working as a mall Santa,  I had many children ask for electric trains. "If you get a train," I would tell each one, "you know your dad is going to want to play with it too. Is that okay?" The usual answer was a quick yes. But after I asked one boy this question, he became very quiet.

Trying to move the conversation along, I asked what else he would like Santa to bring him. He promptly replied, "Another train."
-- George T. Faure

Angel came down from heaven yesterday
She stayed with me just long enough to rescue me
And she told me a story yesterday,
About the sweet love between the moon and the deep blue sea
And then she spread her wings high over me
She said she's gonna come back tomorrow

And I said, "Fly on my sweet angel,
Fly on through the sky,
Fly on my sweet angel,
Tomorrow I'm gonna be by your side"

Sure enough this morning came unto me
Silver wings silhouetted against the child's sunrise
And my angel she said unto me,
"Today is the day for you to rise
Take my hand, you're gonna be my man,
You're gonna rise"
And then she took high over yonder

And I said, "Fly on my sweet angel,
Fly on through the sky,
Fly on my sweet angel,
Forever I will be by your side"

Jimi Hendrix - Angel (Acoustic)

Season is fast changing, the sun seems to have cooled down a little, the rain seems to have found a renewed strength, and the wind is slowly catching up the cool chilly weather up north.  From where I stand right now........it starting to feel like Christmas.

The settings all around is also fast changing....back in the plant, all the tree trunks are lighted with small lights, and the plant's facade is lighted with a giant shooting star (come to think of it its a like a decor in a large mall back in manila). and all the offices are with hanging mini trees like golden balls with christmas trees on top.  along the roads are lanterns(parol) and other holiday ornaments.  And going by the Oval Plaza there stands a giant christmas tree in the center of the Oval itself, around it are well decorated mini castles, the city theme by the way is "Enchanted Gensan", but to me it's more like takeshi's Castle :)

At the malls, more toy displays, more decor being sold, christmas trees, lights, balls of gold, green, red silver and blue, they have all sorts of interesting promotions, like the one that has salesladies dressed in Santa ( hmmmm Santa Baby!!! ).

It is after all the longest celebration in the country, Christmas in the country starts right after All Saints Day in November and lasts up to the celebration of the Feast of the Three Kings in January.  Why does Christmas last that long? I really don't know exactly, maybe because come November, Filipino family starts to prepare for the coming of their loved ones, who is normally working from a far away land and will probably take their vacation come December.  Maybe it's because majority of the Filipino are buying gifts earlier, thus the commercial centers decorate their stores with Christmas highlights to attract these people before the Christmas rush. Maybe it's because we all have that childish feeling inside of us, that tends to overflow with our memories of being a child during the Christmas season, such memories of new clothes, toys, twinkling lights, of decorated trees, of the beautiful lantern(parol) on the window and that wondrous feast that is to come on Christmas day, the neverending reunions and the overflowing gift giving.

Whatever the reasons for this very long season of Joy, the closest reason that I can really think of is LOVE,  we all love, Love makes the world go round they said, Love heals all wounds, Love brings about Peace, Love is the message of our Lord for each one of us.  Does celebrating Christmas longer reminds us that Love is still around, ready to be given and ready to be received? Does a longer celebration of Christmas infuses the idea of loving more than we should?..or perhaps loving longer than a day of celebration?  Perhaps the christmas spirit is always within us the whole year thru......

But the real Christmas Season starts on the 16th day of December, when the Dawn Masses starts in the wee hours of the morning.  These Novena masses were designed for our ancestors who till the fields in the day, and in order for the church to attract them into going to masses, the priests designed the dawn masses, strategically timed to coincide prior to the time they attend the fields.  ...... since our ancestors then were so busy doing their jobs, the only time for them to go to church and give thanks to the Lord, will be to attract them to morning masses at a time that won't coincide with their works.  But time change, nowadays the work schedule are round the clock..come to think of it..maybe thats the reason why the celebration is longer...a celebration that long cannot be ignored by the busy working populace, one way or the other they will notice the lights, the decorations, the Puto bumbong, the Parol, even the lampost, once they notice it, maybe just maybe, it will remind them that its Christmas time, time to give Love, time to share, time to thank our Lord for all the blessings.....even a very busy person will notice Christmas is coming with all the merry surrounding during that almost two months period prior to Christmas....

and at times.....when you are far from the Christmas you knew.....you find things to remind you on the things around however small and simple.....those were the Christmas days :( those were the good memories of childhood, of children, and of your own children.....

I just wish that under my lonely Christmas tree a simple note of "I love you too....." is waiting...and like a child once more, I will jump for joy, and rejoice and celebrate.......I just wish that this wish will come true...

A guitar for christmas? sounds great if you love guitars right.......I just hope you like it son......I just hope you understand what these days in the south are for.....for you to have what you want.....for these days in the south I endure for all of YOU!! and who knows someday we might spend the Christmas here down south....

What gifts, big or small, are you hoping to find under your tree this year?
Sponsored by Best Buy.

A small note will do for me ...a note saying "I Love you too!!"

Happy for I am doing what I am doing now......
Sad that I have to be here, alone, away from my dear ones......
Fear of the day that I will spend unknown number of days alone in a far away place such as this......
Anxious of the things that will uncover before me...
Uncertain of the future of my life down south......

Truly these past months have been an experience of mixed emotions, but hey, life is supposed to be like that!! Of ups and downs, of happiness and sadness, of joy and sorrow, of being loved and left.  Sometimes, i just wonder if the phrase "nothing is permanent" is true.....maybe it is, but how about the feelings inside, the love, the passion....those kinds of feelings become permanent in time.

Love for example, having to love someone for being Kind, generous, loving and caring...it doesn't fade! even if your loveone becomes fat, showered with warts at old age or sculpted with wrinkles on the face, being kind, generous, loving and caring becomes sweeter in time.....

The passion, to accomplish things, to reach a goal. The passion to love and be loved. the passion to see the unending sunsets and sunrise....that too never diminish!!....for your passion is a continuous change, and for every goal you reach, a new goal is set...and for every sunset expect a new dawn...that for every love that is lost a new love will bloom...a far more better and stronger love....

-------------

We do stumble and fall, how long we get back up on our feet is what really matters.  We hurt sometimes, and what matters is how fast we heal.  There is no sense in living in the past if our past will drag our future. If we are happy then, there's no point of stopping to be happy now there is always something to be happy about today. If we are hurt then, why drag the hurting to today? let us just leave the hurting, for another hurting may come for you to endure, there is no point of stacking all the hurting inside...let it out. 

I can never deny that deep inside, my convictions is haunting me, deep inside I know I was hurt, and in my conscience I knew I hurt someone.....maybe this convictions manifested those mixed emotions in my current life--my feelings exactly: simplyEdSa

Show us an adorable baby.

for my Mom, Me and my Sister are the most adorable.....this was taken more than 34 years ago.

MeNDith