|time_for_change|
on this day people all over the world continuously campaign for a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.
global warming. greenhouse effect. ozone layer depletion. radical climate changes. nuclear waste disposal and management. rapid mass extinction of plant and animal species. food and water shortage.
these are the things that we should be taking action before everything is too late. whatever your crusade may be, are you making that change to make a difference?
happy earth day, everyone!
Labels: earth day, environment, nature
|paxton_dies|
paxton kept me company for a good number of years. i hoped it would've been longer but it was beyond me and fate wasn't on my side, this time. our tandem was unparalleled. we had the same likes in music- old and new. he was fairly neat and had a way to keep disorganized things organized and systematic. he also enjoyed photography and took care of my photos in a manner that he knew given that we had the same cluttered head.
he tagged along wherever i went since he also loved traveling-- i'd say he was a perfect travel companion to keep you up and about anytime and anywhere. he survived the metro traffic with me. he kept me going even if i had to stay in the office for long hours. we endured long waits in the airport for delayed flights, dreaded boat rides to the far flung isolated islands and the roughest road trips.
the last trip we took together was in boracay island in aklan a week before my birthday where we frolicked in the long white stretch of beach and basked in the march summer sun.
paxton, my 4th gen 40gb ipod konked out and died last wednesday. he will be greatly missed.
|sheer_curiousity|
i was watching tv.
i wasn't bored but there wasn't anything interesting on. for some cosmic reason i got drawn to the screen of the tv and knelt in front of it. i then sticked the tip of my wet tongue out and licked the surface of the tv screen. and there it went, i felt a strange tingle jump from the picture tube surface to my tongue. then i realized the stupidity that i just did.
i pondered on what just happened and recalled things i learned from college that i would otherwise think would be useless crap.
the tv puts positive charge on the inside surface of the screen. the negatively charged electrons are attracted toward the positively charged screen and collide with the phosphors at high speed, causing the phosphors to emit light. this scheme works well and allows you to see a bright image. putting positive charge on the inside surface of the glass screen has some interesting effects on the outside surface of the screen--the part that you can touch and for those who are curious, lick with their tongue.
having the inside surface of the screen positively charged causes negative charges outside of the television to approach and stick to the outer surface of the screen. because of the large positive charge inside the screen's glass surface, any negative charges in the air outside the television set are attracted to the screen's outer surface, where they stick. there's a low voltage charge that has accumulated on the surface. when the screen got licked, the charge transferred to the wet tongue and caused the strange zapping sensation.
and yes, i want to correct myself-- i was bored. and after it all, i knew better.
Labels: physics
|surviving_the_holyweek|
it's the time of the year once again. being a predominantly catholic country, the rest of the country is in observance of the holyweek where there's no work and most fun establishments are closed. it's that one time in the year that our busy life halts or slows down for a few days.
this being a major holiday besides christmas, it depends on how these days are spent by anyone. for some, it's time with family or friends as they head off to various vacation spots to bask in the sun or to cool off the summer heat in and around the country. for others, it's time to practice their catholic religion and do whatever it is that they do to make it all worthwhile. i'd say to each, his own and do whatever is deemed relevant, appropriate, acceptable and significant to one's faith.
so how do i really survive the holyweek wherein i'm stuck in our own house?
for me, this is the time i look forward to a major cleaning of my room. the rest of the year, it will just continue on and gather clutter until this cleaning fest! cleaning my room or whatever place within the house that needs cleaning isn't at all that bad. my room is often neglected and can become a real dump. soiled clothes, papers, receipts, books, magazines-- they gather dust and a major clean fest can keep me busy for days.
cleaning is no fun all by itself. in-between breaks makes it funner! for that, stack up on your comfort food a few days before stores close for the holy holidays. take a break with your cleaning and munch on chips, cookies, chocolates, fruits, juices and soda while watching cable or listening to music from your ipod. emphasis on cable tv viewing and ipod music listening since local tv and radio stations are off the air.
while still on-going with your cleaning, download a movie, your favorite tv series or music on the internet and just leave it to do it's own thing. on your second, third, fourth spring cleaning break, surf a bit and watch those much viewed videos for the day in youtube or go ahead and create a blog entry. otherwise, update your photos up in flickr or view activities happening within your friendster domain. why not sign-up for another social networking application- facebook is the new kid on the block!
watch those movies or tv series on dvd that you bought from your favorite pirated vcd and dvd store. catch up on your reading with all the magazines and books that you've managed to collect and of which have no time to read.
after it all, it'll be back to business as usual. after easter monday, it will be back to the usual life. another year ahead to a room to mess up. onto the next spring cleaning in 2008!