Super Moon Rising Tonight

Weather permitting, tonight we will see the moon rise from the east and become 14 percent bigger than usual.   No, the moon will not grow bigger instead it will be at its closest point to Earth - what scientists call the perigree.  On the average the moon  is 383,024 kms away from the Earth. On Sunday, it will be just 356,991 kms away -- or 26,023 kms closer than usual.

from space.com credit:Tim McCord 

Science.com says that supermoons occur about once annually, and this year, the supermoon is closer than it has been in a little while.  It added that the difference in size can mean as much as a 30 percent change in the brightness, so this will be a particularly bright supermoon.

If you want to see the largest full moon of the year, you just need to step outside and look up at the sky,  To take pictures of this event,  science.com offers the following tips: use a tripod, a zoom lens about 200mm and fast shutter speed.

As a final word, let me assure you folks that this event does not portend anything sinister.  It will not bring earthquakes or volcanic eruptions.  NASA says that the supermoon has very little effect on the tides, that even those who live in coastal areas will not notice any change in the height of water.  

UPDATE: As expected, it was a cloudy night so the super moon was not visible at all. 

Flora Filipina 2012

Last week, we went to see the Flora Filipina Expo 2012, a garden and orchid show at the Quezon Memorial Circle.

It featured garden settings and floral arrangements, as well as orchids. Naturally, it's best seen than read about. Here are some of my favorites.

and here's my favorite display.

Morning Walk in Quezon Memorial Circle

I joined a few friends in a morning walk at the Quezon Memorial Circle recently.  Though the place is the resting place of the late President Manuel Luis Quezon, city officials in consultation with the heirs of the deceased decided to turn it into a people's park.  The circle, which used to be a flat piece of land in the middle of the city has been developed into a recreational hub for its citizens.

It is now a hub of activities.  When we were there, there were kids jogging around the park, young people playing volleyball, old people doing calisthenic exercises, and there was even a seminar on the benefits of coconut.

We were there to shoot photos and that's what we did the whole morning.  Here are some of the scenes I captured.

7 Billion and counting

Today marks a milestone in Earth's history.  Today the 7 billionth human being is born somewhere in our blue planet.  According to the United Nations, if he or she happens to be born in Japan, France, the United States or other wealthy nation, that baby will live up 100 years.

How big is 7 billion? According to the National Geographic, don't other counting it out because even if you if you spend just a second for each number, it will still take two centuries to reach that number.  If you take 7 billion steps, it will take you around the globe 133 times!  It's that big.  You may wonder how 7 billion people will fit in this tiny sphere.  Well, someone did try to determine how and by their estimates, if all 7 billion of us stand shoulder to shoulder, we will all fit in the city of Los Angeles.

Here are other interesting tidbits about us 7 billion earthlings:

• 13% of us speak Mandarin as their first language, 5% Spanish and 5% English;
• 19% are Chinese, 17% are Indian and only 4% are American;
• 33% are Christian, 21% Muslim and 13% Hindu;
• 51% of Earth's 7 billion live in Urban areas;
• 82% of us are literates.

We should remember of course that the world population will not stop at 7 billion.  Health improvements resulted in longer life spans, improved survival of mother and child.  Also despite declining fertility rates, about 80 million people are added to the world population every year, roughly equivalent to the entire population of Germany.  If this trend continues, there will be 10 billion people on earth by the end of this century.

Aside from this, the UN has estimated that there are some 3.7 million people that are in their reproductive years.  So expect our population to further grow in the next few decades.  Much of the growth will be in Asia but Africa is fast catching up.  Fertility in the continent is double than that in Asia, so much so that its population will triple by the end of this century.  For example, Germany and Ethiopia has the same population of about 80 million.  But due to differences in fertility rate, Germany which has a fertility rate of 1.4 child per woman will see its population will go down to  75 million.  Ethiopia on the other hand with its 4.6 fertility rate will almost double its population to 145 million.

The task of providing for this 7 billion souls lies in the hands of governments around the world of course.  Part of their work should also be to educate their people on reproductive health and provide the facilities and services for the same.  They need to study and take in to consideration how to make life sustainable for all of us.  The decisions and policies that they will make today will determine the future of 7 billion people.

By the way, by time you finish reading this blog, you will be one of the more than 7 billion people in this rock we call home.

"We are 7 billion people with 7 billion possibilities"

Babatunde Osotimehin

Executive Director, UNFPA

Credits: Data and images used come from reports of the United Nations Population Fund, National Geographic, 7billionactions.org

Light and Shadows

While lying in bed this morning, this scene caught my attention.  The early sun light filtering through the curtains cast shadows of the window grills and contrasted with the golden leave prints. The contrast between the bright light and the dark shadows was a sight to see.

I grabbed my camera and took a shot of the scene.  Admittedly, nature is far better at making such beautiful view than any man-made device.

Japan Earthquake 2011

It was a scene straight from a disaster movie. A massive tsunami strikes and engulfs a city. It washes everything in its path, cars, farmhouses, silos and even trucks. Only this one is for real. 

Japan was struck by a powerful earthquake earlier today, measuring at 8.9 magnitude.  It caused heavy damages in the cities affected.  It also triggered a massive 10 meter tsunami that brought even more damage to the country's coastline.

So powerful was the tsunami that it sent thousands of people across the Pacific Rim to evacuate.  Here in the Philippines, a tsunami alert warning was issued minutes after the quake struck.  Residents along the coastline of the North Luzon region were asked to go to higher grounds.  Concerns were also raised for loved ones who are living in areas in the Pacific.  I have a sister in Hawaii where a tsunami warning was also declared.  

Thankfully, the waves that reached our shores were not even a meter high so there were no damages reported in those areas.

But the images we see online were scary and troubling.  It's proof that when it comes to natural disasters, there's little, or nothing, that we can do.  It also brought up the question on how well our government is prepared to address such calamities.

We cannot predict when it will be our turn to get hit by an earthquake that's a massive as the one that hit Japan.  The last real devastating tremor we had was 20 years ago.  Since we share the same area with Japan, it really pays that we all should be alert at all times.  

Anay

They work in the dark, insidiously taking over your property.  By the time they're finished, you will be left with almost nothing.  They are small, but their numbers make up for their size.  I am talking about anay, white ants, or termites.

For the past two days, I had my house treated for these pests.  I never realized how bad the situation was until the pest control guy went up the ceiling and treated the area.  Termites fell like rain and died upon falling on the floor.  But the worst was yet to come, when the man walked a few steps to another area, he almost fell from the ceiling after his foot went through the material. He managed to tell us that the ceiling and its braces are almost completely eaten by the invaders.

My cabinets were also infested.  From the outside, they looked fine but when the pest control guy started knocking on the boards, they were hollow.  And when  the board was punched with an icepick, true enough, the termites have completely eaten the insides of the wood.  This was the case for most part of the house that was made of wood.  Everything looked pristine outside but inside, there was nothing.  It reminded me of wafers and ampaw.

I wouldn't believe it if I didn't see it.  But my house is literally crumbling without me noticing it.  I could actually wake up one morning and find pieces or entire parts of the house falling on the floor.  What saved me from this catastrophe was I asked someone to estimate how much I would spend for the repairs of the house.  The person told me that before I have my house repaired, I should call the pest control company because he suspected that my house was infestested by termites.

The pest control company told me that it will take a day to complete the work.  However, the one day treatment extended to two days, every time the pest control leaves an area he'd tell me that he's never seen such infestation before.  The place was simply swarming with termites and I didn't know!  In fact, had I not called them to treat my house, I will have no house to speak of by next year.

Pray It Rains 2010

Today during Sunday Mass, the Catholic Faithful are asked to pray for rain.  This was the same action taken by the Church in 2007 when the country suffered from a long dry spell.

This year, the country is facing the prospect of drought and water shortages brought about by the El Niño weather phenomenon.  Although the weather bureau said that it is only categorized as "moderate to strong", the phenomenon would reduce rainfall by 40 to 60 percent.  

However, the country is already experiencing its effects.  Low levels of water have already caused power cuts in certain parts of the country.  Rice and corn production are also reduced with losses estimated in the millions.  The Agriculture department has already said that if the effects become more severe, the country could import additional rice supply amounting to 880 thousand tons.

That is why the good Cardinal Rosales of Manila wrote a special prayer called Oratio Imperata Ad Petendam Pluviam  to be recited after communion before the post communion prayer.  It asks God to send us rain and ease the drought.

The prayer goes:

God our loving Father, creator of our earth and of the universe, and all the wondrous elements of nature that sustain your living creatures, we humbly ask you to send us the rain that our country needs so badly at this time, to irrigate our fields, to stave off a power shortage, to provide water for our bodily health, and to refresh our parched lands. At your command the wind and the seas obey, raise your hand Almighty God to send us so that crisis may be averted.

Merciful and generous God, open our eyes to the richness and beauty of your creation and instill in us a deep love for this earth and all that is in and around it. Teach us to be wise stewards of your creation so that we may always use them responsibly and protect them from abuse and exploitation. At this time of crisis, dear Lord, move us to share more and to love more.

Loving God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, you entrusted the Filipino people to the special care of Mary our Mother, listen to the prayers that we bring up to her, our Blessed Mother, to intercede for us, for the protection of our land and our people, whom she loves.

Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, One God forever and ever. Amen.

Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us.
Saint Rose of Lima, pray for us.
Saint Lorenzo Ruiz, pray for us.

Cardinal Rosales also asked to include in the intentions of the Prayer of the Faithful the supplication for rains.  He is the third prelate in the country to order the prayer after Cardinal Vidal of Cebu and Bishop Jumoad of Basilan.

Giant Squids and A Man Who Acts Like One

 I read a really strange news article when I went online this morning.  The report said that giant squids suddenly surfaced in waters off the coast of California.   In fact, the picture that accompanied the article was a scene straight out of Animal Planet.

According to a report by the AP, the squid, also known as the Humboldt, weigh between 20 and 40 pounds, but some fishermen have caught 60-pound giants.  The report further stated that this animal can grow to as much as 100 pounds and up to 6 feet long.

The first thing that came into my mind was calamares.  Imagine how much of this stuff can be made out of these giants.  It would make a lot of beer drinkers very happy.

I just wonder if these creatures also squirt ink when agitated or cornered.  I know one giant squid who did just that when he tried to defend himself this afternoon.

The man was accused of unethical conduct for approving a road project that would benefit his businesses.  For days, he refused to answer the accusations hurled against him and just let his lackeys do the job for him.

When he finally spoke this afternoon, he denied everything and instead called the hearing a political harassment because he was running for president of the country.  Well, he’s second in the running, and if surveys are to be believed (they could sometimes be commissioned), he’s gaining ground against the front-runner.

All throughout his speech, he had his head bowed down, not looking straight at his accusers. After squirting ink, by saying that he is being pulled down by the Filipino’s crab mentality,  the man left his accusers and refused to answer questions.

Between him and the giant squid, though, I’d pick the latter anytime.  At least I can make crispy fried squid out of them.

Random Thoughts on a Full-Moon Night

After dinner tonight, I went out of the house to find a beautiful full moon in the night sky. Immediately, random thoughts filled my mind; some good, some utterly corny. I believe you can forgive me for being corny on a night the moon lords over the darkness of the night sky.

One of the advantages of living in the suburbs away from the glare of city lights and its pollution is being able to observe the magnificence of a full moon. Even as I write, I look outside and find the streets covered with a silver filament of light. It is so beautiful.

When I was still in college, I used to pass by a lake on my way home, and on nights when the moon is at its brightest, it casts a reflection on the lake. It never failed to make me sigh. I always made sure I sat on the side of the bus facing the lake every time I went home on a night like that, just to see the sight.

 

I sometimes imagine our ancestors stepping out of their homes and looking up to see a moon so round and bright it must have seemed like a giant silver lantern hanging in the night sky. Did it frighten them? Or did its light bring them together, gathered in circles, sharing stories and passing down memories beneath that same glowing moon?

Young Filipino lovers of old probably met in secret and whispered sweet nothings while illuminated by a silver disk in the sky, but covered by the shadows of trees and plants that capture some of the light.

Or did the Katipuneros meet under the moonlight as they planned their revolution to free us from our colonial masters? 

On several occasions, I find myself staring at the full moon and wonder whether this is the same moon that looks down on my friends and loved ones in distant places. I wonder whether they, just like me, are staring at the moon, struck by its beauty as it floats silently above us.

 

Such is the power of a full moon over me that it pulls emotions I don’t always admit to, making me say things I’d normally keep tucked away. But as I’ve said before, anyone can be forgiven for becoming sentimental when faced with a moon like that, steady, luminous, and somehow able to stir memories and longings we thought we’d outgrown.

Even though man has already been to the moon and discovered that it’s really just a cold, desolate place, it still fascinates me. In this age of the internet, wireless communication, and globalization, I still feel like the moon will always be a source of inspiration for people like me.