Astronomy: Century's second Venus transit on June 6

KOLKATA: In a rare celestial occurrence, Venus - the second planet from the Sun and the Earth's neighbour - will transit across the solar disc early June 6.


The transits of Venus occur in pairs (within eight years) with more than a century separating each pair, according to an M.P. Birla Planetarium official here. The last transit of the planet was seen on June 8, 2004.

The celestial event, lasting for about five hours 40 minutes, will start around 3:40 a.m. at locations in and around Kolkata. Hence, the beginning of the celestial happening will not be visible until the sunrise, said Debiprosad Duari, the planetarium's director (research and academic).

The occurrence will be visible from anywhere in India. The greatest transit, when the black dot of venus can be observed at the innermost point of the solar disc, will occur around 7:02 a.m., Duari said. The transit will end (called egress) around 10:20 a.m.

The small disc of Venus will touch the Sun's disc internally at 10:04 a.m., and by 10:21 a.m. will be completely out of it. The transit can be viewed properly only after half an hour post sunrise, Duari added.

The entire event (i.e., the four contacts) of the transit, will be visible from eastern Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, the Philippines, north Asia, eastern China, Korea, Japan, islands in the western Pacific Ocean, Hawaii, Russia, Alaska and north-west Canada.

Only the first part of the transit will be visible before the sunset from eastern Canada, the US, Central America, the Caribbean and northwest South America. The last part of the transit will be visible in western Asia, India, Europe, the Middle East and eastern Africa.

Throughout the world, tremendous amount of interest has been generated for this event, as the next transit will occur in 2117.

"One needs to be extremely cautious while observing this event, as Venus will only cover 1/32 of the sun's disc, and looking at the Sun with the naked eye should be completely avoided.

"One should look at this event through scientifically-tested aluminised Mylar filter (also called solar goggles) or, No.14 Welder's glass. Under no circumstances one should use exposed x-ray plate or smoked glass to look directly at the transit of Venus," Duari said.

Historically, the discovery of the transit of Venus not only started a new era of scientific experimentation through international collaborations, but also gave us the first concrete concept of the structure of the solar system.

From ESCIENCENEWS.com

May 22, 2012, 2:40 AM

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techBoy: Say "No" to Cheating

Okay, so before we get started, I must confess, I'm a cheater myself, I have gone through many cheats, as an example: From using cheat engine to hack my everyday games to the big cheats to try and upgrade Windows 7 to Ultimate, but one thing's for sure, one way or another, may it be faith or may it be rural, you will get caught in anyway, may it just be faith, for example you downloaded this really awesome OS, put a hack into it and then everything was running smoothly until the developers updated the OS firmware and your OS suddenly got detected, or may it be rural, for example, you cheated an online game and suddenly you got blocked because the developers got you.

Either way, those are still cheating, remember, cheating won't deal you any good, you may be smooth sailing for a little while, but, one way or another, justice will catch up to you.
Just think about it, people working their asses off to make Windows 7 but then you just put a registry code to jam Windows Genuine software, it makes those people who worked their butts off have less respect etc. Dont be a cheater, and who knows, maybe for example the thing you cheated on lets say had a contageous virus and you suddenly got infected, same as an ordinary student cheating off somebody else's work but then, his/her work was wrong.

Think about it... I have gone through so much stuff such as those online gaming cheats, the Windows 7 Patcher, Youtube many viewer cheats, yet you wont feel content, you would somehow want more... well I myself still do a little in retrospect but dont do it, it will always backfire on you.

By GINO ARAULLO, Writer- Technology 

May 22, 2012, 2:40 AM

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Morals: In Every Closed Door Opens a New Window

Many say that when you lost into something, a contest or a game, it is over. When you are out of the spotlight, it is the end. It is always that when we put out something, we thought that it was end, but take off that fear  because it is not true. We receive events that happen after the loss itself, and the world is still not stopping, that means that in every closed door, there is an open window.

In these situations, we really need to strengthen out ourselves because we have two options in life, thinking positive and starting positive, and thinking negative and act negative, too.

Remember that when we lose, this is not the end, rather it is the start of a new event that will blow our lives again, and we should not think bad about it. Let us go with the wind, because as the wind goes, we let go of what will happen to us. We will realize in that way, the good and the bad things life is offering us, so we should not be stereotypical, rather, let life judge your ways. We cannot force everything under our control, because in the end, the real destiny will occur.

Don't cry, be cheerful. Every end is a new beginning. Whether it may be good or bad, this is life. This is what life is to offer, and now summer has to end, starting a new year to study, recall and ponder lessons again, we should now prepare for this loss. Let us study right away and adjust because that is how life goes on. There are transitions in this life that we should be letting go.

Good Day!

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Cars 101: Japan Grows Back

Last March 11, 2011, at 2:46 pm, an earthquake struck Japan. The earthquake damaged several buildings, even the R&D facilities of Honda, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Mazda, and Toyota. The following month, Toyota's production lowered from 254,000 to 49,000. The loss of supplies on car-building, like electronic chips, sensors, and many forms of plastics and rubbers for building tires.

Honda Cars Phils. Inc.(HCPI) had not affected yet because it sourced most of its parts, including the complete CR-V, Jazz, Civic, Accord, and City models- from Thailand. HCPI president Hiroshi Shimizu said,"Some parts we do get from Japan but Honda's production facilities in the region are prepared to take up the slack.

In Japan itself, Honda is the unluckiest of all carmakers. Its Tochigi engine plant and multi-model Sayama assembly complex are in the quake zone and severly damaged. Nissan, too, had a big hit. It has only two engine plants in Japan, and one, at the Iwaki district, was so badly damaged and there is a rumor that it will be abandoned, because it is 56 km(34 mi) from Fukushima.

The carmakers donated vehicles: Toyota sent vans and Prii(plural of Prius), Nissan gave 65 Leafs to medical emergency workers, and Mitsubishi gave 30 i-MiEVs. Why electric cars? It is because the shortage of fuel and gas leaks.


NUMBERS THAT PROVE THE AUTOMOTIVE OF JAPAN

685,655 cars produced in February 2011
99,507 trucks produced in the same date
249,772 cars produced in April 2011
40,305 trucks produced in the same date
60% is the amount of decrease in vehicle production in Japan
756,615 cars produced in September 2011
115,846 trucks produced in the same date
818,817 cars produced last February
123,803 trucks produced last February

NUMBER OF UNITS PRODUCED LAST APRIL 2011

Suzuki: 58,398
Toyota: 53,823
Nissan: 44,193
Mazda: 35,313
Mitsubishi: 27,481
Subaru: 25,391
Daihatsu: 25,391
Honda: 14,168
Isuzu: 4,794

NUMBER OF UNITS PRODUCED LAST FEBRUARY

Suzuki: 86,584
Toyota: 346,215
Nissan: 111,786
Mazda: 70,279
Mitsubishi: 52,205
Subaru: 49,495
Daihatsu: 74,189
Honda: 115,920
Isuzu: 22,666

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Genetics: Gene study links stronger memories, PTSD

A certain genetic signature gives some people the ability to form stronger memories. But that edge also has a dark side: increased risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Although the genetic effect is small, the results help scientists better understand the link between especially powerful memories and sensitivity to past trauma.

Scientists led by neuroscientist Dominique de Quervain of the University of Basel in Switzerland looked at how genetic differences related to a memory task. A population of 723 healthy young Swiss adults viewed 72 photographs. After a 10-minute wait, the volunteers were asked to remember as many images as possible.

Volunteers who could remember more pictures carried a particular DNA signature in at least one copy of a gene that encodes protein kinase C alpha. In animal studies, this protein has been shown to play a role in the formation of emotional memories. The volunteers’ heightened recall was true for disturbing, pleasant and neutral pictures.

Further evidence came from brain scans performed in a different group of Swiss people. While viewing the pictures, people with the genetic signature had stronger brain activation in parts of the prefrontal cortex compared with those who lacked the genetic feature, the researchers report online the week of May 14 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Because memory is known to be an important part of PTSD, de Quervain and his team wanted to see if their results might have importance beyond the laboratory. The researchers looked at the genes of 347 people who had survived the brutal 1994 Rwandan genocide and now live in a refugee camp in Uganda. The genocide was marked by extreme violence and war rape. About a third of those studied met the clinical criteria for PTSD.

Among the Rwandan refugees, having the strong-memory signature was linked to a doubled risk of PTSD compared with the rate among those without the genetic signature. The signature was relatively rare in the Rwandan population, even though it was almost universal among the Swiss.

“I think this work is of great theoretical interest,” says PTSD researcher Roger Pitman of Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. The study supports the idea that stronger memories are linked to a heightened risk of PTSD, a theory that’s been discussed but hasn’t had much evidence, he says. “This is another piece of the puzzle.”

The results explain only a small sliver of memory formation and PTSD. “But that doesn’t mean this gene isn’t important,” de Quervain says. The results give a deeper understanding of the link between strong memories and diseases such as PTSD, he says. Studying the role of protein kinase C alpha may reveal more about how memories form and perhaps even why some prove so troubling.

D. de Quervain et al. PKCα is genetically linked to memory capacity in healthy subjects and to risk for posttraumatic stress disorder in genocide survivors. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

By LAURA SANDERS, Sciencenews.org**

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Cars 101: CRDI (Common Rail Direct Injection)

Overview

CRDI stands for Common Rail Direct Fuel Injection used in diesel cars, and originated from Japan, Another Definition for CRDI is Diesel Direct Fuel injection, fuel injection is found on most modern cars these days it helps cars to be a lot faster and more realiable and it's another way to make cars cheaper by using direct fuel injection rather than those big expensive unreliable carburetor, CRDI can be found on some of Hyundai's cars such as the Hyundai Accent, Hyundai SantaFe, Hyundai Tucson, Hyundai Starex and a few other of Hyundai's vehicles (Philippines) it is also found on Toyota's vehicles although toyata renamed it to D4-D, It can be found on most toyota SUV's such as the Innova, the Fortuner, and the Toyota Avanza

So what are the advantages of CRDI compared to gasoline engines and Diesel carbeurators?
For One an advantage of CRDI is it burns less fuel and delivers more mechanical energy to the vehicle compared to a normal gasoline engine, CRDI is also cheaper and more reliable than a carburetor because normal carburetors are more prone to damage than Direct Fuel Injection, but the main reason of consumers buying Diesel engines is because of the price, diesel is averagely about 5-10% or maybe even more cheaper than gasoline, they are also better at saving gas.

Disadvantages of CRDI

Some of the common disadvantages of CRDI are high maintenance, compared to gas, diesel engines tend to get very dirty overtime compared to gas, Diesel is also noisier and less environmentally friendly compared to gas, the disadvantage of CRDI compared to carburetor is, Direct fuel injection relies on clean gas without contaminants because Direct Fuel Injection uses a small sort of hole where the gas goes out to the spark plugs which make it more prone to drainage, so tip when using CRDI is gas up at a gas station that doesn't easily get flooded or else your vehicle's engine may get clogged up.

Conclusion

So now we know the advantages and disadvantages of CRDI, so I'm not going to tell you any tip of which you should invest in, gas or diesel or CRDI, the choice is up to you, but just another quick tip: If you wanna save the environment gas is obviously your choice, want a car that's easy on gas, choose CRDI or diesel, just pick wisely, but hey, technology is advancing, engineers are thinking of alternateive ways of saving gas, in the future who knows, diesel may be environmentally friendly, maybe gas would be less consumative, etc. Me and my family own a Hyundai SantaFe CRDI, its quite silent compared to toyota's fortuner you know, these are the hints technology is advancing, humanity is going forward, so choose wisely, and if there's one emotion of human i love, well its wisdom...

By EUGENIO ARAULLO, Writer- Technology **

May 15, 2012, 1:51 PM

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Gospel of the Week: The Unconditional Love

We have read through the Gospel the true meaning of love in our neighbor.

"Love your neighbor as yourself." 

Now that we also are celebrating Mothers' Day, we also commemorate their unconditional love for us, not loving you like how they love themselves, but loving you gravely more than what is expected.  Mothers were sent to be our guides. From being born from their womb, they also admitted the responsibility of nurturing you. They show their deepest feelings with us. In a mother, you could only see the unbeatable joy,  the most grievous cry and the most sincere thanksgiving.

Our moms are the apparitions of God's most humble gift. Its with our mom when we celebrated our first feelings. Our mothers are our pillars. They are supporting us no matter what happens. They are the light, that conquers all darkness in our hearts. They are the planes, that sets us high when we are low. For our mothers, too, we are their happiness, our sadness and our thanksgiving, in all the gifts they received. In short, we are everything to them.

To all mothers, who are presently nurturing their children, and continues in guiding their sons and daughters in the brightness of life, Thank You for inspiring us to do things. Thank You for being the role model of unconditional love. The love of a mother does not require another love back. They give it sincerely and unconditionally. We are challenged today at this Gospel to love unconditionally to our mothers and to our neighbors as well.

Good Day and Happy Mothers' Day!

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Akdain: Ang Ikalimang Balahibo ni Anopiles

Episode 5: Ang Awit ng Pagsubok

Gabi na. Bilog ang buwan at makulimlim. Tanging ang ningning ng buwan ang nakikita sa templo ng mga Ay' Dhar.

"Handa na ba kayo sa pag-awit?" wika ni Anopiles.

"Handa na kami," wika ng apat.

Ginawa nila ang ritual.

Ago Data,
Tawipata as gama kana in Anopiles,
Umpas gid tawap ya Anopiles,
sakaam gan Ay' Dhar.

Tawipata an as daliman nnopana.
Diyos, ginddi toi nala
Tupiad es daliman nnnopana.
Il es Ago man gi.

Pag isinalin ito sa Tagalog ay,

Awit ng Pagsubok,
ipataw sa mga anak ni Anopiles,
Sumpang pinataw kay Anopiles,
kasama ang mga Ay' Dhar.

Ipataw na sa madaling panahon.
Diyos, dinggin itong panalangin,
Tuparin sa madaling panahon,
Ibigay na ang pagsubok at tulungan kami.

Lumindol ang buong templo at lumiwanag ang mga Ay' Dhar. Naging tao ang lahat ng mga diwata maliban kay Anopiles. Naging lawin ito at tinanong ito sa Diyos.

"Aking Diyos, lahat sila ginawa mong diwata na anyong tao, ngunit ako, lawin. Ano ba ang ipapataw niyong pagsubok sa akin?" wika ni Anopiles.

"Aking anak, kailangan mo ito, dahil ikaw ang papaslang sa dapat na makakuha ng ikalimang balahibo. Kailangan kang mamatay upang may mabuhay," wika ng Diyos.

Dahil sa tindi ng galit ni Anopiles sa mahabaging Diyos ay umalis siya at pumunta sa kagubatan.

"Kahit pa anong pagtatampo ang ibigay sa akin ni Anopiles, ay mangyayari pa rin ang nakatakdang mangyari," wika ng Diyos.

"Humayo na kayo, mga Ay' Dhar, at magsisimula na ang pagsubok ng karapat-dapat maging pinuno ng Edessa," wika ng Diyos.

Naglaho na ang Diyos, at kasabay nito ang paglaho ng mga Ay' Dhar.

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Cars 101: Racing Disciplines

Racing is fun and good when it comes to motorsports. The world has created multiple racing disciplines which is legal.

Here are the disciplines:

1. Formula 1- The ultimate form of racing, single-seater, and the elite racing event by the Federation Internationale de' Automobile(FIA). The participants use a 1-seater car, an open-wheel, and carbon-fiber tub.

2. World Rally Championship(WRC)- The ultimate form of rallying, with the harsh gravel, dirt, snow, and even sand. The cars they use are 5, 3, or 4 door cars, equipped with large spoilers for friction.

3. World Touring Car Championship(WTCC)- Touring cars are cars that are tuned up for racing, like a Chevrolet Cruze. These cars compete in world races until there is a winner.

4. Drag Racing- Drag is sometimes illegal, but it is also considered a racing discipline because some drivers think it tests driving skills. Example: Chris Rado, a Team NFS Driver, has set a 1/4 mile time of 6.9 secs.

5. Endurance- Also called enduro racing, it is basically a long, long race. Enduros take 12 or 24 hours. There are multiple enduros in the world, like the Nurburgring 24H.

6. Standing Mile- It looks like a drag race, but the difference is the target is the speed not the time. The driver with the highest speed wins. Example: Marc 'Koz' Kozeluh has a 2,000 horsepowered Dodge Viper, so it can win several standing mile races.

7. FIA GT1 World Championship- The highest form of car racing, partnered by multiple sponsors. This 2012, McLaren, Mercedes, Porsche, and etc. joined. The next race will be at Spain on May 25-27.

Website: http://gt1world.com

8. FIA GT3 European Championship- Just a few steps below the GT1, this one takes place in the Europe continent, while the GT1 takes place in the whole world. Website: http://gt3europe.com

9. Formula DRIFT- It is a tournament for drifting, not racing. The drifting is originally created in Japan, but the Americans introduced it. This 2012, Team NFS drifter Matt Powers will compete in the season.

Website: http://formulad.com

10. Legends- The old-school cars are racing in this kind of event, and racing on the ancient tracks. They compete the same way as other racing disciplines do.

11. Time Attack- Drivers race against the clock to beat the posted time. There are two types: Global Time Attack and the World Time Attack. Trivia: Chris Rado drives the Team NFS Scion tC, which packs more than 1,200 horses.

12. Retro- Old-school cars participate in this discipline. This event challenges drivers that power, handling, and torque of the old cars cannot be seen from modern one.

Trivia: Darren "D-Mac" McNamara drives the Team NFS Toyota Corolla AE86.

13. Muscle- Muscle cars like a Mustang RTR-X compete in this discipline. They compete in world races, just like in other races.

Trivia: Vaughn Gittin Jr. drives the Ford Mustang RTR-X.

14. Works- It doesn't look like a racing discipline, but it pushes your car to the next level. Nothing will make a car more competitive than a Works conversion.

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TechBoy: Windows 8 Review

Windows has currently been working on their newest OS known as Windows 8 that would possibly be released this year, 2012 or 2013, sadly nobody still knows much information about Microsoft's new development, I have watched many videos in YouTube showing various videos of Windows 8 Consumer preview, in consumer preview however, people can't unlock the true potential of Windows 8, as for one the Windows store is still locked, there are no updates available yet et cetera. Even though some of you heard all about the buzz of Windows 8 But I would still like to explain Windows 8 and all of its features.

Features: Windows 8 has various new features such as Microsoft's secret development as Windows 8 would be the first 128 bit Windows platform, it will also be now available on tablets, but on my opinion, Microsoft's Decision to turn Windows 8 to Tablet capable is a big yes, and also it's another first, it will be the first Windows OS to be available on tablet, there's also the new Metro start menu available but we've heard of rumors that Microsoft has left the Metro start Menu plan and turned the start menu back to the Windows 7 look start Menu, it also has other Features we currently don't know as these are kept secret

Summary: So Windows 8 won't probably be one of the best OS Microsoft will ever make, and possibly it wont be as powerful as when windows XP was released, and even though we know Microsoft's secrets are still hidden, we do know there are a lot of customers out there, just waiting for the new OS to arrive.

By EUGENIO ARAULLO, Writer- Technology **

April 21, 2012, 9:00 AM

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Episoon: The Quest to the Monoliths

They headed for the Monolith, and Elda found out that the altar is destroyed. Cecilia said,

"Ummm, why it's such a thing that this is broken?" Rafael said,"What? You don't know?" Elda said,"Cecilia, what would your mother think of that attitude? Poor Therese, may her Force be at peace in the Holy Vessel..."

They just kept quiet. Elda tells the story.

"Take a look at this mural. Historians said that it is painted long before written history. No one knows who created it, but it depicts the creation of Berge."

Cecilia said,

"Creation?"

"The goddess of creation, Norvia, created the land, sea, and the stars. To protect the gifts of the world, she formed the 15 Divinities.

"The 15 Divinities are: Palfina, Argent, Illnada, Aliete, Ellge, Dualis, Luo, Rivelias, Dauro, Terial, Corneo, Draglos, Grepes, Skolg, and Verse. Palfina, whom we worship, is one of them. However, Delgaia, the god of destruction appeared. He used his power to annihilate everything in this path. The Divinities, thought that they could not defeat him, created the Monoliths to seal him. The power of the monoliths banished him from the depths of Berge."

Elda showed her a stone.

"This is the Force Stone. It is the gift of your family, the Armaclites. It was a rainy day, years ago..Therese was attacked at Ravena Castle. Despite her mortal wounds, she came here to comply with this stone. This Hexyz must be given the Force
Stone to gather the Force to all the monoliths and go after the goddess of Creation with the Force Stone in hand. Now stand in the front of the Monolith, and raise it up."

She raised the stone, and some force attracted in the stone. Cecilia is shocked.

"If all the Monoliths are destroyed, there is a conspiracy to awaken Delgaia."

Cecilia commented,

"Woah, does that mean I become a god?"

Ralu said,

"If someone like you can become a god, I'd feel sorry for the ones praying.."

Elda said,

"Cecilia, I haven't finished speaking yet."

Rafael said,

"If that's the case, then the other monoliths are in danger. There is a similar one in Nervel, where I live. Sister, I'm going back to see Master Gardner."

Elda said,

"Excellent idea, Rafael. Cecilia, you must go with him to see Master Gardner. He is a Force Scholar with vast knowledge in numerous subjects."

Afterwards, Elda announced,

"Cecilia Armaclite. I release your duties as a cleric, and I give you with a new order. You must go around Berge and destroy everything that threatens it."

Cecilia said,

"What? There's someone who can do that!"

Elda said,

"Cecilia, are you serious to what you said? I gave you an order as the Head Cleric. Do you understand?"

Cecilia said,

"Yes, I'll do it...But..." Elda said,"Good. Take the Force Stone with you and go to Nervel with Rafael."

And so my journey to the Monoliths began. I had no idea what being the Maiden of the Staff truly meant....

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Motivation: Where Do You Find Inspiration?

If you are a child of the ’90s, like me, you have come to age in an era dominated by consumerism. Technology allows us to consume or to create. Constant connectivity means that we are free to choose where we would like to be, but it also means that we are overly compelled to always be ‘connected.’ This distracts many of us from being creative. Even I fall into this trap.

My first introduction to computers happened around 1991. Microsoft Paint was my first digital pastime. I would spend hours meticulously connecting lines on my father’s laptop, a Toshiba Satellite 3300 Series. For its time, it was an advanced piece of machinery with a staggering battery life of maybe 40 minutes.

Fast forward to 1995, when I received my own computer. It had a state-of-the-art Pentium 75 MHz processor and 16 MB RAM. That was some serious power. Windows 95, which came with it, was a whole new way of using the computer with its novel start menu. It was the age of Sim City 2000, Age of Empires, and click-and-point adventures like Full Throttle and Blade Runner. Those were the halcyon days. Surely many who read this will recall that time.

Computers suddenly looked to be a viable tool for creativity. Since 1995, I’ve used digital tools to boost my creativity, but also, it is hoped, be more efficient with quotidian tasks. When I first used Photoshop in school, I was happy that, finally, possibilities were limitless. Using the evolving Internet tools, I was able to do research and find inspiration.

One can peruse the Internet for countless iterations of beautiful photos overlaid with motivational quotes. Is that what we require to kindle an idea today? Where has genuine inspiration gone, I wonder? My fiancee and I often discuss this matter. She cannot comprehend how I can simply write an article, seemingly out of nowhere. What I write for you to enjoy reading does not come from anywhere. It originates in all the books, websites, and blog posts I have read and films I have watched. So in truth, we all have ideas in abundance, already. The missing link is the courage to will something into reality.

The Internet is an amalgamation of talent, genius, and beauty. Yet these items are hidden in endless rows, filled with goods and distractions — a bit like a supermarket. Over time, I have collected some useful websites where I can always find ideas to write about. Sometimes, one of my articles comes from a simple thought while watching TV or reading news stories. This should be the same whether you are a writer, a photographer, or even a programmer. Ideas spark one’s imagination, and then result in great products, hopefully. I guess the latter is privy to skill, as well.
Here is the story of continuously wasted opportunities. Long before I ended up in London to study creative writing, I wanted desperately to become a filmmaker. My parents supported me whichever way they could — mostly financially. That dream never came true, though, because I let ego bar my path. Too often, I had to feel the frustration of misjudging my own abilities. Overestimating one’s skills can be very destructive. There is, however, always salvation in the form of self-discovery. One must connect the dots, which means to combine one’s best talents to make a new skill. For me, this new skill was storytelling.

There is a man, who, by saying the following, perfectly reflected upon inspiration:
Stewart and his team put out several issues of The Whole Earth Catalog, and then when it had run its course, they put out a final issue. It was the mid-1970s, and I was your age. On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road, the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you were so adventurous. Beneath it were the words: “Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.” It was their farewell message as they signed off. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. And I have always wished that for myself. And now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you.
It is, of course, Steve Jobs who said this, during his now famous Stanford commencement speech in 2005. The closing words, shown above, encapsulate the quintessence of inspiration — always to be curious.

From http://www.lockergnome.com/news/2012/05/08/where-do-you-find-inspiration/

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Akdain: Ang Ikalimang Balahibo ni Anopiles

Episode 4: Ang Mata ng Pugita

Sinisid niya ang gitnang karagatan at sinisid ang ilalim nito. Napapansin niyang naliligaw na siya, kaya nama't tumawag siya ng isang sirena.

"Sirena, pupuwede ko bang malaman ang kinaroroonan ng Pugita?" tanong ni Bagari.

"Nandoon siya sa ipu-ipong iyon. Hindi mo siya malalapitan sa loob ng ipu-ipo hangga't hindi mo ginagawa ang kaniyang pagsubok. Kadalasan raw ay maraming hindi na bumabalik sa karagatang mga yamang-dagat at sirena kung dumaraan sila sa Utak na Pugita. Ang pangalan niya ay Celebes. Siya si Celebes, ang tusong halimaw ng karagatan. Kung ako sa iyo lalayo na ako sa halimaw na iyan," wika ng sirena.

Hindi iniinda ni Bagari ang maaaring mangyari sa kaniya, kaya nama't pinuntahan niya ang ipu-ipo, malaman lamang kung sino ang Tatiana na sinasabi ng umalohokan.

"Celebes, lumitaw ka mula sa ipu-ipong iyan. Gagawin ko ang lahat upang ibigay mo lang ang sagot sa aking katanungan, Utak na Pugita," wika ng desperadong si Bagari.

"Talaga, ibibigay mo kahit anong gusto ko?" wika ni Celebes.

Si Celebes ay isang tusong nilalang. Alam niyang lahat ng gugustuhin niya ay makukuha niya sapagkat kinatatakutan siya ng lahat ng mga sirena at yamang-dagat. Itim ang kaniyang kasuotan at ang kaniyang mata. Binabalot ng itim ang kaniyang mata at kahit isang puting bahid sa kaniyang mata ay wala. Dahil dito ay nakikita niya ng mga kasagutan sa lahat ng katanungan.

"Oo, Celebes, makuha ko lamang ang kasagutan sa aking katanungan. At bakit ako gagawa ng pabor sa iyo. Ako ay si Bagari, ang prinsipe ng Edessa at ako ay biniyayaan ng kakayahang taglay ng dakilang tubig," wika ni Bagari.

Nagulat ang Utak na Pugita. Nagkatotoo ang kasulatang iniwan sa kaniya ng kaniyang inang pugita na may isang prinsipeng sisingil ng kasagutan upang gawing daan ito upang maghiganti. Ngunit kahit ano pa man ang itim ng kaniyang kabuuan, maputi pa rin ang kalooban nito, kaya't hindi siya papayag na mapasakanya ang kasagutan.

"Kailangan mong dukutin ang aking mata, ngunit sinusumpa ko muna sa buong karagatan na hindi niyo tutulungan ang nilalang na itong madukot ang aking mata," wika ni Celebes.

"Sige, kung iyon lamang ang paraan upang makuha ko ang kasagutan. Dudukutin ko na ang mga mata mo. Humanda ka!" wika ni Bagari ngunit bago niya magalaw ang ipu-ipo, pinigilan siya ni Celebes.

"Hindi iyan ang paraan ng pagtanggal ng aking mata. Ang tubig ay isang masunuring elemento. Kung gusto mong madukot ang aking mata, isasakripisyo mo ang iyong mata para sa akin. Sa oras na makain ko ang iyong mata, mapapasayo ang aking mga mata," wika ni Celebes.

"Ano, tatanggalin ko ang aking mga sariling mata? Sige, gagawin ko para lang ibigay mo ang sagot," wika ni Bagari.

Nasa ugat na siya sa pagtanggal ng kaniyang mga mata, ngunit pinigilan siya ni Celebes. Tumigil rin siya. Walang magagawa si Celebes kung hindi ibigay ang kaniyang mata sapagkat napasa niya ang pagsubok. Natuloy ang kasulatang ibinigay sa kaniya ng inang pugita at dinukot na niya ang kaniyang mata kahit masakit sa kaniya ito. Dumanak ang dugo sa kaniyang mga mata at ibinigay na niya ang kaniyang mata kay Bagari.

"Isang katanungan lamang ang puwedeng sagutin ng dalawa kong mga mata. Mag-isip ka sa gusto mong alamin. Lahat ng kaalaman ay kaya niyang sagutin. Isang natatanging tanong lamang ang sasagutin niyan," wika ni Celebes habang may nakabantay na pating sa kaniyang giliran. Kinain na ng mga pating si Celebes at namatay na. Nakuha na niya ang mata ni Celebes at umakyat na sa lupa.

Pumunta na siya sa kaniyang silid at pinakiramdaman ang mata ni Celebes.

"Mata, sino si Tatiana. Ipakita mo kung sino siya. Inuutusan kita, mahiwagang mata," wika nito sa itim na mata.

Pinakita ng mata ang isang matandang babae na may hawak-hawak na tungkod at hinahalo ang isang mainit na tubig. May nakikita itong imahe sa kaniyang palayok. Nagtataka ngayon si Bagari.

"Ito ba ang mangkukulam ng Pulangi?" wika nito sa mata.

Namuti ang mga mata at naging abo. Malapit na niya sanang malaman kung sino ang taong ito, ngunit hindi nila maintindihan sapagkat hindi niya alam kung sino talaga si Tatiana.

Makaraan ang isang buwan ay dumating na si Tatiana. Puti ang kaniyang mga mata at may dala itong tungkod. Mahaba ang kaniyang kasuotan na binabalot ng ginto. Niyakap ng hari si Tatiana at hinahanap niya ang kaniyang mga pamangkin. Tinawag naman ito ni Haring Balkan.

"Bagari, Ilina, Juan Pablo, lumabas kayo. Nandito na ang Tiyahing Tatiana niyo."

Pumunta silang tatlo at niyakap ang kanilang Tiya. Sabik na sabik silang makita ang kanilang Tiya sapagkat sa sulat lamang nila nakakausap ito.

"Ano naman ang dinala niyo rito, Tiya Tatiana," wika ni Juan Pablo.

"Patawad kung ginagambala ko kayo ngayon, ngunit nagkaroon ako ng masamang pangitain sa iyong ama. Mapapahamak raw ang kaniyang buhay. Kailangan ko siyang bigyan ng pangitain upang mailigtas siya," sinabi ni Tatiana.

"Ngunit bago iyon," dinugtungan ni Tatiana, "Nasaan ang inyong ina. Kailangan ko siyang makausap."

"Ako iyon, Tatiana. Nagagalak ako na makilala ka," wika ni Reyna Amparo.

Nagulat si Tatiana sa mukha niya dahil parang pamilyar sa kaniya. Nakita niya ito sa kaniyang pangitain ngunit hindi na niya maalala kung anong bahagi.

Inalalayan na si Tatiana ng kaniyang mga pamangkin. Habang kumakain ay napag-usapan nila Amparo at Balkan ang magiging tagapagmana ng trono.

"Alam mo ba, Tatiana, ang magiging tagapagmana sa hinaharap ng trono ni Balkan ay si Ilina. Kung tutuusin ay wala namang dapat maging iba pang pinuno kung hindi si Ilina lamang," wika ni Amparo.

"Hindi ako papayag diyan, Inang Amparo. Kahit kailan ay ako lamang ang magiging pinuno ng lugar na ito. Hindi ako papayag na panghimasukan niyo ang tadhana ko," wika ni Bagari.

"Sa ginagawa mo anak ay mas pinakikita mo na hindi ka karapat-dapat. Alam mo ba na ang ginagawa mo ay hindi gawain ng isang pinuno?" wika ni Haring Balkan.

"Sige, magkampihan kayo, mga wala kayong awa! Ako ang dapat maging pinuno ngunit sino ang pinipilit niyo, si Ilina na lang lagi, si Ilina, Ilina, Ilina! Hindi ko kayo patatahimikin hangga't hindi ako magiging pinuno!" wika ni Bagari habang ninanakaw ang tungkod ni Tatiana na alam niyang makapangyarihan dahil umiilaw ito.

Tinapat niya ang tungkod ni Tatiana sa kaniyang ama at ina at nahimatay ang mga ito. Kasama sa pagkahimatay ng kanilang ama at ina ang pagkawala ng pulseras na may limang balahibo. Itinapon pabalik ni Bagari ang tungkod ni Tatiana at lumayas na sa Edessa ang suwail na prinsipe.

 - - - - - - - - - -
Episode 4: Ang Limang Ay' Dhar

Binuhat ni Juan Pablo at ng mga kawal ang hari at reyna at saka nilagay ito sa kanilang silid. Sinusubukan itong pagisingin ni Tatiana ngunit nabigo ito.

"Pamangkin, dalhan mo ako ng langis at tubig. Kailangan kong malaman kung ano ang makapagpapagaling sa iyong mga magulang," wika ni Tatiana.

Kumuha si Juan Pablo ng langis at kinuha naman ni Ilina ang tubig. Nadalian sila sapagkat mayroong nakaimbak sa lungga ng mga tagasilbi. Inabot na nila ito kay Tatiana.

"Salamat sa tulong niyo, mga pamangkin," wika ni Tatiana.

"Makapangyarihang tubig at langis," wika ni Tatiana. "Ipakita mo sa akin ang makapagpapagaling sa mahal na hari at mahal na reyna ng Edessa."

Malabo ang nakikita niya sapagkat isang lilang balahibo lamang ang nakikita niya kasama ang isang diwatang magaling umawit. Sinara na niya ang kapangyarihan at saka sinabi ang nakita sa mga anak ni Balkan at Amparo.

"Mga pamangkin ko, ang makapagpapagaling lamang ng inyong ina ay ang Ay' Dhar na nagngangalang Anopiles. Siya ang may hawak ng lilang balahibo. Siya ang pinakamagaling kumanta sa lahat ng mga Ay' Dhar. Ito ang panglimang balahibo sa dakilang pulseras. Itong pulseras na ito ay may limang balahibong pinalilibutan ng itim na perlas," wika ni Tatiana.

"Iyon ang pulseras ni Ina. Ngunit bakit nawala iyon?" wika ni Ilina kay Tatiana.

Samantala, nag-aalala ang mga Ay' Dhar. Ngunit may isang Ay' Dhar na tumawag ng kanilang pansin. Hindi nila ito kasama. Naisip nila na baka si Anopiles iyon.

"Anopiles?" wika ng isang Ay' Dhar na nagngangalang Neptuna. Si Neptuna ay may puting buhok at may bughaw na mata. Siya ay ang may-ari ng  puting balahibo sa kuwintas ni Anopiles na nagtataglay ng mahiwagang puting perlas.

"Kamusta na ang pagpapanggap mo Anopiles, bakit bumalik ka?" wika ni Atalla, ang Ay' Dhar na may itim na buhok at bulag. May kakayahan itong makakita gamit ang isip.

"Bumalik ako dahil napaslang ng tungkod ni Tatiana ang aking katawan. Ang nag-iisang paraan upang malunasan ang aking katawan ay ang paghahanap sa aking balahibo. Dapat ko nang iwanan ang ikalimang balahibo sa kanila," wika ni Anopiles.

Matagal nilihim ni Amparo na siya ay isang Ay' Dhar, isang engkantada. Ang mukha niya bilang tao ay kawangis ng kaniyang itsura sa pagiging Ay' Dhar. Humaba lamang nng kakaunti ang kaniyang taynga at humaba lang at kumulot ng kakaunti ang kaniyang buhok. Naging lila ang kaniyang kasuotan gayun din ang kaniyang mga mata. May suot siya na korona na nagpapahiwatig ng kaniyang pamumuno sa mga Ay' Dhar.

"Padalos-dalos kasi ang isipan mo, mahal na pinuno ng limang Ay' Dhar. Hindi naman sa nagmamalaki ngunit bakit niyo pa ba kinuha ang mga balahibo namin. Hindi namin lubos na maunawaan at gusto mo rin maging tao," wika ni Heres, ang Ay' Dhar ng dakilang hangin. Ang buhok niya ay gintuin, at ang kaniyang damit ay gawa sa balahibo ng ibon na may iba't ibang kulay.

"Ito lamang ang tanging paraan upang makasama ko si Balkan. Sinumpa tayong mga Ay' Dhar na hindi makita ng mga ordinaryong nilalang. Ngunit umigting ang pag-ibig ko sa kaniya. Kaya naman humingi ako ng tulong sa mahal na tagalikha, at binigay niya ang paraan kung paano makukuha ang katauhang gusto ko. Ibibigay ko ang limang balahibo upang gawing kuwintas at kasama ko na ito habambuhay. Ngunit may isa pa itong kapalit," wika ni Anopiles.

"Ano naman iyon kasanib na Anopiles," wika ni Massudah. Si Massudah ay ang Ay' Dhar ng dakilang liwanag. Taglay niya ang kahel na balahibo at kahel ang diamante sa kaniyang noo. Ito ay may makapangyarihang apoy na umaalab.

"Kailangan nating maging pagsubok sa aking mga anak at kailangan nating bigkasin ang Ago Data, ang kanta ng pagsubok ng Diyos," wika ni Anopiles.

"Gagawin natin iyon sa ating templo, sa kabilugan ng buwan. Dapat ay maisagawa natin ito pagkagabi. Sigurado ako na kabilugan ng buwan iyon," dugtong niya.

"Ano na lang kung ibigay mo na lang ang natatangi mong balahibo sa iyong anak. Pupuwede mo naman silang mahawakan kahit hindi ka nila makita. Ibigay mo na lang para tapos na ang gulo," wika ni Massudah.

"Hindi maaari, mahal kong kasanib. Pag hindi naawit ang Ago Data, magiging abo tayong lahat bilang kaparusahan sa ating kalapastanganan," wika ni Anopiles.

Hinintay na lamang ng limang Ay' Dhar ang paggabi. Aawitin na nila ang Ago Data, ang awit ng pagsubok.

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Poems: Driving in the Philippines is Not Good

Safety is the key to happiness. In everyday lives, we see precautionary measures as well as safety road signs. The matter within Filipinos is that we don't take this safety properly. We are always thinking about going ahead of the way without taking notice of our safety. As the capital of Philippines, Manila was used to describe the driving style of Filipinos.  Jean Todt, the FIA president says that the Philippines is lacking discipline when it comes to road safety. Let us see this poem and learn.

Driving in Manila is not good,
Because roads are poor, drivers are not disciplined,
And they are lacking knowledge of safety.

If we learned how to be safe,
We should have peace and order in the highway,
We will have a few or no accidents,
So discipline is really the key!

Pedestrians must learn the lessons on road safety to prevent injuries.

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Morals: Eyes aren't like CCTV Cameras

We can compare our eyes with a CCTV Camera, or any other camera. We can see everything, but we are only programmed in a certain situation. Like a CCTV Camera, we are just tasked/programmed to see one segment of an establishment, while our eyes were only meant to see what we care, other than that, we don't care.

Eyes are vital parts of the body. They maintain balance in our hearing ability, and it helps us in reading, writing, and seeing signs in precautionary measures. The question is, "Do we use it properly? Do we utilize this gift as what is it to be?"

Our eyes were fortunate to see the wonders of God. God made it for us to see and care about the happening today. Eyes are made to see a feeling and respond on it through our senses.

Don't be an "on and off" like a CCTV camera, because our organs manipulate our eyes. We are in charge of it. We are holding our eyes. Now, all we are responsible is to see the right things. Let us be careful in every situation we have so that we can responsibly answer through our mind and heart the situation we see.

Good Day.

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Episoon: The Quest to the Monoliths

Episode 4

They entered the Monolith and found Virtus. He plans to destroy the Monolith. He got a mace and attempts to destroy it. The boy said,

"No! I won't let you destroy it!"

Virtus hit him with the mace and said,

"Do not interrupt me, human trash!"

He moves in the front and hits the light of the Monolith. After that, he said,

"Hmph...I wonder why 'he' would give me a mission such as this...."

He summoned a monster behind him and said,

"Farewell. May your death be painful."

And he vanished. Cecilia is scared on the monster, but she and Rafael fought the stone beast. It was hard, but they won the battle. She said,

"Yay! We won!"

But the boy said,

"Don't start celebrating yet, we still have to get rid of the other monsters. We'll form a team. What's your name?"

She said,

"I'm Cecilia. Cecilia Armaclite."

The animal said,

"And my name's Ralu!"

Rafael said,

"Pleased to meet you both!"

They have started to find the 1st floor. After defeating several monsters, they continued to go to the 1st floor to the Main Hallways. Afterwards, they found a monster in the hall. Elda is ahead of the monster. Cecilia and Rafael fought the monster and they won. The temple is completely safe! Elda said,

"Cecilia, I have something to tell you. Rafael, you come with us."

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Episoon: The Quest to the Monoliths

Episode 3

When Cecilia got out of the artifact altar, she was transported in the 2nd basement floor of the Great Temple. After a few seconds, a monster appeared! They said,

"We'll gotta run!"

But someone said,

"Use the Holy Staff....You..have..inherited ..Palfina's Force.."

Then a big staff got out of Cecilia's body. She fought with the monster and the monster died. Afterwards, they found someone and said,

"Did you summon that man and those demons?"

He said,

"What are you talking about? I just came to look for someone....Behind you!"

There are two monsters this time, and he got out a divine blade from his body, and she got her staff. But he said,

"What is that? Are,are you a Hexyz?"

But they fought without speaking. They won, but she complained,

"Argh! Why is this happening?"

The boy headed to the door and said,

"I sense a strong force, someone who's controlling the monsters."

The door heads to the Monolith Virtus has mentioned. They headed there, and confronted Virtus.

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Gospel of the Week: Jesus is the Vine, We are the Branches

There was once a protestant pastor who powerfully said, "God loves us so much!" Then the assembly was astonished by the man who raised his hand and said, "How does God love me? My wife is near dying and still experiences pain, my child lost the right path and became an addict, and my business went down on its stocks. How does God love me with that?"

Dear friends, God's love is being tested by sufferings. Sufferings are born to prepare us for greater things. We have to hold on the vine as branches, to get enlightenment and nourish. The vine, which is Jesus, is the source of our strength and without God, nothing will happen to our lives. That is why hardships and trials are signs that we should be more faithful to God. This will make our faith strong when we will overcome it.

Like vines, it supplies grace to its branches, but the one that receives the nourishment receives more.

As for the gardener, there are only two reasons why he will cut a branch.

1. If the branch receives nourishment but it is not evident. This becomes weed to the plant. Not only it is parasitic, but it helps in the destruction of the plants especially that he stores much nourishment but it doesn't show that it is fruitful and instead the nourishment will abound to all the parts of the plant, it is only stored through its branch.

2. So that the branch will produce more fruitful branches. As what the Gospel weeks ago said, "Dying is giving a new life," this is what it means. Not all dying is bad. Sometimes dying could lead for the better. We need to sacrifice things to produce more fruitfully.

The reason number 2 depicts what this man says. There are a lot of sufferings that we encounter, but hold on and trust to the gardener, God. He cuts off the branches which are hopefully be cut, but hold on, its not the end of your life, rather the bounty pouring of grace to you. In all sufferings we make, remember that God, who is our gardener, makes us suffer for greater things. All of what He does to us has an equivalent change, and that is His unending and powerful grace.

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Akdain: Ang Ikalimang Balahibo ni Anopiles

Episode 3: Ang pangitain ni Tatiana

"Hindi ka magtatagumpay, Ilina. Akin lamang ang trono," wika ni Bagari. Ngunit nakarinig siya ng umalohokang pumupunta sa hari. Sinilipan niya ang pag-uusap nila ng hari at reyna.

"Mahal na hari at reyna, pupunta si Tatiana sa ating kaharian. Bibisita siya dahil may nabatid siyang masamang pangyayaring mangyayari sa iyo," wika ng umalohokan.

Kinwestyon ito ni Bagari sa kaniyang sarili sa kaniyang kinaroroonan.

"Sino si Tatiana? Ano ang kailangan niya sa pamilya ko? Walang tiwala ang mga kawal dito sa akin, kaya naman ay kailangan kong humagilap ng tutulong sa akin. Doon muna ako sa kuwarto upang kausapin ang bato."

Pumunta siya sa kaniyang kuwento at tinanong niya ang bato.

"Bato ng dakilang tubig, sino ang makakatulong sa aking makahagilap ng sagot sa aking katanungan. O, bato, tulungan mo akong mahanap ang makakatulong sa akin," dasal ni Bagari.

Lumiwanag ang kuwintas na bato. Nagpakita ito ng isang imahe ng taong pugita. Nasa kailaliman ito ng dagat ngunit kaya naman niyang mag katawang-sirena kaya't kahit sabihin niyang napakalalim nito ay kaya niya pa ring sisirin.

Hindi na siya nag-aksaya ng panahon at umalis na.

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codeWiz: How to create an XML Document

Ever wondering HTML pages are only simple, with the CSS, Javascript, PHP and etc., why don't you create an XML document, which offers flexibility not found within traditional HTML pages? Read this situation to find out.

Project- Statewide Realty Web Development

The Statewide Realty's apartment searches are been a great success. However, customers are asking how to search for apartments. You want to use Extensible Markup Language(XML).

How to create the data island

The World Wide Web Consortium(W3C), has made some facts for the XML. Here are some facts:

1. XML shall be straightforwardly usable over the Internet.
2. XML shall support a wide variety of applications.
3. XML shall be compatible with SGML.

There are more facts for XML, just check out www.w3.org. The correct syntax for XML documents are:

(XML tags are case-sensitive.)

<? xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<!-- File Name: file.xml -->
<!DOCTYPE ITEM
      [
<!ELEMENT ITEM (ITEMS,ITEMS,ITEMS)>
<!ELEMENT ITEM (#PCDATA)>
<!ELEMENT ITEM (#PCDATA)><!ELEMENT ITEM (#PCDATA)>
      ]
>
<ITEM>
<ITEM><ITEM>
</ITEM>
</ITEMS>

Just replace the word ITEMS for the prolog. Make sure you enter the code correctly and seriously, or else Internet Explorer cannot display the XML document, so be careful!

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