After A Friend Passed Away

It was a week ago, and our family was on our way to Marymount Child Development Center to attend my son’s high school graduation when I received a call on my cell phone; the person at the other end of the line was a close family friend, she informed us that her sister-in-law, another close friend of our family has just passed away. She was also asking me if I can help contact the funeral company. I courteously excuse myself, citing the activity we are currently tied up with; nevertheless I made sure to return the call after the graduation rite was over. Actually her death did not come as a surprise to us, she had a stroke about a month before that, had a previous stroke two years ago, and have been hospitalized for several occasions. We knew that her health condition is heading from bad to worse, and she’s maintaining a number of medicines just to keep her going. Given all these, we are still hoping that she would recover from her latest stroke. But at the back of our minds, we knew that this is bound to happen; but in spite of that, we are really saddened by her loss.

Because of that incident, I again felt the sting of life’s reality; that someday, at the appointed time, each one will have to succumb his or her life to death, and it is not a matter of if but when. Many would find it morbid to talk of one’s death in the future; but I believe that the sooner we can accept this inescapable fact, the better it would be for us. Great and ordinary men did not escape it, and no matter how much effort men devise to delay it’s coming, they were all unsuccessful. This brings me to the question, what is there for us after this life? To this question, I would rather seek God to answer it for me; being a Christian, I want to excuse myself if you find my suggestion as biased. But there are few good reasons, why I consider this suggestion, as most sensible and spiritual for someone who seeks to find answers for life’s mysteries.

First reason; what do we got to lose if we trust God on this? Isn’t it that God promises eternal bliss for those who will be saved and eternal damnation for those who will not? A natural man will normally prefer a riotous living, that is enjoying life like there’s no tomorrow. The problem with this option is, it’s artificial, and doesn’t satisfy the inner longings of the soul; those who follow this path will always end up dissatisfied and guilt-stricken with no hope to look forward into. Another reason is; I would rather die hoping. There was study made on this subject, and it was performed on animals, or mice to be exact. The experiment showed that when mice are placed in debilitating condition, those who were given hope variable live at least twice longer than those who weren’t given any during the experiment. Without any scientific study to consider, hope gives a good direction to one’s life; that to me is a very compelling reason.

Going back to my friend who passed away; she may have no part of what’s going on in our world now, she may be sleeping soundly on her grave, and all her passions gone with it. But one thing is certain; her Lord will come for her at the last trump, to wake and raise her to immortality with the rest of the saints. This is what the Good Book says, and what a scene that will be.

The Underlying Effect of Watching Movies

Movies have invaded our homes. A first glance to this fact may not cause one to be alarmed, for what can a silly movie do against us? This is the conventional thinking of almost everybody, until studies were made regarding the effects of watching movies to people. Most of our homes own a CD or DVD player and every household watch an average of 2-3 movies a week, and that doesn’t include TV series and soap operas that are being aired everyday on television. At this rate we’re going, it is only natural that this habit would have a considerable impact on our lifestyle and culture.

Movies serve well in the form of documentaries, because they serve as a source of information. But other than that, it’s all entertainment which is probably the worst of its kind. Regular movies tend to singularly focus on a particular or very few characters and have very little to say on the effect to other characters and their families affected by the actions of those in the starring role. Have you ever wondered what will be the reaction of the wife, the children, or families of those bad guys killed by the flashy guy on the lead role? Movies certainly do not show that, which brings me to a conclusion on just how bias movies can be.

One notable effect of watching movies is; it force people’s creativity to go into hibernation at a certain level. Unlike reading a novel where the reader’s imagination is actually the one supplying the sceneries, the costumes, verbal and non verbal reactions; a movie has already determined them, and the whole direction has already fixed for us what should be there to see, all we have to do is sit back and enjoy. It won’t need the movie goers’ imagination to process those details; the film makers have already resolved that for them. In short, what we actually see in movies are the unspoken opinions of the filmmakers, their views regarding a particular script or story. Actually there’s nothing wrong with that; after all, an artistic interpretation is what wins awards and appreciation of critics and patrons alike. But the real danger lies when people accepted their views as facts, and let those “facts” influence their decisions and actions. Let us remember that majority of movies commercially available are full of immorality, violence and lies. As a result, we are being exposed to a lot of garbage which our minds tend to adopt.

This reminds me of a sermon I heard; the preacher use the Lord Jesus as the perfect example of what kind of mind can be developed into someone whose daily toils and nature’s lessons are his teacher. Maybe we have overlooked this fact, we have the greatest natural library and it’s all around us. We can learn a great deal about our nature, as well as our Creator through his creations; and by doing so, maybe we can learn to love and value our environment.

Plastics: Here, There and Everywhere

What was once thought as a bright invention, is now causing a major concern not only from environmentalists but from almost every waste management bodies in the world. I am talking about man’s discovery of plastics and its current threat to our environment. There is no doubt that plastics are very useful to people because of its durable and light property; they made up more than 50% of products we use at our homes, from containers, furnitures, home appliances, electronic gadgets and even our cars. According to businessmen who manufacture plastic products, “it’s easier and cheaper to mold products from plastics than from wood or metals”, this refers to the malleability of plastic to be cast, pressed, and extruded into variety of shapes. Plastics can also be recycled, giving the assurance of sustainability of raw materials for future plastic needs.

Environmental Issues

Plastics are durable and degrade very slowly; the molecular bonds that make plastic so durable make it equally resistant to natural processes of degradation. It is estimated that an ordinary plastic product will take about one hundred to a thousand years to degrade, and at the rate we are producing plastic products, it would have covered our entire planet many times over before we can even see the first batch of them degrade back into a biomaterial. Critical to this present generation is how to address the piling garbage mostly made up of discarded plastic products; another is the health hazards that they pose on human beings and other living organisms on this planet. Manufacturing of plastics often creates large quantities of chemical pollutants while burning them can release toxic fumes, this is the reason why incinerators were never considered as a solution to the plastic garbage problem. At present, there is no full proof solution yet discovered for the plastic garbage menace, what we can do right now is to abstain or regulate its use.

Our Role

Environmental organizations such as the Green Peace are admonishing governments to regulate the production of plastic products; they are pushing the use of substitute materials for products that can dispense with plastics, so as not to aggravate our present problem with plastic wastes. Our world does not belong only to us; it also belongs to our children, our children’s children, and the next generations to come. So let us preserve and protect it with utmost care, we can start now by practicing the least at our very homes. Are you willing to consider this advocacy the next time you buy your groceries?

Sign of the Times: Earthquakes Are Getting Stronger and More Frequent?

First it was Haiti, then Chile; two devastating earthquakes that occurred both on the first quarter of 2010. Only less than two (2) months apart, these two earthquakes measuring magnitudes of 7.0 and 8.8 on the Richter Scale respectively, surpassed the record of the past decade, in terms of number of deaths and damage to infrastructure. In Haiti alone, about a quarter of a million is the estimate for human death casualties, less than half a million were injured, and about a million families were left homeless.

Earthquakes as we all know is a natural occurrence, these involve movements on the earth’s crust as a result of our earth’s effort to relieve itself from pressure. The epicenter of the earthquake registers the strongest magnitude, and usually is more fatal inland. The area where large numbers of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur is called the “Pacific Ring of Fire”; it is a horseshoe shape region that stretches 40,000 kilometers in the pacific, and home to about 452 active and dormant volcanoes. About 80-90 percent of the world’s strongest earthquakes occur along the Ring of Fire.

According to the records of earthquakes registered during the last one hundred years, the earthquakes that occurred during the last twenty years are more frequent and stronger. Some are attributing this to the sad state of our world especially of its environment. Mother Earth, they say is now exhibiting signs of wear and tear, and humans are largely to be blame for this; we have over exploited her resources and severely damaged the very environment that sustains us. Most of the environmental issues that we are facing today are man-made, but the efforts we are exhausting that should solve them are not being seriously taken.

Many believe that the sad state of our world is irreversible, that the only direction it is headed is from bad to worst. We can’t help but remember what the Bible is telling us regarding what occurrences there will be before the coming of the Lord. Probably, in the mind of God; He values the lives of His creatures and this planet; that He will make sure to be here to save us and our world, before we destroy ourselves and our home. Have you made yourself ready for the worst?

Efren Penaflorida: The CNN Hero of the Year

“If there’s a will, there’s a way”, for the nth time this old adage was again proven to be true. Add to that, the accomplishment of Efren Geronimo Penaflorida Jr, an uncommon educator from Philippines. Armed with kariton (improvised pushcart), books, pens, tables and chairs; Efren and his colleagues brave the slums and the destitute areas in Metro Manila and nearby provinces to advance their noble cause, that of educating the impoverished children of his country.

At the age of sixteen (16), Efren joined by other classmates started the Dynamic Teen Company, a youth group aimed at diverting the minds of youth from street gangs, and towards community activism. Eventually, they pioneered the infamous “pushcart classrooms” as these made their way to places where no teacher have dared to teach. Efren himself can relate to his students as he himself came from a poor family; his father was a tricycle driver and her mother being a plain housewife. In spite of their family’s economic condition; Efren showed his resolve my finishing his college with a degree in Computer Technology at San Sebastian College-Recoletos de Cavite, and another degree, that of Secondary Education at Cavite State University.

After being nominated for CNN Heroes by Club 8586, the youth group which financed his primary and secondary education, Efren was chosen as one of the 28 CNN Heroes for 2009 by CNN’s Blue Ribbon Panel. After that he was named among the top ten finalists on October 1, 2009 and eventually won the prestigious CNN Hero of the Year award last November 22, 2009. The prize of $ 100,000 according to him will be used to further finance the activities of Dynamic Teen Company.

No less than Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, president of Philippines conferred on Efren, the Order of Lakandula in a ceremony at Malacanang Palace upon his return to Manila. Efren Penaflorida’s extraordinary feat will continue to serve as an inspiration and hope to our chaotic world. Dare to make a difference?

The El Nino Phenomenon: Are We Party to the Worsening Condition?

Rains, and now drought? The sudden shift of weather pattern is really very bothering. For the past week, all I’ve been hearing from the local news was the havoc that El Nino is inflicting to the agriculture in Northern Luzon, Panay Island and parts of Mindanao. The irony of this was our situation during the last quarter of 2009, when we experienced the heaviest rains. Many of us that time were probably praying that the rain would stop; the rain was so furious that most cities in our country were either flooded or soaked with mud.

According to scientists, El Nino is a weather pattern that occurs in tropical Pacific Ocean on average every five years; it is associated with droughts, floods and other weather disturbances in many regions of the world. Mostly affected by ENSO (El Nino Southern Oscillation) are countries around the pacific region, and that is certainly where we are. No wonder why we are experiencing this seemingly crazy weather. As of present, the government estimated the loss to agricultural products to more than a billion pesos, but this could go as high as 2 billion pesos or at worst less than 3 billions.

Many Scientists believe that global warming will worsen the effects of El Nino, that it will bring more and stronger typhoons to us. We can therefore conclude that man has a part on this. But it’s not yet late, we can reverse global warming by becoming responsible individuals and by pushing our legislators to enact laws that will protect our environment. Let us remember that this is the only planet we have. Are you with me on this?

Electric Cars: The Commercial Car of This Decade?

I was waiting for an fx ride in one of the adjoining streets of Legaspi Village in Makati when an unusual vehicle parked in front of me. To my surprise, people beside me started boarding the vehicle; my instinct told me that I should also board the vehicle, so I did. I was very curious about the vehicle that’s why I made sure that I am seated near the driver. The first thing I noticed inside the vehicle was the drop box bearing the label, “donation box”. To make sure what I’m thinking that moment was right, I asked the driver if the vehicle is headed to Landmark Department Store and how much do I have to pay for the ride. He replied that I don’t have to pay but added that I can give any amount as donation to help maintain the vehicle. After that, I asked several other questions about the vehicle and the driver gladly answered all my queries to my satisfaction.

That was my first encounter with electric cars, and honestly, I was really impressed. How I wish that all the vehicles running the streets of Metro Manila are run by electricity; that would be a welcome sight, isn’t it, that would mean lesser pollution and lesser dependence on costly oil. My curiosity about electric cars brought me further to the internet; there, I found out that there are more advance electric cars in Europe and China, electric cars that can run more than 100 kph. That is far better than the one I rode about a week ago, the top speed of which is only about 40 kph. I also found out China has already started to manufacture this commercially, it is much cheaper than those being manufactured in Japan, U.S., and Europe.

Now I am left wondering, what are the efforts being done by our government to acquire this technology or are there any effort at all. I am quite positive that in three to five years time, this technology will sweep the world’s car industry. I suggest that we prepare for it, or to be more precise, let’s embrace it’s coming as early as we could or should we prefer to be more cautious? What say ye?