Friday, July 31, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
TO BElieve OR NOT TO BElieve!
Solar eclipse pits superstition against science
AFP – An Indian astronomy researcher explains solar eclipses in Kolkata on July 19. Indian astrologers are …
by Phil Hazlewood Phil Hazlewood – Sun Jul 19, 10:23 pm ET
MUMBAI (AFP) – Indian astrologers are predicting violence and turmoil across the world as a result of this week's total solar eclipse, which the superstitious and religious view as a sign of potential doom.
But astronomers, scientists and secularists are trying to play down claims of evil portent in connection with Wednesday's natural spectacle, when the moon will come between the Earth and the sun, completely obscuring the sun.
In Hindu mythology, the two demons Rahu and Ketu are said to "swallow" the sun during eclipses, snuffing out its life-giving light and causing food to become inedible and water undrinkable.
Pregnant women are advised to stay indoors to prevent their babies developing birth defects, while prayers, fasting and ritual bathing, particularly in holy rivers, are encouraged.
Shivani Sachdev Gour, a gynaecologist at the Fortis Hospital in New Delhi, said a number of expectant mothers scheduled for caesarian deliveries on July 22 had asked to change the date.
"This is a belief deeply rooted in Indian society. Couples are willing to do anything to ensure that the baby is not born on that day," Gour said.
Astrologers have predicted a rise in communal and regional violence in the days following the eclipse, particularly in India, China and other Southeast Asian nations where it can be seen on Wednesday morning.
Mumbai astrologer Raj Kumar Sharma predicted "some sort of attack by (Kashmiri separatists) Jaish-e-Mohammad or Al-Qaeda on Indian soil" and a devastating natural disaster in Southeast Asia.
An Indian political leader could be killed, he said, and tension between the West and Iran is likely to increase, escalating into possible US military action after September 9, when fiery Saturn moves from Leo into Virgo.
"The last 200 years, whenever Saturn has gone into Virgo there has been either a world war or a mini world war," he told AFP.
It is not just in India that some are uneasy about what will transpire because of the eclipse.
In ancient China they were often associated with disasters, the death of an emperor or other dark events, and similar superstitions persist.
"The probability for unrest or war to take place in years when a solar eclipse happens is 95 percent," announced an article that attracted a lot of hits on the popular Chinese web portal Baidu.com.
Sanal Edamaruku, president of the Indian Rationalist Association, dismissed such doomsday predictions.
"Primarily, what we see with all these soothsayers and astrologers is that they're looking for opportunities to enhance their business with predictions of danger and calamity," he told AFP.
"They have been very powerful in India but over the last decade they have been in systematic decline."
Astronomers and scientists are also working to educate the public about the eclipse.
Travel firm Cox and Kings has chartered a Boeing 737-700 aircraft to give people the chance to see the eclipse from 41,000 feet (12,500 metres).
Experts will be on board to explain it to passengers, some of whom have paid 79,000 rupees (1,600 dollars) for a "sun-side" seat on the three-hour flight from New Delhi.
The eclipse's shadow is expected to pass over the aircraft at 15 times the speed of sound (Mach 15), said Ajay Talwar, president of the SPACE Group of companies that promotes science and astronomy.
"It's coming in the middle of the monsoon season. On the ground, there's a 40 percent chance of seeing it in India. On the aircraft you have almost a 90 percent chance of seeing the eclipse," he added.
Siva Prasad Tata, who runs the Astro Jyoti website, straddles the two worlds.
"There's no need to get too alarmed about the eclipse, they are a natural phenomenon," the astrologer told AFP.
But he added: "During the period of the eclipse, the opposite attracting forces are very, very powerful. From a spiritual point of view, this is a wonderful time to do any type of worship.
"It will bring about good results, much more than on an ordinary day."
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Monday, July 13, 2009
OLD "KUWARTEL": TO BE RESTORED?
Restoration efforts are revealed in the white colored bricks....
Oslob Poblacion's main beach is known as Kuwartel Beach as far as I can remember in my childhood days.
It used to have sand and Oslobanons must have considered it as one of the best beaches in Cebu.
The shore was wide and "untouched" for we, children, can even catch "bacocos" which we would love to grill. The smell of the "burning" bacoco and its crispy-exotic taste give us unending pleasurable delight.
Family picnics, school batchmates and even "walk-in" beachgoers spend long time of fun on the beach while enjoying the sand, sun, food and sea water. Cottages are available for visitors who would spend a night or two in town.
BUT THAT WAS BEFORE.
Whether it is because of the growing number of locals who are getting the gravel and sand for house construction or is it due to the rising of sea water (or BOTH, others blame it to the folks building of seawall/breakwater/reef-raff) that the sand now has disappeared.
Kuwartel (as it was written on a signage hung on the Cuartel itself) Beach that was.
All you see now is a seawall.
In a recent vacation I had in town, I saw the site (pictures above). Having no prior information about it, I have concluded that it was undergoing restoration works, seeing raw stones devoid of brick-like forms and broken bricks scattered inside and around the structure.
Then I have come across this article.
Rehabilitating Oslob Cuartel
By Jobers Bersales
Cebu Daily News First Posted 11:50:00 06/18/2009 Filed Under: history, Construction & Property, Heavy construction
Cebu provincial engineer Eulogio Pelayre waxed poetic and at times romantic the other day as he explained his feeling of a sense of pride and a sense of history at being asked by the governor, Gwendolyn F. Garcia, to carry out the rehabilitation of the unfinished Oslob Cuartel that has almost gone to seed. For, in his words, no other Spanish period building in the country can match the architecture of this building: six roman arches spread on its façade and not just on the ground floor but also on the second story. If I may add, the arches also seemingly embrace the fabric of this building, creating what would have been a magnificent pasillo or hallway on both floors had it been finished.
The occasion that made the normally circumspect and quiet provincial engineer emotive was a meeting with Oslob’s vice mayor, Pacifica Letigio, together with the town’s councilors, barangay chairs and representatives, together with the Oslob Heritage Protection and Conservation Council at Museo Sugbo the other day. The venue was not an accident since these leaders were at the Museo to learn more about preparing museum exhibits – a culmination of a series of meetings that began when the governor quietly started the rehabilitation of this unfinished Spanish-era naval quarters early this year. An open air museum of sorts within a section of the building is in the works and what better way to learn about museums than to visit the premier historical museum in the province today.
Other than the provincial engineer, Tessie Javier, the provincial consultant for architectural affairs, also joined the group and showed the design for a park to be around the cuartel leading to the ruins of the hexagonal watchtower built by the great Fray Julian Bermejo in the early 1800s. The inauguration of a rehabilitated and well-lighted Cuartel is certain to happen in August as part of a long list of events that will mark the 440th anniversary of Cebu province.
According to local lore, the Oslob Cuartel was built around the final decades of Spanish rule and remained unfinished as events in Manila and the capital town of Cebu in 1898 overtook Spanish plans for what appears to be a Spanish naval station. No records have been found at the National Archives in Manila to help explain why this relatively huge structure was built in what was then as now a laid-back town. If my suspicions are right, this must have been intended as a naval station because Oslob faces not only the Bohol Sea but also the bend towards Tañon Strait and is so strategically located that on a normal day one can see not just Bohol and Siquijor but also parts of Mindanao and Negros Oriental.
Unfortunately, decades of neglect and the absence of a heritage movement – only active during the last three years in Oslob after the governor ordered the establishment of heritage councils all over the province – have led to the graduated theft of many of the coral stone blocks on the façade as well as the rear walls of the Cuartel. Unmindful of its distinct historic and aesthetic value, the unscrupulous removed these blocks, called tablillas in Spanish, ostensibly to sell them to manufacturers of costume jewelry and stonecraft, leaving huge gaps showing the argamasa type of masonry, believed to be a mixture of lime, egg-whites and coral rubble that has held this structure together over a century now.
There have been other plans to finish the Oslob Cuartel that were presented early on to the governor. But Governor Garcia wants as little intervention as possible in this unique and time-tested product of Spanish public works. And so the original design to have the structure roofed with clay tiles was squelched as the correct conservation practice would have been to let it remain unfinished and merely rehabilitate those sections of the building fabric that need to stabilized. This then is the task now facing the provincial engineer.
No wonder then that he left the group much more inspired and happy as the barangay chairmen and town councilors present that day committed to join the governor in this project by providing labor to complement the workforce provided by the province. This, as much of the stones needed for the rehabilitation began arriving from the town’s barangays two weeks ago. On Monday, everyone will converge at the Cuartel – both from the provincial government and from the town of Oslob — to carry out the spirit of “alayon”, hand in hand to finally save the cuartel from further ruin.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Saturday, July 4, 2009
TOM CRUISE and the SMA BAND '85
At one time in our Philippine History, this day was INDEPENDENCE DAY not until the late President Diosdado Macapagal's term (out of US'lack of support as Historians would say) did he change ID back to June 12, as it really was (to Aguinaldo's credit).
In my early years in school, we hold no classes today owing it to the imported American FRIENDSHIP.
Brass bands all over the Philippines, especially in military camps - evenMORE in America (INDEPENDENCE DAY) today play marching tunes and what else they wish. Without mentioning the amazing hi-tech fireworks display.
This, is more than enough to recall my SMA days as member of the band.
MARICRES LAGARE was the Majorette, LOURDITA MENDEZ and JANET DELENA were her MINORETTEs.
GLENN TUMUSOK was the Band Leader and ROLDAN RONDERO was the CAT Officer in command.
Here we are with UNIFORMS ON! Heheheheheh....
Seated from left: Dondon, ?, AKO, EUFEMIA, ARTURO, ? and Roberto.
Standing from left: Jing2, Mitzi, ?, ROSYVETTE, LOURDITA, MARICRES, Janet, ROLDAN, EVELYN, EDILBERTO, GLENN and RAMONCITO.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
FLICKR ACCOUNT!
The view of the famous Kuwartel Beach, showing both old and new resort cottages and the IMPOSING facade of the parish church which is undergoing an on-going reconstruction after the March 26, 2008 fire that burned down the convent.
Taken from the sea on a wavy sakayan ride (with Joseph and King) last summer, May 2009.
For those Oslobanons who are away from "home" like me, here's some photos you may browse to take a virtual trip home to Oslob, our beloved hometown.
The "TRAINED" eyes of course will confirm that these photos are taken by someone who have not taken any single course on photography....
ENJOY, just the same, anyway!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pito77777pito/