New 7 Wonders of the World

The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World were selected by the Greek philosopher Philon more than 2,000 years ago.

1. Great Pyramid of Giza – Built as the tomb of 4th dynasty Egyptian pharaoh Khufu, it is the only surviving structures of the original seven wonders.
2. Hanging Gardens of Babylon – The outer walls were 90 kilometers in length, 24 meters thick and 98 meters high.
3. Temple of Artemis at Ephesus – Dedicated to the Greek goddess Artemis, it took 120 years to build.
4. Statue of Zeus at Olympia – It occupied the whole width of the aisle of the temple that was built to house it, and was 40 feet tall.
5. Mausoleum of Maussollos at Halicarnassus – This stood approximately 45 meters tall with each of the four sides adorned with sculptural reliefs.
6. Colossus of Rhodes – It was a giant statute of the Greek god Helios, roughly three-fourths as large as today's Statue of Liberty in New York.
7. Lighthouse of Alexandria - Between 115 and 135 meters tall, it was among the tallest man-made structures on Earth for many centuries.

Last July 7, 2007 (07/07/07), a new version of the Seven Wonders of the World was revealed, based on over 100 million votes cast from people in 200 countries. The Pyramids of Giza will retain their status as one of the original Seven Wonders of the World. Almost 200 nominations came in and the list was narrowed to 21 at the beginning of 2006. For inclusion in the list, the new wonders had to be man-made, completed by the year 2000 and in an "acceptable" state of preservation.

1. Colosseum, Italy – This 50,000-seat amphitheater in Rome, which has influenced the design of modern sports stadiums, was an arena where thousands of gladiators dueled to the death and Christians were fed to the lions.
2. Great Wall of China – This 4,160-mile barricade running from east to west in northern China is the longest man-made structure in the world, and was built to protect the dynasties from invasion by other nomadic tribes.
3. Taj Mahal, India – This white marble-domed mausoleum of Mughal architecture combining Indian, Persian, and Islamic styles in Agra was built by Mogul Emperor Shah Jahan for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal.
4. Petra, Jordan – This ancient city of Petra in southwestern Jordan, built on a terrace around the Valley of Moses is famous for its numerous stone structures carved in rock, like an uncompleted tomb facade that served as a church
5. Christ the Redeemer Statue, Brazil – This 125-foot-tall statue of Christ the Redeemer, with outstretched arms overlooks Rio de Janeiro from atop Mt. Corcovado, and weighs more than 1,000 tons.
6. Machu Picchu, Peru – These giant walls, palaces, temples and dwellings of the Machu Picchu sanctuary are perched in the clouds at 8,000 feet above sea level in the Andes mountains.
7. Pyramid at Chichen Itza, Mexico – This step-pyramid surmounted by a temple survives from a sacred site that was part of one of the greatest Mayan centers of Mexico's Yucatan peninsula.

Working on Independence Day

Perhaps for the first time since June 12 was official made "Araw ng Kalayaan" or Independence Day, Filipinos worldwide will be spending the day at work. Tsk tsk tsk. This is result of GMA's so-called holiday economics. The Arroyo administration introduced holiday economics a few years ago to boost domestic tourism. Under this arrangement, holidays are adjusted to extend up to the weekend. Thus, if let's say April 9 (Araw ng Kagitingan) falls on a Tuesday, the holiday is moved to Monday, so as to give us a longer weekend.

Is it just me or isn't this defeating the essence of the holiday? Though, this is laudable idea (which is being done in other countries), but there are just some days that are too important to be moved. An example is one where we commemorate an important event in history. This holiday should be observed on that day itself and not just any other day.

Let's say we don't have Christmas breaks and let's just imagine that January 1 falls on a Thursday. Should New Year then be moved to Friday (January 2) pursuant to holiday economics?

One more example, just imagine your birthday being moved to another day...

Saddam

Somehow, it's unfortunate to know that former Iraq president Saddam Hussein was executed recently. Even more, the manner by which he was executed was quite cruel - probably more so because of the photos (and videos?) that circulated on the Internet. For all the wrongs that he may have done in the past, i believe it is not right to take his life. I strongly oppose death penalty. I believe it's wrong to perpetuate violence with violence.

I remember the time when the infamy of Saddam was at its peak. I think it was in the early 90s on the height of the Gulf War. As a kid, I look at Saddam as the notorious guy - with the thick mustache and all. On the other hand, there was George Bush (the older one) - who I considered the "good guy". Scud missiles vs. Patriot missiles. Also common were the phrases "Saddam'it" and "Bushit". And of course there was the popular novelty song that went something like "Sasasaddami na problema natin"... something like that.

But then again, the execution also shows that evil does not go unpunished. Though I disagree with the hanging, it is somehow good to know that a powerful dictator was brought to justice. I just hope this is a lesson to corrupt and abusive leaders and government officials all over the world.

March against Crime

I've already mentioned before that Dumaguete City, known as the "City of Gentle People", is becoming more and more unsafe, but the recent rape/robbery/murder of a graduating nursing student was just horribly off the charts.

A few days ago, a Silliman student nurse was brutally killed. According to reports, the intention of the offender was to steal her laptop. Apparently, she was followed all the way to her apartment, which was located near the campus. At around 2 pm that afternoon, she was alone in her room when the accused attacked her. Most likely, the poor victim resisted, and there was a brief struggle. She was stabbed in the head and her body. Rumors have it that she was also raped. In a nutshell, it was bloody and brutal.

According to neighbors, they heard a scream, but they ignored this, apparently because nothing else happened (at least they thought so). A witness saw a suspicious man coming out of the apartment with a laptop. Upon approaching him, the latter began running, thus confirming his suspicion. He finally caught up with him after a few hundred meters. By then, other people also began gathering around the accused. At first, the people thought that the crime that was committed was only robbery. It would only be discovered later that someone was brutally murdered.

The sad part was that the accused had already been caught before for theft, but the charges were dropped and he was set free. Had he been jailed, this would never had happened.

Yesterday, the entire Dumaguete Community, led by Silliman University, had a "March against Crime". Carrying placards, we paraded around the city condemning the rise of crimes and violence the past years. This was capped off with a prayer rally/gathering at the city plaza, where leaders addressed the crowd. The governor, mayor, and chief of police, along with many other officials, were all present. Many different groups joined the event. Leaflets were distributed expressing disgust and concern over the incidents.

Personally, I agree with the suggestions on those leaflets. But in my opinion, there are some simple things that could we could do to help.

Here are some of the measures we could take to help in our fight against crime/violence:

1. Being vigilant. If you know of a crime, report it to authorities. As mentioned, had charges been filed to the accused, the brutal murder would never had happened. I believe everything must start with us. The police can't do it all.

2. Knowing the people in your neighborhood. Having good relationships with them is helpful. You could easily ask for their assistance whenever you're in trouble. Also, since everyone is supposed to know everyone else, suspicious people are easier to spot.

3. Emergency numbers. Most people have cellphones but do not know the number of the police or hospital. These should be the first ones in your speed dial.

4. Police presence. Believe it or not, people still have respect for the police. Somehow, we still fear their presence. Thus, police officers, barangay tanods, and other authorities should be more visible, especially at night.

5. Lights. Again, this might sound odd, but I still believe this is effective. Let the government put more lights on our streets.

These are just some of the simple things we could do to help. I still believe that by nature, men are good and conscientious.

Political Plan(t)s

An article from a recent issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer did not surprise me at all. It was regarding the “Green Philippine Highway Program” project of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). The reporter observed that the launching of the projects in different places was more like a political campaign. This is exactly what I thought when I saw a similar launching here in Negros Oriental on TV.

The project is a political gimmick. It’s not practical, it’s difficult to implement, and definitely there are many more important things the DENR should focus its attention on, such as the Guimaras Oil Spill. Planting trees a long the national highway that stretch 3,439 km. across the country is just a waste of time, money, and effort. Can’t they think of anything better? I’m really starting to believe that the GMA administration has really not one any good to our country.

Maybe there are indeed good intentions, and I don't mean to sound pessimistic, but I have serious doubts about the project. I believe there’s a bigger hidden (political) agenda here. What’s the real intention of the project? Mainly, it’s for exposure. Since the project covers major highways from north to south of the Philippines, I’m quite certain there will be billboards displaying the proponents and people behind the project, maybe even have a poster for every tree planted. I remember in 2004 when almost all electrical posts around Manila had banners with GMA’s image on it. Then there were those clean-up volunteers found along highways wearing vests with the letters GMA at the back. That is what they’re trying to do again. Think of it as an early electoral propaganda for people like Sec. Reyes.

It is quite possible that Sec. Reyes is planning to run for Senator next year. You should have seen him launching the project. As I mentioned already, it was like a political campaign. He even wore a vest like most politicians do during election period. He had this big program with a full-house audience that do not seem to care about the project. Even just in the way he talked, he was as smooth as the veteran politicians. And then he cracked jokes and even worse, sang a couple of songs. With regard to the project he was supposed to be launching, he did not really do a good job in elaborating its details. There was nothing concrete in what he said. Even when interviewed, he was vague and even seemed uncertain. In the end, he only spent a little time with the project and more time in politicking. And he did the same in all the places where the project was launched. Tsk tsk tsk… A very Gloria-esque way of doing stuff – spending our money for a disguised way of campaigning.

Ticking Time Bomb

The recent Guimaras oil spill really saddens me, and perhaps every environment-loving person not only here in the Philippines, but anywhere in the world. The white beaches in the Visayas islands are known to be one of the best ones in Asia. And the same group of islands has been considered the center of the world's richest marine life.

However, because of the sinking of Solar 1 somewhere near Guimaras, a major environmental disaster is threatening the area. Solar 1 was carrying 2 million liters of bunker fuel. When it sank, it leaked around 200,000 liters, which had gradually spread towards the nearby islands of Panay and Negros. This means that there is about 1.8 million liters still trapped inside the tanker at the bottom of the sea, and is slowly continuing to leak. Hence, this is why some refer to this looming catastrophy as an ecological "ticking time bomb." Sooner or later, the entire amount of fuel will completely leak out of the vessel and harm the rich marine resources in the area. Unless we do something about it, potentially the biggest oil spill in our country's history (there was a 300,000 liter oil spill off Semirara island last year) may even possibly reach the nearby Boracay island, famous for its white beach.

Greenpeace, an environmental organization, describes the area hit as a delicate ecosystem rich in marine life, mangroves and reefs. It is really too early to assess the damage caused by the oil spill. As of the past weekend, oil from the tanker has contaminated some 220 kilometers of coastline, destroyed 454 hectares of mangroves and 58 hectares of seaweed farms. The spill had also destroyed the livelihoods of thousands of people dependent on fishing for a living. It could also be disastrous to the tourism industry in the areas affected.

Just how could we prevent the oil spill from becoming worse? How can we stop the flow of oil leaking from the sunken vessel? The problem is we do not have the technology to "suck" all the oil from the tanker. We do not even know the exact location of the vessel. And if we do know where it really is, still our divers and marine equipment do not have the capabilities to go that deep underwater - about 3,000 feet.

The only thing we could do right now is to clean-up the seas in our own little ways. It is said that it would take years before we could totally clean the sea. The hundreds of villagers in the area are trying to mop up the slick with improvised tools such as bamboo poles, rice straw, dried grass, used sacks and even clothing. At sea and off beaches booms have been erected to contain the oil which is scooped out and taken away for disposal.

It's a good thing the government has already asked for foreign assistance. To me, that's the only chance we could still somehow contain the calamity. Let us remember that the environment is something we should all be responsible for because it doesn't only affect a country, but it affects the entire world as well. Hopefully, its not yet too late.

Gas-to

Once again, the prices of fuel had gone up. At 12 midnight yesterday, an price hike of 50 centavos per liter was implemented. Those who were aware made sure to fill up before earlier that evening. I was one of them. And it cost more than 2,300 Pesos for about 50 liters of gasoline.

a rare site!

Currently, the price of a liter of gasoline (unleaded) is almost 45 Pesos. That means that a hundred bucks will only get you just over a couple of liters. The price of diesel is probably a little lesser than that. I miss the days when a liter of a gas was even cheaper than a liter of bottled mineral water.

When I was working, friends ask me where I spend most of my salary, and I quickly tell them that that all my (hard-earned) money go to fuel expenses. I'm not really sure how much my daily fuel consumption is, but I spend at least 100 Pesos everyday. That's 3000 a month.

I tried an experiment once just to see how many kilometers I could go per hundred pesos. I put 1500 worth of gas in the Accord and reset the odometer. A couple of weeks later, the fuel warning LED started to light and the odometer read 165 kilometers. If my math is right, that's exactly only 11 kilometers per 100 Pesos, translating into about 5 kilometers per liter. Compare that to a Picanto, which, rumor has it, consumes an amazing 27 kilometers per liter. Maybe it has something to do also with the Accord's lack of fuel efficiency then. It has a 2.0 engine, and it's automatic, so it's more inefficient than the ordinary car. But still, the bottomline is, prices of fuel are devastatingly high.

Just imagine, I estimate the distance between the house (Pulantubig) to school at almost 3 kilometers. Thus, a round trip for that route is around 6 kilometers, or more than a liter of fuel consumption.

I've already started some measures that would hopefully lessen my gas expenses. I make sure that when I leave home each morning, I have all the things I need for that whole day, so that I won't need to go back home for stuff I may have forgotten to bring. Another measure is to park just at the house in Silliman Avenue and walk going to school (if it wasn't raining) or downtown. Lastly, every chance that I get, I'd rather leave the car at home and ride with mom and dad.