Ruin of Babel

Abe V Rotor



Have I not before climbed this wall?
And the doves cooed.
Where have my friends gone after the Fall?
And the doves cooed.
Have I been reborn after all?
And the doves cooed.~

Living with Nature 3, AVR

Lenten - A Personal Renaissance

17th Century church of San Vicente de Ferrer, popular

destination of pilgrims and tourists, three kilometers

west of Vigan, Ilocos Sur.

Abe V Rotor

1. Castles and temples,
ziggurats amd totem poles,
the pyramid of the sun -
are either dead or gone.
The tower I know
may be simple and low,
yet reaches a height
beyond the sight.

2. Fish for a multitude,
technology's magnitude;
prima causa, the gene
where miracles begin.

3. It is not always true,
even when the sky is blue,
that deep in silence
lies a quiet conscience.

4. The weak make up for their frailty
in number and simplicity.

5. Rich in the pocket, least in the heart;
good to others, a vulture's art.

6. A weed is a flower in disguise -
need the eye and heart surmise?

7. Fewer are the grains in number
when the tillers fall to slumber.

8. If there is a Fourth King
other than the first Three,
make me just a fifth being
and I'll suffer for Thee.

9. Sinner or saint, saint or sinner -
never, never a cycle never,
no matter what and where
the past be redeemed - or never

10. Ah, but what good
is rock when it misses
the essence of clay
on which life itself rises?

11. God is everywhere, discreet
in many ways beyond our pain,
in our sleep, on our busy feet
in far away places, on the plain.

12. Come to me in silence and in song
that I may hear You among the throng.

13. None is greater a gift than life;
none is so fulfilling than living it well;
even as the wind blows hard, the tides swell,
life is sweeter at the end of strife.

14. Guard the footpath while Heaven is still,
lest the faithful lose the essence of the Hill.

15. If a little in me dies if someone must live,
here then, Lord, here's my whole life to give.~


Light from the Old Arch, AVR

Thai Food - Unique, Irresistible

Abe V Rotor

Fish fillet in banana leaf, topped with sauce and chili.

Thai tamales, white meat wrapped with pandan leaf.

Thai barbecue with raw condiments.

Many like it steaming hot and real spicy.

Steamed bass with chili and kinthai

Thai food is spicy and filling. This soup is for one serving.

Thai food is served with fresh vegetables - fried rice noodle

with mungo spouts and and kuthai (Allium tuberosum).

A touch of Western food in a Thai restaurant.

Vegetables first before anything else. Or it goes with every serving.

Mango with whole grain glutinous rice on banana
leaf - a real tropical dessert.

Seaweeds as dessert? Why not!

Another dessert - melon on crushed ice and cream.

Typical Thai restaurant in Ayutthaya, the ancient city -
simple, clean, spacious, cordial and the food is superb.

Living with Nature 3, AVR

Are you too quiet? Eat leftover fruits of birds.

Abe V Rotor

Ripe guyabano partly eaten by fruit bat.

It is a cure for children who are just too quiet for their age. The old folks would give children ripe fruits they first offer to a parakeet or parrot.

At one time I ate guayabano (Anona muricata) ripened on the tree which bore teeth marks. Since then I began reciting in class. "You see, it's true." Lolo Vicente our kartilla teacher told my dad triumphantly. But it took me quite a time adjusting the pitch of my voice.

Note: It was a fruit bat that fed on the guyabano fruit, but sunrise must have overtaken this nocturnal animal. By the way, birds and bats may carry certain diseases, such as rabies and bird flu.

Living with Nature 3, AVR

If you happen to touch a hot object, immediately press your affected fingers against your ear lobes.

Abe V Rotor
Bannawag
Okeyka, Apong!
Dagiti Tawid a Sirib ken Adal

If you happen to touch a hot object, immediately
press your affected fingers against your ear lobes.

No nasinit ti imayo, wenno nakaiggemkayo iti napudot, dagus a yiggemyo daytoy kadagiti piditpidityo. Apay?

By so doing you transfer the heat and get refreshed. The earlobe is usually cooler than any part of the body, so with the whole ear which works on the principle of a radiator. That’s why people who flare up develop red ears. (Pulang pula ang tainga). It is the same way the rabbit releases heat through their large ears. The earlobe is also less sensitive because it has fewer nerves and blood vessels – which explains the universal practice of earlobe piercing and wearing of earrings.

Mayakar ngamin ti pudot iti piditpidit. Kadawyan a nalamlamiis ti piditpidit ngem iti uray ania a paset ti bagi, uray ti mismo a lapayag.

Daytoy met lapayag ti agserserbi a “radiator” ti bagi. Ta no agpupungtot ti tao, lumabaga dagiti lapayagna. Ket no ti piditpidit ti nabara, ay, talaga a nakaron ti pungtotna. Isu dayta kunkunatayo a “nabara ti piditpiditna”.

Iti biang dagiti kuneho, dagiti dadakkel a lapayag ti pagiruaranda iti pudot ti bagida.

Nakapkapsut met ti panagriknana dagiti piditpidit ta basbassit dagiti urat ditoy. Isu daytoy ti rason a ditoy ti kadawyan a pagtebbengan ken pakaisab-itan dagiti aritos. Ammo da Apongtayo dayta. Idi pay punganay nga ar-aramidenda dayta.

Tapno saan a mabtak ti baso no makargaan iti napudot a danum, ikkan daytoy iti kutsara. Apay?

To prevent glass from breaking, a spoon is placed before pouring the hot liquid.

Sudden heat may cause glass to break. To cushion this effect, the spoon absorbs heat faster, in fact it attains higher temperature than glass or porcelain (china) does.

This principle is also applied when cooking meat. Meat becomes tender in a shorter time by putting spoon or fork in the cooking pot. Metal absorbs more heat that elevates the temperature of boiling water, which normally remains at 100 degrees centigrade (Celsius).

Bettaken ngamin ti pettat a pudot ti baso. Tapno maliklikan, maipan ti kutsara ta napartak ngamin ti panangigupna iti pudot. Kinapudnona, ad-adu a pudot ti maigupna ngem iti baso wenno porselana.

Isu nga adda dagiti agpalukneng iti karne a mangipan iti kutsara wenno tinedor iti kaldero wenno kaserola. Nadardaras a lumukneng ti karne. Ad-adu ngamin a pudot ti sagepsepen ti metal ket nayonanna ti pudot ti agburburek a danum. Agpatingga laeng ngamin iti 100 degress centigrade (Celsius) ti agburburek a danum. Siempre, no manayonan iti metal, napudpudot! —O

Apay nga Ikkan ni Apong iti Asin ti Kelleb no Agluto?

NO maitipon ti asin iti yelo, ad-adda a bumaba ti temperatura ti yelo ken agbayag ti lamiisna.

Salt is added to ice to lower temperature and keep coolness longer.

This is a common practice in the province where refrigeration is not available. Observe how local ice cream is made, and how fish, meat and other products keep longer in ice boxes by adding salt in ice. The salt must not mix with the commodity though.

The principle is that water freezes at 0 degree Celsius. With salt the temperature drops to some degrees below zero because saltwater has higher latent heat than freshwater. It means that it requires lower temperature in order to separate the salt compound from water. This explains the subzero temperature of arctic and Antarctic seas.

On the other hand, salt absorbs more heat than water and other substances and materials. This explains why rice cooks faster when salt is placed on the pot’s cover.

Kadawyan daytoy kadagiti away a manmano ti repriheradurana (prigidir, kuna ti dadduma).

Kitaenyo no kasano nga agaramidda iti ice cream iti away, ken no kasano ti kabayag dagiti ikan, karne ken dadduma pay a taraon kadagiti ice box— ta ti yelo ditoy, nanayonan iti asin. Saan ketdi koma a maitipon wenno maiwarakiwak ti asin iti taraon.

Ti ngamin danum, aglamiis laeng agingga iti 0 degree Celsius. No manayonan iti asin, bumaba ti temperaturana iti sumagmamano a degree a nababbaba ngem iti zero wenno agbalin a “below zero degree”. Nangatngato ngamin ti latent heat ti saltwater ngem iti gagangay a danum. Kayatna a sawen, masapul ti nababbababa a temperatura tapno maisinam ti asin (salt compound) iti danum.

Daytoy ti mangilawlawag no apay a nababbaba ngem iti zero degree ti temperatura kadagiti baybay iti Arctic ken Antarctic. Iti sabali a pannao, amang a nalamlamiis dagiti baybay kadagitoy a lugar.

Iti sabali a bangir, ad-adu a pudot ti maigup ti asin ngem ti danum ken dadduma pay a bambanag ken substance. Isu a dikayon masmasdaaw no parabawan ni Apong ti kelleb ti kaldero iti asin ta nalaklaka no kua a maluto ti innapuy.

* * *

Acknowledgment: Bannawag, Manila Bulletin.

Makapaatiddog iti Biag ti Ar-arusip. (Caulerpa Seaweed Increases Longevity.)

Caulerpa lentilifera

Abe V Rotor
Bannawag
Okeyka, Apong!
Dagiti Tawid a Sirib ken Adal

Does eating arusip or lato (Caulepa racenosa and C lentilifera) increase life span? Yes. And it promotes good health as well.
PUDNO kadi nga at-atiddog ti biag dagiti agsidsida iti lato wenno ar-arusip?
Pudno, kas paneknekan dagiti agsuksukisok iti UST Faculty of Pharmacy a da AG Chua AG, AI Fancubit, F Flores, ken MR Liwag.

Natakuatan dagitoy a daytoy berde a ruot iti baybay (Caulerpa) a mailaklako iti dua a kita, C. lentelifera ken C. racemosa, addaan imetda nga antibiotiko. Natakuatan nga epektibo ti raw extract a pangpaksiat iti bakteria, kas iti Pseudococcus ken Escherischia coli, kadawyan nga organismo a mangipaay iti sakit iti tattao. Malaksid iti daytoy nga imetna, addaan pay iti caulerpin a kadagiti kaaduan a tattao, addaan iti makaparelaks nga epekto.
No ketdi mapalaluan, makapaulaw met. Daytoy laeng ti ruot iti baybay nga addaan iti kastoy a simtoma.

* * *
There are weeds that are useful in many ways. Take the case of the Cyperus rotundus (barsanga)- it is a practical home remedy for wounds, cough, and toothache.
Umad-adu dagiti matakuatan a makaagas a mula. Adtoyda:
• Barsanga wenno barissanga (Cyperus rotundus) – mairaman daytoy iti pamilia Cyperaceae, makalasat ti bagasna bayat ti katikagna tapno agtubo met laeng iti idadateng ti panagtutudo. Segun iti “Salamat, Dok” a programa iti ABS-CBN, maibilag ti bagasna ket maaramid a tsaa, ket mabalin nga agas iti sakit ti tian. Idinto a ti sadiwa a bagas ti barsanga, mataltal wenno mapitpit nga agas iti sugat. Mabalin pay nga ukisan lattan sa maisingit iti rukab ti agsaksakit a ngipen.

• Salsalamagi (Phyllantus niruri) – ruot a kaarngi ti salamagi. Epektibo daytoy a pagagas iti parikut iti kidney ken paksiatenna ti HIV virus. Segun met laeng daytoy iti “Salamat, Dok”.
This plant is effective against HIV-AIDS!

Salsalamagi

• Oregano (Coleus amboinicus) – epektibo daytoy para iti napanaas a karabukob ken uyek. Dekdeken dagiti bulong, mabalin a presko wenno nalamaw, malaokan iti tubbog ti prutas wenno asukar ken apaganem-em a danum.
You must have Oregano always in your backyard so that you will not buy cough syrup, analgesic. It is best for sore throat, Just take a leaf or two with you favorite juice drink.

• Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globules labillardiere) – nagimet iti lana. Agas para iti sakit ti ngipen. No mangisagana, mangala iti pasar ti tallopulo a presko a bulong a nataengan, ibilag ken lebbeken. Nayonan iti ethyl-alcohol apagkapat iti nalebbek a bulong ket ipan iti baso. Mabalinen daytoy nga usaren kas tooth drop ken mabalin nga agpaut iti sumagmamano a bulan. No adda agsakit ti ngipenna a kameng ti pamilia, patedtedan laeng wenno mangibabasa iti cotton bud sa ideppel iti apektado a paset ti ngipen. Mabalin met nga usaren kadagiti sumaganad:
 agas kadagiti sakit iti kudil
 agas iti sakit ti tian, maitapal wenno maisapsapo
 paglaok iti maaramid a nabanglo a sabon

Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus is the source of volatile oil to replace those in the commercial market. It is aromatherapy. It drives mosquitoes away. It can be used directly as rub off repellant.

* * *
Napadasanyon ti adda iti sango ti nagadu a tao ket bigla a nagbaengkayo?
Awan met ket dakesna. Ngem kasla nakababain met latta.
Ti aramidenyo no mariknayo nga umayen ni baeng, pislenyo ti puon ti agong agingga nga agawaaw wenno mapukaw ti umay a baeng. Mabalin nga aramidenyo daytoy uray dakayo ti madama nga agsasao iti maysa a komperensia a dida madmadlaw. Ngem masapul a masakbayanyo, ta saan a makaur-uray ni baeng.

Press the base of your nose above your upper lip to stop sneezing. Then surreptitiously leave and explode somewhere.
* * *
Palagip daytoy gapu ta panagtutudo ita.
Dikay koma agig-iggem iti buneng wenno ania man a landok bayat ti panagkimkimatna. Napartak a pagnaan ti koriente ti landok; kasta met nga atrakarenda ti kimat.

When you are in the field and you sense lightning and thunder even in the distance, better sheath your bolo and leave. ~

Living with Folk Wisdom, AVR

Alternative Energy

The sun has unlimited amount of energy
we can harness for our energy needs.

Wind is the second most abundant energy on
earth. Wind turbine in Bangui, Ilocos Norte.
One turbine can generate enough electricity
for a barangay.

Abe V Rotor

Before, the basic needs of man as defined by early economists like Samuelson, were Food, Clothing and Shelter. Today Energy is next in importance to food.

Fuels give us heat, light, and power. The main fuels - coal, oil, and gas are non-renewable and they are fast being used up. Uranium on the other hand, poses great danger through radiation and leaves deadly waste behind.

Here is a list of alternative sources of fuel. Actually many of these are traditional, they have been known - and used- by man even in early times. It is actually revival.

1. Energy of the sun - electricity from sunlight, solar cell, solar panel, solar stove.
2. Green Energy - biofuel (methanol, ethanol, vegetable oil), firewood, charcoal, biogas digester.
3. Energy of the wind - wind farm, new sails, wind turbine generators (WTGs).
4. Surging energy of the sea - gully wave power, trapping the tides, Ocrean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC), salt energy (desalination, osmosis).
5. Energy of falling water - hydroelectric power, potential gravitational energy (water moving uphill and downhill), SWIP (Small Water Impounding Plant)
6. Fire from the Earth - geothermal energy, volcanic heat, hot rocks, fumaroles (volcanic vents), hot springs.
7. Saving energy (energy conservation) - green house, wall energy (wall reflects sunlight, directs wind power and direction), efficient design of building to conserve energy, efficient cars, recycling, heat from garbage, storing energy.
8. Animal power - work animals - bullocks, horses, sled dogs.
9. Manpower - back to manual work, reviving dignity of work, work cum hobby.
10. Combination/s of alternative energy sources.

Research on these energy sources in the library and on the Internet, and write an essay about the topic.

Living with Nature 3, AVR