One of the commonest mistakes and one of the costliest thinking that success is due to some genius, some magic - something or other which we do not possess. Success is generally due to holding on, and failure to letting go. You decide to learn a language, study music, take a course of reading, train yourself physically. Will it be success or failure? It depends on how much pluck and ‘perseverance’ that word “decide” contains. The decision that nothing can overrule, the grip that nothing can detach will bring success. Remember the Chinese proverb, “With time and patience, the mulberry leaf becomes satin.
– Maltbie Davenport Babcock“A few days before April 1, 2007, Dan Baines, a 31-year-old illusion designer for magicians from London, posted on his website images of the “corpse” of an unknown eight-inch creation. The unusual corpse was claimed to be the mummified remains of a fairy which was discovered by a dog walker at Firestone Hill in Duffield, Derbyshire. The remains, as shown in the pictures, were complete with ears, wings, hair, skin, and teeth, and were claimed to ‘have been examined by anthropologists and forensic experts who can confirm the body is genuine’. According to the website, X-rays of the ‘fairy’ showed that its body’s structure was the same as that of a child. The bones, however, were described to be ‘hollow like those of a bird, making them particularly light.’
In spite of the coming of April Fool’s Day, the website received feedback from a large number of fairy believers, accumulating over 20,000 hits in one day. On April 1st, Baines appended a note to the website, thanking the readers for expressing their interest in his story and acknowledging that the fairy corpse was fake. He wrote: “Even if you believe in fairies, as I personally do, there will always have been an element of doubt in your mind that would suggest the remains are a hoax. However, the magic created by the possibility of the fairy being real is something you will remember for the rest of your life.” Subsequently, Baines listed the mummified fairy on eBay and the model attracted nearly 40 bids. The highest at the close of the sale was made by a private art collector in the United States and the fairy was sold for £280.”
As you might imagine, there is even a page on Snopes devoted to debunking Derbyshire Fairy. Well played Dan, well played. The Geyser of Awesome salutes you!
[via Wikipedia]
Via Archie McPhee's Endless Geyser of AWESOME!
You can always die. It’s living that takes real courage.
– Watsuki Nobuhiro, through Himura Kenshin, Rurouni Kenshin (via ellobofilipino) Via The WolfThis is Makpal Abdrazakova, she is 25, and she lives in Aksu-Ayuly, central Kazakhstan. She cuts an awesome figure, doesn’t she? She is making headlines for something she’s been doing since she was 13. Makpal is a golden eagle hunter, a berkutchi, and participates in competitions that evaluate how well her eagle, 10-year-old Akzhelke, can catch and kill prey. She has won several of the local contests, which also demonstrate the bond between the bird and its master.
The bond in her case began with feeding the golden eagle when her father Murat was away. He taught her the ancient sport after getting the approval and blessing of the local elders, since it has traditionally been practiced only by men. Since 2003, they and the professional hunters have welcomed her, and she remains the only woman in Kazakhstan to compete.
She does not, however, want to be the last: “I hope that in the future there will be more berkutchi-girls,” she says in her native language (see video here). Golden eagles have been used in falconry for centuries (see slideshow here) and are among the world’s fiercest birds, with the ability to fly at their prey at 190mph with their razor-sharp talons. They weigh up to 15lbs, grow up to 3’ tall, and have a wingspan of up to 7’.
A traditional saying in Kazakhstan states, “As a man trains his eagle, so too does the eagle train his man.” Makpal and her bird may have trained each other, but the woman has also been training in law. “I don’t need to give up being a berkutchi. I will do both things at once.”
How completely awesome!
[via Quigley’s Cabinet]
Via Archie McPhee's Endless Geyser of AWESOME!
Meet Thumbelina, the world’s smallest horse!
Standing just 17 inches tall, she is never going to be a champion show-jumper. In fact, the tiny mare is so small she would struggle to leap over a bucket. But such things are of little concern for feisty Thumbelina, who has just been officially recognised as the world’s smallest horse.
The five-year-old received the title from the Guinness Book of Records after her astonished owners realised she was never going to grow any bigger. She was born on a farm in America to a couple who specialise in breeding miniature horses. These popular show horses usually weigh about 250lb and reach a height of 34 inches when they are fully grown.
But when Thumbelina was born, it was immediately clear she would never grow to this size. At birth she weighed 8lb - the weight of many new-born babies - and eventually she grew to a mere 60lb. Thumbelina’s extraordinary size has been put down to dwarfism, which makes her a miniature of a miniature. But despite this massive difference in size, it is feisty Thumbelina who rules the roost over the stallions and racehorses on her 150-acre farm.
Read more about Thumbelina over at Dailymail.co.uk!
No Mining in the Philippines - FOOLISHNESS
MIA: It’s so annoying to see people opposing mining in the Philippines. Pero nagcecellphone sya, may Ipad din, may gold earrings and diamonds. Ipokrito. Or ayaw nyang gawin sa Philippines, ok lang sa ibang bansa ano? Again, the not in my backyard attitude!
MARVIN: Hindi kasi ang bansang Pilipinas ang kumikita sa mga minahan kaya may nagrereklamo. Kung meron mang kinikita, mumo lang. Sweldo lang ng mga engineers. Pero ‘yung mga indigenous people at mga local na na-rerelocate, wala talagang kinikita o pagbabago sa buhay nila. Hindi naman sila ginogroom to be mining engineers. Dagdag pa, Hindi kasi competent ang government gumawa ng sarili nitong mining corporation (or may limitation nga ba sa law na gumawa ang government?) at walang private business group ang may kakayahang (o nagtitipid lang, mas maliit lang kasi ang kailangang capital pero malaki-laki na ang kikitain nila kung makikipag-partner na sa isang international corporation na fully equipped na) mag-100% owned ng isang mining. Sa bagal ng pag-usad ng national industry sa bansa, (umuusad nga ba?) hindi natin nagagamit fully ang natural resources natin kaya kinukuha na lang ng ibang bansa. Tapos pag na-manufacture na (tulad ng cellphone, Ipad, gold earrings, at diamond ng mga ipokitong tinutukoy mo) at ibinenta rito, overpriced na ang manufactured product na kung tutuusin eh galing naman sa national resources ng bansa. Dahil nga wala na tayong aasahan sa gobyerno (dahil puro politicking na lang ang pinagkakaabalahan), sana ay mayroong mag-initiate sa private sector or tulungan ng mga NGOs, na imbes na maging negative sa mining, eh mangampanya para sa mas responsableng pagmimina na ang goal ay national development, dahil malaki talaga ang matutulong ng pagmimina sa bansa. Tapos isunod ng i-develop ang manufacturing sector. Pero idea ko lang ito, isang hamak na taong may facebook account, na bumabawi sa pag-comment at pag-status dahil wala talagang boses sa mundo. huhuhu. emo.
MIA: Marvin Lim, may mga local investors. Semirara, if tama alam ko Filipino ang major na mayari. Yung sinasabi mong indigenous people na kailngan mairelocate, may ganun and I don’t agree na tama na marelocate sila. Pero hindi ang mining per se ang problema. Yun pamamalakad and sa certain areas lang yun. I’ve been part ng monitoring ng isang project and may weekly( If I remember right) na nagtetest ng effluent ng mining tailings. And makiita mo na yung katabing bundok na dating pinagmiminahan, tinutubuan na sya ng plants. Totoo na hindi sapat ang nagiinvest sa bansa kaya kumukuha sila ng foreign investors and for me in a way that’s better. Madaming small time mining companies ang mas abuso sa workers at nagkukulang sa safety. Small mining companies din ang madalas tumakbo sa responsibilidad sa accidents. I think sa Chile ba yun, Im not sure, yung natabunan yun workers and natrap sila inside and inabandon ng mining company sila kasi malulugi sila umano kung ipapahukay pa. We need investors. Like we need multinational companies to invest on call centers here. Kung iisipin mo pangaabuso din ang call centers sa pinoy. Kasi bakit ba dito sila nagtatayo ng call centers?Dahil mura ang service natin. Same din with other industry like mining. Underpaid ang lahat sa Phil kung icocompare mo. Engineers here can be earning 10 times sa ibang bansa. May mga local mining engineers na natetrain. May mga babae pa nga! Hindi talga lahat pwedeng maging mining engineer. You need a degree duon. Safety ng tao iniintindi mo, stability ng soil etc. Hindi lahat pwedeng magkaroon ng license maghukay. Hindi rin lahat pwedeng maging President ng Philippines dba? Ang emo mo!
MARVIN: May dalawa kang sinabi: “Totoo na hindi sapat ang nagiinvest sa bansa kaya kumukuha sila ng foreign investors and for me in a way that’s better.” Bakit? Pa-explain. Tapos “Like we need multinational companies to invest on call centers here. Kung iisipin mo pangaabuso din ang call centers sa pinoy.” Yun nga eh, parang nawiwili tayong service lang saka kuhaan ng resource ang na-ipoprovide natin sa mundo, samantalang marami namang magagaling sa ating scientist at engineers. Wala lang talaga kasi tayong mga budget. Haha. Good thing na may mining companies na filipino-owned. Sana nga lang 100% at walang corporate magic, tapos magandang taxpayer, kung ganun FTW na. Nakakainis. Ang hirap hirap ko. hahahaha.
MIA: Nakakainis na inaabuso tayo nga lahat! Hello magkano sweldo ko sa hirap kos a UP! Paksyet! Mgkano ang sweldo ng American? Alam mo sa civil engg, basta puti ka automatic mas malaki sweldo mo sa ibang bansa kahit pa mas magaling, mas matlino at masipag ang Pinoy. Hahaha. Ok naman ako sa sweldo ko ngayon. Oo tama na inaabuso tayo.(Pero on a side note, mababa naman ang cost of living dito compared sa ibang bansa.) Pero ano gagawin natin, hindi na kakain, hihinto sa pagtatrabaho? What we have to do is to prove our worth. What Filipinos can do is to prove our worth. Yun tipong walang mandurukot para hindi nila maisip na ganun tayo. Yung wala na dapat school na para lang kumita tanggap nang tanggap ng students pero ang quality ng education na nakukuha ng students hindi sapat. Madaming magagaling na scientists sa atin and wag ka magalala madami nang napapansin na Filipinos. May friend ako na kumukuha ng masters sa ibang bansa and lab instructor sya at sabi nya Pinoy daw yun pinkamatatalino. Either nananatili sila sa bansa to help us despite being underpaid or pumupunta sa ibng bansa to learn more. Nakakatuwa yung bumabalik na natutunan sa atin pero sadly may mga nghahabol na ng citizenship sa dako roon. Sisikat din ang Pinoy, parang Indians. Alam mo ba kahit 3rd world ang India at madami din call center dahil mababa lang ang sweldo nila, isa sila sa largest exporter ng company executives? Dahil mahirap buhay nila, they work harder. One day mahihigitan natin yun at sisikat din tayo sa side ng science. Si charice pa lang kasi sikat na Pinoy at si Pacman. haha.Inexplain ko na na better minsan and in a way ang foreign investors sa mining sa ngayon kasi mas sanay na sila sa safety nito at mas kaya nila sumagot sa accidents dahil madami mawawala sa kanila pag tumakbo sila.
MARVIN: Oo nga eh, sana nga mas pinopromote sa atin (lalo na sa mass media) ‘yung value ng education para kahit bata pa lang may pangarap na maging scientist, engineer, writer, leader etc. at hindi puro landian, pa-cute, at “sana maging artista ako” ang inaatupag. Sana nga magbago na ‘yung mode ng mga pinoy na “ang hirap natin, mag-happy happy na lang tayo tutal mamamatay din tayo” at maging “ang hirap natin, kaya magsumikap nga tayo para ikarangal tayo ng next generation at ma-invibe nila ang pagiging masikap at marangal sa buong buhay nila.”
MIA: Tamang tama ka dyan marvin. Maling mali na madaming mahihirap ang nakukuntentong umaasa sa magulang, nagaanak ng madami pero sa nanay nakaasa. Ang dami nating achievements sa science na hindi nakikilala. Search mo yun millenium ba yun, millenium questions. Facts yun/laws sa science/math and engineering na accepted as truth pero walang basis and may isang institute na nagbibigay ng 1000000 US dollars sa makakasolve nun. 1 palang nasolve out of 7. Pero recently, may isang Pinoy biruin mo, isang Pinoy ang nakapagpakita ng proof/solution dun sa isa na mathematicians around the world hnd nagawa. Amazaing feat yun. Hindi pa sya ndeclare na tama pero diba, bakit hindi yun naisasama sa news. Mas binabalita pa pagdarasal ni Mommy dionisia!
MARVIN: Tama! Ang tamad kasi natin magbasa minsan! Lalo na’t mahaba! Government! Taasan ang budget! Private Sector! Babaan ang profit! Student! Mag-aral mabuti!
MIA: Sana dumating yun araw na hindi na negosyo ang education sa philippines. Sa ngayon tlgang imposibleng maprovide ng gobyerno ang quality education sa lahat ng anak ng mga taong anak lang nang anak. Pero alam mo ba sa Finland, walang private schools and amazingly mga students nila ang isa sa top performing sa buong mundo. Kasama sa asian countries na sobrang competitive sa pagaaral like S.Korea, China and Singapore. Sana maging ganun din sa Philippines! Ang hirap na kailangan mo pera para magkaroon ng magndang education. Paano kung hindi ka gaanong katalino at wala naman pera, ibig sabhn ba dpt mgtyga ka na sa schools na puro kita lang inatupag?Maling mali!
MARVIN: Haha. Eto na naman tong usapan nating paulit-ulit. Lagi tayong nauuwi sa topic na ‘to kahit tuwing nagkikita lang tayo bigla. hahaha. Oo nga, kaya kailangan talagang maging responsible parent ang bagong generation!
MIA:Tama!!! Dapat may license ang pagiging parent. Dapat lahat na lang infertile sa simula tapos kailngan makakuha ng permit for fertility pills para maging parent.Ang deep natin marvin!! It’s so good to have someone like you na mahilig makipagdebate din!
BOW! ETO NA NAMAN ANG PAGTATALONG NAPUPUNTA SA SAME TOPIC AT DEEP NA PAG-IISIP.
American soldiers kneel during outdoor Mass being conducted by a Filipino priest in front of pockmarked facade of St. Augustin, Manila’s oldest Catholic church during a lull in the battle to wrest the city from Japanese control. Manila, Philippines. February 25, 1945. (Photo by Carl Mydans)
(Source: ellobofilipino)
Parents!
Parents are like glass makers. They inevitably leave their mark in everything they create. With the right skill, love and dedication, they can create wonderful pieces that can shine with bright colors and beauty. But, with mistakes, they can unknowingly leave dents on their pieces or worse, completely shatter what could have been a perfect masterpiece.
Dapat may board exam din ang pagiging magulang. Hindi dapat basta bastang binibigay ang lisensyang ito kahit kanino. O kaya dapat ipanganak na lang tayo sa infertile lahat tapos para mabuntis, kailngan natin mag-apply para mabigyan ng fertility pills.
These are some of my thoughts after reading an article from the classic issue of Reader’s Digest. The article told the story of a woman whose father started sexually abusing her at the age of 6 and whose mom died because she was forced to undergo abortion by her husband. The woman eventually became a mother. Unfortunately,she brought with her the horrors of her past. She eventually abused her son with her words and her hands that eventually lead her son to drug and alcohol abuse. Her son, despite his success in his dancing career in New York eventually died of drug overdose.
About me
Myria Hertz D. Cernechez.Discover ME.
