Across the sea, south of the Philippines there is a patch of land the early people called “Menelangan”. The Subanun who lived a semi nomadic life around the place are bewildered by the beauty of the sun when it appears above the ridges of mountains. It became their land mark and when their fellow villagers asked them where they go, they said, “to the place where the sun is born”.
Menelangan means sunrise, but the early Visayan who migrated to Mindanao misheard the word to Sindangan. The Visayan did not bother themselves by checking the word. They immediately accepted and used the word. It was further solidified by the existence of a giant fish they called Indangan back to their island of birth, the Visayas. So the name was approved. The migrants in Mindanao latter carried the name Sindangan up to the present generation. The place had turned into a town with its life vested on the fertility of its land.
It is a place of tranquility, the artists’ chosen place to work; a place free from the madding crowd, far from the grating of machines, far from the saturnine look of drug addicts and hold up gangs, far from swindlers and far from the police men. The place is very kind to its people so that everyone is pleased with his assigned lot; there is more than enough what the family needs. And in that place of the world my father farms.
My boyhood experience in the place is always associated with the pulverized farms and the joyous faces of farmers during harvest time. In that place the morning announces its coming by the moaning of pigeons on the branches of the Santol tress surrounding our house, the endless murmur of the brooks as they joined to the wide Talinga River. And I could hear the shuffling of leaves that mingled with the tickling of spoons and plates from the kitchen which told me breakfast is ready.
I just could not explain why men had to leave the pastoral life to suffer in the urban centers. I also could not explain why civilization as men called it, always relates to the destruction of the Earth. The industrial revolution destroyed what God has created, and this technology that we have now is the descendant of that revolution. Technology hastens business but lessens the meaning of life.
Some experts put the solution of economic problem by making the country industrial. Though the Philippines remain in its pre-industrial period, it cannot be classified agricultural because the government has no plans and investment in agriculture. Even the Coco-Levi fund, the money that belonged to the farmers had gone into the some pockets of the government. The farmers suffer and they are branded ignorant and backward.
We must learn the lesson of the New Zealanders. Today they enjoy the life style of the Americans and Europeans yet they remain agricultural. We have the land and human resources; we only do not have the initiative to improve and develop what is indigenous because we always consider ours as inferior compare to something foreign.
Showing posts with label Issue 6. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Issue 6. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders by Ronan S. Estoque, DPA (January, 2008)
Obsession in Oxford Interactive Encyclopedia is defined as an idea/image that repeatedly intrudes on the mind of a person against his will. Compulsion on the other hand is an irresistible impulse to behave in a certain way. A combination of the two words denotes a fixated ritual where a deviation is difficult (if not impossible) for the subject experiencing the disorder.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder takes many forms, including excessive hand washing, fear of creating hazards for others, a need for order, anxiety over germs or contamination, repetitive checking of irons, ovens and door locks, and fear of harming others with knives or similar sharp objects.
The Most Common Expressions of OCD are:
Relationship Substantiation. A compulsive search for tiny but disqualifying flaws in a partner or spouse. Romances and marriages often do not survive the scrutiny.
Fear of Injuring Other People. A preoccupation with the idea of losing control and injuring or even killing others, it often results in a terrified avoidance of knives, scissors or other sharp objects.
Responsibility Anxiety. A broader fear of negligently hurting others. Sufferers will smooth out throw out rugs or pick up trash from sidewalks so strangers won’t trip.
Scrupulosity. An intolerance of disorder or asymmetry, this is a fastidiousness that goes beyond mere tidiness.
Contamination Anxiety. The hand washing compulsion. Fears contamination can spread from hands to other objects, leading to clothes, belongings and even walls being washed.
Sexual-Orientation Fears. A person who may have no moral or social objections to homosexuality becomes fixated with discovering (homosexuality) in themselves.
Obsessive Hypochondria. This can be a tricky one, often confused with ordinary hypochondria. OCD sufferers tend to disqualify reassurances from doctors with what – if worries, misdiagnoses and other medical errors. Behavior therapy (i.e. exposure and response prevention) is one of the clinical success stories that have been reported. Meaning, constant exposure tends to rewire the brain, reinforcing the perception that such is not that bad, and that whatever it is, such is not a big deal.
The random firing of neurons will correct itself where underestimating things would be much preferable as opposed to overestimating things.
References
Oxford Interactive Encyclopedia, 2000.
Kluger, Jeffrey. When Worry Hijacks the Brain. Time, Vol. 170, No. 7, 2007.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder takes many forms, including excessive hand washing, fear of creating hazards for others, a need for order, anxiety over germs or contamination, repetitive checking of irons, ovens and door locks, and fear of harming others with knives or similar sharp objects.
The Most Common Expressions of OCD are:
Relationship Substantiation. A compulsive search for tiny but disqualifying flaws in a partner or spouse. Romances and marriages often do not survive the scrutiny.
Fear of Injuring Other People. A preoccupation with the idea of losing control and injuring or even killing others, it often results in a terrified avoidance of knives, scissors or other sharp objects.
Responsibility Anxiety. A broader fear of negligently hurting others. Sufferers will smooth out throw out rugs or pick up trash from sidewalks so strangers won’t trip.
Scrupulosity. An intolerance of disorder or asymmetry, this is a fastidiousness that goes beyond mere tidiness.
Contamination Anxiety. The hand washing compulsion. Fears contamination can spread from hands to other objects, leading to clothes, belongings and even walls being washed.
Sexual-Orientation Fears. A person who may have no moral or social objections to homosexuality becomes fixated with discovering (homosexuality) in themselves.
Obsessive Hypochondria. This can be a tricky one, often confused with ordinary hypochondria. OCD sufferers tend to disqualify reassurances from doctors with what – if worries, misdiagnoses and other medical errors. Behavior therapy (i.e. exposure and response prevention) is one of the clinical success stories that have been reported. Meaning, constant exposure tends to rewire the brain, reinforcing the perception that such is not that bad, and that whatever it is, such is not a big deal.
The random firing of neurons will correct itself where underestimating things would be much preferable as opposed to overestimating things.
References
Oxford Interactive Encyclopedia, 2000.
Kluger, Jeffrey. When Worry Hijacks the Brain. Time, Vol. 170, No. 7, 2007.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Quis Custodiet Ipsos Custodes? by Ronan S. Estoque, MA (August, 2006)
During the recent State of the Nation Address of the President, PGMA acknowledged the contribution of some military generals who protected and guarded the government during the failed coup attempt last February. While I have nothing against the generals, a Latin phrase hounded my imagination. Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Literally, the translation is "who will guard the guards?" If we need a guardian to guard our democracy to a certain extent - someone must come in and watch the guardians.
In the days of Augustus Caesar, the Praetorian Guards became notorious in discharging their primary duty. Essentially, they are tasked to simply ensure the safety of the republic. In the course however of their its "discharge of duty", the Praetorian guards started to meddle in politics, public administration and even in the determination of policies, rules and regulations in the Roman republic - in short, they became a de facto "kingmaker" (because their support is needed for gaining a high political office). And to think that before the mutation of their responsibilities, they were just glorified bodyguards. All "meddlings" were hidden under the dictum of protecting the state. It is because of this scenario that the immortal Latin Phrase was uttered: "Quis Custodiet Ipsos Custodes"
Who will guard the guards? For the Philippine republic, we are in trouble when the very fabric of democracy is under the care of the military. Because under our democracy, the military always subscribes to the rule of a civilian leader. And in this case, the civilian supremacy is under the auspices of the Philippine President.
To have our democracy guaranteed by the military is an offense to the very definition of democracy. The moment we operate on such a tenet, our democracy now operates under the barrel of the gun. And in any definition: such falls under the category of a 'Banana Republic.'
Civilian supremacy over the military is a basic tenet in a democracy. Though, we are still nowhere near the dictate of the military - a creeping military presence in governance might foretell a more threatening scenario for the government. Honor the military, commend the military and even cajole the military. But at the end of the day, the military really shouldn't be the last bastions of democracy because in the final analysis, it was the people themselves who protected the present administration by not joining the agitators last February.
Literally, the translation is "who will guard the guards?" If we need a guardian to guard our democracy to a certain extent - someone must come in and watch the guardians.
In the days of Augustus Caesar, the Praetorian Guards became notorious in discharging their primary duty. Essentially, they are tasked to simply ensure the safety of the republic. In the course however of their its "discharge of duty", the Praetorian guards started to meddle in politics, public administration and even in the determination of policies, rules and regulations in the Roman republic - in short, they became a de facto "kingmaker" (because their support is needed for gaining a high political office). And to think that before the mutation of their responsibilities, they were just glorified bodyguards. All "meddlings" were hidden under the dictum of protecting the state. It is because of this scenario that the immortal Latin Phrase was uttered: "Quis Custodiet Ipsos Custodes"
Who will guard the guards? For the Philippine republic, we are in trouble when the very fabric of democracy is under the care of the military. Because under our democracy, the military always subscribes to the rule of a civilian leader. And in this case, the civilian supremacy is under the auspices of the Philippine President.
To have our democracy guaranteed by the military is an offense to the very definition of democracy. The moment we operate on such a tenet, our democracy now operates under the barrel of the gun. And in any definition: such falls under the category of a 'Banana Republic.'
Civilian supremacy over the military is a basic tenet in a democracy. Though, we are still nowhere near the dictate of the military - a creeping military presence in governance might foretell a more threatening scenario for the government. Honor the military, commend the military and even cajole the military. But at the end of the day, the military really shouldn't be the last bastions of democracy because in the final analysis, it was the people themselves who protected the present administration by not joining the agitators last February.
The Subfields and Interdiciplinary Fields of Sociology by Rogelio G. Dela Cruz, Ph. D (August, 2006)
Sociology was long identified primarily with broad evolutionary reconstructions of historical change in Western societies, as well as with the exploration of relationships and interdependencies among their more specialized institutions and aspects of social life, such as the economy, the state, the family, and religion. Sociology was thought of as a synthesizing field that attempted to integrate the findings acquired from other social sciences. Although such concepts concerning the scope and task of sociology are still prevalent, they now tend to be regarded as the province of sociological theory, which is only a part of the entire discipline.
Sociological theory also includes the discussion and analysis of basic concepts that are common to all the different spheres of social life studied by sociologists. An emphasis on empirical investigations carried out by standardized and often statistical research methods directed the attention of sociologists away from the abstract visions of 19th-century scholars toward more focused and concrete areas of social reality. These areas became the subfields and specialties of sociology that are today the subjects of college courses, textbooks, and specialized journals. Much of the scholarly and scientific work of sociologists falls clearly within one of the many subfields into which the discipline is divided.
The oldest subfields in the discipline are those that concentrate on social phenomena that have not previously been adopted as objects of study by other social science disciplines. These include marriage and the family, social inequality and social stratification, ethnic relations, deviant behavior, urban communities, and complex or formal organizations. Subfields of more recent origin examine the social aspects of gerontology and the sociology of sex and gender roles.
Because nearly all human activities involve social relations, another major source of specialization within sociology is the study of the social structure of areas of human activity. These areas of teaching and research include sociologies of politics, law, religion, education, the military, occupations and professions, governmental bureaucracies, industry, the arts, science, language, medicine, mass communications, and sports. These subfields differ widely in the extent to which they have accumulated a substantial body of research and attracted large numbers of practitioners. Certain subfields have achieved brief popularity, only to be later incorporated into a more comprehensive area. Industrial sociology, for example, was a flourishing field in the United States during the 1930s and 1940s, but later it was largely absorbed into the study of complex organizations; in Britain, however, industrial sociology has remained a separate area of research. A more common sociological phenomenon is the splitting of a recognized subfield into narrower subdivisions; the sociology of knowledge, for instance, has increasingly been divided into individual sociologies of science, art, literature, popular culture, and language. At least two subfields, demography and criminology, were distinct areas of study long before the formal field of sociology existed. In the past, they were associated primarily with other disciplines.
The oldest and most important interdisciplinary subfield of sociology is social psychology. It has often been considered virtually a separate discipline, drawing practitioners from both sociology and psychology. Sociologists primarily concern themselves with social norms, roles, institutions, and the structure of groups, while social psychologists concentrate on the impact of these various areas on individual personality. Social psychologists trained in sociology have pioneered studies of interaction in small informal groups; the distribution of beliefs and attitudes in a population; the formation of character and outlook under the influence of the family, the school, the peer group, and other socializing agencies. Psychoanalytic ideas derived from the work of Sigmund Freud and later psychoanalysts have been particularly important in this last area of social psychology.
Comparative historical sociology, often strongly influenced by the ideas of both Marx and Weber, has shown much growth in recent years. Many historians have been guided by concepts borrowed from sociology; at the same time, some sociologists have carried out large-scale historical-comparative studies. The once firm barriers between history and sociology have crumbled, especially in such areas as social history, demographic change, economic and political development, and the sociology of revolutions and protest movements.
Sociological theory also includes the discussion and analysis of basic concepts that are common to all the different spheres of social life studied by sociologists. An emphasis on empirical investigations carried out by standardized and often statistical research methods directed the attention of sociologists away from the abstract visions of 19th-century scholars toward more focused and concrete areas of social reality. These areas became the subfields and specialties of sociology that are today the subjects of college courses, textbooks, and specialized journals. Much of the scholarly and scientific work of sociologists falls clearly within one of the many subfields into which the discipline is divided.
The oldest subfields in the discipline are those that concentrate on social phenomena that have not previously been adopted as objects of study by other social science disciplines. These include marriage and the family, social inequality and social stratification, ethnic relations, deviant behavior, urban communities, and complex or formal organizations. Subfields of more recent origin examine the social aspects of gerontology and the sociology of sex and gender roles.
Because nearly all human activities involve social relations, another major source of specialization within sociology is the study of the social structure of areas of human activity. These areas of teaching and research include sociologies of politics, law, religion, education, the military, occupations and professions, governmental bureaucracies, industry, the arts, science, language, medicine, mass communications, and sports. These subfields differ widely in the extent to which they have accumulated a substantial body of research and attracted large numbers of practitioners. Certain subfields have achieved brief popularity, only to be later incorporated into a more comprehensive area. Industrial sociology, for example, was a flourishing field in the United States during the 1930s and 1940s, but later it was largely absorbed into the study of complex organizations; in Britain, however, industrial sociology has remained a separate area of research. A more common sociological phenomenon is the splitting of a recognized subfield into narrower subdivisions; the sociology of knowledge, for instance, has increasingly been divided into individual sociologies of science, art, literature, popular culture, and language. At least two subfields, demography and criminology, were distinct areas of study long before the formal field of sociology existed. In the past, they were associated primarily with other disciplines.
The oldest and most important interdisciplinary subfield of sociology is social psychology. It has often been considered virtually a separate discipline, drawing practitioners from both sociology and psychology. Sociologists primarily concern themselves with social norms, roles, institutions, and the structure of groups, while social psychologists concentrate on the impact of these various areas on individual personality. Social psychologists trained in sociology have pioneered studies of interaction in small informal groups; the distribution of beliefs and attitudes in a population; the formation of character and outlook under the influence of the family, the school, the peer group, and other socializing agencies. Psychoanalytic ideas derived from the work of Sigmund Freud and later psychoanalysts have been particularly important in this last area of social psychology.
Comparative historical sociology, often strongly influenced by the ideas of both Marx and Weber, has shown much growth in recent years. Many historians have been guided by concepts borrowed from sociology; at the same time, some sociologists have carried out large-scale historical-comparative studies. The once firm barriers between history and sociology have crumbled, especially in such areas as social history, demographic change, economic and political development, and the sociology of revolutions and protest movements.
Profficiency in the English Language: Empowering the Students for the Global Trends by Marichelle G. Dones (August, 2006)
English as our second language has been a means for us to join the stream of world culture. The knowledge of English keeps us well informed and abreast of the times. Every year, countless books and articles, break through in medicine and even speeches of international significance are readily available in English. Workforce mobility throughout the world also requires proficiency in the English language.
It is one of the primary goals of the education system to provide Filipino students with the functional English language literacy that will empower them for lifelong learning, enable them to be competent, to meet the challenges posed by the rapidly Changing world and to be able to cope with the global trends.
Many educators claim that the crucial problem of second language learners is to speak the language. According to Chastian (1994), second language educators have long espoused speaking as a major objective in second -language classes. A large percentage of students enrolled in second-language classes are there because they want to learn to speak the language…yet, it is the second-language students with some functional Degree of speaking competence who stands out and attracts attention. In spite of the stated goal of speaking in second -language classes, a class observation of many classes reveal only a small percentage of time develop to activities in which students are communicating with each other in the second-language. A casual observation of second-language classes indicates that a majority of students cannot or will not speak the second language.
This failure to produce graduates of second-language courses who can use the language accounts for some of the dissatisfaction with second-language learning among the students and the general public, admittedly, miracles cannot be achieved in a year, or even two, but given the appropriate classroom activities, one has to hypothesize that many students (not all) can learn to communicate about those topics covered in their texts. The task is to enlarge the vision of second-language educators to the possibilities that exist, to change unproductive activities for those that are more promising.
Addressing such problem of ineffective speaking skills development, language teachers must first realize that the second language learner needs to know how to articulate sounds in a comprehensible manner. He must also have the knowledge of grammar and vocabulary of language. But those are not the only things needed to become an effective speaker. He has to know how to begin and end conversations, to know the topics that can be talked about in different situations and to know to use and respond to different types of speech acts, and to know how to use language appropriately.
In many cases, students are found to actually have a strong desire to speak. They are just reluctant to speak because they are afraid of making mistakes and failing to find suitable words to express themselves well. If the teacher tries to encourage them to speak by using as many ways as possible -creating a good language environment, students will speak actively, willingly and naturally. Speaking as one of the four skills can be mastered only through practice.
In this view, teachers must provide students with the motivating speaking activities, patterns of real interaction, build a language speaking environment to encourage them to open their mouth to speak and make a lot of progress in speaking English-so that when they leave the womb of the classroom they are equipped with tools for generating unrehearsed language performance.
It is one of the primary goals of the education system to provide Filipino students with the functional English language literacy that will empower them for lifelong learning, enable them to be competent, to meet the challenges posed by the rapidly Changing world and to be able to cope with the global trends.
Many educators claim that the crucial problem of second language learners is to speak the language. According to Chastian (1994), second language educators have long espoused speaking as a major objective in second -language classes. A large percentage of students enrolled in second-language classes are there because they want to learn to speak the language…yet, it is the second-language students with some functional Degree of speaking competence who stands out and attracts attention. In spite of the stated goal of speaking in second -language classes, a class observation of many classes reveal only a small percentage of time develop to activities in which students are communicating with each other in the second-language. A casual observation of second-language classes indicates that a majority of students cannot or will not speak the second language.
This failure to produce graduates of second-language courses who can use the language accounts for some of the dissatisfaction with second-language learning among the students and the general public, admittedly, miracles cannot be achieved in a year, or even two, but given the appropriate classroom activities, one has to hypothesize that many students (not all) can learn to communicate about those topics covered in their texts. The task is to enlarge the vision of second-language educators to the possibilities that exist, to change unproductive activities for those that are more promising.
Addressing such problem of ineffective speaking skills development, language teachers must first realize that the second language learner needs to know how to articulate sounds in a comprehensible manner. He must also have the knowledge of grammar and vocabulary of language. But those are not the only things needed to become an effective speaker. He has to know how to begin and end conversations, to know the topics that can be talked about in different situations and to know to use and respond to different types of speech acts, and to know how to use language appropriately.
In many cases, students are found to actually have a strong desire to speak. They are just reluctant to speak because they are afraid of making mistakes and failing to find suitable words to express themselves well. If the teacher tries to encourage them to speak by using as many ways as possible -creating a good language environment, students will speak actively, willingly and naturally. Speaking as one of the four skills can be mastered only through practice.
In this view, teachers must provide students with the motivating speaking activities, patterns of real interaction, build a language speaking environment to encourage them to open their mouth to speak and make a lot of progress in speaking English-so that when they leave the womb of the classroom they are equipped with tools for generating unrehearsed language performance.
And The Art Continues by Leandro L. Opetina, MA (August, 2006)
I didn't want to be a teacher.
My father's Grade 1 teacher was my Grade 1 teacher and my sister's and brother's too. I graduated from elementary and then, from high school. She was still in the same grade level. I thought that teachers never advanced to a higher stratum of society. That's why I never wanted to be a teacher.
But why am I teaching? A complete irony of what I didn't want and what I am now is all I got. I used to say that I wanted to be a radio anchorman. I loved to talk to other people but at least not in front of them.
When I graduated from high school in 1997, my Alma Mater offered college courses: the BEEd and the BSEd Major in Math and in English. I spent another year there before I transferred to Tacloban. I took BSEd though I couldn't do well in either field of specialization. I ended up taking English as my major because Math was my waterloo.
Now that I am a full-fledged teacher, so as to say, I hold on Alexander Pope's judicious comment: "A little learning is a dangerous thing." Such statement has been a challenge for teachers since the bygone era. It seems that reading a few books doesn't make me a teacher; it may take more than that. It may take more than just training me like a dog. That's why I don't have the guts to handle subjects that are "bizarre" to me.
I am all smiles when my students learn from me. I can proudly say, "I can equip them with things they need in facing the challenges of the offing once they step out from school."
My Grade 1 teacher is still teaching in the same grade level. But looking back on my graduation day in college, I couldn't help but thanked her. Once again, the art of teaching was passed on to the next generation.
And the art continues...
My father's Grade 1 teacher was my Grade 1 teacher and my sister's and brother's too. I graduated from elementary and then, from high school. She was still in the same grade level. I thought that teachers never advanced to a higher stratum of society. That's why I never wanted to be a teacher.
But why am I teaching? A complete irony of what I didn't want and what I am now is all I got. I used to say that I wanted to be a radio anchorman. I loved to talk to other people but at least not in front of them.
When I graduated from high school in 1997, my Alma Mater offered college courses: the BEEd and the BSEd Major in Math and in English. I spent another year there before I transferred to Tacloban. I took BSEd though I couldn't do well in either field of specialization. I ended up taking English as my major because Math was my waterloo.
Now that I am a full-fledged teacher, so as to say, I hold on Alexander Pope's judicious comment: "A little learning is a dangerous thing." Such statement has been a challenge for teachers since the bygone era. It seems that reading a few books doesn't make me a teacher; it may take more than that. It may take more than just training me like a dog. That's why I don't have the guts to handle subjects that are "bizarre" to me.
I am all smiles when my students learn from me. I can proudly say, "I can equip them with things they need in facing the challenges of the offing once they step out from school."
My Grade 1 teacher is still teaching in the same grade level. But looking back on my graduation day in college, I couldn't help but thanked her. Once again, the art of teaching was passed on to the next generation.
And the art continues...
Ooops! What Went Wrong with Philippine History Teachers by Ronald M. Corpuz, MA (August, 2006)
Is tomato a vegetable? Is spider an insect? Is panda a bear? Is American Bald Eagle really bald? Is cellophane made of plastic?
We may have been deceived by our senses; but actually tomato is a berry, spider belongs to group of creatures called arachnids, panda is a member of a raccoon family while American Bald Eagle is not really bald for its head is covered with snowy white feathers which, from a distance, appears no feathers at all. Neither cellophane is made of plastic but from a plant fiber called cellulose.
To be deceived by our senses is permissible in our omission to read some important facts but to be misled by a teacher is a mortal sin to the teaching profession, for it is both an acts of commission and omission. How many times some unknowledgeable history teachers have misguided us? Let me ask you these questions and figure them out if they are taught correctly?
Was the Philippines really discovered by Magellan in March 16,1521? Was he the First man to circumnavigate the globe? Did Magellan die in a one-on-one fight against Lapu-Lapu in the Battle of Mactan? Did General Gregorio Del Pilar die while riding on a white horse in the Battle of Tirad Pass? Is he (Gregorio Del Pilar) the Youngest General of the Philippine Revolution? Is Katipunan really founded by Andres Bonifacio at Tondo? Is Andres Bonifacio illiterate?
The answers to these questions were taught to us in our history class during the primary period. It is quite disappointing to know that what were taught to us, as answers in those questions by most teachers are incorrect.
Magellan did not discover but "Rediscovered the Philippines" in 1521, for the reason that prior to his arrival, we were already engaging in trade with the Chinese and Arabs. It is indeed proper to say that before his arrival we were already civilized. By the crossing of the International Date Line alone, it is correct to say that it is March 17, 1521 and not March 16, 1521 as Pigafetta diary contains. He (Magellan) is not even the "First Man to Circumnavigate the Globe" for the simple reason that he had been killed already in the Battle of Mactan. How could he circle the globe when he had been already killed in the Philippines? The honor goes to Sebastian Del Cano, the captain of the smallest ship "Victoria" and who sailed back to Spain. In the question about one-on-one battle between Magellan and Lapu-Lapu, it is actually a myth depicted in our comics. Lapu-Lapu did not collaborate with the Spaniards Magellan, decided to employ force, but upon embarking from his ship, he was been shot by a poisonous arrow by one on Lapu-Lapu's soldiers (which penetrated his legs). The helpless Magellan was then slaughtered. But of course, the honor is always given to the chieftain, Lapu-Lapu.
In the Battle of Tirad Pass, Telesforo Carrasco, author of the book "A Spaniard in Aguinaldo's Army" and also an eyewitness in the battle had mentioned that he (carrasco) was handing Del Pilar a carbine and warning him that the Americans were targeting him when the fatal bullet ripped through his neck. Carrasco made no mention of any white horse.
General Goyo or the Boy General (Del Pilar) is not the youngest general in Philippine Revolution but the recognition belongs to General Flaviano Yengko, who died at the age of 22 in the Battle at Perez, Dasmarinas, Cavite on March 3, 1897.
In the story of the founding of Katipunan, which most had taught that it is in No. 72 Azcarraga, (Now Recto) the place where Andres Bonifacio may have been born and lived. Likewise, it was where he, Deodato Arellano, Valentin Diaz, Teodoro Plata, Ladislao Diwa and Jose Dizon met together to form the secret society on July 7, 1892. The back is it was actually part of Binondo.
Andres Bonifacio is not illiterate. He had read several books about war and the Life of the Presidents of the United States of America. He also wrote a poem entitled "Pag-Ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa" and the rules to be followed by the Katipuneros also known as the "Katungkulang Gagawin ng Anak ng Bayan" Now, who is illiterate?
Let me add some more facts. We have been taught that the largest eagle in the world is the "Monkey-Eating Eagle" found in the jungles of Luzon and Mindanao. It does not principally eat monkeys since flying lemurs and flying squirrels; monkeys are difficult to catch. It thrives on and it can make up only a fraction of its menu. Incidentally, the eagle, despite the wingspan of over two meters, is not the world's largest. The distinction belongs to the "Harpy Eagle" of South America.
Some local primary schools has been celebrating "UN Day" where in pupils are required to bring different countries flags, but some teachers don't even bother to check whether the pupils really bring a flag of a UN Member or a Non- UN member.
Add some makers of posters, they included Emilio Aguinaldo as one of the national heroes, but most historians agree that Aguinaldo should be given only the honor as First Philippine President but not as a hero. He was allegedly responsible for the death of Andres Bonifacio and allegedly spent the money from the Truce of Biak-na-Bato in buying his personal commodities. Makers of these posters may have been a product of an irresponsible history lesson teaching.
As they say "History is a fable agreed upon" but we have to be diligent and sensitive in teaching the subject. History teachers may have common denominator in teaching the subject and that is to develop nationalism and patriotism but hey have to be careful in transmitting facts and re-stating what transpired in the past.
Teaching history subject is not simple as knowing the song "Magellan" by Yoyoy Villame. It is not even as easy as assigning students to draw the Philippine map or even appointing someone to report for the class. Those are least effective methods. The first menu is always the mastery of the subject matter. It supports the premise that "You cannot give, what you don't have" Why do pupils and students hate history class can be rooted on those above mistakes.
As teachers, they have to be well verse and knowledgeable about the past not to be an instrument of falsehood and mistakes. Not all things that are commonly accepted are correct just because they give honor to our country.
There are many factors that contribute to the boredom of students during their history class, but the personality and teaching strategies of the teachers can make a big difference. This serves as the second menu for effective history teaching. We can ask students to make Role-Playing, have Panel Discussion and Debate, write a Eulogy or Essay, etc. We have to ask thought provoking and challenging questions, assign them task and give them responsibilities in order for them to fall in-love with the subject.
A deeper reading and research is required to teach the subject more interestedly and more meaningfully. They have to teach right and they have to be "bright" As the "Nutrition Month Slogan" states "Kumain ng Right, Para Maging Bright" Is it right to eat "right" Nakakain ba ang right? I don't know, asked the DepEd officials.
References:
Ocampo, Ambeth Looking Back Anvil Publishing Co. Q.C.
Philippines 2001
Barrameda, Bong Pinoy Trivia
We may have been deceived by our senses; but actually tomato is a berry, spider belongs to group of creatures called arachnids, panda is a member of a raccoon family while American Bald Eagle is not really bald for its head is covered with snowy white feathers which, from a distance, appears no feathers at all. Neither cellophane is made of plastic but from a plant fiber called cellulose.
To be deceived by our senses is permissible in our omission to read some important facts but to be misled by a teacher is a mortal sin to the teaching profession, for it is both an acts of commission and omission. How many times some unknowledgeable history teachers have misguided us? Let me ask you these questions and figure them out if they are taught correctly?
Was the Philippines really discovered by Magellan in March 16,1521? Was he the First man to circumnavigate the globe? Did Magellan die in a one-on-one fight against Lapu-Lapu in the Battle of Mactan? Did General Gregorio Del Pilar die while riding on a white horse in the Battle of Tirad Pass? Is he (Gregorio Del Pilar) the Youngest General of the Philippine Revolution? Is Katipunan really founded by Andres Bonifacio at Tondo? Is Andres Bonifacio illiterate?
The answers to these questions were taught to us in our history class during the primary period. It is quite disappointing to know that what were taught to us, as answers in those questions by most teachers are incorrect.
Magellan did not discover but "Rediscovered the Philippines" in 1521, for the reason that prior to his arrival, we were already engaging in trade with the Chinese and Arabs. It is indeed proper to say that before his arrival we were already civilized. By the crossing of the International Date Line alone, it is correct to say that it is March 17, 1521 and not March 16, 1521 as Pigafetta diary contains. He (Magellan) is not even the "First Man to Circumnavigate the Globe" for the simple reason that he had been killed already in the Battle of Mactan. How could he circle the globe when he had been already killed in the Philippines? The honor goes to Sebastian Del Cano, the captain of the smallest ship "Victoria" and who sailed back to Spain. In the question about one-on-one battle between Magellan and Lapu-Lapu, it is actually a myth depicted in our comics. Lapu-Lapu did not collaborate with the Spaniards Magellan, decided to employ force, but upon embarking from his ship, he was been shot by a poisonous arrow by one on Lapu-Lapu's soldiers (which penetrated his legs). The helpless Magellan was then slaughtered. But of course, the honor is always given to the chieftain, Lapu-Lapu.
In the Battle of Tirad Pass, Telesforo Carrasco, author of the book "A Spaniard in Aguinaldo's Army" and also an eyewitness in the battle had mentioned that he (carrasco) was handing Del Pilar a carbine and warning him that the Americans were targeting him when the fatal bullet ripped through his neck. Carrasco made no mention of any white horse.
General Goyo or the Boy General (Del Pilar) is not the youngest general in Philippine Revolution but the recognition belongs to General Flaviano Yengko, who died at the age of 22 in the Battle at Perez, Dasmarinas, Cavite on March 3, 1897.
In the story of the founding of Katipunan, which most had taught that it is in No. 72 Azcarraga, (Now Recto) the place where Andres Bonifacio may have been born and lived. Likewise, it was where he, Deodato Arellano, Valentin Diaz, Teodoro Plata, Ladislao Diwa and Jose Dizon met together to form the secret society on July 7, 1892. The back is it was actually part of Binondo.
Andres Bonifacio is not illiterate. He had read several books about war and the Life of the Presidents of the United States of America. He also wrote a poem entitled "Pag-Ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa" and the rules to be followed by the Katipuneros also known as the "Katungkulang Gagawin ng Anak ng Bayan" Now, who is illiterate?
Let me add some more facts. We have been taught that the largest eagle in the world is the "Monkey-Eating Eagle" found in the jungles of Luzon and Mindanao. It does not principally eat monkeys since flying lemurs and flying squirrels; monkeys are difficult to catch. It thrives on and it can make up only a fraction of its menu. Incidentally, the eagle, despite the wingspan of over two meters, is not the world's largest. The distinction belongs to the "Harpy Eagle" of South America.
Some local primary schools has been celebrating "UN Day" where in pupils are required to bring different countries flags, but some teachers don't even bother to check whether the pupils really bring a flag of a UN Member or a Non- UN member.
Add some makers of posters, they included Emilio Aguinaldo as one of the national heroes, but most historians agree that Aguinaldo should be given only the honor as First Philippine President but not as a hero. He was allegedly responsible for the death of Andres Bonifacio and allegedly spent the money from the Truce of Biak-na-Bato in buying his personal commodities. Makers of these posters may have been a product of an irresponsible history lesson teaching.
As they say "History is a fable agreed upon" but we have to be diligent and sensitive in teaching the subject. History teachers may have common denominator in teaching the subject and that is to develop nationalism and patriotism but hey have to be careful in transmitting facts and re-stating what transpired in the past.
Teaching history subject is not simple as knowing the song "Magellan" by Yoyoy Villame. It is not even as easy as assigning students to draw the Philippine map or even appointing someone to report for the class. Those are least effective methods. The first menu is always the mastery of the subject matter. It supports the premise that "You cannot give, what you don't have" Why do pupils and students hate history class can be rooted on those above mistakes.
As teachers, they have to be well verse and knowledgeable about the past not to be an instrument of falsehood and mistakes. Not all things that are commonly accepted are correct just because they give honor to our country.
There are many factors that contribute to the boredom of students during their history class, but the personality and teaching strategies of the teachers can make a big difference. This serves as the second menu for effective history teaching. We can ask students to make Role-Playing, have Panel Discussion and Debate, write a Eulogy or Essay, etc. We have to ask thought provoking and challenging questions, assign them task and give them responsibilities in order for them to fall in-love with the subject.
A deeper reading and research is required to teach the subject more interestedly and more meaningfully. They have to teach right and they have to be "bright" As the "Nutrition Month Slogan" states "Kumain ng Right, Para Maging Bright" Is it right to eat "right" Nakakain ba ang right? I don't know, asked the DepEd officials.
References:
Ocampo, Ambeth Looking Back Anvil Publishing Co. Q.C.
Philippines 2001
Barrameda, Bong Pinoy Trivia
Monday, June 9, 2008
Behind (Continuation) by Ronan S. Estoque, MA (November, 2005)
For as long as he can remember, the chase has been going on for quite some time. It seems that the woman is running forever and that he is also running after her for eternity. In the darkness, her slim figure is quite difficult to separate from this awful surrounding. If I could just have some more lighting and see clearly; this chase would have been over.
But why is he after her?
For some inexplicable reason, he could just not explain why he is pursuing her. Just when he thinks that she is already in his clutches she runs faster and this very humid weather is hampering his breathing.
In the middle of the run, in the middle of the chase- he is losing steam. The object of the hunt is quite slow and clumsy. He knows that he could easily catch her but for some baffling reason: circumstances are conspiring to prevent this easy chase.
Before, in the beginning of the hunt, he could have easily caught her. But for some unknown reason, something and someone was preventing him from having an easy hunt. It was simply puzzling; who was preventing him? There is no one here. In this vast tract of darkness where light is just simply over the horizon, all of his attention is on the woman. And yet, some unseen hand released the woman first and the same hand is holding him back.
It is giving her an undue advantage. Is this a race or a hunt? The instruction is not clear but he is certain that things will figure itself and will be sorted by its own flow.
Just when she is almost out of his sight, the force that was holding him back finally released him. And he just noticed that he could run faster than the prey, within a couple of easy stride, the distance was slowly closed. With a couple more of easy stride she would be in my clutches, he said. Then without any warning, his feet were lifted off the ground and he suddenly noticed that he could fly. He looked behind him and there it is...
A pair of powerful wings. "I don't need to outrun this woman. All I need to do is to simply flap my wings and the chase would be over. Maybe, just maybe, I could prolong this hunt. With these powerful wings, I could play with the prey". Why end an easy race? Perhaps, I could let her tire herself and when she is tired, when she least expects it, then I would come.
And so, instead of ending this silly race, he plays with the woman. If you know the terror of someone or something that is about to catch you and yet when you look back, there is nothing there. The same trick is being played on the woman.
After some time, just when the onset of boredom starts to creep in, he finally decided to swoop down and finally capture the prey. And so, he flew high exacting high altitude and acquired a majestic latitude in swooping down on the woman. However, just when he is about to give her an embrace that she will never forget, the woman tripped with her own clumsy feet causing her to fall forward just when he is about to get her.
On his first and only attempt, he failed and he couldn't believe it. This clumsy woman is getting the better out of me. "I will fail no more and end this silly chase". He swooped back and tried to leverage his flying. The woman however is nowhere to be found. It seems that has she vanished out of thin air. He started to curse the darkness and noticed the thin air that is surrounding his very wings. To his amazement, he is running out of breath. He needs to rest. And so, the chase was postponed for a while and landed softly on the ground.
After an eternity, he feels that he is now ready to resume the chase. Surely, the woman is not that far. With his wings and lungs fully rested. He could easily resume the hunt and this time, he promised to himself to immediately go for the jugular and finish the woman right away.
The hunt was on, and he sees that there is a withered tree. Against the backlight on the horizon, the woman is foolishly climbing the tree. Almost at the top, the woman is heavily breathing and most certainly is also trying to catch her breath.
This will be easy.
But why is he after her?
For some inexplicable reason, he could just not explain why he is pursuing her. Just when he thinks that she is already in his clutches she runs faster and this very humid weather is hampering his breathing.
In the middle of the run, in the middle of the chase- he is losing steam. The object of the hunt is quite slow and clumsy. He knows that he could easily catch her but for some baffling reason: circumstances are conspiring to prevent this easy chase.
Before, in the beginning of the hunt, he could have easily caught her. But for some unknown reason, something and someone was preventing him from having an easy hunt. It was simply puzzling; who was preventing him? There is no one here. In this vast tract of darkness where light is just simply over the horizon, all of his attention is on the woman. And yet, some unseen hand released the woman first and the same hand is holding him back.
It is giving her an undue advantage. Is this a race or a hunt? The instruction is not clear but he is certain that things will figure itself and will be sorted by its own flow.
Just when she is almost out of his sight, the force that was holding him back finally released him. And he just noticed that he could run faster than the prey, within a couple of easy stride, the distance was slowly closed. With a couple more of easy stride she would be in my clutches, he said. Then without any warning, his feet were lifted off the ground and he suddenly noticed that he could fly. He looked behind him and there it is...
A pair of powerful wings. "I don't need to outrun this woman. All I need to do is to simply flap my wings and the chase would be over. Maybe, just maybe, I could prolong this hunt. With these powerful wings, I could play with the prey". Why end an easy race? Perhaps, I could let her tire herself and when she is tired, when she least expects it, then I would come.
And so, instead of ending this silly race, he plays with the woman. If you know the terror of someone or something that is about to catch you and yet when you look back, there is nothing there. The same trick is being played on the woman.
After some time, just when the onset of boredom starts to creep in, he finally decided to swoop down and finally capture the prey. And so, he flew high exacting high altitude and acquired a majestic latitude in swooping down on the woman. However, just when he is about to give her an embrace that she will never forget, the woman tripped with her own clumsy feet causing her to fall forward just when he is about to get her.
On his first and only attempt, he failed and he couldn't believe it. This clumsy woman is getting the better out of me. "I will fail no more and end this silly chase". He swooped back and tried to leverage his flying. The woman however is nowhere to be found. It seems that has she vanished out of thin air. He started to curse the darkness and noticed the thin air that is surrounding his very wings. To his amazement, he is running out of breath. He needs to rest. And so, the chase was postponed for a while and landed softly on the ground.
After an eternity, he feels that he is now ready to resume the chase. Surely, the woman is not that far. With his wings and lungs fully rested. He could easily resume the hunt and this time, he promised to himself to immediately go for the jugular and finish the woman right away.
The hunt was on, and he sees that there is a withered tree. Against the backlight on the horizon, the woman is foolishly climbing the tree. Almost at the top, the woman is heavily breathing and most certainly is also trying to catch her breath.
This will be easy.
Just a Suggestion by Claudio V. Tabotabo (November, 2005)
It's the opening of classes once again and it reminds me of literary critique Isagani Cruz who wrote an article about classroom activities during the first day of classes.
Acquaintance and orientation must be done in the first day. It is necessary because on that day everything is new, the classroom, students, professor, subject and lessons.
The professor is new to the students and the students at the same time new to the professor. Acquaintance therefore is necessary in this situation. The professor should introduce himself particularly his academic attainment in relation with that particular subject. It is necessary that students at an early period of acquaintance find the professor an authority in the field he is in. Students feel confident and proud to be handled by a good mentor.
At the same time, professor must also know his students. Students represent varied personalities and level of learning. Perhaps some of them in the class are second coursers definitely advanced compare to other students. In other words some students are to be fast-tract while others need remediation. These are to be considered by the professor at an early period of the term.
There are policies in school so are in the classrooms. American educator Harry Wong calls it cultures in the classroom. On the first day of class these policies should be discussed to the students. Policies include, how to pass paper, how to leave and enter the room, how to take examination and others. Grading systems are also included in this part. But it is good for professor to emphasize the things to be done rather than those not to be done. We do not like prohibitions same thing with the students who do not like limitations although classroom is a place of culture and freedom.
Papers and other requirements like drama production, critique paper, reactions and others. are part of things to be identified during the first day of class. In English, Literature classes, JPR and History or subjects that require long readings, professor perhaps at an early period should assign the students what to read. If novel is part of the reading requirement, professor must emphasize it on the first day of class so that student will begin to look for a copy and start the long reading.
After all these things are only suggestions.
Acquaintance and orientation must be done in the first day. It is necessary because on that day everything is new, the classroom, students, professor, subject and lessons.
The professor is new to the students and the students at the same time new to the professor. Acquaintance therefore is necessary in this situation. The professor should introduce himself particularly his academic attainment in relation with that particular subject. It is necessary that students at an early period of acquaintance find the professor an authority in the field he is in. Students feel confident and proud to be handled by a good mentor.
At the same time, professor must also know his students. Students represent varied personalities and level of learning. Perhaps some of them in the class are second coursers definitely advanced compare to other students. In other words some students are to be fast-tract while others need remediation. These are to be considered by the professor at an early period of the term.
There are policies in school so are in the classrooms. American educator Harry Wong calls it cultures in the classroom. On the first day of class these policies should be discussed to the students. Policies include, how to pass paper, how to leave and enter the room, how to take examination and others. Grading systems are also included in this part. But it is good for professor to emphasize the things to be done rather than those not to be done. We do not like prohibitions same thing with the students who do not like limitations although classroom is a place of culture and freedom.
Papers and other requirements like drama production, critique paper, reactions and others. are part of things to be identified during the first day of class. In English, Literature classes, JPR and History or subjects that require long readings, professor perhaps at an early period should assign the students what to read. If novel is part of the reading requirement, professor must emphasize it on the first day of class so that student will begin to look for a copy and start the long reading.
After all these things are only suggestions.
Random Musings by Ronan S. Estoque, MA (December, 2004)
The republic suffers an average of twenty typhoons a year. Along with these visits are countless numbers of houses destroyed. Power poles that are toppled causes electrical disruption in service and numerous days are wasted because of inaccessibility of roads due of flooding.
Now what I found interesting is that year in and year out, typhoons have always visited the Philippine shores. Since time immemorial and long after our days in this planet are gone, typhoons would still be a frequent visitor in this archipelago. The question that is burning my mind is that with the frequent visitation of this pestilence, why do people still have to die?
If there is a killer typhoon, with a projected wind power that is certain to cause death, why can't we avoid deaths? Damage to property, I could understand- they are not mobile. People on the other hand are mobile. If there is a killer typhoon in your path, why go towards it, instead of avoiding it?
Maybe it is just a simple case of poor crisis management. But something must be done to avoid these preventable deaths. It is simply criminal for the government to allow this waste of human life. The government can do better and must do better...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have at least 12 pending articles waiting in my computer for publication. All of them have generic topics so that the potential shelf life is quite long for possible printing. Unfortunately certain events conspire and crop up that prevents me from coming with these random musings.
Like the unexpected death of a certain personality that pales in comparison with whatever canned article one might have.
Of course I am talking about the sudden demise of movie legend Fernando Poe, Jr. He was almost the president of this republic if not for the sudden luck of the incumbent.
Mr. Poe lost the presidential elections but to his die-hard followers, he will always be the "elected president" in their heart. Was he really cheated? With his sudden demise, it doesn't really matter anymore. Politically, the opposition is now without any potential leader. With the constant raiding of the opposition roster by the administration, it is not impossible to consider the possibility that the challenger for the administration just might come within the administration.
The electoral protest of FPJ is now moot and academic. For the purposes of practicality, the protest will just be a part of history and that the questioned presidency of GMA is now without any doubt, is the only viable president for this republic. Let us just hope that GMA will give a better performance this time and really aim for the annals of this republic's history as the president who did not bungled the opportunity for doing the only descent thing... to serve us well.
Had the opposition presented a united slate in the last presidential election and if Senator Panfilo Lacson agreed to a vice-presidential position- and with the recent demise of FPJ, the president of this republic could have been Mr. Lacson...
Now what I found interesting is that year in and year out, typhoons have always visited the Philippine shores. Since time immemorial and long after our days in this planet are gone, typhoons would still be a frequent visitor in this archipelago. The question that is burning my mind is that with the frequent visitation of this pestilence, why do people still have to die?
If there is a killer typhoon, with a projected wind power that is certain to cause death, why can't we avoid deaths? Damage to property, I could understand- they are not mobile. People on the other hand are mobile. If there is a killer typhoon in your path, why go towards it, instead of avoiding it?
Maybe it is just a simple case of poor crisis management. But something must be done to avoid these preventable deaths. It is simply criminal for the government to allow this waste of human life. The government can do better and must do better...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have at least 12 pending articles waiting in my computer for publication. All of them have generic topics so that the potential shelf life is quite long for possible printing. Unfortunately certain events conspire and crop up that prevents me from coming with these random musings.
Like the unexpected death of a certain personality that pales in comparison with whatever canned article one might have.
Of course I am talking about the sudden demise of movie legend Fernando Poe, Jr. He was almost the president of this republic if not for the sudden luck of the incumbent.
Mr. Poe lost the presidential elections but to his die-hard followers, he will always be the "elected president" in their heart. Was he really cheated? With his sudden demise, it doesn't really matter anymore. Politically, the opposition is now without any potential leader. With the constant raiding of the opposition roster by the administration, it is not impossible to consider the possibility that the challenger for the administration just might come within the administration.
The electoral protest of FPJ is now moot and academic. For the purposes of practicality, the protest will just be a part of history and that the questioned presidency of GMA is now without any doubt, is the only viable president for this republic. Let us just hope that GMA will give a better performance this time and really aim for the annals of this republic's history as the president who did not bungled the opportunity for doing the only descent thing... to serve us well.
Had the opposition presented a united slate in the last presidential election and if Senator Panfilo Lacson agreed to a vice-presidential position- and with the recent demise of FPJ, the president of this republic could have been Mr. Lacson...
On the Craft of Fiction by Claudio V. Tabotabo, MA (December, 2004)
The Stream of Consciousness in literature is one of the important features of Modernism and Post-modernism. It is started by Edouard Dujardin (1861-1949) in his novel Les Laurkiers Sont Coupe's (1888) although William James had used the phrase first. Writers like William Faulkner, Virginia Wolf, James Joyce and many others have adopted the style.
Stream of Consciousness as a method of writing branched off from the traditional plot-centered stories. Writers following this style are not concerned on what happened to the characters. Physical actions are not well emphasized in the story unlike the traditional fiction that follow the sequence of actions from Situation to Climax and to Denouement (resolution, the ending part of the story).
In the Stream of Consciousness what are being pictured out in the story are the series of thoughts and feelings of the characters.
In the story of a battered wife for instance, the main concern being dramatized in the story is not the what happened to the battered wife. Instead the story pictures out the feeling and thinking of the battered wife. As feature of modern writing of fiction, it is concerned on the feeling of the people and not what happened to the people in a certain situation.
Some writers particularly D.H. Lawrence does not recognize Stream of Consciousness as a technique of fiction writing. These writers still cling to the old style of elucidating the plight of their characters.
Basically, under the mimetic (imitation) theory of Plato, art aims to imitate the natural. Under this principle the artist must exhaust all means to produce something that will imitate as exactly as it is its object. If a painter for instance paints a mountain, his product must appear as exactly as the real mountain appears so that if an onlookers are not careful enough will mistakenly apprehend that what they are looking at is the real mountain though it is only a piece of paper where the artist had captured the real mountain. Another situation is the movie, Saving Private Ryan, and the longest Day, which picture out the Allied landing at Omaha Beach in the Second World War where soldiers scampered into the beach beneath the pounding of German cannons and barking of machine guns. Under the mimetic principle, the movie must recall and reproduce the landing, and the reproduction must be an exact facsimile of the actual landing that even a dot of difference there must be none.
But the stream of consciousness does not look at the physical reality of its object. Men in the height of refinement are not interested of the actions. They want to see the feeling and thinking of their fellow men in a particular situation.
Stream of Consciousness as a method of writing branched off from the traditional plot-centered stories. Writers following this style are not concerned on what happened to the characters. Physical actions are not well emphasized in the story unlike the traditional fiction that follow the sequence of actions from Situation to Climax and to Denouement (resolution, the ending part of the story).
In the Stream of Consciousness what are being pictured out in the story are the series of thoughts and feelings of the characters.
In the story of a battered wife for instance, the main concern being dramatized in the story is not the what happened to the battered wife. Instead the story pictures out the feeling and thinking of the battered wife. As feature of modern writing of fiction, it is concerned on the feeling of the people and not what happened to the people in a certain situation.
Some writers particularly D.H. Lawrence does not recognize Stream of Consciousness as a technique of fiction writing. These writers still cling to the old style of elucidating the plight of their characters.
Basically, under the mimetic (imitation) theory of Plato, art aims to imitate the natural. Under this principle the artist must exhaust all means to produce something that will imitate as exactly as it is its object. If a painter for instance paints a mountain, his product must appear as exactly as the real mountain appears so that if an onlookers are not careful enough will mistakenly apprehend that what they are looking at is the real mountain though it is only a piece of paper where the artist had captured the real mountain. Another situation is the movie, Saving Private Ryan, and the longest Day, which picture out the Allied landing at Omaha Beach in the Second World War where soldiers scampered into the beach beneath the pounding of German cannons and barking of machine guns. Under the mimetic principle, the movie must recall and reproduce the landing, and the reproduction must be an exact facsimile of the actual landing that even a dot of difference there must be none.
But the stream of consciousness does not look at the physical reality of its object. Men in the height of refinement are not interested of the actions. They want to see the feeling and thinking of their fellow men in a particular situation.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders by Ronan S. Estoque, DPA (January, 2008)
Obsession in Oxford Interactive Encyclopedia is defined as an idea/image that repeatedly intrudes on the mind of a person against his will. Compulsion on the other hand is an irresistible impulse to behave in a certain way. A combination of the two words denotes a fixated ritual where a deviation is difficult (if not impossible) for the subject experiencing the disorder.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder takes many forms, including excessive hand washing, fear of creating hazards for others, a need for order, anxiety over germs or contamination, repetitive checking of irons, ovens and door locks, and fear of harming others with knives or similar sharp objects.
The Most Common Expressions of OCD are:
Relationship Substantiation. A compulsive search for tiny but disqualifying flaws in a partner or spouse. Romances and marriages often do not survive the scrutiny.
Fear of Injuring Other People. A preoccupation with the idea of losing control and injuring or even killing others, it often results in a terrified avoidance of knives, scissors or other sharp objects.
Responsibility Anxiety. A broader fear of negligently hurting others. Sufferers will smooth out throw out rugs or pick up trash from sidewalks so strangers won’t trip.
Scrupulosity. An intolerance of disorder or asymmetry, this is a fastidiousness that goes beyond mere tidiness.
Contamination Anxiety. The hand washing compulsion. Fears contamination can spread from hands to other objects, leading to clothes, belongings and even walls being washed.
Sexual-Orientation Fears. A person who may have no moral or social objections to homosexuality becomes fixated with discovering (homosexuality) in themselves.
Obsessive Hypochondria. This can be a tricky one, often confused with ordinary hypochondria. OCD sufferers tend to disqualify reassurances from doctors with what – if worries, misdiagnoses and other medical errors. Behavior therapy (i.e. exposure and response prevention) is one of the clinical success stories that have been reported. Meaning, constant exposure tends to rewire the brain, reinforcing the perception that such is not that bad, and that whatever it is, such is not a big deal.
The random firing of neurons will correct itself where underestimating things would be much preferable as opposed to overestimating things.
References
Oxford Interactive Encyclopedia, 2000.
Kluger, Jeffrey. When Worry Hijacks the Brain. Time, Vol. 170, No. 7, 2007.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder takes many forms, including excessive hand washing, fear of creating hazards for others, a need for order, anxiety over germs or contamination, repetitive checking of irons, ovens and door locks, and fear of harming others with knives or similar sharp objects.
The Most Common Expressions of OCD are:
Relationship Substantiation. A compulsive search for tiny but disqualifying flaws in a partner or spouse. Romances and marriages often do not survive the scrutiny.
Fear of Injuring Other People. A preoccupation with the idea of losing control and injuring or even killing others, it often results in a terrified avoidance of knives, scissors or other sharp objects.
Responsibility Anxiety. A broader fear of negligently hurting others. Sufferers will smooth out throw out rugs or pick up trash from sidewalks so strangers won’t trip.
Scrupulosity. An intolerance of disorder or asymmetry, this is a fastidiousness that goes beyond mere tidiness.
Contamination Anxiety. The hand washing compulsion. Fears contamination can spread from hands to other objects, leading to clothes, belongings and even walls being washed.
Sexual-Orientation Fears. A person who may have no moral or social objections to homosexuality becomes fixated with discovering (homosexuality) in themselves.
Obsessive Hypochondria. This can be a tricky one, often confused with ordinary hypochondria. OCD sufferers tend to disqualify reassurances from doctors with what – if worries, misdiagnoses and other medical errors. Behavior therapy (i.e. exposure and response prevention) is one of the clinical success stories that have been reported. Meaning, constant exposure tends to rewire the brain, reinforcing the perception that such is not that bad, and that whatever it is, such is not a big deal.
The random firing of neurons will correct itself where underestimating things would be much preferable as opposed to overestimating things.
References
Oxford Interactive Encyclopedia, 2000.
Kluger, Jeffrey. When Worry Hijacks the Brain. Time, Vol. 170, No. 7, 2007.
Salubrious Living by Claudio V. Tabotabo, MA (January, 2008)
Across the sea, south of the Philippines there is a patch of land the early people called “Menelangan”. The Subanun who lived a semi nomadic life around the place are bewildered by the beauty of the sun when it appears above the ridges of mountains. It became their land mark and when their fellow villagers asked them where they go, they said, “to the place where the sun is born”.
Menelangan means sunrise, but the early Visayan who migrated to Mindanao misheard the word to Sindangan. The Visayan did not bother themselves by checking the word. They immediately accepted and used the word. It was further solidified by the existence of a giant fish they called Indangan back to their island of birth, the Visayas. So the name was approved. The migrants in Mindanao latter carried the name Sindangan up to the present generation. The place had turned into a town with its life vested on the fertility of its land.
It is a place of tranquility, the artists’ chosen place to work; a place free from the madding crowd, far from the grating of machines, far from the saturnine look of drug addicts and hold up gangs, far from swindlers and far from the police men. The place is very kind to its people so that everyone is pleased with his assigned lot; there is more than enough what the family needs. And in that place of the world my father farms.
My boyhood experience in the place is always associated with the pulverized farms and the joyous faces of farmers during harvest time. In that place the morning announces its coming by the moaning of pigeons on the branches of the Santol tress surrounding our house, the endless murmur of the brooks as they joined to the wide Talinga River. And I could hear the shuffling of leaves that mingled with the tickling of spoons and plates from the kitchen which told me breakfast is ready.
I just could not explain why men had to leave the pastoral life to suffer in the urban centers. I also could not explain why civilization as men called it, always relates to the destruction of the Earth. The industrial revolution destroyed what God has created, and this technology that we have now is the descendant of that revolution. Technology hastens business but lessens the meaning of life.
Some experts put the solution of economic problem by making the country industrial. Though the Philippines remain in its pre-industrial period, it cannot be classified agricultural because the government has no plans and investment in agriculture. Even the Coco-Levi fund, the money that belonged to the farmers had gone into the some pockets of the government. The farmers suffer and they are branded ignorant and backward.
We must learn the lesson of the New Zealanders. Today they enjoy the life style of the Americans and Europeans yet they remain agricultural. We have the land and human resources; we only do not have the initiative to improve and develop what is indigenous because we always consider ours as inferior compare to something foreign.
Menelangan means sunrise, but the early Visayan who migrated to Mindanao misheard the word to Sindangan. The Visayan did not bother themselves by checking the word. They immediately accepted and used the word. It was further solidified by the existence of a giant fish they called Indangan back to their island of birth, the Visayas. So the name was approved. The migrants in Mindanao latter carried the name Sindangan up to the present generation. The place had turned into a town with its life vested on the fertility of its land.
It is a place of tranquility, the artists’ chosen place to work; a place free from the madding crowd, far from the grating of machines, far from the saturnine look of drug addicts and hold up gangs, far from swindlers and far from the police men. The place is very kind to its people so that everyone is pleased with his assigned lot; there is more than enough what the family needs. And in that place of the world my father farms.
My boyhood experience in the place is always associated with the pulverized farms and the joyous faces of farmers during harvest time. In that place the morning announces its coming by the moaning of pigeons on the branches of the Santol tress surrounding our house, the endless murmur of the brooks as they joined to the wide Talinga River. And I could hear the shuffling of leaves that mingled with the tickling of spoons and plates from the kitchen which told me breakfast is ready.
I just could not explain why men had to leave the pastoral life to suffer in the urban centers. I also could not explain why civilization as men called it, always relates to the destruction of the Earth. The industrial revolution destroyed what God has created, and this technology that we have now is the descendant of that revolution. Technology hastens business but lessens the meaning of life.
Some experts put the solution of economic problem by making the country industrial. Though the Philippines remain in its pre-industrial period, it cannot be classified agricultural because the government has no plans and investment in agriculture. Even the Coco-Levi fund, the money that belonged to the farmers had gone into the some pockets of the government. The farmers suffer and they are branded ignorant and backward.
We must learn the lesson of the New Zealanders. Today they enjoy the life style of the Americans and Europeans yet they remain agricultural. We have the land and human resources; we only do not have the initiative to improve and develop what is indigenous because we always consider ours as inferior compare to something foreign.
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