Why Mixing Paint Colors Don't Produce White

Back when I was in Grade 5, some classmates of mine were scratching their heads during art class. We just finished coloring our respective color wheels with our paint and, apparently, someone had lost his white paint tube and was trying to re-create the color by combining every paint into the platter. What turned out was a dull gray, then, a black mixture.

We were confused. Was white supposed to be the combination of all colors?

Now, I'm just writing this down to placate any grade-schooler who has had the same dilemma. As what I can deduce (and please correct me on this one if my hypothesis is wrong), it's simply a matter of knowing what the paint's purpose really is.

A red paint is supposed to make something look or appear red. How does it do it? I suppose it does it by absorbing all the other colors and reflecting only red (just like what chlorophyll does in leaves: this substance absorbs every wavelength except green, which it reflects back).

Going back to paint, suppose I mix everything, does white come out? Obviously, it doesn't work that way because when I mix all the paints, each one is doing what it's supposed to do: blocking all colors and reflecting only the color it's supposed to reflect (which in turn is absorbed by the other pigments in the mix). So the opposite happens: no color gets reflected to the eye of the beholder and what we see is dirty black.

Neat, huh?

LASER: On Choosing Whom To Vote

Papa shared to me a 5-point checklist on how to choose my political candidates (He got this from a seminar in the recently concluded YFC-ILC in Baguio). This checklist was definitely an eye-opener for me, having been subject to many declarations by fellow voters on how to choose candidates based on winnability and/or popularity.

I have to point out though that the checklist below does not mention any platforms for governance or future policies, further implying the unwritten observation that past performance can always be the measure (and an accurate measure at that) of future expectations. Here goes (The questions are my formulation to help clarify each point in the checklist. Yeah, I know. They're not that helpful anyway but at least you get the idea behind each point):

Lifestyle - What is the lifestyle of the candidate? How does he/she live his public and private life? What are his/her preferences? Any negative lifestyle checks?

Achievement/Action - What has he/she done as a public servant? as a citizen? What do these say about the candidate?

Supporters - Who are his supporters? Do these supporters have motives of their own? Do these supporters register any negative background checks?

Election Conduct- How has he/she conducted himself/herself during the campaign period? Has he/she engaged in traditional political maneuvers? What does his/her way of campaigning tell you about the candidate?

Reputation- What is his/her reputation? How much of this reputation is true or merely hogwash?

That's it. LASER. Pinpointing the genuine item among the many wannabes. I also have to add that the fifth point is a matter of contention because a candidate's reputation can be tarnished by a lot of mudslinging or can be made to shine by mere propaganda. As a final say, whatever reputation a candidate has, you, as a responsible voter, should always be there to check the facts.

Till election day. Peace out.

Laughing At A Jingle

I had to stifle a laugh one fine morning when the jeep I was riding on drove by Piapi. There was a vehicle, covered in Nograles tarpaulins, belting out a campaign jingle out of the huge megaphone attached to the roof.

The campaign jingle was to the tune melody of "Nobody" and the chorus lyrics was supposed to sound like "Kay Nograles, Nograles tayo. Kay Nograles, Nograles tayo".

Unfortunately, the megaphone was slightly over-used and what came out instead was an unclear rambling by a female singer. The lady to my right, a fellow passenger, remarked finally, "Unsa diay nang ginakanta? Si Nograles, Nograles bayot?"

Hehehe.

The lady's observation was pretty understandable, though. There was already a song, also to the tune of "Nobody", which featured these lyrics: "Abi nako babaye, babaye. Bayot." And the poor lady was probably just making the next logical assumption based on that.

Still, it cannot be discounted that there are rumors regarding the Nograles' sexual preferences. Hmmm...

A Blade-less Fan

This is pretty cool. A blade-less fan. I still have to understand how it works though but I hope I can get one of these later.

Check it out.

Fighting The Bribe

This is also one great link. An NGO in India is doing something unconventional to fight off corruption: by distributing fake money bills to any citizen who asks.

The thing works like this. If someone in government asks you something in exchange for any service, you give him or her the fake bill (valued at "0"), an act of defiance in the part of the citizen. It's supposed to have been proven to work in that country, with a lot of people claiming that by doing such an act, the government official in question did not anymore pursue collecting the bribe".

But don't let me rat out all the details. Here's the link to the article.

Wish we had something like this in the Philippines.

Text Messages 18

The Dont's To Remember:

Don't wait for time. Make it.

Don't wait for love. Feel it.

Don't wait for money. Earn it.

Don't wait for the path. Find it.

Don't wait for opportunity. Create it.

Don't go for less. Get the best.

Don't compare. Be unique.

Don't avoid failure. Use it.

Don't dwell on mistakes. Learn from them.

Don't back down. Go around.

Don't run from life. Embrace and enjoy it.

Don't just read this. Share it!

Stay blessed.

Mary Ann Andicoy, February 1, 2010

Always a happy thought to start our day: "I asked God to give me happiness. And God said, "No, I give you blessings. Happiness is up to you."

Ate Cathy, February 3, 2010

The truth behind the song ETERNAL FLAME and who really sang it:

Bulag: Close your eyes.

Pilay: GIve me your hand, darling.

Bingi: Do you hear my heart beating?

Bobo: Do you understand?

Manhid: Do you feel the same?

Dukha: Am I only dreaming?

Bumbero: Or is this burning an eternal flame?

Pipi: Say my name.

Baliw: Sunshine through the rain.

Kawawa: My whole life, so lonely.

Doctor: They'll come and ease the pain.

Madamot: I don't wanna lose this feeling

Wolf: Oooooohhhh....

Ate Bating, February 7, 2010

Kung si Villar ang tunay na mahirap, unsa na lang ta friend? Hampaslupa?

Eddie Gutierrez, May 7, 2010

It feels good to hear your loved one say: Anhi daw ka diri ingon si mama.

But it feels much better to hear your loved one say: Anhi sa balay kay wala sina mama!

Abtik!

Eddie Gutierrez, February 7, 2010

Sa lasang, nangihi si Juan.

Juan: Pre, gipaak ug cobra akong oten, tabang!

Pedro: Tawag sa kog doktor..(kuha ang cp). Doc, gipaak ug cobra akong amigo, unsay buhaton nako?

Doctor: Supsupon nimo ang dugo kung asa gipaak ang amigo nimo.

Juan: Unsay ingon sa doktor?

Pedro: Mamatay na daw ka!

Edwin Gutierrez, February 17, 2010

We are not meant for solitude and we only know ourselves when we see ourselves in the eyes of others-The Witch of Portobello, Paulo Coelho

Shiela Mandaguay, February 14, 2010

Juan: Kol, maayong buntag. Gisugo ko ni mama mukuha sa baboy.

Uncle: Uy dong! Ulitawo na oh! Dali rang panahon noh. Unsang year naman ka dong?

Juan: Fourth year high school na baya ko kol.

Uncle: Awww...Maayo, graduating naman diay ka. Unya, unsa man imong kuhaon?

Juan: Ang baboy, kol.

Edwin Gutierrez, February 28, 2010

Some few things I've learned from experience.

Don't talk too much when you're mad. You might say things you don't mean to say.

Making a decision takes time. Don't rush.

Life is like chess. One wrong move and your game is all messed up.

Never let your pride ruin everything. It's better to lose your pride than to lose someone because of your pride.

Think positive always for better results.

Mark Salazar, March 1, 2010

I know friendship is hard to keep.

But even if it gets harder, I wouldn't give up because if it's hard to keep you, it will be a lot harder to find you again.

JV Colina, March 4, 2010

A guy gave three roses to his girlfriend.

The girl said: Oh! You're so romantic. Why did you give me three roses?

The boy said: Di man pwede kung isa kay tulo singko mana.

Edwin Gutierrez, March 5, 2010

The fish said: I can't see my tears because I'm in the water.

The water replied: I can feel your tears because you are in my heart.

Lesson? Ambot! Di ko ka-relate ngano maka-istorya ang isda. Mitubag pa jud ang tubig! Lahi na jud ang kalibutan. Katingalahan.

Edwin Gutierrez, March 5, 2010

Girls are afraid to hear the words, "It's over", from her guy.

And you know what naughty guys are afraid to hear from their girls? "Wala ko gidugo."

Edwin Gutierrez, May 10, 2010

Angel

Last Easter Sunday, I had the chance to watch my two younger sisters perform again for the "Sugat", the theatrical reenactment of the reunion of mother and son, of Mary and Jesus Christ. Our youngest sibling was an angel while my second youngest sister was playing the "white hands" part (or the so-called dancing-with-only-hands-covered-in-white-gloves-lit-by-black-light part).

Looking back, it had been ages since I too was part of the production. Back then, I had the presumption that one wasn't normal if one had not been an "angel" as a child (a presumption that thankfully gave me the illusion that mine was a complete childhood). Perhaps, it was a blessing that I got to be a part of that spectacle, an opportunity that always seemed available to every kid in Nabunturan.

Our job as angels usually consisted of memorizing certain dance routines choreographed by Tita Bing-bing. Then, on Good Friday, we were part of the parade of people who marched around the Poblacion after the celebration of The Seven Last Words. Since we were angels - and children - we got to ride on one of several trucks for the entire procession, chatting with the rest of the other kids and staring serenely at the mass of people below us. Finally, on Easter Sunday, we sang and danced for the "Sugat", and were treated to pandesal and "tsikwate" (choco) after the Easter mass and the customary photo shoot.

Those were good times and I feel happy having been a part of that. Nowadays, I just feel content watching those other kids on stage work their wings and those feet.

Gimme A Break

Right now, we have Senator Trillanes who, if I'm not mistaken, has not authored a single piece of legislature, although that's basically what his job description is all about.

Now, they're fielding in, as senatorial candidates, other military personnel who were part of the Oakwood mutiny several years ago.

You want my opinion? Well, I think it's plain stupid.

I'm a practical voter. I know that there are limited seats in the Senate and these seats are best reserved for those who actually know the law and who have bills to push for in mind. I am a Filipino citizen and I want my Senate as productive as possible, churning out laws as fast as they could. And that's all right. That's because senators are getting paid to do just that: to create and to pass laws.

Now, there are a bunch of military guys who are running for the senate and I don't know if they have any inkling about what the job entails. All I can be sure of is that they represent a demographic, a demographic (or perhaps an ideal) that is already represented in Congress (hence, the redundancy) by the apparently useless Senator Trillanes ( who got voted while behind bars, by the sympathy votes of a great many disgruntled Filipinos who, perhaps, also don't know what a senator's job is).

I'm not happy with this at all. But I do hope that, if ever these guys get elected, I won't be the only one lowering my head in embarrassment.

A Good Piece of Poetic Prose

I can't help but be mesmerized by the closing paragraph of this book. What I'm referring to is the book Exploring Our Living Planet by Robert D. Ballard. It was a gift by my mom when I was little but I only got to read it in full when I was in college (and I was bored).

It's actually a geography book, complete with fascinating pictures of vistas, volcanoes, and other landscapes, and enriched by an equally compelling narrative by the author as he tells the story about the depths and mysteries of the Earth.

Here's the last paragraph:

Whatever it is that moves the plates, we should hope that it continues. For when it stops - when the mountains no longer wring out the clouds nor volcanoes rejuvenate the soil - then the mountains will wash into the sea, never to return, and the face of our world will again be "without form, and void." And so we have the central paradox of our living planet - that its most violent and destructive forces make life possible upon its face.

After which, an excerpt from T.S. Eliot provides the perfect closure for a book on geography, the science of knowing what shapes the Earth and how it all began:

We shall not cease from exploration

And the end of all our exploring

Will be to arrive where we started

And know the place for the first time.

Through the unknown, remembered gate

When the last of earth left to discover

Is that which was the beginning....

T.S. Eliot

How About A Father-Daughter Night-Out?

This is a good idea.

A father-daughter date.

Right now, all I'm exposed to are girls' and boys' night-outs (The typical boy's night-out in my family is a night at the movies with Papa footing the bill). The idea basically invites fathers and daughters to spend some quality time with each other and teach each other valuable lessons in chastity, self-esteem, and role modeling.

I stumbled upon this article when I was busy perusing something else. Anyway, here's the article.

Enjoy (Wish something like this would happen here)!

By the way, a mother-son date is a pretty good idea too.

Text Messages 17

God won't withhold any good thing from those who walk uprightly. Even in the most difficult situation, we can trust Him to do what is best. Be glad! You are blessed.

Mama, April 29, 2010

A Prayer for Family and Friends:

Lord, watch over those whose names You can read in my heart. Guard them with every care and make their way easy and their labor fruitful. Dry their tears if they weep; sanctify their joys; raise their courage if they weaken; restore their hope if they lose heart; restore their health if they will be ill; seek truth if they err; repentance if they fall. Amen.

Mama, April 27, 2010

Sa tanang presidentiables, ang pinakakusog sa mga bisaya kay si Noynoy Aquino according to my source. Bisan asa ko muadto sa dyip, sa merkado, sige ko kadungog:

Noy, bayad?

Pila ni Noy?

Asa ni Noy?

Pila ka-buok, Noy?

See?

Papa, April 19, 2010

God will shower graces more than you expect, not just because you asked for them, but someone around you wished them for you.

Mama, March 30, 2010

At times, God fills our cup full and running ever., not for us to boast or measure, but for us to spill over into the lives of others.

Kris Garcia, March 28, 2010

Text Messages 16

If you cannot amaze people with your intelligence, confuse them with your stupidity.

Edwin Gutierrez, April 9, 2010

I'm only a person whose willing to give you the best of what I can be, but I'm not a perfect person so I hope you can appreciate the things that I can only give "like being as simple as I am."

Ate Cathy, April 5, 2010

When changes come to us, we tend to forget a few things. But even if I've got so many changes in my life now, no change can ever make me forget the bonding that we shared!

Ate Cathy, April 5, 2010

Best love message I've ever heard: I believe in love at first sight...because I've been loving my mother since I opened my eyes.

Ate Cathy, April 5, 2010

Give it all to God: Your past regrets, your present problems, your future ambitions, your fears, your dreams, your weaknesses, your habits, your hurts, and hang-ups. "Put God in the driver's seat of your life and take your wheel off the steering wheel." Don't be afraid: Nothing under His Drive can ever be out of control.

Ate Cathy, April 3, 2010

Pag na-miss kita, di ako umaasang ma-miss mo rin ako. Pag tinext kita, di ako umaasa na mag-reply ka. Gusto lang jud nako malipay ka din, masabi mo na, "Si Karen talaga, lagi akong naaalala."

Ate Cathy, April 2, 2010

God always plans the best things for us. Sometimes we feel being left out, but actually, God is saving the best one than what we actually asked for.

Ate Cathy, April 2, 2010

"The moment you find the courage to give up your life for someone would be the moment you understand love."- Kenshin Himura

Mary Anne Andicoy, April 1, 2010

Learn not to hate those persons who broke you badly. For as soon as you begin to hate, you become just like them. Pathetic, bitter, and unloved.

Mary Anne Andicoy, March 31, 2010

Simple thought: "Hurt me with truth, but never comfort me with lies."

Mary Anne Andicoy, March 31, 2010