One of the most talked about issues today in the field of environmental science is one that involves the rights of animals. As we all aware of it, animals should be left the way they are. We must not attempt to artificially change their genetic properties just to produce higher breeds of animals. Today, issues about crossbreeding has reverted the eyes of people who stands as advocate to the animal rights. But it will surely and greatly help us if we first know what is this process all about and let us try to find out why some people go against this one process which is dubbed by some of us as “one of the major advancements made by the use of technology.”

As wikipedia defines it, Crossbreeding refers to the process of breeding such an animal, often with the intention to create offspring that share the traits of both parent lineages, or producing an animal with hybrid vigor. While crossbreeding is used to maintain health and viability of animals, irresponsible crossbreeding can also produce animals of inferior quality or dilute a purebred gene pool to the point of extinction of a given breed of animal.

The term is also is used at times to refer to a domestic animal of unknown ancestry where the breed status of only one parent or grandparent is known, though the term “mixed breeding” is technically more accurate. The term outcross is used to describe a type of crossbreeding used within a purebred breed to increase the genetic diversity within the breed, particularly when there is a need to avoid inbreeding.

As the definition is given, we can say that there is a benefit that we can get from this process and that is to maintain the health and viability of animals. However, its negative effect says that it can lead to serious extinction of a certain breed or specie of an animal if not to produce inferior breeds. Here in the Philippines, the birth of a “hebra”, that is the combination of a horse and a zebra, in the Manila Zoo, brought delight to many people but not into the eyes of some agencies such as PETA or the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. The “hebra” came from a female zebra and a male horse. PETA said that with this condition, the “hebra” will have to hide behind the bars will never ever earn the chance to run free in the wild-a freedom that has been taken away from it because of the condition it got from the process of crossbreeding. PETA believes that zoos just continue their crossbreeding process in order to increase their profit as this process provides them with endless “cute animal babies” and will draw crowds and that would mean more income for the zoo. Although the administration of the zoo already said their defense, that since it is the last zebra they have in the zoo, they have decided to let it mingle with horses because they don’t want it to be lonely, PETA just seems not to buy it.

Animals have rights too, right? If that is true, then it be just great if we let them live the way they should be. We should not be involving them in any process that alters the way they are. Crossbreeding, as a process of maintaining health and viability of animals can, more or less, lead to the extinction of some of the animal species that we have today. That is a fact we must keep in mind before we say that it is entirely good for the welfare of animals.

What comes first in your mind when you heard the word “politics”? Is it really good or bad in our part? Do you think it can greatly affect the lives of people? Well, let’s define it first. “Politics” is somewhat the science and art of the government; the management of public affairs and the activity in or management of the business of political parties. For me, it is the act of selecting the best leader of specific place to handle the work or obligation to make the place successful as they can but sometimes some politicians didn’t mind of doing that because they only think about the money that they will receive as their monthly salary. Corrupt politicians, sometimes didn’t mind about building a project, the money that was given to them are being used only for their own sake. As we all know when we talk about  politics, we cannot remove in our mind the word “cheat”, “dilute” and “deceive” votes that involve money just to convince people, this is what we call “vote buying” just to win the game. Politics serves as an instrument to change because on the other-hand, some politicians also do their part that is what we call “responsible leader”. They will make many changes as their part in their community. Furthermore, yes. I do believe that politics serves as an instrument to change because through this leaders can implement rules and regulations to be followed to promote peace and unity among them.

‘One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind’

In this July 20, 1969 photo, astronaut Edwin ‘Buzz’ Aldrin Jr. poses beside a US flag on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission. Aldrin and fellow ‘moonwalker’ Neil Armstrong gathered Friday with other Apollo astronauts as part of the first moon landing’s 40th anniversary celebration.

No one can say exactly what it looks like when a planet takes ill, but it probably looks a lot like Earth. Never mind what you’ve heard about global warming as a slow-motion emergency that would take decades to play out. Suddenly and unexpectedly, the crisis is upon us.

Environmentalists and lawmakers spent years shouting at one another about whether the grim forecasts were true, but in the past five years or so, the serious debate has quietly ended. Global warming, even most skeptics have concluded, is the real deal, and human activity has been causing it. If there was any consolation, it was that the glacial pace of nature would give us decades or even centuries to sort out the problem.

Global warming is a typical global phenomenon, where the causer of the emission does not automatically suffer from it himself. Cause and effect are separated both in time as well as with regard to geography.

In the past, there was a more or less direct relation between the energy consumption (mainly fossil fuels) and the welfare of a country.

This makes it very difficult to reach consensus between the countries about the required steps to solve the problem. The Kyoto protocol shows that the following of the agreement will be doubtful at best if no automatic sanctions take into effect for countries violating it.

Given the severe consequences of global warming, the above sounds quite hopeless for our future. Read on to see how we all are involved in this and how we can benefit from taking our personal responsibility.

One of the things climate scientists worry about is feedback mechanisms. Some feedbacks are positive- they amplify warming, and some are negative they suppress warming. Let’s take a quick look at a graphic showing how cold air is made. Basically, what this graphic is showing us is that at this time of the year, when the Arctic is receiving little sunlight, the radiative input is less than the radioactive output. In other words, more energy leaves the Earth than is added by the sun and cooling occurs.

Malnutrition is still one of the major health problems in school children and could be considered deadlier than the swine flu plague, a partylist representative said today.

“While swine flu is a threat, malnutrition remains a deadlier menace to students’ well-being this school opening and the government has continuously overlooked this through the years,” Kabataan partylist Rep. Raymund Palatino said.

Palatino cited that 21 percent of students are malnourished. In the elementary level, 37 percent have iron deficiency anemia, 36 percent have Vitamin A deficiency, and 67 percent have intestinal helminthiasis.

He noted that there is only one designated doctor for every 80,000 students, one dentist for 20,000 students, and one school nurse for every 5,000 students.

“These are the glaring conditions of our health system in public schools. We blame this on lack of doctors, nurses and medical facilities in our schools because of very low education spending,” Palatino said.

Undertaking a viable waste-recycling project for communities will go a long way toward solving the solid waste or garbage problem in Metro Manila and the regions.

One of the more serious problems facing the country today is pollution due to the improper handling and disposal and solid wastes.

Uncollected garbage is left on the streets, dumped into storm drains, esteros, canals, creeks or rivers.

In addition burning trash is becoming a common sight in the metropolis, adding to the pollution.

Garbage from homes, which represent about 50 percent of the total waste generated, “constitutes the single largest source of solid wastes,” according to DENR a report.

The industrial sector is another major source of pollution. Some factories discharge untreated liquid wastes into drains and rivers, or dump solid hazardous wastes on farmlands and other sites.

To stem the tide, Laws, rules and regulations pertaining to solid waste management must be fully implemented.

The DENR has already launched its Environmental Waste Management Program, and many cities and town have signed up.

I suggest that, the communities should compost biodegradable refuse as much as possible.

The decision of the Court of Appeals (CA) yesterday (April 23, 2009) shocked the country as it acquits US Marine Lance Corporal Daniel Smith as the primary suspect to the Subic-rape case issue.

The CA said that the incident was a result of being carried away by both of the parties. The CA furthermore said that no strong evidence aside from the testimony of the victim (Nicole) was presented in the court to prove that Smith was really guilty thus making it makes its decision to let Daniel Smith walk away freely, not just from the case but from the custody of our country. The decision was personally unfair for the family of the said victim, but they got no other choices left but to accept the decision of the body.

Giving my opinion personally, the CA however shouldn’t have let Daniel Smith to be out of our custody because his innocence is not yet 100% proven. If he was then acquitted, he must stay in our country’s custody for the purpose of retrial and appealing again the case. If they have let Smith walk away with no restrictions at all, the chances of having Subic-rape case no.2 is not impossible. The victim as well as his family is now in grave situation because the possibility of appealing again for the case now is close to none. Death treats and the likes are now also inevitable because since acquitted, Smith has totally regained his freedom. The last call will still be for the CA to make, but weigh first the situation before giving your judgments.

Courtesy of Philstar.com

The issue on the automation of the 2010 national elections have reverted all ears as it creates noise. Billions of pesos will be spent for a strategy that is not proven to eliminate the problem of elections, and so, a test is about to be done.

Opposition Senator Allan Peter Cayetano said in a press conference that he is filling a resolution for COMELEC (Commission on Elections) to appropriate an amount of 100 million pesos out of the 11 billion pesos fund on the automation of elections as a reward for anyone who can show and convince the people that the automated elections is also susceptible to dirty tactics such as fraud and tampering of election paraphernalia. If this goes through (the resolution), this will be a test to the automation process’s invulnerability and probably will make the fear of people for any untoward act regarding the elections vanish.

This is why the Commission on Elections (Comelec) challenged hackers to try to hack into the voting and counting machines that will be used in next year’s elections, but expressed confidence that they would fail.

Comelec executive director Jose Tolentino said they are very confident the security features of the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines would be able to thwart hackers.

“Even in the first level, we can already detect any tampering,” noted Tolentino, who is also the project manager of poll automation.

“After that, we’ll know if the machines are accurate… The parties will then sign a document to certify that the machines are accurate,” Tolentino added.

The election process is one of those processes that should not be taken with risks for it would determine the future of our country. I for one would like to contribute by saying that I am also a computer enthusiast with knowledge about hacking and I will try my best to penetrate and hack the system to prove whether the automation process will be a success or yet again, another failure. So to all the hackers there, I urge you to try and give it your best shot to prove yourself as hackers. You might just got lucky and take the 100 million pesos reward plus the bonus of helping your own country.

A history has been made by an American to set record for his country, but not because of honor and pride after all. The Federal Bureau of Investigation recently said that they are about to put on the list their 24^th most wanted man. America must have been half lucky because for the first time, it (the next on the list man) will come from their domestic men. Indeed, history has been made.

31-year-old computer specialist Daniel Andreas San Diego of Berkeley, California will be the latest man on the most wanted list of F.B.I. He was the suspect for the alleged bombings at California in 2003 and a reward of no less than $250,000 was released for his capture. He was the one responsible for the bombing that damaged the corporate offices of Chiron Corp., a biotechnology firm, and at Shaklee Corp., a nutrition and cosmetics company. The explosions caused minor damages and no injuries.

For a moment, we thought these events are impossible. But now, America has created its new record, courtesy of Daniel Andreas San Diego-an American terrorist.

In addition to the many hostage dramas that have happened in Sulu, another hostage taking happened where 3 International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) volunteers has been kidnapped last January 15, 2009. Andreas Notter, Italian Eugenio Vagni who are both Swiss nationals and Pinay Engineer Marie Jean Lacaba were said to be kidnapped last January 15 at Patikul, Sulu. Abu Sayyaf Commander Al­bader Pa­rad and Doc Abu Pula were said to be the brains in this new hostage crises guarding the hostages at the forest lands of Indanan, Sulu. As usual, this issue have reverted all eyes again especially those of persons in authority. But what’s new with this crisis? It was like the ones that have already happened over the past years. The hostage takers will not demand money, but something else like their freedom, ownership of their land, and others except money. But the truth is that money is being involved under that radar to avoid creating other issues.

As for the latest development on the still on going crisis, Pinay Engineer Marie Jean Lacaba was released last April 02, 2009 near Indanan, Sulu. Reports say that no ransom money was involved but that is also what makes us think of what were the real objectives of the hostage takers.