Naga City

I went to Naga City to attend a hearing and all I have to show for my trip (other than the Order I was able to secure) is this:

a picture of a lion with too much eyeliner.

evolution alive

Found this on Jessica's site

Why so similar?

Because Multiply still stubbornly refuses to allow embedded videos for users. Grr.

See more funny videos and funny pictures on CollegeHumor

Found it here.

You twit

Because I'm tired of thinking of something and not blogging about it. Maybe this will help.




http://twitter.com/Moks

Garbage In - Garbage Out

For some inexplicable reason, I have been an emotional sponge this week. Emotion-allergic person that I am, it was a very weird time indeed.

I wake up next to my wife with joy every morning, but become sad when I lose a DotA match. Pride swells in my heart when I say no to the second cup of rice, but quickly lose control when grabbing another fistful of sweets from my chocolate jar. It’s like I’m pregnant. The mood swings are becoming ridiculous.

Re-reading Thomas Harris’ thriller Red Dragon (set before Silence of the Lambs) for the nth time produced a depressing, slightly upset stomach-inducing feelings I was ill-prepared to ingest. I haven’t been this engrossed in a book in a long while and the trauma/depravity experienced by the protagonist of the book bled into my ‘waking’ life, even after putting the book away.

Tuesday, I texted some friends and asked of possible gimmicks and places/events to enjoy. The usual homebody that I am, my friends were kind enough to text back but no real plans came off it. I told them I was dead bored, but that wasn’t entirely accurate. It was extreme dismay at my situation brought about by… well, nothing. I was dismayed because of nothing.

Wednesday, I was reading some online comic and eating a whole bar of Hershey’s Cookies and Cream, (which I relished with all delight) when a thought came into my head – “I have the best life -- EVER!!!” Nothing major in my life changed to vanquish yesterday’s dismay – the chocolate and the comic made all the difference.

THAT made me stand up and question – why am I being so unusually vulnerable to things happening around me? I’m usually a hard person to affect – makapal ang balat ko eh. The common criticism is that I am insensitive – not a sissy boy swayed by emotions. Where is my usual steadfast joy, the peace that comes from the security of being a disciple of the Master of the Universe?

That’s when it hit me – I am, like all humans, an amphibian. I am both body and soul, physical and spiritual. And even though my wife and I pray together every night, when was the last time this month – this quarter, actually -- that I sat down and opened my bible? With the starving diet that I have subjected my soul to God’s Word, is it any wonder why my will is being dominated by my earthly body? How can I quench my eternal thirst if I turn away from the everlasting water? How will I recognize joy that knows no bounds if I am starving my eternal spirit?

Garbage in, garbage out. It took me a while to remember, but yes, it is so obvious after all – how can I not be dominated by earthly pulls and concerns when it is all that I know? If I want a grander vision, I would have to tear my eyes from the TV/PC and raise my head to the Son.

So I guess I’d download that new e-sword installer and come back to my devotions. I’m hardcore after all. I’d really rather be the “sissy-boy emotional” when I’m on my knees to my God, not when I’m eating chocolate – no matter how good it is.

* image from Shutterstock.com

Book Review: State of Fear

Michael Crichton's State of Fear is about climate change and how questionable is the science behind such mass belief.

As a thriller, State of Fear leaves much to be desired. The plot is simply hard to swallow -- a lawyer, an assistant, and a "paramilitary" MIT head of risk-analysis travel around the world stopping the nefarious plans of environmentalists in their quest to drive the world to hysteria. Character development is all but ignored, and the bulk of the novel is dedicated to debunking the myth of global warming.

But I'm just nitpicking here. If you're like me who enjoyed Crichton's pages upon pages of discussion about chaos theory or alien anthropomorphism in his previous novels, State of Fear continues this tradition.

Crichton begins his discussion by asking, "What is global warming?" Most of us would define it loosely as the phenomenon explaining the worldwide rise of temperature caused by the increase of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide.

Not true, says Crichton. Technically, global warming is the theory that increased levels of carbon dioxide and certain other gases are causing an increase in the average temperature of the earth’s atmosphere because of the so-called ‘greenhouse effect.’ (p. 81, italics in the original)

The keyword there is theory -- that global warming, despite all the hoopla espoused by the movie and environmental groups, is still unproven and that there are sciences supporting both the advocacy and the denial of it. Crichton offers dozens upon dozens of references debunking beliefs that most people already consider as truth, such as:

1. The thawing of glaciers
2. Carbon Dioxide is the leading cause of global warming
3. Ocean levels are rising

As hard to believe as it may sound, Crichton rebutts these 'truths' by citing actual studies and scientific papers. As one character in State of Fear concludes, “The threat of global warming is essentially nonexistent. Even if it were a real phenomenon, it would probably result in a net benefit to most of the world” (p. 407).

After reading the book, readers can't help but ask, "Is this true? Have we been fools to believe the environmental movement?" Like State of Fear's stand on global warming, the answer is -- we're not sure. With such a highly political topic, State of Fear has passionate supporters and detractors alike.

That, I think, is the best thing we can take from Crichton's book. Let's not be zealots and be carried away. Let us study, let us verify, before we espouse the things that TV and popular media tell us. Crichton also talks about this, actually -- how the establishment is advocating 'a state of fear' to keep its citizens in line. But the idea was underdeveloped. It would have been nice if Crichton digged deeper on this topic, especially considering it was his book's title, after all.

Talking about verifying before jumping into high horse of belief, I remember a question a pastor once asked me when I showed him archaelogical findings supporting the bible -- "Is Scripture still Scripture if it needs archaeological validation?" I haven't had the time to really sit down and answer his question but I will... soon.

The desire to write is slowly awakening again :)

250 km north

Friends. Beach. Stress-free weekend.



We should do this again soon :)